*kirty* Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I had one that I had to have PTS at 1yr old. She was born blind but that was the least of her issues. She had canine compulsive disorder (she was a spinner), she had a severely roached back and the weakest back legs. She was a pedigree from imported lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepherdEnthusiast Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Has anyone had experience with a healthy shepherd? I feel like all I've read on the internet is of dogs with hip dysplasia, bad backs, and early deaths. Finding one that can live as a normal dog seems almost a rarity and gamble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemmy Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 (edited) My girl is only young, so too early to comment long term for her. There's no health issues in her lines though, and I know a lot of GSD's in my area and only know of 2 with issues. One was hips from a BYB, and the other is back, but that could be age related. This is in Tassie though, and the (good) breeders seem pretty tight knit. Edit: remember that the internet is also where people come to find solutions to problems, so you'll see more people looking to fix something than the people who never had an issue and had their dog live to old age. Edited December 23, 2014 by Jemmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 My GSD broke a leg at 6 months (doing zoomies in the yard and collided with my other dog), ongoing skin issues, aural haematoma, twisted spleen and stomach which required spleen removal. He turns 11 years old next month and considering all that he is actually doing pretty well A bit slower now but still happy to go on walks. At this point I don't plan on getting another GSD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YippeeGirl Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Our three year old has hip dysplasia. Absolutely no symptoms and had a very successful show career early on. Our oldest male most likely bad hips. He's never been x-rayed but you can tell they are not right by his movement and he sometimes limps if he over exerts himself. Our middle girl really only has recurring yeast infections in her ears/feet (worse when she is on heat), but otherwise her hips and elbows are good and she has no other health issues. I agree you can sometimes end up with a skewed perspective when looking at forums/FB pages etc. because as Jemmy mentioned, a lot of people do come online to solve their problems and look for assistance. However, even though I love them, I would not own a GSD again if I had the choice. Our three are technically my mum's but I am responsible for most of their day-to-day care. I see many GSDs with poor temperaments (including our youngest) and health problems do seem prevalent enough in the breed that I would be very hesitant before ever purchasing one myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I know a number of GSDs that have no health problems. They are all working line dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trifecta Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I have crossed over from German Shepherds to Belgian Shepherds; I had a long coat bitch who always drew favourable comments about her good temperament & soundness from my vet. If I were looking for another I would start at Monsimbee or von Forell kennels, however the slightly smaller and more compact Belgian is more suited to our current lifestyle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shekhina Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Has anyone had experience with a healthy shepherd? I feel like all I've read on the internet is of dogs with hip dysplasia, bad backs, and early deaths. Finding one that can live as a normal dog seems almost a rarity and gamble. Absolutely! My boy is nearly 12 years old now and still doing well... barely had a sick day in his life. He can still keep up with my son and that's saying something :) Kovu is from a Tasmanian breeder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I know a number of GSDs that have no health problems. They are all working line dogs. Well I have a GSD who is terminal with Haemangiosarcoma and has been fighting this for 14months. She got this at the age of 5 1/2yrs. All the research I have done and believe me I have left no stone unturned or sparred any expense. I have spoken to oncologists both here and overseas both the US and Europe and this cancer is so unbelievably prevalent in the breed, but they have said that the working lines are better but the list is still extremely long for health issues in the breed. All the oncologists have said if we go another GSD please go a working line, but try to get info on cancer in there lines as this cancer is most definitely partly hereditary. The problem is that the cancer was in dogs over 10 but its now seen as early as 2 and 3 and its not rare anymore its becoming the norm..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ish Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I've got a 13.5 year old, 11 year old and 9 year old with no significant health issues. I did lose a 4 or 5 year old to bone cancer a few years ago, and have a 7 year old with immune issues but every other GSD I own or have owned have been healthy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 It was my wife that asked this question. She has done endless amounts of research re GSD working line breeders. In all research nothing bad about Von Zane came up. They are on our list to consider if we decide to get another GSD once our girl goes over the rainbow bridge, she wants one I don't. If you want just a quiet companion Yultzen and Regal Haus lines are not laid back family pets. If you do not have the experience with more civil type dogs you're in for a surprise when the dog reaches maturity. All well and good commenting on prey drive but some lines are pretty laid back in the realm of prey, but when it comes to confrontation watch out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepherdEnthusiast Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 For the people who have moved to the belgian malinois, how have they fared as family companions? I looked at them initially but many said they're ill suited to family living and are predominately for working only, and can be fear-aggressive. I'm after an athletic and intelligent dog that could become a regular running partner, in conjunction with lots of time spent at the dog park and obedience training. Also, is there a great difference in temparerament between the variations of the breed, i.e groenendael, tervuren etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe001 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I am on my 4th pedigree GSD. First was working showline (ie 100% showlines but was a working police dog but this was before true working lines were common in Oz) - hip dysplasia at 5 or 6 and came to me on retirement. Second - backyard bred but pedigree showlines - no health issues at all until he died at about 11 - never saw a vet except needles etc. Third - was East working lines. He only saw a vet to be desexed, to have tip of tail amputated and needles. Died at 9 to an undiagnosed illness. Current - Czech/DDR working line - 18 months and seems healthy. When I bought my current dog I was warned on forums that he would be too defensive to be a good family dog. Couldn't be further from the truth. We have spent the week camping with people coming and going, lots of kids and he hasn't put a foot wrong. But I don't take him for granted and would never let someone strange approach without him being under control or let him run willy-nilly with kids that are going berserk. He is defensive compared to other shepherds I have had and definitely less prey drive than the DDR dog. He is not prey-silly with a toy or tug (like my DDR was) but much more determined to find a toy etc. He turns off easily when being defensive and will come back if called and once introduced to the person he is fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe001 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 The only working Belgium Shepherd in Aus is the malinois. All other are showlines and I have been told have quite a soft show temperament. I have met a handful of the black ones Groenendael and all have been kind pet-type temperament dogs. All nice dogs. I wouldn't call any of the malinois I have met soft in any way, but I believe there are less driven ones out there. I don't think the malinois I have met would be good family dogs unless the family is experienced with a high-prey dog. But that said, all have been working dogs, and they take their jobs seriously. Maybe others who own malinois can comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 It was my wife that asked this question. She has done endless amounts of research re GSD working line breeders. In all research nothing bad about Von Zane came up. They are on our list to consider if we decide to get another GSD once our girl goes over the rainbow bridge, she wants one I don't. If you want just a quiet companion Yultzen and Regal Haus lines are not laid back family pets. If you do not have the experience with more civil type dogs you're in for a surprise when the dog reaches maturity. All well and good commenting on prey drive but some lines are pretty laid back in the realm of prey, but when it comes to confrontation watch out. Ive had Dobermans, working rottie and numerous cattle dogs and done schutzhund before so im sweet with working line dogs. Also I wont be getting a GSD, even the wife has come around and wants an Anatolian Shepherd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepherdEnthusiast Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 With the show-line belgian shepherds, is there as much difference between working and show lines as in the GSD? Are they still highly athletic and durable or just couch potatoes? Also, are the show lines more hyperactive and do they have an 'off-switch'? I've heard that show lines of working dogs can be more difficult than working because they have as much energy as working but with less focus etc (I've heard this of some border collies etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 (edited) There is no reason a good working line Mal can't live with and be part of the family. All of our mals (that we own and have bred) live in the family home and you'd be hard pressed to find a more affectionate dog. Getting good genetics is crucial but then you need to build on that with training. Our dogs switch off when asked and are delightful to live with in the house as that is how they were raised and trained. That's not to say they are suitable for someone who just wants a family pet, they are high end working dogs. But there's no reason they can't be taught to switch off and all of our Mals LOVE their people. ETA: my Mal playing with a four year old little girl, she tones herself down to play with her. Edited December 24, 2014 by huski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bianca.a Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 My boy is 100% working line and comes from a great breeder (some of her dogs are active police and corrections dogs). She does all possible health testing but sometimes there is just bad luck and that puppy became my dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I know a number of GSDs that have no health problems. They are all working line dogs. Well I have a GSD who is terminal with Haemangiosarcoma and has been fighting this for 14months. She got this at the age of 5 1/2yrs. All the research I have done and believe me I have left no stone unturned or sparred any expense. I have spoken to oncologists both here and overseas both the US and Europe and this cancer is so unbelievably prevalent in the breed, but they have said that the working lines are better but the list is still extremely long for health issues in the breed. All the oncologists have said if we go another GSD please go a working line, but try to get info on cancer in there lines as this cancer is most definitely partly hereditary. The problem is that the cancer was in dogs over 10 but its now seen as early as 2 and 3 and its not rare anymore its becoming the norm..... Sorry I totally missed this post! I should clarify that I don't think being WL means dogs don't have health problems. But the best examples of GSDs I know (in terms of temp and health) have been working lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I know a number of GSDs that have no health problems. They are all working line dogs. Well I have a GSD who is terminal with Haemangiosarcoma and has been fighting this for 14months. She got this at the age of 5 1/2yrs. All the research I have done and believe me I have left no stone unturned or sparred any expense. I have spoken to oncologists both here and overseas both the US and Europe and this cancer is so unbelievably prevalent in the breed, but they have said that the working lines are better but the list is still extremely long for health issues in the breed. All the oncologists have said if we go another GSD please go a working line, but try to get info on cancer in there lines as this cancer is most definitely partly hereditary. The problem is that the cancer was in dogs over 10 but its now seen as early as 2 and 3 and its not rare anymore its becoming the norm..... Sorry I totally missed this post! I should clarify that I don't think being WL means dogs don't have health problems. But the best examples of GSDs I know (in terms of temp and health) have been working lines. I totally agree and i understood your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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