Late 19th-century Germany created the modern boxer. Boxers are considered to be descended from the extinct bullenbeisser dog breed.
Boxer
German Dachshund means "badger dog." These low-to-the-ground canines were designed 600 years ago to hunt and excavate badgers. Wire-coated varieties were produced for prickly undergrowth and cold regions.
Dachshund
The Great Dane isn't from Denmark, despite its name. Germans bred the dogs to hunt wild boars. Gentle, affectionate, and eager to please, Danes get along well with polite children and animals.
Great Dane
Pomeranians descend from Arctic spitz-type canines. Breeders sought smaller sled dogs. Pomerania, a region in Poland and western Germany, is where these dogs originated.
Pomeranian
Romans sent enormous mastiff-type dogs to Germany, which became the Rottweiler's ancestors. Massive dogs helped move animals and guard property in Rottweil.
Rottweiler
Grand Duke Karl August of Weimar, Germany, helped establish the Weimaraner in the early 1800s. He blended bloodhounds with other hunting breeds to make his perfect dog.
Weimaraner
Miniature schnauzers date to 15th-century Germany. Crossing miniature standard schnauzers with poodles and Affenpinschers created this breed.
Miniature Schnauzer
The German shepherd was initially bred to be the ultimate herding dog. As farming practises changed, the versatile breed gained popular with police and the military.
German Shepherd
Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann created the Doberman Pinscher in 1900. As a German tax collector, he wanted a large, impressive dog to guard him on his rounds.