The decline of the German Shepherd character - Page 3

Kitkat- so with the dogs you own, showline, working, and crosses you feel their temperaments are the same? 

Where I am located, people ask me all the time what kind of dog I have.  I tell a shepherd, he is balanced both prey and defense. I think people ask because so many are used to seeing the pet quality shepherd. But I can assure you the three shepherds in the area, one white shepherd, and 2 Black and Tan both showlines don't have the drive/nerves mine does.  When you say temperament you are referring to this right?  I also think those that assume their dog will protect them is a romanticized view that is foolish.  

I can see it on their walks by my house.  My dog doesn't have a care in the world (suburban area) when the fire trucks fly by or a patrol car.  You just see the issues with them.. All you have to do is observe.  Just like when you train with a group its not hard to figure out the dogs that have sound nerve- genetics period.

if you enjoy the pet quality sheperd then that is your preference.  I however don't want a dog I can chill with on the couch.  I like balanced drives and bombproof nerves and get outside and have fun

Well templers, i can enjoy the pet quality 'sheperds' as well as the show and work quality shepherds. There actually is a place for all of them.

    Out of any given litter, with the best parents, you will have a dog that should suit any situation. A well balanced dog should actually be capable of fitting in to any situation.

    There is no reason that a properly bred dog can't have the best of both worlds. In fact, I have more than one of my pups working active police k9, that than come home and fit in the family life after a days work.

    I have no desire to have dogs that are 'best suited' for one purpose. If you have dogs that are crated and kenneled for hours on end, you shouldn't even own one.

    And, i have no false sense of what my dogs will or won't do. I know exactly what I can expect from each and every one of them.

    And yes, the temperments are basicly the same. They are treated the same, they have been raised and trained in the exact same manner.

   Of course some will give that luttle extra 'umph' into what we are doing, some are a bit more involved in the thought process of what we are doing, such as I do see the DDR lines to be a bit more trying to be a step ahead of me. But over all...A german shepherd should be a german_shepherd_dog. ..regardless of the bloodline.

   And with that, I am more than happy with the dogs I have.

I think it's wrong to generalize and assume that ALL showlines are weak and ALL workinglines are not. I've seen some well bred  workinglines I wouldn't give 10 cents for; horrible temperaments, aggressive to their handlers and other dogs. And I've seen some I'd take out a 2nd mortgage to own. Diitto to showlines, both American and German. 

I have seen weak nerved working lines as well, I don't disagree.  I'm sure this has been argued time and time again.  Let me rephrase, "my experience and observations" has shown me that the watered down pet quality type have very low drives and weak nerves as opposed to the WL.  That is all

All this thread will be is people defending the type of dog they have :)  the malinois is next- the American public hears of a dog that helped get Bin Laden and bingo you have people wanting one when in reality they couldn't handle a dog of that caliber.  Some people have dogs to do a job and be a companion... And make no mistake my dog lets me know "when he wants to go do something" he will never want to be a couch potatoe.  And that's ok!! :)  if you want the pretty dog that wants to be one and you don't have to work, that's ok too! 

 

Templars - This thread is about the decline of the German Shepherd character.  Once again the USA has gone off of the topic, a common event.

Mackenzie

http://youtu.be/z7GhiBeW614

the differences are clear :) 

http://youtu.be/xj3mD87vTD8

 

 

 

I go to both trials and conformation shows and see plenty of GSD's of all lines. Some bred in the US, some in Germany or the Czech Republic. I steward at  AKC shows and I work at SV shows. I rarely see the same people at these shows and the ones I do see are exclusively AKC breeders and judges trying to learn more about the german dogs and IPO. I have never seen die hard German fanciers attend an AKC show to watch the judging. Maybe I missed it.

I'm not going to say a GSD is a GSD, but I don't see as much difference as some seem to see. The GSL's do as well at the trials around here as do the workling lines and some do better. The ASL are never exposed to any sort of bite work and are taught to never bite anything from the time they are whelped. If they were raised differently, would they be good protection dogs or is that instnct stifled by the way they are raised or has it been bred out by now?  

I can't help but ask - how often do GSD breeders actually take the time to get to know the ins and outs of breeding and training dogs of different lines. How else can one know their weaknesses and strong points?

Have a great New Year, everyone. 

Mackenzie-  I think it's obvious where I stand regarding the topic of the thread. My posts are within range. I also don't speak for the U.S., but thanks for the compliment 

Blitzen, race memory....if they are not trained for protection for many generations, it's probably extinct in that race of dogs.

Come on, Templar,  you compare the best of the working lines to a weak GSL performance. Pick one of the best from the sieger to compare to the Tiekerhook dog if  you want to be fair. Of choose a mediocre workingline perfromance to compare to a good dog from the BSZS.

Apologies to Mac if I am wondering off the topic, but I'm trying not to.