Max von Stephanitz | |
|---|---|
 Max von Stephanitz and Horand von Grafrath, c. 1900 | |
| Birth name | Max Emil Friedrich von Stephanitz |
| Born | December 30, 1864 Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony |
| Died | April 22, 1936 (aged 71) Dresden, Gau Saxony, Nazi Germany |
| Allegiance |  German Empire |
| Service/ | Cavalry |
| Rank | Captain |
| Other work | Developed German shepherd dog breed |
Max Emil Friedrich von Stephanitz (30 December 1864 – 22 April 1936) was a German cavalry officer and dog breeder. He is credited with having developed the German Shepherd Dog breed as it is currently known, set guidelines for the breed standard, and was the first president of the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (S.V.).