West vs. East Lines Explained

The close of World War II divided Germany into “West” and “East.” The Soviet union control the east, and the allied forces the west. The Soviets soon erected a massive barrier, known as the Berlin Wall, preventing travel back-and-forth between the corridors. This wall separated families; broke off contact between loved ones, as starkly different government philosophies played out on either side.

German Shepherds had attracted the attention of the world toward the close of World War I. German forces again employed this dog of unmatched intelligence and stamina during World War II. Despite the unfavorable connotations surrounding their service, the breed earned soldiers’ respect on both sides of the conflict. When the war divided 1940s Germany, two very distinct approaches to the breed played out. East Germany raised Shepherds strictly devoted to government and police work. The west bred more for beauty, temperament, intelligence, and impressive stature. To this day, lines developed under the GDR have a powerful prey drive, inexhaustible stamina and are generally more suited to work than a sedentary life around the house. East German Shepherds make for excellent police dogs, search and rescue, protection dogs, agility acrobats, and service dogs of various kinds. They can be a bit much for an inexperienced trainer/owner to handle because of their increased intensity.

The West German lines also developed under exacting standards. To this day, a dog cannot breed who has not first passed the Sieger standards, including assessing conformation and size, obedience, intelligence, and working instincts. The West German Shepherd is far and away, a superior breed to the American show dog. (Because of the long-term joint complications and related health issues, we have no interest in exaggerating the natural slope in the German Shepherd breed. We tend to favor the straighter backed dogs.)

So, while the west German Shepherd is a fabulous dog in its own right, making the perfect companion for many homes, we believe the best, most balanced dog is a combination of east and west. We pursue the Working Line’s intelligence and eagerness, combined with the amiable temperament, beauty, and size of the west German show line. The result: a perfectly balanced dog of outstanding temperament and trainability—suited for home and field alike.