What? a Show Line!!! - Page 3

charlie319
Thank you for the comment on Aiko...I owned his sire too. The breeder who owned Aikos dam is a friend of mine.

I am laughing at this because i have seen a few showlines that really "brought it to the field". I also laugh because i am thinking of getting a Korung on my working boy and have had the same comments from show line people toward my working line dog. "What ? a working line in the ring?" It goes both ways. I say what the hey! and take it to em!!!

ltsgsd
I have also heard the same thing about my Czech females. Some of the showline people wanted to know why I would like to do the KKL. I just shake my head and chuckle. On the other hand I have had some of the showline people comment on Xena, Erri z Blatenskeho Zamku daughter, saying that she moves better than some of the showline dogs.  So I guess it does go both ways.

IMPO, anything taken to the extreme is bad in general and particularly when we're talking of such a versatile breed.  I have objections to showline dogs that lack the character or physical makeup to do at least some of the work the breed was designed for.  By the same toke, I have objections to those who breed towards a GSD with a totally utilitarian apperance, hair trigger temperament and little if any aesthetic value.  There are snobs in both the working lines and showlines camps.

I like dogs like Aiko, Javir vom Talka Marda, the dog i mentioned in my earlier post, because they bring on the whole package.  Granted, they are not a Triumph's Gucci, but they are very good at both aesthetics and execution.  One of my favorite bloodline dogs was Frei von der Gugge (I own a very nice female that is of his bloodline and she's out of the "iron fist in a velvet glove" mold)  and he's in many working-lines as well as showlines.  If I ever do breed, that is the kind of standard that I'd seek.

Jyl, even you would have to admit that in a club full of showlines, yours is the only dog who is really up to Schutzhund. In my opinion your dogs are the exception rather than the rule, by which I do not mean any kind of negative...you chose the right dog and you got a good worker. You make showlines dogs look good. Not very many people do that.  Maybe the problem is the owners rather than the dogs. Most people who buy showlines dogs don't really WANT to do Schutzhund, they only do it because they HAVE to in order to show.

"Most people who buy showlines dogs don't really WANT to do Schutzhund, they only do it because they HAVE to in order to show."

Bingo.  So many people say that it matters as much to them but then send dogs away for lesser quality training and rushed titles.  If it really mattered, they'd find a way to make it a priority.  Everyone has their own limits and their own opinions about what is important and what they can do, but I get so sick of people insisting to me that it matters when their actions speak otherwise.  I'd rather just have people be honest and say they are not concerned with getting good scores or building a strong foundation in training so that the dog can do well repeatedly rather than just get a rushed title and never see a trial again.

 VomMarischal
Thanks....dont make my head swell to big...lol. I will admit that there are not that many showline dogs that can truely work anymore. That is the main reason I got into the working line dogs (Czech dogs). By all means, that does not mean that there are not a few that still can. So when there is a showline that really can work it is really impressive to watch, IMO. On the other hand there are also not very many worklingline dogs in the showring.
Thanks again Jackie for the complement on me and my dogs....it means alot!!

charlie319
I really appreciate the complement on Aiko...to even have his name near Javir and Gucci is a true honor! I am very happy with Aiko. He sure isnt the typical showline. Even some of the workingline people have complemented him. I am very happy with his work ethics and drives. He has a great willnesses to please and also can take corrections well. If corrected hard his drives will go down BUT I am able to bring him right back up. Which is really nice.

The trainer is an idiot. The best trainers don't care if you bring out a pink giraffe, as long as it works well and the handler is motivated to train it. The more dogs, and TYPES of dogs, that go on to success under a trainer's tutelage, the better the helper looks.
They laughed when Franz Gugnon took Jasko vom Stahlburg to the BSP... till he WON it.

S

Jyl:

Thank you.   My male too is essentially a mix of about 60% W-German showlines with the balance being DDR and Czech working lines. 

Trainers are like coaches.  If a trainer is known for his "system", and the system works only with a particular set of  drives and temperament, then the guy is just good at designing a training regime for a particular type of dog.  Great trainers are the ones that could, if necessary, get a Golden Retriever his SchH-1.  In other words, a great  trainer finds the way to tap into the dog's drives even when they are not patently obvious. 

I hope you can find a local club with a good trainer.  If you lived in the KAnsas City area, I'd recommend the one I go to.