# Prey drive = temperament fault?!



## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

DH and I happened to find out about a local AKC dog show while we were out shopping yesterday, and decided to go today and see a bit of the show, as well as all the vendors.

We got to talking to some of the dog people at the event, and were told by one of the breeders / exhibitors at the show that prey drive is a FAULT in German Shepherds, and Belgian Sheepdogs (Malinois, Tervurens, etc.) because "prey drive means they will go and kill other animals, like sheep or cats."

Opinions?

Overall, I have to say we were not impressed by the GSDs and Belgians we saw at the show. The one GSD we saw looked like his hind end belonged on a completely different dog as his front end. And both the Malinois were really skittish and nervous. The vendors did have loads of neat stuff, though.


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## RavenSophi (Feb 23, 2009)

Sounds hilarious to me.


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

Prey drive is kinda necessary for, I dunno...herding.

Strauss is a pretty **** sound dog, and he has prey drive out the yang.


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

Maybe in their show dog world it is... especially considering that this breeder's dog probably couldn't run with it's frog-like back legs anyways.







So sad....


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## G-burg (Nov 10, 2002)

Interesting!

The comments some people make!


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

The person who told us this was showing a Malinois and a Tervuren at the show. She claimed to have "one of the top Malinois in the country", that she had been "breeding Malinois for over 20 years", and that she "sold and helped train Malinois for police departments in Virginia".

We let her talk and thanked her for her time at the end.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

Prey drive is necessary for herding and police work. It is pretty darn sad if they consider THAT a fault but not the structural issues in the breed.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Bianca has plenty of prey drive, but she is perfectly fine with my cats. I have 7 cats right now (including the fosters) and she never tries to chase them even though she loves to chase (or try to chase) wild critters.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Jigga whah?

I'd be interested how many _working_ GSDs this exhibitor has trained...


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I know several high-prey drive dogs that live peacefully and harmoniously with cats in the house (or outside). Falkor does only so much as glance at the cats when we are outside, yet will bring me his balls and frisbee for an hour of fetch and chase. 

A balanced dog will know when to turn the drives on, and when to turn them off. Falkor for example will watch with curious interest snowmobilers zoom by within a few feet of us, bicyclers ride by, or in the winter, skiers and snowboarders swoosh down a hill, without even trying to chase. I think a dog that goes crazy for anything that moves may be showing some nerve issues, lacking an off button. 

Falkor has enough drive that both our helper and an RCMP dog handler has shown interest in him, yet even when in drive, I can call him back to me when he takes off chasing a bird or a ball. I think the people you talked to were only repeating things that they have heard from others, without actually having personal experience living with, and working with a high-drive dog. 

Though I must admit, both Falkor and Keeta HAVE caught and killed field mice though . . . so perhaps, that person was right? (tremble all you mice in the field! The prey-drive is unleashed!)


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

I would say that anyone with a GSD or Belgian who is spouting such nonsense is rather ignorant of their own breed's standard, intended purpose and history.


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## G-burg (Nov 10, 2002)

> Quote:and were told by one of the breeders / exhibitors at the show that prey drive is a FAULT in German Shepherds, and Belgian Sheepdogs


This is what I take offense with..









You don't know if this breeder was from Maryland?


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

And she sells/has sold dogs to police want dogs with no drive????





















I have shown my dogs in AKC in ob, and the breed people are in shell shock.... They look at them like they are from another planet...a local breeder/judge has remarked that he could not have dogs with drive (like mine? I guess) because he could never sell them. 

Lee


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

The American showline people get upset and offended at the views of the outside world of them. But the reality is that this persons views and understanding of the German Shepherd as a working dog is clueless. This is very similar to most ASL people actually believing that the excessive angulations benefits a dog in herding. It never entered their mind that real herding is an all day thing and these dogs would break down, if they had the "prey drive" to do it in the first place. Folks, you know what is really sad, is this type of thinking isn't in the minority in the AS world, and these people have truly destroyed a magnificent breed in "their" world. Oh Well!


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

Hey, don't knock all of them. Justin went herding and got his HIC (ASCA)....if I had the time and the money, you bet I'd put his butt back on sheep! He loved it and the owner of the sheep was impressed with him!


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Jackie, I never say all, I usually say most, but to me most designates the state of condition in general. If You have non excessive angulated dogs with mental capability to herd all day and 19 other ASL breeders don't....then you are no good as an example because you don't represent the norm. So if you can direct me to an american conformation show in which the type of dogs that AREN"T the way I described are prevalent, thus winning in the show, please give me some insight. Because if there were American judges that are putting up moderate dogs with great temperament, which shows are they occurring, so I can view theses dogs and see their lines....Thanks, Cliff


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## Ocean (May 3, 2004)

The last time I went to an ASL show I felt like I was in a different planet. The dogs were pretty but most of them were too quiet and just seemed devoid of much personality. The reality is most pet people prefer these kinds of dogs and the ASL people breed for the lowest common denominator of the general American pet market.

Drives are much of what gives a GSD its personality. Drivey dogs also tend to be more intelligent because they have to know when to turn on and off, and modulate their drives for the appropriate situation. The dog that won the show was actually described to me by its owner as, "not too smart, he's gorgeous but he's an airhead". Whatever happened to the breed renowned for its intelligence?
Deliberately breeding for low drives is deliberately breeding for low intelligence.


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## Nelly (May 15, 2005)

> Quote: Drives are much of what gives a GSD its personality. Drivey dogs also tend to be more intelligent because they have to know when to turn on and off, and modulate their drives for the appropriate situation. The dog that won the show was actually described to me by its owner as, "not too smart, he's gorgeous but he's an airhead". Whatever happened to the breed renowned for its intelligence?
> Deliberately breeding for low drives is deliberately breeding for low intelligence.


I am not so sure I agree that high intelligence always goes hand in hand with high drive ? could high drive dogs be better described as more trainable because it is easier to motivate them ? of course many high drive dogs happen to be intelligent but I don't think the two traits are mutually exclusive. Think of livestock guarding dogs who have to sometimes have work independently, they are low drive but with strong guarding instincts, I don't think they are of lower intelligence to other breeds just different.

Drive and personality are different traits to me. 

I think also a smart dog will learn (providing they can- good nerves) quicker when to switch off and on.

Agree the original comments show some show people are out of touch with true temperament/drives of working breeds.


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## crazyboutdogs (Aug 26, 2007)

My Storm has a high prey drive and I own pugs!!! He luvs to play and chase them, but doesn't take them down and kill them for god's sake!!! 

Scary that these words are coming from someone who actually has been breeding for 20 years....yikes, i'd run far from that one!!


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## Deejays_Owner (Oct 5, 2005)

Hey Lucia

Maybe Falkor can come over and give his little sister a lesson in getting called off chasing a bird or a ball.
She has killed two American Goldfinches both males the same color as her tennis balls!!


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

> Quote:You don't know if this breeder was from Maryland?


I don't know where the breeder was from, but she mentioned working with a training (?) center or something similar in northern Virginia, so I am assuming she is either located in northern Virginia or close to that area.

I have some photos of her dogs, the Malinois and Tervuren she was showing, and once I get a chance to go through my pictures, I will post them. Maybe someone knows her by her dogs. Unfortunately, I didn't take note of the dogs' names, only that she was saying her bitch was "one of the top Malinois bitches" in the US.

She was telling us that "working drive" is what you want in a dog, NOT prey drive, and that dogs with prey drive are dangerous because they want to just chase and kill anything that moves.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

<snort> Sure would be intersted to hear what she calls "working drive" then. Because to the working dog world as a whole, that evil animal killing prey drive is a big component of it.


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## Ocean (May 3, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: Historiandogs with prey drive are dangerous because they want to just chase and kill anything that moves.


It is sad when society comes to the point that dogs are not expected to bite and not expected to kill. Not just GSDs but any breed of dog should kill a mouse that runs in front of it because that is what a wolf or a wild canine would do. It is the essence of the species. Once you take that away, genetic engineering has basically taken the soul of the dog away. It is no longer a dog, a creature of nature, it is an artificial biological entity that is just an extension of a human's wishes.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

Here's a picture of the Malinois bitch I was talking about above.


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## geokon_2000 (Jan 25, 2005)

Show mals are no where near as nice looking as the KNVP dogs.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Is there a split in the breed like we have? I was told no, but that was by someone who is into the show, not the sports.

That is a beautiful dog in the photo but now that I'm used to seeing working Mals, it almost looks heavy.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

From a working Mal person I know...There is definitely a split. Although not as visually obvious as in GSDs.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

Well, as far as Malinois go, I think that my Ronja is a much better looking dog than the bitch above. Of course, I'm more than just a little biased.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Yes, there is definitely a show/work split in the Mals. Though it's pretty recent so not yet as extreme as in other breeds, and the majority of Mals are in the working camp rather than the show camp (so sort of opposite of the GSD splits in that sense).


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Chris (other Chris above), I agree. Ronja is drop-dead gorgeous. Mals were my favorite for a long time and I am jealous of her. I love Ronja's color. I don't know what they call that rich red color but that is my favorite. The show bitch looks very nicely groomed but Ronja looks more athletic.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

I believe the darker red coloring is called "mahogany" in Malinois.


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## bergwanderkennels (Mar 26, 2009)

> Quote: The American showline people get upset and offended at the views of the outside world of them


Not upset at the outside world but many of them get offended of the schutzhund world! Boxer people get this alot "Oh we do not want our boxers to be taught to be aggressive." I was so scared to tell the breeder I bought my boxer from what I was going to be doing with him. Also on that note I was afraid to mention to schutzhund people that I bought my boxer from AKC show kennel as many of them believe that AKC boxers do not make good working dogs. 

My dogs have high pray drive So much so that my Dumb A$$ boxer tried to jump through a fence after a sheep today!









Needless to say I nicked his butt good with the remote trainer that now he will not even look at the sheep anymore!










"From a working Mal person I know...There is definitely a split. Although not as visually obvious as in GSDs."

I was speaking to a person here in Germany about nervous Mali's? Mali's are not supposed to be jittery at all! They should be if bred good and right very calm. Ha the ones I have seen are all giant Chi's on caffine!









Also the biggest split is seen in mali's in England there is a big differance between show line and working line.


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

Question more than anything...but I think it adds to the discussion. 

I do not know a lot about drives. 

Could the person have had lack of drive knowlege too. AND have been talking more in like a hunger drive? Instead of wk or prey? 

Because of course GSD need drive. AND are desired to have it. 

BUT is "prey" drive when the animal is going to EAT the other animal. AND work when they are just herding? Because when GSDs or Boader Collie see motion they wanna get it, that is a "work" drive correct? Do I have it right? 

My JRT is considered (well I say) to have a high prey drive, but he does not eat what he kills..so that does not go with what I am saying. 

I just know out of my 4, my GSD Shadow has the lowest appetite. I heard this was normal....because you do not want them to be FOOD driven. 

Maybe I got it all wrong.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: Daisy1986
> 
> Could the person have had lack of drive knowlege too.


Definitely sounds like the person does have a definite lack of knowledge about drives.

In which case, IMO, the person has no business breeding a breed that is supposed to have drive, much less pandering about misinformation based on her lack of knowledge and saying that they shouldn't have drive, drive is dangerous, etc...


And yes a GSD (and Malinios as is the case here) SHOULD have food drive, as well as prey drive. Both are highly related to trainability and the ultimate purpose of all of these "working drives" is to increase trainability and willingness to work. To a dog willingness to work is tied into satisfying it's drives... so it has to have drives to be satisfied. Be it hunting, protection, herding, search/tracking, varmint control or any other sort of work a dog performs, it all requires some sort of drive.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Daisy1986Question more than anything...but I think it adds to the discussion.
> 
> I do not know a lot about drives.
> 
> ...


I don't know much about drives either but I've never heard of a "work drive". I've heard of "work ethic", but typically that refers to the dog having a good combination of drives - food/hunt drive, ball drive, prey drive, defense drive, fight drive....

I think realistically we have to accept that dogs do what they do because it works for them and gets what they want, be it food, praise, toys, etc. So yes, to train a dog for something like SchH you want to use their drives and make that a rewarding thing so they enjoy the work and work hard every time. I doubt a dog is going to do a long track in freezing rain or 95+ degree heat because they actually enjoy tracking. A dog does not do a SchH3 obedience routine because he likes heeling all that way with his head up just for the sake of doing it, he does that because his handler has found ways of using his drives to motivate and reward him. Saying "work drive" to me sounds like it's implying the dog is working for the sake of working and I don't find that to be true of dogs in general.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

There are a number of different drives (food, prey, defense, pack) that would fall under the heading of "working drives" and are utilized for training and to motivate the dog to work. But Lies is correct that there is no such thing as a single "work drive".


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

I understand what both of you mean by drive now. 

I just meant by work drive(not a term I have heard, just my word I guess)...I mean do they want to do it to herd (wk), Instintly...the need to work. My GSD sees motion, he's gotta go (even waves on water), it is his instint (maybe a whole other thing). He needs to herd things, my kids etc. It is an urge. OR drive. That is what they are bred to do. 

AND "prey drive" to me means to survive, to eat...an instint to feed themselves. They need to find something kill it and eat it. (Even though my theroy does not jive with my JRT, but does anything make total sense with them, LOL, their drive is more to kill, they are bred for that)

Do not mean to hyjack the thread. I am probably way off, trying to learn, you know how I get, I hope by now, just curious. I would love to be able to train a dog and use it's drive to get them to do want you want. Amazing. 

Hope I am making sense.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Prey drive means to chase that which moves and try to grab it. 

While prey drive has at it's roots a part of the instinctive hunting sequence of canines... stalk, flush, chase, catch... it is not equivalent to a drive to eat or a drive to kill.

Most working drives, including those for herding, bird dogs, retrievers, etc... originated with that same hunting sequence, but years of selective breeding have changed and molded them, in some cases eliminating parts of that hunting sequence from a breed's characteristic set of drives altogether, in order to suit the dog's intended purpose. But again, while the building blocks of these drives originated in the survival instinct to kill and eat, they are in most cases far removed from that in modern dogs.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Daisy1986I understand what both of you mean by drive now.
> 
> I just meant by work drive(not a term I have heard, just my word I guess)...I mean do they want to do it to herd (wk), Instintly...the need to work. My GSD sees motion, he's gotta go (even waves on water), it is his instint (maybe a whole other thing). He needs to herd things, my kids etc. It is an urge. OR drive. That is what they are bred to do.
> 
> ...


I think herding is really just tapping into prey drive and molding it into a series of behaviors that help the shepherd tend. Great herding dogs also do well at SchH and are pretty easy to train in that regard. One of my breeder's dogs is a twelve time HGH and she doesn't have a SchH title but she was trained for her breed survey and is probably the "hardest" and most serious working dog we have in our club right now.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Like other aspects of many drives, herding is rooted in the hunting sequence of dogs too. It is a highly modified by selective breeding form of what wild canines would use to drive larger prey in the direction they want it to go (usually for a trap or ambush).


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## Freddy (Apr 23, 2009)

I think another aspect of drive is to please their handler. If you have the solid drives (prey, food) it is easier to shape the dog and learn exercises. I've found that once they have the bond with their handler, the drives combine with the joy of the reward and the praise they get from completing the exercise. My GSDs will literally sit on the floor in front of me waiting for me to tell them what to do. 

Combine that with good socialization and you have a balanced dog. You CAN train a GSD to literally turn on and off like a switch!


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## Deejays_Owner (Oct 5, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: FredI think another aspect of drive is to please their handler.


I agree but that's PACK DRIVE, desire to be with & to please the pack leader.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Yup... working with the handler because the dog sees the handler as a toy/treat dispenser and thus as a means to satisfy it's food or prey drive is one thing and in those cases it's the food or prey drive at work. Working with the handler because the dog truly wants to work with and please the handler just because he feels good doing so, that's pack drive.

Either can be used successfully to train a dog, but the best worker comes from a combination of those things IMO.


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Chris WildLike other aspects of many drives, herding is rooted in the hunting sequence of dogs too. It is a highly modified by selective breeding form of what wild canines would use to drive larger prey in the direction they want it to go (usually for a trap or ambush).


So this is what I think...not that I am trying to defend them, don't know them...The Malonis person was trying to say to Historian....

The fault is when the hunting sequence is left or not bred out. Then you have a dog eating your herd. 

Right? That is the way I took what they said. 

You have to control that drive by breeding and training. Just like their bite or their mouthing. 

No matter what...this thread is interesting as always to me. Having 4 breeds of dogs...I see 4 different things. Not saying my dogs are working dogs by any means. I just see what they were born with by their breed, very interesting to me. Like the JRT wanting to kill...I think that should have been bred down some where along the line...because I do not know what in the heck to do with that. I know, I know, I need a professional trainer to refocus him...working on it..


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Kelly, yes what you say makes sense, but personally I don't think that's what the Mal person meant. Generally people who make such statements have never actually participated in the type of training and competition or work that true working dogs do. Dogs that do bite to herd (HGH style) or do bitework in SchH or other K9 work do not go around eating sheep and humans. Even if she meant what you say, it would still be a dumb thing to say because that's not how herdin or SchH dogs behave.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: Daisy1986
> 
> The fault is when the hunting sequence is left or not bred out. Then you have a dog eating your herd.
> 
> ...


Again, prey drive is not the same as the hunting sequence. The basic instincts that were used to breed for prey drive are rooted there, but the final product is very different as those instincts were developed into different behaviors.

Of course, it is important to make sure that a dog has the correct set of drives, in the correct balance, and can control them and use them to perform the behaviors needed to fulfill his purpose. 

Which sort of goes back to what many of us say that actually working the dogs to see what they have important, rather than making assumptions that they have this or that, or advocating that a breed shouldn't have a set of drives that is integral for it to serve it's purpose just because that particular person has no use for them (the aforementioned show line Mal breeder).



> Originally Posted By: Daisy1986Like the JRT wanting to kill...I think that should have been bred down some where along the line...


Well, no, it shouldn't.

Terriers are ratters. The whole purpose for which the terrier breeds were created was to hunt and kill vermin. A JRT doing that is doing exactly what a JRT was designed to do.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

> Originally Posted By: Deejays_Owner
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: FredI think another aspect of drive is to please their handler.
> ...


Keefer has extremely high prey drive, but fortunately it's balanced by very high pack drive. Otherwise he'd be IMPOSSIBLE!!!! Still, he often has to be reminded to control his impulses, and that he CAN control his impulses, because he seems to forget. Maturity is helping, but I do need to continue with training as well.


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## nathalie1977 (Sep 4, 2006)

Why do these 'show' people insist on turning working breeds into goldens? If you like the personality of a golden, then GET a golden and stop messing with GSDs!


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: AmaruqPrey drive is necessary for herding and police work. It is pretty darn sad if they consider THAT a fault but not the structural issues in the breed.


yup seems like things should be the other way around..which in the working dog world, it is...

is what i dont understand about the show world is why the dogs arent being judged based on there real temperments, drives especially in the working/sporting dog showring. is the working world not flashy enough for the rinky dink show world?? or is it just one of those personal choices?? say...i want a dog that is absolutely gorgous and lazy as ****...i will pick a showline dog...then on the other hand i want a dog that is crazy as ****, fearless, and a natural born badass...i will look for some very strong working line dogs and could care less if the dog is too long or fine boned or has the wrong ear set etc etc...the dog world really is a confuseing, political place..


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: NatWhy do these 'show' people insist on turning working breeds into goldens? If you like the personality of a golden, then GET a golden and stop messing with GSDs!


even goldens were bred to be retrieveing dogs. not lazy couch potatoes. if you ask me, there isnt much difference between a lab and a golden, just different coats. 

now if you meant changeing the GSD's temperment into a golden then i can see what you mean and yes i dont know why they insist on doing that..my only thinking would be to keep the show ring a safe place...??? even the rotties, dobies, malinois are junk because of the show world. heck the malinois is heading down the same path as the GSD is...


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: lcht2.my only thinking would be to keep the show ring a safe place...???


No, it's because they have no use for working temperament. Dogs are not required to obtain any sort of performance titles to show or be bred. And the very few people who do pursue performance titles tend to focus on things like obedience, rally, tracking which test for some things and are certainly better than nothing, but still don't require a dog to possess the full range of drives and working temperament.

Working temperament traits can provide some challenges to an owner who doesn't have any use for them, doesn't understand them and is unable or unwilling to provide the dog appropriate outlets to express them. Part of the lack of working temperament is due to "if you don't use it (test for it, breed for it) you lose it", but much is also intentional watering down to make for more easy going, laid back dogs that fit the personalities and lifestyles of owners who have no use for working temperament.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: lcht2my only thinking would be to keep the show ring a safe place...???


No, I think it's because they don't care, or don't even know, what a true working dog is.

There are SchH dogs galore (west German and working lines) at USA, SV, and WDA shows all over and the ring is very safe.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

> Quote:if you meant changeing the GSD's temperment into a golden then i can see what you mean and yes i dont know why they insist on doing that..my only thinking would be to keep the show ring a safe place...??


I don't think that safety has anything to do with it whatsoever, considering the temperaments on many of these show dogs. 

Not only do many of the dogs lack any type of working ability, they also have some serious temperament issues. If you look around this board and read peoples' experiences at some of the AKC shows, there are almost always complaints about the dogs they've met at the show - being timid, fear aggressive, etc. and still doing well in the show ring.


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

I had an idea of what drive was and I know now I was correct. Such a good topic to learn from and understand.


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## dOg (Jan 23, 2006)

Only no understanding of the term could lead to such a statement.
I wonder what she calls it when her dog exhibits it?
After hearing that, the BS meter pegged in the orange zone, I couldn't
listen to another word without expecting more blather.


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## nathalie1977 (Sep 4, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: lcht2
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: NatWhy do these 'show' people insist on turning working breeds into goldens? If you like the personality of a golden, then GET a golden and stop messing with GSDs!
> ...


Yes, I meant changing their temperament to be more like a golden's - remove the aggression, etc.


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## nathalie1977 (Sep 4, 2006)

Isn't loving the dog's temperament a big part of loving a breed?

It seems these 'hobbyists' only love dogs that look like GSDs, kind of... but don't love the GSD temperament. It's very superficial... like marrying someone because of their looks alone.


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## Malinoid (Jan 28, 2008)

I agree with Nat & Chris.

These are the people that are destroying breeds. They have no respect for what the breed is, even though they'll speak ad nauseum about how they do respect Police, SAR and working dogs. 'I want a Malinois as long as it doesn't chase & bite things', what a crock, THAT IS WHAT A MAL IS!!!!!

With very few exceptions, these 'hobbyists' or 'show exhibitors' want a Golden Retreiver or Lab in a GSD, Malinois, Giant Schnauzer...[insert any working breed] body. It's all so vanilla...no aggression, no prey drive...we're afraid of it or don't know how to deal with it, so let's ban it and condemn it.

Like my friend & Trainnig Director said, there are hundreds of breeds of dogs, but there are scant few breeds & individuals within breeds that still have what it takes to take down the bad guy, find drugs/bombs, find missing people reliably....leave them alone. If you want a nice pet dog, go get a pet quality pup from a breeder that knows something about the breed or get a non-sporting breed/toy breed, but leave the breeds that still have drive for work alone.

John Haudenshield


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

A lot of thoughts about "GSD Temperment".

I wonder if anyone could tell me what this is supposed to be?

For example, if my GSD is in the front yard and someone walks by on the sidewalk - what should my dog do?

If someone comes into my home, how SHOULD my adult GSD act?

Or if someone starts yelling at me while I am walking my dog, what should he do?

If a much smaller dog, i.e. a Corgi comes up to him and after a little sniffing, actually snaps at my dog what should he do?

I know what I would like him to do, but I am very curious if what I hope he does is in the majority view?


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

the German Shepherd has a wide range of temperament. This is because of the diversity of breeds that were used to create this dog. Some are stronger than others, some are drivier, some are more laid back and all in varying degrees. But all degrees should have good nerve strength, courage, soundness, and stability. Shyness under any circumstances is faulty as is instability because of aggression or drives.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

> Originally Posted By: codmaster A lot of thoughts about "GSD Temperment".
> 
> I wonder if anyone could tell me what this is supposed to be?
> 
> ...


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