Appearance

The American Alsatian is bred to resemble, in size and bone structure, the extinct Dire Wolf. As such, the head is very broad and large with a slight slope down to the muzzle. The American Alsatian has a wide dark muzzle housing strong white teeth. The nose is deep black, with any color variations faulted. The eyes are almond-shaped and light brown to yellow in color. The ears are erect and short in comparison to the body. They are set wide apart, tipped with black and will fold back in shame and turn in any direction aware of the sounds around them. The body is solidly built and should have a large defining stature.

History

The American Alsatian was developed by Lois Denny (now Lois Schwarz) in Oxnard in southern California in 1987. At that time, Lois encountered a number of clients who could no longer keep their pets because of the working behaviors they exhibited. In time, Lois acknowledged the need for a large breed of dog without working qualities that could live with limited boundaries and minimal exercise. In 1987, Lois developed a standard of a large breed of dog with a companion dog disposition and the look of a wolf. The name of this breed of dog has gone through many changes over the years. At the onset of the first breeding in 1988, the breed name was originally the North American Shepalute. In 2004, the name was changed to Alsatian Shepalute. Now, as of February 21, 2010, the breed club has again opted to change the name of this breed. This was done in order to drop the portmanteau word, Shepalute, which no longer reflected the breed and portrayed the breed incorrectly as a hybrid dog.