Author Topic: German Bred vs American Bred  (Read 6230 times)

Offline horsepoor21

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German Bred vs American Bred
« on: February 25, 2006, 01:02:48 am »
Hello everyone ! I'm helping my sister research different dog breeds she likes , trying to find her next family member . She works with a lady who owns/breeds German bred German Shepherds . My sis will go out on Monday to see them . Anyways , my sister commented on how she's always loved the breed , but doesn't really like how their hind end kind of slumps down . The lady said her's aren't like that , and that most the GS's back in Germany aren't like that , just the American bred ones ( the lady is from Germany BTW ) so I wanted to know what all of you thought of this ? Is it true ? I myself have always loved GS's but never really liked their hind ends for some reason .
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Offline ZooCrew

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Re: German Bred vs American Bred
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2006, 01:07:15 am »
I've seen German bred shepherds, and they have had their hind ends sloping, just as the american bred ones.  But maybe some breeders are trying to get away from that look b/c of the health problems related to it.

I have never liked that look either.  The only difference I have ever noticed b/t german/european bred and american bred shepherds is that alot of european bred ones are hairier or shaggier looking (at least the one's that I've seen)

Offline Senghe

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Re: German Bred vs American Bred
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2006, 12:29:41 pm »
Quote
The lady said her's aren't like that , and that most the GS's back in Germany aren't like that , just the American bred ones ( the lady is from Germany BTW ) so I wanted to know what all of you thought of this ? Is it true ? I myself have always loved GS's but never really liked their hind ends for some reason.

Our English lined GSD's are exaggerated in type too with a rod straight back that slopes alarmingly and legs that are way too short and too refined a head. The American ones seem to vary a lot too like ours do. The German bloodlines and imports are far superior dogs both physically and temperamentall y to the English ones from the dogs I know. A lot of the 'exaggeration' in the German lines is the way they are stacked for photos. Here's a photo of my friend's female who's all German breeding. She's not stacked in any way and she isn't a showdog, just a great dog with an even temperament. She's as sound as a pound on the move, though seeing her play with my TM, I still think he's a more natural and better put toghether dog than any GSD.

Tell your sister not to be fooled by Germanic sonding kennel names - she wants to see which dogs were imported from Germany in the pedigree and the grading/hips/schutzhund/sieger titles behind them. Tell her to do her homework - there is tons of information on the internet.


Offline NoDogNow

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Re: German Bred vs American Bred
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2006, 07:58:59 pm »
It's partly stacking, but it's also partly that they've been bred for that exaggerated look, and it's made their legs less stable over time.   

If your sister is interested in a more "right angled" shepherd, she should research Shilohs.  The woman who's developing the breed started as a GS breeder--she shifted her breeding program partly in reaction to the whole issue of the less stable legs and hip dysplasia. 

Even if you don't get one, the whole story of the Shiloh is interesting as an exercise in how people choose what they're breeding for, how they track offspring, etc.  It's a good example of how one person does it.

Sheryl, Dogless and sad