# Just out of curiosity



## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

This is Hope, a 3-4yr old rescue, female, about 75lbs.

Supposedly seized from someone breeding her who let her starve, and get bad hematomas in both ears along with mange.

Any guesses where her genetics might originate from you experts out there? 

Her ears are ruined, all crumpled scar tissue. She seems pretty long bodied and leggy to me, big feet, shorter coat than most GSD's I'm used to.



















She's well tempered, friendly, not easily spooked, anything that startles her goes she straight at, like my mower and weedeater that she wants to kill, lots of drive, well I call it OCD, once she decides she wants to do something it's almost impossible to get her mind off it. Definitely no couch potato.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

I'm no expert, but Id say she looks like american lines to me. I'm not sure on the differences between american show and working; I'm more familiar with german lines there.


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## shadow mum (Apr 8, 2008)

What a nice looking girl. With all she's been through, she's stunning. I'm still learning about lines myself, so no help to you there. I'm trying to figure out the same with my boy Shadow.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

With the shorter coat, and high drive she may be american working lines. I didn't catch that when I looked at your post before. The longer stock coat is preferred in the show ring and the shorter stock coat common among working lines.


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

Another pic, she's got quite a bit of silverish course guard hairs I guess they are on upper back and shoulders.










I need to get a better camera..


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

TxRider said:


> Another pic, she's got quite a bit of silverish course guard hairs I guess they are on upper back and shoulders.


Thats common in all GSDs. When the tan hairs extend across the back its called a bitch stripe.


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

She's basically got a stripe from her ears all the way down the center of her back.

BTW feel free to critique her build as well.


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

Lin said:


> With the shorter coat, and high drive she may be american working lines. I didn't catch that when I looked at your post before. The longer stock coat is preferred in the show ring and the shorter stock coat common among working lines.


What are American Working Lines?


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Andaka said:


> What are American Working Lines?


lol


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

Seriously, what are American Working Lines? I have heard the term before, but no one has explained to me what they are. Can you name some specific kennels?


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I'm going to go with that's becuase there is no such thing. 

When american working lines to me means a co-mingling west german working with american show several generations out with no titles = BYB american working lines. Maybe it means working farm lines? 

Either way I don't see any of the traits of an american line shepherd in Hope. Super straight back, long willowy build, very dark. She's built just like my rescue girl Morgan that everyone thinks is west german working lines. Bet Hope can outrun everyone...


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

Yes she can run like a deer. She's a big chaser, at the dog park nobody can play fetch unless I can keep her focus.

Her favorite game next to chasing squirrels is finding a fast dog that likes to be chased and working it's rear flanks. She would do it until she dropped.

At the moment she's pacing around the living room, whining, and poking me with her nose to go out and walk a few miles.

One the things that got me curious was a GSD at the dog park, typical black/tan saddleback that had a lot of slope in his back, and hind quarters looked weak. The contrast between them when they started chasing each other was pretty stark. 

That dog couldn't keep up with her in a chase, and when they wrestled she just kept pushing it back onto it's rump.

I wish I had gotten her as a pup, at 3yrs old with no socialization and no direction for her drive she's a bit of a challenge.


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

So co-mingling of west german working with american show several generations out with no titles, or BYB american working lines?

Sounds reasonable to me I guess.


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