 Barked: Thu Apr 26, '12 9:11pm PST |
 | |  | | Thanks for the added info, Zephyr, re Narnia. I get that. Just trying to match Quinlan with breeders whose GSDs have some reputation for a good mind. Wouldn't be surprised if they were not to my taste either, but it seems like they hit that mid line temperament wise without too much angulation, which obviously bugs Quinlan. Reminding everyone this is not Quinlan's choice of dog, but rather what her SO wants. So finding a dog not incompatible with her Sheltie sensibility has been on my mind.
Regarding the distance question, I think particularly with this breed and all its issues, if there's an exceptional breeder, it's worth the added haul. Here in the U.S., there are less than twenty breeders you wouldn't have to pay me money to take a puppy from.
@ Mulder, just musing that if for ten generations you had nothing but crappy producers, you wouldn't have any dogs to brag on...you'd be an unsuccessful breeder. The GSD has many breeders of success, but an overload of what I term as "producers" vs "breeders." To me there is a difference. Not discrediting the former, particularly given that rarely will Germany sell its best puppies and thereby for the American puppy buyer there need to be options. If where you succeed is from the offspring of the stud-you-purchased and bitch-you-purchased, then you are producing puppies, meaning (if successful) you have the ability to import well and the knowledge (important, for not all do) to follow patterns of known crosses that work. This vs a breeder actually being what is behind that pedigree, building their line to that point and thereby knowing it thoroughly, having a good concept of the direction their line is heading, and where success is attained. More distinctly, you can't really soundly improve what you are producing if you don't have your own line. The basic format of breeding animals is an extremely sound female line....that coveted foundation bitch (or two) that you build off of and improve in the ensuing generations.
So that's the difference....if you admire certain German lines and dogs, you can see what is on offer from people importing those lines. Whereas, if you admire a particular stud or a dog from a particular female, whether the breeder using that dog was actually behind the dog himself becomes a more salient question. For those who do not build female lines are not behind the pedigrees of the dogs they produce, and those who do, are.
Quinlan....I am hoping I am not confusing Dogster Shelties here, but I believe you have a tight relationship with your very savvy breeder. You might also talk to them....they might well know someone in your region they admire. I am still trying to find out for you who has a lot of Appleridge lines. That's a very sound line for OB, rally, etc. You could also talk to your regional OB club for what is out there also.
Whatever you do, BE CAREFUL, do research....there are a lot of problems this breed faces, so you'd need to head in with your eyes wide open. |  |  | |  |
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I am trying to drum up showline breeders who do well in the upper OB ring and don't breed anything too extreme, and/or import breeders who stick with their female families. Maybe you know a different spin also 
Where is Bullinger located?
