I do not know that it really makes sense to go for unity in the breed. I do not think the specialty-showline breeders will ever work toward German show or working line in structure or temperament. Some will get CDs and CDXs on their dogs. Some will doing herding trials with their dogs, most will not go anywhere near Schutzhund.
And really, why should they. If they managed to schutzhund title their dog, the working line people would just acuse them of buying their title, or doing it at a midnight show.
No first place ribbons were awarded at the nationals this year in the puppy classes due to temperament, but I am not hearing anyone applauding that.
The all-breed shows, where German showlines might do ok in, well I do not see them moving toward the specialty dogs at all. I mean, everyone suggests they have such grusome back ends, and spookiness, why would they. They think their dogs are awesome just the way they are. What happens when you mix a roach back GSL to a ski slope AB? One and the other and everything in between, and possibly extremes on both ends. Can you imagine a pronounced break into a ski slope???
So now lets go with the working line dogs, and their flatter top lines, smaller compact size. It is nothing the specialty dogs would ever want to breed with, and they would be hard pressed to manage the added drive.
A working line dog with a V-rating and a manageable/proper amount of energy and drive might be incorporated into the all breed show line dogs, or German show line dogs in America. But those of us with GSLs believe we have the perfect dog just as they are, why would we WANT to incorportate the working lines into our lines?
Working lines people think their dogs are the best/most proper sheps out there. What would combining showline dogs, or specialty dogs in their lines do for them? How would it improve what they are doing?
I think there are good specialty dogs out there that are not extreme and have good temperament.
Of course, I think there are awesome GSL dogs out there with great temperament.
And I think there are great working line dogs out there with good temperament and drives for what they are using them for.
Combing them into one shepherd type would not give us the best of all worlds. I think it is far more likely to give us the worst. And it would, most likely then resemble the pet dogs from BYBs.
And really, why should they. If they managed to schutzhund title their dog, the working line people would just acuse them of buying their title, or doing it at a midnight show.
No first place ribbons were awarded at the nationals this year in the puppy classes due to temperament, but I am not hearing anyone applauding that.
The all-breed shows, where German showlines might do ok in, well I do not see them moving toward the specialty dogs at all. I mean, everyone suggests they have such grusome back ends, and spookiness, why would they. They think their dogs are awesome just the way they are. What happens when you mix a roach back GSL to a ski slope AB? One and the other and everything in between, and possibly extremes on both ends. Can you imagine a pronounced break into a ski slope???
So now lets go with the working line dogs, and their flatter top lines, smaller compact size. It is nothing the specialty dogs would ever want to breed with, and they would be hard pressed to manage the added drive.
A working line dog with a V-rating and a manageable/proper amount of energy and drive might be incorporated into the all breed show line dogs, or German show line dogs in America. But those of us with GSLs believe we have the perfect dog just as they are, why would we WANT to incorportate the working lines into our lines?
Working lines people think their dogs are the best/most proper sheps out there. What would combining showline dogs, or specialty dogs in their lines do for them? How would it improve what they are doing?
I think there are good specialty dogs out there that are not extreme and have good temperament.
Of course, I think there are awesome GSL dogs out there with great temperament.
And I think there are great working line dogs out there with good temperament and drives for what they are using them for.
Combing them into one shepherd type would not give us the best of all worlds. I think it is far more likely to give us the worst. And it would, most likely then resemble the pet dogs from BYBs.