noun
or german shepherd dog or german police dog
Usage: usually capitalized G
: a shepherd dog of a breed originating in northern Europe at an uncertain date that has a long well-muscled body, a long wedge-shaped head, powerful jaws, a long bushy tail, and a smooth coat varying in color from white through all the shades and mixtures to black but with wolf coloring, tans, mixed brown, brindle, and black predominating, is 22 to 26 inches in height, is intelligent and responsive and trains well, and is often used as a guard dog, in police work, and as a guide dog for the blind — called also Alsatian