Alsatian

/ælˈseɪʃən/ noun

Definition

A large dog breed with pointed ears and a brown-and-black coat, originally from the Alsace region of France and Germany.

Etymology

Named after Alsace (French: Alsace), a region in northeastern France that borders Germany. The name became standard in Britain in the 1920s-1930s when anti-German sentiment led people to avoid the original term 'German Shepherd'.

Kelly Says

The Alsatian is basically a German Shepherd with a rebranded name—during World War I, the British renamed this German dog breed because calling it 'German' anything was unpopular, which shows how politics can literally change what we call our pets!

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