What are the views of Silver Sabes? - Page 3

Good advise GSDfan, yes I to was surprised, but I think that most are sticking to their new year resalutions and being nice, well not saying anything if they can't say anything nice...lol Heather

GSDFan, I think Makosh was trying to hint to that, and so did I. Please read my post on 1-23-05,18:01. No, it did not pass us unnoticed, lol. Yes, Heather, I think everybody is careful posting here, shell shocked. Take care, Chris

Silbersee, I did take note of your posts, but surprised it was held you just a few lol. I am glad everyone is trying to be nice, I hope I didn't seem to raw. Regards, Melanie

No all is good. GSD's are not my Forte. I'm alot more into the Weims. As I said I'm just going by what DH told me. Honestly when it comes to this breed I'm dumb. I had always had bad experiences with them growing up, as other relatives owned them. Not to offend I just was not attracted to them, all I had ever seen were Black and Tans. So I always shied away. Now that I have him, I really wouldn't ask for a better and loyal companion. As I said before DH is on my ass about finding out info. He claims he is a perfect example of temperment, structure, ect. Truely I have no idea,on this breed is new to me. Our last Weim was perfect Show Quality, but I decided not to not really something I wanted to invest time into with young kids. I have read everyones thoughts and have checked out all the websites given. And I thank you for all your help. I hope if I have any further questions concerning this breed I am welcome to come back and ask.Thanks once again. Martha

The color black and silver or silver sable was very popular in the States with those who grew up with the TV Rin Tin Tin. My first GSD as a teenager was a Silver Sable, I can't find his papers, but he was a mix of German and American lines, including Dopplet Tay kennels. His sire was a very very dark gray sable from teh photos I have from when we picked the puppy up. When I decided to get a dog again as an adult, of course, like most of us, I wanted the same type of dog as I had as a child. I ended up getting a black and silver female from a breeder of imported line working dogs who also bred black and silvers for the pet market. My female had a Schh3 grandfather, and the pedigree was totally non descript. However, she was a good sized, substantial female with tons of ball drive, and loved doing schutzhund training, albeit not balanced enough to title. AFter I got hooked on training, I added a working line female - now Schh3, KKL1, HOT, and researched and researched and learned, and keep doing so...along with more working dogs LOL LOL Your Silver sable may *APPEAR* to your DH to be "the perfect example" of the breed, and if anythign like mine, may well have many attributes which appear to be as the standard is written - but the standard as written is NOT the standard followed in the breed ring in the AKC world!!! Also, when reading the standard - Color and Pigment are defined to be rich and dark, ie the major flaw of a "silver" sable or black and silver which progresses to the same look. There are breeders in the US who specialize in colors because they are marketable. With parents registered with AKC, they are registered GSDs, whether disqualifying in coat color [or length]. Mixing the American lines, even the old ones, with the European lines, gives you a real genetic mishmash. Sure, you can come up with a dog whose structure is to standard, and temperament appears to be as well - only extensive training in schutzhund will prove that IMHO! I thought the same thing about my silver, she was wonderful 99% of the time, social, confident, smart, lots of drive even! I was very lucky, mine did well enough to do some training, and also got AKC obedience titles. Perhaps if started in schutzhund with my present trainer, I might even have gotten her titled, but I can at least credit her with getting me started on the "right" track. An injury kept her from competing at higher obedience levels, as I was not able to train jumps. In the Obedience, Rally and Agility worlds of AKC, you can show any breed, any color, without regard to breed ring disqualifying characteristics - which is the color and pigment of the dog. And it is much more fun for the dog!

Also -I just looked at the Raebark site...most of the sables they are calling 'silver' are just ordinary Gray or Grau dogs with average color and pigment! Not what I would call a silver sable at all.

Not for nothing,but does it really matter what the AKC standard is or says? There is one and only one standard,the SV standard,nothing else should really matter The AKC is nothing but a joke and thats about it,there only true standard is that your check clears.........

Charlie, you are absolutely right. Unfortunately, most people don't think like that. Like Kougar said if the parents are AKC-registered.... People think that their dog is absolutely great and should be bred, so more great offspring will be available. We know it does not work that way. But there is nothing to be done about it, unless breeding is regulated like the SV does. Even if it is just a minimum requirement like OFA and a Canine Good Citizenship (is that how it is called?), people here in the U.S. would get flustered at the thought of somebody or some organization dictating them what to do. Therefore, the only way to go is to educate prospective dog owners! Chris

Chris, It makes my freakin head hurt what we have done to this breed,sad, sad thing but we have no one to blame but ourselves,People will continue to play with things,change standards as they go along to better suit their needs and likes.I can not wait to see what we have in another 20yrs or so.

BTW my "silver" was actually much more - EXCEPT color - in sync with the SV standard than the AKC one! AND was spayed - even though it seems most people who met the group of dogs were more interested in pups from Kelsey than the KKL1 Schh3 female!!! People who want pets are what fuels the machine that pumps out the substandard dogs! Pets should come from the same litters as our good bred to standard dogs. Educating people to what is correct for teh breed - the GERMAN Shepherd - should be a priority for breeders.