Stop generalising about "showline" GSDs - Page 1

Yes, there are bad examples of the breed in the ring.  There are also very nice dogs being shown if you care to look.  Two of our dogs were in the ring at Crufts this year, both "showline" in shape.



I wouldn't call them bad examples of the breed.  I am sure if we were interested, the above dog would excel at Schutzund work



but we prefer to do agility



Don't dismiss all show dogs as cripples, it just isn't the case.

Louise.

Very nice showline dogs.  Just curious what makes you think they would excel at Schutzhund?  Have you ever titled a dog in Schutzhund? 

Jim

bwblb,
Thank you and AMEN!!! BTW, I love your dog!

Here is my showline female

Deja Von Gunbil she obtained her BH this past September

 Very nice dogs, a breeder who produces dogs that are to the standard, beautiful and do work should be cheered. When someone makes a valid point about extremely angulated and weak structured dogs none should feel bad, to the contrary taking a note of this and working towards curing the defect is a good thing for the breed.
I agree that it is not acceptable to generalize and attack a whole line of dog due to some extreme examples or wrong practices by some breeders or judges, in my opinion judges are more to blame as someone said it nicely on another recent post.

Ibrahim

Louise, you will never convince many of this. What they know, they know from a picture or a post from the internet. Most do not have even enough knowledge to speak of what is wrong, much less present themselves as authorities. They can only show "pictures" of others dogs, not their own.

If they have perfect dogs, they should present what is correct. Not use someone else's dog to show what is not correct. If I want to present what I consider good or bad, in structure or character, I can do it from my own dogs.

In my "tour" of Germany, I found what I consider very good dogs and very poor dogs. Very good character and very poor character. Good structure and bad. No one need accept the bad.

Many do recognize the difference and do not waste much time and thought on what others do.

JMO,
Rik

Are you sure that "guarding" photo is the one you want to post representing "excellent" work?  How many showline dogs were in the top 20 at last weekend's UScA National Championship?  How many were even there?  I think you're confusing activity with accomplishment.  It's just like the agility, you'll never beat the Border Collies or the Shelties.  Yes, you will be able to do it, but doing it and "excelling" at it are 2 very different things.

Ibrahim,

Thank you!

According to Phil, they can't work, we should just shoot them all and let him show us how it is done.

Generalizing about showlines is a might bit like generalizing about women.  See, women like to think they're "spontaneous", when in fact they're quite predictable.  Men are just usually not insightful enough to recognize their predictability as it is.  Yes, women are quite fickle, and can change their minds back and forth frequently, yet once they realize where you stand, can be quite firm in their