[CHepler]

vom Sequoyah haus
about 6 months old now.

he looked like this a few months ago

now he looks like this

Finally gave in to the girl's (wife included) "we want a dog" request. Provided I got to pick.

 

[-BB-]

Nice looking pup. You gonna turn him into a Trail dog?

 

[dump]

Dog? Looks like a damn wolf!

 

[Mr Jones]

Definite trail dog potential, especially with those giant paws. Plus he'll scare the buhjeezus outta hikers.

 

[stevew]

Nice looking pup. You gonna turn him into a Trail dog?

a german shepherds gait is so fvcked....the last thing you want it to do is run.

 

[CHepler]

Cut and paste from the AKC site

Gait
A German Shepherd Dog is a trotting dog, and its structure has been developed to meet the requirements of its work. General Impression-- The gait is outreaching, elastic, seemingly without effort, smooth and rhythmic, covering the maximum amount of ground with the minimum number of steps. At a walk it covers a great deal of ground, with long stride of both hind legs and forelegs. At a trot the dog covers still more ground with even longer stride, and moves powerfully but easily, with coordination and balance so that the gait appears to be the steady motion of a well-lubricated machine.

a german shepherds gait is so fvcked....the last thing you want it to do is run.

So i'm guessing your a "gait" expert in your spare time.

Sometimes the "requirements of its work" don't require much running at all

 

[stevew]

having taken care of 14 of them for a lady who bred them and quit breeding them because of the elbow/hip issues.....

german shepherds are nice dogs.....and i will leave it at that.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Gaiters gonna gait?

 

[Da Peach]

having taken care of 14 of them for a lady who bred them and quit breeding them because of the elbow/hip issues.....

german shepherds are nice dogs.....and i will leave it at that.

Getting tired in your old age...

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Cut and paste from the AKC site

So i'm guessing your a "gait" expert in your spare time.

Sometimes the "requirements of its work" don't require much running at all

Many common ailments of the German Shepherds are a result of the inbreeding required early in the breed's life.[36] One such common issue is hip and elbow dysplasia which may lead to the dog experiencing pain in later life, and may cause arthritis.[37] A study by the University of Zurich in police working dogs found that 45% were affected by degenerative spinal stenosis, although the sample studied was small.[38] The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals found that 19.1% of German Shepherd are affected by hip dysplasia.[39] Due to the large and open nature of their ears, Shepherds are prone to ear infections.[40] German Shepherds, like all large bodied dogs, are prone to bloat.


...


The Kennel Club is currently embroiled in a dispute with German Shepherd breed clubs about the issue of soundness in the show-strain breed.[44] The show-strains have been bred with an extremely sloping back that causes poor gait and disease in the hind legs. Working-pedigree lines, such as those in common use as service dogs, generally retain the traditional straight back of the breed and do not suffer these problems to the same extent. The debate was catalyzed when the issue was raised in the BBC documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, which said that critics of the breed describe it as "half dog, half frog". An orthopedic vet remarked on footage of dogs in a show ring that they were "not normal".

The Kennel Club's position is that "this issue of soundness is not a simple difference of opinion, it is the fundamental issue of the breed’s essential conformation and movement."[44] The Kennel Club has decided to retrain judges to penalise dogs suffering these problems.[45] It is also insisting on more testing for hemophilia and hip dysplasia, other common problems with the breed.

Breed clubs have typically responded that they feel they are being vilified for issues they were already aware of and attempting to address before the media storm erupted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Shepherd_Dog

 

[stevew]

Getting tired in your old age...

he has a great looking dog.

i hope he enjoys it.

 

[Da Peach]

he has a great looking dog.

i hope he enjoys it.

pvssy.

 

[CHepler]

he has a great looking dog.

i hope he enjoys it.

Thanks.

CrabJoe- you didn't quote a news flash. Anybody that would consider a GSD should know about the health concerns.

Working-pedigree lines, such as those in common use as service dogs, generally retain the traditional straight back of the breed and do not suffer these problems to the same extent.

This is the sentence after the part you highlighted. This is my second GSD and your bold print portion was definitely applicable to my first dog. Show quality, slope back, angulated hip. he would have most certainly probably had problems iin old age with that. He didn't make it to old age though. That was 15 years ago and I was much less educated on the breed. Not the case this time. Working lines only in this pedigree. Show line and Working dogs are different animals.

"gaiters gonna gait" was pretty funny though.

 

[stevew]

Show line and Working dogs are different animals.

truth.

look no further than labs.

 

[kazlx]

Nice looking dog.