P.E.T. G.S.D - Page 1

To me, these are the dogs that should fulfill the pet purchasers.  In a perfect world, there would be a waiting list for these dogs rather than animal shelters full of the dogs specifically bred as "pet quality".    Of course, even the best breeders (show & working) will have puppies that are "pet only" quality.  I would love to see a world where getting a GSD was not easy thing to do,  a world where our breed was a rarity in shelters.  Unfortunately, unscrupuolous breeders are more than happy our breed is so popular, they have a market for their crap dogs.  Does anyone really think any of us believe that bull about breeding "pet quality" on purpose for the "average family"?  Please.

I'm not sure we are talking about the same thing, but my rant is over.

There is nothing more honorable than breeding medium-low drive, sane, biddable, naturally protective dogs who are gentle with children, safe with animals, and patient with the many boring and stressful moments of life as a family dog.  The kind is out of his crate for good by ten months, and rarely causes trouble for the next ten years.

Dogs who are a byproduct of  efforts to meet working or show requirements sometimes come close, but often they are special needs dogs.  (High drive but weak nerve perhaps the worst.)  They are not PET quality.  They are something else.  How could a word that is to should describe a dog good enough for your little children mean anything other than the most demanding standard for a dog?

Too bad the dog community doesn't use language honestly.  Breeders who need to dump their failures have named them pets, but while their motivation is obvious, their justification is weak.

Sorry, I must diagree.  First off, not all show line puppies in a litter are show quality.  These dogs make great pets.  Not all working line pups are meant for trials.  In fact, most working line dogs make excellent pets for active families. Unfortunately those who breed "pet quality" are usually the ones who know nothing about drives or breeding and end up dumping nerve bags on the unsuspecting public.

First, I have had high drive, working line GSDs for the past 30 years.  (yes I know, the weird magic number 30!)  I have only seen the "red line, man killer" very rarely.  This is not what working line GSDs are.  In fact, most are prey monsters, not man stoppers & there is a huge, huge  difference. 

I believe the overwhelming majority of "crap dogs" do come from unscrupulous pet breeders.  People who only care about profit.  These people don't give a damn about the breed,  and their knowledge of how to successfully breed dogs is limited to "I like my boy dog & I like my girl dog and so do my friends,  so I'm gonna sell puppies"

I feel very strongly that the American Show Shepherd barely resembles the true German Sheperd Dog.  I think the problems in this country with the breed occurred because we did not listen to the SV.  I know how hard good breeders work to do everything right, I know how expensive it is for them, but they do it out of love for the breed.  I want to do everything I can to support this type of breeder.

I absoloutly DO NOT think a dog is "less than" if it is not titled. There are a ton of really great untitled, fun GSDs.   I just think that if someone is going to breed this particular breed, then yes, the dog needs to be breed surveyed, which requires a title.

I'm sorry, I forgot to explain my statment about shelters & waiting lists.  It's wishful thinking, that one one day no GSDs will end up in shelters, whether it be because there is a great home out there for each one or because there are fewer being bred !!

Is a GSD that excells in the sport of Schutzhund, more desired than a GSD that excells in being a family protector, companion and pet?

If you mate two Schutzhund titled dogs together, are you more likely to get progeny that will excell in being a family member or are you more likely to get pups that will excell in the sport of schutzhund?

If you mate two proven excellent family companion GSD's together, are you more likely to get schutzhund prospects or more likely to get family companion prospects?

If you are breeding high drive, DDR or whatever dogs, and some just don't "have it" and are classified as "pet quality", are these "failures" just as likely to be too drivey or not drivey enough?

You are breeding titled show lines and some will be failures that will be classified as "pet quality".  Are these pet quality pups that are shy, or lack nerve, or downright dangerous to trust with your kids, put down, kept caged all of their lives,  or sold as pet quality?

In a perfect world, some believe that only working lines should be bred, after earning and proving their worth to be bred.  These same people think that titled show lines are crap.  Just one rung above American show lines.  But they believe that the dogs that fail to earn and prove their worth to be bred, make fine family companions, protectors, and pets.

If the AKC had a testing procedure for dogs that are "good citizens" (did not fight with other dogs unless attacked, etc.), "good family companions" (this would include obedience, etc), and had "good natural protection instincts" (meaning that the dog did not flea when confronted and barked when it heard a sound at night, etc), would that be good enough to breed?  If the two dogs someone bred passed those three tests, would they be worthwhile to breed?  Or, is it all about biting and tracking?

I'm just asking.

If the AKC had a testing procedure for dogs that are "good citizens" (did not fight with other dogs unless attacked, etc.), "good family companions" (this would include obedience, etc), and had "good natural protection instincts" (meaning that the dog did not flea when confronted and barked when it heard a sound at night, etc), would that be good enough to breed?

Not by my way of thinking.  It's all been very nicely laid out by the SV, why not check that out?  If you did, you would find there is a lot more to it than schutzhund titles.  Otherwise, go with the American Show Shepherd.....please !