# Czech vs DDR



## Sadie_M (Feb 9, 2015)

I was wondering as a whole if you had to stereotype them (I know stereotyping is not nice ha and that each separate line changes things and that all czech dogs were ddr at one time but they branched off for a reason) how would you describe czech dogs or a ddr dog. For example I've met two czech dogs with what I would call an off switch but the rest I've seen have no off switch/ can not be satisfied unless they're working 24/7 - can it be said that czech dogs are the higher drive between the two on average? Because I personally stereotype them that way. I have not been around many pure ddr to pass judgement.


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## Sadie_M (Feb 9, 2015)

And because the lines make a difference what are some of the lines where the dogs will work and do their jobs well but have off switches to make them suitable in all environments (home, public, etc)


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## Moriah (May 20, 2014)

If you to to "forums" in the menu, there is lots of info on different lines of dogs. If you are honest with a good breeder about what you want and what you can handle, they can pick an appropriate puppy no matter what the line.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

I would be interested also. A lot of first time GSD owners don't even know this question exist!
I state that as a "former" clueless first time GSD owner!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Moriah said:


> If you to to "forums" in the menu, there is lots of info on different lines of dogs. If you are honest with a good breeder about what you want and what you can handle, they can pick an appropriate puppy no matter what the line.


To much work, I want to be spoon fed!:blush:


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

False. Hans is pure Czech and has a very good off switch.

What I was told by the breeder is that DDR dogs tend to be less affectionate, while the Czech lines bond very deeply with their owner.

Again, this is a stereotype, it all comes down to the individual dog.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Sunflowers said:


> What I was told by the breeder is that DDR dogs tend to be less affectionate, while the Czech lines bond very deeply with their owner.


Can only speak for my full ddr dog, but he's probably the most affectionate dog i've ever owned. I can't sit on the coach without him rolled up in a ball and his head on my shoulder or lap. The dog never lets me out of his sight. Really, he's all over anyone that gives him attention. Very very friendly, social, and affectionate dog. Definitely not an aloof dog.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I think it depends on the individual dog and the pedigree behind the dog. czech *vs* ddr shouldn't really be something to compare. 

Karlo is Czech and W/G and the blend is very good pedigree-wise.
He carried a bit of suspicion early on, matured out and it went away...always a confident pushy dog, not the highest drive, but very balanced and a thinker. Higher in threshold as well. He is aloof to people he doesn't know, but is super happy, friendly after he gathers his information, discerns who is who. 

Karlo spent a couple weeks at a vet university teaching hospital. I worried about his psyche once I knew he'd survive, but he had literally no ill effects from two weeks of constant poking/prodding and handling by strangers.
He was muzzled of course for the medical procedures he went through, but none the worse for wear in a glorified shelter environment with IV's as accessories and living in a high stress environment.

I train with a full ddr youngster, and he carries no suspicion, is a bit low in threshold(leaky in his drives) and a goofy attitude...protection work is showing potential. 
For both, they should be allowed to mature a bit before judging the total dog.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I agree with Jane that I think it depends on the dog and the lines the dog is carrying.

I have a 1/2 Czech and DDR/WG working line girl.

Slow to mature, high drive, low thresholds and high energy. Took about 2 years for her to settle in the house. She is very social with people but is quick to turn on if there is a threat or unusual activity. She will bite for real so not for the faint of heart. She is also one of the most fun dogs I have ever met, super biddable (but as she matures is showing more independence without loosing that biddablity) and has the most incredible natural focus. She has yet to fail at a task given to her (we have tried almost every venue out there). Super agile, athletic and FAST. She has had some health issues recently and has been a superstar at the vet, allowing some pretty intense handling (anal gland issues) without the need of a muzzle and happy to interact with the vet and assistance after each procedure. 

I think it has a lot more to do with the breeding and dog itself than the Czech vs. DDR thing.


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## Cschmidt88 (Nov 24, 2010)

I definitely agree that it comes down to the individual dog, and the individual breeding. But out of all the dogs I know, the majority of the Czech or predominantly Czech dogs seem to have lower thresholds. But at the same time I know a female who's half Czech and half W/G who is awesome, very high thresholds, super confident, eager to please, with tons of drive. Totally unconfrontional with other animals. All were more of a sporty/agile build.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Ranger has an excellent off switch. He has great house manners, almost seemed to come with them. Outside he goes into "go mode" if there is another dog with him, he'll nip and attempt to herd it, it's like he just can't help it. He would stimulate quickly to some things, but just as quick return to calm, we don't see this as much now, he'll be 3 this summer.

Last year at 2, he was bitten by a kid on the back, no physical response, he just moved over to DW. He's pretty calm when out and about, but does not do well with the loud "OH MY GOD, HE's SO FUZZY!!!!" people, he's ok once they are calm. 

He's a great dog, wife took him to work yesterday as a coworker wants a Gsd, her and her husband loved him, he was an excellent ambassador of the breed.


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## Prager (Jul 3, 2011)

There are now different types of Czech dogs. Some are indistinguishable from WG lines and then there are what I call the "Old Style Czech dogs"OSCZD, The OSCZD bond very deeply with their owner and that is one of the reason why it take them little longer to get used to new owner. since they do go through little grieving period. They should have off switch. Dogs who do not have off switch are usually super high drive sport type dogs and such behavior is a fault IMO because high drive should not be correlated with hyperness =not having switch off ability. Not having switch off is in my book disqualifying fault in my breeding criteria.


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

It really does depend on the individual dog. I also prefer the WG / Czech bred dogs. Excellent nerves, high drive and nice working ability. The WG WL addition addition to the pedigree brings a lot and is very desirable, IMO.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

I also like Czech/West WL mix. I started breeding Czech/West/DDR mixes in mid nineties when most West WL wouldn't touch a Czech dog and most Czech breeders didn't have meaningful West WL in their dogs. Now there is a proliferation of Czech/West dogs in very reputable kennels throughout the world,( except for maybe Germany,holland, and Belgium who all tend to be purist in sport), so I think the breed has benefited Fron these two mixing.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Cliff, do you like seeing particular West/DDR/Czech lines mixed and if so, which would you say produces as closely to your ideal than others?

ETA: I meant to add, which particular dogs do you like seeing mixed from those lines.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

For me there are many lines of all of these dogs( Czech, West, DDR) and it's difficult to specify particular dogs as I tend to look at the four quadrants of each parent and try to figure where the traits are stacked. So there can be dogs in a pedigree that I may like once but don't want to see twice. Or a dog that I don't care for but is not in a strong enough position to be deal breaker. I don't look for perfect litters like many anal folks do, but rather for strong balance on both sides, especially the dams. I'm not overly fond of today's West WL or todays DDR lines, but twenty years ago I loved both of these lines.....just shows how fickle I can be.


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## Susan_GSD_mom (Jan 7, 2014)

Prager said:


> ...then there are what I call the "Old Style Czech dogs"OSCZD, The OSCZD bond very deeply with their owner and that is one of the reason why it take them little longer to get used to new owner. since they do go through little grieving period....


This is exactly the way my boy is, who came from good Pohranicni Straze bloodlines, imports from, I believe, around 1990 or so. I have had GSDs bond strongly with me, but this boy came to me as a two year old, he was a rescue with a difficult, abusive and neglectful background--yet he bonded with me within ten minutes of first meeting me at the foster's home. I could not bring him home until the following week, and the foster mom told me when I left that first day, he went to the window and watched as I got into my van and drove away, and waited there until she crated him. For that whole week he went to the window right at the time I had left, and waited. When I came back to get him, he walked out of the house without a backward glance, and never mourned at all from that moment on. I think he just never had the opportunity to bond with anyone, or never found anyone to his liking.
That bond has grown stronger each day it seems. The only canine I had a stronger bond with was half wolf, half GSD that I had acquired when he was 4 weeks old. 

This little boy is going to leave as big a hole in my heart when he passes away, a day I am already dreading, and hopefully it's a good 9-10 years from now!

Susan


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

cliffson1 said:


> For me there are many lines of all of these dogs( Czech, West, DDR) and it's difficult to specify particular dogs as I tend to look at the four quadrants of each parent and try to figure where the traits are stacked. So there can be dogs in a pedigree that I may like once but don't want to see twice. Or a dog that I don't care for but is not in a strong enough position to be deal breaker. I don't look for perfect litters like many anal folks do, but rather for strong balance on both sides, especially the dams. I'm not overly fond of today's West WL or todays DDR lines, but twenty years ago I loved both of these lines.....just shows how fickle I can be.


Thanks Cliff for your response. I tend to look more so at the dam line (not sure why to be honest at this point, just feel like a strong dam line and strong bitch will give more to the pups than the sire even though I know genetics don't work that way.. LMFAO!). 

I tend to favour one particular breeding pair and want to see them in the dogs I work, and have seen them show up in unknown dogs I have met or watched. I am no where near experienced enough to say much more than that though.. just that I personally seem to like the traits coming from these lines (Czech).


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## Prager (Jul 3, 2011)

Susan_GSD_mom said:


> This is exactly the way my boy is, who came from good Pohranicni Straze bloodlines, imports from, I believe, around 1990 or so. I have had GSDs bond strongly with me, but this boy came to me as a two year old, he was a rescue with a difficult, abusive and neglectful background--yet he bonded with me within ten minutes of first meeting me at the foster's home. I could not bring him home until the following week, and the foster mom told me when I left that first day, he went to the window and watched as I got into my van and drove away, and waited there until she crated him. For that whole week he went to the window right at the time I had left, and waited. When I came back to get him, he walked out of the house without a backward glance, and never mourned at all from that moment on. I think he just never had the opportunity to bond with anyone, or never found anyone to his liking.
> That bond has grown stronger each day it seems. The only canine I had a stronger bond with was half wolf, half GSD that I had acquired when he was 4 weeks old.
> 
> This little boy is going to leave as big a hole in my heart when he passes away, a day I am already dreading, and hopefully it's a good 9-10 years from now!
> ...


I think you are right . the dog never bonded with anyone before and his inherited desire was first time satisfied by you. I am glad you got him..... Have read story of Hatchiko? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJxgu8TtIWI


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## Susan_GSD_mom (Jan 7, 2014)

Prager said:


> I think you are right . the dog never bonded with anyone before and his inherited desire was first time satisfied by you. I am glad you got him..... Have read story of Hatchiko? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJxgu8TtIWI


Thank you so much for your kind words. He is a very good dog. I am a caregiver for my sister who is disabled. He has many times saved her, at the very least, from what could have been a bad fall, or worse, serious injury. He wakes me up at night to go to her if she needs help. No one assigned him this 'job', he took it all upon himself. He is invaluable.

Yes, I have seen that video about Hatchiko, it brings tears to my eyes when I watch it. It humbles me that you relate my Orick to such a faithful dog.

Again, thank you so much.

Susan


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