Toplines - Page 6

To me this is ideal.

Nice looking dog Zahnburg!

Zahnburg, can you enlarge that? It's too small.

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/267.html

Olex to me has a nice topline, not overdone.

Just for fun, Blitzen, I did exactly what you suggested. I didn't need photoshop, just a printer and a good pair of scissors! Without that hump in his back, Haras could easily pass for an American bred. He's got a lot of angulation behind!

We have come to accept the roach as a normal part of the German show dog structure. We've become so used to seeing it that anything else looks ABNORMAL.

Here, for comparison, are an American showline and German workingline dog with straight, or nearly straight backs.  (I am using these two examples simply because they're already in my Photobucket account. The fact I like Dallas has nothing to do with it, of course...  )

Exactly my point, Sunsilver. There is not as much difference between the structure of the Am lines and the current imports as most  would like to think there is. Take a Va import, level out his topline and refine the head a bit and you have a dog that could easily complete an AKC championship. On the other hand,  roach Dallas' topline and beef up his head a little and he wouldn't look any different than most of the V rated dogs.  Scary, isn't it? It's almost as if they are related!! How could that be possible? It's amazing what selective breeding can do.

I like Olex too and the  dog Zhanburg posted also looks good to me.

Yes, very nice looking working lines dogs! The one I posted is Jazzmine von Ausland.

Sunsilver and Blitzen,

I had wanted to wait it out a bit longer, but now I can't. You said Harras has a hump and if not for that, he could pass for an Ambred?

Here is Harras twice, one time stacked and one time standing "normally". Surprise, surprise, surprise!

Now Sunsilver, AIR and whoever else thought that he is a roached dog? Do you still think that? And do you still want to state that his rear angulation is extreme like an Ambred? Please scroll back up and take a good look at the black and white photos, in which Harras is compared to the 1920 Sieger Erich. If you do want to photoshop, please do so with the picture of Erich. You will find that his rear angulation is not any less than Harras. And then, I would suggest to read Jagenstadt's post again who described it so much better than I could (I am not an English native). It is what it is: An illusion! Thanks, Andrew! I owe you one!

I know that I can't convince the hardcore "anti-roach fanatics" (sorry but I don't know a better term offhand), because we all know that nothing, not even facts will change the mind of somebody who is set in his opinion. That is a human trait (I am addressing everybody here and nobody in general). But maybe a newbie will look and pause and might think that all this hype about roached dogs is a bit exaggerated. I stated that a few times before, the SV had a similar article in the magazin a few years ago, also using one dog as an example just like I did with Harras. I want to thank Harras' owner Uwe Sarpe for allowing me to do that. Harras can be found here: www.schlossbuldern.de Uwe also has an interesting blog about this subject and the so-called "downhill" dog on his homepage. I promised to translate that next week for others to read. Please check back to his site. Meanwhile, I wish him continued success with his Harras and hope to meet this dog in person this summer when I go to the Siegerschau in Aachen.

I rest my case, lol.

Chris