# Titles



## Gsd11188 (Sep 16, 2021)

Assume not looking to compete in SchH/IPO but looking for all around tempered GSD good in the home:
Would you adopt puppy that has parents / siblings without titles but ancestry otherwise consistently has good titles?


----------



## drparker151 (Apr 10, 2020)

Health first, hips, elbows, DM testing? Then how active are owners of the breeders pups in an owners group. Sharing training, real work, health issue. Years later still engaged and very happy with the pup. 

So is the breeder producing healthy pups, that are out there, doc diving, herding, doing nose work. 

So titles by themselfs are not important to me. If there are no titles, no health testing, and no owners to talk to, I'd skip that breeder.


----------



## CeraDean (Jul 9, 2019)

Schutzhund was originally created as a breed test. It’s turned into a sport where many of the top competitors are bred for points. 
That said, schutzhund does test some important traits. For example: there’s a temperament test to even title. Noise sensitivity tests. It tests for balanced drives. Transitioning between drives. Capping excitement. Handler sensitivity. Many more things that a much more experienced eye can read. 
Other sports will also tell you much more than the dog’s ability to jump off a dock and catch a toy or stand to look pretty for a judge. 

So many of the things that are part of the schutzhund sport also test the ability of the dog. This can help a breeder read a dog and better match their dog to breed a stable litter.


----------



## Bramble (Oct 23, 2011)

No, but.

Titles don't always mean what we would like them to mean. A nervy dog could still get an IPO3 with the right training and handling. For me titles mean a breeder has been training and working with the dog and hopefully assessing temperament, drive, health, ect... Someone just breeding dogs because an ancestor has a certain title likely doesn't actually know what their dog is capable off and how they react in stressful environments because the dog has never left the property.

Titles in something other than IPO are fine, but you should know what the sports involve and they are actually assessing. An actual working dog also may not have titles if they are doing LE, SAR, SD, ect...

The majority of reputable breeders get into breeding via love of competing in a certain sport then start breeding. They are breeding in hopes of producing their next sport prospect. Breeders who start breeding simply to produce litters and sell puppies aren't someone I'd likely buy a puppy from.


----------



## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

People dismiss them a lot but dogs that compete in agility, rally, dock diving, etc are routinely exposed to crowds, noise, animals and general commotion which can tell you a ton about how your pet dog is going to react to day to day life. 
Health should be primary, always. Titles don't mean as much as some breeders think but I would steer clear of any breeder who is just purchasing breeding stock from titled lines repeatedly.


----------



## DHau (Feb 24, 2007)

Sabis mom said:


> Health should be primary, always. Titles don't mean as much as some breeders think but I would steer clear of any breeder who is just purchasing breeding stock from titled lines repeatedly.


I wish I had known this 15 years ago. I am in the process of looking for another puppy and noticed that some kennels' dogs only have the basic title in obedience and that's it.


----------



## Hexenrudel (Feb 26, 2018)

Sabis mom said:


> People dismiss them a lot but dogs that compete in agility, rally, dock diving, etc are routinely exposed to crowds, noise, animals and general commotion which can tell you a ton about how your pet dog is going to react to day to day life.
> Health should be primary, always. Titles don't mean as much as some breeders think but I would steer clear of any breeder who is just purchasing breeding stock from titled lines repeatedly.


Totally. I have been involved a lot in CKC events - obedience, agility, detection. People, dogs in very close proximity, lots of stimulation out there and the dog must still perform.These titles are a great addition to protection titles.


----------



## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

You have to look at the big picture. Titles tell you if your dog has the temperament and physical ability to work. If you want a dog to herd sheep, you find one whose lines show they excel at that. Same thing with titles. I’ve also noticed breeders might use a titled sired and an untitled dam, mostly because of the time and cost to title females. It takes around 3 years, so they are at least 4 by the time they can breed them. That means they lose 2 years of optimum breeding time. It also depends in what you plan to do with the dog. At the very least the parents should be able to accomplish ass much as you plan to pursue.


----------

