Why are Showlines generally priced higher than Working Lines?? - Page 11

"GSD Newbie:  stunning boy; great conformation but can he produce??  That is the question, does he through at least as good as himself;  or hopefully better than himself.  Then and only then do you have a breedable treasure that will hopefully pass on his workability and beauty to his offspring."

Hi Nans gsd...that's why I keep telling Yvonne to send him my way.  Worthless...completely worthless!
Give me a year or two and I'll let you know how my end of the bookend, his son, turns out.  And I plan to throw him into everything under the sun.  I cannot wait till he meets the fainting goats this summer.  


"We working line folks prize and demand high drive dogs with a ton of heart who love to work."
"Show line folks prefer a softer, low drive dog."

Hi Sueincc...I don't think this is quite true.  I think any gsd aficionado looks for a stable-minded, athletic, gorgeous, dog that can work.  I also think you need to look at the individual dog to determine how to get the best out of them.  I've had two people, who have worked with several different lines of gsds, tell me that there are two types of dogs...toy motivated and relationship motivated.  Yes, the relationship motivated takes a bit more time, effort, and patience to train but it doesn't mean the working ability is not there.  Just my personal opinion.

I also wonder how many people out there have taken the time and opportunity to successfully work with both lines before coming to their hard and fast opinions?

Sonia

My opinion is based on my personal experience with both lines and the people who love them.  I see many show line dogs, usually their handlers have to work way too hard to maintain any semblance of drive, and in protection, same thing, helper must work very hard to maintain the dog.  It's not supposed to be that difficult to motivate a working dog, and it's too difficult with the show lines.   I hear a lot of excuses from their owners as to why the dogs never seem to perform up to par on any given day.  The trainers will tell you the truth.
 
The fact is, the two communities see things very differently.  Better to allow each his own, then argue endlessly about things we cannot change each others minds about.
 

GSDNewbie

 I am saying that the GS dogs should be bred with versatility and workability in mind. Total dog.
To answer your question let me say that my dogs work in any capacity or have been working in any capacity  all over the world and on every continent short of Antarctica. Working GSD are my love and my life.
 I have either, owned, bred, trained, sold, imported, exported, promoted, saved thousands of working GS dogs in my 44 years as a dog man.
Prager Hans

GSDNewbie,

The GSD is meant to be a herding dog. He is a police(service) dog in that sense.
It was the simple shepherds who together with von stephanitz founded the sv in 1899.
i wonder how many people have titles(herding) under their belts with their dogs in this forum?

IMO not enough work them in herding and it will become lost and that is tragic for our breed. With this in mind one of my dogs is also my service dog and we also train protection on my female and the retired male is also a nice proteection dog. I believe versatility without looseing herding.

It's my understanding Von Stephanitz very quickly changed the direction of the breed from herding to  a dog who's focus would be to serve police and military,  I have been told the reason was he recognized the mechanization of Germany and ensuing loss of pastures and flocks would result in much less demand for a dog whos primary job was  herding. 

"My opinion is based on my personal experience with both lines..."

So you've owned and worked both?  How many of each?  I would submit that your misconceptions are a product of your limited exposure. 

Max v Stephanitz, started GSD as a herding dog but soon realized that in order for the breed to survive it needs to be able to perform as a police/protection  dog and in any other related task. The GSDs  versatility is stemming from being a herding dog. Thus even so most GSDs these days rarely herd all their instincts and drive used for work are all the instinct necessary for working herding dog. In that way by breeding versatile GSD we are promoting indirectly Herding dog. Any sound GSD should be able to perform as a herding dog if trained in that field.

Prager Hans  

Sure Keith, that's it, all us working line folks must just not have enough experience and we all suffer from misconceptions, after all look at how many of the dogs at NASS and the USA SS have outstanding  drives in OB and plenty of heart and nerve, in the grip work too, right?  uh huh, sure bet.   I just call it like I see it, whether you like it or not.  Like I said, both sides feel their dogs are better, there will be no meeting of the minds here.  I don't care if show line people think that's enough dog for them, that's fine. 

See you later, I'm going training.

maybe  there will be  meating of minds,...over my dead body.
prager hans