I have been discussing getting another GSD for some time now and we are about ot move to a new house with almost 2 acres of land so we are beginning our search. I have read quite a bit on different breeders. I have just found one somewhat local to me and was wondering if anyone has had any experince with them. The name is Red Rock Kennel and they are located in Southeastern PA. They have a very basic web site, but state they are from working line shepherds. I actually met one of their dogs (which is how I found out about them.) The dog seemed great, looked to be in great health and was extremely playful and fearless. My biggest concern about this breeder based on their own web site is that they say the breed "big boned" shepherds. Any info would be great.

Thanks

Hi Jason,

I'm PMing you.

Katie

Jason they say "big boned" because they are in business and big bone sells better than correct temperament. As most everyone incorrectly assumes that all dogs, if they are for sale, have correct temperament. Personally I would be a bit reticent to buy a working breed from a breeder that advertised type. I mean who gives a rats ass about the size of a dogs femur. I only care about the things in a working breed that you can't see, like heart character courage and temperament. What you can see will be of little help if you ever really need that GSD your thinking of owning.

I went to the site and found that you can't link on to any pedigrees or anything. They look like showlines not working lines.

I'd keep looking. The dogs are clearly showlines, no pedigrees to be found on the site and their site says "working line." I call BS. Too many good working line breeders with good dogs to be wasting time with breeders that breed for big bones and consider show line dogs "working lines" because there's Sch titles in the pedigrees.

Ofcourse, if you WANT a showline........... I'll make you a good deal on Cujo. 4 year old male, bad hips, gun shy, makes excellent foot warmer

Nehhh, I think I'll keep him Born to be beautiful.

Thanks for everyone's opinion. I am looking for a working dog. I have an american line GSD. Great dog for a pet, but I am ready to move to a working dog. I still have to decide whether I wan to go with SAR (I am a firefighter and it would be somewhat logical to do so) or Schutzhund. I am leaning more towards the sport and I know I have to make a decision before I get the dog because the one I choose might be better suited to one or the other, but maybe not both. I am putting a list of breeders together to visit so I will not put this one on the list.

 Quote: Norman Epstein

because they are in business and big bone sells better than correct temperament.

Man...that is *so* true....and sad that it *is* true.

Jason, are you opposed to buying an adult dog? Or, lets say you decide to do SAR and your pup doesnt make the cut, are you willing to not do SAR?

Something to think about...

Oh dear. I just bought a pup from there a month ago.....But I love her and she is very smart. I do have her pedigree although it doesn't mean anything to me, the registered numbers.

I did have a great breeder offer to sell me one of her pups that someone had backed out of and I was kicking myself for taking one of this guys puppies.

My puppy is doing great, she is 12 weeks now, plays ball; she ("get it"), runs after the ball, ("bring it"), brings it to me, ("drop it and drops it in front of me, and gets a treat. :-) She IS very vocal! We are working on that and she is getting much better. She is making great progress on sitting in her crate before I let her out instead of being a maniac and jumping up and everywhere and making a racket. She will sit on command for a treat. Just this week she is keeping her crate clean all night, and we make a dash for her spot in the yard to potty. She knows the minute we get there what she is to do.

I do think she has a lot of prey drive. She will catch my cat and "stand" over her. She doesn't do anything to her but has a dominate stand right over her. She wants to pick up everything we pass in her mouth so we are working on "leave it". I don't play tug with her as I only have her to be a family pet, so I am not encouraging that. She has a stuffed doggie dog toy that she viciously shakes and growls at.

I have only had to take her by the scruff of the neck a couple of times and shake her, but that is very effective. I am very selective in what I do that for: lunging at my soon to be 4-year-old granddaughters face in play. I learned that technique in one of the LB dvd's.

I HOPE I have a good dog!!!! I have never owned a GSD before so this is a brand new venture for me. I have always had a dog, just not a GSD. I really want to raise her right and have her be a great dog. I guess it is too late if I could have done better. :-( But again I only want a family dog so maybe I will be okay. I can say I have never had a puppy like her before, in that, she already seems so intent on things, not a casual puppy.

 Quote: jason petrarca

I am leaning more towards the sport and I know I have to make a decision before I get the dog because the one I choose might be better suited to one or the other, but maybe not both.

My dogs (except the Bloodhound) would go either way.
I agree that some dogs may be geared for one or the other, but I also think that if you get good working lines, you can teach both if you want to.

Only issue there is that some organizations will not allow a "bite" trained dog to do SAR. I see no issue with it as long as the dog is in control, especially if it is an odor detection such as cadaver, accelerants or narcs.

I do cadaver work with my older Mal and am looking into also doing Mondio with her as well as my Mal pup too.

Some dogs may prefer one to the other. Some dogs LIKE to bite and some dogs that are really social would rather find people to "play" with.