There is nothing wrong with the above statement! We have heard this and many similar statements by people desiring a German Shepherd Dog. Most of our show-quality dogs are placed in pet or companion homes. Only some of our placed dogs will be bred, titled, or compete in conformation dog shows, or other performance competitions by their owners. Why - Read: Should You Breed Your Dog?
The actual purpose of Conformation Shows is to evaluate breeding stock! If potential owners want to obtain a quality purebred dog, they will want a dog sired and whelped from healthy parents proven and titled in Conformation and Performance Competition. There’s a reason why people choose a particular purebred breed like the German Shepherd Dog. Choosing a breeder involved in Conformation and Performance events with proven winning parents helps ensure the dog has the potential to inherit the genetic potential and attributes known for the reputation of its breed. That's the actual purpose of the Breed Standard!
Too many breeders are Kennel Blind! The term, “Kennel Blindness” applied to breeders who believe their dog(s) are perfect, should not and cannot be improved upon, and seem to take every opportunity to share their opinion with anyone who will listen. All too often they may subjectively berate and belittle dogs owned by others as they are never as good as theirs. This "Breeder Blindness" is found in many kennels of purebred dogs. It renders breeders incapable of looking objectively at their dogs. "Kennel Blind Breeders" sometimes tend to distort the standard to justify the dogs they breed. While all breeders love their dogs and have likes and dislikes concerning style and type, many of these breeders cannot objectively view and judge their own dogs based on their own personal biases, preferences and attachments. We often remind ourselves of this fact so we do not fall into "Kennel Blindness ourselves.
"Why do people recommend choosing a breeder who show and title their dogs, rather than breeders who just breed more affordable dogs?" and, "Why should breeding according to the breed standard be important to a pet home?" The answer to these questions are simple, "so owners get a dog with the quality attributes and reputation of the breed they have chosen!"
Yes, we have had numerous owners tell us they have no interest in titles, competitions or conformation. Yet, we have never, ever heard any potential buyer ever tell us they don't want a quality well-bred dog.
Quality Breeders love their breed. Quality breeders work to improve their lines and improve the breed. Quality breeders are concerned about the health and temperament of the dogs they breed. Quality breeders do not breed in an attempt to become profitable by consumer driven market demands. Quality breeders breed according to each breed's unique breed standards. Most consider breeding a hobby and lose money.
There is a difference between a show-quality puppy and a pet-quality or companion puppy from the same litter, although they can both be well-bred! We do not live in a perfect world... Usually, not every puppy from a well-bred litter is going to be show-quality or be of winning performance-competition quality. Those that are pet/companion quality are usually priced lower, but yet they are still well-bred, quality puppies. Well-bred, but maybe with a few imperfections or aesthetic minor faults such as imperfect ear-sets, longer coats, broken teeth, scars, and etc., yet decent pet-quality puppies.
Pedigrees are an indication of the genetic potential each dog might have. Often a pedigree is only as good as the quality of each individual dog on it. That is, a pedigree is only as good as the dog it represents. It has been estimated that genetics may account for approximately 35% controlled by heritable factors in a dog. The remaining 65% is attributable to other influences such as environment, overall care, training, management and nutrition. Included in these dynamics is the role of the whelping mother, her health and nutrition, and the feeding and nurturing of her puppies.
Well-bred pet-quality puppies can exceed show-quality littermates in performance as they can compete in sanctioned events and venues other than conformation. Some of these events are: Obedience, Rally, Agility, Tracking, Scent Work, Coursing, IGP (Schutzhund/IPO), and of course Herding and Farm Dog Certifications. There are additional certifications a dog may earn such as a Therapy, Emotional Support, or that of a Service Dog.
In 2017 we introduced high quality German Shepherd Working Dog Lines into our 2nd generation existing show lines. There are some who assert that a highly titled IGP 3 (Schutzhund 3 or IPO 3) Sieger or Siegeren is beauty over function. To them we simply ask, "How many National Champions or World Championship Level IGP (Schutzhund/IPO 3's) have they bred, trained or produced?" We have been selecting certified sires for breeding (KKLI/KKLII), to improve the quality of our lines at a top world-class level.
The Universal Sieger program was designed to promote the breeding of the German Shepherd Dog in the United States of America, addressing both physical qualities and character attributes. The Universal Sieger reveals the most impressive feature of the breed’s versatile working abilities. The Annual Training Achievement Award is given annually to member owners of the Sires and Dams of German Shepherd Dogs whose progeny achieve obedience, herding, tracking, agility titles and/or Schutzhund. The Performance Award of Merit (PAM) rewards dogs with advanced performance titles. The United Kennel Club (UKC) has a "Total Dog" Title.
We have already bred Rocco Vom Mittewest - VA1 (GSDCA-WDA 2012,) VA5, (USA Sieger 2012, 2013) 2012 NASS Sieger - IPO3, SCH3, Kkl1 into our lines. In 2018 we had a breeding from 2012 Vice World Champion VA2 Nino von Tronje - SchH3, AD, BH, KKL1"a", lbz, 2013 USCA VA-1 Sieger and High Protection Award 5-5, 2013 GSDCA Inaugural Sieger Show VA-1 Sieger, 2014 USDCA Sieger 3X German Excellent Select (VA). Also in 2018 we bred Champion Nocturne's Zev CD, BH, TC, AD, DM Clear, CHIC, OFA H/E Normal "a", grandson of the legendary great World Champion Zamp Vom Themodos. Zev's owner is now working and training him for his IGP (Schutzhund/IPO) titles. Also scheduled is a future breeding from Tito Vom Finkenschlag, VA1 2019 GSDCA - 2019 National Championship, VA3 2018 U.S. GSDCA Sieger Show, V9 BSZS 2017, VA2 BELGIUM 2017, VA3 NETHERLANDS 2016 IPO3, Kkl1. Visit our Schutzhund page to learn more about the German SV rigid registration and breeding requirements.
A message that deserves continual repeating... The internet is full of individuals, web sites, and videos of self-proclaimed experts. We at French's German Shepherds do not claim to be experts, and instead rely on those who actually are the "real experts" master breeders and highly respected members of the AKC, The German Shepherd Dog Club of America, the USCA, German SV, Military Master Trainers and Handlers, and other similar organizations. There you will find real experienced and knowledgeable people! At French's German Shepherds, we are involved in continuing learning and education. The more we learn, the more we realize what we don't know!
Who would you rely on for canine protection knowledge - sports and club participants in controlled environments never even having bred or trained a "National Champion," let alone a "World Ranked" dog? Or those with Nationally and World ranked and titled dogs, well-bred and trained dogs owned by Veterans, Special Forces Operators, Navy SEALs and Special Forces Canine Handlers, and Law Enforcement with proven "real world actual life and death experiences" in battle, hot war zones and uncontrolled environments?
We do insist owners of our dogs take their dogs to basic obedience classes. We strongly encourage owners to obtain an AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Certificate as responsible dog ownership. We believe the training of well-mannered dogs is important. An obedient and well-trained dog is a happier dog, as are their "pack family," the people in the home they are placed that live with the dog. This includes conduct around other dogs and everyone else that the dog meets!
Dog Shows are a way to evaluate dogs against the breed standard, evaluating soundness, movement/gait, type, and temperament:
Soundness: The state of physical and mental health when all organs and faculties are functioning properly, each in its rightful relation to each other.
Type: Breed type encompasses appearance, character, condition, bone structure, temperament, and movement; "breed type is all these things." Breed type also includes a character specific to each breed; a combination of behavior, temperament and carriage that demonstrate an essence of the breed.
Gait: The gait of a dog is its quality of movement. You want to see ease of movement, unimpaired by illness or poor structure.
Temperament: The general attitude a dog has towards other animals and people. A dog with a poor temperament is hereditary. It won’t win and can be disqualified. Do you want to take the risk of an unproven lineage with yourself, friends or family? Or choose those owners and breeders who have taken their dogs into competition and had the dog’s temperament proven over and over again consistently in public?
Animal rescues and dog pounds are seeing more aggressive and poorly bred dogs with health problems. Some of these dogs may be in pain and suffer from preventable diseases because they were poorly bred. Some may require extensive vet care, medicines, or expensive surgery. Owners are surrendering their dogs to rescues because they can’t train, control, manage, and may fear their dog. Some only later to discover costly veterinarian care and medicines they could not afford. This is why we support The American German Shepherd Rescue Association, an organization that helps fund those rescues in the rehabilitation and rehoming of German Shepherd Dogs who suffer due to cruelty, homelessness, ignorance, neglect and misuse.
These buyers whom obtained these cheaper bred dogs thought they were getting a bargain... After all, they "Don’t Need a Titled or Show Line Dog," and they "Don't Want To Breed." It is too often people wanting a German Shepherd Dog after seeing and studying well-bred dogs, then obtain an inexpensive poorly bred dog from a backyard breeder and the dog is not what they expected. We are responsible hobby breeders that guarantee our dogs and never want to see them in a pound or rescue. Ethical breeders are responsible for the dogs they breed, sign guarantees, and have contracts stating that they will take the dog back.
Many potential buyers can be "turned off" by ethical breeders who have ethical breeding programs and philosophies. Many potential buyers do not understand the concept of "Forever Homes" and the reasons for a vetting process for potential owners by breeders. Breeders do this because the market is already flooded with bargain basement, cheap, papered, genetically inferior, poor and closely inbred dogs with health and temperament issues. The fact that there are purebred German Shepherds in Rescues and Dog Pounds is deeply troubling...
Good breeders perform Early Neurological Stimulation, Puppy Aptitude Tests, provide socialization, proper nutrition, and immunizations. This is a good basis for understanding how much breeders actually contribute to a dog you may own. Who would you rather buy from? A breeder who has proven publicly many times, in many venues, under different knowledgeable, objective judges that their dogs are breedworthy? Or buy from a breeder who has little or no interest in allowing their dogs to be objectively judged or proving their dogs are quality by publicly competing and winning against other dogs? Perhaps this may be the type of breeder that is not testing their dogs for health and temperament and is providing them at a lower cost. It’s your puppy’s quality of life, health and comfort. It's less chance of heartaches for you and your loved ones (as well as your wallet) that’s put at risk. A quality, well-bred German Shepherd Dog will have proven health records with titled paternal and maternal lineages that are verifiable and readily publicly available.
This is not about looking down on other breeders, being snobby, elitist, or thinking that our dogs are “better” than others. There is no such thing as the "perfect dog," as if we as fallible human beings actually know what that would be. It’s about trying to make sure you get a healthy puppy that when grown, acts and looks like the breed of the German Shepherd Dog you fell in love with and want to own. It’s about ensuring that all puppies have the best start in life, and will grow into a loving family member. It's about having a dog you can trust with your loved ones. It's about having a dog you can be proud of. It's about both you and your dog as "Man's Best Friend!"
It's
also about the costs, sacrifices, heartaches, sleepless
nights, and tears of all the previous owners and breeders on a respectable pedigree that
have proven their lines and given the German Shepherd Dog it's integrity
and reputation. It’s about loving our Breed enough to want
to see everything that’s good about the German Shepherd Dog
preserved for future generations to
enjoy. If you want a
quality well-bred German Shepherd Dog with
good health and a good
temperament, choose your breeder wisely!
Attribution: Some of the content on this web page is from an article originally written by Terri Lewin Gilbert about the Newfoundland Breed
Fun Facts: Canine Movie Star "Rin-Tin-Tin" (1918 –
1932) was a male German Shepherd Dog that was an International Star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a
World War I battlefield by an American soldier, Lee Duncan, who nicknamed him "Rinty". Duncan trained Rin Tin Tin and obtained silent film work for the dog. Rin Tin Tin was an immediate box-office
success and went on to appear in 27 Hollywood films, gaining worldwide fame. Along with the earlier canine film star Strongheart, Rin Tin Tin was responsible for greatly increasing the popularity
of German Shepherd dogs as family pets.
