Dogs

For a considerable time, I have wanted to get a German Shepherd.

Few years back, I saw a telly program, in which RSPCA's Vet said if you get a German Shepherd, get one bred from working dogs, as the show breed standards have created a very unhealthy dog. I do recognise this, as a friend of mine has twice had to have his dogs put down.

I have, however, singularly failed in my task of finding such a dog.

Wondering now if I should get a Dobermann instead, though it seems these too, especially European bred, as opposed to US, are beset with health issues.

Any of you experienced with this breed?

Every council estate has them, in abundance.
They used to be called Alsations.
Their back legs are shorter than their fronts!

Is a German Shepherd dog, anything like a Poodle ?

tonker, I do not think every estate has 'bred from working dogs' examples.

Breed society, sometime back in last century, has urged people to resume using their proper name of 'German Shepherd'.

Alsatian was a name breeders attached so they could still sell their dogs when there was a campaign to deprecate anything German. The dog has no connection with Alsace, it was just a commercial ploy.

The German Shepheard working dog does not have the 'sway back' that breeders have cultivated in what they promote as desirable feature of the breed. This is disastrous for the dog as they have congenital hip problems.

They smell too!

Especially when they are wet, wet dog smell,

That breeding thing with the back of the dog, also has stretched the nerves, which means that the dog tends to lose control of its back legs as it gets older.

Bit like me walking home from the pub then.

Not quite, because when you go off your back legs, they don't have yoo put down do they

I watched a program on telly about a burglar who, turned from crime to a job in security and advised people how to make their homes more secure,
He said that, In his life a a criminal, He could enter any home with most guard dogs But, He would never attempt to enter a home of a German shepherd or Alsatian, ( they are very intelligent ) and cannot be fooled with a treat to befriend them, The police also favour them for police dogs,

I had a German Shepherd many years ago at the time my son was learning to walk. The dog made a wonderful baby walker, very patient and gentle. Also when the dogs tongue lolled out of his mouth the toddler tried to catch it, dog not bothered at all

"a German shepherd or Alsatian, (they are very intelligent )"

I've never known one gas-safe registered though!

What about a Border Collie?

a German shepherd or Alsatian, (they are very intelligent )"

I've never known one gas-safe registered though!

only plumbers can achieve that status, Electrical Engineers and Mickey mouse 6 month St Hellins College graduate fast trackers, Will never get close.

I don't know, but I've heard it said, that they could train monkeys to do gas-work?

No No no tonks, but they do,

a beltin cup of tea

When I had Labradors, they did not like being separated, and if they were guarding the house, stuff got nicked from the garden, and if they were outside, they could not protect the house.

So I devised a microprocessor based digital lock which utilised odours in place of numerals. The dogs could admit themselves passage between house and garden in a manner which a human would not be able to follow.

It was a bit like an air lock, so my neighbours called it the SS Enterprise!

Strangely, the dogs enjoyed showing off. They clearly knew that they could do summut that humans could not!

This is a photo of my German Shepherd out of ( Zanto) when a few months old had her 15 years, did all the training both Obedience, Socializing, & Showing ring she finished up as I didn't need to talk to her,

Dougie

So yoo trained it to stand in the 'show' postion

Nice big paws, when choosing an Alsation pup, always make sure they have enormous paws

I trained her under the super vision at Golly Jacks at Bryn Gates and Ralph Bates at the top of Little Lane that would have been in the 80s,

I was at training class at GJ one night and unknown to me they were having a dog breeders show anyway they showed a lot of interest in my dog and gave me a wild card to enter her unknown to me the out right winner got a free entry to a big all winners show a Haydock Park thats another story but I did go and that was the first and last i ever took her

She is beautiful Dougie.

15 years is a good age for an Alsatian

These days, we take for granted dogs fulfilling the role of guide dogs for the blind.

The first 'seeing eye dogs' evolved from Germany's use of the breed to safely recover blinded soldiers from the battlefield in WW1.

Dougie

You didn't by chance get that dog from a litter in Orrell did you ?

Is there still a breeder at the bottom of Townfields in Ashton?

Can’t believe it.
This thread has been going 24 hours now and no one has said it…… so I will!!!

I quite like Alsatian’s……..couldn’t manage a whole one though.

There…..it’s done and out of the way now.

You can see from the photo I didn't just get one off the street I paid good money for this dog, looked everywhere for a good pedigree and hip score dropped you the in Cheshire,
the breeder was reluctant to sell thinking I wanted a male dog, it was his first litter off the German Shephard import protection champion Zanto that all the show dog breeders chuck in for to bring new blood into their breeding stock, he sold me this on the under standing if I ever breed give him the first chance to mate it and have the pick of the litter free, he did photo up but I never did breed off her

Last time I looked, KC approved hip scored GS pups were clocking up asking prices of two to three grand.
(it was a couple of years back, so may be different now.)

Military working dog bred GS pups, I have not been able to get one, but the ones I have missed have gone for between FIFTEEN and EIGHTEEN grand.

Posted by: Tommy Two Stroke (9776)

Nice big paws, when choosing an Alsation pup, always make sure they have enormous paws

Thank you, Barbara Woodhouse.

Had GSDs most of my life,and got last one pre covid,she is three
this month.
Recommend trying Bill Owen (no,not that one) at Bamber Bridge,
he is KC registered

Dougie, was that "Golly Jacks at Bryn Gates" anything to do with Jolley Jacks, on Bryn Road at th'end of Nicol Road?

When I was a young un, we used to go on the annual trip from the Jolly Jacks at Bamfurlong, to Southport, and they give us an entire quid to spend

However the coaches were full of shithouses and bullies, and I bet that Whupsy was one of them

I feel cheated now because, I went on trips from, Soldiers + sailors ( Downall Green), Village club and Goose Green club and we all only got 10 bob,

We got a ten bob note, two half crowns, and five shilling pieces

And, my mum was always there to take the 10 bob note off me and give me some loose change for the slot machines, She woiuld say, " you're not old enough to know the value of money" but the upside to that was, the shithouses and bullies would not tackle my mum, My mum was meaner than a bear with a sore arse,

TTS,
Do remember Jack Chapman from Jolly Jacks. A gentleman.

This Dog is In-Bred!