Hello German shepherd puppies lovers:
I can’t forget getting the phone call. A family needed help. They had purchased a working line German shepherd puppy from one fo the top working line breeders in the United States and needed to find it a home. The female puppy was relentless. It was so mouthy and too dangerous for their children to be around. It had unmanageable drive, and an attitude to boot. They dropped the $4,000 puppy at my kennels and asked me to just take her. I then trained spent time training her and found a man living alone in a rural area with a farm who wanted a companion. She was perfectly suited for this situation. It was a match made in Heaven. He came and bought her and I never heard from him again. This family was a first time shepherd owner.
Working lines are on average much more driven and quite a bit sharper (easier to bite) than West German show lines. As opposed to the West German show lines which are all big black and red dogs, they are normally a bit smaller, and are black, bi-color, sable and a few other variations. They have a bit flatter backs which is why they normally have a show dog somewhere in their pedigree which serves to improve conformation. They can be quite intense, very driven, and do better on average in the Schutzhund sport ring. They can bounce off the walls at home if not given proper exercise and if they are not given a task to do. Certainly all shepherds need a purpose, but these need a constant immersion in that purpose. They are very intelligent, as are the show lines, but so driven that without a good deal of exercise and time working they can become destructive. They can be somewhat easier to train due to their drive, but also a bit more dominant and certainly on average more aggressive.
Does this mean they are less desireable as a line? Not at all. It just means they are more suited toward different purposes. They are better suited for tough personal protection and police work, to be sent into an open warehouse alone to confront a tough character. They are tenacious protectors. They can be like loaded guns, but with their own minds. They have tougher nerves and intense energy.
However, for most family situations, on average, the West German show lines are much better suited to the task. Let’s be clear. The West German lines are great working dogs and perform as herding dogs, service dogs, guide dogs, search and rescue dogs and sport dogs, and they make exceptional family companions and protectors.
Although still having drive, they are not insanely driven as many working line shepherds. They are more forgiving on average and not with triggers cocked. For my taste, the West German show line has much more attractive conformation and have beautiful black and tan/red pigment. They are better with kids and present less probility for biting someone and incurring liability for the owner. Considering that my market focus is getting the finest imported German shepherds for families, A WEST GERMAN GERMAN SHEPHERD PUPPY IS FAR SUPERIOR for the task. They are amazing for this purpose and why they are the most popular of the German shepherd lines in Germany.
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