The German Shepherd is a working dog.
German Shepherd . The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog , with their origin dating to 1899 . As part of the Herding Group , German Shepherds are working dogs developed originally for herding sheep . Since that time however , because of their strength , intelligence , trainability , and obedience , German Shepherds around the world are often the preferred breed for many types of work , including disability assistance , search-and-rescue , police and military roles , and even acting .