Why European Bloodlines?
Max von Stephanitz had a vision of a multipurpose working dog. One that had the endurance and brains to herd the livestock, strength and instinct to protect the farm and livestock from predators and invaders, and a stable and loyal temperament so it could come home at night, lie by the fire, be part of the family and play with the children.
He worked his whole life to accomplish his dream, and he succeeded as the developer of the German Shepherd.
He also developed a rigorous test that all dogs that were to be bred had to pass, ensuring only the best were bred. This test became known as Schutzhund.
Schutzhund tests the dogs temperament, working ability, protection instinct and tracking ability. They must pass tests in ALL of the above on one weekend to obtain their title.
To this day all German Shepherds bred in Europe must obtain a working dog title before they can be bred. They must have either a Schutzhund title, a Herding Dog title or a Police Service Dog title. In addition they must have their hips x-rayed to screen out hip dysplasia.
THIS MEANS THAT IF YOU BUY A PUPPY OF STRAIGHT EUROPEAN BLOODLINES, THAT, ALL ITS ANCESTORS FOR THE LAST 100 YEARS, HAVE HAD TO EARN A WORKING DOG TITLE, HAVE BEEN TEMPERMENT TESTED, AND BEEN CERTIFIED FREE OF HIP DYSPLASIA.
That's a whole lot of peace of mind when you part with your hard earned dollars, and give a piece of your heart away to that cute little pup.
The North American Shepherd has become a breed of its own, far removed from the German Shepherds of the rest of the world.
When the breed arrived in North America it gained popularity quickly, especially with the airing of Rin Tin Tin.
When any breed becomes popular there is a lot of room for unscrupulous back yard breeders to earn a quick buck. With no thought to temperament, health issues or breed standard, they breed their female to a convenient sire and make some quick money.
Part of the demise of the North American Shepherd is that the CKC/AKC have no quality control. If both parents are registered, the pups can be registered. It does not matter if they have unstable temperaments, can be vicious, fear biters or are untrainable. It does not matter what inherited health problems they may have. They can be epileptic, dysplastic or have any array of health problems. If the parents are registered, the pups can be registered.
Do not get me wrong, there are many breeders of the North American Shepherd that are conscientious and trying their best to remove health and temperament problems from their lines. However good their intentions, they face an uphill battle.
Also remember - You get what you pay for. Many people breed for all the wrong reasons. "We wanted the kids to see the miracle of birth." "We thought she would be a better dog if we let her have one litter." "I could make some easy money, just buy a male and a female, breed them and charge half the price."
If your breeding is not aimed at improving the breed ... You are destroying it.
Recommended Reading: The German Shepherd Dog in Word and Picture - By V. Stephanitz
~Max von Stephanitz
~Nate Harves
