# Rescue - possibly identify "type" of GSD?



## Monchi (Dec 10, 2011)

I adopted a gorgeous German Shepherd female from the pound last Saturday. My other half thought she wasn't pure- but she is. Her butt is BIG, not the typical sloped back, and she has a lighter "racing stripe" down her back. She's very short but her head is HUGE & her chest, 80 pounds at the vet. 

One Rotti breeder told me she's definitely pure, and she thought European style. Everyone seems to notice her "trot", it's very horse-like. I'm just curious what others would think of her. Here are some pictures:



















Hopefully I'll take some better pictures today. Not much info on her other than she's 4 years & the owner brought her in because they were moving.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

She's what we in rescue call a "poor bred", which means a poorly bred purebred. We say that about any purebred that winds up in rescue since good/responsible breeders usually take their product back and don't let them wind up in rescues or shelters.

That doesn't mean she's a bad pet, by any means, and she's a very pretty, elegant girl 
Congrats on the gorgeous addition to your home!


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

i need to disagree (respectfully) with msvette, good responsible breeders who take their dogs back are the exception rather than the rule. there are many, many, MANY beautiful purebreds in shelters all over the country. 

where msvette and i agree tho is that she's a very pretty, elegant girl. she will make a wonderful addition to your family. she is beautiful and (again), thank you for saving her.


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

If a breeder is not notified from a buyer that they need to re-home their dog......how can the breeder be lacking in responsibility?
Breeders are *people* too.....they can have the same *hardships* that anyone else faces......sometimes things are not (black & white).....

@ the OP......your dog looks to be a pure breeding....but I can't speculate on European or American. *Would she happen to have a tattoo in her right ear?...many breeders tattoo their dogs (as least before microchipping became a requirment for Germany).
I hope you and she have a long happy life together.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Robin, of course you're right that some folks forget.
But I'm guessing the dogs in shelters who come from poor breeders and puppy mills far outweigh the ones who came from breeders like yourself.

**Right now we have an AKC registered Dachshund in rescue and while I've notified the owners of the great-grandparents and grandparents, the grandparent's owners cannot get ahold of the dog's parent's owner. I can't even find them. 
The owners of the grand parents and great-grand parents do not want this little basket case back. This dog's grandparents belonged to a semi-good breeder, but the parents were not titled nor the grandparents, and I cannot locate this dog's parents (her breeders).


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

Oh...I wasn't totally disagreeing with you... No problem! 
I was merely stating that a dog can wind up in a shelter for *various reasons*....and for that reason, think of them as "poorly" bred would be a wrong thing to do...

That's all...just another opinion to add to the topic.
Robin


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

robin, i wasn't making a judgement call there, there are SO many reasons why dogs end up in shelters, totally agree that thinking of them as poorly bred is incorrect.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I think that poor breeders and puppy mills are the primary cause of dogs (especially purebreds) in shelters for two reasons, 1st they usually do not take the dog back and 2nd, they don't care to whom they sell the dog(s), once the dog is gone from the property or store, they don't think twice about where it winds up.


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## Monchi (Dec 10, 2011)

*Well I do live in Phx.....*

The 2 shelters in Phoenix routinely put down purebred dogs, the shelters here are just that full. The shelter volunteer who worked with me said that it's about 1000 dogs a week that all of the shelters in Maricopa County put down. Very sad. 

That being said, the Rotti breeder helped me look for any kind of tattoo and we didn't see any. Interestingly I had a GSD breeder in Petco ask me if I was interested in breeding her, lol, she's very pretty if a little short.

We went to the park awhile ago:



























This dog is amazing. Started to give her paw for the shake command after 4 repetitions


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## StryderPup (May 16, 2009)

I think she is beautiful and looks like a purebred to me! Thank you for rescuing her and welcome! She also looks like she fits in well with your little chihuahua. Keep us updated and the more pics the merrier


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## Monchi (Dec 10, 2011)

*Big & Lil*

Whoever said big dogs & little dogs can't get along?


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

not that it matters to the op, but the primary cause for dogs being in shelters is irresponsible people. whatever their origins.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

She certainly looks purebred, albeit backyard-bred, probably American "pet" bloodlines. A little insecure, but looks very sweet, and should make a perfect companion. 

Don't let her get too fat... it looks like she has a little extra padding on the chest.


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## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

You have two beautiful furbabies! Thanks for sharing the pics.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Freestep said:


> She certainly looks purebred, albeit backyard-bred, probably American "pet" bloodlines. A little insecure, but looks very sweet, and should make a perfect companion.
> 
> Don't let her get too fat... it looks like she has a little extra padding on the chest.


 Agreed on all counts.

Spend a little time here and you'll see what a true GSD from europe looks like.  It's a very different animal indeed.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

rerun, hopin you've got a hardware store close, you're gonna need to buy a tall ladder to get off that horse, lolol...

there are wonderful (and awful) specimens of the german shepherd dog in all lines. i saw some german dogs recently who could hardly walk, their roach and angulation were so extreme. but i would never presume to think they were all like that. good and bad, pretty and ugly, sheppies in all lines. and no matter what they look like, their owners love them nonetheless and one should maybe be aware of the difference in being truthful and being hurtful. jmho.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

uh, what high horse? I have several rescues here, they are great dogs. They are not european GSD's by any stretch of the imagination. OP asked a question, a few of us answered it. I love how I'm the one on the high horse.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

there's absolutely nothing wrong with
being on a high horse. 



Rerun said:


> uh, what high horse? I have several rescues here, they are great dogs. They are not european GSD's by any stretch of the imagination. OP asked a question, a few of us answered it.
> 
> >>>> I love how I'm the one on the high horse.<<<<


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

I guess it's better than a short horse.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

oh i know there are a few of you here who luv that rarefied air, lolol


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Congratulations! She's very pretty!



Monchi said:


> We went to the park awhile ago:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Rerun said:


> I guess it's better than a short horse.


Just remember....Whether it's a high horse or a low horse, if you fall off get back on.

Only mentioning that, because I was at a horse show today. A girl fell off her horse. She cried and went home. Never the answer. LOL!


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Monchi said:


> The 2 shelters in Phoenix routinely put down purebred dogs, the shelters here are just that full. The shelter volunteer who worked with me said that it's about 1000 dogs a week that all of the shelters in Maricopa County put down. Very sad.
> 
> That being said, the Rotti breeder helped me look for any kind of tattoo and we didn't see any. * Interestingly I had a GSD breeder in Petco ask me if I was interested in breeding her,* lol, she's very pretty if a little short.
> 
> ...


Thank you for saving her. She is beautiful. I adopted my pound GSD almost 12 years ago. Best decision I ever made. She has been a wonderful family pet. I'm sure your girl will be as well. Just beware of people in Petco who call themselves GSD breeders and want to breed to your dog. That ain't no reputable GSD breeder.


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## Snarly (Sep 7, 2011)

She does have a big butt! Is it fat or her structure?



Monchi said:


>


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## Monchi (Dec 10, 2011)

Yes, I couldn't breed GSD's after seeing another one on the elist tonight, especially just randomly meeting someone at Petco! 

I love her already, she's been great. I'm hoping to go hiking with her tomorrow.

And, her butt is big, but she could also stand to lose about 5 lbs. She's on a weight controlled food & 3 meals a day with some meds from the vet. Our vet didn't think she was too overweight.

Personally, I like her big butt. Her hind end is really strong, I try to push her back end around and she's got some muscle! Maybe it's my horse background, but I think she looks better as she is than like those GSDs with an angled hindend.


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## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

Monchi said:


> Whoever said big dogs & little dogs can't get along?


Certainly not I


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## Snarly (Sep 7, 2011)

Does she have bright points or is it just the lighting?


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## Monchi (Dec 10, 2011)

*stripe*

She has a distinct light stripe from mid-shoulder down her back. No black on the back of her neck.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

regina, that card is simply PRICELESS!!! beautiful, beautiful dogs!!!


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

not sure what the "stripe" is called, miss seraphina blue has it also. might be called "ticking"???


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Monchi said:


> And, her butt is big, but she could also stand to lose about 5 lbs. She's on a weight controlled food & 3 meals a day with some meds from the vet. Our vet didn't think she was too overweight.


If she's 80 pounds, she's definitely overweight. At first I thought she had a sag in her topline, but I'm thinking now that she's just got a big fat pad on her rump that rises *above* her topline, making it look like her back is sagging. Once she drops some fat and gains some muscle, she will look really good!


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

katieliz said:


> not sure what the "stripe" is called, miss seraphina blue has it also. might be called "ticking"???


It's usually referred to as a "bitch stripe", because it's fairly common in black & tan bitches. But even some males have it.


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## Snarly (Sep 7, 2011)

No I didn't mean the back of her neck or the bitch stripe, Here's a pic of what I meant .

Okay, well I don't know if it is just my computer, but the pic I posted shows up when I scroll up to the top of the page. :S
Just in case anyone is wondering why they can't see it .





Monchi said:


> She has a distinct light stripe from mid-shoulder down her back. No black on the back of her neck.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

so that's what the bitch stripe is, i thought it was the stripe that sometimes goes from the withers to the elbow area. they should call this the bitch cape then, cause it's way too big to be a stripe, lolol...what is "ticking" then???

to the op, sorry for the thread hijack!


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## Snarly (Sep 7, 2011)

Ticking is just another way of saying bitch stripe. It is a "ticking" of light hairs mixed with the dark ones.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

katieliz said:


> what is "ticking" then???


I have never heard the term "ticking" used for GSDs. In some breeds, it is a coat pattern that has little flecks of color on a white background, such as the Blue Tick Hound:


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## Snarly (Sep 7, 2011)

I hadn't either, I have always heard bitch stripe, but I have heard others use it meaning the same thing... I don't know if it is a correct term or not though.


Freestep said:


> I have never heard the term "ticking" used for GSDs.


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## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

katieliz said:


> regina, that card is simply PRICELESS!!! beautiful, beautiful dogs!!!


Thanks! The old fuzzy dog is Tori, she had just turned 14. The papillon (Jake) didn't have a tooth in his head but he thought he could push Mike around! For some reason Mike, who doesn't like most dogs, was very tolerant of the little guy.


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## Monchi (Dec 10, 2011)

*Bitch Stripe*

I'll see if I can get a good shot of just her back later when we walk in the park. Thanks for the info.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

She is VERY pretty. I have a rescue who is "American BYB lines" GSD (I have her pedigree) and they are variable in their traits because they are bred to the standard of the person who is tossing the dogs together.  

Mine is a dark blanket black and tan and she has a beautiful gait. Very bright, not great nerve, but super sweet and an obedience champion in the yard! Hip, back, eye issues. I think these dogs _can_ look better than the extreme dogs in any line. 

We get plenty of well bred dogs in shelters, contact the breeders when known (sometimes the dog has been passed around so many times it's difficult). I have posted before what it takes for a dog to get out of a shelter behaviorally and healthwise - and into a home or rescue and purposefully or not, there is some good breeding behind a dog who has the health and temperament to do so. 

There is no special immunity for a well bred dog when it comes to getting hit with bad times and hard luck.


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