The credit for the development of the German Shepherd goes to Max von Stephanitz, who imagined one individual breed having all the qualities of a wide range of herding dogs, however, with improved appearance. Von Stephanitz shaped his idea for breeding German Shepherds as police dogs with increasing efficiency. Breeders started to consider both efficiency and appearance especially during late 19th and early 20th. The first registered German Shepherd was Horand von Grafrath, which was bought by Captain von Stephanitz at a dog show.
