The King Shepherd is believed to have been developed by crossing German Shepherds of American lines with Malamutes and/or a Flock Guardian breed (i.e Great Pyrenees,) which were then bred back to German Shepherds of European descent. The breeders wanted to develop a better-quality family companion and guardian that was capable of performing a wide array of working duties ranging from police service, to guide dogs, to search and rescue dogs.