# Looking for American and European Lines Breeders



## GSD Fan (Sep 20, 2010)

I would like to look at and maybe consider some other breeders. Perferly American and European lines breeders.

The breeder or breeders do not have to be in the southeast and if I change breeders, I do not mind paying money to have a puppy shipped.

The puppy will be a pet, and then I may do sports such as agility and tracking. 

I really like the black and tan color, but color definitely comes last. I won't mind a pure black or sable. 

Thank you.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

> Perferly American and European lines breeders.


That covers all the lines, LOL. Is there a specific sub-type you are NOT interested in, because saying "American and European lines" does not narrow the field down at all. 

And what are some of the things that you would look for in a breeder to help focus your search?


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Sometimes it's easier if you make a list of the things you don't want too.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

American show, West German working, East German show, Czech, DDR, etc...?


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## GSD Fan (Sep 20, 2010)

I'm confused, I just read that there are German Show, German Working, American Show, American Working, and then there's the European lines. Could you explain to me why that doesn't narrow it down?

What I am looking for in a breeder is someone who doesn't mind asking and answering questions.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

Here's a list of the different lines of German Shepherds (and related breeds, at the bottom), maybe that will help -
Breed Types & Related Families

German lines, technically, are "European" lines ... Germany being in Europe and all. There are West German and East German (DDR) lines. And Czech lines. Not sure if there is such a thing as American working lines these days...


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

European lines would encompass anything that isn't American lines, like West German Show lines, West German working lines, Czech and DDR lines, Belgian, French, Dutch, etc - would all be part of the European lines. 

It IS confusing!!! Takes a while to get it sorted all out. 

Basically, in broad groups, you have:
1) American Showlines
2) West German Showlines (the classic black/red saddle backed dog)
3) Working lines. 
- the working lines can be subdivided further based on their country of origin, but the differences are minor. Basically, they are ALL working line dogs, and are recognizable as such in both structure and characteristics. 

There is a big difference in looks, temperament and energy and drive levels between the American showlines and the German lines, be it show or working. So to help us help you find a breeder that will fill your wants, needs, and expectations, you should narrow down your choice to one of the three subgroups above (American, West German Show, or Working lines).


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

What made you decide to consider other breeders?


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

On average (with the data I have) approximately 56% of the GSD's registered are black and tan, so finding one with those colors shouldn't be a problem.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

GSD Fan, may I suggest that you take a little breather on worrying about breeders for now and learn a bit more about what exactly you're looking for in a dog and doing some research specifically on the breed. Right now to try and pick a breeder for you is a bit like the blind leading the blind. Because the problem is you really have no way to know fore sure what it is that someone is recommending to you because you don't have the basic knowledge of what it is you're looking at. I don't say this to be mean, I just think it would be a lot easier for you to feel comfortable with a decision on a dog if you do this. Don't worry about the little stuff right now--like where to put poop  But worry about getting to know all the nitty gritty stuff about the GSD that really is right for you.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

If you're up for it, fostering with a rescue group is a great way to figure out what you want and don't want!


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## GSD Fan (Sep 20, 2010)

What made me consider other breeders? Well, I stumbled upon a certain breeder site. I saw that that breeder priced their dogs the same, but . . . their dogs seemed better. Better pedigree, more titles, etc. Also, my current breeder seems to not like answering lots of questions. I don't know if it's because they are busy or what.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

You know, after about ninety-bazillion pages of debate on the "Bloodlines and the split" thread, the general consensus seemed to be that each of the three major lines (American Show, German Show, German Working) could produce great pets and could each produce real nightmares. 

You're looking for a black and tan pet. Any of the 3 lines will produce that. 

So I say, find a breeder you trust. Find someone who tests and titles their dogs, encourages you to ask questions, and asks you even more questions. Find a breeder that really tries to determine what you are looking for and is confident they can produce a dog that will meet your needs. I believe that, for the first-time GSD puppy buyer, this is more important than choosing a certain line.


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

GSD Fan said:


> What made me consider other breeders? Well, I stumbled upon a certain breeder site. I saw that that breeder priced their dogs the same, but . . . their dogs seemed better. Better pedigree, more titles, etc. Also, my current breeder seems to not like answering lots of questions. I don't know if it's because they are busy or what.


There are some questions she probably couldn't answer yet. If I'm not mistaken the dam is known, but the sire hasn't been decided on yet? 

So what was in the titles that you liked about the other breeders dogs? What kind of titles are you hoping to see to help you make your decision?


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## GSD Fan (Sep 20, 2010)

Yes, she hasn't decided on the sire yet.

I saw SCH titles, and I think, herding titles. There were all kinds of titles on some of the dogs of the site.

The titles that I think would influence my decision the most would be SCH, protection, maybe military, and other working titles. The dog will be my pet, but I definitely want to do something extra other than have her as a pet, such as tracking, agility, and maybe make her my guard dog because I will be living alone.

Here's the breeder that made me want to look around some more:
www.vonlotta.com


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

Well, that is a completely different type of dog--West German Show LIne. I don't particularily care for the breeder as it seems like they are not titling their dogs themselves. Unless there is a VERY good reason to send their dog off to Germany to get his titles rather than make the effort to do it themselves, I'm not that fond of the practice. I also find it odd that they talk about their own dogs being the "pick of the litter." I generally frown on that term.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

Oh dear. Don't even get me started on this page!
German Shepherd types and bloodlines with pictures | German Shepherd types | German Shepherd dog | German Shepherds


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## vomlittlehaus (Aug 24, 2010)

GSDFan....do A LOT more searching of websites. Pick through the information offered on each site. Remember, the breeder is the one who created the site to sell puppies. Most of what you will see is just an opinion of one person. You decide which breeder has the same 'code of ethics' you would want. Or the same 'breeding philosophy' as you would. Do they breed for the same character traits you want to see in your future dog. I think someone mentioned fostering. That would be great way for a newbie to get familiar with the breed. But you would need to foster different dogs to get an idea of what you can find in a GSD. If you are looking to work the dog, the show lines may not have enough drive for you. If you are looking to do agility, you may want a GSD closer to the standard in size (i.e. not over sized). And if you are not familiar with what that height should be, then you really need to do some research. You can pick up little tidbits of info from most every site you visit. TAKE NOTES, it will help you recall the information later.


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