Breedable dog? Sterility? - Page 1

Hello, I am curious if people that breed dogs know that it is the Gentics of your dam and sire that is more important than the degrees, titles or show placings. Hip ratings are in the mix also but does not guarantee excellent progeny. The more you pay for your dogs does not give you better results. That only proves that the seller has a high regard for his animals and believes by putting high prices on said animals it makes them great. Sorry this is not true. After many years in the breed we all hope to produce that perfect specimen. I have been in all types of competition in my 47years in the breed. My main concern is to stay as close to the breed standard as humanly possible. Also to stand behind what I sell!! Thank you .

Genetics is verry complex and most important,one think, the sire has lot to do with,and also his age.

while what you say is true. that genetics is more important than titles or show placings, you have to look at the big picture. if you have a litter off of a titled dog that has no other titled dogs in it's ped odds are the sire is the exception, the fluke. the qualities in that individual will most likely not be passed on. but if you have a litter off of a titled dog that has many titled dogs in the ped, odds are it's due to the strong genetics in the line and it will be passed on. this is due to the fact that someone has made an effort to breed true to the gsd standard. another example is when you have a non-titled dog that is bred down off top quality titled dogs. if you breed him or her to another of top quality dog, due to the selective breeding and genetics of the ancestery you will probably end up with a very good litter. one also needs to be careful in this area. you may have a dog that comes from a very strong line but the titled dogs are back in the 3rd or 4th generation. just because it comes from a strong line doesn't mean it will produce. every line has it's weak specimens. the dogs that pass on bad traits. imo always go with the best bred dogs off proven individuals and hope for the best because there truly are no guarentees when it comes to genetics.

Titles are great to push up the price of a dog. My personal opinion ONLY!!! Ramgsd - very good posting/comments! :-) Although I don't totally agree. Some people look more for the working title then anything else.

I agree that titles on dogs are used to dupe the public in thinking that they are getting the best because of course they are so high priced. That makes them great! Whatever, if the amount money is the rule for quality. I hope you all get what you want.

Titles are used to show the dog is breed worthy. Look at the SV standard to realize what it takes, not just two dogs getting together to make puppies. If you don't believe titles mean something then what do you base the reason you're breeding your dogs on? If not titles then what??????

I breed my dogs on their merit as excellent specimens of the breed. I study bloodlines and what they have to offer and what their progeny look like . I have had many titled dogs in my life but if they were not excellent specimens themselves they did not prodruce because they had titles. Titles are obedience degrees and they show that the dogs have had excellent trainers. Breeders have to know what to expect from the pair they mate. Right?

Titles are more than obedience when not all shepherds have the inherited traits of excellent tracking and you cant train a dog to get high prey drive nor food drive and a title also gives you a trace of where all of the ancesters came from ....non titled dogs unless DNA is done on each one, have just someones word that they came from who the papers say they came from . I like the Schutz program here in USA , because we dont have an sv governing body, and now with tatooing or Dna , or (chipping, which I dont like,) its becoming harder for people to misrepresent. If no titles, how do you find out what the dog has to offer...People dont have photos or records on dogs with no titles do they?

OK....I didn't get my point across good enough.... Yes, titles in some dogs are nice to show what they have to offer. What I was trying to say is that SOME people use those titles merely to push up the price of a dog. :-)

I don’t agree with the fact that some people use titles to push up a price. Titles make a dog more valuable. The market determines the price. If a buyer pays the asked-for price, then that is what he dog was worth at that point in time. I think titles are good for everyone in the GSD world. They allow a buyer to have some standard by which to measure as opposed to one breeder’s opinion that despite the fact that this dog is untitled, he is a fine specimen. In the GSD world- one person's "fine specimen" is the next person's worst nightmare.Let’s face it, most breeders are partial to their own dogs...it’s just human nature.  I also personally would be wary of a breeder that didn’t put the investment of time and resources into putting a title on a dog. I want to buy from a dog person who lives and breathes and loves GSD's and all that goes with them: including Schutzhund or some kind of working trial.I feel that titles are good for the breed and good for the buyer.