New to this-help with reading pedigree? - Page 1

Hi! I'm new to the Pedigree Database. My husband and I got our first GSD, Zeppelin, early this spring.
Our breeder doesn't have a ton of knowledge on pedigrees, and our purpose for getting him was as a companion & we are interested in having him trained in protection, so we weren't TOO concerned with bloodlines. Both parents were onsite, and we liked what we saw.

My question is, can anyone tell me what origin his bloodlines are from (WG, DDR, etc.)? I'm interested in learning/reading pedigrees but haven't done so yet, and this question is just out of curiosity- so if you have some free time and want to take a look, please help :)

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=2690622-zeppelin-von-oudemolen

Thanks in advance!

Mostly American bred.  Go back far enough 6 gen you will find where German Show lines were used and past that where a mixture of working lines were used.  

This is what as known as American pet breeding, as none of the dogs in the first 3 or 4 generations have any sort of titles. They also don't even have hip x-rays.

If you are interested in training your dog in protection, why wouldn't you worry about bloodlines?? Protection requires a stable, strong nerved dog, and that's not usually the sort of dog you find in this sort of breeding.

Did the breeder do anything with the parents, or were they just there to produce puppies?

Yup. A real 'chocolates selection box' of breeding. What Sunsilver says is true, most of your pup's near ancestry are dogs clearly produced without much thought except to have puppies available to sell. I see one or two more carefully bred dogs here and there, who have more considered antecedants and even one or two health results and titles / qualifications. Some W German Showline, some American Showdogs. As WR says, there may be some Working stock going back a bit further. But just because he is an all-black does not make him a working-line dog (as some might believe / have wanted buyers to believe).

One reason we KEEP stressing on here that all newbies should 'do their homework' first on the breed before buying into it is precisely because if something goes wrong and your dog turns out to have avoidable genetic problems or does not have a correct temperament for whatever you want it to be able to do, you have little redress in the matter. The trouble with having one or two better-bred dogs in any pedigree is that they cannot just cancel out all the other nonsense by being there.

Do not despair, however ! EVERY puppy is to some extent a crap-shoot, and you may well find that this dog turns out to be everything you wanted. The GSD is, after all, nothing if not a versatile breed. There MAY be nerve problems, for example; but the individual dog could as easily turn out a fine character - especially if helped by being raised with care and skill. How's your dog Training ability, OP ? May be a good time to enlist some knowledgeable help with bringing up baby.

On the strength of your photograph of him, he looks a handsome fella. Very best of luck, in whatever you decide to do, or use him for. Hope you have a lot of fun with your companion. And don't end up with huge vet bills. But please, give yourself a little help and DO do a bit more research at some future point, if you are looking to buy your next one.

Thanks for your responses.

Zeppelin, at 9 months old now, is the dog we were hoping for. He is well-rounded, proving to be a stable dog and a great companion.

I expected someone to knock me for not looking much into bloodlines, but like I said, the goal was to have him as a companion, and we are 'interested' in having him for protection in our home- it was not the main purpose.

Hundmutter-we had him complete a two week board & train program where he learned in depth obedience and basic manners. Zeppelin did very well & he has an "aim to please" demeanor.  We work with him daily to reinforce what he has learned and work on new skills.

Down the road when we look into having a second GSD, we will pay attention to xrays/health testing as I know there are many responsible breeders who are looking to better the breed. We all make mistakes, and yes, I should have done much more research, but Zepp has been nothing but a wonderful addition to our home and I am glad we have him.

Glad to hear he's got a nice temperament, and is just the sort of dog you were hoping for!

I haven't always researched lines when adopting a GSD, either - my first three were all rescues of unknown pedigree! I was lucky, and all of them had pretty decent temperaments. I wasn't so lucky with a purebred dog (of another breed) that I paid $2,000 for, though!

A good breeder knows their lines and what each puppy's temperament is likely going to be, after watching them for from birth to 8 weeks, and can help you pick the sort of dog that's best suited to your needs and lifestyle.

You got your puppy like most people get their first purebred dog-no reason to apologize-at least you saw mom and dad (and liked them ).
The pedigree is an international mixture, including a lot of very famous European show and working lines.
Guess we will never know why the single breeders made their decision.
You have to deal with the present, and this pup seems to be a good fit for you.
That's a lot more than a lot of puppy owners experience.
Good looking youngster-keep us updated!

Forgot to mention: instead of "board and train" try to find a local club. It's not only more fun to train by yourself, but way more helpful for you and your dog...

@Sunsilver, we all have to start somewhere, right? We live and we learn. And absolutely agree a breeder should be able to match a pup to your needs.

@Susie, thank you for your information. I'm very happy he's fitting right in with us. I've been looking into some clubs in our area. There's one about an hour and a half away that could possibly work out. I do think that would be fun for us and our dog.

Thank you!