Alsatian

Have you ever thought about how or why German Shepherds got such a bad rap in the 1990s?

They've got such an unfortunate association with law enforcement, which is probably not a choice a dog would have made. If I were a dog, and given the choice, I would not work at all, fuck that. I'd be a dog. Do dog things. Sleep. Chew stuff. Let people pet me. That's the canine life.

Unfortunately we live in a world where working animals beyond their consent and often to death is normalised. Beyond being on virtually every episode of C.O.P.S, a lot of my first associations with German Shepherds also came from the very first computer game I ever played.

The neighbours across the street from where I lived from ages 6 to 10 years old had a home computer. We have all that technology and beyond in our pockets now, but this is a very big deal. They were the first people I knew to have one in their own house, and on one of my first visits into their house, the father, Mr.Sincock, pulled out a 3.5" floppy disc that contained the game Wolfenstein 3D. 

Now, If you're unfamiliar with this game, it was one of the very first and still most recognizable "First Person Shooters". First Person Shooters, or FPS, is style of gaming where you become the protagonist and most of the action takes place from that perspective. This is incredibly commonplace now but at the time was special enough to warrant the "3D" designation after the title of the game. A big big deal. It looked and felt so much like the "future", but in this future you we're actually in the past. And the past is World War 2 and you're playing as spy William "B.J." Blazkowicz.

Your job, or mission is to slaughter Nazi's, and the lowest tier of "bad guy" on the Nazi's side, the ones you would find yourself killing at the very starting level of the game were German Shepherds. A pretty heavy game for a six year old!

When Wolfenstein3D was ported for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the dogs were thankfully changed to giant mutant rats, likely not to entertain the idea of hunting domesticated animals to a very family friendly console and company. DUCK HUNT seemed to be the line drawn for Nintendo, and as a child I was fine with that being the limit. I must admit in adulthood, I have given small amounts of my time, maybe two or three half an hour blocks to play the contemporary computer game, "The Hunter", but not with the intent to kill.

 It's a nice escape during the winter months to "first person" a hike through the woods. Graphically, it's a gorgeous game. Because of the advanced and realistic nature of the game, it's very unlikely it would make you use your gun (or bow, or knife) on an animal. Carelessly exploring the woods will spook or drive away most life you come across anyways, you may find yourself virtually 30 feet from a massive Deer but one more step closer and that thing is out of site. Alternatively, while exploring the "Grand Senora Desert" in Grand Theft Auto 5, I've absolutely been picked off by a hungry mountain lion. But all of this is a far far throw from unloading a gun into a "nazi dog" as a child. And to seat ourselves back in perspective, I remind myself I am talking about "video games".

So why the bad rap? 

A quick google shows my instincts as mostly correct. Being popularized as a service or L.E.O tool has not done much to foster the reputation of a loving and cuddly animal. You also cannot deny the size or strength of the animal, but with any living creature, so much of that responsibility and reputation falls on the training or world the creature was brought up in. I'm a fairly big person in frame and I could certainly shove around a child or small man If I felt like I wanted to, but I've been educated, and I know that's 'wrong'.  So I don't.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

With all these thoughts in my head, I view this piece again. I ignore the militarism that this symbol often represents. I try to think of the helpful nature of the breed. It's the second most registered type of dog in France for companionship. Not for working or a specific task, but simply as a ally or buddy. We could all use an extra one of those, couldn't we?

Whatever space this piece is able to fill in your world, your wall or a different kind of void unexplainable, please consider unlearning the reputation of these beautiful creatures.