The Great Ones – German Shepherd Ch. Covy-Tucker Hill’s Manhattan
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By Kerrin Winter-Churchill
On a brightly cold spring morning in Germany, two men are deeply immersed in talk of dogs. With breeder’s hearts, they relish the atmosphere of one of the first dog shows in their country. As they walk the grounds, taking in the sights, their eyebrows lift, and their hands add emphasis to their passionate discussion of likes and dislikes–sharing their ideas of canine perfection. The younger man, a cavalry captain, speaks with vision to his friend of intelligence and usefulness, and his companion agrees. With eyes that look toward the future, the conversation turns once more to a regional type of dog already known locally as “The German shepherd’s dog.” Several years earlier, a society of like-minded individuals had tried their hand at forming a breeders’ society–wrapping their ideals around this type of dog but their efforts–based solely on wolfish beauty, failed miserably and the Phylax Society was no more. Suddenly, all conversation stops as both men’s eyes are filled by the sight of a big, gray and rust-colored, wolf-like dog standing quietly by his handler’s side. Here is the dog of which the Captain has dreamed. Here is the ship he needs to launch his vision of canine perfection, a beautiful dog filled with intelligence capable of great utility serving the needs of mankind. As the materialized dream stands before the two friends, their hearts thump wildly in their chests and time stands still. It is April 1899, and on that hallowed ground of Karlsruhe, Germany, the German Shepherd Dog breed is born when the 35-year-old Captain Max von Stephanitz buys the wolfish dog and renames him “Horand Von Grafrath.” Two weeks later the Captain and his companion, Artur Meyer, along with nine other men form the “Verein von Deutsche Schaferhunde,” aka the “SV,” and Meyer becomes the society’s first President. Three years later, Meyer is dead and for the next 36 years, Stephanitz runs the SV with an ironclad will and perfect vision.
Fast-Forward: Boy Meets Dog
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Short URL: https://caninechronicle.com/?p=218130
Posted by AnthonyA
on Dec 17 2021. Filed under Current Articles, Featured.
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