# Not sure if my puppy is pure.



## Tems (May 18, 2011)

This is my first puppy, and he has been with me since he was 2 months old now he's 5 months.. People are telling me that he isn't pure because he doesn't have that roach back and also that his ears are slightly bigger. Not that I'm annoyed about it at all or that will make me love him any less, but I'd just love to know.

Here are pictures of him when I got him and now. If its a mix, what mix would it be? 



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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

wow -- now people are saying it is not a pure bred because it does not have a roached back ? That's a new one on me . 

Your dog looks just fine. Nice and solid . Go back to where you got him and ask them about the parents . 

Don't listen to the "experts" whose opinion is worth less than 2 cents .

Carmen


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## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

Wow, incredible change from then and now! I don't see anything in particular that'd make me doubt him being pure, his pigment is just a bit light and his ears are in their awkward stage. I'm no expert.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Wow, look at those ears!! From the first photo as an 8 week old, I'd have said he might be a mix, but from the second photo he looks pure to me. That cracks me up that someone said he had to have a "roach back" to be purebred.


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

His ears look all shepherd to me, they're just waiting for his head to catch up in size!


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## Tems (May 18, 2011)

Yeah I saw his mother, her brown'ish part in her coat was a bit light. The problem is that I got him as a present from a friend which I no longer have a connection to for the mean time. I know that you'll throw rocks at me, but I live in Egypt. I'm no expert at dogs but I like to go with the facts, people here just have 3 ways of showing if the GSD is pure his roach back, his ears and his structure. So far his back was always straight except for a little higher part in the towards the middle of his back, his ears went through all the weird stages and now its almost always up, but when he's relaxing or walking with no interest in mind, they just wobble around, and his structure seems to be very solid, with a big paws in comparison to older dogs that I've seen. From what I've read also that his eye color is the perfect one for a gsd. Again, I'm not an expert but I just thought I'd ask and above all I just care for him either way and I'm in love with his coat <3


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Tems said:


> I know that you'll throw rocks at me, but I live in Egypt.


Why would anyone throw rocks at you for living in Egypt? Everyone lives somewhere.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

He sure looks pure bred to me! Is he down in his pasterns? Or is it just the way he's sitting in the second picture?


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Jax08 said:


> He sure looks pure bred to me! Is he down in his pasterns? Or is it just the way he's sitting in the second picture?


I was thinking the same thing. Might be the shadow or camera angle. He still has big feet at 5 months, could be a big fella. A side photo would help.
He changed so much it would be nice to see interim photos. He looks pure and I hope you really enjoy him.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I thought the same thing about the pasterns. Definitely looks shepherd to me. Look at those ears, he's going to GROW!


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

Roached back? I thought if you couldn't ski down them they weren't purebred!!

Jk!!  Looks pure to me! But WOW what a change from puppyhood to now!!! :shock: I'd have thought he was mixed in the first picture but there is nothing that makes me doubt his breed in the second picture! Look at those EARS!!! :wild: Beautiful pup!


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Tems said:


> ...people here just have 3 ways of showing if the GSD is pure his roach back, his ears and his structure.


There's way too much variation in all 3 of those things to be using them as an indication of whether a dog is pure or not.


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## Tems (May 18, 2011)

Thanks a lot guys for the help, and no he wasn't down on his pasterns. I had a lot of comments about his big feet bones  I'll try to get a side picture tomorrow when there's some good light.


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## TankGrrl66 (Jun 29, 2010)

A roached back is considered faulty by the AKC version of the standard, at least. Somebody corect me if I am wrong?

Wow, what a change from early puppyhood! 

He looks purebred to me


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## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

That is one heck of a change!! Never seen that type of change in a coat..... I agree that his pasterns look down. Love his ears!!


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## Two (Jul 18, 2011)

Just because he doesn't have a "roach back" doesn't mean he isn't a purebred GSD. Read this before throwing out the name roach back.

Illustrated Standard of the German Shepherd Dog, THE BACK


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## Veronica1 (Jun 22, 2010)

He's SO handsome!


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Tems said:


> I know that you'll throw rocks at me, but I live in Egypt.


Lucky for you we can't throw that far.


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## Tems (May 18, 2011)

Two said:


> Just because he doesn't have a "roach back" doesn't mean he isn't a purebred GSD. Read this before throwing out the name roach back.
> 
> Illustrated Standard of the German Shepherd Dog, THE BACK


Thanks for that link, well I'll try and upload a picture of him from the side so you can see that his back is like pretty straight.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Great looking dog! Don't listen to people who don't know what they're talking about. I have a long coated gsd and lots of people have told me he must be a mix because gsds don't come with long fur


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Tems said:


> Thanks for that link, well I'll try and upload a picture of him from the side so you can see that his back is like pretty straight.


FYI- Not sure too many will care about his back being roached or not. Different lines have different back structures (although I think the roach is stemmed from the hip structure). Anyway- when a bunch of people were questioning the pasterns, this is what they were talking about:
Downed pasterns and the German Shepherd puppy

I bet most will be looking at those pasterns from the side shot- not the back.

[EDIT]- nevermind. Sorry- I see you already addressed this:


Tems said:


> Thanks a lot guys for the help, and no he wasn't down on his pasterns. I had a lot of comments about his big feet bones  I'll try to get a side picture tomorrow when there's some good light.


My mistake. :toasting:


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

yeah he looks like a mix to me,,a german shepherd x german shepherd))


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## Yaksh (Aug 9, 2011)

i live in Egypt too and i know every1 here believes in smth diff they have diff breeds than the other world and i just met sum1 2day (too bad hes a Dog trainer) he saw my GSD and was like nah thats not a GSD he has long hair, i think that gives u an idea of how important their opinions are lol.


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## Khan (Jul 19, 2011)

JakodaCD OA said:


> yeah he looks like a mix to me,,a german shepherd x german shepherd))


xD.
He's just a puppy, they have huge, huge ears and they grow into them 
He's gorgeous btw,


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