# HEY, finally found a picture of an 'Old Fashioned GSD'



## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

You know the HUGE one's the breeders are bragging about when breeding way out of the standard....


----------



## Cheerful1 (Sep 27, 2011)

Wow!

Any idea how old the picture is?


----------



## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

LOL

It helps that the people are like 5'2, it appears.  Of course, I could be wrong, but still. They're definitely not big and burly humans.


----------



## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

That's still a huge dog, even if you are just looking at the chihuahua puppy on the ground.

I'd say the 1920 from the 'Flapper' outfit the female is wearing.


----------



## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

LOVE that fashion era & this women does not disappoint with her cute short black hair & red lip.

They are short but that dog is pretty big!


----------



## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

Oh yes, I agree. 

I mean, the dog looks like it weighs more than the guy!!!


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I'm not so sure that's a GSD. . . almost looks like a wolf hybrid or maybe Malamute.


----------



## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

I was wondering Mal mix....look at how fluffy his tail is. 

My shep/mal mix was freakin' huge. It's been 20 years, I'd have to look it up on his pix again but he was I think 30" at the withers and 120lbs.


----------



## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Tall, the dog is but he isn't fat like most of those "old fashioned" dogs are. You can actually still see the rib cage. Not sure if it is a purebred Shepherd either.


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Any smarties who can figure out the back fence height somehow? Because if it's a 4 foot fence, those people are short. Yes the dog (GSD? GSD+?) is still big, but it would be cool if we could figure it out. 

I love the shape of his back legs.


----------



## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

yeah, they almost have no angulation, whatsoever.


----------



## evybear15 (Mar 28, 2011)

If you wanted a dog THAT big...why not just get one that's supposed to be? My friend has a malamute that looks to be about the same size as the dog in that picture...

Baxter's larger than average, but he's not a monster, and it's hardly the reason we got him. I love him to pieces (and would love him just the same if he were 15lbs+ smaller and a few inches shorter), but overall, bigger is not always better.


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Re the angulation/MrsK

I'm probably not supposed to love that, but I do!  Maybe a little more would be good but that dog looks super sturdy (and I could be wrong, and he isn't - just looks it).


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

That looks like a wolf-hybrid to me. His hindquarters and tail look very wolfish. The only thing that looks GSD about that animal is the slight mask.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> Any smarties who can figure out the back fence height somehow? Because if it's a 4 foot fence, those people are short. Yes the dog (GSD? GSD+?) is still big, but it would be cool if we could figure it out.
> 
> I love the shape of his back legs.



If it's a 6" board then the height is approx 4'6
If it's an 8" board, the height is 6'-0"

I would go with the 4'-6" and given the perspective of the picture it could be as high as 5'-0" (not dead straight at the fence and that the bottom board seems to be partially buried).

But that still doesn't give us an indication of the height of the dog. When I copied the lines over to the dog, the dog would be taller than the fence. The perspective is a bit to skewed.


----------



## GermanShepherds6800 (Apr 24, 2011)

His rear legs scream Pyrenees to me. I do not think he is full gsd at any rate.


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I thought possibly Pyrenees or another of the LGD breeds, but the tail is not curled.


----------



## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Unless those folks are less then 4.5 feet that dog seems to have the height of an Irisk Wolfhound. He seems awfully tall .


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I think they are only about 5'-0" tall. That puts the dogs withers at about 3'


----------



## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

3ft ,thats a tall boy. last Irish wolfhound came to my waist. so a little over 4ft . Ok I like big dogsand this one was sweet looking. His hips and legs looked very muscular.


----------



## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

That has to be some kind of wolf or wolf hybrid. Even those good ol' fashioned straight back breeders don't breed for this.


----------



## Alexandria610 (Dec 2, 2010)

The way he's standing really reminds me of Alex:


----------



## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

RocketDog said:


> LOL
> 
> It helps that the people are like 5'2, it appears.  Of course, I could be wrong, but still. They're definitely not big and burly humans.


I was going to say the same thing. Those people look Leetle!! :laugh:


----------



## evybear15 (Mar 28, 2011)

Good_Karma said:


> I was going to say the same thing. Those people look Leetle!! :laugh:


Hey now. There's nothing wrong with being between 5'0" and 5'2".


----------



## Alexandria610 (Dec 2, 2010)

Sometimes I think 'man...people just keep breeding Chihuahuas smaller and smaller. It's what is really messing with their anatomy and making them die younger and have more health problems!' but now that I see this it seems that perhaps there was always a portion of the population that bred them so itty bitty. Holy cow!

And yeah, I was thinking the same thing about the people. It seriously looks (with the proportions of everything in that picture) that it must have been somehow photoshopped lol, but I know it hasn't been.


----------



## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Jax08 said:


> I think they are only about 5'-0" tall. That puts the dogs withers at about 3'


That's my guess too, those people look pretty short but the dog isn't short that's for sure.
I'm 5' tall. Our first GSD was 30", she looked a lot bigger standing next to me than next to my son who's 6'.


----------



## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

Alexandria610 said:


> The way he's standing really reminds me of Alex:


That is one GORGEOUS dog. Wow. That face....


----------



## Alexandria610 (Dec 2, 2010)

RocketDog said:


> That is one GORGEOUS dog. Wow. That face....


Thanks. That dog on the OP's post...looks like a larger, more built version of her to me. The second I saw the straight back and the awkward butt stance, I immediately thought of how 'awkwardly' Alex stands lol. At least, I think it's awkward. I love her, and how she looks, but every time I compare her to other GSD's, I kinda smile and think 'she's seriously got some sort of husky, malamute, sled dog, or wolf in her...for reals...' haha. She's a wild beast, that's for sure. 

I can't even imagine how large that dog in the photo must be! But I kind of don't think he's purebred, either.


----------



## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Looks like a wolf dog, A wolf(don't know species)/GSD. And the people look short. I a 5'6, Tanner is 25'


----------



## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

Looks like a 1920's photo to me, and the first thing I thought when I saw that dog was, "Saint Bernard Mix." That butt-end looks very Saint to me.

This is the only photo I've ever found of a really over-sized German Shepherd (not mix), and it's from the 1950's. It's part of a set of pictures, actually, but out of the thousands of pictures of historic working dogs I've seen (and have), this is the only really oversized dog.










Oh, funny side note. Came across a 1970's "Law Enforcement Bible" book the other day that has an article about canines in it, which is interesting in itself (as are the pictures) but it mentions that the ideal working dog candidate is a male German Shepherd, at least 25" at the shoulder, and around 75lbs.


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

the picture looks wrong - people diminutive , colour of dog wrong . There are lots of "historical pictures" in the von Stephanitz book . Here is a site that I love looking at . Shows how much things have changed across time.
Dog Breed Historical Pictures pictures by Pietoro - Photobucket GSD on page 7 page 48 (like the working collie on 55) (look at the changes to golden retrievers then and now page 57) . Big changes in boxers, great danes, dobermann, GSD, labradors , ......

We have too many exaggerations now . 

1920′s German Shepherd & Ladies With Style! Random Vintage Squares this one could easily be my Simon Carmspack Simon - German Shepherd Dog

Just love the little shetland sheepdogs "then" . I would actually love a sheltie , as long as it was sound and stable . Used to duke it out for rank in the old obedience competitions. Some of the were amazing .

Carmen
Carmspack Working German Shepherd Dogs


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

putting the small chihuahua plays with the perspective . If everything surrounding the subject is smaller , then the subject appears larger even though it is not. There was a really good display at our Ontario Science Centre featuring illusions etc.
Look at the site I gave you and have a look at Great Danes beside children - probably 8 to 10 years of age, and young ladies , and the dogs are not huge.


----------



## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

I looked at that picture and the first thing that "popped into my head" was.....*the little RED M & M** guy*..:groovy:.saying "*They DID exist!?*".....


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Jax08 said:


> If it's a 6" board then the height is approx 4'6
> If it's an 8" board, the height is 6'-0"
> 
> I would go with the 4'-6" and given the perspective of the picture it could be as high as 5'-0" (not dead straight at the fence and that the bottom board seems to be partially buried).
> ...


HA! I knew that you would be able to figure that out! 

I SO want to photoshop Rocco into that shot...he's really short and it would make me laugh.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Did anyone else notice the size of the dog's feet to the size of the man's feet? And WHAT does he have around that dog's neck? It looks like a massive chain..but I need new glasses so could be wrong!


----------



## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

robinhuerta said:


> I looked at that picture and the first thing that "popped into my head" was.....*the little RED M & M** guy*..:groovy:.saying "*They DID exist!?*".....


LMAO!!!!!! Oh that is to funny Robin I'm cracking up over here and woke the dogs up. When you mentioned the red M&M first thing that came to mind is that new commercial from the super bowl where he strips to his chocolate lol. "Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle" sorry it's getting late and Im on pain meds lmao


----------



## warpwr (Jan 13, 2011)

http://c1ecolocalizercom.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2009/11/bigbadwolf.jpg
"Though some are still questioning the true existence of a timber wolf around this size (the increased ability of individuals to manipulate with Photoshop and other software programs leads to reluctance), if in fact the wolf weighs in at this size it would be recording setting. Previously, the biggest wolf on record was 175 lb Alaskan wolf reported in 1944".


----------



## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

carmspack said:


> 1920′s German Shepherd & Ladies With Style! Random Vintage Squares


Wow, that dog is pretty huge too. It looks like its ears are up to that lady's belly button.


----------



## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

Very interesting picture! But this dog doesn't really look like a GSD to me.


----------



## CelticGlory (Jan 19, 2006)

I have the two books (Max's book and The Total German Shepherd book), I love the look of the past GSDs. I haven't gone through it totally (reading wise), but I will when I get some time. From past discussion I want to see if the old standard is included in my copy of Max's book. I've just forgotten what page its supposed to be on. My copy is from the 1990's. So I will see. 

OP, that is one huge dog! lol.


----------



## summerronk (Apr 13, 2011)

Apparently there was a time period in GSD history where they tried to cross-breed it with wolves, and the results were disastrous as the mixed breed was completely unpredictable. Perhaps this is one of those hybrid mixed breeds here.


----------

