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Big, blocky head?

53K views 80 replies 44 participants last post by  livetosing1 
#1 ·
Im not sure what catergory to post this in, sorry if it's in the wrong one. I'm just curious about shepherds with 'big, blocky heads' as I dont know how else to put it. Ive seen pictures of them, but Ive never seen one in person and I'm wondering if it's a certain line that produces this feature? Or is it just how some shepherds fill out? I'll attach a picture so you can see exactly what I'm talking about. Thanks guys!

 
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#8 ·
Yeah, more like the ones you posted. i just did a quick google search and found a picture that was closest to what I was thinking of. So, Stark is half Czech DDR, does that mean his head may get a little bigger/blockier than the general very slender shepherd muzzle? His dad's head was average sized, would that be an indication of what size his could be? Ive always kind of liked the look of the big. blockier heads. They look so strong and masuline.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I see many SL's that have a big blocky head too...it isn't always the DDR's.
What you see as a young dog will probably be what he ends up as. They don't just grow a big head after they turn a year.
My male(WG/Czech WL) has a 'masculine head' and it was apparent early on.
I'm happy it didn't turn out big & blocky!

 
#10 ·
I see many SL's that have a big blocky head too...it isn't always the DDR's.
What you see as a young dog will probably be what he ends up as. They don't just grow a big head after they turn a year.
My male has a 'masculine head' and it was apparent early on.
I'm happy it didn't turn out big & blocky!

The showlines do often have big heads, but I dont really think that they are "blocky" (not like DDR anyway) but I have seen some large heads that could pass for that of a bear!
 
#19 · (Edited)
The first sable dog was a WG Show line -

My WGWL male has a pretty big, blocky head .....

here is HIS sire - and Csabre's sire too.....



Xito v d Maineiche....all West German



the "Ghost" ;) - son of Xito - also all WG



Csabre - daughter of Xito - WGR x DDR

She gets alot of 'wow!' s - and even observers checking for the 'equipment' - size substance and presence - but still feminine - esp when you looked at her littermate Cito...

Cito v Wolfstraum, Sch2, CGC :rip:


Great heads are not restricted to any one type - just harder to find this style in WGWL - Personally I love this look!


Lee
 
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#22 ·
Kacie has a big ol head....have no idea her pedigree.

 
#23 ·
she might go back to Xento Maineiche - he had those eyes and the thicker shorter muzzle (but does not make the head not have a "wedge shape"! or incorrect!!!!) and they still come down through......Xito and Csabre have (had) them....and I have seen others with them, and checking pedigrees - and finding Xento....

Wedge shape does not mean 'pinhead' - wedges can be wide too!

Lee
 
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#24 ·
Aiden is WGSL/WGWL and has a decent head. I don't think it's huge, but I like the size.



I am in love with Aiden! LOL He reminds me of my baby's sire.
 

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#25 ·





OK I'll admit I do like big blocky heads. None of my dogs so far have had one, so I don't go around selecting for it, but I wouldn't be upset if my dog had a head like this one and I don't mind doggy looking bitches either. There are certain large heads I *don't* like, but I think it has more to do with the expression and overall placement of the facial features and not just the shape of the head.
 
#26 ·
I like a big blocky head on a male dog. Just looks...rugged or something.
 
#28 ·
He's got loose flews (more obvious in his head shot, which I removed because it ended up being a huge picture) and I don't like that. I don't think he belongs to anyone here, I just looked for a random one.
 
#30 ·
I have to say, even though it's not technically correct, I like big blocky heads! As long as it's not too heavy or mastiff-like, and I don't see hanging flews, I like the look. Even on females.

Back in the 80s and 90s, there was a trend in American show line GSDs toward narrower heads and muzzles. Some of them were almost collie-like. Some found these heads refined and elegant, but I DETEST that look in a GSD. To me, it just doesn't look right, and more often than not there seemed to be a flighty, nervous temperament that went along with that narrow head.

Thankfully, that style seems to have come and gone, although I still see some backyard-bred GSDs with narrower heads. Especially on males neutered young.

Temple Grandin and others have talked about certain body types going hand-in-hand with certain temperaments. They say that stocky, big boned animals tend to be calmer while thinner, finely-boned animals tend to be more nervous. I am not entirely convinced this is true, as I have known very calm Greyhounds and totally neurotic Mastiffs. But as previously mentioned, I did notice a correlation between the narrow-heads and nervous temperament in the ASLs... don't know whether there is a causal relationship, though.
 
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