American x West German showline crosses? - Page 21

"Why not?   Because that  is what the Maltese, Pekinese,  Bichon Frise, King Charles Spaniel, et al are for. "

But I don't what any of the above, I want a GSD. Many people prefer the looks and movements of the GSD, and the temperament of the Am Showline GSD, mellow, stable, with just the right degree of protective instinct of the breed preserved.

WHY NOT? What is the problem?

"You certainly haven't done the Amline any favors, HighDesert, but purporting that you care more about beauty than functionality x.x"

Why? Don't presume too much.

I was able to find homes for all my Am Showline pups quickly after telling people exactly was they can expect from them.

They are beautiful in body conformation and movement, mellower than imports, stable, affectionate. Most are not SchH material. The are beautiful pets that still retain a lot of protective instinct. They are fit for an animal as an animal, particularly with three generations of OFA. This is enough for many people. If protection is the main reason, I told them to buy a pup from SchH parents, don't mess with my beautiful pups. They are to be pets, first and foremost. Many "protection dog" are just locked up in a dog run, irrespective of original intention.

A lot of people want just this type of GSD, precisely. Many people want the GSD as a mellower pet.

Rik:

Expertise is not the issue; it is attitude of tolerence

There can be many lines to a breed.

The Am Showline GSD is vastly different in temperament than the Golden Retreiver. The Am Showline GSD provides satisfaction of pet ownership vastly different than that with a pekingese or a maltese.

There is a role, larger than many here want to admit, for a dog with the temperament of the Am Showline GSD. You don't want such a GSD, but many people want such a GSD. Live with it.

There are several ways that a GSD can protect. There is status quo protection by reputation.

There is also owner profile protection. An owner of GSD, Rott, Dobe, Pitbull, etc is more likely to have firearms. Appearance is therefore important in this specific sense.

My Am Showline girl has this status quo, like many of her breed and line, and I believe she can actually bite an intruder under some circumstances. She is not a fear biter. 
 

"All the more reason to have a well bred, stable, confident,  dog, rather than some useless fear biter dog bred for nothing but the AKC show"
 
Most American Showline GSD are stable, most are not fear biters. AKC shows do not encourage aggression toward humans.

I think you have too much bravado in saying that a SchH 3 is not more likely to attack a kid who has strayed into a yard. I have nothing against SchH in general, but I think there is greater responsibility.

Once my neighbor's SchH WL GSD attacked a small strayed dog; mine just played with it in my yard. I think that the WL GSD tend to be more dog-aggressive. No?

Let America have the American Show Shepherd....nobody else in the world wants them....i just wish they would change the name so that when a person read the history and standard of a German Shepherd, their expectations of what they'll get is in line with the definition. More power to the American Show Shepherd!! Not bashing or trashing, just want the new creation to be able to be respected in their own right.

"The never ending story,  never resolved.  Ever wonder why?

To each his own."

SSDD

To each his own, agreed.

To response is in response to those who say my way is the only why for this breed, called the GSD. They don't care what the S stands for. Some German guy who lived long ago said that if not S that it must be W, so it must be W. Moreover, W can be just what they define as W.

W can mean different things to different people.

Can the function of an affectionate exercise campanion not be W?

"nobody else in the world wants them"

If you bother to pay the big bucks to import, or less but still a lot to buy pups from imports, you likely have specific requirements in utility. You are likely not looking for a pet.

Not everything that is more expensive serves more to everyone. Sometimes what cost less is precisely what one wants.

Besides, in many parts of the world firearms are not as available as in the USA. A very good watch dog and the proficiency in using firearms can be better, and cost much less, than a SchH 3 dog. To a good extent, this is American. Americans need less the actual protection by the teeth of a pet than many other people on earth. The nose and ears, and reputation of a dog, serve Americans better and sufficiently.

"I just wish they would change the name so that when a person read the history and standard of a German Shepherd, their expectations of what they'll get is in line with the definition."

First, one then has to deal with the term Shepherd. That Working must replace Shepherd is quite presumtive.
Moreover, perhaps one shall do just that, GSD should be GWD.

Second, the Am Showline GSD fits the breed standard well in most areas, except that they tend to be mellower and less confident in trying situations, which may very well never come in pet ownership.

Third, many working lines deviate from the standard in temperatment (not to mention conformation) by being too aggressive, particularly against other dogs.

The standard is great, but I think I have to wait until my hair is grey to get it all in one line of GSD's.

Each line has its flaws compared to the ideal breed standard. Great looks and movements can be an offset to deviation from the ideal; just as great working abilities. To whom as he values; the great features that balance out the deviation from the ideal.

I guess it's true what they say, "you can't fix stupid"

I'm out of this one for good. Got dogs to work and no more time for fools.

Bye yall and "wink wink"

Rik