Want to know difference in American Show lines, and German Showlines - Page 1

        In my quest for knowledge, (I have found my dogs to be German Showlines) ,What dogs are American Showlines? I know the German showlines, Who are the American Showlines , and what is the difference?

       I am beginning to know the different lines of Work and Show. I spend numerous hours looking all this stuff up. I read a lot of the things posted here, I go through the database, I read this website and that website,. "he said, she said" is "all over the place".

     Who are the most knowledgeable people? 

     I guess it has been decades, and than some to get where we are now with the GSD database.

     I have had German Shephers since 1993, I love them. Who is right and who is wrong???

    Beleive me, I am a seeker of info. I love my dogs. I have been breeding who I have. When I found "Highlander Shepherds", I felt like I struck GOLD!!! I have not looked so forward to a dog, pup, anything since I awaited kitty-kat.,! there really are NO words to describe the arrival of her!(Had to be there ). Now I'm anxiously awaiting "his" HOME COMING!

     Now I am getting a Rikkor Bad Boll- Kevin Murrtal pup. Really , does it get much better than that?  If so, tell me where. Throw in the mix, therapy dog. WHAT MORE COULD I ASK FOR IN A DOG??????

     If there is better, please let me know, working dog's and working people excluded (not discriminating) your dogs are also," all that and a bag of chips."I have seen what you stand up for and, "WELL YOU SHOULD!!!"

     I do not have the time or energy to do a working dog justice.!

     You tell me to Learn from others, that is exactly what I am doing. I am very serious about "MY" German Shepherd Dogs!

      Thanks for "ALL "the input!

I have a Rikkor daughter and personally know a few Kevin daughters, all nice girls. You're asking for opinions- but you what they say about opinions, everybody has one... I think in the GSD community you really have to learn for yourself sometimes, some one will rave about a breeder one minute, then someone will have a horror story about them the next.  Can you post a full pedigree on your pup and pictures of the parents?

http://www.highlandershepherds.com/page10.html

http://www.highlandershepherds.com/page3.html

   I have done major research on the dogs I have, AND, the dogs I WANT, and I want this one,

Wouldn't it have made more sense to neuter a long coat than breed it.

Your not helping the breed at all by perpetuating faults.

Uwe

vhdoosek9

I personally would not buy a puppy that was sired by a long coat. Furthermore, I would never breed a long coat as it would only pass the fault on to its offspring.

if you would not breed a long coat because it is promoting a "fault", then why bred dogs that produce long coated pups?  I have noticed quite a few litters from top breeding dogs (not just show ranks or working trial winners) but dogs that are getting most of the breedings in Germany and around the world, where 1/4 to 2/3 of the litters have been coated.  I would even go to state that we wouldn't have most of these dogs that are so highly regarded in both the show ring and working fields without having the longcoats.  hell, look at Yoschy von der Döllenwiese pedigree here, click on his mother's pic.  If that isn't a longhair, then I don't know what one is!

whether you buy american dogs, german dogs, show or working it is personal preference.  all have their attributes and their faults in structure and temperaments. A good dog is a good dog, no matter what country it came from.

Mona von der Döllenwiese was a long stock coat  not a long coat. Back then it was permitted but not desired to bred long stock.. SV changed the rules since then.

There is a huge difference between different lines. While the Am lines have been bred for 20 generations for extreme type ( long body, deep angulation) to the exclusion of correct balance of structure, correct size, and athletic ability, the SV (Germany) has stringent standards for approved breeding. Temperament has long been ignored in the American breed as AKC has long stood against trials that include bite work, and no requirements have been imposed. Many patrons of the American breed seem to believe that "good temperament" means a dog that is too lazy to bite you even though it urinates in fear because you walked near it. This is completely WRONG. While the standards have slipped at times, and fads come and go, the German show lines are generally well balanced, and have been held to a high standard of structural conformity, correct size, strong bone, correct proportions, strong heads, correct movement, compact, efficient, powerful, graceful bodies, correct hips and elbows, and most importantly WORKING ABILITY. This being said, German show dogs are becoming increasingly rare  that truly work in the same way that the working(sport) line dogs do. This is primarily a question of less than ideal drives and hardness. Additionally, there has been an alarming trend in the German breed toward larger, longer, heavier dogs with over angulated rears (similar to Am lines but so far less severe). Finally the working lines, which for many years were bred primarily for sport performance and so suffered structurally, have now seen for the last 10 years or so a noticeable improvement in structural conformity, movement, proportions, etc. with many solid V rated working dogs of excellent character.It is my opinion that these Renaissance Dogs together with the best working most correct German show dogs are the future of the breed. Best Wishes, Jonah

Nice post, Jonah! That about sums it up, IMO.

I might have extreme opinions, but why do people see the need to breed untitled dogs? In addition, one is a long stockcoat! According to SV regulations, they are currently banned from being shown and bred. While we do get long stockcoats in just about every litter, we do sell them as pet quality on a limited AKC registration. There is no need to use them for breeding. I guess, at least this person does certify hips and uses the dogs for "therapy work", a term which is overused anyway. I don't diminish the great work these dogs do, but I truly think that any well-tempered, obedience-trained GSD could do that kind of job. That sets her apart from the other regular backyard breeders. Sorry, this is not meant as an attack on the "breeder" in question, just getting tired of these kind of justifications why these dogs need to be bred.

KitKat, you should just go to the source directly and get a well-bred puppy (Bullinger Shepherds). They also co-own Kevin vom Murrtal.

Chris

Chris,

I saw some of your pups by Teejay. Very Nice! Best Wishes, Jonah