GSDs, a multi functional breed? - Page 1

I am seeing few GSDs who are being used for herding or tracking purposes today. This I am assuming is what was an original use for the breed. Now there seems to mainly be two camps: schultzhund or conformation show people. Many are discriminatory toward the other. If there are many uses for this breed, why should any of this wonderful breed's attributes be overlooked to intensify only one? The strength of this breed is its multifunctionality. I am sure that all would agree that when breeding for one trait and ignoring another leads to a lack of soundness or extreme aggression, etc it is the dog that suffers. Does the breed not also suffer when all its potential talents are bred out?? I would love to own a line that possessed a genetic ability to perform in any area. But unfortunately, crossing between camps to obtain the genetic contribution of the best possible dogs is taboo.

So long as you remember that the breed was created as a WORKING breed and "multifunctional" denotes multi WORKING abilities, you will be fine!

'Crossing between camps'  may be derided by some contributors,

but it isn't really taboo.  There have been many threds on PDB

which have argued the pros and cons of mixing W/L & S/L in

Nth America; and there are many regular posters who, as breeders,

do just that.

And you need to remember that the US isn't the world - in Europe

there is still much mixing of working dogs and conformation dogs,

in the interests of maintaining the 'all-round' GSD, [who also continues

to look like a GSD]. 

Schutzhund, AKC ob, police dog (narc, man trailing/tracking, article and area searches) pup started hrd training and Schutzhund. 3 Dogs train in these areas. Imo very multifunctional.

Melissa

This is a working breed and the workingline dogs are still multifunctional. I, personally, see nothing attractive in a showline dog and see nothing they can contribute to the breed by mixing the two lines, other than to dilute out the functionality of the workingline dog. I'm all for keeping the two lines separate as the beauty contest people want something that looks like a GSD to show. Yes, I'm a lot opinionated about this but am so tired of seeing the generally driveless crippled show dogs in the ring and they are depressing.

People do use them still for multi function, the thing is they need to be supported so that the gsd can remain a working utility dog. I demand it of my dogs. He is my service dog, we do schutzhund, he is shown conformation, and his grandsire was a herding dog. I don't want a gsd that cant do whatever I ask of it.
 

I have one GSD sleeping on my feet right this minute that is a V rated, KKL1, UKC Champion also titled in Schutzhund (including High Obedience and High SchH1 awards), SDA (tracking, obedience, and protection), dock diving, agility, lure coursing, and flyball and all but one of those titles are beyond "entry" level titles (they all took years to earn, not just a once- or three-times and done thing). He's one of the top 5 GSDS in U-FLI flyball and competed at Nationals last year (not going this year due to a conflict but will be competing in the NAFA CanAm which is their national tournament). He's also done herding multiple times (but I do not actively train for it now, too hard to get accepted and would have to give up other things), ATTS temperament test, ORT for Nosework (and actually trialed for NW1 but failed 1 of 4 elements, I was very sick the week of the trial but went anyway) and AKC CGC.  So yes, I do place a high value on a versatile, multi-functional working dog :) 

I am glad to see that this is an idea that others also support through their deep love for their dogs and much hard work. My little girl has Schutzhund, police, military, show, obediance, herding titles, and even one grand parent with a utility dog title who retrieved ducks.

It's not easy to establish a line of GSD's that can be consistently competitive in conformation, performance, service and sport venues.  Few breeders have done it and few more ever will. The more one demands from their breeding program, the harder it is to attain those goals.

How long have you owned GSD's, Greyhoundgirl?