Man, those first two dogs are awsome looking. I would love to have dogs that looked like that! The last dogs look like they are in pain. Why oh why did we (humans) change a functional animal into a pretty animal? Oh well. Maybe we will see the light soon.

My opinion is that the 2 last dogs look crippled and like they would have a hard time walking, much less working. I read through the breed standard and it specifically states that the roach back is undesirable. It even has ideal angles for the front and rear joints. Seems like the GSD judges are winning dogs that don't even conform to their own standard.

 Quote: angela burrell

Seems like the GSD judges are winning dogs that don't even conform to their own standard.

Not only GSD judges but all judges of working dogs. Have been to a few shows Always had the standards, of the breeds i wanted to see, with me and every time the judges pronounced a dog as winner that would have been declassified due to major faults.

I've seen malinois being commented as being "a extremely fine specimen" that in my book had to be put down.

Due to this and other similar experiences i came to the conclussion that the worst thing that can happen to a working breed is that show people start to fancy it

Greetings

Johan

My boy's build kinda resembles the one 2nd from the top(1900 pic), more compact & athletic. I'm proud of that too because his reaction time is so much better and that's what it's all about. I hear people today brag about their dog's big ole' heads & big blocky builds, and these are working dog people. But to me, that attitude is no different from what show dog people have, it's just another fashion statement. We can't forget what our dogs were originally bred to do, and ask ourselves if they could still do it.

It's funny the dogs of the past look more like Mals... I think if we were to dig up 'ole Max & ask him what he thought about dogs today, he'd probably drown some... haha

What we need to do is compare the working GS from the past to the working GS of today; I don't understand the comparison between working and show, there is none.

Mike,
Changes come with demands.Today you can find, your ideal GSD.We see so many people that come to our club that have a different opinion of what makes a GSD the best.A huge variety of opinions.Why do you think "showline breeders" breed only for looks.Demands.
Why are people breeding thicker GSD's? demands. That's a fact.And that goes for everything in the world.Unfortunaly it cost some of the breeds of today to have lost it's value of why they were bred for to begin with.But the fact is the GSD of a century ago is still out there, but not many people want it, why cause it does not look pretty.Fact. We have a dog that looks very similar to the one in the top middle(sable looking)some people have said , that dog looks too thin too small ect.. and some others that have said that it is the best GSD they have ever seen.I mean you are never going to have everyone agree, simple.There are too many varieties of GSD out there , it's too late.
As far as big joints, and thick heads ,I have one and he moves just fine he is very healthy, we are getting ready for our BH, he has no joint problems.If you keep your dog exercised , good diet and not have him carry extra weight.He is as good as a lighter GSD.My oldest male weighs 105 and he moves like a charm, he is titled and has never had a joint problem. He can out run any lighter dog and clears jumps and so on.He is a big dog.But a healthy one and with a lot of endurance.I have seen lighter GSD that can't keep up with him, so to say a heavy bone dogs is not healthy is incorrect.Heavy weight on a dog is unhealthy.
Love you guys anyways!

http://s141.photobucket.com/albums/r77/cadogancna/

Have you read Fred Lanting's parable on the "Evolution of the American GSD"?

http://www.workingdogs.com/doc0138.htm

Here is an excerpt:

The wise bird hopped around the Shepherd's Child first in one direction, then in the other, cocking his head in amazement at the new appearance. "Well," he chirped and chuckled at last, "it certainly is different from all the German Shepherd Dogs in the rest of the world! But," he added, "as long as you keep to the American show ring, almost no one there will know the difference, and so what do you care if no one in the other countries would recognize you? You will certainly win praise and ribbons here."

It's a long -- and very sad -- parable.

 Quote: mike sanchez

What we need to do is compare the working GS from the past to the working GS of today; I don't understand the comparison between working and show, there is none.

There are still many awesome-looking working dogs out there I think Max would recognize and be proud of. I also think he would be turning over in his grave if he came across the breeders who are crossing roach-backed show lines with working dogs to "get better structure into the working lines." No one's ever shown me 100 year-old pictures of working dogs that look like 2 different animals glued together in the middle.

I would like to add that there is a subset of GSDs that hasn't been mentioned here - the American all-breed show GSD. These dogs are normally much less angulated than the specialty show dogs and can frequently perform other tasks. I know of several that have agility and obedience titles. No, they can't do what we consider real work, but many are just nice dogs that the average person can have as a companion, do some fun things with, and get a little ego boost from being seen with. A nice middle ground.

I thought the over-angulated ones were the all-breed ones?