German Shepherd

Overview

The German Shepherd, also known (archaically) as the Alsatian is a dog known for its strength, intelligence, and obedience. As such they make for excellent police and military dogs, as well as commonly being employed as guard dogs, search and rescue dogs, guide dogs and farm dogs. The name shepherd refers to the breeds original purpose of herding and protecting sheep.

Used by German forces in World War I, the breed gained recognition for its loyalty and strength after returning allied soldiers extolled the virtues of the dog. They gained further recognition once they began to feature in television shows and movies such as 'Rin Tin Tin'. After World War II, their popularity declined due to anti-German sentiment, however they gradually rose in popularity again in later years

These canines have been a part of video games such as Call of Duty: World at War where they can be called in as attack dogs, as well as being featured as loyal guard dogs in games such as Fable III.

Generally depicted as brown, few games have accurately represented the true number of variations within the breed. German Shepherd can be many colors including black and even red. Furthermore, despite their almost ubiquitously violent nature within games, German Shepherd's are in fact one of the safest and most sociable breeds of dog when properly trained. Indeed, Call of Duty: World at War made almost no attempt to impart the dog's ability to bond with children.

The dog has yet to be featured as a playable character in a video game. It is assumed that this is because a bonding with family members and running in the park simulator would be too exiting for the current generation of video game player. However, the upcoming Call of Duty: Ghosts has stated that it shall redefine the next generation of gaming by including a German Shepard as a character, no doubt revolutionizing interactive entertainment as we know it.