high drive show lines? - Page 9

Right on Hans, as usual!

Under real  pressure prey drive either gives way to true working abality or shows weakness issues. All the prey drive in the world still won,t cover up a weak dog.

I agree with most of what is being said above, but, I do not think that it will change.
People will continue to breed what they like and it has been going on for a lot longer than most, if not all think.

Gustav,
When you speak of "before the split" when do you mean? Were you around back in the 1920's? That is when the split really began to take hold. Many people forget that a man named Max von Stephanitz quit his own club, the SV, because of all of the breeding for looks and this included the fact that people were breeding away from white GSD's which were a part of the creation of the breed.

All this time I thought Max von Stephanitz was forced out of his club because he didn't sympathize with Hitler in 1934 or 1935....and died a year later.

Unless you are refering to the Phylax Society which disbanded in 1894

SitasMom,
You are correct.
Who do you think started breeding for looks? The Nazis.

(edit)
Actually, this should read officially promoted breeding for looks when they took over complete control of the SV in 1933. Breeding for looks had already begun prior to this.

Not so much to discuss really, could anyone argue that many of the GSDs breed for their looks foremost are in general less healthy and less suited for work compared to those lines where health and work is the first priority? That there are some bad and good dogs in both camps doesn´t change that fact.

There is a decent amount of show lines with SUPER high prey drives, and "yes" they bite, but the question is not only do they have the grips BUT will they hang in there under pressure. If there is a full, hard grip present (be it genetic or trained), all the prey drive in the world cannot make them "hang in there". They need a good nerve threshold.  So all I am saying is that there is more to the equation than high drive, and I have seen show dogs with good drive, good grips, and good temperament. And by temperament I mean nerves.

My little coated show line bitch, had her first courage test at practice the other day............

Not familiar with the helper.......he came a running, I let her go, she took off full blast.......without slowing down, she took a flying leap full speed and grabbed the sleeve with a great deep grip........the helper got her to the ground quickly, he drove her, he hit her several times  with the stick ....he stopped..........she let go of the sleeve before I could tell her.......he moved she grabbed the sleeve and gave it her 57lb all.........

Everyone at practice stopped and their jaws dropped.........they had no idea such a pretty faced little coated bitch would to that.  She's a plucky little bitch with lots of game! In the house she's a goof ball, out and about she is an ambassador to the breed. This is that same puppy that wouldn't let go of my pants leg from about 3 months until 6 months........you might say, we were attached at the cuff.

Now all we have to do is pass BH - Yes we're working on it!

There are lots of SL out there, they may need a slightly different style of training then the WL's, but a good TD knows how to get the best out of every dog!

Sorry to brag, but for a half pint show line dog...........she is just so cool - can't help but to love her to death!