I have seen several posts mentioning flat spots in DDR line GSD. I have a 9 month (almost 10)GSD out of Gradelens Gross 100%DDR and Qatana Vom Leerburg. I got the pup at 4 months and he showed great drive and promise. Over the last couple of months I have seen a marked disintrest in tug games and less ball drive. I was concerned as to the promise in this pup. Should I be?

Any knowledge on the maturity level as well as progress steps in these east german lines would be apprciated.

Vinnie,
Don't worry too much. Give him a few months. I have a son of Stormfront's Brawnson and Elsa z Pohranicni straze who hit a "flat spot" at about 6mos and it lasted until he was about 9mos. I seriously considered selling him quite a few times, but something told me to hang on to him. I didn't work him much during that period, just basically let him be a pup. When he hit 9mos old, it was like someone flipped a switch and his drives seemed much higher than when he was a young pup...I started seeing some aggression coming through too.

yes, I agree with Mike. Give your pup time to grow up.

Mike Kane looked impressive last time I saw him.

Personally, I would be concerned about a pup from any breeder that didn't certify a female's hips before breeding.

Lauren,
What are you talking about??? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Search OFA for the sire and dam and you will come up blank. Search this board and you will find that Qatana has had multiple litters (I can only guess at the actual #, but way too many for it to be considered a one time thing).

If you want more info you can contact her original owners at http://www.odinhaus.com

Lauren,

His concerns were with potential flat spots as the dog grows and matures. Nothing was mentioned about the parents' hip status, it was a question of drives/temperament vs maturation. I believe Gross was 'a' stamped prior to coming to the US, but that's beside the point. Both Gross and Qatana were passed through the hands of some PM'ers...not sure what kind of hands they're in now.

Doesn't do much good to bang on someone about getting a pup from breeders who may or may not have any clearances on hips/elbows when they already have the dog. Are you gonna tell him now that the dog can't do any kind of work because the parents aren't titled? What then...suggest he "get rid" of the dog?

How about just sticking to the questions asked to assist the person, without going out in another direction and possibly offending the person that asked the question. Not knowing Vinnie, I couldn't say if he knew better or not. He asked a legit question, so I gave an answer to his question rather than banging on the breeder and parents of his dog(and consequently him).

Thanks for the insght. I have never owned a dog out of East German lines. I am used to seeing a consistent growth in the drive and devolpment of a dog.
I have this dog on loan to purchase....so not a lot riding on it....however I think I will give him six more months and see where he is at.

As to answer MS. OFA ......

Enough said.

Vinnie

Mike, It is hard enough to predict what the best planned puppies in the world will be like. To try to predict what a puppy from a background like this will do is near impossible. That is the point I was trying to make.

If you feel like I am banging your predictions then you can feel that way if you want. I just don't think it is fair to a dog to compare them with others when so little is known. In the end the owner will just be dissapointed with the dog, blaming it on their own training ability, or both. If they are given unreasonble expectations then they might be taken for a ride by a trainer that promises to deliver those expectations. I guess it's the difference between a used car buyer and seller. Realist or optimist. Whatever you want to call it.

So Lauren, what you're saying is that you can make better predictions of how a dog's bloodlines might develop through their juvenile periods if you know the hip status??? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

So, want to explain this theory? Because the question was asked in general about DDR lines and flat spots, his particular pup's parents were just extra info. Had nothing to do with hips, nothing to do with health, nothing to do with breeding ethics...just a basic general question pertaining to certain lines and drive fluctuations through maturation.

BTW, not "so little" is known about the parents. I have their pedigrees, as well as know people that have seen them in person, have contacted the person that owns both of Gross' parents, I'm sure Ed would provide more info on Qatana's breeding if asked politely. Oh, and I've also got info on Gross' littermates...Ed could probably provide the same on Qatana's littermates, again if asked nicely. Just because YOU don't have the info on hips does NOT mean nothing is known about the dogs or their lines.


Me thinks you get a bit overzealous sometimes.