Franken Dogs - Page 4

Gotcha, I would also factor time to physically mature, durability and longevity.

On average the lighter dog has the advantage, it's just physics.

Vk 

Allen don't you find it just a wee bit interesting that when we asked Shawn for proof of concept - ie pictures of & links listing titles and qualifications of his oversized dogs doing ANY of the normal GSD work activities I listed in my post that he appears to have bailed from the conversation?

Also please note I am not saying that an oversized dog can not do the work (except maybe the straight wall & ladder-I have seen some try & fail spectacularly). How a dog works depends on the individual.

I am saying that 1. Oversize is NOT needed. A standard size dog is perfectly capable of doing what the breed was designed for. 2. There is a rational behind using a standard size dog. The dog has greater agility & flexibility of use -wall, ladder, window are just some examples. 3. The GSD was designed around a core size. When you add an extra 30 or more lbs you are putting stess on a structure NOT designed for it. Big dogs trying to do the historical work of the gsd as opposed to being a couch potato are more injury prone and flat out don' t last as long. This is one of several reasons police have migrated to mali' s. Had a lc of my own breeding still herding at 14. 74 lbs 25". Usually don't see these big galoops much past age 6 or 7.  Back in the days we both got started that was considered the age they had finally matured into themselves not the age they retired. 

...back in the days we both got started that was considered the age they had finally matured into themselves not the age they retired.

Yep, I remember those days, too!