German Shepherd / Crufts Showing

The GSD doesn't have a roached back, a roach back is one that is higher than the withers like the Bedlington terrier or Borzoi

If you look at the photos in the album I would like to know which dog you consider to have a"straight back"

The nervous temperament(not guarding at all/aggression)was covered up not dealt with, the GSD should always had an outgoing friendly temperament with no sign of nerves at all. It wasn't until the better imports from Germany made there mark in the breed that temperaments improved. The Alsatianists still have poor temperament in their dogs

Sorry but I too was shocked to see this dog do so well at Crufts?...Surely the sloping back and small hips of the German Shepherd IS leading to health problems?:?

I accept that if a qualified vet has throughly checked this particular dog then he must be ok but does that mean he is just "lucky" then?

I would think that keeping the GSD shape more balanced and breeding out this exagerated look must be the way forward??

It shouldn't matter what "we like the look of" , "What's our cup of tea" or what has been acceptable in the past. the health and welfare of the dog is what is important and we need to think about the future of these breeds.

all of the dogs in that album are too low "for me!" and that also makes the over all shpe bad. just look at moobli's Zac to get what i mean. or even my Jeager.

My opinion also.

I think Rico is definitely less exaggerated than some of the WGSL dogs you see. He has a fantastic head and from what I have heard, he has a wonderful temperament and also some impressive working qualifications. I don't think he can be faulted.

The high line dogs really do seem to be controversial and divide the GSD world and beyond.

Personally, I preferred the look of the small dark sable police dog bitch in the PD demonstration ;-)

Rico isn't that extreme though. He slopes only slightly compared to many and he's already done so well and proved himself so many times in the ring and on the field. It's only my personal opinion/preference that I go for the straight/level backed GSDs.

I thinkso. I don't really know enough to understand your last statement but I think I get the gist of it and in that case, yes you are right. Although surely a level topline in stance would mean that the rear end is actually higher than the withers? If that's the case, then no, I don't like that. Kirsty's Zak, or any one of my current GSDs are what I mean. I'll see if I can find a decent enough picture to make it clear as I obviously didn't explain myself properly.

Agree totally. And yes, the sable bitch was very nice.

I agree with C&D too. The dogs fromthe 40s and 50s are what I think the GSD should be like and these best show whatmy current GSDs are like physically.

One question though.

If there are no problems with health or soundness in the WGSL type of GSD then why are they being scrutinised so closely by the KC and classed as a "high profile beed" due to conformation?

Was this the same dog that was BIS last year?

Last year while watching the coverage, my stepdad "Is that dog okay? It looks like it has something wrong with it's back end". I think 'correct' GSDs are all in the eye of the beholder. If you don't understand the show stance and the way their croup slopes off, they look too long in the body and low on the rear to the layperson.

They are not my bag to be honest as I prefer my spitz and LGDs to GSDs, though I've seen a few of both working and show lines that I've thought were beautiful dogs. As long as the dogs are free moving, physically/mentally sound and have a decent life expectancy, they could have 6 legs and horns for all I care.

Small Hips ???????? what are you talking about ? Unless you see the dog in the flesh you cannot comment, photographs are staged & depending on the ability of the photographer to take good dog photographs(ie ones that correctly show the actual dog you cannot truly comment on the dog.

In Germany the only GSDs exempt from the VPG working qualifications rule are those who work stock for a living & surprise surprise those dogs don't have the"straight"level toplines either The Kirschentaldogs have always worked stock & are always bred to work stock

So all the dogs in the Album are cr@p are they ??? Including the Alsatians from the 1940-1960 period ????????


My dog which is in the Album has a "roached"back has he & poor hips ????

Hm I wonder then how my dog managed to produce so many Service dogs & had a hip score of 0(yes 0 totally without HD)presumably all the puppies took after their mothers ! I think someone is talking out of their *!!*

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/bulletins_read/350269.html

The phrase "fit for function" is at the forefront of everyone argument.

I wonder how many of the straight backed, less exaggeration dogs that some prefer could actually do the job the GSD is bred to do...

From the KC website ...

GSDs

Points of concern for special attention by judges
Weak hindquarters associated with excessive turn of stifle, cow hocks and sickle hocks
Temperament – ‘insecure’ and nervous dogs(e.g. those resisting examination of teeth or attempting to leave the ring).

Golly gosh, that means my dog complete with his "horrible"sloping topline wouldn't have Osteoarthritis(which he didn't he was killed by Liver Cancer-which no one can link to his dodgy topline)

I have to say, from my totally inexperienced eye, he didn't look as sound as he could have been. However, I don't know what a gsd is supposed to move like so I don't feel I can comment and say that he was awful.

I do think it is quite difficult to judge from afar though, particularly if you don't know that particular breed.

Helen

You must have posted this when I was posting mine.

Now, if I read that, I would say that GSD looked weak. What do the experts think?

Also, did he handle him differently in the main ring, to the breed ring? I thought they handled them on the end of a long lead?

Helen

These days few GSDs fulfil the role that they were originally bred to do. However, the modern day shepherd is a versatile creature and has many roles.

When one thinks of a GSD as a working dog, then it is mainly as a police or other service dog, they are also still bred by Guide Dogs to lead the blind, they are SAR dogs. Very, very few of these workers are WGSL dogs. The majority are working line dogs bred for work and not for the show ring.

I think much depends on what is meant by "straight back" dogs.

For example, Zak is a working line dog. He does not have a "straight back" but does have a gentle curve - not exaggerated in any way, but not straight like one of the border collies. However, I think members of the GP would think of him as straight-backed, as it has been said to me on occasions.

Then some think of a straight backed dog like the Alsatian type of dogs - whereas, to me, they look to have dipped backs.

Flame, my obedience bred bitch, has a straight top-line, but then she is over-long and with short legs.

So there are many different opinions on a "straight back".

Just to complicate matters even further

that was interesting.. thanks moobli.

didnt use the word cr@p,didn't mention hips,don't know which one is yours, (no offence intended.) but look at the link moobli put up, please. what are your opinions of that..?