When you think about dog breeds from Germany, the German Shepherd might be your first association. But the European country has produced many more dog breeds. You have sporting breeds, working breeds, herding dogs, and more.
What is the first thing you think of when we say dog breeds from Germany? Let’s see what some of the more popular breeds from Germany are.
The German Shepherd
GSD is the first association of German dogs. The working dog breed of medium to large size was developed by Max von Stephanitz using German herding dogs in 1899.
German Shepherd was originally a herding dog, bred for herding sheep. Since then, it has been used in many other types of work. Some of them include police work, warfare, disability assistance, guide dog, therapy dog, search and rescue, and much more.
And if you want a companion dog, the German Shepherd dog is among the best.
The American Kennel Club regularly puts the GSD in the top 10 most popular dog breeds. It is due to its intelligence, trainability, loyalty, and affection.
Doberman
Also known as Doberman Pinscher in North America and Canada, this dog breed is a medium to large domestic dog. Originally developed around 1890 by Louis Dobermann, a tax collector from Germany, this puppy is known as an intelligent, alert, and tenaciously loyal companion.
Nowadays, the Doberman Pinscher serves as an excellent guard dog. It is due to its look, which makes it look evil, cruel, and aggressive. But that is not the case with the Doberman.
Yes, males have a muscular and intimidating appearance. Females are thinner but do not mistake their appearance with their character. Doberman’s personality is all about loyalty.
Pomeranian
How many of you knew that one of the most popular dogs due to its beauty originates from Germany? Yes, the toy dog many celebrities in Hollywood love originates from Germany.
Nowadays, it is classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size. But the Pomeranian descends from a larger German Spitz type dog. It is named for the Pomerania region in north-east Germany in Central Europe.
It gained popularity thanks to its royal owners in the 18th century. For example, Queen Victoria owned a handful of Pomeranians. During her reign and life, the size of the Pomeranian decreased by half.
Great Dane
From a small dog to a large one. The Great Dane is the largest dog in the world. Many people think it originates from Denmark (hence the Dane name). But the dog originates from Germany, descending from hunting dogs that hunted wild boar and deer during the Middle Ages.
In 1878, a committee was formed in Berlin which changed the name of the dog from Englische Dogge (translating to English mastiff) to Deutsche Dogge (German Mastiff). This became the Great Dane, putting the foundation in place for the development of the breed.
During the 19th century, the Great Dane was known as a German boarhound in English-speaking countries.
German breeders, on the other hand, tried to push for the name German Mastiff, believing the breed could be marketed as a dog of luxury, and not as a working dog. Fun fact: due to the tensions between Germany and other countries, the dog was renamed to Great Dane.
Dachshund
Also known as wiener dog, sausage dog, and badger dog, the Dachshund is one of the most popular German dog breeds lately. Here is a fun fact. The short-legged dog was developed to scent, chase, and flush out badgers and other burrow dwelling animals.
Nowadays, the Dachshund is more of a fun dog to be around than a hunting dog. Back in the day, the miniature Dachshund was bred to hunt small animals.
The American Kennel Club has the dog among the top 20 most popular dog breeds.
Rottweiler
If the German Shepherd is the first association to dog breeds from Germany, the Rottweiler is probably the second.
This medium to large German dog breed was bred to herd livestock. Back in the day, it was known as Rottweiler Metzgerhund, which means Rottweiler butcher’s dogs.
They herd livestock and pull carts laden with butchered meat to the market. This practice continued until the 19th century when railways replaced droving.
Nowadays, the Rottie has gained popularity as an excellent guard dog, police dog, search and rescue dog, and more.
The FCI standards consider the Rottweiler as one of the oldest dog breeds. Its history dates back to Roman times when dogs were kept as herder or driving dogs. The Rottie marched over the Alps with the Roman legions, with its purpose being to protect the humans and drive the cattle.
Before World War I, the demand for police dogs led to revival and interest in the Rottweiler. This is when the popularity of the German dog breed increased.
German shorthaired pointer
The German Shorthaired Pointer is a sporting dog breed originating from Germany. This medium breed of pointing dog was developed during the 19th century for hunting. But today, it is more of an agility dog breed and a sporting dog breed.
Originally a versatile hunting breed, the German pointer was an all-purpose gun dog that was suitable for both land and water. The breed remained one with a strong prey drive to find and chase game, which makes it suitable for dog sports.
Their short coat comes in various combinations, usually a mix of liver and white. Nowadays, the breed is a member of the Sporting Group.
Boxer
Here is another dog that not many people associate with Germany. With its smooth coat and amazing colors, the Boxer has gained popularity. The only downside is that the Boxer is a brachycephalic breed, which puts it at risk for health issues.
Their strong jaw and the powerful bite are ideal for hanging on to large prey. Bred from the Old English Bulldog and the extinct Bullenbeisser, the Boxer is a member of the American Kennel Club and the Working Group dogs.
The first Boxer club was founded in 1895 when the dogs were exhibited in a dog show in Munich.
Weimaraner
The Weimaraner is a large dog breed originally bred as a hunting dog in the 19th century. Back then, the Weimaraner was used by royalty for hunting large game including boar, bear, and deer.
But as the popularity of large game hunting began to decline, the dog breed was used for hunting smaller animals, including rabbits and foxes.
Nowadays, it is an all-purpose gun dog. Its name comes from the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Karl August. His court, located in the city of Weimer, enjoyed hunting.
Because of its traits like speed, stamina, great sense of smell, eyes, courage, and intelligence, the Weimaraner was a popular option for hunting.
Nowadays, a lot of people refer to it as a gray ghost due to its ghostly coat and eye color.
Poodle
Here is another dog breed from Germany that many people think it originates from another country. The Poodle might be the symbol of France, but it originates in Germany. There, it was bred as a water dog and divided into four varieties based on size, Standard Poodle, Medium Poodle, Miniature Poodle, and Toy Poodle.
It likely originated in Germany, where it was called Pudel. Yes, many claim it originates from France. Back in the day, it was used by wildfowl hunters to retrieve game from water.
The smaller varieties were actually used in France, where they were used as circus performers. Nowadays, the Poodle is a popular companion dog breed.
Affenpinscher
The common name for this dog is Monkey terrier, it is a toy dog similar to the Pinscher breed of dogs. It has German origin and dates back to the 17th century.
The name Affenpinscher is derived from the German word Affe for monkey. It is ancestral to the Griffon Bruxellois and Miniature Schnauzer.
This dog has been known since about 1600, but they were larger.
Giant Schnauzer
Let’s finish off the list of dog breeds from Germany with the Giant Schnauzer. This breed was developed in the 17th century in Germany, being the largest of three breeds of Schnauzer.
Bred from Great Dane and the German Pinscher, it was originally bred to assist on farms by driving livestock to market and guarding the property.
Eventually, it moved into the city, where it worked guarding butcher’s shops, stockyards, factories, and breweries.
Nobody knew about the Giant Schnauzer outside of Bavaria until World War I and World War II. During that period, it was used as a military dog.
