GSDs, a multi functional breed? - Page 2

I started working with other people's GSDs and other breeds in the mid 70s, but I got my first GSD  in1988.

Greyhoundgirl,  if in terms of Showline  you are only thinking

dogs bred and trained for AKC / CKC,  and not SV,  shows, I

might tend to agree with you !   Like I said, though,  America

is not the whole world.  My current dog is "show bred", being from

English breeding based on West German (showline) breeding,  i.e.

he does not have a "working line" bone in his body.  He's old now,

but like hundreds of similar dogs here in the UK, he's never lacked drive.

I attended the GSDCA National Specialty last year and saw a large number of very sound dogs.  I attend as many SV shows as I can and have to say the same about many of those dogs. The video of the US Seiger showed us some excellent examples of the quality of dogs currently bred here as well as Germany.

A multi functional GSD can do everything and anything asked of it and correct conformation is part of the package.  "V" rated and/or, AKC CH, OB titles, agiility titles, IPO, rally, service. etc..

I thought you were a GSD newbie, Greyhoundgirl.

What is your dog's pedigree. Bluetick Donna? I'm interested in her breeding since she has accomplished so many different titles. That's the type of GSD I admire.

Maybe I misunderstood, but I think the ANCESTORS of bluetick´s dog accomplished all these titles.
But maybe I´m wrong.

Showing is not functional and it strays from the standard so badly these days that the lines (show V working) are not the same at all.

The same could be said for the working standards today, they do not represent true function.

GSD's are multi-funtional dogs, but still they have their limitations as they cannot and should not be expected to do (anything).

Hi Moons... long time.

I guess it's to each his own when it comes down to what we expect from our dogs.  I have enjoyed my last 2 GSDs far more that the first 2 because they were/are more versatile. My 3rd was v rated at the BSZS, Sch3, UD, had every agiltiy title avilable at the time, herding titles, etc. She was a wonderful dog to live with. She had almost all her titles when I gave her a retirement home, earned her CGC and TCI and a few rally legs at 10 years. She loved to work at something and was not content to be a couch potato. Training and showing her in new venues was as good for her as it was for me. She earned her last rally leg 2 weeks before she passed from breast cancer. She never quit.

My current is an AKC CH  CD, RN, BH, AD, CGC, TCI with some GSDCA OB awards and a 3 year old son with a UDX and a PAM.  I was fortunate enough to find one of the few breeders who shared my preferences and I got my dogs from her. I don't like to breed dogs, when I want a dog I buy one. I prefer a dog I can train and title in various venues, but that's just me. I know most would rather stick with Sch or OB whatever. Conformation is very important to me, I like my dogs to look like GSD's, not some sort of  Mali mix. Life is too short to live with an ugly dog .

Oh, I thought bluetick girl was talking about her own dog. It still would be interesting to see her pedigree.