# Working Line Breeder Question on Temperament



## KayElle (Mar 1, 2010)

For the past 9 1/2 years, whenever someone who "claims" to know a lot about GSDs sees my long stock coat male, I have consistently heard the following comments: (1) long coats generally have a more laid back, calmer temperament, (2) long coats are "thinkers" (3) long coats have a lower prey drive, (4) long coats do not have the temperament for ScH, and generally are not good at agility. I am curious as to whether WL breeders have seen any strong correlation between the long coats and certain temperament traits -- good or bad -- and how these possible traits may relate to different working activities.


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

Maybe these comments come because you seem to see more showline longcoats?
Not sure. 
I have a LC from working lines, and she is not "calm" or "laid back" in the way I think you mean. She has tons of drive, plenty of aggression when warranted, great tracker, and so much prey drive the herding instructor I took her to would not let her off leash. A VERY intense dog.
She is also a super house dog, loves to hang on the sofa and is easy to handle in day-to-day situations.


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## KayElle (Mar 1, 2010)

You are somewhat correct -- my dogs are Am SL and some of the people that have made the comments I posted seemed to base their opinions on Am SL knowledge. Others who "claimed" to know all about WL gsds also offered the same kinds of comments. That's why I'm interested in your experience and others on this board for a better perspective on comments I have received.


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## KayElle (Mar 1, 2010)

gagsd--GORGEOUS GIRL!!!


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## crackem (Mar 29, 2006)

I have one as well, and she is very laid back, when chilling in the house and goes from completely relaxed and calm and to spaz'ing out in an instant if I just say a word she likes. 

Not good for agility? I don't know that i've owned a more agile dog. 

Great obedience, very willing, very loyal, good tracker, great prey drive.

She's not the world's best dog, to anybody but me, but i've worked better and a lot that are at a much lower level interms of temperment, agility and drive. i'd say I have to disagree with pretty much everything these people have said.


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

A lot of long-coats--from both show and working lines--do seem to be calmer/mellower. That said, it isn't reliably true--you wouldn't want to pick a long coat just in the hope of it being a calmer dog.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I have seen too many long stock coats that are exceptional working dogs to believe that statement. We have a coat in our club and while he is very mellow in his owner's home, he has a ton of drive on the field. 

Funny, two of the driviest ASL I have seen were both coats.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

I've not noticed any difference in long coats vs stock coats from the same breedings. Some are more mellow, some aren't, but no more nor less than is just the natural variance in any given litter. The only real difference is coat type. 

I do think the perception can be they are more mellow just because they are more commonly found in show lines and pet lines, which are more mellow in general. There are also quite a few pet breeders who intentionally breed long coated, often oversized dogs, for the goal of being mellow pets, so since the breeding stock is selected to be mellow, well of course they are, and the proliferation of those types can certainly lead to the perception that long coats are more mellow. But that's a factor of the bloodlines and breeding, not the hair length.


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## KayElle (Mar 1, 2010)

Christine--
Thanks for your comment. I agree that no one should automatically assume a particular temperament from coat or other structural characteristics. I've just always wondered if you, as well as other breeders, have generally found that genetic connection. Would you say that the long coats you have produced can work in dog sports such as agility or ScH?


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## KayElle (Mar 1, 2010)

Chris -- I was hoping you would chime in!!! Thank you! Your response is what I personally believed based on my dogs and others that I have met, but without the years of experience that may of you have, I was very interested in what you thought. Hope you don't mind Chris, I looked at your website early this morning -- did you just have puppies? If so congrats! How do you find the time to respond on this forum, whelp and care for pups, work, take care of other dogs, etc? If you are taking a certain brand of vitamins, please share the name!


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

KayElle said:


> Christine--
> Thanks for your comment. I agree that no one should automatically assume a particular temperament from coat or other structural characteristics. I've just always wondered if you, as well as other breeders, have generally found that genetic connection. Would you say that the long coats you have produced can work in dog sports such as agility or ScH?


I've only ever had one long coat--and she's only 6 months old. I've met a number of long coats, however, who can and do work in agility and/or schutzhund (or as a service dog).


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

KayElle said:


> Hope you don't mind Chris, I looked at your website early this morning -- did you just have puppies? If so congrats! How do you find the time to respond on this forum, whelp and care for pups, work, take care of other dogs, etc? If you are taking a certain brand of vitamins, please share the name!


We're in the process of having puppies, but like most whelpings it goes something like: bam bam, 2 pups, wait a couple hours, bam bam 2 more, wait.... Hence the posting. She doesn't need us sitting in there watching her nap and nurse pups in between, but of course we can't go anywhere or do much anything else, so it's a good time to sit outside the box grab the laptop and see what's interesting on the boards. No vitamins needed, at least not yet. With 10-12 pups expected total, we'll sure be needing some in a few weeks though.


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## KayElle (Mar 1, 2010)

Good luck--hope everyone will be fine. Can't wait for the puppy pictures!!:birthday:


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

Chris Wild said:


> We're in the process of having puppies, but like most whelpings it goes something like: bam bam, 2 pups, wait a couple hours, bam bam 2 more, wait.... Hence the posting. She doesn't need us sitting in there watching her nap and nurse pups in between, but of course we can't go anywhere or do much anything else, so it's a good time to sit outside the box grab the laptop and see what's interesting on the boards. No vitamins needed, at least not yet. With 10-12 pups expected total, we'll sure be needing some in a few weeks though.


This are your Bandit babies, right? Good luck--I hope all continues smoothly.

Xita had 9, beginning at 7 pm on Saturday and the last one at 9 am on Sunday--was a very long night, and I think Xita slept more than I did! Awesome babies, though.


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## spiritsmom (Mar 1, 2003)

I have 2 long coats. Kaiser is my old man (pound rescue and who know what BYB lines, could be a mish mash of anything) and he has always been mellow and calm. I adopted him as an adult of about 4-6 yrs old and have had him for 7 yrs. No idea if he had more zest when he was younger. Nyxie on the other hand is quite lively - yes she's a puppy but she still has alot more fire in her than Kaiser did/does. She could play, chase down balls and tug all day if I wanted her to. But she still knows how to settle down and chill out. I like that balance.

By the way Nyxie is from Christine above - she's DDR lines.


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## mountaingsd (Feb 20, 2011)

I have a 16 month long hair GSD who comes from working lines. She is anything but calm, maybe its because she's a puppy still, but she has very intense toy and prey drive and constantly wants to play and be active, even after multiple miles of jogging  Maybe as she grows she will calm a bit, but I am not expecting it anytime soon.


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