Teufelshund (pronounced Toy-fel-soont) is the proper German spelling and pronunciation for "Devildog." (the plural has an "e" on the end) In the summer of 1918 the German Army was driving toward Paris. The French Army was in full retreat. In a desperate effort to save Paris, the newly arrived U.S. Marines were thrown into the breach. In bitter fighting lasting for weeks, Marines repeatedly repulsed the Germans in Belleau Wood. The German drive toward Paris sputtered and died. Then the Marines attacked and swept the Germans back out of Belleau Wood. Paris had been saved and the tide of war had turned. Five months later Germany would be forced to accept an armistice. The battle tenacity and fury of the U.S. Marines had stunned the Germans. In their official reports they called the Marines "teufel hunden," reportedly after the ferocious mountain dogs of Bavarian folklore.
Marines know "teufel hunden" which they pronounce, "too-full-hun-den," to mean "devil dogs" and they accept (and definitely deserve) it as a term of respect. Unfortunately, the literal translation of teufel hunden is "devil bitchdog."
I chose the name Teufelshund for my dogs 1. As a tribute to our Marines, 2. While my husband was deployed to Iraq for 2 years, I lived in a (not so nice) suburb of Jacksonville known as Belleau Wood to be near my (grown) children, 3. I've been a Marine Corps wife for 29 years, 4. My husband retires June 30, 2010 after 31 years of service to our country and 5. Many of my puppy owners are Marine Corps families. I love the Corps and all it represents: Honor, Courage and Commitment.
Ooh rah, Devildogs!
TEUFELSHUND GREAT DANES
We will no longer be offering our puppies for sale.
They will all become service dogs for combat-wounded Warriors.
Site Updated on 1-21-12
The breeding of animals should never be considered a "hobby." Playing God with the lives of not only the animals you produce but the humans that buy them is very serious business, indeed. If you are not willing to take the time to study health, nutrition and genetics, in addition to the American breed standard, and if you are not willing to enter into this business with a serious and responsible attitude, then find another "hobby" please.
My focus these days is the training of TBI and Mobility Assistance Dogs for ppaWWs . Please visit the site, http://ppawws.org to learn more about the need for specially trained dogs for our Wounded Warriors and how you, too, can help.
