If you’re wondering why German Shepherds are sometimes called Alsatians, this post will show you why.
So why are German Shepherds called Alsatians? Britain did not want to call them “German Shepherds” after the First World War, when Germany was their enemy, so they called them Alsatians. The name was reverted to German Shepherd Worldwide in 1977.
There are actually a number of misconceptions that people have with the name “Alsatian” and there is actually some historical context to the name.
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Alsatian German Shepherd Why are German Shepherds sometimes called Alsatians?
German Shepherds were heavily used by both sides during the first and second world wars. The British didn’t like to call them German Shepherds as Germany was the enemy at the time, so they named them Alsace instead.
This name continued to be used after WWII for many years but has become less and less popular over time as Germany is no longer at war with Great Britain. In 1977 the name was officially changed back to German Shepherd in Great Britain after campaigns by German Shepherd breeders.
The name Alsace comes from the French city of Alsace-Lorraine. It is an area that France gave to Germany in 1871 after the Franco-German war.
In the US, they had no problem calling dogs German Shepherds, so the name Alsatian has never become very common in the US That being said, in 1917 the American Kennel Club renamed the breed from “German Shepherd Dog” to just “Shepherd Dog”, which reverted to “German Shepherd Dog” in 1977.
Common misconceptions people have about German Shepherds and Alsatians
They are different races
Many people think that German Shepherds and Alsatians are different breeds, but they are not. They are the same breed, the only difference between them is the name and that Alsatians used to be a name used in Britain.
They were raised for different purposes
People also sometimes think that they were raised for different purposes. However, this is also not the case as they are the same dog. Also, both Alsatians in Britain and German Shepherds in other countries were used extensively during the war, so they were used for similar purposes anyway.
They are from different countries
Again they are not, since they are actually the same dog. That said, there is some truth to this misconception as “Alsatian” was a name used only in Great Britain.
Are German Shepherds the same as Alsatians?
Yes, German Shepherds and Alsatians are the same but with different names.
Different types of German Shepherds
While German Shepherds and Alsatians are the same dogs, there are actually a number of different types of German Shepherd breeds.
American show lines
German Shepherds of the American show line were bred for shows and have a narrower head than European German Shepherds and tend to be heavier and taller. They also have a very sloped back and tend to be slightly calmer due to being bred for shows.
Czech lines of work
This type of German Shepherd originated in Czechoslovakia and tends to be darker, with a uniform coloration that is predominantly black, brown, and gray. They also have smaller ears than North American German Shepherds and have a straight back. They are also very agile and powerful and were used for border patrol and security.
East German lines of work
East German lines are very similar to Czech working lines, but East German lines tend to be darker with some red and have larger heads, a larger chest, and high levels of resistance. They were bred to work long shifts so they could track down people trying to flee East Germany after WWII.
West German lines of work
These German Shepherds tend to have saddles and are black with some tan. Their backs will lean slightly, but not to the same extent as those of North American German Shepherds.
West German display lines
These GSDs are less dark in color than East German Shepherds, their backs are slightly sloping, they have a narrower head than North American German Shepherds but they tend to be healthier due to stricter breeding guidelines.
I love the animals. Reading and writing about them, their customs, their peculiarities or the attention they require is exciting, and I also believe that it makes us better people. I share articles that solve the questions that dog caregivers face on a daily basis.