German Shepherd Dad Shirts

The German Shepherd was built on purpose. In 1899 a former cavalry officer, Max von Stephanitz, registered a herding dog named Horand von Grafrath as the first of the breed and founded the German breed club the same year. He wanted a working dog that was smart, steady and easy to train, and he got one: within a few decades Shepherds were herding, guarding, searching and guiding the blind. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1908. Live with one and you get a dog that watches the door, learns the routine fast and expects you to keep up.

This shelf is for the man on the other end of the leash. None of our Shepherd designs says "dad," so we picked the ones he would actually wear. The training field: "Still Ready" with its green leash, "Trust What You Practice," "The Schedule Said Stay" and "Calm Is a Position." On watch: "Wide Awake," "Watch the Horizon," "Black Signal" and "Courage Has Good Ears." The steady ones: "Be the Calm Force," "Remain Unmoved by Noise," "Composed" and "Stability Can Move." For the trail and the long walk, in vintage outdoor-poster style: "Protect the Possibility," "Become a Reliable Horizon," "Let Instinct Lead," "Turn Pressure Into Path" and "Hope Needs Good Posture." And for the record collector, "The Track Follows You," a pun on a vinyl track and a tracking dog.

Every design is printed on our Washed Tee: 100% cotton, 250 gsm, washed vintage finish, relaxed unisex fit, S to 5XL, three colors per design. 2 or more tees ship free in the US, and 3 or more get 15% off automatically. For the jokes, see funny German Shepherd shirts; for her, German Shepherd mom shirts. Browse the full German Shepherd collection or the German Shepherd Christmas gifts guide. Comparing breeds? Our dog dad shirts page shows one pick for each of 21 breeds.

FAQ

Do these shirts say German Shepherd dad?

No. They are original German Shepherd designs picked for the man who trains, walks and lives with one: training, watch-duty, calm-strength and trail designs. None of them is on our funny German Shepherd or German Shepherd mom pages, so you can mix designs from all three.

Are these guard dog or warning shirts?

No. We left out anything that reads as a threat. These designs are about a steady, watchful, well-trained dog, which is how most Shepherd owners describe theirs.

What size should I get for a man?

The Washed Tee is a relaxed straight unisex cut and true to size, from S to 5XL, so most men order their usual size. Check the chest width in our size guide. Tees are printed to order, so we cannot take returns for a wrong size.