Chickentrain's Dog Q&A

[JacinLarkwell]

Its unlikely that your Grandma got her dog from a reputable breeder. Things happen, but reputable breeders will do genetic tests and will not breed together two dogs known for carrying a fautled color

Ah, okay. Figured I'd ask since I don't care about colors being recognized or bad for breeding since I have no intention to breed dogs and didn't know if that would be anything to mention when I am actively looking for a dog

 

[chickentrains]

here is a interesting blog, too : http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot.com/

 

[chickentrains]

Ah, okay. Figured I'd ask since I don't care about colors being recognized or bad for breeding since I have no intention to breed dogs

Yes, but any dog you bring into your home should be health tested and bred to standard to some extent. I know people don't care about papers, and just want a family pet, but just because its not show dog, doesn't mean it shouldn't follow its breed standard and be 100% healthy.

 

[black_cat]

Yep!

So a show line dog will not have the same energy and drive for their 'purpose' that a working line dog does, but will be trainable for show, sport (by 'sport' i mean stuff like Schutzhund but less extreme lol) etc?

 

[chickentrains]

Most goldens i know from iffy sources have Hip issues, eye issues, and they die of cancer.

Reputable breeders will breed away from these issues

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yes, but any dog you bring into your home should be health tested and bred to standard to some extent. I know people don't care about papers, and just want a family pet, but just because its not show dog, doesn't mean it shouldn't follow its breed standard and be 100% healthy.

No I get that and don't want an unhealthy dog. I just wouldn't care if color was one if the reasons it wasn't worth using to breed for the standard

 

[chickentrains]

So a show line dog will not have the same energy and drive for their 'purpose' that a working line dog does, but will be trainable for show, sport (by 'sport' i mean stuff like Schutzhund but less extreme lol) etc?

eh, sometimes. They are just as trainable, but they may not have as much energy

Most show line german shepherds do not have the drive for schutzhund, but most working lines do. Its because show line dogs have temperments suited for the show ring, not the temperment for bitety bitey things,

show line dogs are prettier, watered down drive and energy versions of their working line cousins

 

[black_cat]

Most goldens i know from iffy sources have Hip issues, eye issues, and they die of cancer.

Reputable breeders will breed away from these issues

Yep! My family is currently planning to get a golden puppy this spring or summer (not the first time with a dog or the breed) and will most likely be using the breeder that we've used in the past, who gave us an amazing, sweet golden who didn't have any hip, eye, or cancer issues and lived 16ish years. They know specifically that the breeder breeds to avoid hip problems, etc. I was too young to remember his puppy days, so it will be my first real time with a puppy.

 

[black_cat]

eh, sometimes. They are just as trainable, but they may not have as much energy

Most show line german shepherds do not have the drive for schutzhund, but most working lines do. Its because show line dogs have temperments suited for the show ring, not the temperment for bitety bitey things,

show line dogs are prettier, watered down drive and energy versions of their working line cousins

So show line will be better at walking around in a ring and being put before judges, but working line will be better for high level sports?
What about the competitions that you mentioned earlier when I asked about obedience ones?

 

[chickentrains]

No I get that and don't want an unhealthy dog. I just wouldn't care if color was one if the reasons it wasn't worth using to breed for the standard

color can sometimes be the source of health issues

like merle causing things like deafness, blindness, and skin cancer

and albino dogs having issues like blindness and deafness

blue and white dobermanns having alopecia and other skin issues

this is why breeders will stay away from such colors, or make sure 2 merle dogs never get bred together, and no two merle dogs with extreme white face or piebald get bred together

but there are also colors that have been deemed not ok by show standards, and while these colors are perfectly fine, they are not standard. The dog may not be less quality than its littermates, but it is a undesired color and breeders will try not to breed it. Fancy colors are often bred by byb breeders, so any dog you see that is a color off standard, may not automatically be from a byb, but it is a concern