Stephanitz 1901 - Page 3

Sorry Susie, my question was not well worded, I wanted to know what did the Cap'n and SV establish as the minimum requirement for GS to be bred and registered.....as there are very many different approaches to breeding, what was considered so important that without it the dog couldn't be bred?

Also worth it to note that Stephanitz was a military man who thought in terms of horses, cannons, swords, and men.  Stephanitz was of the Bismark era in German history.  Bismark was a great leader and FDR based many of his diplomatic and social programs on what Bismark did for the German people including leading them out of an economic depression.  The industrialization and switch from an agricultural economy came faster but much later in Germany than in France and Britain.  Men such as Stephanitz could perhaps not have seen the way things were going in 1900 but by the beginning of WWI the changes in the German economy and the switch to autos and airships was obvious and could not be ignored.  It was in this atmosphere of change both social and economic ( 50% of German were socialist in 1919 ) that conservative followers of Bismark's leadership style found themselves struggling to fit into.  The sheep numbers plummeted in Germany and the herding dogs of 1900 had to be adapted to find new ways to fit into a rapidly modernizing Germany.  As reference in 1900 the horse drawn means of transport was dominant in New York City.  The last horse drawn tram (streetcar on rails) closed in Berlin in 1910.

Very good posts bubba

Bubba, no pass fail - they already had ratings, and at least at the herding trials there was not one "fat man with a clipboard", but three...
About the herding dogs - Stephanitz was well aware of different German herding dog breeds ( the more havy built for protection, the lighter ones for active herding ) - he picked out what he liked.

Gustav, I reread a couple of pages for you. It´s difficult to translate though.
They established a "namebook" for dogs that were not registered yet ( kind of breedbook light ) - they had to start somewhere.
Afterwards the dogs could change into the "breedbook", there they got their SZ number. These dogs either had to be shown, or a member of the club had to see the dog in real.
No titles or trials required, they only had to look like a German Shepherd ( makes sense, Stephanitz was still in need of dogs in 1901 ).
To the same time they established a "stud book" for the males ( no titles required, too - they are only talking about "exhibition" titles.
But in all cases titles (herding and war/ambulance) were written down in the books.
Interestingly they wanted to have pictures of the dogs, for the last proof if the dog really looks like the breed he had in mind.

In this first book he talks about correct shape of head, dentition, angulation, back, croup, tales, size, coat, ears - this might have been almost all during that time.

That said namebook, breedbook, and studbook were created immediately, the dogs were picked by outlook almost only, if possible, they should have been on a show.

Edit: Just read your last post, Bubba. Stephanitz clearly says that he wants to "retain and develop" the character of the German herding dogs.