Is Kastle young? I only ask because that tolerance can definitely fade with age.
Absolutely. My two GSD bitches got along extremely well together - total BFFS until they were about 3. I actually haven't known many GSDs who were SSA before they were 2. Between 2 and 4 seems to be the average age for the problem to start.
I think most of it is that I require my dogs to put up with a lot and if I bring a new dog in, they need to accept it, period. No questions asked. The bolded part is true for my house as well. I have intact males in and out on a regular basis and I don't have to crate/rotate.
My friend has a GSD bitch who is still intact and who plays with LoLa and other dogs without a problem as well. Judge's breeder has some SSA dogs but they represent a small portion when compared to her dogs that aren't SSA.
SSA with GSDs is usually towards household dogs, so a GSD bitch who can play with non-household bitches isn't necessarily a GSD bitch who can live with other bitches.
I'm curious how many GSDs Judge's breeder has and why you feel the SSA ones are SSA. In these posts, you seem to come across that SSA is a management/training issue, unusual in the breed and it is possibly a sign of an unstable temperament.
I think GSDs like Judge,my friend's bitch,Nikon,Ike and Kastle are more the norm for good stable GSDs than the ones that are SSA.
Not to be a naysayer but didn't Pan have to be rehomed when he matured because he and Nikon started seriously fighting? I know Ike lives with other males, how old are the other males? Your friend's bitch is ok with non-household bitches but does she live with other bitches? Judge is ok with an elderly household male but he's your only young male isn't he? None of these dogs seem to "prove" SSA isn't an issue in GSDs, since it seems most aren't exposed to the situation that typically triggers SSA in the breed. Obviously, not every GSD will be SSA but to imply it's not something that one should worry about when getting into the breed is IMO a bit of a misrepresentation. SSA is the reason I no longer have a GSD because in every other way, they are perfect for me and I have always loved the breed.
My very SSA GSD bitch went to daycare with me every day for years without ever having any issue with bitches there. She went to dog shows, agility trials, trade shows, visits to friends and family, tayed in hotel rooms with lots of other doggy roommates and went hiking/swimming with friends dogs. Never had any issues in any of those settings. In fact, she was always extremely polite towards other dogs in their houses. She was tolerant towards bitch puppies and adolescents at my house...until they matured. It was never about dominance, as it didn't matter if the other bitch was submissive or wanting to fight.
I would say a Belgian Tervuren. My Belgians practically trained themselves. My Dutch is a lot more work,but we are getting there. The article says high energy, but the ones I see all the time at training classes and friend's homes are not what I would call high energy. No more than a GSD. And nothing like a Malinois!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Shepherd_Dog_(Tervuren)
Or the black dog if you are particial to black, but I've seen better temperaments in the Tervs I've met.
What about Tervs out of Black Dogs? Better or worse temperaments
Really though, with any of the Belgians so much of it depends on the breeder and what they are breeding for. There's some truly awesome Black Dogs out there and some extremely sketchy Brown Dogs...and vice versa. There's super drivey, wild, energetic dogs in all flavors and some laid back, calm, low drive ones too.
i don't mind dog aggression in general, hell, i have amstafs! But with these amstafs there's always the possiblity you can have 3 dogs that have to be separated at all times. I've accepted that and planned my life around it. So if i'm bringing another breed in, i'd prefer their DA be lower and easier managed. i'd never ask for my dog to accept another dog, blindly and without fail. But i'd be very sad if i had, say, 5 dogs and only 2 at a time could be out together. i have a friend who breeds very hot abpts and while it works for her, i'd never want to play musical rooms/dogs like she does.
Between fosters, babysitting and training, my dogs are very easy going when it comes to other dogs coming into their house.
i just need a dog that will stand up for itself against these frat boy dogs. lol
Well...this makes me a bit more hesitant about a GSD. What are the ages/sexes of your dogs? My SSA GSD was never a problem with fosters or temporary bitches here. The SSA in them is very different than DA in say APBTs or AmStaffs. With GSD SSA, it's more personal than just "dog aggression" if that makes sense.