How would you improve the GSD of today? - Page 2

I would love to see the UK Kennel Club make it Compulsery to have all breeding stock hip scored.

Guys Without wishing to turn this into a show versus working lines argument (my favourite) I wonder why there is so much focus on VA dogs and no answer to the questions, ideas posted by myself and lonewolf? I would think that Captain Max V. Stephanitz who is the father of the breed would turn in is grave if he saw what has happened. So, can we have an answer to the suggestion of raising the bar by restricting breeding to only (say) SchH3 dogs. I honestly think this is the only way forward. I would also concur about hip scoring and would add DNA testing to that. Best Chris

Whenever a breed becomes a "money breed" the overall quality suffers. Unfortunately, for many reasons, the breeding of GSD's is a big business and these dogs are being bred by some who should not own a chiapet let alone breed a dog as specialized as the GSD. Some don't care if the dogs are healthy, look good, have the correct temperaments and conformation. They only care about one thing - seling puppies and adults for outrageous prices. As lone wolf put it so well - rules can never produce results without enforcement. There is no organiztion that does or ever will do that at the level needed to improve the overall quality of the GSD. The AKC is only interested in whether or not all the paperwork is completed correctly. Not sure what the SV is interested in. Get rid of those breeding anything that can walk and the breed will improve. Good luck...........

Wow, this is a great topic. I agree that the hips scoring should be required as well as DNA. I don't think requiring a SchH3 is going to accomplish much change as Anton mentioned and many municipalities are banning Schutzhund training within their city limits. Considering the liabilities,insurance bans and breed negative legislation, I think temperament and character need to be emphasized as well.

Kathy P - I think that temperament and character are covered to some degree in the BH. I'm not sure how much better you could make it or tighten it up as they are very subjective matters. I agree they are very important but how to test it?. If Schutzhund training becomes outlawed it will be a disaster for the breed in my opinion. Blitzen - I'm not sure where the SV are, they have to take a large amount of credit for the mess we are in today. I think we need to remember that this is a working breed. I'm not against showing of itself as it can be a bit of fun but I want to know that ALL the dogs in the ring can work to a high standard. Best Chris

Return to pre-'70s. Real dogs of MEDIUM size/build/weight, neither too huge and bear-ish (German) nor skinny and gangly and "long" (American). No roach backs (German), nor over-long legs/pasterns (American). No "sloppy" hyperextended trotting (American), nor "pushing" butt-on-ground trotting (German). Natural trotter gaits not derived from greyhound builds. And I'm just talking about conformation. Go back, IOW, to real dogs: http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/2148.html http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/2530.html http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/4783.html http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/402094.html

I would like to see bred out the insatiable desire of puppies wanting to bite the living piss out of my ankles. Yeah, I'd like to see that one go.

Melissa I am ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!

I am reading it, although the English version and I haven't caught up in a while! It was fascinating reading the 1st HUGE part, generally about dogs. Generally von Stephanitz didn't much care about appearance. Along that vein I might mention he didn't care much about color - white dogs were simply less desirable as they'd be "too visible" at night, etc (and less fearsome than, say, a black dog). He didn't hate white dogs nor do I think he even thought they'd "dilute" (which is false). People need to learn from this and get over their prejudices.

Good point, anton. I often wonder about all the REAL working dogs and what happens with THEM. I'm not talking show-work, I'm talking English-definition work. Amongst real working dogs, let's go beyond the MIL/police/security and also pay mind to the wonderful HERDING and SEEING-EYE dogs, etc. The German Shepherd has done SO MUCH, still does, and yet these real working dogs aren't even NOTED as being solid dogs nor their bloodlines appreciated, much less are they themselves added to the "official" gene pool. Probably far too many die out and if not, stay as merely a few pups every decade in some small town.