Good morning.
As a Shiloh breeder and enthusiast, I can certainly help answer some of your questions regarding the breed as much of what I've seen posted so far is a bit off the mark.
Respectfully, you cannot really state a breed's temperament based on a 'few' that one may have seen - not to mention if those were actual Shiloh's or long hair GSDs/mixes/etc. Broad stroke assumptions like that only create misinformation.
First, I am not in any way affiliated with the the 'breed founder' or the negativity involved with that club, but rather a supporter of the ISSDC (hxxp://
www.shilohs.org) which is a group solely aimmed at the promotion and the betterment of the breed.
Finding a well bred Shiloh from an honest breeder is a task. There were so much lying and politics going on in the breed club that they forgot to focus on what was important - healthy, stable dogs. I hope to see the breed recover one day.
This statement holds true with any dog of any breed and much should always been done prior to selection of a breeder. Including verification of health testing etc. And it's why anyone interested in a Shiloh (or ANY breed) needs to do a lot of legwork first - including visiting the breeder if at all possible, or seeking references for past buyers.
I don't in any way see the Shiloh as an 'improvement' over the GSD, but rather a breed unto itself with it's own merits and not 'better than' some other breed contrary to whatever someone may claim. The GSD is a wonderful dog and has many great characteristics, however the Shiloh (at least the ones I'm involved with) are breed for a more contemporary roll for today's canine - which is largely that of companion. Which is why any reputable breeder breeds with temperament in mind. Generally the breed demonstrates a soft to medium temperament, making them great for working roles such as therapy dog. I personally have a grump certified in therapy work, and am thrilled that one of our progeny just passed her therapy certification with Therapeutic Paws International last week.
Like ANY breed, a poorly socialized or developed dog can be skiddish, timid, etc. Equally, a well trained and socialized dog can be exceptional. Genetics and proper breeding definitely plays into it, as does ownership. Combination of nature and nurture.
As far as the comment "As far as lifespan goes-- the shiloh is a giant breed of dog that won't live much past 12 years, if that. So you are back to the drawing board as far as livespan goes.". Not sure where the statistics to support this statement come, but we generally see an average lifespan of about 12 years (on average). We currently have quite a few Shiloh's who just celebrated their 13th and 14th birthdays. Diet, exercise, etc all come into place with longevity. I have a number of senior Shilohs in my pack - and my male just came back from his annual bloodwork with 'blood of a two year old' according to the lab. Again - diet & exercise. My pack all eats a raw natural diet.
The breed is prone to many GSD ailments such as DJD, HD, EPI, bloat, etc. However, with responsible selective breeding, the likelihood of occurrence can be reduced.
As far as 'prone' to HD, no more so than any large breed. However again with proper breeding practices the likelihood is significantly reduced - eg I've yet to produce a failing hip and my contracts mandate hip testing by OFA/Penn by 2 years of age - and actually have had an entire litter return with OFA excellent ratings. If you breed good hips to good hips, your chances of producing poor hips are significantly reduced.
Yes, you can get a GSD cheaper (or so I assume). I can't speak for GSD breeders - but I can state for what I sell our pups for, we don't make a buck out of it. A breeder that invests in health testing, conformation shows, working titles, vet bills, diet, etc over the long haul is lucky to break even - but you do it for the love of a breed, and hopefully it's betterment.
Anyhow, how that helps you our She-Earl. I wish you luck, and feel free to pm me and I could provide you some links to resources that can help you along.
