On this day in 1985, the ACT German Shepherd Dog Association produced a demonstration of their dog training prowess.
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The demonstration team coordinator, Garry Baker said it was dog owners who needed the training they provided more than the dogs themselves.
"We don't train the dogs so much as their handlers. It takes persistence, patience and a sense of timing to successfully train a dog," he said.
"These dogs are very intelligent and they will respond beautifully to proper training, but you have to be prepared to do it properly and to put in the necessary time."
The demonstration was the third time Baker had got his team to come together at the Narrabundah Velodrome for training in drill routine that eventually led to more advance manoeuvres and tricks for public displays.
He said "the hardest part at this early stage of training is getting the handlers to stay in line and to turn together, the dogs are no problem".
Ray Stephens, the association's president, stated the displays, shows, fetes and events the association partook in were vital in fostering a strong public relations program.
"German shepherds have been the subject of a lot of sensationalist reporting at times, and the public image of them is often something like a white pointer with four legs," he said.
He said the sensationalist image of German shepherds was not accurate and their training sessions offered evidence to the contrary. Stephens said like other dogs, German shepherds needed to be socialised and not kept cooped up someone's garden.
He highlighted it was the owner's responsibility to ensure the dog's environment was proper and it should include some training.
The association often met up weekly for training and social sessions for both the dogs and their owners.
