# Which GSD Puppy breed do you prefer: Working or Show?



## MimiG (Nov 12, 2014)

I know their behavioral traits would be quite different. But which one would most of you prefer to have ?


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

They're all the same breed  But it all depends on what your goals are. I personally like working lines because they're more geared towards, well, working. I got my little WL Delta with the goal of doing sport. But, I know some very nice, balanced WGSL's that I wouldn't mind having in my home either. So... it all comes down to the specific dog, but overall I'm a WL person.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Most of the people on this forum prefer working lines. At a guess I'd say probably 70/30 working/show.


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## Pax8 (Apr 8, 2014)

I've seen a few nice showline dogs, but overall I'm 99% for working dogs.


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## Athena'sMom (Jan 9, 2014)

I own a WGSL, a work/show, and a working. My WGSL is less active as my other two. She is content to do absolutely nothing but snuggle on the sofa where my other two need to run, play, and work. If you want a house pet, go with a showline but if you want a sport or a very active companion go working. I love them both. I think working and showline are both stunning animals.


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## Zeusthegsd143 (Nov 24, 2014)

I personally prefer WL. But would love to own a Showline as long as it had great hip/elbow and DM scores. I love the colors on showline German Shepherds. I love both to be honest. But I'm not a fan of the ones they breed to look like frogs.


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## gsdlover91 (Jul 21, 2012)

I love both of them equally, and appreciate each for what they are. I have one of each. I own a nice SL who isn't nervy or froggy looking. He isn't a couch potato either. He needs to run and play and 'work' everyday or at least every other day and isn't content just laying around. My little WL female is crazy. I love her drive to please. Both lines offer traits that I love. But yeah, majority of people here prefer the working lines.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

WL's for me!


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I have owned working lines for 30 years though the separation wasn't as big then as it is now.


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## Hineni7 (Nov 8, 2014)

A GSD... Totally!  But, since specifics were asked: working lines, but I prefer a straighter back.


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

I love my showline! He does need to work everyday--he insists on doing Nosework every evening. His hips are good and he has not had health issues (aside from a retained testicle) in the four years that we have had him.

I think that he has a lot of drive and he requires a lot of exercise and attention. If showlines are considered couch potatoes, I could not keep up with a working line.


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## Kaimeju (Feb 2, 2013)

I think the showlines can be gorgeous and undoubtedly good workers too, but it's just not what I personally prefer on an aesthetic level. All of the GSDs I've been in close contact with have been pet or working line. I've never really spent time with a quality WGSL so maybe that's why I'm biased. But I've always felt like my ideal GSD would be a working line. I remember the first time I went to a dog show, there were only American show lines there. I was so disappointed, even though they were beautiful in their own right. They just seemed different from what I was expecting. Then a lady showed up to do obedience with her black WGWL and I thought to myself, "That's the kind of GSD I came to see!" I didn't know anything about GSDs at the time, I was just drawn to him. His confidence and carriage were different from the others. I'm not even partial to big black males or anything like that, it was just a character thing.


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## osito23 (Feb 17, 2014)

I like both. I have a WGSL currently and he's no couch potato. He loves to work and needs to do something every day. He's also not nervy or "froggy" (hips/elbows OFA prelim'ed, no issues). I train with a lot of WLs and could definitely see myself getting one in the future.


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

WGSL for me, and the last thing mine are and have been are couch potatoes, they keep up with my horses on miles long rides and still can go on and on, I've actually never met a couch potato WGSL, I love the looks of the line and the way they move, I just love them, Gavin is like a Rockstar, never been anywhere with him where people don't have to stop and comment on how gorgeous he is, we both like our ego's stroked.


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## d4mmo (Mar 27, 2013)

Don't worry about show vs work, find a good breeder with solid dogs. I have seen both good and bad in both.
After all they are the same breed.
I have a WGSL, my brother has 2 working lines. How different are they?? Apart from angulation and coat? Not all that different.
I'd say the biggest difference is the working line are more vocal. All have great temperament and drive to go for days.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

I like the idea that working line dogs have more of the build that GSDs ought to have, considering they were first bred for hard work. I like the straight back,etc. 

I have a German show line, but his line is full of Sch 2s and 3s on among the males and Sch 1s and 2s among the females. Like many other have stated, he is no couch potato, even if it is one of his now favorite spots to do surveillance of the front street from.


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## d4lilbitz (Dec 30, 2013)

WL lines for me. Love their build and drive. This is my first one, but have always had in my mind the type of shepherd I would own. My pup's got good nerves and a solid temperament. He does require a good amount of exercise (both mental and physical). 10 months old currently. Most people on here I feel lean towards the WL.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I prefer working lines because I prefer dark dogs, blacks, bicolors and dark sables.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Personally a good GSD is a good GSD regardless of lines  I prefer the look and drive of the WL's but if the right SL came along I wouldn't hesitate either


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Shade said:


> Personally a good GSD is a good GSD regardless of lines  I prefer the look and drive of the WL's *but if the right SL came along I wouldn't hesitate either *


I agree with you! 

I was never a fan of the black/tan or the black/reds but now I can really appreciate a really dark red/black and if the right one came along I would definitely be interested.

But who am I kidding, blacks are my favorite.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Puppies!!!!!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Either/both. I have owned 2 working lines (one all west German working lines, the other about 25% DDR), 1 west German show line, and 1 WGWL/WGSL mix. My favorite to own, train, travel with, and compete with by far is the WGSL. I've also done some puppy training for WL and SL GSDs. I prefer a good dog, period.


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## G-burg (Nov 10, 2002)

Working lines, always!


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

WL here.


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## HOBY (Aug 12, 2013)

I have had both and combos of both. I lean toward WL.


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## Lark (Jan 27, 2014)

I have a beautiful WGSL. I would love to eventually get a working line but I think I'm permanently done with puppies.


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

I have had German Shepherds all of my life (50+ years) and most of them have been American show lines. I have titled them to many AKC performance titles and for many generations. The one I am working now is one quarter DDR. He is doing great in agility.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

I have a WGSL/WGWL male and a WGWL female. They are both active dogs, but my male doesn't have even a quarter of the energy that my female does. He's content in the house most days with maybe some exercise on a walk or in the yard, where my female ideally should be heavily exercised daily to expect her to settle a little bit easier in the house. They're both really great house dogs, but I don't even have to try with my male, where I actually do have to put in consistent effort with my female.


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## CelticGlory (Jan 19, 2006)

I have always liked the WGSL, but I would take a good dog no matter the lines it came from as long as they are good for a pet/companion/active family home. I have looked at WGSL, WL, and SL/WL breeders.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Seems to me a WGSL is a great combination of working and show. I am fairly certain the High Lines are required to not only have a show rating but also minimums such as a BH and a working title ( SchH/IPO/HGH etc ).....as well as the Kkl. This is far different than an ASL.

But what else am I going to say since I have a huge bias for WGSLs. 


SuperG


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

We have a wl male, wgsl male, and two female wl/sl mixes. I have no above and beyond favorite, but I lean a bit more toward our mixes, they both are a little more in tune with me.


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## Wolfenstein (Feb 26, 2009)

I'd LIKE to say I like working lines more than show lines on a broad basis, but more than that I think it's apt to say I like lines bred for work. The dogs I've seen that have made me fall in love with working lines were all from breeders aiming for work (SAR, police work, etc.) or sport (IPO) and all had a really solid temperament. The dogs I have seen that have been nervous or had reactivity issues happened to be more from either show lines or BYBs. That said, I've still seen some really great, solidly structured, bombproof show line dogs, and I've seen some working line dogs with issues as well. So for me, it's really all about what the breeder's goals are and the health testing they do. WAY more important than automatically boxing them in one way or another.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

No preference here. I know my male is working line and I'm pretty sure my female is mixed lines. I had to adjust to her when she came home and then to him. As they get older they are similar in temperament. He loves his ball and she loves being the fun police.


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## d4lilbitz (Dec 30, 2013)

LaRen616 said:


> I prefer working lines because I prefer dark dogs, blacks, bicolors and dark sables.


 
That's icing on the cake! lol...Love that darker colors too!


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

I haven't spent any time around working line dogs. After doing my research, the show lines seemed to be a better fit for what I wanted. Having spent a considerable amount of time around American show line dogs, I really like most of the ones I've met. Show lines would be my first choice for another dog someday.

My girl is a German/American show line cross. She's happy and bright and ALWAYS BUSY. Either the working lines really REALLY would have been a poor fit, or she's just very energetic because she's a pup, but it's rare that she just lounges. I can get her to be still if she has a toy or bully stick, but more often she wants one of us to hold the other end of a rope or throw her squeaky ball while we watch TV. The nice part is that when we want to go out and do something, she is ALWAYS up for it. We've been able to have a lot of fun with her because she's game for anything and has the energy to back up her enthusiasm.


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## Cheyanna (Aug 18, 2012)

I only know working lines, so I like them.


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## Argus (Nov 4, 2012)

I have three show lines and love them.


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## Waffle Iron (Apr 3, 2012)

My female is a show line and my boy is a DDR working line.


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## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

Mine is show line. I have no complaints about my dog. He is amazing!

I haven't had a working line dog. I would not be opposed to having one though. 

Are sables working line? I volunteer to walk dogs at a rescue and I fell in love with a sable there. He was so sweet. He got adopted.  Not by me, but I was so happy for him.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

I will only own working lines... And even then I'm very picky.


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

It boils down to lines and what you 'want' to do with the dog. I have a WGSL but I am around WL very frequently for SAR. A good dog is a good dog. Genetics are huge. You can find very good dogs in both, although it might be harder in one than the other.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

Showline here. ASL, to be more specific. 

To answer someone's question earlier about sables being working line, sables are American show line as well.


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## Bella67 (Jun 22, 2014)

I just saw add for someone advertising puppies with east and west working lines. I've never heard of East WL, is there such a thing? ?


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## Hineni7 (Nov 8, 2014)

That would be DDR lines


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

Working lines, no question. I've had WGSL, WGWL, DDR & Czech & my favorite by far is WGWL.

I so appreciate the trainability. They've all been very quick to learn & thus made the best house dogs of the lot.

It's a total myth that a WL dog can't settle in the house--it's all about the breeding. If the off switch is installed & you do the most basic puppy training, you'll have a great house dog. I'm always amazed at how quickly my current WGWL pup learns & how much he loves to do even simple obed.

I've had some nice WGSLs as well, but my hear belongs to the WL.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

I've had both and while a WL was my heart dog, my show line is really more mellow and friendly with others. 

If I were buying I would definitely go for the show line. 

I'd like to try a Berger Blanc Suisse one day.


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