Ep 4. German Shepherds

In this episode of Breed All About It, we learn about the super dog Max Von Stehpanitz set out to create 100 years ago - the German Shepherd Dog. Known as the "dog for all reasons", the GSD excels in a number of activities. From sheep herding to tracking criminals to helping the disabled, the versatility of the GSD confirms its reputation as strong, fierce and extremely smart. We visit Ulf Kintzel, a native of Germany, who herds sheep with German Shepherd Dogs. We also observe Schutzhund training. At the training fields of our hosts David and Heidi Landau, we explain the exercises involving obedience, tracking and protection skills, and watch the dogs interact with professional "bad guys" known as agitators. In New Jersey we visit The Seeing Eye facility, where head trainer Peter Lang take us on a training excursion with a German Shepherd that has great potential as a leading eye dog. We conclude our episode with Officer Ken Farmer and his K-9 dog, Ari. Ari is not only a faithful family pet, but rides along with Ken in their day jobs as officers with the Apharetta Police Department. Ari's trainer, Mike Holbrook, discusses the German Shepherd Dog's strong points and the importance of training all dogs. Why has the German Shepherd become such a popular and versatile dog, despite being a "pure" breed for less than a century? Originally bred to herd, it has played such diverse roles as police dog, guide dog, pet, and more.