Sometimes you need to look past the koolaid - Page 2

RLHAR,

You ARE a very RARE steward of the breed!  Most people can't see past their love for the dog and emotions to realize that they shouldn't breed their bitch!

Thank You for all you are!

Vickie

RLHAR,
I'm going through the same thing.  My bitch is 13 months and a peanut.  Only 52 lbs.  I wanted to get into Schutzhund w/her, and started.  I was told the most I could do with her is maybe a BH & Sch1.  She's just not cut out for it.  I still love her to death and I'm still pursuing PPD training as she seems to like and handle that, so far.  I've also started agility with her as she is small, agile & very, very quick.  If you can't do one thing, there's always another.  I think she will really like agility...she's just that kinda girl.  As far as breeding is concerned, I would love to breed her and I'm thinking about it.  She's all East and I'm thinking about breeding to West.  She has good & bad traits.  But, and anybody can correct me if I'm wrong, but if I breed her to a dog that has the qualities she lacks...could make it better?  Or, still a crap shoot?  You never know what you're gonna get.
I'm just asking.  You all can come down hard or not.

Jen

There is more to life and dogs than breed standards, show dogs and working lines.  Period.  Some folks are not remotely interested in showing or working but love the dogs as pets, companions and guardians.  I once had a small male GSD - smart, pleasing, and incredibly intelligent.  He learned in the manner of Eisenman - the English language.  He was incredibly healthy until his 15th year.   I never bred him but now that I'm much older, much wiser, and much less likely to be swayed by the biased "do not breed" group mentality  - I think I'd try to find him a good bitch to breed - because his intelligence and temperament and health.  Yes, there is more to life and breeding than shows and competition - there is a whole other world out there of enthusiasts who like GSDs for "other" reasons.  :)

Jen, Breeding to WG lines would still be a crap shoot. It might help size and it might not. For example, it is difficult to avoid Fero in the working lines. A lot of those Fero carriers are also progeny of Askia, mother of the T-litter. She was a very small bitch. I have seen one granddaughter who at 2+ years was always mistaken for a 6-8 month old puppy. So, ypu could end up with small gsds anyway. I know a dobie breeder whose breeding philosophy is "make the best breeding decision you can, then pray."

Luv,

This has nothing to do with GSD standards, I'd say the same thing if it were labs, spaniels, dobbies, whatever.

The brutal truth, especially in the climate of today, is that there are already more dogs and pets out there then people who want them.  You talk about how intelligent your dog is, temperment, health and that's why you want to breed him it's a free country and you're allowed but something to think about.

That dog in PA, the one who was intelligent enough to recognize the toddler was somewhere he shouldn't be. Had the temperment to be out on that roof with that child till help came and then was healthy enough to survive being abandonded for 2 months, well she had all the qualities you want to breed from your male and she will still end up being PTS by the Humane society after being dumped by her people.

So maybe here's a way to think about it.  You might have a dog you feel should be breed for intelligence but in a society when a good, kind, intelligent 'hero' dog can be thrown out like garbage, do we really have the market of people to absorb those puppies?

We had 1 litter, beautiful pups, & I grew so attached to every one of them.....each had a unique & lively personality, intelligent, big boned, dark pigments......they went to pet homes that were checked out, & I keep in touch with the owners.........all but 1. 1 pup has fallen off my radar, family seems to have moved, do not answer e-mails, I get a recording when I call.......I have nightmares about that pup. Probably needlessly, they were a well-to-do family with several well cared for pets,  a couple of them older, & the woman was very taken with my pup......but still...........I don't think I have the emotional fortitude to send multiple litters out to worry about. My pups were tattoo'd & microchipped, with myself as the permanent 2nd contact, but you never really know....& we kept 2 of them. And my 2 little females are both petite, both lovely girls, but I am going to end up spaying them.................I think they both have lots of potential, but I doubt I'll be able to title them, (my limitations, not theirs) & then my nerves would be completely shot, worrying about more pups out in the world...........jackie harris

RLHAR,

I have a screening process for my pups far greater than anyone here would even think of, I suspect.  My SCREENING resources are beyond the scope of many and i am extremely fortunate in that.    In my community, we IMPORT dogs from other rescues often from significant distances because it is almost empty most of the time.  Ultimately, one can never guarantee the pup's enitre life - but I'm confident that any pups that I have a fiduciary duty to place - will be placed well. :)

Sounds like you are well on the road to your aspirations.