It's a common misconception that the German shepherd is the only well-known canine of German origin. The European country is the birthplace of numerous dog breeds, both popular and uncommon. Here are 10 dog breeds to know from Germany.
Germany, in the late 19th century, is credited with creating the modern boxer. The bullenbeisser ("bull biter"), a larger and more powerful canine breed that has since been extinct, is often considered to be the direct ancestor of modern boxers.
The German word for "badger dog" is dachshund. Around 600 years ago, canines like these were bred to hunt badgers and dig them out of their burrows.
Doberman Pinschers were created by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann at the turn of the twentieth century. He needed an impressive canine for his job as a tax collector in Germany.
The Great Dane, despite its name, did not originate in Denmark, despite the fact that it is one of the largest dog breeds in the world. Instead, the breed was established in Germany for the purpose of hunting wild boars.
The German shepherd was initially bred in the late 19th century with the intention of creating the best herding dog possible. Herding dogs became less necessary as modern farming techniques became more efficient.
The ancestry of the miniature schnauzer can be followed back to Germany in the 15th century. A little standard schnauzer was mixed with a poodle and an Affenpinscher to create this breed.
The Pomeranian can trace its ancestry back to the Arctic's thick-coated spitz-type canines. Breeders, however, sought a more manageable size in their sled dogs. Pomerania, a historical region that is today divided between Poland and western Germany
Large mastiff-like dogs introduced to Germany by the Romans are considered to be the ancestors of today's Rottweiler breed. Rottweil found a use for these huge canines.
It wasn't until the 1800s that the German shorthaired pointer became popular. Germans have been breeding dogs for centuries in an effort to create the ideal hunting companion—one that is both highly skilled and sociable.
Weimaraner dogs can be traced back to the early 1800s, when Grand Duke Karl August of Weimar, Germany, was instrumental in developing the breed.