Venus Desire Von Der Haus Rosenbaum (AKA Lulu)

About Venus Desire Von Der Haus Rosenbaum

DDR Black German Shepherd Working Dog

When we obtained our first all-black German Shepherd, we somewhat knew about the mystique perceptions of an all-black coat coloration. However, little did we understand the special place in history of the DDR German Shepherd until after she was in our possession. Our Venus Desire, (aka call name "Lulu"), was obtained from Kristie Rosenbaum of Mountain View Kennels located in Stoystown, Pennsylvania. Mountain View Kennels have been breeding East German Working Line (DDR) Dogs for over 20 years and are DDR German Shepherd preservation breeders.

DDR East German Shepherds have a very interesting and unique history. We first met Kristie through Mountain View Kennels providing a German Shepherd to a veteran through the SEAL Dog Foundation. Some of their dogs have been placed in law enforcement. We were looking for a quality all black DDR Working Dog female for developing our all black German Shepherd working line and found a veteran to provide a home for her. Her parents are Eastern German DDR imports and she is a "Pure" or "True" DDR German Shepherd, (more on what this means later on this page). Venus loves water and if proven as a successful Dam will be bred with the famous SEAL Dog Chopper.

Listen to: " Venus "
Music by Shocking Blue

Immediately upon seeing her I was reminded of the lyrics from a song I enjoyed as a teenager in the late 1960's. That song, "Venus" was first recorded by the Shocking Blue and some lyrics from that song were incorporated into her name:

"Black as the dark night she was,
Got what no one else had...
She's got it, Yeah baby she's got it
Well, I'm your Venus, I'm your fire, at your desire..."

Venus (AKA Lulu)
Venus as a puppy traveling to her new home to Iowa from Mountain View Kennels from Stoystown, Pennsylvania

Our Venus (aka Lulu) was originally raised with a veteran and his children. She was extensively socialized and later returned to live with us at French's German Shepherds. Then our son insisted Venus live with his family. We agreed to this arrangement because we wanted Venus to further live and socialize in a family setting with dedicated attention. German Shepherds thrive in a human "pack family" with active young children. Venus was immediately the talk of the neighborhood with some even visiting their home with their children just to play with her! The neighborhood kids called her a "black wolf."

As restrictions from the pandemic are now being lifted, we hope to further train and start showing and competing Venus. After we bred Venus she was returned to her "human pack family," then back to us several weeks before she delivered. We have already chosen the sires for her progeny which planning includes "Pure" or "True" black DDR German Shepherds. We will whelp her litters then again return her to her dedicated human pack family.

In 2021, we bred Venus to our Grand Champion Black Hawk resulting in a litter whelped in August of 4 females and 3 males.

Luna
Luna, the first puppy homed from our Venus X Black Hawk breeding

Puppy Love
Black Hawk X Venus Litter Puppy Socialization

A Brief History of East German DDR German Shepherd Dogs
How and why this line came into being, what the line looks like, the line's qualities, and how the line performs

In Germany during both World Wars, German Shepherds were extensively used by the German Government because of their loyalty, intelligence and working ability. Before the "Cold War" began, Germany was one nation, but during the "Cold War" the countries were divided and their borders were closed by the Soviet Union. Germany’s two distinct nations, East Germany and West Germany then emerged. West Germany became officially known as the Federal Republic of Germany "FRG" (Bundesrepublik Deutschland), retrospectively designated as the Bonn Republic. This geopolitical historical event caused distinct different German Shepherd Lines to emerge. East Germany became known as Deutsche Demokratische Republik or "DDR" from 1949-1990. The East German Communist Party took strict and absolute control of the selective breeding and registration of this German Shepherd bloodline, and made the line part of their government use especially in military and law enforcement.

Generations of "Pure" or "True" German Shepherd DDR bloodlines are limited to those dogs from the 4 decades (between 10 and 20 generations) of breeding and it's limited progeny gene pool. DDR breeders extensively then used, and is still practiced today what is known as "Responsible Line Breeding." That "Responsible Line-Breeding" was conducted by experienced breeders under the guidance of Breed Wardens who had a full understanding of genetics and the pedigree depth and breadth of the dogs in their lines. Also simply known as "Line Breeding," this term is defined as the mating of dog when related ancestors are on each or both sides in a pedigree. Line-Breeding is often viewed in a negative sense believing it to be incestual inbreeding. "Close Inbreeding" or "Most Narrow Inbreeding" as father to daughter, mother to son, brother and sister, and half brother and half sister, and aunts and uncles is a disastrous breeding strategy. Responsible Line Breeding then and now does not allow or condone such "Most Narrow Inbreeding" or "Close Inbreeding" (incestual breeding).

East German DDR dogs were bred to have a strong, solid, lean, muscular body, heavy bone construction and large massive head. They have deep dark pigmentation and are not as angulated as West German dogs. These dogs have a strong "rock solid" temperament, and working capacity. They were well suited for Schutzhund (IGP/IPO), and other tasks that included, military use, police work, search and rescue, and scent work. Through selective breeding, DDR German Shepherds had, and still today have a lower severity rate of hip dysplasia and related breed health problems affecting other German Shepherd lines. Unfortunately, "Pure" or "True" DDR German Shepherds are becoming very rare and breeders are working to keep the DDR bloodline from becoming extinct.

We confirmed the excellent genetic health of Venus through extensive DNA testing and OFA health checks. Additionally, our Venus is athletic, agile, powerful, muscular, well-coordinated, has amazing speed, with the strong drives necessary for working. She is truly a "power dog." Venus has been fully DNA tested with the latest Embark DNA Panel testing of genetic disease markers passing completely clear! She has also passed her OFA for hips and elbows, she is DM Clear and does not have the Long Coat Recessive gene factor. View the pedigree for Venus on the Pedigree Database here...

Venus (AKA Lulu)

East German DDR dogs were bred and trained to outperform other European and West German lines. They were selectively bred as 'Hard Dogs" having a high pain tolerance and the stamina to endure long arduous patrols in harsh weather conditions. Examples of the test differences with West German Lines are:

West German dogs were tested over five-foot angled walls, East German (DDR) dogs were required to scale straight six-foot walls.
West German dogs searched six blinds, East German DDR dogs searched ten blinds.
West German tracking tests included eight (8) corners and angles, East German DDR tracking tests included sixteen (16).

These dogs were specifically bred to have strong, large heads, and a muscular build for superior strength and athleticism. They are physically and mentally tough. If any of this line's canines lacked desired qualities as a weak temperament, hip dysplasia or any other disease, they were not used for breeding. Breed wardens inspected every litter for proper dentition, temperament, bone structure, ear set, coat quality, and total overall appearance. Because of generations of selective breeding, these traits still solidly remain in the DDR line.

As part of the Grenzschutz Polizei (Border Police), DDR dogs were put to work actively guarding the 850 mile long East German border and the 100 mile-long Berlin wall. The DDR border patrol dogs served as sentries, tracking, and attack dogs. They assisted the Stasi (East German State Security Ministry). Special units were formed to track defectors and deserters over large expanses of their country. In 1989 the Berlin Wall was removed and the German borders opened. Watch the last East German DDR Sieger Show in 1989, 3 weeks prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall... After the fall of communism and the Berlin Wall the use of the DDR dogs to patrol the wall and borders were no longer needed. Just months after the border opened, about 50,000 guards were dismissed from duty, and DDR dogs were either abandoned, euthanized, or sold to others to be used for similar purposes.

From the time the Berlin Wall was erected in 1961 until it came down in 1989 when Germany was “reunified,” the breeders of German Shepherds were limited in their choices of breeding stock. A separate breed registry was instituted in the DDR, and the SDG Service (East German DDR German Shepherd Breed Registry) and its purebred working dog registry came into existence. In the (DDR) the physical, drive, and mental characteristics and traits of Schutzhund and working dogs were rated by the Wertmessziffer system. In English, Wertmessziffer means “Measured Value Number.” Breeders and buyers depended on this 6-digit rating system to provide a comprehensive and reliable method for easily determining the characteristics of each evaluated and rated dog. Read more about the DDR Wertmessziffer Rating System...

For example, a dog with a 6545/55 rating would be powerfully built with ideal constitution and good angulations. It would be an even tempered, good natured dog, yet very hard against influence. As reflected in the last two digits after the slash, hardness and sharpness would be very good. It refers to a dog’s inherent stimulation threshold and desire to pursue and attack. It does not imply “nervy”, fearful, flighty responses. In this selective breeding line, only dogs that passed rigorous evaluations were permitted to reproduce. This information was organized according to sires and dams and published periodically as a tool for breeders. These strict breeding guidelines imposed on the breed resulted in the selective breeding of the DDR German Shepherd line being one the finest working canines in the world especially for home protection.

Venus (AKA Lulu)

Please note that many of the best dogs in the DDR did not go to the East German government. Rather they were placed privately with dog lovers, friends, and families of the breeders now responsible for DDR Line progeny that exist today. East German breeders were upset when confronted with the widespread perception that most of their dogs were used at the border to keep citizens from fleeing to the West. The most famous breeder and head of East German Shepherds was Werner Dalm, former DDR National Breed Warden from communist East Germany. According to Dalm, "The army and the police only got the scum, the best ones went to dog lovers." However, Dalm acknowledged that the East German army asked particularly for those "that could really bite well." Dalm, was also convinced of the East German DDR dog's superiority, but believed that pure DDR East German bloodlines are all but extinct. "Since the unification in 1990, we've been mixing bloodlines," and he also said, "Even my dogs don't have pure East German pedigrees any longer." Dedicated enthusiastic breeders and devoted DDR lovers worldwide (including French's German Shepherds) are diligently working to preserve the "True and Pure" DDR German Shepherd line.

Though closely related, sometimes there is confusion in understanding the differences between East German DDR and Czech lines. Here are three of the most significant differences between them: DDR German shepherds can mature faster than Czech GSDs. Czech GSDs have more drive and now are often mixed with other German Shepherd lines. The bone structure of DDR German shepherds is generally thicker than that of Czech GSDs.

German Shepherd Lines

Please note the abuse of the abilities of "Man's Best Friend" by humans... Unfortunately the abilities of working dogs have been used to abuse, harass, intimidate, harm and kill innocent civilians. To many, DDR dogs represented repression and were blamed instead of the government officials causing and using them for actual human rights abuses and repression. DDR dogs became disfavored because of the repressive communist government's use of them against their citizens. Anger towards the breed of these dogs were often misdirected. The breed was unjustly blamed for the repressiveness of those training and using these working dogs instead of justly blaming their human oppressors.

This was not the first time the German Shepherds historically have fallen into disfavor. For example, the British were loath to using the name “German Shepherd” as the Germans were their arch-enemy. The British didn’t want to associate with the Germans in any way, at least symbolically. So, they coined a new name for the German Shepherd, "Alsatian." Even in our country, law enforcement abuses and excesses have included the use of working dogs to scare and intimidate peaceful, lawful protesters.

Now rioters and criminals taunt police officers and attempt to harass, harm, injure and kill law enforcement dogs. This abuse towards law enforcement and police dogs has become so widespread, numerous states have now passed laws protecting law enforcement working dogs.

French's German Shepherds are continually improving their lines and are not complete preservation breeders in the same sense as many practice in much of the "True DDR" canine world. To many of them, preserving the DDR German Shepherd line implies not improving the line and limiting breedings to the current closed, limited and dwindling "True DDR" descendant genetic pool. Line breeding too closely could eventually lead to loss of vigor and vitality and result in breed depression.

In distinction, there are "other DDR preservation breeders" working to preserve the historical image of the breed as it was established, and strictly continue to build upon it. These "other DDR preservation breeders" are working to retain the DDR body style and type while maintaining, improving and expanding a strong genetic diversity necessary for the continuation of the breed. These "other DDR preservation breeders" look for powerful, deep chested bodies with almost straight square frames, intimidating presence and supreme intelligence. Working abilities include detection, tracking, athleticism, toughness, climbing abilities, hardiness, and the ability to withstand extreme physical conditions and demands. We plan to include a "Pure" or "True DDR" breeding of an all black German Shepherd in Venus's future and do our part to keep the "True or Pure DDR" line continuing and preserved. However any such breeding/s will be within acceptable coefficient (COI) norms.

We promote the "Total Dog" and strive to breed multi-purpose, multi-disciplined German Shepherd Dogs.

A Total Dog displays many abilities in function, temperament, and structure. Our Total Dog philosophy places an emphasis on dogs that can show and perform in multiple venues utilizing multiple disciplines, such as displaying the gait appropriate for their breed type while in the show ring, and then using that superb construction to effortlessly to compete in performance activities. A sound, well-bred, well-adjusted dog can easily transition from the conformation show ring to a performance event. Performance venues as agility, herding, rally, obedience, scent detection and tracking, IGP/IPO/(Schutzhund, lure coursing and weight pull are typical performance events. A Total Dog has the looks to excel as a proper specimen of its breed, while also having the brains and ability to perform athletically in a variety of competition venues.