ACTUAL WORKING DOGS? - Page 1

WE see a lot of debate on-line about the value of working versus show lines.  How many breeders on here have an actual "WORKING" dog?  Don't get me wrong I think highly of anyone who expends the money, time, and effort to title a dog in the many venues available as sport, conformation, and breed ability.   BUT REALLY!   How many of your studs and/or dams have actually worked as a law enforcement canine, search and rescue dog, theraphy dog, herding dog, personal protection dog, substance detection canine (narcotics explosies, etc), pack dog, etc?   No I don't mean just trained for the skills, but actually performed the function in a "real" world event?  I ask because on top of all those titles and beauty there must be an ability to work and real "proven ability' is worth so much more!  NOW that would be interesting to see.   Whether your dog(s) ever have, or have to do real work, keep up the efforts at titling and showing and demonstrating their desirability as breed worthy.  

I have always just done trial work with my GSD's.  However, I have had a few that were 'real working' dogs.  One was sold to a gunshop as sercurity and did stop several robberies (actual bites). 

The other dog I had was sold to a woman as PP as she worked in a shady part of town.  The dog earned two legit/legal bites (2 different occasions)stopping her from being attacked and payrol being stolen.

The one dog I kept and titled to SchH 1, I had no doubt would have been there IF I needed him to be.

I only wish Maya would get a real job.  It would sure help pay for her expensive food.

One of Rose's puppies went to a working ranch; one went to a home as a therpy calmer for ADHD; I kept one strickly for service/therpy work.  Rose is my actual service dog.

What service work does Rose actually do?

None of my current dogs are "real working dogs" (we do sport) but I have produced and trained over a dozen of my own puppies/dogs who ARE now working
K9s, both single and dual purpose, SAR  and service dogs for disabled out of very few litters over the last few years. Most were GSD litters, one litter of Malinois.

Melissa

She is my personal service dog.  She has been trained to help me if I fall and under certain commands (verbal, sound, and gesture) go for additional help.  She also retrieves items for me; if I drop something, to bring me my cell phone, get some bottle water out of the fridge, bring me my purse.  She also opens doors and cabinets for me.

(big smile here)  She also knows how to insist that I sit down so I don't fall down when I have over done it.  This is kind of hard to explain, as I have not trained her for this and she has only alerted me twice.  I have never been around another alert dog, so I am not sure if she is really trying to tell me something or if it is just me projecting on to her a human emotion. ---  Both times I was working outside in the field and she insisted that I go back to the ATV and when I got there, she would just lay down;  each time she did this, as soon as I went back to work (goofy, lazy dog), she would start all over again.

I am not sure if this is what you are looking for as a "working dog" though.

 My female Ink is a certified HRD K9 and has been on searches both as primary and secondary dog.

Hoof n Paw,
What actual real work is your dog doing?

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=622001