Are you a fan of working lines or show lines? - Page 2

For me defiantly the Working Line but it has to be from Top Ancestry nothing less will do as a Base, even then it does not always work out
But if you have a sound Base you can at least start work, Show Lines i am not interested in a completely different type of Dog but saying that having only just started going to a Show Class to get my working line female G Rated,  i can appreciate the effort and time that goes into the the Showing Side and full Kudos to those who do it.
But me i really enjoy the challenge of bringing up a 8 week old Pup to get it to the Title stage Plus the Friendly rivalry that goes with it
Colour of a Dog does not interest me one bit so long as it is within the Standard in all respects,
It is what is inside the Dog which counts for me
Steve1

I like both and I have both the showline and working line
he working
the showline I have is from the old lines an he has been a top working dog four almost 12 years now

I dont like the angulations especially in the showlines but also in the workinglines

Which line and why? Also if you want to share what you don't like about the other one?

I own and produce both. My heart is with bi-colour and melanistic bi-colour working dogs, though a nice sable will always turn my head. Visually, I'm indifferent to the "black sable" versus any other sable color. I guess it's what's en vogue right now? *shrugs* My favorite sable color is what some call "bi-colour sable" -- the patterning of a bi-colour or blanket dog, with sable fur. I love the stockings the bi-colour sables have. Don't ask me why, I just do.

For workingline dogs, visually I prefer a strong pigment, especially on mask and mantle. I also like the deep red color. I'm not as concerned with reach as I am soundness of movement. I would select a dog that moves firmly over a dog that over-extends. Although I know what is considered most desirable in the ring, I would chose a dog that moves somewhat conservatively over a dog that wastes energy over-extending.

Temperament? On both lines I've found it to be as much a matter of upbringing as anything else. Assuming a puppy has the potential, there are certain things that can be done to help them develope the traits the owner wants. I like my dogs collected in drive, rather than "maniac-drive" so I drive-build carefully, and work it secondary to building the dog's self-control.

I'm very much into secondary sex characteristics in both breeds, but I expect both genders in the workinglines to look more masculine. I like my bitches small, and my males large, though that's (again) just my personal prefs.

I think extremism breeding ruins everything. Breeding workinglines without focusing on a stable temperament and proper proportion and type; or breeding showlines without regard for the initial purpose of the GSD, ruins both. As a breeder, I value versatility above all else in both lines: I want a workingline that could be trained to show; I want a showline that can definately work. They don't need to be mutually exclusive traits.





Also, have you ever had both to make you choose one?

I currently have two living with me where I'm stationed -- one of each. My male, Raven, is a Czech x DDR. My female, Taiga, is a West German. They both do Schutzhund, though their drives are completely different.

Raven is all PLAY (not prey) drive. He's just a happy-go-lucky fella. He's a delight to work. Taiga is prey and defense. She takes it serious, and gets all worked up even watching at a distance.

Workingline, but must have a little angulation to form a balanced dog nothing excessive like Show stock

I like a balanced dog, with the ability to do the job it was bred for.

Our company has used working GSD's for 10 years and we just purchased a show GSD from a friend of the company president.  We did a morning evaluation and surprisingly his drives came right out (prey, toy, search).  We purchased him for resale to a good customer, but might end up keeping him for work (she's looking for a companion Shepherd only).

I've got the family history of the dog, but don't have a clue to it's meaning.  Maybe someone here can explain it as I've always had working dogs.  Sorry for the crummy pic but it was indoors with no flash on the cell phone cam.

I really have a preference for a blend of both, but if only given a choice between WL and SL, I'd have to go with WL on the basis of temperament alone.  SL dogs have been damaged by too many breeders who have striven to create dogs that are too nice and lacking in any edge whatsoever. On the other hand, WL breeders are just too keen on breeding dogs that either border on the hyperactive-prey-psyco, or end up being a bit too sharp for my taste.  However, the majority of WL dogs I've personally come into close contact with are very well bred and of outstanding behavior and training.

Also, while color is not in my key characteristics to look for in a dog, from the standpoint of aesthetics, the typical SL dog is a black & Tan saddle back and I prefer both the bicolor blanket-back and the silver sables.  Also, I prefer the deeper red to the tan.  Both are not among the desired color schemes for SL.  I currently own a very nice female daughter of Digger vom Haus Lena (a sire that just turned 3 and has already been to the NASS) She's very drivey and a really nice dog that is full of energy and easy to train. I also own a mixed lines male (about 60% SL and the rest DDR/Czech WL) who is along the lines of what I aesthetically like in a GSD even if he's a Longcoat.  He's a low prey/high defense drive dog that appears to be very laid back but can "get on the clock" at a moment's notice.  He's also more keyed on the man than the sleeve.   Both track well and very methodically.

Oddly enough, I'm may be getting a WL female with Crock vom Erlenbusch, Eros von der Mohnweise, Blacky vom Neuen Lande and Troll vom Haus Milinda in its pedigree, so I may end up revising my opinion since I know both parents and expect this to be a very driven, yet manageable dog with good social behavior.  I look forward to training her and my two other pups even though I may have little time for anything else.

GermanShepherd<3
Do you have an opinion you would like to share? Why do you ask???????

The best is the dog that can do it all dont settle for nothing less thats what they are.

Im partner to a breeder here in South Africa.We concentrate on both show and working lines.I got involved with the dogs some years back when I purchased my first showline male.Now, with two small children running around the house,I own 3 females aged 7yrs,4yrs and 12months(one showline),and a JRT male.I recently lost a 7mnth old gsd male who died from a snake bite.I'm into personal protection and enjoy both lines equally.