Opinion on What Line of Dog to Get - Page 1

The dog will be for pet and companion, living with two older kids and a small adult dog. I am looking for a dog with steady nerves, excellent temperament, calm and low to medium drive. I was hoping that the knowledgeable people on this board might point me in the right direction. Here are the pedigrees:

Option 1 – German Show Line. The grand parents are Yasko vom Farbenspiel ; Heavenly von Mirzslot (granddaughter of JAck Noricum),  and Ando vom Altenberger
Land, Irana vom Reststrauch granddaughter of Ulk von Arlett)

Option 2 - Working Line. The grandparents are Cherokee van den Wolfen (brother of Falk van den Wolfen), Nadine von Shepherdglen (daughter of Rasko von Karthago), Imo vh Safko, and Rocky (daughter of Ugo Burenswald and Arne Va-Pe)

I posted the grandparents since the parents might not be very famous dogs.

Thanks again for all your inputs.

either one of those would work,  it depends on the individual dog though. 

It really depends on the puppy.

Look at the Volhard puppy aptitude test. You'll have to cut and paste the link below to visit the site. Some breeders do these tests and you can ask them how their pups scored. Other breeders don't. You can't just start testing a breeder's pups yourself, but you can observe the behavior of the pups and score them mentally. Also, tell the breeder exactly what kind of pup you are looking for. A good breeder will be aware of each puppy's basic personality.

http://www.workingdogs.com/testing_volhard.htm

Hi,

Since you are looking for a pet dog, its better to go  for an american show line.

Check out this link for more details on a choosing a german shepherd puppy

Thanks

Jane

Why would an American show line be a better pet than a German Show or working line dog?  With all of the health and temperament problems in the AM show line dogs.  I'm sure you could find a decent one but I don't see why anyone would take the chance.  Sorry, but I haven't been impressed by American show line dogs in the past 20 years.

JMO,

Jim

well,  I had a very tough, very high drive american showline female.  WAS NOT A GOOD PET.  She couldn't give a rat's ass if she pleased me though, It was a concstant battle between me and her on who was going to be alpha,  I really started to hate the dog so found her a  home with someone who didn't mind.

each dog is different, a nice companion can be found in any line of german shepherd.  not all are destined to be top working dogs, top show dogs, ect.  you can find a nice pet in just about every reputable litter bred.  and a good breeder can point you in the direction of what pup would be best for you.  and a good breeder will also tell you if one of their pups would not be suitable too.

If the dog only is as a pet and companion, why don't you want to adopt or recue one ?

This is a great place to look :GSDfinder.com I checked it out and you see so many Reg,Trained,Pups etc. who need all good homes.

It really matters not which line from that seek a dog if the dog is to be but a pet/companion type of dog. I agree that adoption is a good choice if it is available. Most adoptable dogs have been socialized with other dogs and people to test their fit into a new home. Barring other complications, the only concern I would have with ANY new dog is the small dog that you currently have.
 
German show-lines or working-lines are both full of dogs who are not performance-oriented, yet are healthy and of sound temperament. As far as American show-line dogs are concerned - I would not write them off entirely as a well-bred dog is occassionally produced from these lines. But I would look to the German lines first.

If this new dog is to arrive as a puppy, then the temperament test is of good value if it is administered correctly and is usually done on Day 50 of the puppy's life. Not everyone uses this test, as many long-time breeders have sufficient skill to determine future traits and temperament with a high degree of certainty. That type of breeder usually has much interaction with the adults as well as the puppies and is the type of breeder one seeks. Yet beware those "breeders" who cannot explain how they determine the suitability of a puppy for a particular type of home or environment as they are usually ignorant of any type of temperament test or skilled interpretation.

As with anything, there is always a chance to take - even with a young adult. I close with mention again of my concern for your current smaller dog. Dogs are dogs, and we cannot always predict the relationship they will always have with other pets in the home.

Good Luck!
Bob-O