GSDs: East German vs West German lines

[skunkstripe]

I find this kind of thing interesting, not so much because I have any particular interest in German Shepherds, but because I had the great privelege of living in Germany in 1989 and was so close to the border to East Germany that I could watch both West and East German TV. Later I had a job in former East Germany and was the first outsider at a University in former East Germany. The animosities exist until today and I wonder how long they will take to fade. And apparently they carry over to opinions about how German Shepherds should be bred.

Look at how they discuss this topic in Germany:
Schultze, 46, has been breeding shepherds on the eastern outskirts of Berlin for more than 20 years and is convinced that the East German bloodlines are better than those of the West.

"Our dogs are healthier and have a better personality," she said. "Those overbred shepherds in the West are merely about good looks."

Heiko Grube, a west German shepherd aficionado and the spokesman of the national German Shepherd's Club, strongly disagrees.

"It is absolutely not true that the bloodlines of the East are better," he said. "After all it was the East Germans who weren't allowed to leave their country while in the West we had an open market for the fresh blood that's needed for successful breeding."
source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071002/ap_on_re_eu/germany_dog_fight_3

[xcolbi]

Hmm...interesting...

[montanagal]

This would be funny if it weren't so serious!:mellowsmiley: I would have hoped that differences left over from before the Wall would be behind most everyone now.

[sheplovr]

Well there is a huge difference in West and East Lines of the Shepherds in Germany.
First of all when the Wall came down people especially U.S. breeders or whatever were they to buy so cheap only to find most were inbreds, no papers, etc. Now, granted this was long ago, but the East Lines are used for more protection work as they are of High Ball Drive. They are NOT pretty but they work. West German Shepherds can both show and work. It is proven some of my pups are excelling in fields of Search n Rescue, Bomb detecting, Narcotics, and Seiger shows. Difference in Am Shows and Seiger meaning German the Shepherds compete only against the Foreign Shepherds for titles n points. One was held in Pittsburgh in Oct about 3 yrs ago, of course I did not know this till toooo late to condition. To obtain an AD title the dog must keep up with the Trainer, (bike rider) for 12 miles with 2 rest stops, they must be vetted and be in peak condition, no rapid heart, no signs of heat strokes as this is done in all kinds of weather. West Germany really work on titles as they do Hips n Elbows at one year, not allowed to touch the dog for training till 16 months, then they must be titled by two years to breed or whatever keep competeing. I think they are much prettier as they obtain SG show points in confirmation, they enter the ring at such a fast pace trot I could never keep up when long ago taking Karate could not of kept up. Most of East Shepherds are black, black sable or grey sable. I know I had a grey sable named Ronja vom Haus Zigan, SchH1 and she got into the house and killed my male neutered Boston Terrier, Tyson. Some are pushed too fast, some take it some do not on both sides. They are more quieter shepherds, more loyal, highly intelligent, but the East are intelligent but crazy. Just 2 months ago not far from here a 2 yr old was in the yard with owner or trainer, a neighbor stopped to see it and it attacked and killed her little son. Obviously poorly trained. If I were to title mine they would go back to Germany. Not only a difference MAINLY in colors but drive to work. Yes, East has very high drive. One of our member pm me and the sire of her pet is East, dame is West a beautiful dog she adores, gentle that mix made her a great import. Lines totally different, there is a search for all foreign shepherds pedigreedatebase.com to see, ask questions, view good breeders, there are Dutch, Checq, Brazil many countries breeding top shepherds. Even UK has a top one videx!! Enclosed is examples best I could do. Alot of difference is hard to explain as DDR is East. Heavier boned, dark, drive, workers. West, stalking, deep pigment, work n show. Dutch do not know much about, Checq is DDR lines.

http://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k93/sheplovr100/th_fimerickfemale.jpghttp://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k93/sheplovr100/th_sashaenglewood1.jpghttp://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k93/sheplovr100/th_east.jpg

[sheplovr]

I might also add there is the King Shepherd not recognized by AKC here is only in their own Rare registry for what it is worth, very long hair, thick huge Shepherds with problems. Shiloh Shepherds same thing and the White the AKC finally did allow registers because of so many requests. Germans do not breed and I know they kill if they get any whites, which would be rare for them. East or West.
http://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k93/sheplovr100/th_3shilohs.jpg
http://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k93/sheplovr100/th_king.jpg
shilohs King

[Nicolelj]

Shiloh Shepherds same thing and the White the AKC finally did allow registers because of so many requests. Germans do not breed and I know they kill if they get any whites, which would be rare for them. East or West.


Sorry but that is wrong. Requests had nothing to do with being able to register Whites with the AKC. The AKC has NEVER revoced the ability to register a white GSD. They only stopped them from being able to show in the conformation ring. That is all. They only made the white coat a fault. They didn't stop them ever from registering.

As for whites being cull in Germany and not being bred this is also false. Some breeders do still kill the white ones that appear and this is sad but there are also white breeders in Germany. I will see about finding some links to the white breeders and adding them here so you can see that they do still breed them in Germany also.

Times are slowly changing and the whites are slowly being accepted everywhere.
Nicole & Sheena & Ajax

[sheplovr]

I have NO problem with white shepherds it is all in humans likeing of what they want to breed or own. I only go on my German agents, they have lived in my home and would not lie to me. If you find a German site breeding whites, please post it. They cannot show at Seiger shows so why would they breed them. Of all I have imported I have yet to see a white shepherd come from Germany, Holland, Netherlands, etc. Sorry, but we do not fight and argue on this board, so I am not going to with you here either.

[Nicolelj]

They cannot show at Seiger shows so why would they breed them. Of all I have imported I have yet to see a white shepherd come from Germany, Holland, Netherlands, etc. Sorry, but we do not fight and argue on this board, so I am not going to with you here either.

Stating fact is not argueing. I am just correcting your misinformation is all. The fact is that Whites are bred whether tehy are shown or not. Sheena, my white shepherd, was bred and never shown. Showing is not the be all and end all of whether a dog should be bred or not. Just because someone is not aware of something does not mean it doesn't happen.

I know for a fact whites are bred in Holland. They are now called BBS dogs and are viewed as their own breed. But before that they were still recognized as white GSD's. A close friend of mine got a beautiful white from a breeder there in June.

Like I said give me a bit and I will post teh links when I find them.
Nicole & Sheena & Ajax

[Nicolelj]

http://www.whiteswissshepherddog.net/index.htm

Here is the one in Holland that my friend got her pup from.
Nicole & Sheena & Ajax

[Nicolelj]

http://www.whiteshepherd.info/breederspage.htm

And this link will take you to the International White Shepherd Breeders page. As you will quickly see they are tons of breeders of whites in the Netherlands and also several listed from Germany as well.

So as you can see they are bred there. Hopes that helps to clarify things.
Nicole & Sheena & Ajax