Question re. Dallas - Page 1

Hello from a newbie here! I just found out that Dallas (Kismet's Sight for Sore Eyes) passed away in 2006 at the age of only 10 years. Anyone know what happened? I'm interested in his bloodline, but that's a pretty short lifespan! Makes me wonder if it was something inheritable. I've owned 3 GSD rescues, and took my current dog away from an idiot who was planning to shoot him because he wasn't aggressive enough as a watch dog. Have had a couple of people tell me he's actually show quality. Marvellous temperment, good nerves, great bone. Unfortunately...no papers, and I had to have him neutered anyway, due to an enlarged prostate. :( Hoping to get a good registered female I can work with in agility and tracking, maybe do some Schutzhund as well! Can anyone suggest some Canadian breeders who don't breed dogs that have that horrible over-angulated crouch? I saw a gorgeous pup the other day: not over-angulated, 5 mo. old, terrific bone, and his feet were bigger than my mature male's! Alas, owner couldn't recall breeder's name, just that his stock were German imports, and his kennel was in the Waterloo area.

Most of us consider ourselves fortunate to have a dog that lasts 10 years, any day after that is a blessing....

My first Shepherd was euthanized at the age of 9 due to akylosing spondylitis in her spine. She lost the ability to walk and had to be put down. If it hadn't been for that, I think she would have lived several more years, as she was still playful and had a good appetite right up until the end. My next one lived to be 14. Up until the age of 12, she was still very active and playful. Here she is at age 12, on a strenuous hike on a hot August day. You can still see a sparkle in her eye... http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/Sunsilver/TashaJane2003.jpg Longevity tends to be inherited. So do certain diseases that can shorten a GSD's life. That's why I'm asking.

This is often true.. although I had a bitch that I lost at 7 1/2 years.. the son out of her that I kept(my first competition dog )lived to just past his 11th birthday... his father was gone by 9 as was one of his brothers.. several others all from the same lines lived to almost 12 and 13 years old... It is my humble opinion that a lot of close breedings affects the immune system and there the problem begins.. However, the sad fact still remains that their lifespan is very short comparatively and I consider any day past 10 to be a blessing, but I would still say 10 is not abnormally young....

According to Jimmy Moses et al, Dallas passed away in his sleep from a stroke. That's pretty much all that was said concerning him passing on.

I have a granddaughter of Dallas and was also surprised to read around Christmas on another messageboard that he had passed away. (I believe he died in July or August.) When I "googled" him, there was very little information available, mostly speculation that he had died of a stroke in his sleep. His owner had evidently told very few people, and it took months for the news to become widespread. Again, speculation that they were too distraught to discuss it. I believe they may still be selling frozen sperm. Three of his progeny finished in the top four spots at the Eukanuba National, and his daughter "Geneva" won best of breed at Westminster. My female, Xena, is now 3 and closely resembles Geneva. He has sired some beautiful dogs and there must be hundreds of his progeny at this point, which is both the good and the bad news...

Yes, it's never good for the breed when too many people are using the same sire/bloodlines. Every dog has its faults!

I had the great pleasure of knowing Dallas very well. He and his owner trained with me the to earn his herding titles. This dog was awesome. One of the best tending dogs I've ever worked with. He easily could have done HGH had his owner been interested. As it was he is the only Best in Show winner in America that has a working trial title, he earned his HSCs at age nine. He had wonderful stock sense, incredable work ethic and that willingness to please that characterizes a great tending dog. And he could take a hard correction, responding with "oh that is what you meant" Great temperment. He has produced a number of progeny that are tending sheep as well. He also has changed the look of the AMerican dog to one of much more type, better feet, less angulation, improved secondary sex characteristics. He sired about 120 litters, produced at least seven select animals, about ten best in show dogs and more conformation champions in the US than any other dog ever. His death was very hard for his owners as he was their house dog. He did pass in his sleep, they found him dead in the morning when they got up. His sire passed away at seven, however his dam lived to be nearly 15 and his half brother Heart Throb is still around and is fifteen. Susan

So sorry to hear Dallas has passed. It is always terrible when they go so unexpectedly. He was a beautiful boy. I use to tell people when I sold a pup that 10 was the expected life and anything after, a gift. It does seem way to young and we always hope for longer.

How nice to read for a change such positive posts regarding an Am lines GSD. I adored Dallas, he was impossible to fault conformation wise and had very correct movement IMO. I heard he was a natural born herding dog, good to know that was true.