the versatile breed? - Page 1

This is for the German Shepherd dog enthusiast, whatever direction you are heading. This breed is the world’s most versatile dog, a jack-of-all trades, ready and willing to take on whatever task he is given. This is my breed, bar none.

    To clarify, I am not a breeder.

    For years now, I have heard so much, too much!, about “working vs showline.” I hate that middle part - “VS.” I’ve been to 4 US Sieger Shows, the World Championship in the Netherlands several years back, plus many, many, many Schutzhund trials, breed trials, forming trials, seminars. I have owned both show and working lines, solid, well-known bloodlines of each. I have been involved in Schutzhund training for over 25 years now. I know a good working dog when I see one, and I get the same chills all over my arms after an outstanding performance on the trial field that I get when I see a powerful male in full stride in the show ring. So my observations and my preferences are not one-sided.
    A friend of mine attended the Sieger show in Ulm some years back and was so disappointed in the working ability of the VA and V entries. He is from Germany, so when he said, What has happened to our breed? It made me think long and hard.
    Let’s be open and honest with each other. Show lines are generally more laid-back and are easier to train. Working lines are generally more driven and are more fun to train. Show lines generally have better conformation. Working lines generally have better scores. Show lines make better pets. Working lines make better police dogs. And while standing on any field or in any ring, on any given day, you can see the best and the worst the breed has to offer. Yet at each sideline are "purists" who believe that only their choice is the right one. 
     Why is there so much conflict? Why are we so divided? Why do we need to do only one specific thing with our dogs and throw rocks at everyone else?

    The best competitor on the field OR in the ring isn’t enough to make a better dog.... we need to take the BEST ALL-AROUND DOG. If we breed only for conformation, we lose drive, and that innate protective character. If we breed only for scores, we lose angulation and consequently endurance, and substance. Our breed is the best at everything because it is not the best at just one thing. A Malinois is better at high-drive-in-your-face bite work; a Border Collie is better at glued-on-your-leg-stare-in-your-face obedience; a bloodhound is better at nobody-can-lose-me tracking. But no other breed is as versatile as the GSD, and if we try to make it the BEST at ONE thing, we will lose all the other qualities that make this breed so unique.

That's my opinion. I welcome yours. (But please be civil.)

Andie Jackson

Same old argument Andy...same results, same answers. The breed was not meant to be a show dog, no breed was actually meant to be one, they were created with a purpose in mind, a job.

ALL breeds, other then the pet section, need to be able to do the job they were created to do, yes, I know, not that many people utilize these dogs for their intended purpose, but, still, the dog should be able to do that job, have the abilities and genetics to.

Kind of late now of course...too many things have happened, too many people and too much money involved for anything to change, hence, Malinois has always been and always will be, for me!

Rukhaven, I think you are totally correct. There is NO other breed that can do what the GSD can do. Herd, track, protect, guard, and so on....that is one reason I LOVE this breed!!!

Agree with you Rukhaven.  I get a kick out of the show vs. working arguments.  I do not "do" shows whether they be conformation or working.  I am involved with police/personal protection and can see both the good and bad in SL and WL.  I love them both and hope someday we can have just a German Shepherd (I can dream, can't I?).

Yes Andie basically I agree with you.  Here in the UK, where we do

have 'the SL / WL split'  but it is perhaps less obvious, most breeders

and competitors still have the 'all-round' dog, as originally conceived,

in mind.   Mind you, most of our Showdogs have not reached the extremes

of type noticeable in established North American lines striving for Grand

Victor etc !    When von Stephanitz & friends 'bought into' the Victorian

craze for creating and showing pure breeds,  I believe he still wanted the

GSD to reflect its earlier ancestry and its purpose.   I think he wanted that

to be reflected in the better specimens of dog which won at Shows;  I do

not believe he ever intended that eventually it would all go downhill, with

people more interested in the dogs as "things to win with"  than in having

sound-natured companions which could also successfully carry out either

a 'real' job, or compete in hundsports.   I think he realised, and others have

always realised (when not blinkered by their preference for winning in their

chosen field)  that within the one breed there are different temperaments

and abilities AND THAT THIS IS NOT A BAD THING.