Working line? what does that mean? - Page 3

Some of you are totally missing the picture. We are talking about GSD's where breeders are advertising working lines vs show lines. A pup newly born has no current job but he is still from say for example show line parents. It does not matter if you show the pup later in life he is still from show line parents. Now you can argue if you give the show line pup a job is he to be considered a working line? Of course not, but we are not discussing if a show line can work or if a working line can show. We are talking about why breeders pick the type of dogs to breed.

I think it is relatively harder to get the 'correct' temperament than the 'correct' structure from a dog. With the limited gene pool of let's say correctly temperamented show dogs, and the existence of V-rated working line dogs, I just frankly don't see the point if you're trying to compete with working dogs. *If* you're trying to fix the show line's temperament as it is right now in general, then that's a commendable effort.

Do right, the he is a she :o). It took 'only' the last 30-40 years to produce the distinctive lines. The split came in the 70s. And there are more than two. Add DDR lines as a separate entity - working lines, but not really top performance lines. Reason is probably because the split was not so apparent in the DDR, though there were DDR show line dogs. And they too had some West show lines added to them. The working dogs at DDR times were bred for a different purpose. Some more modern DDR breedings are starting to resemble west line dogs more and more though, which may or may not be a good thing. As long as the show line will maintain its show line traits and background, and has no infusion of working lines it will remain show lines, regardless of performance. It is the lines. Lines stay lines. Lets say you do this with sable show line dogs and then breed specifically for performance. After several generations you may have a string of sable dogs that work well and look like working line dogs (just because of their colour), but as you go into the dogs background they are still show line dogs. Trying it in the other direction: Camp Mühlteich. Show or working line? Lümmel von der Felsenmühle. Show or working line? Look first, then read on. Camp is mostly working line, but has an infusion of show line. The 'purists' will not consider him a true working line dog. Lümmel is a working line dog, with a remark in his KKl report that he is suitable for the improvment of anatomy. But a working line dog in the sense as we understand working lines today. Once you infuse other lines, like it happened with the czech lines, who have a strong German show line influence in their background, which is mostly responsible for the structure you see in these dogs today, then the boundries are no longer so clear. Contrary to common believe, many czech line dogs are not true working line dogs. A czech name does not automatically refer to a working line dog. Everything West was very much sought after in East Bloc countries before the iron curtain came down. Back then show lines more so than the emerging working lines. Records were also not kept properly because though the population yearned for things West, the authorities did not, and you did not want to alert autorities to anything West. Happened at DDR times too BTW. So when you look at some of these examples, the definition of lines may become a bit more clear.

shinokami, your comment lets me to believe that you are not a breeder... If maintaining correct structure is so easy, then why are so many working line dogs lacking there nowadadays?

I never said mantaining correct structure is easy. I just said it wasn't *as* hard as maintaining correct temperament. Naturally it's going to take a few years to get collies out of hyenas.

there are quite a few differences that are CONsistant then there are always canines that are above the norm. for instance workinglines bone substance stance and physiological outlook all are geared to excessive work ability. stronger bites faster movemnt tighter turns a totlay different structure most squarer and boxier then that of a showline. again i said most there are many V rated workinglines but some also stem from political gifts. say you showed your pretty nice looking working line at your club here in the states and it achieved v2 then you bring it to another club now you just recieved a sg rating??? HUH? showlines are bred to look a certain way and they do have to perform the Schurz. ROUTINE and i have also seen some do extremely well in work but after tall the years of working GSD's and taking thousands of bites that rules and majority condemn the verdict. Consistantly the working lines are more focused, harder and longer working, better air strong bite and typically more courage not saying that i haven't seen it in a choosen few good working showlines Diva Von Der Malchower Aue, Odin Hirchell etc. just in my non scientific study this is My Opinion