Reference: American Kennel Club (AKC), German Shepherd Dog breed history
More facts about dogs.
Prairie dogs, those little pups popping in and out of holes on vacant lots and rural rangeland, are talking up a storm. They have different "words" for tall human in yellow shirt, short human in green shirt, coyote, deer, red-tailed hawk and many other creatures.
Rin Tin Tin was a German Shepherd puppy rescued from a bombed-out kennel in France during WWI by American soldier Lee Duncan. He became one of Hollywood's biggest stars in the 1920s, and his movies helped make the breed hugely popular in the US.
In 1803 the US bought the Louisiana Territory from France for about $15 million. The deal roughly doubled the size of the country.