Why German Shepherds Have Had Their Day--an interesting article..

[PaddyD]

Originally Posted by Andaka

Thanks for the article. Very thought provoking.

It reminded me of one of my pet peeves -- the proper name of our breed is the German Shepherd Dog. The words should all be capitalized. I know there are schools of thought that differ, but that is my feeling.

Totally agree.
Yesterday, someone asked me, "Is that a police dog?". I said, "No, she just looks like one." I hear it more from older folks: "That's a nice German Police Dog you have there." I just say thanks and move on. Don't have the time or motivation to educate the world.
The fact that they are SHEPHERD dogs seems to be forgotten. If that is what they are named then it should be what they ARE. All this police and schutzhund stuff is a secondary benefit for their all-around working ability but they are shepherd dogs first. That is what they are built for.

[martemchik]

Its going to take a very long time for people to lose interest in GSDs and go towards Mals. Anyone with half a brain will google it and realize the difference in the two breeds and still go with a GSD, lets face it they are much better pet dogs, even the ones bred for work/sport. I have yet to see a real life malanois and I frequent dog parks in the city of Milwaukee quite often. As much as I wish that what this author says was true, its going to take a much longer time than we could hope for. And yes this is true of any breed, look at the labs and the golden's of today.

[Fast]

Originally Posted by PaddyD

With article like that and more police departments going to the Mal maybe we will see over-breeding of Mals. Then there will be ASL Mals, GSL Mals, DDR Mals etc and so on....

There already are.

And I don't even know what "over breeding" means. there are only two types of breedings; good and bad.

[Samba]

I have seen some very un-Mal Malinois.

[Fast]

Originally Posted by PaddyD

Totally agree.
Yesterday, someone asked me, "Is that a police dog?". I said, "No, she just looks like one." I hear it more from older folks: "That's a nice German Police Dog you have there." I just say thanks and move on. Don't have the time or motivation to educate the world.

Maybe they are the ones educating you.

GSDs were commonly called German Police Dogs until the 1970's. I have lots of old books and articles referring to them as such. Books like this The Police Dog David Brockwell German Shepherd 1924 - All antique Books

They also used to call Belgian Shepherds (Malinois, Groenendael, Tervuren, Lankenois) Belgian Police Dogs. Here is president Hoover and his "Belgian Police Dog" King Tut.

[SitUbuSit]

I find it a little amusing that she's writing this article as a way to promote her new book about Rin Tin Tin that could, conceivably, increase the GSD's popularity, which is the very trend she criticizes.

I appreciated the article, but felt it was a little too tidy. For example, this wrap-up rings false to me:

"...in recent years the American Kennel Club, among other organizations, has done its best to discourage [bad breeders], and to encourage adoption from shelters, which have, unfortunately, an oversupply of abandoned purebred dogs. It’s been a success, but it will never completely override our very human tendency to want those things — and animals — that have the shine of popularity."

Ahem, the AKC is doing its "best" to discourage BYBs? If so, their best is pretty pathetic. If anything, the AKC has been complicit in popularizing BYBs disguised as reputable breeders. In my opinion, we are FAR from "success" when it comes to stopping BYBs and getting the population of GSDs in shelters down to a sustainable level.

Her Rin Tin Tin book has received lukewarm-to-negative reviews, btw. Critics say it is too much about her, and not enough about the actual dog. Why am I not surprised...

[Fast]

Originally Posted by martemchik

Its going to take a very long time for people to lose interest in GSDs and go towards Mals. Anyone with half a brain will google it and realize the difference in the two breeds and still go with a GSD, lets face it they are much better pet dogs, even the ones bred for work/sport. I have yet to see a real life malanois and I frequent dog parks in the city of Milwaukee quite often.

Wow, that's a really strong opinion on a breed that you have never seen and can't even spell.

[terrylightfoot@comcast.ne]

Originally Posted by Samba

Would less popularity be a fix? I don't think it all depends on the dogs being bred popularity. Is the author making the argument that the popularity of a breed creates more poorly bred dogs? Maybe it does, more people get purebred GSds, put them together and produce with little understanding of the breed's characteristics and how to preseve them.

I am thinking that societal pressures may lead to the loss of original breed characteristics. What are breeders breeding for? A nice house dog? A sport competition dog? A gaiting show dog? A blind leader? A working farm dog? Where is the demand for the dog as it was closer to the breed's origination.

What is a well bred GSD by definition today?

Thank you for making this point. I believe that trying to fit the GSD into so many categories to appeal to the needs of various people may have lead to not only overbreeding, but breeding to characteristics inconsistent with its greatest strengths.

Unfortunately, the GSD does not control its brand like other marketable items. A Ferrari is a great car. But it is not for everyone. Ferrari doesn't make lower performing cars to expand its appeal or market to grandmas who will only drive 55 mph.

But if you do a search for GSD breeders, you get working lines, companion, family, supersized, show lines, etc. While I agree that over breeding is a problem, I think the purposeful dilution of the core characteristics to appeal to more people may be the real problem when it comes to finding a quality dog.

[GSDLoverII]

Originally Posted by lar07

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/op...&smid=fb-share

I tend to agree with the author that this is good for the breed and the people that love them. What do you guys think?

I agree....especially with what we have been through the last 5 months.

[GSDLoverII]

German Shepherd Dog

The enormous popularity of this breed has resulted in careless breeding that has crippled the German Shepherd Dog with a whole catalog of genetic diseases.