bite status - Page 1

hi friends, just thinking about bite work. Why so much importance is given to bite checking/testing. Gone are the days when GS dogs were kept for sheep herding or for the protection of domestic animals. Now most of us are urbanites and the chances of one's dog kept for the original purpose viz. herding are almost nil. back here in India (my country)or some neighbouring countries, we have never gone to the extent of testing the strength of bite though it looks very good when the dog attacks for his master's protection. but in reality, do we have its usefulness. should we have this test (bite work) SV style, continued for the sake of its having been included for the purpose of breed standard? JMO. Also, if a dog is having a faulty bite i.e. short upperbite/lowerbite should that dog/bitch be used for breeding. Will the offspring be also carrying the same faults? regards,

if you don't care for bite work don't do it. plain and simpple. as for the betterment of the breed yes bite work is very important. as a breed the gsd is supposed to have good nerves and be a protective breed whether it be of a herd of sheep or its human family. without such tests how would you be able to tell if your dog has such qualities? as you point out most are now suburbaniets and not herders. all the more the need for such tests. our dogs are much more likely to need their teeth in town where crimes is most previlant than out in the country with the herd. as for your fault question. why would you want to breed any animal that has a fault? all you are going to do is put those faulty genetics into the progeny fo them to continue to pop up where they may down the road. not exactly breeding with the betterment of the breed in mind is it?