Breed Improvement Suggestions for the UK GSD Breed Council - Page 14

Having been out today at a dog show - not a GSD one I think a major contributor to the improvement of breed temperment is to enforce judges to mark down dogs who are not sound in mind and temperment.  In one class the dog backed away from the judge and flinched when touched, and it went on to be best puppy in breed.  I have in the past seen GSDs not happy to be handled by Judges still go on to do very well and this should not happen.

When I commented on today's puppy I was told "his father was like that" so it reinforces the genetic imprint that isbeing passed down.

What also got me today was dogs who had poorer construction were being marked ahead of a dog that was lacking coat due to moulting.  Sure construction is a bigger fault than a moult or even a lighter weight coat?

Despite 130 post on this thread we have only had one good idea re breed improvement.  However hijacking this thread about people who wish to remain anonomous is not really very helpful and maybe should be taken over to another thread.

We are all aware of the health issues of our breed but we need to more aware of what this breed needs to take it back to what it used to be, A Dog For All Reasons, tempreament first and foremost.

Jess

Jess, you're right of course.  Sorry!

Jesse - many of the health Issues raised are also very important.  People who have had the unfortunate experience of dogs with little hip structure or bad elbows will tell you how traumatic it is both to watch and treat or often to take the hard decision to say good bye to the dog and end its suffering.

I agree temperment is also a big issues and to be honest it is the reason I have left the English side behind, and in doing so saw my vet bills for other issues go from extensive to minimal.  With my current oldie I havent seen a vet for years, but with an English/German lined dog I was there almost monthly some years and there was 1 month were I went to the vets 20 times in 31 days!

Suggestions need to encompass the dog as a whole and hopefully in the next 10 years I can watch the breed go from strength to strength as we tackle the issues and move on.

I didn't say they weren't important. However there are test in place to deal with these issues.  They alone will not improve the GSD. 

I have had many GSD's over the years and have been lucky that I have had only one with CDRM as it used to be known and have lost one to torsion.  I have had two whos hips could have, should have, been better but both their quality of life was not affected by their hips and one lived to be over 13 years of age and went into natural shut down.  The rest have been hale and hearty throughout their lives. I currently have a one approaching 14 years of age, so health here is very good.

The point I would like to make is that the tempreament of the breed is not what it used to be in the seventies and eighties and the breed is not one breed any more.  How we can improve in my opionion is take it back to what it was.

Jess

I hear what you are saying however we cant go back only forward.  Breeding has gone on and changed the breed and it is from this point you have to work from.

I know of 1 puppy who had no hip sockets so when he jumped he dislocated his hips - euthanasia was required at 5 months.

The vets treatment for bad elbows is to operate on them removing a portion of bone and allowing the bone to reheal.  If a dog is unlucky enough to have it on both sides this is done at the same time and the dog has months of pain before the possibility of a better future - not a pleasant thing.

I lost a bitch in March who had CDRM, higher than average hipscores and would probably have had poor elbow scores had she been xrayed.  Yes she lived to 10 but the last couple of years meant many restrictions but she had a temperment to die for.

I have also had to work with a bitch with EPI - diagnosed at 1 year old.  Many months of working to get things right and then maintaining her.  She was the one I have mentioned that had the 1% behaviour problem and to be honest none of the current tests would have triggered her.  She occasionally lost the plot with strange men in the home, once went for a friends husband who she didnt like the look of, fortunately I was between them and reacted quickly enough.  She also didnt like strangers approaching in twilight/dawn when out walking.  However she was the best dog where my kids were concerned and never left their side whether they were in the pram or when they started to walk.

Improvements in the breed will take place in Germany, the "motherland" of the GSD.  Read the interview with the SV National Breed Warden Reinhardt Meyer
"THE REGENERATION OF THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG"

another website "exclusive" for VIDEX GSD

http://www.videxgsd.com/interview_with_reinhardt_meyer_s.htm

As most people want the same ie a dog who is both physically and mentally fit for any type of work/competition and stable whilst in the home/community then all types need to co-operate, put differences aside, be honest about their breeding programmes both positive and negative aspects, above all to only breed a litter to improve on the breed not for gain, kudos or one specific purpose but to breed an all round dog who is capable of completing any job and will also make good family animals.

 Statistics should be  printed on both the hip and elbow results, encouraging breeders to use the lines that are producing the soundest progeny.

I cant see why the UK KC cannot not follow the ANKC; For all German Shepherd litters born after 1.1.99 and where the parents have been born after 1.1.97, these parents must show results of X-rays for hips and elbows, and a Haemophilia A result for the males. otherwise progeny cannot be registered.

At a later date restrictions can be put on grades of scores, tests can be used to assess mentality and temp of breeding prospects etc.

Pam 

DP, good to know that David Haydon is still around.

Pam, if we all push hard enough, the KC will do at least some of what we desire; the rest will have to be up to the BC I suspect... it would be a good start.

Videx - you keep posting this link.

This thread is about the breed here in the UK, and how we can improve it.  The changes in Germany will eventually affect things here but we have to start changing things as well.  After all only a very small percentage of dogs in the UK are German imports and there are many many puppies born each year.  Some benefit the breed but there are far too many that dont.