I would love to own a german shepherd!
German Shepherds are fantastic. The originated from Germany. They are medium to large-sized working dogs.
When did people discover (or start breeding) german shepherds?
Even though the German Shepard's origins go back to 1899, they are still considered a fairly new breed.
That's really interesting.  Are they more typically pets, or working dogs?
Well the German Shepard was used for sheep heading and still is, but many people have them as pets also. 
Do they typically look a certain way?  I know some have part black fur
Typically a German Shepherd have a long square-cut muzzle, black nose, strong jaw, and a domed forehead. They are very pretty dogs.
Definitely!  I used to be scared of one I knew when I was a kid.  He seemed pretty big haha
German Shepherds are very smart. Because of this they make good police dogs. They even assist the disabled.