New York Times on the German Shepherd dog - Page 1

I love this breed ...always have. Loyalty and companionship like no other.
I think this author feels the same way.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/opinion/sunday/one-dog-that-has-had-its-day.html 

" The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, who had relied on the
dogs (GSD) for years, recently announced they were replacing them with Belgian Malinois,
because the less-popular Malinois were hardier and more reliable."  From the article.

Only 5 people knew anything about Falk on this forum. Falk was a extremely
good dog with a big head and a very powerful bite. I waited for the experts to
commit, but not a peep. Falk was one of maybe 5 very good lines to breed to
for work. He produced very well. The people who come here do not know this
breed....Like most of the country.  So don't shut out the people who do.
   
    

Which falk? Malinois Falk or GSD Falk? What are you talking about? And your article is garbage. It doesn't even come close to the problems of the breed. Rin tin tin, right!. Besides your little quote to prove how great the malinois is, why did you post this? And what does it have to do with training? The kids can ban me for all I care, but I smell shit being stirred.

Actually I think the article is a synopsis of the development and popularity of the American bred Shepherd, don't you?

Dude,
I agree, good point.  Also a lousy article. 

Are you talking about Falk vom Haus Sindern....certainly he was a dog that is known for his production of working service dogs.

Though the article touches on some very valid points it is obviously written by someone who knows very little of the breed or what goes on in the world of the German Shepherd. I would say that the dog in America is exactly what was being portrayed and would dare say that in many ways the other lines too are suffering however the article seems to almost bash one of the worlds most effective dogs and absolutely one of if not the most versatile. There is no dog with such love and loyalty and lucky for the breed there are those that care to keep it the way it was intended.

Poorly written article--not a very adept writer.  Also obvious that the writer is not well educated about the German shepherd dog.

Around 2005 I was in NYC and stopped to talk to a K-9 officer with her Czech GSD. Her first GSD, a German import, died from leukemia after serving at Ground Zero. She told me that force is no longer buying many GSD's imported by brokers from Germany. The dogs were supposed to be trained for police work, they were not, and the city of NY was no longer going to pay the high prices. Instead they were going to Mals and Czech GSD's.

GSDs, once the breed of choice for Seeing Eye and service dogs have been replaced by labs and goldens. I can't remember the last time I saw a GSD service dog (except for my own, which I trained myself.)

Police departments are abandoning them for Czech GSDs and mals.

Insurance companies are refusing to insure people who have one.

And you don't see a problem here?


Pedigree Dogs Exposed was on TV again last night. You guys remind me of the breeders and judges who insisted the GSDs whose hocks were so wobbly they could barely hold a stack were 'the best representatives of their breed', and fitted the standard! 

When the RCMP is willing to pay $5,000 to import a Czech GSD, instead of using dogs bred in this country or the States, there's GOT to be something wrong somewhere!