German Shepherds

Well, this is me thinking for the future. My next dog won't be a GSD, but I really love the breed and will have one someday. The thing is, as far as breeders go, I have no idea where to look. I will not be getting one from American show lines, that's for sure.

I'm open to rescue, but if I decided to go with a breeder, I wouldn't know what to look for.

Some people say that European show lines are fine, and they'd have an import from there.

Others say the European show lines are just as bad.
As for working lines, I've seen even more debates about American vs. European.

Any thoughts/opinions?

My favorite GSD breeder <3
(Working German Shepherd Breeder in Michigan, by Wildhaus Kennels )
its european working lines. great breeder, lovely dogs! where I would go if looking for a GSD

Oh, wow, their dogs are gorgeous.

The only problem I have is this:
Oftentimes it will show up by then, but it might not until after the 30 months are up. A lot of great breeders give a lifetime guarantee or sometimes something like 7 years.

I'm drooling over their gawjus dogs, though.

Depends on what you want or think a GSD should be. If you want to really support the preservation of the breed, as it has historically been, or if you have the need for a dependable working dog, then I would say no show lines.

European showline dogs don't have the perverse slopey back that the extreme American lines have, but extreme European showline dogs have nasty roachy backs. And yeah, they are held to a higher working standard than American show line dogs (which are held to none), but that doesn't mean that they are actual working dogs. Possibly, if you never do anything with your dog and you never encounter a situation which requires him to perform, a European showline dog will suit your purposes just fine. You could end up with a European showline dog that does measure up. It really comes down your vision of a GSD. Mine was one of a determined, athletic, driven, rock-solid nerved dog with a "natural" appearance... not artificial/manipulated looking. That was for aesthetic reasons (I also love sable, reminds me of a wolf), but even if I wasn't attracted to that "type" of dog, dogs that have those highly artificial structures tend not to be sturdy as more primitive ones. Obviously, I'm pro working line.

American working lines? Haven't really heard of that. Any working line dog you will find is going to be "Czech" or "DDR" or from some sort of European origin. These lines are taken and bred in America and some people don't think that Americans can match breeding pairs and cull properly, so they go for imports only. That might work as a generalization but of course there are good working line dogs bred in America, you just have to know how to find them, which could prove to be tricky. Also, importing from Europe isn't foolproof either because Europeans, knowing that you don't know much, will send you their eh-eh dogs. So here you've gone to the expense and trouble of shipping this thing across the pond and it isn't any better than your working-line dog from the classifieds.

I wouldn't worry about importing a dog no matter what the lineage. The most important thing is not the line, it's the breeder. So you want a working line dog, well, knowing the line is the starting point, but the quality of your dog will really come down to the breeder. If it was as easy as contacting a breeder in Europe and having the perfect dog sent over, that would be nice, but in reality you'll have to breeder shop in Europe just as in the USA, so you may as well save the expense and hassle and find a pup here.

30 months is pretty typical, from what I've seen. I don't know if you're referring to HD when you say it sometimes doesn't show up by 30 months, but with a guarantee like that you're expected to have the dog OFA'd or Pennhip'd.

You absolutely do NOT need to import anything to get a good GSD. There's plenty of good breeders right here in the states. Unless you have somebody very trusted getting you dogs from Europe be prepared to take one in the tailpipe.

IF you want a good dog, you don't know by talking, by looking at websites, or pictures, you'll know by going and working with the dogs. Join a club, join a couple. Go to trials, do nothing but watch and learn, then decide what kind of dog you like, then find a dog that comes from those lines.

You can't just pick a breeder off the net and say, oh gee, she looks nice.

I"ve heard plenty from Molly's kennels, but we don't have a lot of dogs of hers around here. , but she appears to do things by the book. But again, you can't go by names, go and look at the dogs, lots of them, progeny, parents, siblings, etc. There's lots of big name trainer/breeders that produce crap too or Joe Schmoe's with big name dogs that don't know how to pair them up and produce crap as well.

My best dog came from a smaller breeder who I never knew was breeding dogs till someone new came in with a young dog and it piqued my interest.. In the past 5 years i've worked so many phenomenal working dogs from there, I had to get one, and she fits the bill in everyway. Extremely driven, stable, healthy working dog.

But what I describe as perfect, is that the type of dog you want? How will you know unless you go and see the dogs, work, relax, social settings, how do they train? etc?

Honestly? I've loved the breed ever since I can remember, but now, unless I could luck up and stumble over one with old farm lines, I'd get a working line Aussie instead.

But . . . as long as I can have a Fila . . . . And I'll admit I'm kinda fond of a gamebred type APBT for my "toy" breed

I agree with, there are many many good breeders here in the states, and many nice dogs of all different lines.

I have had GSD's since I was a kid, I have never had one with HD or ED, and these included rescues, am lines, working lines and byb'ers..

I've been very very fortunate to have/had some wonderful gsd's.

You can find a GOOD german shepherd in ANY line you just have to do your homework, know what you want and hook up with a trusted breeder.

My girl right now, is czech/ddr certainly not for everyone, she's rather demanding) but love her to death..

Don't discount rescue, wonderful dogs in need every single day