The German Shepherd breed was invented by "Captain Max" von Stephanitz in 1899. His first German Shepherd, named Horand von Grafrath, is the genetic basis for the German Shepherd as we know it today. German Shepherds are highly intelligent and agile dogs, with a strong work drive. They naturally have a wonderful sense of smell. They have many more sensory "smelling" cells than man's 5,000,000. A Dachshund has 125,000,000, a Fox Terrier 147,000,000 and a German Shepherd (often used as a "sniffer" dog) has 220,000,000. You'll often find them working in such roles as police dogs, guarding property, search and rescue, therapy, service-dog and in military applications. German Shephards have a personality marked by direct, fearless willingness to protect what it considers its "den" (i.e. house, car, and property in a home situation) and "pack" (i.e. human family in a home situation). It is poised, but when the occasion demands, you will find this eager and alert dog is both fit and willing to serve in whatever work capacity the circumstances may demand.