Looking for something specific. What do you recommend? - Page 2

It sounds like what you want is a Shiloh Shepherd.  Fine, go out and get yourself one, why come here and bash on this boards because most people here have an overwhelming desire for apple pie? 

Be aware that like Great Danes any large breed dog is going to have a shorter life expectancy than a small breed dog.  As a rule, generalizations and all that.

Thanks for all the good advice, vom ost see, but, like I said, I have seen such dogs so I know they exist. A good friend of mine had one (Shiloh Shepherd). It was expensive, but it was worth every penny. As for the size, both parents were well over 100 pounds. His pup was about 20 pounds at two months so it was clear that it was going to be much bigger than an average GSD. He got it from a breeder that met all the requirements you mentioned. The parents were available for inspection, the breeding was done in a home, not a puppy mill, and the health records were available for a couple of generations back. The hips were great, BTW.

In short, it was everything described. In addition, it was gorgeous. It would literally draw crowds every time he took it for a walk. Regular GSDs are certainly beautiful dogs but none of them draw crowds like that dog did.

I understand that there are people who think that in order to religiously correct, a GSD has to weigh no more than 85 pounds and be trained to bite people with puffy sleeves, but, at the same time, there are a lot of people who want a GSD, size large. I have run  into a lot of people who said they were looking for exactly the same thing -- especially after they saw one.

So, if it what I described does not fit the Ten Commandments for GSD, then what is the next best thing (keeping in mind that it should preserve the major good points of the GSD, such as high intelligence)?

You seem to be taken by your friends shiloh.  Why not just look for one of your own.  It sounds like you already have a lead on a kennel that you would trust.

RFS

Get yourself a Shiloh Shepherd.  Seems simple to me.

>It sounds like what you want is a Shiloh Shepherd.

I stated what I want. I want GSD, size large, or something close to it. I am not so sure that Shiloh Shepherds are the only option. Another breed I have considered is a Black Russian Terrier, but I am still partial to anything out of the GSD line.

>Fine, go out and get yourself one, why come here and bash on this boards
>because most people here have an overwhelming desire for apple pie?

You may note that I didn't bash on anyone. I simply stated some requirements for a particular kind of dog and asked people for input. I figured this would be a good place to ask for input because -- presumably -- there should be some people here who are familiar with GSDs and related breeds.

If you like apple pie, that is fine with me and you should pick whatever dog suits you. Even the smaller GSDs are perfectly fine dogs, IMO. But I think you should perhaps understand that not everyone shares your particular religion, and they see value in a dog that doesn't quite meet the biblical edicts that some here think seem to apply. You know, "to each his own", "respect for other peoples' point of view" and all that. Personally, I don't see what would be morally wrong with a GSD that weighed more than 100 pounds.

>Be aware that like Great Danes any large breed dog is going to have a shorter
>life expectancy than a small breed dog. As a rule, generalizations and all that.

Yes, I am aware of that. That's one of the reasons I asked here. I thought maybe there was someone who might know a little more than me about something -- and wouldn't fly into a fit just because someone asked where to find a particular type of dog

Okay first off the last thing I have is religion of any way shape or form.

You come on the board looking for a dog that is outside what is considered 'breed' standard for a GSD.  However there is a breed that has been 'tailored' to fit your ideals.  Not unlike a Goldendoodle or any of the other designer breeds.

People who breed for standard are not going to breed to what you want.  The Shiloh Shepherd sounds like the fit for your desires, so follow up on Shiloh Shepherds.

Fairly simple approach.

>You seem to be taken by your friends shiloh. Why not just look for one of your own.

I was wondering if there were other options.

>It sounds like you already have a lead on a kennel that you would trust.

That kennel doesn't have any available now.

>That kennel doesn't have any available now.<

Sometimes this is your best situation.  Talk to the kennel, geting in line for their next litter and have a prime pick for a puppy.

Why rush in to a companion who will hopefully be with you at least 10-13 years.

Read some of the threads on this board, if you don't know what I'm talking about.  Anytime you ask questions like the ones asked above in your original post, it stirs up a hornet's nest.  There are a lot of pet breeders who post here and vehemently defend their right to breed untitled and non OFA dogs, and then there are an equal amount of breeders that work their dogs and like to see their dogs worked. 

The extreme roach that's seen in the show world is not what I prefer, either. Just the same, there are those who defend it, aggressively.

The reason I said what I said is because of the way you worded your post...Too many times here, someone has come on, trying to stir trouble, and then come back later, under another username, stirring more trouble with similarly worded posts.  I just wondered if you might be one of these, especially when you mentioned 120 pounds and 29 inches plus at the shoulders...The standard calls for much smaller, and a GSD that is that big, while getting to be more common, is way beyond the standard and should not be bred for.  That size is for Malamutes and other giant breeds, of which the Shepherd is not one.

Just my opinion, and I'm certainly not condemning you in any way.  It's just that I've seen too many similar posts start a heated, sometimes vicious flame-fest.

Crys

A lot of board members here work their dogs, in Schutzhund (I know, not one of your requirements), herding, tracking, PPD (personal protection), police work, therapy, and lots of other things.  The reason they all have GSDs is because of the dogs' medium/large size, intelligence, working ability, and looks. 

A 120 pound GSD, while capable in theory of doing all of this, is nonetheless disadvantaged by his size, and is more likely to have structural problems.  Most working dogs, except for draft, livestock guardian, and mastiff type breeds (Great Pyrenees, Bernese mountain dogs, Caucasian Ovcharka (sp), Bull Mastiffs, etc) are medium to medium-large size (GSD, Malinois, Dutch Shepherds, Australian Shepherd, on and on, including the sporting breeds, setters, pointers, etc)  There is a reason these dogs are sized as they are.

You are right about people having GSD that weigh over 100 pounds.  I have seen them.  My own first GSD was a large male, at about 90 pounds and he was pretty good sized, but I'd guess not over 26" at the shoulder.  The fact remains that breeders who intentionally breed for oversize GSDs are doing so because they are breeding dogs for the money and have no concern for the breed they are adding to.  I say adding, because it's not a contribution to bring in oversize dogs, any more than it would be to breed for mini GSDs.

I agree with the above post that Shilohs seem to be more what you're looking for.  I know you said pure GSD, but simply put, I wouldn't trust a dog from any breeder deliberately breeding for such a huge size, since there are a limited number of such large dogs, and therefore a very limited gene pool...It's enough of a crapshoot with the gene pool we already have in the normal sized dogs.  Don't blame you for not wanting a Dane...Not my cup of tea.  But do some research.  I know there are kennels that breed for hugely oversized dogs...Used to be one that sold black GSDs, advertised in Dog World magazine. 

I'll reiterate...Do your research first.  Don't take any one person's word for it.  Make sure that all breeding stock is OFA good or better, and that all health tests have been done by the breeder, and check if you can, the OFA results of previous offspring from the dogs your pup comes from.  If they don't care enough to do that, at least, even though they are grossly stretching the standard, then I'd advise against buying from them.  It could end in heart break, I know that much.

Crys