Here are just of few
of countless German Shepherd Dogs that have won their
way into people's hearts forever. Some are heroes,
some are famous, all are great!
Hollywood Stars:
The original Rin Tin Tin served as a Red Cross Dog during WWI
with his owner Duncan. Rin Tin Tin made 26 pictures for Warner
Brothers before his death on August 10, 1932. At the peak of his
career with Warner Brothers he received some 10,000 fan letters
a week and was considered to be one of Hollywood’s top stars.
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Rin
Tin Tin II would sire Rin Tin Tin IV, and both
dogs were used in the filming of The Adventures of Rin
Tin Tin, which first aired on ABC 1954-1959. The first
episode of this canine crime fighter series commenced
when the U.S. Cavalry came upon a wagon train that had
been attacked by Apache Indians. |
The only
survivors were a young boy named Rusty and his German shepherd he
called Rin Tin Tin. The Cavalry took the boy and his dog to Fort
Apache in Arizona, where Lt. Ripley "Rip" Masters made
Rusty a Corporal so he could stay on at the fort. |
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Littlest Hobo,
starring a dog called London, was originally
created by Dorrell McGowen for a television movie
in 1958.
Following the huge success of the movie, a television
series was filmed in black and white between 1963
and 1965, with a total of 65 episodes. In every
episode the dog arrived in a new place, made new
friends, solved their problems, then left. The
series was remade in 1979 and became a familly
favorite for years to come. |
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| Heroic German Shepherds: |
Bruno
1995
Brooklyn, Newfoundland. Bruno, a nine-month-old German Shepherd
saved the life of eleven-year-old Donnie Skiffington when he was
thrown from his bicycle into a ditch, where he lay unconscious and
bleeding severely. Bruno licked Donnie's face until he regained
consciousness, and began to pull him by the shirt collar towards
home. |
Nellie
1994
Vienna, Ontario. Nellie, a six-year-old German Shepherd traveled
three kilometres back to her home to get help for 78-year-old Ken
Emerson, who lay injured after his tractor had overturned and crushed
his pelvis. When Nellie returned home, Mrs. Emerson realized that
the strip of her husband's shirt wrapped around Nellie's collar
was an S.O.S. message, and immediately sent for help. |
Brit
Brit won many awards such as the Apprehension Citation in 1997 from
the Saddle River P.B.A., the Unit Citation in 1995 by the Waldwick
Police Chief, the Certificate of Recognition in 1994 by the Allendale
and Waldwick P.B.A. for burglar apprehension, the Exceptional Duty
Award in 1998 by the Allendale and Waldwick P.B.A., and the Support
Services Award by the Ho-Ho-Kus P.B.A. On October 6, 1997, "Brit"
died and was given a full police funeral. On October 21, 1998, Sgt.
Litchult received a posthumous K-9 Service Award for K-9 "Brit"
from the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum in Miami, Florida.
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Sam
1994
Mississauga, Ontario. Sam, an eight-year-old German Shepherd saved
her owner, Phyllis McLeod, from drowning when she fell through a
frozen river. As Phyllis fought the swift current, she grabbed Sam's
collar and hung on until she was pulled far enough out of the water
to scramble to safety. |
Hustler
1992
Mirror, Alberta. Hustler, a three-year-old German Shepherd is credited
with saving the life of his owner, Debbie Inions. After a fall from
her horse left Debbie seriously injured and unable to move, Hustler
repeatedly fought against vicious attacks by two preying coyotes
until they were discovered nine hours later. |
Tracker
1992
Sudbury, Ontario. Tracker, a 10-year-old German Shepherd, owned
by Sergeant Larry Bigley, was the inspiration behind the Service
Dog of the Year Award. Over the seven years that Tracker served
in the Sudbury District, he was involved in approximately 500 searches
for missing persons, criminals, drugs and security details. |
Dick
1989
Montréal, Quebec. Dick, a police tracking dog owned by the
Sureté du Québec, was honoured for his bravery during
a 14-hour manhunt through the woods near St. Eustache, Québec.
The four-year-old German Shepherd was wounded by a shot intended
for his handler and left permanently deaf in one ear and blind in
one eye as a result of the incident. |
Wolfey
1985
Ancaster, Ontario. Wolfey, a German Shepherd, awoke his owners,
Dr. and Mrs. John Holbrook, and alerted them to a fire that had
started in their all-wood home. |
Maude
1983
Pictou County, Nova Scotia. Maude, a German Shepherd, owned by Deborah
Johnston and Bernard Chisholm, saved a three-year-old girl from
drowning in the frigid waters of Pictou Harbour. Gripping the child's
overalls in her teeth, Maude pulled the child out of the deep water.
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Lance
1981
Kitchener, Ontario. Lance, a German Shepherd police dog with the
Ontario Provincial Police, tracked a missing Kitchener woman in
a swampy conservation area for three hours, and led her safely through
the dark woods to safety. |
New
Jersey Task Force One
This team received an award for their search and rescue efforts
during the WTC disaster. These animals fearlessly searched through
burned debris, ignoring burnt paws, cuts and other obstacles to
look for survivors and victims. For their unselfish and courageous
efforts, the team earned induction into the Animal Hall of Fame.
The team consists of “Ana” Atlas; “Senta”
Bacalaglu; “Claire” & “Blitz” Clemmo;
“Chewbacca” Holmes; “Mikey” & “Osa”
LoPresti; “Nutmeg” & “Sarge” Pittore;
“Argus” Rolando; "Quest” Sullivan; “Piper”
Whynman Owners -- Sarah Atlas; Dan Bacalaglu; Lorrie Clemmo; Alice
Holmes; Laura LoPResti; Spring & Pat Pittore; Bob Rolando; Penny
Sullivan; Sonny Whynman. |
Mr.
Baggins
1976
Revelstoke, British Columbia. Mr. Baggins, a female German Shepherd
with absolutely no tracking experience, tracked and located a six-year-old
boy who had been missing for hours after having been buried under
a snowbank. |
Timmy
1973
Brantford, Ontario. Timmy, a four-year-old German Shepherd owned
by Anne Nemes, protected her from being robbed at gunpoint by two
men. When the men confronted her, Timmy leaped at them and gripped
one of the men's arms, and a shot was fired. The men fled and Mrs.
Nemes and Timmy continued their walk home. |
Rex
1971
Paris, Ontario. Rex, a German Shepherd repeatedly hurled himself
against the door leading to the Misic and Zegarac families' living
quarters, arousing the two families during the night as fire engulfed
their gas station and the living quarters above. |
Kanaka
1970
Ontario Provincial Police Canine Team - Kanaka, a black German Shepherd
was responsible for numerous rescues and arrests as well as the
recovery of evidence, stolen property and money throughout years
of distinguished service. In one incident, Kanaka tracked a lost
hunter for 20 hours across freezing swamps and an ice-covered lake,
before finding the man. After the ordeal, Kanaka required medical
attention and was commended with saving the hunter's life. |
Thunder
1996
Following a robbery suspect across a frozen river, the ice gave
way and Deputy Stanley Wontor slipped backwards under the ice. He
called out "pull" (a command Thunder, a police dog, had
not been trained to use) and Thunder pulled him out of the freezing
waters to safety.
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| Orient
After graduating from the Seeing Eye Program, Orient was placed
with Bill Irwin. Orient led Irwin on an incredible trek on the complete
length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Profiled
in Irwin's book Blind Courage, Orient faithfully and unconditionally
assisted Bill Irwin for over nine years.
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Daisy
1980
Ottawa, Ontario. Daisy, a German Shepherd, saved her owner's three-year-old
son, David, who had wandered into a busy intersection. Daisy pulled
the child to safety, as two motorists who were watching the dog
and the child in the intersection collided.
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Pascha
He was recognized for his work as a rescue dog in the Oklahoma City
bombing, 1995 earthquake in Kobe, Japan, the Edison, N.J. explosion,
and Hurricane Opal in Panama City,FL.
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Caroline Hebard and Pascha |
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