Old fashioned? REALLY???

[onyx'girl]

My WL pup is getting big and I see my SchH helper not liking that so much! He is strong and packs a punch, the mals are welcomed by the helper so his body doesn't break. My pup is agile and fast, but he can stop growing now.
Two of my dogs(I think Onyx is Am pet line mix up) are over the standard for height and the other one is a long coat, big boned female(not sure her lineage) .
I like a smaller dog to be truthful, my foster was a 65# male, easy to manuever around.
Doc, I think most of the breeders are on spring break...where are you going for yours?

[Samba]

So far, it doesn't appear that Jackie is going to a large size dog breeder unless she changes her mind on her next selection. I hope a dog from the kennel she choses will have old fashioned characteristics. I imagine that it will! I don't mind that my dogs grew above the standard and below it sometimes. It happens, but who the dog is is most important. I looked for working temperament because really that is very near and dear to the origin of the breed and is the basis from which all this pet suitability comes from.

Size is not the first thing I look at and I wonder why people mention it at a selling point in some kennels as it certainly isn't the defining characteristic of the breed. I don't say give me a big giant dog or give me a little bitty one... but I have had both! I know agility folks who have looked for a smaller dog for speed on the course. I can see that, I guess. If you were a real tall person, due to center of gravity a larger dog might stabilize better... a shorter person would be out dogged. These are individual needs and the variety in the breed naturally will provide without kennels for big tall people and kennels for smaller stature people.

[Liesje]

FWIW, my heart dog is large and tall (albeit skinny, he weighs about 25lbs less than he looks) and he's not even pure GSD.

I just don't understand the obsession with size, going to such lengths to select for it and promote it.... WL people are not obsessed with size, their dogs just happen to generally turn out 60-90lbs.

[Doc]

Jane,

Maybe I'll go to Germany, drink massive amounts of warm beer, whistle and flirt with all the German women, and start a German shepherd club.

On second thought, I'll stay in Miami and bitch about the government. roflmao

[Samba]

To some breeders... size matters! Now, to say that some sort of sport people or martians or such reject them due to size, is to focus on the people for whom size does not really matter so much! Heck it doesn't even matter that much to show judges I know. But, it seems to some people it matters enough to breed for large, have a preference for large in and of itself, sell based on large, etc.

[Xeph]

Wishing for a female that is larger than the standard!?? Blasphemy, plain out blasphemy! You know a tall gal can't perform as brace balance dog - just read the threads! roflmao

But the thing is Doc, I'm hoping for such out of standard parents, and I'm not purchasing from a breeder that breeds for size.

It's just that a 23" bitch is highly unlikely to be suitable for my needs. To me there's a difference.

If I didn't need her for service work, I'd much prefer her to be in standard. I'd rather have another male to be honest, but Strauss won't allow for another boy.

Also, I shall get more pics of me in the tye dye, just for you xD!

So far, it doesn't appear that Jackie is going to a large size dog breeder unless she changes her mind on her next selection.

I'm getting an Eichenluft baby And nope, no mind changing here. I prefer a standard sized dog. I don't find 30" GSDs appealing and have not experienced such a large one doing very well in agility.

[Doc]

I understand Jackie. I hope you find exactly what you are looking for. You still have the tye dyed tee, right? LOL

[Liesje]

Originally Posted by Samba

To some breeders... size matters! Now, to say that some sort of sport people or martians or such reject them due to size, is to focus on the people for whom size does not really matter so much! Heck it doesn't even matter that much to show judges I know. But, it seems to some people it matters enough to breed for large, have a preference for large in and of itself, sell based on large, etc.

Exactly. It seems people making the biggest deal out of it are those that want 30" dogs.

Nikon's mother is large but I don't care. Wouldn't be my first choice for size but everything else fits. I like the overall temperament of the dog and would take her home in a heart beat. Also the progeny are all smaller, meaning normal. She's V rated, KKL1, and CH. She might stand out in a ring full of smaller German bitches but otherwise we just shrug at the size.

[Andaka]

Here is one of the best dogs I have ever known. She was a Troll von Richterbach grand-daughter. I was in the 4th grade or so in this photo.

[Lin]

Originally Posted by Doc

Jackie, go sit in the corner with your tye dyed tee on. Wishing for a female that is larger than the standard!?? Blasphemy, plain out blasphemy! You know a tall gal can't perform as brace balance dog - just read the threads! roflmao