where have all the good, tough dogs gone? - Page 5

 Don, elaborate por favor?

I personally don't see how anything like "toughest" can ever be proven, as it is so relative, but I am still curious to hear your thoughts beyond "interesting." 

I have been around GSD for most of my life and although I have seen my share of fearless dogs, my post specifically was aimed at the GSDs.  I made mention of pit bulls and other dogs that do get out of their yards and rummage through my garbage bins and upon a quick yell or bang, that would scare them off.  This bloodhound showed no fear of me.  So I now reflect back on the dogs I have seen on the filed and utube, etc, doing schutzhund and other KNPV trials, ring sports etc,, and other sites and I see remants of this fear factor, but we continue to mask and train the dogs to do the exercises to compete and pass these breed survey tests.  But the real question was, particularly aimed at the GSD, where are these fearless dogs that we all came to know called GSDs?  Jenni was right on about redirecting some of the readers that seemed to stray away from the point.  Are we breeding a bunch of dogs just for the sport and titles only?  Then if so, are we any better than the confirmation guys, no disrespect to them, but I do try to pride myself on breeding and aligning my GSDs towards the "working dog" lines.  Are we just selecting for specific purposes only?  What I remember these dogs are to be, an intelligent family dog, fearless (that is if our family or person is threatened then we could count on these dogs.......regardless of training or no training, to use their basic instincts to protects us), beautiful speciments of ANY breed, and above all, with all these ingredients, he/she is one of the family. 


I have seen footages of K9 dogs that are supposed to be fearless in the moment of bring down the "perp" but I have see where the vigilant would attack the dogs and I do see fear and sometimes they even run away.  I know some of you have seen them also...I've seen them hiding behind their trainers for protection on many occasions.  These are supposed to be trained, fearless dogs!   Where are they?  What lines produces these qualities on a consistent basis,  that I grew up to know the GSd'sto posess?  Don't  tell me they are around. 

They are around

He he he  Don!  Are we talking ET now?  They are watching you!  hehehe!  That was very funny!

Come to New Jersey....I guarantee you the dogs on the street will not run behind the handler!!!!

Tenmon, I think if you get involved with the breed or any working breed and study, you know where to look for certain characteristics. I know which dogs bring aggression, etc. That doesn't guarantee that my pup will be the same, but it gives you a chance. Too many people look totally at the male and couldn't care if it was bred to a one-eyed goat. Look at the dogs that bring what you are looking for and study their pedigrees. And Yes, too many breeders are focused on sport. It's the market. More are needed than PDs want.

Gustav, those are rats from the City

It's that wonderful, keen insight I'm looking for gustav!  "Come to Jursey and you will find them!"  Just wonderful.  I have been to Jursey, lived in NYC for 16yrs too!  I saw a lot of them, running all over the streets going through the trash bins at nights.   

Don some of my posts back mentioned some of the old line breeders in europe that does mentioned the same thing as you did.  "We need to pay particular attention to the females that are in the line."  I have read all that and looked at the pedigrees, etc. But you are not giving me definitive information, just generalities and wide open statements.  Come on, stick your neck out.  I remember a dog that one of my schutzhund instructor had that, If I was not mistaken, was out of Troll.  Not only was he a sizeable dog, he was, I considered tough when working, scarey, and did not backdown from anything.  However, that said, in times of these actions, I could see in his eyes that there was something amiss.  Call it not a clear head, or just darn crazy.  Well, I'm not talking about that kinda dog. Maybe as Jenni said this problem might be a bit too "relative"  to describe.  

 Tenmon, check your private messages (top right corner if you're not using that feature on this forum yet.)

Good one Don!  Rats!  I just don't know why I didn't jump on that quicker!   Haaaaaa.  And let me tell you, living in NY You just couldn't tell the difference sometimes!  Now dem are some fearless, tough SOBs!