When was she born? - Page 5

Thank you Susie for posting. 

You won't get any arguement from me as far as long, soft coats are concerned.

http://www.vetdnacenter.com/canine-long-hair-test.html
and
http://www.vetgen.com/canine-coat-length.html


@Blitzen,
I ask because there is a myth that plush coated dogs all carry the coat gene. I was wondering if with the test now pictures of carriers vs clears could de-bunk or prove this.

The Links above say they test for long hair.

Yes, I think all plushes probably do carry the LC gene. Some will test as LC's, others as carriers.  In another breed some clear x clear breedings have produced coats and dogs that tested as carriers, so Im not sure how accurate the test is. In that breed I've seen pics of dogs that I would  have sworn would have tested as LC's that have come back as carriers. The test may be more accurate for one breed than another, I don't know.

"In another breed some clear x clear breedings have produced coats and dogs that tested as carriers,..."


Which breed? If this is true, all the testing doesn´t seem to make much sense...?!?

Malamutes, Susie. It's true, happened to a few of my friends. No, it doesn't make sense to spend money for the test in that breed. Not sure about GSD's.

Old GSDs had smaller heads

You are right-head and neck were smaller, the stop wasn´t this pronounced like in "modern" dogs. I think, at first breeder tried to pronounce the stop, head and neck followed. Take a look at Rolf Osnabrücker Land in 1951, he had a lot of influence to the breed.
Probably this has to do with
1. After the second warldwar the German Shepherd normally didn´t have to herd sheep anymore but was used as police- or schutzhund dog.
They got more power in head and neck, the whole breed became heavier.
2. Personal preferences - a big head looks more dangerous and impressing
Today we see Akita- or Malamute heads (fortunately not everywhere, there are still a lot of dogs with "normal" heads)-future will show the progress.
But remember point 2. : People buy this kind of dog, not only the showline people but the working dog people too.
Some people prefer oversized Germans, some prefer liver, some prefer over angulated dogs, some prefer Akita heads.
As long as there is a market there will be a breeder...

Susie,

Educating and elegant posts, thank you, it is a blessing to have people like you, blitzen and Sunsilver. Sunsilver's informative library never ends  

Ibrahim