Chris, I'll offer this answer for your consideration. The Czech bloodlines have no more Malinois influence than any other bloodline. There are always rumors about crosses no matter what bloodline you are talking about and to what extent they really happen, who knows? Not on any significant genetic level, that I can tell for sure.

Chris I agree with VC..I don't think there is any Mal influence to speak of here. The Czech GSD has been selectively bred over a very long time to produce a certain type of dog. Anytime you run anything like a business you get better results. What I mean is many of the best Czech dogs and the lines I really like came from the Border Patrol program over there. It was ran like a business..if a dog didn't fit the bill......goodbye. All the males had to prove they could work full time on the old communist border which was pretty hardcore at times. The females had to work and produce workers or they were gone(maybe to the US <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> In additon to these abilities the Czech program called for strong bones, strong head type and dark pigmentation along of course with correct working conformation. If I am not mistaken at least for a time the younger dogs were all sent to live in the homes of border guard members until they went to work then they were assigned to various outposts. In my opinion what stands out to me more than Mal type is a a very strong bond to handler and a large amount of courage and much higher fight drive than found in most GSD's(maybe this is more mal like) but of course I do notice that my dogs seem to be better athletes and faster than some of my friends dogs. What sold me most on Czech dogs was once the bond was built it seems like these dogs never ask "whats in it for me?" like a lot of dogs do they get pleasure out of pleasing their handler and I am sure this is a trait that was sought after in the program as well.

I have noticed also that my female that is a Grim grand-daughter, is always ready to go...we were out tonight and was thinking to myself,will she ever quit? Now my male, from lines like Gento only seems to be that way on the field. He seems to have an "on" and "off" switch and she seems to be "on" 21 hours a day. She also looks like Grim from the pictures that I have seen of him. Or like her father Dargo.

Grim certainly passes high energy levels on to his progeny. I honestly have only seen my bitch, who is a Grim granddaughter, sleep three times.

Only three, no BS. . .and each one of those times she snapped awake as I came into the room or approached her kennel/crate.

Crazy freaking bitch.

Same thing here, Robert. I have *never* seen Fetz sleep. ( Fetz is the full litter brother to VanCamp's girl ).
He's staring at me when I fall asleep. When I wake up, yep, there he is - staring at me. It's un-nerving, to say the least.
If his eyes start glowing red in the darkness, I'm getting rid of him! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Deanna,
Thanks for your opinion that is exactly what I was looking for, some views other than what I was starting to conjur up. It's like watching TV if all you see on TV is that crack is only in poor neighborhoods then reality may pass you by. That is why I asked for others. It wasn't just Fetz he is only one of many GSD that i have been paying attention to lately. They started catching my eye, and it is very well because the people that I have been in contact with that have GSD have czech lines, and the few that have other German lines were the ones I wasn't impressed with. I don't take that to absolutely mean that all others except the czech shepard are incapable. I was just simply making some observations and wanted to see if the picture that was begining to take shape for me is really what I was seeing or not. I appreciate the input. Thanks ~CHRIS DUHON

WILL R. wrote:

 Quote:

If his eyes start glowing red in the darkness, I'm getting rid of him!

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Please Fetz, do the eye thing, Fetz the eye thing!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

When did the Czech dogs become so popular outside czech and why? There seems to be a massive intresst in these dogs especially in the USA, but what started this trend?

Stig,
if your asking me your definatly asking the wrong person,LOL! I can tell you all about the mal lines that is what i'm into. I have never had an ounce of interest in the GSD. I just started seeing here and there GSD that were appealing to me and just about all of them when asked what was their lines, I was told Czech lines. So naturally due to my experience I am now very curious about the czech lines. However, I couldn't tell you anything about them. I thought this would be a great topic for mere discussion and it would give me more insight as various people respond but I was hoping those were questions that others would answer for me.

The Czech dogs started coming into the USA after the fall of the USSR. Their popularity is based on their performance and lower price at the beginning. Because of their popularity, unfortunately their prices are on the rise. From my limited 16 months of experience with one, they aren't for the lazy. My dog is always on the go looking for something to do. Her eyes don't glow red only a greenish gold. I count myself lucky. LOL