To Darylehret,

During communist era in Czechoslovakia the people had limited choices what to do with their free time. You cold enjoy 1-3 B&W TV channels of communist propaganda and drink beer or be involved in sports and drink beer. That is why Czechs are good in sports (Tennis, Hockey, Soccer, Judo....) and drinking beer.:) And a lot of people were involved with dogs (and drinking beer).:))  Even now you can drive through villages of population of 100 and up with training field for dogs right next to a soccer field. So a lot of people trained dogs ......and drink beer. I guess I made that point already.
 Next aspect was the communist psyche. There were constant preparations for war. Country was poor thus in case of Mobilization for war  the military had plan to confiscate anything of need from civilian population. Cars, motorcycles, bicycles .......and trained dogs. In order to assure that dogs were of use to the police and military there was taxation on untrained dogs. Imagine that if your dog was untrained you would pay $1000 a year tax. However if it was trained in ZM, (Zakladni minimum = Basic Minimum) or ZVV1(Zakladni Vseobecny Vycvik =Basic general exercise) you would pay tax of only $5 per year. That led to tremendous promotion of easily trainable dogs. Also the requirements for ZVV 1 ,2,3 were much more difficult then then they are now.
 Now when communism is gone (THANKS GOD!!!) People have other interests in their business, in lesser degree in sports and travel, Czechs love to travel...small country syndrome and the competitiveness is making them to be more interested in sport of SchH which satisfies their competitiveness and their need to travel.
 Thus that leads to less interest in ZVV type dogs and more of a SchH dogs.
However after I imported first Czech GSD working dogs into USA (ever) (z Pohranicni straze), the police in USA and subsequently  most of the PDs all over the  world fell in love with Czech dogs. And that stimulates the production of quality police style working dogs since the breeders realize that Police votes with their dollar. That is what keeps these bloodlines going.
There are other influences; like culture is getting less tough = thus dogs are getting less tough and animal rights activists are doing the best to thwart protection training of "real" dogs. 
Thus it may be somewhat harder but not if you know where to go. There are other type of dogs now in Czech. Like SchH sport and show dogs. Thus it is not Czech dogs you are looking for but "old style working" dogs. Thus there is a confusion and people often get the "wrong" type of a Czech dog and are then dissapointed with their workability.  But they (Working dogs ) are still there if you want them.
 Prager (Hans)
http://www.alpinek9.com

1. Mals are used exclusively by US secret service
2. Mals are now used by Israeli military
3. The last nationals that took place in the US a couple of months ago (which was a national qualifier  for the GSD world Schutzhund in Germany) one needs only to look at the placings.  Out of the top 5  4 of those were mals and.  The GSD took 2nd.
4. I have personally owned both breeds and by far hands down a Mal bonds quicker, matures faster, easier to train and whole lot smarter.  The problem with mals is that you cannot train them the same way you do a GSD.  A GSD is not as sensitive.  If you try and train a mal the same way  you do a GSD it will shut down or tear your arm off.
5. The schutzhund judge that judged the Vancouver GSD regional  (a national qualifier) a couple of months ago was questioned by several of us at the regional and he said that he has left GSD's and now own exclusively mals.  He said that when all things are equal a mal will come out on top every time.  He used to be a devout GSD man.
6. The issue with mals is that the react first and think second.  Now that is not a bad thing if all you are doing is police work but make no mistake about it a really good mal is not a pet.  It will perceive a threat from an aggressor or a friend the same way they are always full on.  Mals do nothing half hearted.  GSD's tend to think before reacting.

I look at it this way German Shepherds are not Mals and Mals arent German Shepherds there 2 different breeds of dogs with working drives. Each has it,s own neuaunces to work with, all handlers are not ment to work all breeds some deal better with German Shepherds some deal better with Mals. There not the same and people should remember that. 

Around here we have 1 German shepherd doing sheriff work and 2 Dutchies each has there own nitch and do there jobs well.

Lets stop making this a who is better  game  and make it a better potential game as it should be. Each does there job well.

I agree with Prager.  I still drink my beer. There is plenty of good gsds out there.. people just have to look and know the bloodlines or know somebody who knows the bloodlines. But to be realistic, how many people really want to have dogs like that.. LIABILITy pretty much. All the people want to have the real thing, well at least they think they do? These are the dogs that are dirtier... the dogs that will do it's best to push the helper out of the blind, the ones that flip you one here and there just to see if you are still in charge. the ones that challenge you, the ones that WILL take care of business if someting goes down and might not out when it comes to it .. the ones that need fo find the bad guy at the end of tracking, the ones that most likely will not tolerate a lot of things. I love them dogs.. lol
So no, i do not think that mali is replacing a good GSD.. It can't.

Police Dog Shot, Killed By Officer

Burglary Suspect Arrested In Alameda

POSTED: 9:47 am PST December 17, 2009
UPDATED: 9:53 am PST December 17, 2009

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