# American GSDs and European GSDs Behavioral questions



## Polistes (Feb 14, 2011)

What are the differences in behavior for these lines? I am equally confused as to this issue was well as I hear a lot of things like "The European GSDs are high strung and poor choices for a companion" And others like "American GSDs are more suitable for companion duties."

So this thread is for people with these various bloodlines to post the "pros" and "cons" of each bloodline. This was newbies like myself can easily learn the behavioral differences between the bloodlines and avoid picking out one that is unsuited for their life style.


----------



## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

The problem with this is that you will get the generalizations about the lines, but you will find dogs of all behavior types within all of the lines.

For example, there are "high strung" dogs in American and European lines, and there are wonderful companions in both types as well. 

And there are West German Show Lines, American Show Lines, West German Working Lines, East German Working Lines, Etc. 

Lots to learn, and while the internet is a good starting point, for every one here who says their dog is "THIS", someone else with similar bloodlines will say no, no, no their dog is "THAT". The best bet is still to see the dogs in person. Meet with them, interact with them, and choose from there.


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

We've tried to have threads like this before, but it always ends up that when somebody posts a generalization about a particular line, seventeen other people chime in saying that their dog from those bloodlines is nothing like that. 

You can get a great pet from any of the bloodlines.
You can get a really terrible pet from any of the bloodlines. 

If your goal is to do high-level Schutzhund, you should choose a breeder that works their dogs in the higher levels of that sport. 

If your goal is to do agility, find a breeder that works their dogs in agility. 

If you want to win in the conformation ring, buy from a breeder whose dogs do well in dog shows.

But if you want a good well-rounded pet, you probably should _not_ go with a breeder who only breeds pet dogs. 

Confusing, huh?


----------



## Polistes (Feb 14, 2011)

I kinda get that as well, every dog is an individual but some behavior traits maybe more common in some lines than in others. Either way though there should be a general trend with the various lines with most but not all conforming to their standard.

As an example I know that the working lines for Labs tend to be unsuited for companion life in a house or urban area since they are always wanting to work, they have to have a job, while the show line labs are a bit more laid back and much more suited to dealing with indoor life.(As long as they get exercised or interacted with) Again there are individuals within each line.

As for comparisons I would like to keep this thread free from the debates and avoid the "my dog is not like that" Since I know that dogs are their own unique being. (I hope you can understand what I am trying to say)


----------



## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

I have an English Lab from working lines- he loves to track and will retrieve until he is lifeless and I stop the game. But on rainy days he is content enough to hang out with me and the kids and lounge around like a couch potato- get his leash and he's a totally different dog...he has an off switch

I have a shepherd who is a mix of east and west german working lines. Like my lab she loves to track with him, is very competitive, and will play until I stop- she never gives up on any game and isn't discouraged by anything. She too has the same off switch and is sleeping right next to me,lol 

They both require exercise and are happiest with 2 good off leash walks a day with lots of play. On consecutive rainy days they pace and whine a little, I say no walk today, and they go right back to being snuggly couch potatoes. My shepherd unlike your average lab has an extremely low threshold and is reactive with strangers in our home- it can be a pain though she is great with people outside the home, other dogs, and our kids. 

She happens to be a lot like her Father so looking at the individual parents when looking for a companion is more important than the line itself


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Polistes said:


> I would like to keep this thread free from the debates


:spittingcoffee::rofl::rofl:oke:

There are literally pages and pages of threads in the "Bloodlines and Pedigrees" section. You can see where this question has been discussed probably twenty times. . . . and you can see where the threads start to go to . 

I will say that if you want to get a working line dog, you'd better prepared to give it some work to do. That's why they're called working lines. However, the German and American Show lines often need jobs to do as well.


----------



## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

Polistes said:


> This was newbies like myself can *easily learn *the behavioral differences between the bloodlines and avoid picking out one that is unsuited for their life style.


 The only thing that is easily and quickly learned with GSDs is that you will need to adjust your lifestyle in order to suit your GSD


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

GSD07 said:


> The only thing that is easily and quickly learned with GSDs is that you will need to adjust your lifestyle in order to suit your GSD


And anyone who buys a dog based off of advice on the internet gets what they deserve. It gets said again and again on this forum: go thou and spend time with dogs.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Emoore said:


> And anyone who buys a dog based off of advice on the internet gets what they deserve. It gets said again and again on this forum: go thou and spend time with dogs.


Very true! I've never would have really gotten a handle on the various difference of the lines just by looking at pictures and reading articles and forums. Though it would have been a start, to get some information organized in my brain (as it is). In my case, I was doing Schutzhund training with my mixed breed, so before I ever got to the point of even _thinking_ about getting a German Shepherd, for over two years, I got to see and work with, and interact with, a number of GSDs and experience GSD owners/trainers: I saw the dogs working on the field, saw them being trained, saw them being themselves in their home, saw them when socializing with my GSD owner friends. Saw various people owners of GSDs of various backgrounds come out to the club wanting to do Schutzhund. Some stayed and did as much as they could (often, a BH), and then got better dogs (better in everything: better health, better temperament, better nerve, better trainability, better "off" switch, etc). The difference was now they knew what to look for, and knew how to find a good breeder that bred better dogs. 

From this exposure, I saw what I liked, and what I didn't like (for me), and that gave me the idea of what I was looking for in my GSD. 

I have to laugh a bit when people come on this board and say they have done a LOT of research on the breed (turns out a lot of research for them means like two months!) and they know what they want, and their research consists of reading different breeder's website, which, of course will all be a little biased towards the kind of GSD they breed, and that is fine. But it is NOT research.


----------



## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

IME there is a much wider range of temperament within many show bred litters because most are not selected for specific temperament traits. That isn't to say show breeders don't care about temperament, it's just many tend to view temperament as a single thing - if the dog is tolerant of strangers and an enjoyable dog to have around, it has a "good temperament". They tend to delve more into specifics with structure - will the breeding bring better movement? better type? Working and sport breeders tend to look more closely at temperament. Does the dog need it's prey drive improved? What about fight drive? hint drive? hardness? etc. You still get a range of temperaments in work bred litters but IME it doesn't tend to be as drastic. This is not just with GSDs though, I have seen this in many breeds. It doesn't mean you can't get a good puppy from a show breeder though or that all show breeders are created equal.


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Emoore said:


> You can get a great pet from any of the bloodlines.
> You can get a really terrible pet from any of the bloodlines.
> 
> If your goal is to do high-level Schutzhund, you should choose a breeder that works their dogs in the higher levels of that sport.
> ...


This is a very sad statement on where we have taken the breed. 

You need to find a breeder breeding for good solid German Shepherd Dogs. Dogs that are as they should be for the breed. How will you know that? Get out and learn about the breed and that means meeting dogs, watching dogs, learning about German Shepherd Dogs. You can learn some in books and a little on line, but most knowledge will come from hands on experience.


----------

