Black German Shepherds are a relatively new breed on the block. These were introduced to the mainstream American market in the 1930s, courtesy of Ernie Loeb, long known as Mr. German Shepherd for his pivotal role in importing the breed from then-Nazi Germany. Today, all black GSDs can be traced back to one of Loeb’s imports: Bernd vom Kallengarten with the solid black gene from him.

Three reasons for the name

Unlike other dog breeds, the reasons for assigning the name Black German Shepherd are crystal clear. First, these dogs are named for their completely black coloration from the tips of their pointed ears to the ends of their bushy tails.

Second, the German part of the name attests to its German origins. Two Germans were so noted for bringing the breed to the world’s attention that, today, they are one of the most recognizable and registered dog breeds in the world. The first German was Max von Stephanitz, who founded the Society for the GSD, thus establishing the breed as a distinct breed. The second was Ernie Loeb, who imported the aforementioned progenitor of all black GSDs.

Third, these dogs were originally bred in ancient times, according to records, as early as the 7th century, as working dogs tasked with herding sheep and helping shepherds in the fields. Therefore, the term shepherd in the name has value even today, although other tasks have been found for them ranging from house pets to guard dogs and military dogs.

And that is how the black GSDs came to be called by their current names.

Coloring Variations

German Shepherds come in a variety of colors other than solid black. The most common of these colorations is the combination of red/black and tan/black, both of which have black masks and black markings on the body.

Other color variations include all white, sand, liver, and blue. Note that in show dog competitions, all-white herders are disqualified, while liver and blue varieties are considered serious faults in the dog. Black Shepherds are considered highly acceptable in such competitions.

change of names

German Shepherds were not always called by that name. Max von Stephanitz was the first person to name the breed as such by virtue of founding the Society for the German Shepherd with Horand as the society’s first dog on its registry. The English name was the literal translation of the German breed name of Deutscher Schaum ferhunde.

During World War I, however, the term “German” was dropped from the breed’s name for fear that it would arouse anti-German sentiments, which were very high at the time. As such, the breed came to be called the Alsatian Wolfdog for the French region, as well as for its wolf-like appearance.

Eventually the term wolfdog was dropped from the name due to negative connotations and the breed was simply called the Alsatian for the next 50 years. It was only in 1977 that black shepherds were once again called by their names for registration purposes.

Regardless of the name, however, Black German Shepherds remain one of the most popular dogs due to their intelligence, loyalty, and innate abilities.