The Evolution of Conformation - Page 3

Ch. Bar V. Weiherturchen      http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/404085.html

I love this dog,  here is picture below that I Flipped  to show the comparison between him and my male

This is my Tom below, at 3 yrs

What is so incredible is that

Bar was born in 1964

and my Tom was born in 2004

and here is Tom at 4yrs

His tan is much darker, but this was a digital picture I took of a print.

GSDC of Detroit, Inc --- June 4, 1967 --- Best of Breed

"However, the competition boiled down to Ch Fels v.d. Rottumbruecke of Dornwald and Ch Lance of Fran-Jo. I would be extremely proud to have been the breeder of either one or both of these magnificent Champions. Quality was written all over these two dogs in capital letters. Frankly, it was an extremely difficult decision to make, Lance presenting a beautiful picture of vitality, eagerness, and nobility, combined with a smooth ground-covering gait. The Fels dog prevailed, his fore-assembly permitted an outreaching stride that combined with his excellent croup permitted the effortless movement a German Shepherd Dog should possess. The “frosting on the cake” is the very strong, noble head, and a coat which approaches perfection.”

~ Judge Mr Harold E Sands

 LOL  First of all...The first dog was the first GSD..it was almost still a Mix shepherd..Breed evolve..faster than human I guess..

Second point.  if you like the first dog and don't like the GSD look today..Why don't you get a malinois or a Dutch shepherd?

The breed looks different cause in the beginning the we're trying to fix the real type..over the years the standard have change because different people have a different taste and view on what the dog should look and be.

We can see it in this forum..lots of different ideas..stil we all think we are right and we know what the ideal GSD should look like.

Now who really right??? That is yhe question and I would say ..me

oh believe me, i would love to get a mal. But something keeps me hanging onto the shepherds. Perhaps it's their prize winning personalities.. Or perhaps the copious amounts of fur they shed. Lol. But I like that a shepherd is not always on, and knows when he can calm down. But a mal is GO GO GO. But, frankly,I don't think we are "fixing" the shepherd, maybe ruining it. But thats my opinion. There are still dogs out there fighting to regain their respect.

-Emily

I see most on this thread "get it", a couple don't though they think they do........  Thank goodness for the working line lovers.  Lets' keep what the breed has been for the majority of it's history, not what it's become the last "few" years in the big scheme of things. 

IF you want a shepherd with an old-fashioned build, this is one of the few places in North America where you can find one: http://www.rintintin.com/index.htm  Daphe Herford had dedicated her life to preserving the Rin Tin Tin line. The main criteria for selecting the next Rin Tin Tin is the pup's resemblance to previous Rin Tin Tin's, and to heck with the current fashion in the show ring! She also provides dogs for Search and Rescue, and for handicapped children (ARFK Foundation.) At one time, she also provided dogs for security work. (Not sure if this is still true.)

The main problem with preserving a type of GSD that is no longer 'in fashion' is that you cannot go on breeding to your own lines forever. Eventually, you must do an out-cross to prevent inbreeding depression, and the problems that come along with it (doubling up on lethal recessive genes, or undesirable genes.) Unfortunately, usually the only dogs available to breed to are the current 'flavour of the month' show dogs, the ones that caused you to start breeding your own line of GSD's in the first place. Either you have to breed to them, or go the route Tina Barber took, and create your own breed (the Shiloh Shepherd.*)

Currently, the RIn TIn Tin kennel is  waiting to do an out-cross to an American lines GSD. (I look a this dog, and wonder how he ever managed to get pointed when he has such an old-fashioned build! He has 25 BOB wins,as well as numerous herding titles!) (Would someone please tell me what the RN after his name means? I can't find that title listed. The site I usually use for finding this stuff no longer works.)  http://www.rintintin.com/Gandalf.html

Most other breeders that claim to breed old-fashioned dogs breed dogs that are a) long coat and b) oversized. There seem to be a large number of them that are sway backed too. I really cannot understand how they could even THINK their dogs conform to the breed standard, which has never allowed oversized dogs or long coats!

(*Not to sidetrack this thread, which is very interesting, but I just wanted to note that Tina has done only three outcrosses since breaking with the AKC in 1991: Samson, a GSD with some malemute blood; Artus, an Alte Deutscher Schaeferhund (really just a long-hair GSD, from German lines); and Orbit, a white GSD from the Hoofprint kennels. However, the non-ISSR breeders who have broken with her, and started their own registries, are  CONTINUALLY breeding Shilohs to GSD's and calling them 'Shioh Shepherds,' making both the GSD folk AND the Shiloh people very angry...) Over 50 such crossings have taken place in the last decade or so!)

DO SOME OF YOU STILL GET AROUND BY HORSE AND WAGON!!!!! LOL NAH BET YOU DONT. I BET YOU DRIVE A REALLY MODERN DAY GAS GUZZLER!!!!!!!  ITS CALLED PROGRESS IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN LOL

cars get us around faster than a horse and buggy, what exactly does a modern day show shepherd give us??  What is the progress??  I believe you could call it change, but "progress"

BTW, i've progressed to realize I don't need to drive my gas guzzler all the time.  My bike and I are good friends again.  It's better for me, my wallet, and the environment.