Why were the German sheppherd dog called alsation?

Answer 1

All those names above refer to the same dog breed - the German Shepherd. After both World Wars, I and II, anything associated with the name "German" fell out of popularity.

So, to avoid the use of the word German in the name for the German Shepherd Dog breed, many countries and kennel clubs changed the name of the dog breed to get rid of the negative German association.

So, here's what happened next in the whole GSD name changing saga. Around 1917 or so the American Kennel Club changed the name of the German Shepherd Dog breed to the "Shepherd Dog".

Additionally, the members of the German Shepherd Dog Club of America also changed their name to the "Shepherd Dog Club of America".

In England, Ireland and many other European countries the name of the GSD breed was also changed to the name "Alsatian" (from the Alsace-Lorraine area).

In many European countries especially, this name stuck, and GSDs there are still known by this name even today.

The original name for this dog breed in Germany is Deustcher Schaferhund which literally means "German Shepherd Dog". It is also interesting to note that the word "Dog" is actually part of the name of the GSD dog breed.

Other commonly used names for the German Shepherd Dog are GSD, German Shepherd and Alsatian Wolf Dog.