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Working Line German
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Working Line German Shepherd Dogs
Our CORE BELIEFS follow suit with those of the man credited with founding the German Shepherd Dog in 1895 - Max von Stephaniz.
Re: The Dog
"The most striking feature of the correctly bred German Shepherd are firmness of nerves, attentiveness, unshockability, tractability, watchfulness, reliability and incorruptibility together with courage, fighting tenacity, and hardness."
"Utility is the True Criterion of Beauty."
"The impulse for work is born in our dogs."
" The dog who is kept in the kennel...is no better than a beast caged for show."
"The colouring of the dog has no significance whatever for service; our shepherd dog accordingly is not bred for colour. Colouring therefore is only a fad of the amateur and as such is often liable to changes of whim."
"Even the most perfectly built dog is of no use if he does not possess the incentive to give of his best and of his uttermost."
"The dog essentially thinks through his nose."
Re: The Breeder
"The breeder on a small scale, one who works with one or two bitches, is the most suitable breeder for working dogs, because he can care for his breeding animals and their progeny... and can produce sound, strong animals that can be trained."
"Breeding on a large scale and in a kennel is the ruin of all sound shepherd dog breeding."
"Breeding should never be made with animals that are not in work. The proof of the education of the dog for work is a necessity for admission for breeding, rather than show honors, which afford a very misleading idea of a dog's value for breeding."
"Breeding worth and show worth are two fundamentally different things which need not have anything to do with each other; and further, a show award must never be taken as a judgment of breeding value, but only, and this too with reservations, as an opinion that a dog might possibly be suitable for breeding."
"Efficiency for work must count for more with the shepherd dog breeder than the honors of the show ring."
"When we consider dog-breeding... it is imperative to produce dogs who, with a more suitable body-build and accordingly greater capacities, shall surpass their ancestors, and shall, further, form an assured guarantee of their powers of service, with an improvement, if possible, on their inherited qualities and talents."
Re: The Trainer
"The working dog is trained to be very smart on the word of command, but he learns to understand very much more beyond it, if only his master will take the necessary pains."
"Not everyone is suited to be an instructor, and still fewer to be trainers."
"To attain good results, the trainer must have an even disposition, decisiveness and clearness in giving his orders, and a loving understanding of the animal and his nature; and finally, he must have experience."
"Many amateurs have not the time, and do not feel that they have the capacity to instruct their dogs in the performance of their proper duties, and some dogs have thus been deprived of their general training. If these owners are at all in earnest about the breed, and their love for their dog, they entrust him to a professional trainer."
"The trainer must first learn self control before he can control the dog."
"The dog only believes in his master, who therefore must take care to bring to his work the right sentiments, and must understand how to arouse and keep the same in what is now his pupil, but later on will become his colleague.
"No training can be given without restraint, but the art of a good trainer consists in making this compulsion as imperceptible as possible, and, on the contrary, to allow the result of the training to appear as voluntary service. Compulsion, however, is not punishment, and when it must be resorted to, so to make the dog dependable, or to help him, the trainer must make the dog understand the difference by the tone of his voice and his countenance."
"Just as trust in the master is the highest necessity for all schooling, so obedience is trust at its highest and best.
The aim of the whole training is to make the dog willingly obedient, and so willingly obedient that he can do nothing else but obey."
Max von Stephanitz - Founder of Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (S.V.) with his friend Artur Meyer and breeder of the foundation working line German Shepherd Dog, Horand von Grafath, in 1895.
🐾
Quotes from The German Shepherd Dog In Word And Picture by V. Stephanitz
"The most striking feature of the correctly bred German Shepherd are firmness of nerves, attentiveness, unshockability, tractability, watchfulness, reliability and incorruptibility together with courage, fighting tenacity, and hardness."
"Utility is the True Criterion of Beauty."
"The impulse for work is born in our dogs."
" The dog who is kept in the kennel...is no better than a beast caged for show."
"The colouring of the dog has no significance whatever for service; our shepherd dog accordingly is not bred for colour. Colouring therefore is only a fad of the amateur and as such is often liable to changes of whim."
"Even the most perfectly built dog is of no use if he does not possess the incentive to give of his best and of his uttermost."
"The dog essentially thinks through his nose."
Re: The Breeder
"The breeder on a small scale, one who works with one or two bitches, is the most suitable breeder for working dogs, because he can care for his breeding animals and their progeny... and can produce sound, strong animals that can be trained."
"Breeding on a large scale and in a kennel is the ruin of all sound shepherd dog breeding."
"Breeding should never be made with animals that are not in work. The proof of the education of the dog for work is a necessity for admission for breeding, rather than show honors, which afford a very misleading idea of a dog's value for breeding."
"Breeding worth and show worth are two fundamentally different things which need not have anything to do with each other; and further, a show award must never be taken as a judgment of breeding value, but only, and this too with reservations, as an opinion that a dog might possibly be suitable for breeding."
"Efficiency for work must count for more with the shepherd dog breeder than the honors of the show ring."
"When we consider dog-breeding... it is imperative to produce dogs who, with a more suitable body-build and accordingly greater capacities, shall surpass their ancestors, and shall, further, form an assured guarantee of their powers of service, with an improvement, if possible, on their inherited qualities and talents."
Re: The Trainer
"The working dog is trained to be very smart on the word of command, but he learns to understand very much more beyond it, if only his master will take the necessary pains."
"Not everyone is suited to be an instructor, and still fewer to be trainers."
"To attain good results, the trainer must have an even disposition, decisiveness and clearness in giving his orders, and a loving understanding of the animal and his nature; and finally, he must have experience."
"Many amateurs have not the time, and do not feel that they have the capacity to instruct their dogs in the performance of their proper duties, and some dogs have thus been deprived of their general training. If these owners are at all in earnest about the breed, and their love for their dog, they entrust him to a professional trainer."
"The trainer must first learn self control before he can control the dog."
"The dog only believes in his master, who therefore must take care to bring to his work the right sentiments, and must understand how to arouse and keep the same in what is now his pupil, but later on will become his colleague.
"No training can be given without restraint, but the art of a good trainer consists in making this compulsion as imperceptible as possible, and, on the contrary, to allow the result of the training to appear as voluntary service. Compulsion, however, is not punishment, and when it must be resorted to, so to make the dog dependable, or to help him, the trainer must make the dog understand the difference by the tone of his voice and his countenance."
"Just as trust in the master is the highest necessity for all schooling, so obedience is trust at its highest and best.
The aim of the whole training is to make the dog willingly obedient, and so willingly obedient that he can do nothing else but obey."
Max von Stephanitz - Founder of Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (S.V.) with his friend Artur Meyer and breeder of the foundation working line German Shepherd Dog, Horand von Grafath, in 1895.
🐾
Quotes from The German Shepherd Dog In Word And Picture by V. Stephanitz
Things to Consider BEFORE Purchasing a Working Line German Shepherd
Owning and loving a working line German Shepherd can bring immeasurable pleasure, joy and satisfaction, but because your companion and workmate gives you his/her complete devotion, they require a significant reciprocal commitment from you. These dogs are stunningly beautiful, extremely intelligent and completely loyal, but they need an owner who understands their basic needs. As you contemplate whether or not one of our puppies is for you, please consider these questions as a part of your deliberation. If you are looking for someone else (eg a family member, significant other, etc.), we highly recommend you include them in this process.
- Do you know the difference between a working-line German Shepherd Dog versus an American-bred or show-line German Shepherd Dog?
- Are you looking for a dog or puppy you will specifically train as a personal companion, personal/property guardian, therapy, law enforcement, Schutzhund, search & rescue, detection, obedience, agility, etc.?
- How do you plan to train your puppy? If you are not experienced in training, have you consulted with a local kennel club or a trainer experienced with working-line dogs?
- Are you committed to adequately socializing your puppy so that he/she will grow up to be well-mannered/trained?
- Do you have a secure, fenced-in yard?
- Are you able to devote at least 30 minutes each day or longer exercising your dog?
- Will your puppy be raised inside your home as an integral part of your family?
- Even as puppies, German Shepherds are typically very clean and do not like to soil their living area. Are you prepared to potty train your puppy and be alert to their cues "to go out?"
- Are you willing to continue crate training with your puppy? As puppies, they learn that their crates are a safe haven. With consistent training, most puppies will sleep through the night between 10-12 weeks with no accidents.
- Are you prepared to keep a good supply of safe, chew-type toys to keep them occupied.
- What is your plan for containment during their formative puppy months to keep them and your things safe (crate, crate inside x-pen, larger-style kennel, etc)?
- Your puppy has been fed ProPlan Large Breed Puppy and/or Performance Sport 30/20. Are you willing to continue feeding ProPlan, Royal Canin German Shepherd (if available in your area) or a similar feed that meets AAFCO standards?
- Are you prepared and committed to the ongoing annual expense of quality vet care for annual health exams, vaccinations, monthly heartworm/parasite/flea preventatives?
- Are you prepared financially to cover any medical emergencies that may require hospitalization of your dog and/or follow-up care?
- Do you plan to spay or neuter your puppy when he or she is old enough (fully mature around 18-24 months)? If so, are you prepared to keep your puppy separate from females in season or an intact male whilst in season until the alteration is performed?
- Since your puppy will come with AKC registration, are you open to taking him/her to puppy classes with the intention of earning a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title? This is a first step in obedience/socialization. We highly recommend as a minimum, joining a local kennel club that offers this and other classes that prepare a puppy for learning obedience whilst being around other dogs and people.
- If you desire to purchase a puppy under private treaty with hope to breed in the future, do you have at least 5 years minimum experience as a breeder? If so, are you willing to share your breeding, genetics, gestation, whelping, neonatal/puppy care knowledge plus training/working line knowledge as well as references from your puppy parents, repro vet, etc.? Are you willing to prove your puppy's breed worthiness by placing your dog at work/in service and/or by earning working titles?
If you are able to answer these questions for yourself satisfactory, then feel free to submit a puppy application.
