The Euro Mountain Sheparnese is a hybrid of the German Shepherd and the Bernese Mountain Dog. The mix is a modern designer dog intended as a companion dog and does not have a long and well-known history. However, the German Shepherd is a long-time favorite dog and often crossbred with other dogs to achieve a healthier mix. Without a detailed history for this hybrid, owners should look at the parent breeds to understand the history and potential traits of the mix. The German Shepherd is a relatively young breed, having developed in the late 19th Century in Germany by Captain Max von Stephanitz, whose goal was the develop an all-around herding and farming dog in the region. Stephanitz spent years perfecting the program and eventually recognized more useful traits, such as guarding and protecting. Following World War I, popularity in the dog soared, which in America, was partly due to the Hollywood German Shepard personality, Rin Tin Tin. The dog known as Rin Tin Tin was rescued from a bombed-out kennel in France by an American corporal and returned home with his new owner to Los Angeles where he later starred in 26 movies. Anti-German sentiment forced a name change on the German Shepherd for several years but the American Kennel Club, who had recognized the breed in 1908, restored the name in 1931. The British Kennel Club did not restore the name until 1977, maintaining the Alsatian Wolf Dog name for many years. The popularity of the German Shepherd in America saw a decrease in breeding standards and an increase in hereditary diseases and conditions. Poor temperaments started manifesting as more people desired the German Shepherd. American breeding programs later imported German strains of the German Shepherd to restore the lines in America. Today, German Shepherds are a healthy, capable working breed. The Bernese Mountain Dog is of the Molosser family, brought to the Swiss Alps over 2,000 years ago with the invading Romans. Over time, the Swiss Mountain Dogs, later named Bernese Mountain Dogs, developed as excellent herders and farm help while tucked away in the Alps. By the late 19th Century, farming was significantly reduced in the region, and the Bernese Mountain Dog was facing a sharp decline. Thankfully, interest in preserving the national breeds increased and the Swiss Mountain Dog was first referred to as “Bernese” in 1902. Breeding programs of the Bernese Mountain Dog slowed during World War I but resumed after the war with imports to the United States and other European countries. However, breeding slowed again in Europe during World War II, and the breed died off in several countries outside Switzerland and the United States. Importation resumed in 1945, and the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1981 and adopted the current breed standards in 1991.
