STRAIGHT BACKED, OLD STYLE GSD BREEDERS???? - Page 3

Doesn't matter, that the example is, it was VA1 in 1932, which was approx the end of Max's time with the SV and also just before his death.

Dogs for the next few years would still have been that he was breeding toward.

BTW, he decided to use Beowulf for his herding ability, not for his beauty, and used him and others to develop a breed standard which he preferred.
That being said, he was pressured into breeding larger dogs to be used in the war, and he also knew that their use for shepherding was slowly going away. 
Because of war (police work), the breed standard began to include something similar to what we call IPO. Conformation and Breed surveys have been as important as work.

K9gsdlvr,
Please be very careful with your request.  Any "breeders" and I use that term loosely that PM you and say they have the "old style" GSD's are ones I'd run from.  Not walk away but run away.  I think the best advice is to check the rescues and the shelters in your area.  Dogs like that are found in shelters every day across the US and they can be excellent companions and exactly what your are looking for.  I would adopt or rescue a GSD from a shelter before ever responding to any BYB that tells you that is what they breed.  Please, be very careful.

Listen to Slamdunc's advice, it will save you $1000's, plus the frustration of having a dog that has more drive than you're comfortable with or can handle.

Good advice SM. most of these "old time" GSD breeders who send PM's have trash that can't stand up to a peer review.

jmo,
Rik

There is a further advantage to Barb's and Slam's point about
getting a rescue dog :   if you are so tied up on the shape of
dog you want, one that needs a forever home is likely to be
mature enough for you to see what you are picking.   Takes
the guesswork out of the equation ...

I'm going ot stick my neck out here, as someone who remembers what the GSD was like when it was more or less one breed, and the dog who could 'do it all'.

Some of you may think it's funny to suggest the OP get a Lhasa Apso. I don't. A GSD can be a family dog without having the personality of a golden retriever or a lap dog. There still ARE dogs out there that don't have to be kenneled because their over the top drives mean they can't be left alone for fear they'll trash the house or kill the cat. I used to be one of those 'awful' pet people. I was  happy to have my GSDs as a companion and protector of the house. They went for long walks with me, chased balls, learned fairly advanced obedience skills (no papers on them, so, back in those days, we were not able to enter shows.)  I lived in Scarborough at the time, and was a single woman when Paul Bernardo was the infamous 'Scarborough rapist'. I knew no one was going to break into my car or home or try to grab me on the street when my GSD was walking at my side.

Would these dogs have protected me? One of them would, I know that without question. The other was oversize for a female, and made a good visual deterrent. She did go right through the screen door in my bedroom one night when something came up on the back porch, so the protective drive wasn't entirely lacking.

I agree with Slam's suggestion of trying to find a suitable rescue. There are plenty of GSDs in shelters that don't meet the strict criteria for the show ring, and are moderate in conformation and drive. Both the dogs I mentioned above were rescues, and had the old-fashioned straight back.

I still don't think they are "old fashion", just properly bred. Not all people that breed showline German Shepherds have moved on to the "flavor of the month"dogs.
There are people that take pride in their dogs, and what they produce, that ain't just out there chasing the green backs.

hey sunny, where you been. I was starting to think the new dog had dragged you off and buried you in the yard somewhere.

Rik, I'm going to get my mom to knit that poor bird of yours a sweater! 

March break = one of the busiest weeks of the year for boarding kennels here in Canuck land!

Sending you a PM...

Sorry about the loss of your 121/2 year. I lost my 121/2year old a year ago and know exactly how you feel and what kind of dog you want.  Like maybe if you look in the right place you can find what you lost. I did the same thing. Even though some of these posts are really funny people probably don't realize your probably still looking for that special dog as much like the one you lost as you can get.  I bought two from Von Ward Kennel in CA.  They are both straight back and medium drive, smart and funny. . not giants.  And I imported a female from Czech. Wonderful dog. Every pup is different,not all working line dogs are crazy high drive. Ask the breeder, they should know their  pups. Just check for health along with temperament. OFA, DM     All 3 of mine have helped fill the hole in my heart. Everyday is special.