This historical depiction follows the development of the German Shepherd dog from an assortment of mixed breeds that herded sheep in the late eighteenth century, in Germany to the breed of today; a breed that excels not only in sheep herding, but police, rescue and other purposes. The rules that were developed by the German club that was created for the purpose of standardizing what was wanted as a herding dog also creating a standard as to what was expected in regard to structural and temperament quality. Each year in Germany there is a Specialty show where the member judges pick the dog and female, regarded as closes to the ideal where their progeny is also considered. They also pick a select class and rate all the dogs on the basis of an analysis of each dog present. They do critiques on every dog. Must of this system has been followed worldwide, to a degree, and studies of pedigrees that determines the pillars of the breed and the most desirous to breed to have continued through the years, as have dog shows that select the best. This is followed through the book especially through the dogs imported to North America as well as analyses of the most desirous structure as it relates to the way the dogs move. Examples of dogs moving, stopped in various positions, are analyzed, describing the relationship to structure as are the pedigrees of many of the influential dogs through the history of the breed.