Now live - German Shepherd Dog profile General Chat

I know lots of eyes will be on this one hope I've done the breed justice. Feedback always welcome, think I got the health issues but let me know if I'm missing anything.

Absolutely spot on there Azz! for me, especially the character and training paragraphs, sums them up to perfection!

GSDs are not dominant IME. They can be sensitive and therefore reactive, but they can be helped to gain confidence through positive training. They should be brave, but that`s not dominant.
Coat length is an issue with many people. I`d describe it a short, medium or long. Some long haired dogs have no undercoat, which is seen as a fault.
White or pale dogs are not normally shown except in special classes (link to white shepherd club?)
I would rather see the GSD described as a natural Guard rather than `suspicious of strangers`. A good dog will be alert but not wary around strangers.
I think you need to mention the different lines - the German and English lines differ so much.

Gsd's are generally dominant, or try to be if allowed- dominant over other dogs.

I wouldnt agree with the use of the word dominant in its context here though, self assured would be a better description of how they should be.

I agree with everything C&D has said and also ...

"He is of course, still very able to herd, and is still being used as an excellent sheepdog all over the world."

I don't think this part is accurate tbh. GSDs are still used in Germany (in small numbers) for herding, but are not used as a sheepdog around the world.

Only one of mine has been dominant over other dogs and she had a hormone problem.
My GSDs have always ignored other dogs or co-existed with them, so I feel this is a socialisation issue.

My point was, as a breed and if allowed to, they do tend to be dominant over other dogs.

Are the heights correct? If so, that would make Jess above average for the female GSD (25.5 inches), but to me she seems relatively small for a GSD. Same with Harley. He's 26.5 inches which would put him above average, but again for a male GSD, he's relatively small (IMO).

Definately agree with the difference in lines of the German and English. I find they have total different drives and need more/less exercise and differing sorts of exercise for each.

Fair enough, but I haven`t found that.

I know several that are- mainly because their owners allow them to get away with it.

True, but I'd class it as "demands respect" rather than dominant, coz looking back all of mine have been like that rather than dominant.

Argh where do I start ??

The recognized by omits the SV(Verein Deutsche Schäferhund)

Dominant & Noted suspicious of strangers ??? Er No

GSDs are a very vocal & physical breed & this is quite wrongly perceived as dominance & aggression by the public & some owners

"Noted(not Highly) suspicious of strangers"this was brought into the breed standard in the UK to cover up the terrible character & temperament of some of the fashionable "top Dogs"of the 1940s, 1950s(most notably Ch Avon Prince Of Alumvale). It has never been part of the SV breed Standard & dogs showing this trait have always been disregarded in Germany by The SV. It was removed from the UK breed standard in the 1960s

The breed was in the UK before the 1920s, captured dogs were brought back to the UK from Alsace Lorraine-hence in non german name given to the breed in th UK(due to the hatred for anything German)

One of the first kennels in the UK was Picardy owned by Lt Col. J Y Baldwin.

No mention of the fact that the breed was originally bred for(& is still used for)sheep & cattle shepherding(not simply herding)

The long coats now have their own registry with the SV.

Agree with the others that the different "types"of GSD needs mentioning.

Health-Elbow Dysplasia, Dwarfism, DM(Degenerative Myelopathy)-rather than CDRM, JRD(Junvenile Renal Dysplasia)should be included(BTW DNA tests available for DM, FA, Dwarfism, JRD)

True but that`s norty owners not norty dogs.

I dont think whites/blue/livers should be undesireable, I love them and have a white!

It is deffinately a must for ED to be mentioned and both parents should be elbow scored.
Re Kennels Clubs the GSD is recognised throughout the world by all the kennel clubs.
Here is some UK GSD History:
The first imports to the UK werent registered as a seperate breed but as Foriegn Sheepdogs. According to Joesph Schwabacher the Alsatian Wolf-dog Club was formed in August 1919, but according to Nem Elliot it was formed in 1918. In 1919 there were 54 Alsatians registered, it was in 1919 that 'Alsatians' were given seperate breed status and taken off the Foreign Dog register. The first Champ shows were held in 1920 and the Alsatian League was formed in 1924 these two clubs merged and was then called the Alsatian League and Club of Gt. Britain later known as the German Shepherd Dog League of Great Britain.
It was officialy recognised by the KC on 6/8/19, I believe they actualy started to collect names of prospective members in Feb 1918, then on 17/4/19 a booklet with rules of the club and the breed standard was then sent to each prospective member with an invitation to join the club.
May 7th 1919 the KC recognised the name of the ''Alsatian Wolf-dog''
Many of the original dogs imported into this country were from French Kennels such as Ponthieu and Terraqueuse kennels. It was only from 1921 onwards that German Imports started to come into the UK in any significant numbers. Originaly the breed was known as the Alsatian Wolf Dog, Aslatian the French Connection and Wolf due to a lot of Early imports being grey sables. Approx 1921 Wolf was dropped due to people believing they were part wolf. Such was the anti German feeling at the time that a lot of these early imports had their names changed and were registered at the KC with an English name. In 1936 the officialy title of the breed changed to Alsatian(German Shepherd Dog) In the mid seventies it was reversed to German Shepherd Dog(Alsatian) as it remains today.
Captain Felix Werlik, the president of the S.V. in Czecho-Slavakia judged 'Alsatians' at Crufts in 1925, Richmond 1926 and the Open Police Dog Trials at Hatfield (A.S.P.A.D.S.) in 1926. In conformation he commented on the improvement in temperaments and very few with faults (mainly teeth) and at the trials he was amazed at the 'excellent progress made' in training the dogs.

A.S.P.A.D.S. = Associated Sheep, Police, and Army Dog Society.
The Picardy Kennel was started in 1916, there were some GSDs in the UK prior to the first world war, but the majority came in after.
Cilla of Picardy ( Cilla du Han, correct name) imported from France, a lot of the early dogs had their names changed when registered with the UK KC, due to the anti German feelings after WW1
A few examples;
Diana of If also known as Diana of Humboldtpark correct name Dierma v Humboldtpark
Ch Lady of Flora correct name Gelma v.d. Flandersbach
Caro of Welham correct name Caro v. Blasienberg
Dora of If correct name Dora v. Humboldtpark

You have not mentiioned the Phylax Society - although only around for 4 years this was the first German shepherd Dog Club 1890-94

I will re-read after as I know there are other points that want ammending

Height males 62.5cm females 57.5cm 2.5cm either way differential is permitted so therefore max height for male 65cm like my last dog Alfe my current dog is 70cms (27 1/2 inches) is way over size
weight for males is 30KG to 40KG females 26KG to 32KG

temp
The German Shepherd Dog must be well-balanced (with strong
nerves) in terms of character, self-assured, absolutely natural and (except for a stimulated situation) good-natured as well as attentive and willing to please. He must possess instinctive behaviour, resilience and self-assurance in order to be suitable as a companion, guard, protection, service and herding dog.

Wow! Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Ok proposed changes - happy with these?

to:

He is tolerant of other animals in the family but territorial and self assured, which makes him a good natural guard.

to:

He is of course, still a very able shepherd's dog, and is still being used as one in some parts of the world.

to:

Stephanitz's goal was to create the ultimate shepherding and guard dog
NOTE: doesn't sound quite right, what's the difference between a shepherding dog, and a herding dog? Doesn't herding _and_ guarding = shepherding?

The above to be added to health issues.

Wildmoor - I don't think we need to go too deep into the UK history as we don't want it to get too long - so long as the info is correct, we just want a general overview that will be of interest to an international userbase (although appreciate most will be from the UK, hence why colour and coat is taken from the KC breed standard).

To add - I will try to add some notes about the different types of GSD, what would you suggest? Mainly the difference between show and working types? Perhaps something like:

are you going to put correct heights and weights

The heights are taken from the KC breed standard - are they are wrong?

What are the correct weights? (Please include source)

FCI, SV standard

you can download from FCI webste its in word format unfortunately I dont have word on this mini comp