Andisa Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Not looking for a shit fight but just wanted to share this pic of Sadie taken around 35 yrs ago - maybe longer. You don't see this coloring much anymore either - is it no longer desired? She was from a registered breeder and we got her at 12 weeks old, they ran her on because their daughter was going to show her, she had a baby so they changed their minds. No idea who bred her but she came from Colac. Now I am sure that she will be laughed at for several reasons and the back ground pic is not the best either but the only one I have here with me. Being a working farm all dogs were chained up unless they were working. She had run of the house yard and paddock but was chained when necessary. Any way - Sadie, she was a wonderful girl, gentle nature. Looks like it must have been a very hot day though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashsmum Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 She looks lovely. A lot like our first dog in Australia (got him about 1976), and german shepherd with very similar colouring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortstep Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I think she looks fantastic, what great structure! She looks like she could out on the paddock and really help out. She is just lovely, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I think she's beautiful. Her structure and colouring remind me of a Huntaway. If modern GSD looked more like this, I'd be more interested in owning/working one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andisa Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 (edited) Thanks - she was a lovely bitch. Sadie was not used for stock work, but a couple of times she slipped through the gate when Mum was coming down to the yards she proved she had a natural talent at herding, she could have worked all day without a doubt. We talked about getting her out more but a few of the neighbours made it clear that she would be shot on the spot if she was off the property so Dad decided not to encourage her to go near the sheep - not worth the risk. Funny thing was the original dogs came with the property - including a wonderful Dobermann bitch and the neighbours never worried about her, I suppose since she was already there and proved not a threat they didn't mind her. Cindy (Dobermann) was trained for cattle work and very good at it, hopefully I will be able to track down a pic of her. I also have a pic of my sister's Rottie taken over 20 yrs ago somewhere. Have posted a couple of horse pics in the horse thread too. Ahh - the good 'ol days. :D Edited June 12, 2011 by Andisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danois Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Her colouring (and conformation) is similar to the GSD we had 15+ years ago called Keisha. She went out to bed in her kennel at night (chained up) but usually got the run of the house when we went out for guarding. During the day she was out in the orchard with my parents. She was a great deterrent to those randoms who used to come down the drive or turn up in the orchard (supposedly lost LOL) - joys of rural living! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOE Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Kool love her name as well, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HugL Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Beautiful pic. Looks similar lines to my 3.5yo boy so these lines are still around, you just have to know where to look. My boy has also shown natural instinct for sheep work so keeping my fingers crossed as we are about to move to property. While it isn't the current desired shape, it is still around and my boy just got his Champ title so some judges still look for it. I have been thanked by an International judge for presenting him. We are lucky with our new neighbours. They have already met him and know my first sheep training is the ability to call him off. He has already helped one move 800 head. Unfortuately, when he sits in long grass he does look a bit like a roo so will have to be careful when the shooters are about. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andisa Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) Beautiful pic. Looks similar lines to my 3.5yo boy so these lines are still around, you just have to know where to look. My boy has also shown natural instinct for sheep work so keeping my fingers crossed as we are about to move to property. While it isn't the current desired shape, it is still around and my boy just got his Champ title so some judges still look for it. I have been thanked by an International judge for presenting him. We are lucky with our new neighbours. They have already met him and know my first sheep training is the ability to call him off. He has already helped one move 800 head. Unfortuately, when he sits in long grass he does look a bit like a roo so will have to be careful when the shooters are about. ;) Would love to see pics of him, please post some. My daughter is after a GSD but I keep telling her she will have to wait until she leaves home. If you can send me some info about where he came from (PM) that would be fantastic, a friend is looking for another GSD but not in a hurry, she wants this style too. I think the neighbours were worried because the farm had been in the one family for over 80 years and didn't want change. They settled down when they realized that my parents were serious about farming when they bought more land. Not a bad effort considering they also had the local Bakery. It was a very busy lifestyle, they still have the farm almost 40 yrs later, so I guess you could say they were serious about farming. Edited June 13, 2011 by Andisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui835 Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 What a gorgeous dog, I would be very proud to own a dog like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazzapug Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Lovely girl Lisa.. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Beautiful girl, she looks a lot like the German Shepherd boy my family had 10 years ago. His name was Roy, he was out of a police dog, mum was a pet... was a very gentle, lovely boy who never put a toe out of place- always very well behaved (but did have an evil Doberman bitch to keep him in line!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazzapug Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Can I ask why did their shape/structure change? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HugL Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Andisa - have PM'd details of breeders Not sure of the exact reason for shape change but think it has to do with making dog look like it has more drive with lower back end. If that makes sense?? Have tried to add photo to profile so you can see. Still learning how to add photos to comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akayla Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 I will suggest as always people that are really interested in the way the breeder evolved read "the genetic history of the German Shepherd dog". Its a bit technical in some parts but what makes it interesting is it actually shows the development of the breed properly. They also do a brief on a few countries including Australia. I found it interesting how they showed what features were selected. Why some looks were bred away from and why some lines died out. If you do your research you will find a variety of dogs in all shapes and colours existed then and now. All were GSDs. The question is why one kind has been favoured by breeders. Today there are still a number of varieties. There are also always differences in shape and structure in every single litter. Its what the breeder does with it. IMO what is important is a breeder that is not totally focussed on one type but an overall health. Selecting a GSD as a pet today based on nothing but looks is no better than those that choose any extreme look. There are so many aspects to the breed. Again I strongly recommend that book to anyone who wants to really know. I couldnt possibly some up all those years and dogs in a post or point to any particular turning point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andisa Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 (edited) Andisa - have PM'd details of breeders Not sure of the exact reason for shape change but think it has to do with making dog look like it has more drive with lower back end. If that makes sense?? Have tried to add photo to profile so you can see. Still learning how to add photos to comments Keep trying would love to see your dog. Thanks heaps for the info Going off topic here but since I found these pics (posted horse pics in the horse thread too) but the horses of the same generation have not changed. I mean the horses from over 30 yrs ago in my pics look like they could have been taken yesterday - why have so many breeds of dogs changed and not horses. My horses were not purebreds but strong, healthy horses. Edited June 14, 2011 by Andisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Not sure of the exact reason for shape change but think it has to do with making dog look like it has more drive with lower back end. If that makes sense?? Which is a little strange, since all of the working GSD I've met (i.e. GSD that are actually actively working in police or SAR) have much more of the traditional square shape. Had a lovely police dog in at our clinic yesterday, huge sable boy, I could have taken him home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akayla Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 As I said before no one dog or breeder can really be pointed to. Its not like someone woke up one day and said gee I think I will change the look of an entire breed today If you are really interested you need to look at the nitty gritty to understand. There were dogs that look like the show line of today back then too. Just as there are straight backed and over sized/huge boned dogs now. The question is why certain lines became popular and why others died out. Dogs with short bodies, short legs, long legs and now over long bodies have become unpopular due to fairly obvious issues. Perhaps the fact that breeders started avoiding lines that produced this as a general rule is why you see more conformed shape. Dont fear though many breeders also dislike over angled dogs for physical reasons and these dogs to are losing favour. Its important to remember this is a man made breed and it has been evolving and changing although trying to aim for an ideal. Its not a dog that just existed already so we can look at photos and say see that is how it was supposed to be. Right at the beginning they were trying to weed out certain looks and issues. Although health testing is fairly recent in the history, breeders avoided a line like the plague if a major disease was found. This is another reason certain "looks" died out as the line itself was linked or thought to be with certain serious ailments. Yes there have been dogs which became over used as studs at times so they have had an overly strong influence. However trends fade, a good breeder will continue to select for BOTH health and temperament aswell as ensuring it is a good represenation of the breed physically. A breeder that ignores any of those traits in my opinion is one to steer clear of. Call me a dreamer but I would expect a dog used for breeding to be of sound temp and health and able to walk into a ring and impress. Yes I want it all but a GSD is meant to be the "all rounder". Both SL and WL have issues so I am not interested in what group a breeder decides they belong to - rather Im interested in someone who is looking out for the breed itself not pushing their own agenda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saradale Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I will suggest as always people that are really interested in the way the breeder evolved read "the genetic history of the German Shepherd dog". Its a bit technical in some parts but what makes it interesting is it actually shows the development of the breed properly. They also do a brief on a few countries including Australia. I found it interesting how they showed what features were selected. Why some looks were bred away from and why some lines died out. If you do your research you will find a variety of dogs in all shapes and colours existed then and now. All were GSDs. The question is why one kind has been favoured by breeders. Today there are still a number of varieties. There are also always differences in shape and structure in every single litter. Its what the breeder does with it. IMO what is important is a breeder that is not totally focussed on one type but an overall health. Selecting a GSD as a pet today based on nothing but looks is no better than those that choose any extreme look. There are so many aspects to the breed. Again I strongly recommend that book to anyone who wants to really know. I couldnt possibly some up all those years and dogs in a post or point to any particular turning point. Good informative post!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortstep Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) Can I ask why did their shape/structure change? This is a question being ask around the world right now and not just about GSD, but about many of Kennel club breeds. Why do breeders change the shapes and why do they often end up with such extreme traits that are not in the best interest of the dogs. We can ask the same about the pug, why over the time it has been in the kennel club have the breeders reduced an already shorter nose to the point that it is now so short that it has become an animal welfare issue and why have they reduced the legs to be so short? At this point however, why is no longer the issue and what is being asked is what can be done to change the breeds back to something more comfortable for the breed to live with. Here some pics from the 1800 of pugs. http://www.puginformation.org/pug-history-origins.html Edited June 16, 2011 by shortstep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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