When it comes to 'pure-bred' paperless dogs

[APBTLove]

I always find it a little funny.. not that I have a problem with dedicating rescue to one breed, but because when a dog has no papers, who are you to say it is pure bred, and how can you be sure?

I mean, when it comes to GSDs, they could be a mix of many breeds and still look 'pure'. Mixes with:
Malinois
Tervuren
Shiloh Shepherd
King Shepherd
Other Northern breeds (I.E Husky, Malamute, Elk Hound etc.)
And dogs who might have a Husky grandsire, but the grandam, sire/dam were both pure GSD can look like a GSD, but most certainly is not.

Even a shepherd/collie can look like a pure shepherd as a pup.

Edited by Admin. See below. Jean

Like I have done before, seen litters of puppies where one or two could so easily be passed as a GSD, but the rest are odd-colored mutts... however, if I wanted, I could have posted those two pups here because they had the general GSD look and colors, their ears were even starting to stand, but they were 1/4 cattle dog.

Jaeger, my GSD with AKC papers.. I do not even feel SURE he's pure because his blood is only tracked a few Gens back.

Just me sharing my random thoughts for the day No real questions or debate, I just feel it's silly that if my King Shepherd looks GSD enough, he is considered pure by the rescue section. And it always bugs me that I don't see people here say "You can never tell for sure without papers."

[Emoore]

Our rescue does GSDs and high-GSD mixes. If it looks Shepherdy enough that someone in the market to adopt a GSD will adopt it, it's in.

[Whiteshepherds]

Well you can't ever really be sure without papers, but isn't that a given?

[Jessiewessie99]

My shelter has the volunteers and staff read up on all the breeds so when a dog comes in we will be able to post the right breed and give people information in case they are interested in a certain dog we will be able to tell them what they are getting into.

Recently there was a 3 month old Sable German Shepherd at my shelter. He was a light Sable one, but everything about him screamed GSD. At most shelters or rescues(all breed ones) he would have been listed as a a "GSD/Husky Mix" or "GSD Mix".My shelter is a all breed rescue, but they are pretty darn accurate when it comes to guessing breeds, even guessing what a dog's mix is.

[APBTLove]

Originally Posted by Whiteshepherds

Well you can't ever really be sure without papers, but isn't that a given?

Yep. That's why I think it's odd that here and other sites, their rescue sections say "Pure Bred *breed*'s ONLY".
With rescues, you can never be SURE they are PURE BRED unless they came with papers, so that little rule just makes little sense.. Maybe "Dogs who look like pure *breed*'s ONLY."

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Jessiewessie99

My shelter has the volunteers and staff read up on all the breeds so when a dog comes in we will be able to post the right breed and give people information in case they are interested in a certain dog we will be able to tell them what they are getting into.

Recently there was a 3 month old Sable German Shepherd at my shelter. He was a light Sable one, but everything about him screamed GSD. At most shelters or rescues(all breed ones) he would have been listed as a a "GSD/Husky Mix" or "GSD Mix".My shelter is a all breed rescue, but they are pretty darn accurate when it comes to guessing breeds, even guessing what a dog's mix is.

The irony here is that you really have no idea how accurate they are given that they are mixes and in a shelter with no birth record or parents present. They can think they are accurate as long as the day is, but that "sable shepherd" very well could be a GSD/husky mix, or not even a GSD mix at all.

[Jessiewessie99]

Originally Posted by Rerun

The irony here is that you really have no idea how accurate they are given that they are mixes and in a shelter with no birth record or parents present. They can think they are accurate as long as the day is, but that "sable shepherd" very well could be a GSD/husky mix, or not even a GSD mix at all.

He was a GSD, I even looked up Light sable GSDs and he looked just like them. Also, some of the dogs that come in do come with papers.

There are those dogs that are indeed purebred GSDs such as these:
Westside German Shepherd Rescue of Los Angeles

Westside German Shepherd Rescue of Los Angeles

Westside German Shepherd Rescue of Los Angeles

Westside German Shepherd Rescue of Los Angeles

Westside German Shepherd Rescue of Los Angeles

The puppy at my shelter had the same coloring as this one:
Westside German Shepherd Rescue of Los Angeles

[APBTLove]

Originally Posted by Jessiewessie99

He was a GSD, I even looked up Light sable GSDs and he looked just like them. Also, some of the dogs that come in do come with papers.

That's what I mean, you can go off of looks all day - bloodlines can't be seen. My dog, Sparkles, could SO easily be shown in a group of Lhasa Apso's, but she is a Pomeranian/Shih-Tzu mix.

Looks can give you an idea, but you can be completely wrong.

[Jessiewessie99]

Nothing about him gave off Husky. Before him was a 8 months old GSD Mix who I can tell had Husking in her. She had the husky eyes and markings.

[Rerun]

Jessie I think you are missing the point of the thread.....