# Is there such a thing as a red and black working line gsd?



## TylerK454 (Feb 8, 2013)

I was browsing videos on youtube when I saw a video of a guy with a red and black saddleback german shepherd that was trained for personal protection. 

I though only showlines were red and black


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

showlines can work.



TylerK454 said:


> I was browsing videos on youtube when I saw a video of a guy with a red and black saddleback german shepherd that was trained for personal protection.
> 
> I though only showlines were red and black


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Contact Huerta Hof is you don't think showlines can work! lol. They have some pretty awesome dogs that do work. Robin has pictures of her dogs during training and several people who've purchased pups from her share pictures and post videos as well.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

Working lines can also be black and red/tan. I personally know a couple.


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## TylerK454 (Feb 8, 2013)

Oh for the the most part people have told me that showlines are only bred for looks and can't really do anything


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

mycobraracr said:


> Working lines can also be black and red/tan. I personally know a couple.


That would be my dog


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

TylerK454 said:


> Oh for the the most part people have told me that showlines are only bred for looks and can't really do anything


 
this is true with SOME lines but not all lines. Some lines are strictly bred for looks but this isn't the case for all. This is why it's important to research quality breeders.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

LOL^

Those people were wrong. I'm not particularly a showline fan, but there are _plenty_ out there that can and do work in multiple venues.


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## gsdlover91 (Jul 21, 2012)

Showlines are definitely capable of doing work. Depends on the individual dog, can't generalize em all. And yep, there are red/black working lines.


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## RubyTuesday (Jan 20, 2008)

For that matter there are WL GSD that aren't suited to work. It really comes down to the focus of the breeding program & the individual dogs. On average, a greater percentage of WL are probably suited to working endeavors but this is not universally true.


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## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

My pups parents are working dogs... They are gorgeous showline;
So I don't know any better, but these guys work as hard as any other shepherd =) 

V (NASS 2012) Hendrix (3xIPO3, KKL, HD a1, ED a1, DNA)

V, SG (BSZS 2011) Jenna (IPO2, KKL1, HD a1, ED a1, DNA)

are my wrong?


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

There are some differences in the working ability and trainability that I have seen or noted or been told (by showline breeders).

Many showline dogs "work" and are titled...many are used for 'working' venues and sport...I have seen showline dogs on TV News with a police officer at a crime scene...I have known of showline dogs who are certified LE dogs....

The showline dogs under SV breeding criteria must be titled.

There are definitely differences in the trainability of the dogs and methodology used/needed for performance. I have not seen dogs from EVERY breeder cited, I have not seen thousands of showline dogs. But I have seen as many or more than most working line people. The hardness and resilience is definitely different. The approach to training and trials on the part of owners is commonly different. The experienced helper works the showline dog differently than the working dog....

I will not cite names of breeders, helpers, or dogs....but I have seen many showline dogs being worked and it is not the same - yes, of course, there may be a few exceptional dogs who can be worked like a working line dog....I have seen well known German handlers passing by and stopping to visit and do some warm up with a VA dog tell a helper - 'he's good - but don't work him like a grau dog...' They had 2 dogs to work and both were VA dogs, and I think one of them was VA1....

Lee


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

wolfstraum said:


> There are some differences in the working ability and trainability that I have seen or noted or been told (by showline breeders).
> 
> Many showline dogs "work" and are titled...many are used for 'working' venues and sport...I have seen showline dogs on TV News with a police officer at a crime scene...I have known of showline dogs who are certified LE dogs....
> 
> ...


Definitely don't work the same. At least in the ones I have seen and granted that's not very many. I have also seen them like the work when it's all happy and fun but put the pressure on and the dogs no longer enjoy it. 

Again just what I have seen in the dogs I have worked owned or been around.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

There are red and back showlines that work and there are red and black working lines. I have a red and black showline dog that has more of an old school type temperament. The more pressure there is the more he steps up and the better he works. He works and looks much better doing SDA than SchH though he does pretty well at SchH too. Most showline dogs I see worked these days tend to do pretty well until they mature and can't really transition from the prey work lots of helpers do with younger dogs to any actual aggression that isn't just defense.


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

This is Hazel and she is a black and red working line. In real life her color is much more rich looking than in this photo. Here is her pedigree;
Hazel von Narnia


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## Ashly C (Jan 18, 2021)

TylerK454 said:


> Oh for the the most part people have told me that showlines are only bred for looks and can't really do anything


What people have told you is false. Maybe for American showline that could be true but west German showlines can definitely do work as well. I breed them. My breeding dogs have pedigrees with champion show titles but also all have working titles as well.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

This thread is NINE years old.


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