Purebred does not mean well bred…
Performance oriented breeding is a problem.
Podium dogs.. winning dogs.. famous kennel names and big titles. Breeders want to sell their puppies for the most so they try to cram all the winning dogs in the first few generations over and over again creating a genetic bottleneck. Just twenty years ago line breeding was desirable but now there is a problem with health issues in overbred bloodlines.
Breeding for color.
People are breeding out of standard colors. Most color breeders only breed for color and not health, confirmation, or working ability. I do not have any panda, blue, liver, white, or any other “color” dogs. The German Shepherd breed is not a color breed like Golden Retrievers.
The dark sable and black pigmented dog.
The dark color of working line dogs is directly connected to their neurological health. Click book for article.
A discussion about hip dysplasia.
There are a few different theories about canine hip dysplasia. One is that it’s a polygenetic inherited condition requiring the right environmental conditions to display itself and some say that all German Shepherds inherit the predisposition for dysplasia. If it was a genetic problem only all of the x-rays and hip certifications that have been done over many generations would have eliminated it by now but maybe we can’t because historically, GSD hips were not screened during the most important development years of the breed. They don’t shield the dog’s reproductive area when they x-ray and your dog has to be sedated and positioned properly on the table. It is not something I like having done to my dog and I am concerned about the possibility of injury.
This theory says it’s all environmental:
With all the effort that went into monitoring the inheritance of the disease, with incredible accumulation of data spanning over 50 years, the consensus is now emerging that the causes of hip dysplasia are only about 20% genetic and 80% environmental. You can mate two parents with excellent hips and get dysplastic offspring, or mate two dysplastic parents and get pups with normal hips. Some scientists go as far as to say that hip dysplasia is predominantly a bio-mechanical process, with genes playing a very limited part.
Theories that describe HD as mostly a bio-mechanical condition point to the fact that HD affects breeds with higher ratio of weight to height, and secondly that research has shown overweight individuals within the same breed to be twice as likely to develop the condition.
Whelping box causing hip dysplasia.
Breeding out resource guarding.
We have created these dogs from domestication and selective breeding. They are modified from their wild state and have behaviors that were purposely bred into them (genetically programmed) over many many generations so they would do the work we required of them. A guard dog has to be possessive to guard something or consider something to be of high value. People have issues with multiple dog management or they want to have docile and obedient house dogs they can easily handle at events and they want to keep dogs together at home unsupervised. The kennel club lines are breeding resource guarding down and have thus reduced working ability and they’re weakening the gene pool at the expense of the breed. Higher resource drive equates to longer mental strength when protecting. They are also calling dogs “reactive” now that are just doing what this breed was supposed to.
Secondary sex characteristics.
Dogs should look like dogs. B*!?&es should look feminine. It’s in every breed standard written for the breed.
Bloat
Bloat, also known as gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), is a serious condition that can affect German Shepherds and other large dog breeds. While the exact causes of bloat are not fully understood, several factors may contribute to its development. Some potential factors include genetics, anatomy, eating habits, and environmental factors. It's essential to provide proper feeding practices, avoid vigorous exercise after meals, and consult with a veterinarian for guidance on preventing and managing bloat in German Shepherds. If you suspect your German Shepherd may be experiencing bloat, it's crucial to seek immediate veterinary attention.
Disclaimer:
What I have written here may be against everything you were told and be careful of “common” knowledge because when it comes to dogs a lot of misinformation and folklore has been accepted as fact and echoed. I have made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct and up to date. It’s not a substitute for the knowledge and experience of a veterinarian. You should always consult with your veterinarian.