Different Strokes for Different Folks - Page 1

As long as I can remember I have been a nut over dogs. As a small child, I would bring home every stray I came across. When I was 10yrs old my dad bought me an APBT from a man in our North Denver neighborhood. I just worshipped the dog. I would always go bother the gentleman who bred my dog. He would show me books and tell me tall tales, that I soaked up like a sponge.

 By the time I was 17, I was quite knowledgable about the breed. I knew every APBT and every owner in the entire state. In 1970 the number of APBT's in the state of Colorado would have been well under 200. At that time, I fancied the gamebred APBT. I knew famous old dogs like Trahan's "Country Boy" and Weldon's "Jimmy Boots" up close and personal.

Through the years I have seen the dramatic population growth of the breed and all that it entailed. When I first got on line in 1999, there were countless APBT Message Boards and Chatrooms. These places had everyone in them from newbies as green as grass, to some known dogmen who had knowledge and experience.

What these places also had, was all the fighting and bickering among the posters. The Gamedog Fanciers turned their noses down at the Bench Show Fanciers, and Vice Versa. Of course there were the fights among posters of the same interests, but of different views, and those who just don't get along. Now if someone really wanted to open a can of worms and start some real bickering, just start up a thread about Blue dogs lol.

I have been reading the recent threads, and have had to chuckle at the fact we are all really the same. For whatever reasons our likes sway to either Working Lines or High Lines, we seem ready to fight for our beliefs and more than ready to belittle those who have other likes.

 I have, and have had, gamebred dogs that I love. I have also had Staffs that were brilliant and family protectors, who would have made excellent Sch dogs. At this time I have GSD's that are amped up Working Lines, and we also have some very nice HighLine GSD's as well. I can relate to almost anyone and their preferences.

What I find so comical is that the GSD Database is not much different than the old APBT Message Boards. We have the WorkingLine Fanciers turning their noses down on the HighLine Fanciers and Vice Versa. I see that if a Thread about a Blue GSD comes up, all Hell breaks loose lol.

Depending on our environment and what we have been exposed to, had we walked in each other's shoes, I bet we would be surprised to find how alike we humans really are.

I agree wholeheartedly.  It would be great if we could all chat positively but that just won't happen on a topic people are so heatedly passionate about. I can only speak for myself when I say I have never turned down my nose at workinglines, I appreciate any correct, healthy GSD who can get the job done.  I feel very strongly, as do many, about deliberately producing outside the standard- but I am pretty openminded otherwise and I wish others would treat me in kind in spite of my dogs being of the black and red variety.

Abhay - Great to see you back!

  This is so true!  But I think it's not just the GSD and the APDT...this kind of argument exhists in alot of breeds...it's just more similiar in some breeds than in others.

~Cate

Kczara your one of the biggest bashers of the blues,You have fades and hock walking dogs with no body attached to them, thats alittle the pot calling the kettle black < 8 years and your an expert.  An expert at what ? some dogs on your web page are pathetic .

Abhay you old sea dog,,,,, good to hear from ya. 

hope the ladies and pups are all well.  as normal the board has been the board. not a lot changed, well maybe less talk about dogs and more bashing. 

gotta show you some pics of the new pup, gucci granddaughter.  pretty girl with drive out the glutus maximus.

john

John, Quit teasing me! You know how partial I am to those Gucci Gals. Put up the pic and ped of this girl right here!

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/585040.html

still looking for the other pics.

john

found them

http://www.tornadoalleyclub.com/KC

john

Now I'm jealous as hell! It just goes to show, this is John's world. The rest of us just live in it. What a Gorgeous animal! On top of that, you are the man who can take her all the way.