WANTED: - Page 3

Forgot to mention the seize - for SAR you need an agile dog, that said, the bigger, the heavier - doesn´t make sense.

I don't think it's fair to paint all "coats" with the same brush. I have had several LSCs from working lines that were no harder to keep clean or clean up after than a short stock coat. If the undercoat is plentiful and not sparse or missing, the weatherproofing is the same; the outer hairs are just a bit longer. OTOH, I have seen very silky showline coats with almost nothing underneath, and THOSE are the ones that are going to have wet, heavy fur clinging to them and keeping them wet for hours, also the soft texture attracts burrs, sticks, virtually anything you can get tangled in. The coats I have had here don't shed more than the stock coated dogs, either. Some have seemed to shed a tiny bit less...I think it's very individual. 

It should go without saying to never, ever, buy from someone producing ONLY longcoats for a number of reasons that have already been touched on. 

Susie, I've had more than 4 litters, never had a long coat. Are they really that prevalent?

I agree with Jenni about the long coats not all being the same. My two long coats dry quickly and don't shed that much unless they are blowing their coats. Their coats are much more weather resistant than my Australian Shepherd's coat; plus, they resist burrs, plant vegetation, etc. better. Also, I know of at least three different people who have worked their long coat GSDs in SAR, so it can be done.

Yes, Joan, they are prevalent, although still more common in show-  than workinglines.
Who am I to talk against owning a coat? I loved my male, but not because of his coat, but because of other traits. For me the coat just was not important enough to rule this dog out.
Northern, for sure you are able to work a coat in SAR ( as in every other venue ), but a regular coat is easier in wind, weather, and dirt. In case the OP is interested in a longcoat first and SAR second, this doesn´t really matter, but in case the OP wants to work with the dog in rain, snow, heat, and dirt, it may matter later on.

Health and working abilities first, everything else later on...

Our Lil' Bit has a silky coat with an under coat. Very different from any other GSD I've known. She actually requires less grooming than my other 2, but she's not a long coat. Just her guard hairs have a soft, silky texture; very shiny & soft. People are always commenting on her good looks, too bad she has EPI. She's a handful too. That little dog has a fire in her belly!

jackie harris

You can have 92 litters and have no coats if the parents don't carry for it.  That's not what Susie meant, I don't think. She's stating generally, that they are not hard to find, and that more often than not, you'll see one or two crop up in a "normal" litter, so no need to seek out breeders who breed for coats. 

I actually prefer the coat type of the dogs who carry a recessive for LSC. I see some coats getting really sparse and kind of "moleish" when you get too far removed from a coat-carrying dog. Coat is certainly not in the top 5 qualities you worry about, but if all else is in order, why not strive for a nice coat? 

Thank you, Susie.

According to the geneticists, the 'normal' production rate within

the breed of longer coated puppies is in the region of 12 to 20%.

That does not differentiate between  'langstockhaar'  and single,

very long and silky  (incorrect) coats.  It also does not reflect the

extras bred by people with $£$£$ signs before their eyes who breed

known carriers in order to get a higher proportion of 'coats' because

they know they can always sell them to the homes of those with

limited knowledge of the breed, because they make such cute puppies...

I have had several LSH GSD's since i hate to see good working dogs go to waste. Never had the problems you mentioned. Its true you' ll find hair everywhere but that is the same with a regular coat.

At least the hair don't get stuck in your clothing like a regular coat does.

Also i wood not even think about wasting a healthy working dog with good genetics because it happend to be a couple of inches above the standard.

I don't particulary seek LSH nor oversized dogs, but imo a good dog is a good dog period.