German Shepherd

I took this picture of a German Shepherd, at the Paint-Off in Downtown Mill Valley last Saturday. The dog was insatiable, insisting that his owner throw the ball again and again. He would try to catch it in the air and grab it in its teeth, or, failing that, kick it toward his master.

 

I don't know much about dogs, but really like German Shepherds, or Alsatians. When, as a child, growing up in Vienna, I thought 'dog', I thought 'Wolfshund'! To me, the two were synonyms. And I was convinced that these dogs were direct descendants of wolves! Some of this belief has stuck with me and when I see a Dachshund, a Chihuahua, or a Pekingese, I think something must has gone wrong! In fact though, German Shepherds only date back to 1899.