Titles vs pedigree on parents when choosing pup - Page 5

Valk, I bred DDR dogs for years and owned Dalmers book for years....but thanks for the insights.

So you are able to answer my question?

ValK, the Chart on page 3 only mentions the x-rayed DDR offspring, contrary to SV the total amount born is not mentioned.
For example: dog no 1 = 477 x-rayed sons/daughters, not 477 born.

Titles represent abilities of each parent; intelligence, willingness and physical ability to work, conformation, health, temperament, etc.

Pedigrees represent the same in familial lines (including all relatives), and the likelihood of these attributes being passed down to progeny. What was passed down to litters of sire and dam's littermates, this can indicate some recessive genetics. For instance, if several in the dam's litter have bad hips, and the dam has good hips, its a good bet that recessive genetics for bad hips are present in the puppies. Of course many are never tested!

Titles and pedigree are indicators of what puppy in a litter "can" become.

In a litter each puppy is quite different; some are confident and bold, some are reserved and shy, some are large others small, big boned others slight, some are very active others lazy, etc. It depends on how the dominant and recessive genetics line up in the DNA.

Puppies are living beings, adding to this equation are all the different environmental factors. Nutrition, health, experiences, temperament and experience of the dam, hierarchy in the litter, etc.

Finding a responsible breeder with and indepth understanding of the sire and dam, raising litters and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each puppy is very important.

Equally important, is how the puppy is raised once it goes to its new owner! Even the puppy with the very best possibilities will not become the best it can be if the new owner doesn't have the skill, drive, team in place and financial means to create a champion.
 

@Kim: 

pedigree quite interesting tool to provide some hints on direction of possible development of the dog but that's all.
acquiring dog blindly, only because pedigree, would be quite stupid move.

I got to go with Gustav on this. The pedigree is what brings me to the dog in the first place.
You can learn so much more about your probabilities if you know how to "read,' a pedigree. And that don t mean to just look at the ,5 generations display someone had printed off. It is very time consuming to study what that dog is made of, or should I say who.
Titles are a good thing but certainly not nearly as reliable. Of course you have to trust in the honesty of the seller.
You can add whatever title you want, with no verification, on many databases and unless you check out their actual registry, you going blind. I have noticed one poster on this database who states titles on their dogs , on their web page that knowing the dogs history, wonder when and where these titles were earned (just saying).
I also recall several years back, here in US, many police agencies were duped in buying certified police K9 for specialty services that were not trained at all.
I won t send a pup I raised off into the unknown for nothing or no one. You must come here and meet the dogs, and dogs meet you. If dogs don t like you, you don t get one.
I bought two pups sight unseen, based on pedigree AND BREEDER.
And I couldn't t be happier with those decisions. I have people with 3-4 and 5 dogs from me, competing in sport, show and several active working police k,9.
I guarantee my dogs for life, and if you want a dog for specific reason and that dog don t work out for that, I,will replace it.
You don t like the dog or vice a versa, bring it back, I give you different one ( 25 years never had to) I don t want any dog from me being in any place where it not loved and wanted.
Said it before and I'll say it again,
You can never get tired of being thanked for the best dog/partner a person ever had.
I have found that most German Shepherds that come from strong, confident lines, raised by caring responsible breeders and paired with good people are more than willing and able to give back what is put in. TEN FOLD

ValK, exactly where did anybody say to base anything on "pedigree ONLY" ??? You are correct in that the pedigree is an "interesting tool" - and tools generally work better for those who understand how to use them properly.

What Sitasmom and Kitkat point out is that the pedigree can be a great asset if you understand what you are looking for in studying it. Nobody is pretending that those who consider pedigrees only from the ignorant point of view that just looks for the titles alongside the names of ancestors of their dog are going to get a full picture of the lines they are
thinking about breeding with. Any more, actually, (although it is marginally a better sort of ignorance), if they are JUST looking at the health test results next to each dog's name.

Buying a puppy is a crap shoot, but doing your homework increases your odds. I'm a sucker for a nice pedigree. Titled parents with regional and national event titles. I have witnessed entirely too many club titles given to dogs that in my opinion were not worthy. Harder to fake the funk in regional and national titles. I love seeing the parents work. I love being able to spend time with the sire and dam when they are not working. You are going to spend more time with the dog not training than training. I also like to see KNPV. For me it's all encompassing. Not one over the other.

Kyle

@Kyle,