Over a hundred years ago, Max von Stephanitz urged that “the breeding of shepherd dogs is the breeding of working dogs; and this must always be the aim, or we shall cease to produce shepherd dogs.” While many show dog enthusiasts focus primarily on confirmation, we agree with Max von Stephanitz, the founder of the German Shepherd, that “utility is the true criterion of beauty.” Our dogs must have proper structure to work, but excellent working dogs must also have the intelligence and drives to succeed. This is true of all working dogs, whether they are herding dogs, terriers, hounds or retrievers. As modernist architect Louis Sullivan noted, “form follows function,” and we believe the same is true of working dogs.
