Early History of the Breed 
27 
made wonderful strides, in spite of the constant 
predictions by fanciers of other breeds that the breed 
had a fictitious impetus for popularity and that this 
was gradually waning, it has on the contrary risen 
to a popularity undreamed of, even by its earliest 
supporters. The reason for this is nothing more 
or less than the dog’s super-intelligence and his 
working qualities, and at that, this particular sphere 
of the dog’s usefulness has barely been touched in 
America, and when this phase is taken up seriously, 
it will even do more to enhance his popularity than 
his very evident handsome appearance and his great 
intelligence have done for him. The first Shepherds 
were brought to America by Otto Gross in 1906 and 
but little attention was paid to them at that time, 
Mr. Gross, who is today the premier authority on the 
breed in America, persisted in his efforts to intro¬ 
duce the breed, and with the assistance of a fine and 
enthusiastic group of fanciers the foundation was 
finally laid that established the breed in America. 
The first breeder of Shepherds in America was Mr. 
Chas. Schott of Milwaukee, whose Wotan Kennels 
helped the early establishment of many others. He 
was quickly followed by groups in various parts of 
America; in the East were Mrs. Halstead Yates of 
the Oak Ridge Kennels, who owned the famous 
Ch. Alarich von Alpenluft, on whom I had the 
honor to bestow the special for best dog in the 
show, the first time this special had been awarded to 
a Shepherd; Mr. F. Emken, who owned Ch. Herta 
von Ehrengrund; Wm. Neuhoff of the Harrington 
Park Kennels; Miss Anne Tracy, who has not only 
