Unfortunately, it's gotten to the point where they are no longer using German Shepherds as guide dogs and they seem to be phasing them out of police work as well. Such a shame.
Posted on 08/02/2017 6:20:55 AM PDT by Gennie
German Shepherds are living and dying in misery due to intensive breeding for “cosmetic” reasons, a major new report by the Royal Veterinary College has found.
A survey of data collected from 430 clinics across the UK reveals arthritis, cancer, aggression and sloping backs are afflicting the breed at higher rates than others due to aggressive selection.
Nearly one in two German Shepherds is being put down because they are unable to walk, experts said.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Unfortunately, it's gotten to the point where they are no longer using German Shepherds as guide dogs and they seem to be phasing them out of police work as well. Such a shame.
Morons. Who breeds a dog to be in pain?
Would a GSD-Lab mix fix the problem?
I need a guard dog along with a watch dog.
I have had many GS in my life. I’m grateful the breeders were/are like you. The photo on the right is cruel.
[ German Shepherd dogs dying in misery due to intensive breeding ]
In before the wise guys say “I wanna be like a german shepherd”
That’s hideous. You can tell just by looking at the dog on the right that that’s not healthy.
Some Dog breeds will eventually become to twisted because they focus on one specific trait tot he determent of others they end up heavily inbreeding these poor critters...
Look at how mangled the English bulldog is, they have to breed them artificially and they look almost nothing like the original breed...
I noticed that at Westminster the last few years. German Shepherds no longer have straight backs. They slope from the front downhill to the hind legs.
The walk really weird. Can’t even begin to imagine them guarding sheep with that.
They breed other dogs for pain...long backs much longer than can sustain a lifetime of sag. Dachshunds and others.
I am part of a rescue that places about 350 German shepherds per year.
About 20% have some hip or arthritis issues but it does seem to decreasing over the years. Most of the health issues come from previous owner neglect.
Almost none of the dogs come with the sloping backs.
Your dog is beautiful! (and the only time it is polite to say: “your bitch is beautiful!”)
That is one fine looking dog you have.
I had an uncle who bred German Shepherds for about 30 years and he would have loved yours.
My baby Daisy has a lot of pain in her hips, and she isn’t yet 3 Her sister Jasmine has no problems. They are from the same litter. You can see them on my profile page at the top. Daisy is the one in the back in the image of them laying on the grass.
I told the breeder they need to stop breeding the mother, because of the problems I am now finding out with Daisy. If they don’t I told them I would report them to AKC, and they will lose their accreditation.
I’ve noticed that on dog shows the German Shepherds always seem to have the lower back end that gives them a hyena-like appearance. I don’t remember them looking like that growing up. Rin Tin Tin certainly didn’t look like that.
God bless you!
WHere does one get good bloodlines then? East Germany? Czech GSDs?
Looking for a good source.
Dysplasia and degenerative myelopathy are not new problems for the breed, for which it’s hard to hold a “pure” breeder responsible. I am a GS lover, to be sure, but if it were a pure roll of the dice today... I would far prefer to own an “impure” GS. (Like my long deceased shepherd-collie mix!)
Very best to all frllow dog-loving FRiends (and wasn’t there a ping list?)
Golux
Ignore the ping.
You’re already here.
:)
“Morons. Who breeds a dog to be in pain?”
Who crops a dog’s ears and tail?
The problem isn’t breeders, they are the symptom......
The problem is the AKC and other “show” promoters that increasingly allow these grotesque physical proportions be the standard for breed to win “shows”....
If the AKC issues new guidelines, then the problem goes away in just a few generations....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.