GSDs back in the days - question - Page 1

Hi everyone!
I'm just doing a little research about german shepherds for something i'm writing. I grew up with one, and I know her father is on this pedigree database..(another story haha) anyway, what would you guys say is the main difference between GSDs now and back in, let's say 1930, 1940,1950s.  Not so much health-wise, but I mean with appearance and traits. I saw some very interesting photos from back in the 30s and 40s here on the database, but I cannto locate them anymore.

I do think I like the hindlegs on GSDs back in the days. Nowadays (not on here as far as I know) - but around internet and such, you see GSDs with veryy bent legs, and I know that's what some think looks pretty, and I do like the GSD pose, though I think some look very unnatural with the slopy back and overly bent legs.

well, as I was saying, what would you say was the typical german shepherd in around the 30s - 50s, mentally and bodytype, and has it changed much? :)  

Are you trying to start a fight.  Just search this web board the topic has been discussed ad nausium, lol. Once upon a time there was one german shepherd dog that was bred for work.  Mostly herding, then security ,police, tracking.  Then came the show group that placed heavily on asthetics with workingability being a necessary evil.  You also have th American German Shephed ala the AKC.  I have no idea what they were thinking.  The AKC has managed to get rid of every working trait in every breed that it registers.  Old school pics can be found at the link below. 

http://www.nsgsdc.com/breedhistory.shtml 


Kyle

The rear legs don't give support to the back part of the dog. The rear hip joint has to support this part of the body. This leaves the joint more open to injury with any quick change in direction. The GSD now only achieves real balance when in forward motion.

References to a "full support" position in the GSD have been made in connection to balance. In some German Shepherd manuals the skeletal structure looks nothing like the GSD today. (Barwig et al, 1986) This raises questions on what should be correct for this breed. At any case what might have been true in 1950 is no longer so.

Static and kinetic balance as well as gravity should be looked at and evaluated.

American GSDs in daily routine need to be able to spin, change direction and walk without a loss of balance, which at this time they don't have. Consideration should be taken to breed a GSD that can function in all it is many facets. In trials of agility, balance, endurance and strength this breed is lacking what all other herding breeds have balance.

The origin of the GSD shows a different body type with the feet set more closely under the body.

Refer to 1950's Axel vd Deininghauserheide and others like 1953's Alert of Mi-Noah's which you see dogs built like other herding breeds we see today. I advocate a change in breeding and also suggest that the common hip problems in the GSD might be greatly lessened.

Let it be noted that many of the working German line GSDs today are extremely well balanced with excellent temperament. American GSD breeders need to take their blinders off to see what a REAL GSD is all about.

ah sorry, i didn't mean to sound harsh or anything like that..(??) and certainly not start a fight. I just know that there are a lot of you here who know about GSDs through history and in general about GSDs. :-)
I'm european, and I know we had a "breed of dogs" book from the 80s, and even in this book, the hind legs of the GSD is a bit different than what many look like today, (the picture might be older than the book too i reckon)

i wasn't asking to start a flamewar, haha, i was just curious as to the changes and such, especially with pics of dogs. (link much appreciated!)
 

Once the breed was no longer primarily used for herding and war broke out the original standards flew out the window. Now today as a pet, sport, show, and working dog, the breed has divided into different animals.

 The dogs in the 30's 40's and 50's are dead.

In 2010, we can now substitute the phrase "trophy winning paper tiger" in place of "german shepherd dog".  As a result of greed, pride, and "status", most of the gsd's today are giant lap dogs.  You are about to be told that these giant fluff balls meet a "standard", and they do indeed. The problem is, it is not the breed founder's standard as the pictures you make mention of do indicate.  You're about to meet some people who loathe these show dogs (I'm not one of them), and also meet some of the showline breeders themselves who will tell you that their dogs are "correct".  I will tell you that today, for the most part, you can separate the breed into working and non-working dogs.  Breeders of non-working dogs will tell you that the SL dogs can't work, and the SL breeders will tell you that even though generations of dogs have been bred with emphasis on  pigment, coat, gait, ridiculous roach backs, etc, these "super dogs" can out-work the WL breeders product.  The real funny part of that, is when the SL breeders exhibit their own special form of "breeder on breeder discrimination", as when the SL SV breeders look at the AKC breeders like they've ruined everything - go figure.

Carlin,
 pretty good but few details here.
Pigment is extremely important in working dogs(!) since loss of pigmentation is a first sign of degeneration.
It is funny that dogs in 50ties fit into the standard as well as modern show dogs now do. 
There is an  important rule of thumb as far as looks of the dog goes . Dog should be within the standard and must be able to work, run, jump, search, track and kick ass for real and be a good family member. 
I firmly believe that modern working dog ( not sport or show dog) is a better dog now then it was "back then" The important thing is that such dog needs to be recognized and promoted to general public.
Modern working dog in spirit of old type GSD.
 my ideal dog DOB 2007 Fram z Jirkova dvora aka Haio 

 1920

1930ties
1960ties
2000ts

As you can see the working dogs are getting heavier and more massive. Even so these here are great dogs I believe wee need to go to more wiry dry dog like the dog on the very top (Fram z Jirkova dvora aka Haio. )
Look at ideal dog from 1925 according to great Max v Stephanitz Klodo v Boxberg. I like to compare structure of any dog to him (personally) :
Klodo v Boxberg DOB 1921.

Prager Hans
http://www.alpinek9.com 
 

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