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Germans extensively used Giant Schnauzers as well. In WWI as medic dogs, WWII as guard dogs. The breed was annihilated by the Russians as they extinguished almo

by feld 10y ago

Germans extensively used Giant Schnauzers as well. In WWI as medic dogs, WWII as guard dogs. The breed was annihilated by the Russians as they extinguished almost every kennel and took home prime specimens to breed for size. This is why Giants have two types: German soft coats and Russian hard coats which are also physically larger. I have it on good authority from a couple Giant breeders in the USA that the Russians went on this kennel extermination campaign because the German soldiers were feeding dead Russians to the dogs. I have not seen this specifically documented anywhere though. It would be nice to know the true motivations behind the ruthless killing of these dogs by the Russians.

jacamat 10y ago
For a long time, as a German Shepherd owner and enthusiast, I believed the old adage about white German Shepherd's being "awful." Granted, in some cases this holds true - pink skin, pink noses - typical of melanin deficiencies in the skin (and often in the eyes & brain) buuuuuut that's not where the bias started. Some of the founding Shepherd's were white! The foundation stud, Grief, was white. The creator of the breed is on record saying that white dogs have no less working capacity than any other color... So what happened? Turns out, this was due largely to nazi influence, too. The WWII era really transformed the German Shepherd. From a pastoral sheep-herding companion came a military machine. White dogs, while good at blending in with the flock and being spotted by a Shepherd in the field, were not so good on the battlefield, unfortunately for the same reasons. You can see them coming at night, they are easy targets on a black mountainside. In other words, the ideas of the time have an ENORMOUS impact on the dogs we create. I don't doubt the Giant Schnauzer story for a second. Breeds evolve to suit the government, the people, and the culture that they are born into...

by feld 10y ago

jacamat 10y ago

For a long time, as a German Shepherd owner and enthusiast, I believed the old adage about white German Shepherd's being "awful." Granted, in some cases this holds true - pink skin, pink noses - typical of melanin deficiencies in the skin (and often in the eyes & brain) buuuuuut that's not where the bias started. Some of the founding Shepherd's were white! The foundation stud, Grief, was white. The creator of the breed is on record saying that white dogs have no less working capacity than any other color... So what happened? Turns out, this was due largely to nazi influence, too. The WWII era really transformed the German Shepherd. From a pastoral sheep-herding companion came a military machine. White dogs, while good at blending in with the flock and being spotted by a Shepherd in the field, were not so good on the battlefield, unfortunately for the same reasons. You can see them coming at night, they are easy targets on a black mountainside. In other words, the ideas of the time have an ENORMOUS impact on the dogs we create. I don't doubt the Giant Schnauzer story for a second. Breeds evolve to suit the government, the people, and the culture that they are born into...