covy tucker hill - Page 1

i don't know much about american kennels and i was just wondering what everyone thought of covy tucker hill kennels.

All I know about them is that they have been around forever!

You are asking people on this board who probably are highly loyal to the real breed standard for GSDs, that of the SV in Germany. The Covy Tucker Hill kennel is a famous American kennel. As such, though they produced some "American" Shepherds regarded by AKC show line people as fine examples of the breed, people on this board, myself included, would not think much of the kennel. They were part and parcel of adulterating the breed standard in the U.S. Fortunately, some AKC people are beginning to realize they have simply gone too far in the extreme top line slope, the swan carriage of the head, the severe angulation, especially in the rear, and are seeking to return to an animal that more closely exhibits the SV standard. As for temperament, many American bloodline GSDs may make good pets, but too many of them have little or no natural instinctual drives left and therefore, are not good candidates for work as the breed was intended to do. Because of your question I wonder if you know the differences between the German and American breed standard for GSDs? If not, then a good place to learn about differences would be to compare some of the photos you see on this database with those in the kennel you have asked about. Then also get copies of and read the standards and you will note some differences that in real life, can be pronounced.

Just visited their website. That is not what I fell in love with in Germany, back in the 1980s. Absolutly amazing!

$500 for stud fee on theses males!??! wow too much! :(

Thanks for the replies. was just wondering where they would rank with the american kennels after i saw the discussion of the westminister show. was just curious. thanks again

They have always ranked very high, AMONG AKC breeders. They breed very nice examples of the "American" version of the German Shepherd. I know of not a single one that has any type of title (obedience, tracking, agility) zilch, nada, nichevo. They are also AKC show judges, at least one of them is.

I bought a bitch from Covy Tucker Hill. At the time thought I wanted to 'show' dogs. She was a 'sweet' dog but hated the show ring. I decided to breed her to a male with a pedigree full of obedience dogs. Got one puppy out of it. Totally opposite her dam! I also went to a male that did not have the rear angulation that so many do. (her dam was also real moderate). Most thought Cheyenne was german. This dog was/is one tough dog. I then started sheep herding with her. Took awhile (had many trainers tell me to start with an easier dog) but we finally got a real good working relationship going. She is now Canada's No. 1 high in Trial Herding GSD. She is the only gsd in Canada to recieve an advanced Title with so many high in trials along the way. She is also titled in AHBA (American Herding Breed Association) and ASCA (Australian Shepherd Club of America). She was also trialed in border collie trials (arena) and beat them often!!! She is also the only dog to get a perfect score in her 150 ft. drive in her Advanced title. If anyone does herding, you will know this is not an easy task for many upright breeds. She had everything I needed to go "all the way". THis requires a dog that can take a lot of pressure and a dog with a lot of drive. She also saved my life once when I went into my ram pen to fix a fence. I took her with me. I didn't notice the ram move off, put his head down and come at me. Cheyenne was close by and jumped in front of him before he hit me and grabbed his face. He threw her to ground. Didn't stop her. We left that pen....and 2 wks. later, she ate him!! (after I fattened him up!). I also have a hip x-ray of this dog at age 10. EXCELLENT hips. Vet who took them was shocked. Had never seen such good hip x-rays on a dog and at 10 years old to boot. Having said all that. I also think that she was what we would call a dog with hybrid vigor. I did not breed her as I did not think I she would produce the same quality and would definatley not give me the consistency I wanted in a gsd temperament and type. I also did herding with her dam and she did incredible in the first level (herding started). 2 high in trials, high in trial combined. However, couldn't do anymore with her. Way too soft and could not take the pressure. Never bred her again either. Cheyenne is a terrific dog but needed a good dose of biddability. I now have german dogs. I started working one from those lines shortly after starting Cheyenne and much prefeered thier type and temperament/drive. I am a CKC and AHBA herding judge and do a lot of instinct tests/trials/Lessons etc and there is way more consistency in temperament/type/drive/workability/nerves in the german working line etc. I have worked some nice american line dogs (although most are way too angulated). I have also worked some nice german showline dogs but many are also not up to par in thier drives and workability. The most consistency I find is in the german working line. This is important to me as my dogs work on a regular basis with my 60+ herd of sheep. I also have offspring in bomb detection/security work etc. Thus the dogs I produce need to 'do it all'. Covy Tucker Hill did go to Germany years ago (14) and pick up 2 german dogs that they incorporated into thier breeding program.

Could someone please post covy tucker hill web address? I am flabbergasted to learn that they used 2 german dogs in their breeding program. I'm really curious to know how that turned out.

Just put in thier kennel name in google and you will find it. You won't find any information on the german dogs there though. I don't think they were 'big name'dogs. I only know about it as I was looking for a replacement dog for the one they sold me and hated the show ring. When I asked about a puppy out of a german litter, they gave me a song and dance about how german dogs are so much''more'dog etc etc. I told them I already owned german (my first dog was german) and knew what I would be getting. In the end, I never did anything as they wanted significantly more money. I decided to take my losses as they were.