SchH titled, American bred GSDs of the 70s, 80s, 90s – questions and a list - Page 4

Hey Bavarian Wagon, I stopped importing German dogs out of VA parents in early eighties and stopped importing German dogs altogether in early nineties.....so I can't disagree with you entirely🤔.

Unfortunately Koots, a lot of what you’ve written is exactly what I’ve seen written on forums over the years with absolutely no proof to back any of it up…just statements that mean little to the majority of the forum readers but make the person making the statement sound like they know something. I’d love to see some actual proof of “dogs had to be tougher to get through higher levels of sport.” All I see when I watch videos of helper work from 20-30 years ago is people that have little idea of what they are doing (trial wise) and not putting anywhere near the amount of pressure the techniques of today are taught to do. Maybe in training they did something extra special, but plenty of helpers today are more than willing to beat up on your dog and use archaic training methods to prove something about the dog’s strength. Another thing, “more balanced in drive”…where is the proof? I’ve watched world champion dogs look away from helpers during the hold and bark, leave the helper early to get to the handler early, silent guard after outs with absolutely no intensity, ect. People like to claim there was more “defense” back in the day…but the truth is, they just say it because they know 99% of the people reading can’t understand what they’re saying in the first place. Lack of control, lack of training, does not signify a powerful dog. All it shows 99% of the time is the inability to train and the lack of today’s modern training methods that make exercises clear to the dog. Have some of the exercises that have been removed from IPO been done so to make the “test” easier to pass? Absolutely. But you’re kidding yourself if you think the highest level trainers, or even just people dabbling wouldn’t have figured out how to train many of those exercises today at the level they train today’s exercises.

There are many “new” sports that have entered the fray over the past decade. All of them are exercise based. They try to make it feel “more real” by using gimmicks and making claims that somehow those tests show more about the dog than IPO does. But again, it’s all talk to those of us that understand exactly how a dog thinks and how to properly train a dog. Extra exercises are just that, something to train a dog for. And with today’s techniques, are we getting weaker dogs through the test? Or is it just that the technique itself isn’t washing the dog out way before it even sees a trial field?

Btw, there are breeders in America, Germany, and Eastern bloc countries that I have/would acquire a dog from in a minute.....but it's because of the individual knowledge of the breeder, not the status quo breeding programs.

BW - I wasn't talking about helper work, and I don't recall anywhere mentioning the helper work. I was talking about the training methods of yesteryear, and how they were a lot tougher on the dogs, therefore the dogs had to be more resilient and of strong character to get through, especially to the higher levels of competition.

I agree with Fildelco that GSDs be able to be dual purpose. My line of GSDs were old old American and old old German lines. Leda was a granddaughter of Bodo Von Leirberg [sp?] and her daughter Kora and they were with me in my house when a copy of the night stalker showed up under strange circumstances at 10 pm. Both dogs screamed at him as I told him he had to leave. When cops came, they were their regular sweet selves. They were Therapy Dogs in addition to having all kinds of titles.
Ora's parents were imports. She too was a sweetly and often did therapy on people who did not think they needed it or who used her for grief counseling without knowing they were so doing. She too had titles. Twice on the road she saved my life. Once by screaming and barking and letting the evil one walk away. Second time she kept silent but on total alert ready to attack some drug dealers if they dared to cross a certain line. My second dog a male hid. This dog had Bodo and his parents and siblings multi times behind her. She loved to take care of sheep and they soon learned that when she was around, she might take them to a special grazing field and complained if some could not go with her.
My current dog was horribly beaten and abused when she was given to me as a young dog. A helper said without knowing her background he could teach her protection in no time as she is clear headed and has an on/off switch. Said no. Loves people and getting petted by total strangers. But when we sit outside 250' from the street and she sees a vehicle or pedestrian that she does not like, she mutters or barks and comes over to me and sits closely to me. If she thinks I am worried as I sit there, she comes over to be close as she might take a nap.
Oh, she is German.
These four dogs show what Fildelco was talking about.

When asking questions about the past, it helps to not do that from the end point of 'now' as a measure of the past. Yes, today's ASL dogs are what they are. No SchH3 there. No LE. But only a few decades ago there were American bred dogs who could.

One can say they disappeared b/c they weren't as good as the imports. Were they really? How does that mesh with what Gustav knows?
One can try to explain the titles away and say they must have been flukes, or it was easier back then, or someone just entered them in PDB. It is exactly what I am trying to probe into and don't want to just accept just so. There were dogs who succeeded, I want to know more about them.
One can also say it was b/c one cannot find a line of dogs that can place in AKC/GSDCA show rings and can work or can perform in sports. When a separate show line develops and dominates the conformation rings but isn't suitable for work or sport, everyone has to make a choice. Wasn't there an option to keep breeding dogs that could, and let go of expectations to place high in conformation shows? That's what happened in Europe.

I had listed specific dogs, and asked for more examples, and asked those who knew these dogs what they were like, what the trials were like, what is known about breedings from these dogs, and what is known about handlers, did they continue in SchH. In order to get away from assumptions, and to hear from people who knew these dogs.

Gustav brought up that American bred dog, a Lance son, produced many offspring that succeeded in LE. It is not something I expected, and to me it changes the picture quite a bit.

DenWolf brought up Dr Graves' (Trommel) kennel, and his continuing to cross sound Am bred dogs with suitable imports. Why was it not continued?

Handlers who had brought their Am bred dogs to a SchH3 will not have said "Oh, I now like extreme side gaiting better" and switch to the show ring. They either dropped out of SchH or switched to imports. And the reasons are still interesting to find out.





 

I still see plenty of dogs that show the hardness and strength you’re talking about. Many of them are raised and trained by the people that were placing high at nationals and making world teams back then but today can barely place at a regional because of the training methods they use. The dogs still do everything, still show plenty of resolve and drive…but just don’t score the points that today’s modern methods lead to.

I’m not insinuating or assuming why the American lined dogs stopped doing IPO. I’m seeing it happen with the alternative breeds in the United States currently. Plain and simple, the breeders run out of dogs to breed to and can’t produce the types of puppies that they need in order to title or be able to place them in working venues. Any breeder/trainer that does care about HOW the title is earned, and has possibly had some good success with a dog they are breeding is going to want to do as good or better with the progeny. Soon enough, this becomes very hard when you’re running out of equal or better dogs to breed to because not enough people are working the lines (or breed) you’re interested in working/breeding. Importing a stud dog becomes expensive without the stud fees from outside people to help offset the cost, and you will also just be able to breed the dog to your current generation and after that the stud is useless (assuming that the future generation is now all out of him). Eventually, even the most dedicated of breeder, if they are objective and can see flaws in their lines, will either change lines completely as that’s easiest, or change their focus with their current lines.

LF -- here's another pedigree to take a look at: 

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=412416-hickory-groves-mon-cheri

 

Christine

This is an interesting topic, and I used some spare hours to reread Susan Barwig´s book " The German Shepherd Book", written in 1986. In alphabetical order she lists a lot of well known kennels during that time. In this book the breeders themselves write, why they breed what they breed. I found some interesting kennels, some of them long gone, some of them still active.

 

Most of the breeders ( 1986 ) are AKC breeders "only", interested in conformation, some of them interested in obedience, no Schutzhund, no bitework, they don´t even mention it, although a lot of them started with either titled imports, or sons/daughters of titled imports. These kennels became "American line kennels" in the future, no more testing, no more proof.

 

On the other hand some breeders ( mentioned below ) were interested in "working dogs, and started to train, but all of them started to use German lines after a while...

 

Nibelung = Alfons ( Germany, 1923 - 1983 ) and Krista Ertelt
They imported a lot of German dogs, Alfons Ertelt even founded the NASSA ( North American Working Dog Association ) and the ATTS ( American Temperament Society ) in 1978. Several of their dogs were AKC obedience trained instead of Schutzhund trained, and they were interested in shows ( AKC ), too

Danlyn Ranch = Joice Munguia
breeding guide dogs for the blind, the kennel was founded on B litter Lierberg and Ajax Haus Dexel, in the beginning they produced police dogs, too, but I guess by selecting for guide dogs their dogs lost the temperament over the generations

Merkel´s = Dyan Merkel
Started in 1970 with Am lines, participating in AKC show and obedience events, but she was interested in the "total" dog, became involved in Schutzhund and started to use imports

Barwig Shepherds = Susan Barwig
Started 1971 with American lines in AKC obedience and show events, but became interested in Schutzhund ( SchHIII with American bred Albanza´s Uriah ), based her breeding program on German dogs later on

Spezialblut = Mary Lee Coppage
started in AKC, but became interested in Schutzhund ( Eanwulf von Spezialblut SchHIII, CD and others)

Wolfhagen = Ed and Ruellyn Shipman
started with American lines, were interested in the "total" dog and used German lines instead ( Jaws vom Argusschloss SchHIII, FH, UDT )

Lin-Marc = Steve Lino
started with American lines, changed his whole breeding stock in the early 70s to German lines, because he acknowledged lack of working ability, lack of health, and lack of working dog temperament in his own breeding stock (!) ( his words, not mine )

Adelhaus kennels = Dr Mary Bell Adelmann ( Mahriia von Adelhaus CDX TD SchHIII and others )
long, but interesting to read ( out of the internet )

Dr. Mary Belle Adelman ( written by herself )

         For the past 25+ years, my husband and I have owned land and stock.
We currently have 100 acres under fence in W. Ky. about ten miles south of
Murray. We run between thirty and fifty head of beef cattle, have a
six-stall barn with attached arena as well as additional barns. Housing and
working pens for the sheep are located near the 21 run kennel. All but 6
runs are covered and 13 open into the main kennel area with year around
climate controlled. The 33 ft square interior room is used for display and
training.

         Academically my background includes a BSE from Henderson University
in Arkansas with a teaching major in English and Social Studies and a minor
in speech and drama. I have a Masters in counseling and an Educational
Specialists in psychology from the University of Arkansas. I also have
graduate hours from Penn State University in Pennsylvania and the University
of Kansas at Pittsburg, KS, culminating with a Ph.D. in education from SIU
(Southern Illinois University at Carbondale). I have over twenty years of
teaching and counseling experience in AR, MO, KS, PA, and KY. I served as
Director of Career Education for the Tyrone Area School District for two
years in Pennsylvania. I have taught in both the Department of Industrial
Education and Technology and the Department of English at Murray State
University, Murray, Ky. and am currently a Murray State adjunct Teacher
Educator working in the Kentucky New Teachers Internship Program. My
husband, Dr. Frank W. Adelman, is a retired professor from the Department of
Industrial Education and Technology at MSU. He is currently working as an
adjunct Teacher Educator in the Kentucky New Teachers Internship Program

         I have enjoyed working with animals all of my life and have trained
dogs and horses for years, but only discovered the AKC aspects of dog
training in 1972. Since dog clubs promote the sport and serve as a
clearinghouse for information, I find myself actively involved in many
different groups.

Among those clubs which I belong to or have participated in are:



AHBA licensed herding tester/judge  * No restrictions/all breeds
AKC licensed breed judge  * German Shepherd Dogs * Australian Cattle Dogs *
Junior Showmanship
AKC licensed herding judge  *  Judge all breeds All courses
AKC provisional Obedience Judge  *  Novice A & B Non regular classes CGC
Certified evaluator
AKC provisional Tracking Judge  *  TD level
American Dog Show Judges * Member
Australian Cattle Dog Club of America since 1974  * Judged 1997 ACDCA Nat¹l
AKC Herding Test & Trial (2 day event) * Retired Director after 21 years of
continuous service * Originator of Register of Merit and past Chairman of
ROM Committee * Co-host for 1987 National/Trophy Chairman * 1988 Chairman of
Nat'l Trophy Committee * 1987 Chairman of Nominating Committee * Past member
of Herding Committee *** AKC Gazette Columnist ACDCA 2005
Australian Cattle Dog Club of W. Ky. Since 1979  * Founding President *
Training Director
German Shepherd Dog Club of America since 1973  * First Herding Committee
Chairman * AKC GS Herding Judge for first GSDCA Herding Trial 1991 * 25 Year
Member Certificate
German Shepherd Dog Club West Kentucky since 1988  * Founding President *
Training Director
GSDCA--Working Dog Association since it started   * Member
Murray Kennel Club (KY Lake Kennel Club)  * Founding member * Treasurer *
1997 board of director
NASA since 1974  *Founding member/Director *Vice President of Trials &
Judges *NASA licensed Schutzhund Judge * Judged 1986 Doberman Pincer Club of
America National Sch. Trial
NASA Licensed Schutzhund Judge  * Judged Doberman Pincer Club of America
National Sch Trial as well as many others
National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI) since 1975  *
Member/N, O, U * Writing Competition Award
National Dog Writers Association of America  * Member
North West TN Kennel Club  * Member
Paducah Kennel Club since 1979  * CGC Certified Evaluator * TDI Certified
Evaluator * Club Trainer for Advanced Obedience to 2001 *  Training Director
* Agility Chairperson 2000
AKC Breeder Referral Representative
Paris Dog Training Club * Training Director to 2002
Schutzhund DVG  * Member
Schutzhund USA  * Member
States Kennel Club  * Breed judge All Groups/BIS * Novice, Open, Utility
Judge
Therapy Dogs International since 1981  * Associate Member * CGC/TDI
Certified Evaluator
United Kennel Club  * Breed judge to 2000

         In the course of my service to these and other various dog
organizations, I have twice been twice awarded both the Gaines Good
Sportsmanship Medal and the Dog World Award for outstanding contribution to
my breeds.

         Over the years, I have judged both sanctioned and licensed
conformation and obedience trials at all levels and put on seminars on many
aspects of the sport of dogs around the country. In 1995 and 1996, I served
as resident obedience instructor at the week long Canine Camp of the
Redwoods in Santa Cruz, CA. In 1997 & 1998, I was the tracking instructor
and obedience private instructor for the Dog Skills Adventure Camp in Ohio.

         My new book The German Shepherd Dog Handbook by Barron¹s published
2000, features my OPT no-force training method.

         I have served as AKC Gazette Columnist for the Australian Cattle
Dog Club of America and Obedience Editor for the Dog Sports magazine. For
several years I did a weekly column on dogs in the Paris-Post newspaper in
Paris, TN. I am on the regular staff as Herding writer for the German
Shepherd Quarterly. I do editing for Barron¹s Publishing and review books
and videos for a number of publishing houses.

         I am a contributing author for the new The German Shepherd Dog
Handbook by Hoflin Pub. (pp. 196-205 on Herding). I have published over 300
articles in Off-Lead, Front & Finish, NASA News, ACDCA Newsletter, NADOI
Newsletter, Dobe Quarterly, GS Review, AKC Gazette, Australian Cattle Dog
Year Book, Dog Sports, and many others in both America, Europe and
Australia. As Director of the Program in Canine Technology and Canine Career
Counselor, I serve as a professional consultant to Chronicle Guidance
Publications on all phases of animal training.

         I have four books currently in home print: Dog Training Book Vol. I
and Vol. II, Vol. III, and Vol. IV which contain nearly a thousand articles
written by me and published in various dog publications on dog care,
training, and general interest as well as current obedience lessons and
other handouts. The Schutzhund Book was in publication and contained a great
deal of the current information on tracking, obedience and Schutzhund
training with loads of pictures. This book features my Optimum Placement
Technique (OPT) non-force method of dog training through communication (This
was to be with Denlinger Pub. but fell through when he sold out.)

         I also have several videos out including The OPT Obedience
Introduction and two volumes of Training and Polishing for Novice, Open and
Utility. There is also one on Introduction to Tracking & Schutzhund which
has a super tracking workshop for beginners and an introduction to
Schutzhund obedience and bite work at the Sch I level. These will be
available on DVD later this year.

         Since becoming involved in AKC, CKC, AHBA, and Sch competition, I
have put over 150 titles and degrees on five different breeds in two
countries. This includes 26 CD's, 9 CDX's, 3 TD's, a UD on an Australian
Cattle Dog, several Sch I's and II's, 2 Sch III's, an FH, NA, NJW, RN, 4
VQW's (Versatility Qualified Worker--ACDCA herding title), a Junior Herding
Dog (JHD),  Ranch Dog, HSAs,d,c, STDs,d,c, OTDs, Ranch Dog Title, and a PT.
I have produced 4 German Shepherds and 17 Australian Cattle Dog Bred-by-me
American Ch's, 3 Can Ch's, an SKC Ch, and an International Champion 3 ROM's
and numerous CGC¹s, HIC¹s, AD's and TT's. I had UD legs on several GSDs but
was unable to finish them due to illness or death. I also have many TDI
certified dogs.

         In 1977 I qualified and showed three dogs in the Gains Mid-Atlantic
Regional Obedience Classic:  A German Shepherd, an Australian Cattle Dog,
and a Sheltie. The ACD was the first of her breed to be represented in the
Classic and in the '77 Front & Finish April issue she was listed as the top
obedience ACD in America. In 1983, major Ch ptd Glendhenmere's Muruki UD was
the highest scoring ACD in America by both the Front & Finish and the ACDC
of America system. She was also the first Therapy Dog in our area.

         My Australian Cattle Dog import "Trot"--Ch Tallawong Blue Jeroa CD
VQW OFA CERF (at 14 years of age) ROM --was the first AKC CH to win the
ACDCA National Versatility Trial (a competition consisting of obedience,
conformation, and herding 5 head of cows over a prescribed course) in 1981
(from a class of 11 entries)--his daughter, Ch Glendhenmere's Mia CD VQW ROM
OFA--was second place to him. (In 1981 Trot had only his CH, Mia no titles.
All remaining titles were earned later.) I trained, showed, and handled both
dogs to all titles. Trot came back in 1985 to place second in the Advanced
section and third overall in the ACDCA National Versatility trials. In 1987
he was selected ACDCA Hero Dog of the Year for saving my life by stopping a
charging bull.

Currently I just finished 2 CDs, a NAJ, HSA (Herding Started A course) on
ducks, sheep and cattle, (one leg on Herding Intermediate A course ducks),
VQW (Versatility Qualified Worker), ASCA: STDsdc (Started Trial Dog on
sheep, ducks, and cattle), OTDs (Open Trial Dog on sheep), and AHBA: HRD I
sheep (Herding Ranch Dog I). and have one leg on intermediate ducks (AKC) I
am currently competing in conformation, obedience, rally, agility, and
herding events I also have two German Shepherds out with a handler. I am
still training, teaching, showing, writing, and judging.

         The following dogs were owned/trained/titled or trained/titled by
me (* indicates the dog was also bred by me)

Dogs & Titles # of titles over 100
Beowulf CD CDX 2
Mahriia vom Adelhaus Am/Can CD, Am/Can CDX, TD, Sch I, Sch II, Sch III ET,
TDI, one leg on UD 10
Dingo vom Adelhaus CD, CDX, AD, TDI, (utility trained never shown) 4
Ch ptd. Danlyn's Kaja Am CD, Can CD, ET 3
Wulfgar vom Stalwart Am/Can CD, Am/Can CDX, TD, TC, Sch I, Sch II,Sch III,
FH, ET, AD, TDI, KoreKlassed (two legs on UD) 16
Glendhenmere's Ury CD * 1
Ch ptd. Dreamweaver's Henry Weinhard "Zorro" CD, CDX, TC, CGC 4
Glendhenmere's Khincho CD * 1
Ch Glendhenmere's Mia CD VQW * 3
Major Ch ptd. Glendhenmere's Muruki CD, CDX, UD, TDI * 4
Ch Tallawong Blue Jeroa "Trot" CD, VQW, ROM 4
Can Ch Glendhenmere's Foo Bear CD, TC, ET  * 4
Can CH Glendhenmere's Isotope * 1
Glendhenmere's Lodestar CD, TD, TC, Sch I * 4
Ch Glendhenmere's Blue Munya CD, VQW * 3
Ch Pirate's Haven LeQuire CD, VB, CGC 4
Ch Glendhenmere's Jedi CD, VQW, ROM, CGC, TDI * 6
Ch Glendhenmere's Lando * 1
Ch LaCaDo's Red Runner 1
Glendhenmere's Nichole "Nicky" CD, CGC, TDI * 3
Glendhenmere's Tally CD, CGC, HIC, TDI 4
S-Ch/AKC Ch ptd Group II Glendhenmere's Quintessence CGC HIC* 3
Carolina Buffy CD, CDX 2
Cindy CD 1
Danlyn's Reflection vom Bodo ET 1
Schneiderhof's Whisper CGC, HIC, TDI 3
Ch Hallmark's Sweet First Lady HIC 1
Robynmar's My Fair Lady JHD, CGC 2
Glendhenmere's Want 'em Wilder CGC, HIC * 1
Ch Hobkirk's Helluvafella 1
Glendhenmere's Kiss CGC, HIC * 2
Int'l Ch/ Am Ch Glendhenmere's Buruki CD, RA, NA, NJW, HSAcsd, HIC, CGC
*ASCA: STDcsd.
OTDs AHBA: HRD I sheep (Herding Ranch Dog I). 16
Glendhenmere's Gypsy HIC * 1
Glendhenmere's Heller PT, CGC,TDI, HIC, HTD , RDT I* 5
Glendhenmere's Greatheart HIC * 1
Glendhenmere's Xena HIC * I
Glendhenmere's Zuka HIC * 1
Jadon¹s Adelhof's Willie HIC 1
Glendhenmere's Boomerang HIC * l
Glendhenmere's Fizzgig HIC * l
Hallmark's Merry Christmas HIC l
Ch Jake IV  HIC 2
Ch Glendhenmere's Dandelion Days * 1
Glendhenmere's Hanna II HIC* 1
Schneiderhof's Immortal (Mac) HIC 1
Glendhenmere's Blade of Kell HIC * 1
Glendhenmere's Karabela HIC * 1
Schneiderhof's Another Round (Shooter) HIC 1
Schneiderhof's Cassandra v Adelhof HIC 1
Int¹l Ch Glendhenmere's Dragon Rider CD, TC, HIC, CGC* 5
Glendhenmere's Overland Express ³Fargo² HIC 1
total

This is not a complete list. Many of the TC, CGC and HIC dogs are not listed
and I am sure I have left off some.

         There have been many other winners including Ch Glendhenmere's
Dandelion days first place in the Conditional Class (requiring an OFA in
hips and elbows) at the GSDCA National (handled by the youngest handler to
ever win a class at the National), Glendhenmere's Kyle, Best Puppy at the KY
GSDC specialty in Louisville as well as several Futurity placements
including Glendhenmere's Gypsy first, Glendhenmere's Greatheart third in the
O97 Huston and Glendhenmere's Zuka's fourth place in the '95 Pacific
Futurity. I also bred the German Shepherd bitches Ch Schneiderhof's Night
Fever HIC, Ch Schneiderhof's Silent Night HIC, and Ch Schneiderhof's Celtic
Star. Even though not my chosen breed, I was still proud to put the
obedience title on our Akita, Ch Pirate's Haven LeQuire CD, VB, OFA. I have
also done some police dog and drug dog training using my techniques. I also
co-own one of the first Champion Border Collies Ch Jake IV HIC BAER.

         In addition to my career in education, I own and operate
Glendhenmere Kennels and Canine Videos as well as manage and direct the
Institute of Canine Technology and Education. My desire is to breed German
Shepherd Dogs and Australian Cattle Dogs that can do what they are supposed
to do. Both breeds are used on cows, sheep, and ducks. The German Shepherds
are also tested for protection and worked in breed, obedience and tracking
before being used in the breeding program. One of my German Shepherds,
champion pointed Robynmar's My Fair Lady JHD, CGC, OFA CERF, earned her Jr
Herding Dog title under the AHBA rules.  Glendhenmere's Heller PT, HTD I,
RDT I, OFA is my current working dog. We try for Ch OFA herding tested breed
stock. I have done some boarding, have obedience classes, teach private
lessons, and give seminars and workshops both here and across the country.
Several of our students hold championships, obedience, agility, tracking,
and Schutzhund titles and/or herding titles. From our classes have come
Ch's, UD's, Sch titles (up to Sch III), and other working titles on dogs
from many groups.

         I have been featured on our local TV's People Beat and have had
many newspaper features done on both myself and my training program. It is
gratifying to know that there are people who appreciate the tremendous
amount of research and work that I have put into this sport.

         I am especially proud to be the originator of the Optimum Placement
Technique (OPT) obedience program which eliminates the jerking, pushing, and
general roughness of many dog obedience programs. Using no touching or leash
work, this program allows children, handicapped handlers, and others who are
unable to be successful in many of today's programs to train their own dogs.
Our goal as trainers and instructors must always be to work toward more
efficient and humane methods of dog communication, to build a bond between
dog and owner that enhances their desire to be together and improves their
abilities to work as a team.

         Since entering the competition arena of herding, my goal has been
to establish training methods equal to those we have in obedience where the
dog can be trained without stress to it or the stock. We are making headway
and feel that the methods we are currently using and testing are efficient,
humane, and easy for everyone to learn. (See latest herding article in new
revision of The German Shepherd Book pub. Hoflin).

         No method, regardless of its efficiency, should be considered if it
reduces the bond between the dog and owner. There must be a mutual respect
and understanding that takes into consideration the abilities and
limitations of each. And above all, there must be reward, praise and love or
the process will be less than mutually satisfying.

         I hope that I can continue to grow, to develop new insights as I
watch my dogs and my students over the years, and that I will be able to
communicate what I have learned in such a manner that all those I instruct
and advise will be able in some way to profit by it.

 

Anybody still reading?  

I guess ( and it´s a guess only ) the different development of American/German lines  is simply based on different interests of the breeders.

AKC = shows
ScHH/IPO = training, testing, titling

The "early" American bred dogs might have been suitable for Schutzhund/real work ( why not, a lot of them were direct offspring of good working dogs ), but the later offspring wasn´t tested any more, but selected for the showring only, bred for pet people first and foremost. They didn´t need to be good working dogs, but they had to be social, friendly, good looking pets. Without training no proof...

All people interested in "working" their dogs changed to imports after a while. Why waste time and money in a  mediocre dog in case you can do much better? They didn´t try to breed show champions, but working dogs.

I see Dr. Mary Belle Adelman (Doc) fairly regularly, she is still active and involved in dogs. She has an older ASL named Chase, (I do not know the pedigrees), and she has a younger WL/ASL cross, Keta (Keep every talent alive). She also has an ACD. Our herding club has to put on a conformation show yearly and she is the president of the GSDC of Western KY. I will enter my 2 WLs in the GSD specialty, but it's an act of support, not delusion. All the ASL people have been inclusive, they don't seem to care that my dogs are different looking.

Doc stays busy and I think it's pretty special that she's still so involved. She does a lot to keep the club moving forward. She's been really supportive and encouraging about me being involved in IPO. When my dog earned his IPO1, she was pretty proud of us.

 

She said it was difficult to find helpers to continue working her dogs in Schutzhund, so she found other things to do.