Akc conformation with a working line dog? - Page 6

Define a "dog that can work". I read that so often here. Work doing what? Agreeing on that seems to be the big hangup with GSD breeders.

In my opinion, and I can only speak for myself,  any dog with solid nerve can be taught to work. The GSD is born with a natural instinct to work IF the genetics does its part and provides a solid foundation.  From the moment it is born depends on environment as to what it will be capable of doing. As it gets older it becomes the breeder/buyer/trainer's responsibility to actually teach it to what to do with that ability to "WORK".  

To define work, could be from the dog that guards HIS property or family,  or the dog being trained in SAR, Police Dogs, Seeing Eye Dogs but not limited to these. To me, just as a man goes to work because his family DEPENDS on him, would mean the same to me when I say working dog that someone depends on his trained ability of what was taught to do.  

I hope this makes sense. I tried my best. BUT just remember, this is MY opinion as many people have other opinions of a working dog is.  No need to argue or debate my opinion, I will not do that.  Its no opinion and maybe worthless to other, but to me, It is mine and it works for me. 

The truth is, one can still get work out of a nerve bag GSD,! just not all sorts. Got to know your dog. And if the dog is lucky to be with someone who knows to read dogs, well, then! Raise the flags and celebrate!

Blitzen, work is work...not sport, not play, WORK. That means the dog does something to earn a living, to help human kind, to perform a service that is befiting its creation. I have been involved in body building since the age of 15, I have loved it, I still do and always will, but, its not work, its a fun activity and for me its a lifestyle, but, it does not pay the bills, work does.

Since my work involves dogs that are willing to hunt and bite and since a GSD was created to do both, it must in order for me to consider one worthy of being a good dog, be able to do both. If your job involves herding, the properly bred GSD must be able to do that. People talk about doing sport as proof, to me, that is not proof, its like saying that because I can body build, I should be able to be a CEO or a Dr or whatever, NOT...

Dogs that were bred to be able to do "man work", should be able to do it, regardless of the breed, but, if we continue to think of sport dogs as proof of something, we will continue to kill every breed we get involved with.

While that maybe true Bee, I would not want my life to depend on a dog that may breakdown any time because he does not have solid nerve. Those are the dogs I consider a couch potatoes, not working dogs.  Just like a child that can be taught the big bad boggyman won't get them. But put enough pressure on that same child and he will reach a point where he will once again not trust or believe that and right back to being scared of the thought of the boggyman.   JMO.

As much as it hurts I'm gonna agree with bee. i have a timid dog. she is nervy i guess depending on what that means. i kept her as a training challenge. not a gsd but in her career path she was bred for she is becoming my best dog.


if the only frame of reference you have is show or sport you will have a limited and not necessarily better view.

Oh and can we cut the BS yeah but put enough pressure on the dog .... if your life depends on it. yadayada.

That's never how shit goes down. if somebody plans to get you your dog is already dead and if it is random it will happen so fast nothing you ever trained for will be of consequence, the fear biter might all of a sudden become your best friend.


i can assure you nobody is going to mug you by standing at the other end of a football field screaming and waving a stick.

VK4, I can also assure you of many things that may or may not happen, however, if your life depends on your dog, your first responsibility is to choose a dog you can work with, even if that means the dog is the biggest dick and has to be kenneled when not working. Then you train that dog for real world tactics and you learn that you train like you fight and you fight like you train, end of. In the end, if you ever have to and it comes down to it, you have a much better chance of walking away alive then you would if you did not have the right dog and the right training and when it comes to real world, screw sport.

HD, agree but outside of LEO who is ever gonna send their dog off leash to apprehend somebody. and if a guy is holed up somewhere you get yr dog and high tail outta there and call the cops.

if somebody comes thru yr bedroom window at night swinging a baseball bat at yr head you might as well throw yr pet poodle at them to buy a few seconds and create some space to run or pick up a bigger baseball bat.


none of which will require a dog to stay calm full grip in a lengthy battle cos the outcome will be decided in less than a minute.

VK4, no one should send their dog out to chase anyone as a civilian. If someone is holed up somewhere, SWAT comes in, if you are smart anyway since you have no idea if he is in there with 6 friends and 8 rifles.

If my dog loses it in the middle of the night looking at my window, the first person to come through it will get a double tap of a 225 grain jacketed hollow point Federal Hydroshock round out of a 1911 Colt .45, then the dog can have fun while the police arrives and I dont require a calm grip in a real life encounter...come to think of it, I dont require it anywhere, so long as the dog is doing an impersonation of one of your famous crocs and hangs on for dear life.