Breeding philosophy - Page 1

For breeders

What is your breeding philosophy? What do you breed for? when do you decide to make compromises?

For non-breeders

What do you think a good breeding program should be like?

General

Is it true breeding priorities for all round GSD are like this in descending order

Health

Temperament

Type

Angulation

Color

Health
Temperament
Conformation/ type 
Color

Health

Working ability which is so much more than temperament but does include temperament

Structure which is not angulation.  Today's overangulated dogs are structurally weak.

Temperament is first for me, then trainablity, health, conformation and color last.   I would rather have some possible health issues than a bad temperament. A very healthy dog that will live to be 15 years, but the temperament is not good; the dog and owners are usually neither one happy. JMO  Of course we all try breeding for the whole package, and that is why we train, show, and do the health test of our breeding stock. Abrahim I have never commented much on here at all, but I wanted to say I REALLY appreciate your insite on a LOT of things. You are usually right on when giving critque's on structure!!

Thank you all, interesting thoughts Ctidmore.

Is trainability a seperate trait in the GSD? Is it genetic like smartness?

bzcz,

I was under the impression temperament is wider and working ability stems out of it. Will you please elaborate on your undrstanding of working ability being broader than and includes temperament .

Temperment is normally narrowly defined (everyone has their own defintions of course since none of this is standardized).  Usually it is defined as stable, calm, nervous, anxious...all one word adjectives to describe it. 

Working ability takes into account temperament, but it must also include, nerve, hardness, resiliency, trainability, and the hard one to define or explain, heart.There are many other adjectives that others can add into this but you get the idea, it is multi faceted.

I don't breed dogs anymore, have never bred a litter of GSD's. My first GSD was a sick dog his entire life; allergies, chronic bacteria infections, lymphosarcoma. He died at 7 1/2 and I almost died too. He was my heart dog, I still miss him terribly. So, for me health has to be first, followed by temperament which includes trainablity.  Then conformation. Color and type are not issues. A sable working line is just as attractive to me as is a blk and red showline and vice versa.

Abrahim, bzcz gave a GOOD answer I beleive, on the temperament and trainability. But I do believe they both can be genetic and or inviroment.

Temperment is first for me in both dogs and horses

Conformation (health checks inlcluded)

Heart/nerve/trainability (I want the animal to want to work for me)

Looks:  It cost the same to feed a good looking animal as it does an ugly one

I want it all, the total package.  While no animal is perfect they better have a sound temperment for me to overlook minor faults in the other catagories.