# Should I go with a show line or a medium drive working line?



## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

I'm researching blood lines for my next GSD. I did not do this with my first dog and I won't be making that mistake again. She was a great dog but had health problems and I wouldn't describe her as a dog with nerves of steal. I loved her anyway but that come with challenges.

It's my understanding that the main lines are DDR, Czech, West Line working, West Line Show and American show. 

I don't really want American and West show line because I don't like their backs. They look deformed to me and I was my dog to do long distance hiking with me. I dont need any weird back/hip things going on. I'm not entirely sure if that's how it works but I'm really turned off by the looks of those backs. 

That leaves me with the other three lines. I realize there are subtle differences and I'm not too familiar with them. I read DDR are bigger, Czech's have higher energy, and West line are the most popular. That's about as much as I know for the West bloodline. I still have to research this some more.

The most important thing to me is that my dog has a stable temperament, not anxious or reactive, and that my dog has an energy level that I can handle. That being said, how would you all describe a medium drive working dog? I'm trying to figure out if this type of dog will be more energetic than my last or about the same?

I would describe my last dog as very high prey drive. We would walk her one hour a day and that was enough to keep her from being destructive and she was able to settle when we were inside the house but as soon as we left the house she would quickly go into high energy mode. She used to do some trail running with me on weekends or hiking, anywhere between 8-14 miles with tons of elevation. She loved her weekend hiking! It was the only time I ever felt she was truly tired. Anyway, how would you describe that? Medium drive? I don't think I could handle a medium drive working line dog if it required more than that, with of course obedience training here and there. In that situation, maybe I'd have to get a show line dog. 

Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you.


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

The danger of trusting internet articles is you don’t know how true they are. Even reading here, there’s a million opinions. You’re best bet is to go meet dogs and people to see how they really are. There’s a small group of pure DDR breeders. There’s a similar amount of heavy Czech breeders most working lines are some sort of mixture.


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## Jorski (Jan 11, 2019)

What @Bearshandler said. I would add that drives and energy are two different things.


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## mnm (Jan 9, 2006)

Anymore, you are rarely going to find any with all one type of lines, as most have multiple type of lines in them if you know what you are looking at in a pedigree, and that's for genetic diversity. Next, the back has nothing to do with the hips. Show lines, in a stack will look different that just at normal activity and standing. I can do that as well, with my working line dogs. Altering the foot placements can change the look of the top line quite a bit, and again, has nothing to do with the hips. 

It's somewhat true that working lines tend to have higher drives/energy, but that's not a 100% thing either. It sounds like you want one with a good off switch, that can settle in the house, but ready to go. Those are the kinds of things that you need to be open and honest with when talking with breeders. I'd also suggest spending some time researching the different types of lines. I think you have some misconceptions about them in general.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

OP, what is your location?


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## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

wolfy dog said:


> OP, what is your location?


I'm in Southern California, specifically close to LA


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

PM me if you are willing to drive to Oregon. My breeder is there. Deja is the perfect combo of drive and pet as long as you can handle training of dogs like this. They are either a dream or a nightmare


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## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

Jorski said:


> What @Bearshandler said. I would add that drives and energy are two different things.


Yes that's true, there is prey drive, drive to work/train, energy, etc... In general I would describe my previous dog somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, except when it came to prey drive. That was really high.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Agaribay805 said:


> …except when it came to prey drive. That was really high.


did you ever attempt to utilize it in some form? provide an outlet?


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## LovinOnMyGSD (2 mo ago)

wolfy dog said:


> PM me if you are willing to drive to Oregon. My breeder is there. Deja is the perfect combo of drive and pet as long as you can handle training of dogs like this. They are either a dream or a nightmare


Sorry to butt in on someone else’s post but wanted to ask you about Deja’s breeder and couldn’t seem to PM you. Would you mind sharing that with me?


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Will send you a pm. Please post here if you can't open it


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