http://www.angelplace.net/Angel/MedicalScreening.htm
A very interesting read.

while he goes off a bit here and there, i thought it was absolutely spot on as far as the gene pool within breeds goes.

what is wrong with people that they don't appreciate what the various and gorgeous breeds were BRED TO DO that they breed simply for the "look" and not the function? and does no one remember that "form follows function"??

i hate to say it, but it's true: it's all about the money.

don't take me wrong--i'm not saying that ALL breeders/vets/breed registeries are in it for the money, but let's be real--the almighty dollar is the almighty dollar. and it seems to me that a LOT of dog "fanciers" are no different than politicians or big businessmen. power and money are the motivating factors-do what you have to do to make money &/or gain power.

the day is coming when i think that (in the US anyway), the working-bred people will become so disgusted with the way GSD are rated/bred in this country that there'll be a grass-roots movement to split the showline dogs from the working line dogs--and it's already started to a degree (i think--look at USA registered "mixes", for example).

i'm just rambling now, so i'll quit before i embarrass myself further <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />.

really good article, w/lots of EXCELLENT points.

Do you have links to any examples of the USA-registered mixes? Sounds interesting! I highly agree that the stud books should be opened in a controlled manner now and again to let in certain approved stock- similar in type, function, and passing stringent tests. Working malinois or local working herding dogs would be the obvious choices. If the showlines don't want to touch them, so be it, let them rot away in the genetic swamp! A carefully supervised program of true outcrosses wouldn't harm the breed and in fact will improve upon a lot of issues. The AKC has been open to stud book additions in the past; years ago they allowed native basenjis from Africa into the studbook. Okay, so it's still letting in the same breed, but they were unregistered stock. If they can do that to the running yodeler then they should be able to do it with the GSD or any breed. The dalmatian-pointer mixing was a neat example.

 Quote:

the day is coming when i think that (in the US anyway), the working-bred people will become so disgusted with the way GSD are rated/bred in this country that there'll be a grass-roots movement to split the showline dogs from the working line dogs--and it's already started to a degree (i think--look at USA registered "mixes", for example).

Ann/Diana,

There are no USA Registered Mixes, believe me. The USCA is a German Shepherd Dog organization. The MIX listing you see in the magazine is if a dog shows up on trial day without proof of pedigree. The dog could be, and usually is, a mix/unregistered dog or it could be a papered GSD, Malinois, Rottweiler, etc that the handler messed up on the trial entry forms and failed to provide proof of pedigree. In these circumstances the Judge/Trial Secretary is required to list the dog as a MIX.

There will always be papered and unpapered dogs, I do think that many peoples attitudes toward the unpapered or non-FCI pedigreed dogs in working circles has changed for the better over the past few years. The unregistered dogs from Holland and NVBK dogs from Belgium have helped open peoples eyes to what a good working dog can be, papers or not.

It will take a long time before the GSD breed book is opened up, it was only last year or so that Helmut Raiser was forced out of his position as the SV National Breed Warden as s result of suggesting that the GSD breed book be opened up to unregistered dogs & Malinois....

John, thanks for clearing it up. I still wonder how Mr. Raiser was forced out, it is such a shame that a man with the foresight to save the breed has been outed by people blind to the death sentence they may unknowingly have given. I didn't realize it was that recent.

An LA Times article regarding Helmut Raiser and his critique of the "new Shepherd", dated 2004
http://www.gsdcgt.com/la_times_article.htm

john, i'm sure you know a LOT more about this than i do at this point, but i'll be finding out here directly.

with that said, the "mix" that i'll be attempting to USA register in order to at least trial is line-bred 3-2 on Dom von Haus Iris, 6,5-5,5 on Don von Rolandsteich. his grandsire on the father line is Dargo von den Thuringer-Kronjuwelen, on the dam's side is Eddy vom Felsenschloss (sp).

i'll be finding out if he's registerable thru USA next week, and will post the results--good or bad. i have it on good authority (I think) that he is registerable. we'll see.

none-the-less, even if there isn't an official split registery in the *near* future, i think the showline/working line factions will result in one in reality, if not on paper. JMO. time will tell. i simply hope that the true working GSD isn't ruined in that *time*.

i don't think it will be--there are enough, i hope, breeders and (can i even put it this way??) fanciers to ensure a good, working GSD will survive. i'll do my part (FWIW <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />....

 Quote:

with that said, the "mix" that i'll be attempting to USA register in order to at least trial is line-bred 3-2 on Dom von Haus Iris, 6,5-5,5 on Don von Rolandsteich. his grandsire on the father line is Dargo von den Thuringer-Kronjuwelen, on the dam's side is Eddy vom Felsenschloss (sp).

Doesn't sound like you'll have any trouble registering your dog with the USA. I got to meet Dargo a number of years ago when he was first imported to the US. I didn't get to see him work, but he had a great temperament and was a very handsome dog.

 Quote:

none-the-less, even if there isn't an official split registery in the *near* future, i think the showline/working line factions will result in one in reality, if not on paper. JMO.

I think what you're describing has pretty much already happened, not 'officially' of course, but few breeders intermingle traditional showlines with traditional working lines. JMO.