German Shepherd Breed split into 2 - Page 1

What do the fellow members on this site think about the breed splitting into two seperate breeds? Splitting the "Show-line" and "Work-line" into different breeds.This might solve the never-ending argument on which is better, and also could end the wannabe visionaries of the breed, the ones who try to fix it. I know I am lighting the match by posting this, and I'll probably get bashed by the "Seniors" of this site, but I am sick of waiting for someone else to ask this question. Stop arguing about the differences, and just resolve the issue! Now it is not simple splitting a breed, but letsnnot go that far yet. I would like to just discuss the pros and cons?

working and show? ok, but then you have German show line, North American...

how about we just get the Shepherd back to what it is supposed to be? A working dog.

Ok I don't understand why, and maybe I'm missing something. The breed was designed to work. Maybe not the work that we put it through today, but it was designed to herd dogs. If you're suggesting a split between working lines and showlines, what do the showlines have to bring to the table except conformation shows? I mean would they still be working, just not in the same capacity? The dog was bred as a working dog, and working dog it is. Every line is different. Even between the shows and working. I mean you've got German showlines, American showlines, Czech working, DDR working, West German working, are you suggesting subgroups? Are they only working dogs if they actually do schutzhund or police or SAR or anything like that? Is it particular dogs in the lines? What about mixes between the two lines? What about the shows, do they have to do anything besides do well in conformation? The dog was meant as a working line, that abides by the standards of the breeds in conformation. It is meant to be both, even though they're creeping apart, splitting the breed seems pointless IMO. I mean, I could be totally wrong and then we'd just have two different German Shepherd breeds that we still argue which is better. And then argue if American lines are better or European show. Or Czech, DDR, West German lines for working. And godforbid any crosses between the two. Would they be unregisterable if the breeds were seperate?

Darka, with the amount of german shepherds in the world, it is nearly impossible. And macrowe you bring up some excellent points regarding the sub groups. Which in a since makes it somewhat pointless to split the two up. But I think that we would still be cutting one problem down, considering we argue about the differences between subgroups today. Great points thanks

1020ma, you placed this thread in the wrong category, if you move it to the German Shepherd forum you would get a lot more views. The conformation forum was set up for people to get honest opinions about structure or showing with any of the lines. It was supposed to be a safe place to keep trolls and novices from bullying people and criticizing dogs that they have limited knowledge of and can not express in any specifics their disagreement with dogs that until yesterday they didn't know there was a difference. Back to your post, if you want to solve the issue get involved. There is a place at the table for both working and conformation people, the problem happens when people of one side don't care and leave or have left those of the other side to go off at a tangent. Working line people do have some influence over conformation matters once they rise to positions of authority within their organizations. Believe it or not some working line people are also conformation judges. In the US both organizations have working line people in positions of authority and UScA is pretty much run by working line folk. Conformation tittles and shows were necessary from the beginning of the breed and nothing is stopping working line dogs from being shown. No one is stopping you from creating a new breed if you wish but there is already an organization in place that started the breed and is in control over what is and isn't a German Shepherd Dog and no amount of posting on forums is going to change a thing.  

Markobytes, i know, but it would not give me that option for some reason. there were only like 5 to choose from. Also this is not a petition it is a discussion. Because the two lines and sublines are seperating exponentially and its not getting any closer, so some day there might be a change

 "Because the two lines and sublines are seperating exponentially and its not getting any closer, so some day there might be a change"

Really?  

The sublines of GSDs I recall of the 80's and 90's were much more divided in extreme differences than the dogs I've seen in the 00's and 10's.   I have not seen the lines separating, I've seen many of them coming to a better middle ground in structure and working ability.  

Please note I said "many"  certainly not all dogs or individual bloodlines, kennels, etc.  fall into this category.  But more of them do than they did 20 years ago.  

Besides, the GSD isn't the only one with deep divides between working and showlines....do you propose that the dog world creates another 100 new breed names so other breeds can be officially divided too?  

 

I am sorry euro but I disagree a whole lot. The lines are more split then they ever have been. 20 years ago the training was different in germany, usa, czech rep, etc. thats why they were different then. they are different now because the breeding has branched off into a ton of different ways. also i didnt post this about the other breeds that were similar to the German Shepherds "splitting" ways. i posted this about the GSD and only about the GSD, let the people who are fans/breeders/trainers worry about their breed.

Can we at least have two section on this forum? GSD(W) and GSD (S)

Thats an unlikely suggestion actually dantes. I wonder