German Shepherd Harness
German shepherd dogs were bred in a comparatively recent time in Germany. First attempts to produce an agile and protective species of shepherd dogs took place in the 1880s. In the early 1890s, a pioneer German Shepherd Club, the Phylax Society, was founded. It could not withstand the pressure of public indifference and disregard, and the society collapsed shortly after its foundation.
On April 3, 1899, Max von Stephanitz, a cavalry captain, attended a dog-show and spotted a peculiar wolf-like herding dog. He was delighted with the dog's unsurpassed agility, unswerving integrity and unquestioning obedience. Max set himself a task to develop an intrepid, faithful, enduring and laborious companion, who would be able to withstand all hazards and perils of combat and who could bear considerable physical rigors.
Max von Stephanitz and Arthur Meyer, his dog-show companion, decided to form a breeding club, and soon die Verein von Deutsche Shafenhunde was founded. Max von Stephanitz became the president of the club. He drafted the breed standard and remained the top judge of the club until his death in 1936.
Max von Stephanitz worked hard toward developing a unique and versatile breed of dogs, which would feature a wide range of abilities and qualities, intrinsic to many other breeds. Initially, German Shepherd dogs were intended for sheep-keeping and cattle-driving purposes, but they proved to be reliable and undaunted companions in wartime and in police service. German Shepherds have also become excellent rescue dogs, because they have a developed, keen sense of smell.