German Shepherd or Alsation ? Two names for the same breed Why? or are they different??

Answer 1

Because the name was unpopular during WW2. Alsation was adopted as less offensive. Its the same breed.

Answer 2

I can tell you exactly as a German Shepherd breeder told me. The German Shepherds name was changed during world war 2 because of it's association with the germans. Many people still call them alsations if they have a short coat, but their correct name is GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG, shortened to GSD.

Answer 3

They are the same breed. The proper English name for this breed is the German Shepherd Dog, also informally referred to as the GSD or German Shepherd. Alsatian is the name commonly used in the UK and in the Commonwealth of Nations (53 sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. Hope this helps.......

Answer 4

The use of Alsation became the acceptable terminolgy due to anti-German feeling during/after WW2.... see more specific history (very interesting)

The intervention of the 1st World War may have ended what ever interest there was in German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs), and nothing more is recorded until further animals were imported by two army officers who had met the breed during their military duties during the war.

The officers Majors James Baldwin and Brabazon (later Lord Brabazon) had like many soldiers in Europe heard stories of the wonder dogs belonging to the German army that performed to them most amazing duties as search, locateand recover dogs for German wounded, as carriers of dispatches and as silent
patrol dogs accompanying reconnaissance and fighting patrols into the 'No man's land' between the two sides.

Major Baldwin remembered his WW1 experiences well and in 1939 when the second World conflagration broke out was able to persuade the then war office to form a similar pool of war-dogs to assist the British military, and now Col Baldwin commanded the first war dog training unit.

Another use was discovered by Beryl Griffin who trained and used blitz dogs for finding buried victims during and after air-raids in the 2nd World War. Such was the rapport between this lady and her dogs, that she knew from the attitude ofthe animal whether the victim they had found was alive or dead. This pioneer work has been extended to assist mountain rescue groups in Britain and inEurope the avalanche dogs.

Baldwin actually met his first German Shepherd in a small Belgium town. The dog, a *****, was trotting by her master's side as he rode his bicycle. Baldwinimpressed by the quiet steady demeanour of the animal bought her, and sheaccompanied him throughout the rest of the war, and indeed as did her canine
colleagues on the other side, kept company with him on many a sortie.
Baldwin never ceased to be impressed by the animal, who on a number occasions gave warning of trouble ahead.

Baldwin and Brabazon unfortunately were more enthusiastic than wise in their efforts to introduce and promote the breed in Britain and made decisions that still live with the breed today.

Believing that the hatred generated by the war for anything German would inhibit the development of the breed, they renamed it the Alsatian 'Wolf" Dog, Alsatian was derived from the source of many of the early imports, AlsaceLorraine.

Why Wolf Dog is unknown, perhaps a superficial resemblance to the northern wolf was a factor, perhaps even a desire to create a macho image of a fierce wolf type animal. Whatever the reason it was a gross error and probably causedmore problems than the correct name would have done.

Certainly the name did not match the reputation of the dogs in WW1 trenches. Soldiers on both sides respected these courageous dogs for their diligence in carrying dispatches, finding the wounded and patrol work.

Answer 5

German Shepherd is the proper name. Alsation means "from Alsace", in France, which not all of them are. Apparently there were breeding problems with some of the Alsace ones.

Answer 6

The name of the breed German shepard was changed during WW1 to alsation. Alsation was chosen as the region it originates from is Alsac-Lorraine.

Answer 7

Same breed alright, not sure why they changed the name, maybe something to do with the World War trench fights over Alsace and Lorraine, Germans wrestled them from the French, French from the Germans etc. Also, maybe to distinguish them from variants of the breek like Belgian Shepherds. Anyway, officially they are German Shepherds rather than Alsatians, and if you talk to a professional and say Alsatian, they get upset, talk to the dog and he don't care, long as you love him and feed him. Beautifl dogs though, I've had two.

Answer 8

The words "German Shepherd" are English words. The German Shepherd did not originate in the United States.

Answer 9

The English thought the name "German Shepard" offensive due to their distaste for the Germans.
Thus the name Alsation.

Answer 10

The name was changed to Alsation after WWII because anything German was not fashionable.