To Terry of Oelmansdorfs K9 - Page 2

Thanks for that Vonissk. So ..... are there really any REAL ddr dogs left? I would think the gene pool is getting pretty scarce at this point.

Bhaugh, I don't really know. I have looked at a lot of places and I wasn't real impressed. Don't take me wrong, there are some beautiful dogs around--one that comes to mind is Kim's Rookie. Gorgeous type and nice temperament. The kennel in Germany I was talking about is Parchimer Land. IMO I believe they do have a strong interest in preserving the lines and I believe they breed true. Meaning they use lines that compliment each other. I am going to copy and paste a little from their homepage which is how I feel also and things I have been saying.

Even today I try to keep these bloodlines alive and I am still loyal to the DDR Shepherd Dog. Highly probable that some visitors think I am insane or mad because of using the word DDR in connection with the German Shepherd Dog. Especially visitors that have never heard about DDR Bloodlines before. Due to that I would like to highlight that the expression "DDR" is not based on a political belief or opinion. It deals with the understanding of the breed German Shepherd Dog and how the breeding was driven within the former DDR. Starting with selection criteria over working dog characteristics and ending with tastes of beauty. However, the development of the German Shepherd Dog during the last decades has absolutely been different. In West Germany (FRG) there are two main breeds. On the one hand you will find the Working Bloodlines and the Show Dog Bloodlines or Beauty Bloodlines. I would like to leave it open what beauty means for a sportsman, breeder or a single person. Apart from that people in East Germany (GDR) were interested in combining both together, beauty and working dog qualities. Shortly before the wall came down and later after the German reunification lots of DDR Shepherd Dogs were sold abroad and the unique breeding material was gone in large parts. Even today most people deeply regret their decisions and figured out that it was over hasted to sell the quality bloodlines. Looking at the latest development of the German Shepherd Dog within Germany it becomes more and more obvious that people in the former DDR understood how to select and how to keep a certain level of quality in terms of health, pigment and working dog characteristics.

More..............
 

There are always discussions about 100% or pure DDR Bloodlines. At the end it is a decision that has to be made by yourselves. The argument that the origin of the German Shepherd Dog is just one dog can't be denied. Anyways I would advise especially newcomers to use the expression "DDR Bloodline" not pure or 100% DDR. All experts although some wouldn't admit have a clearer understanding and know the differences within the DDR Bloodlines. I have seen some litters recently claimed to be pure DDR but they aren't. As you can see the whole topic can't be discussed without leaving the surface. Who should be more interested will find some information in our German forum. There are also two to three English spoken forums on the internet.
Finally I would like to point out that the breed is and was an unique breed. Hopefully we can keep it alive as long as possible so it will stay something very special. I guess the pictures tell their own tale and give you an impression what this type of shepherd dog is like.