German Shepherd dogs dying in misery due to intensive breeding

The Telegraph ^ | July 28, 2017 | Henry Bodkin

[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.

[CodeToad]

Your dog looks like what I remember a German Sheppard looked like. Today, they are skinny and look deformed.

[Salamander]

The AKC will do *nothing*.

They came to a local Dobermann backyard greeder’s place in WV, and all they did was “correct” the theoretical pedigrees on the dogs’ horrid, inadequate *outdoor* cages.

They ignored the filthy living conditions, the hordes of puppies, the cheap food, the lack of shelter and dirty water.

I was involved with an intentional registration fraud case, as a witness and after the DNA tests were done and it was found that not only was the listed sire *not* the sire, the pups had *multiple* daddies.

They simply issued “yellow papers” to the litter and nothing else was done.
Their points were not recalculated, the points of the dogs they defeated in the ring were not recalculated to reflect the disqualification of the entire litter from showing and the breeder was not even fined or otherwise punished.

Registrations cost money and they get that money.

That is all they care about.

[Salamander]

This year's Westminster "Best In Show".

A tragedy.

[golux]

looking for a good source..."

My approach would be to contact breeders and clubs and to specifically speak with people who do not have any interest in selling you a dog.

I approach these matters sometimes by paying an expert a small "consulting fee," with the understanding that they need to be absolutely impartial. In your case I might reach out to KC people in different places and just ask for advice and thoughts, as a favor, and distil any new information into a plan that seems sensible.

I do have reservations about the expense and potential cultural-related trouble of approaching distant foreign breeders: You are not unlikely to find someone who will tell you anything, who is anti-American or has other issues, and who will send you at astronomical expense not the best, but the worst of the litter.

"You don't like dog, Mr. USA? Fine. Send back."

Good luck and don't forget your local "pound!"

[xzins]

That’s nearly a foot in drop, wouldn’t you say?

That’s just a strange way for nature to build a dog.

It’s the GMO of the dog world.

[golux]

By the way, if I were looking for a good breeder, I'd private message Freeper Gennie on this thread!

[madison10]

Does the cropping KEEP the dog in pain? They are breeding for arthritis basically.

[Salamander]

Literally Google “old style/old fashioned German Shepherds”

There *are* lots of breeders out there who care about their dogs

http://pioneergermanshepherds.com/oldfashionedgermanshepherds_oldstylegermanshepherds.html

http://www.royalair.org/page.htm

http://www.windyacresshepherds.com/males.html

[Fiji Hill]

In the 1970s, it was Irish setters that were being over-bred. We had the misfortune of adopting a product of this over-breeding in 1977. Although it was a beautiful dog, it was high-strung, extremely stupid, and untrainable. We finally gave it away.

The dog fancier community eventually cracked down on the breeding of Irish setters. They are rarely seen today, but when you see one, it will likely be intelligent and obedient.

[Salamander]

There are *no* wild canids with drop ears.
Drop ears are an artificial concept and unnatural.

We have created deformed ears through breeding.

Cropping, in some breeds, prevents the inevitable chronic ear infections inherent with drop ears and tail docking is much better than the tail amputation that is likely to follow in dogs with thin, long tails.

So you are right, they do not *live* in pain for the rest of their lives, like intentionally deformed breeds do.

[Salamander]

It makes my soul ache.

*That* is why I no longer watch the annual dog show.

It’s become a freak show.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

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.

My peeve about breeders is that they can't possibly, under any circumstances, select for every adaptive quality that an animal needs. And if they're selecting for just a relative handful of traits they're going to end up with those traits, in an exaggerated sense, while completely leaving out the many traits the animal needs for its health and survival.

[fwdude]

To be honest, strategic breeding has always been done mostly for cosmetic reasons. Otherwise, all dogs would look like wolves.

[OneVike]

That’s sad. Then I’ll report them to the local authorities and shut them down.

[reed13k]

I thought Labs have the same hip issues longer term that GSDs do, so not sure that would help ... at least in that area.

[Hawthorn]

>> The problem is the AKC and other “show” promoters <<

Absolutely. A decrease in genetic diversity has resulted from the AKC’s standards, meaning that an increase in disorders from recessive genes has been the inevitable result. As with inbred and isolated human groups, so with canines.

A friend who runs a grooming business say that she now encounters cocker spaniels and golden retrievers with nasty dispositions. These formerly “sweet” dog varieties have been over-bred for certain AKC-desired characteristics like long ears and shinny coats, while too many breeders have paid scant attention to things like disposition, hip displasia, cancer, etc. They are literally ruining some breeds.

So what to do? Go for a mutt or mixed breed dog. They are much less likely to inherit the double dosages of recessive genes that are ruining so many of the pure-bred lines.

[I am Richard Brandon]

"It’s become a freak show."

And the dogs don't look right either. The people who control these shows really need to attend mandatory Common Sense and Compassion classes.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I would far prefer to own an “impure” GS. (Like my long deceased shepherd-collie mix!

I got my Sheltie from a "backyard breeder" whose philosophy is that the dogs she breeds are for pets, not for show, and so she breeds for health, not appearance. My dog was the product of two very healthy parents whose bloodlines show almost no inbreeding within many generations. My dog is the healthiest dog I've ever owned, bar none. Yes, he's a little on the big side, but I'm not worried about that. As far as I can tell, his siblings are just as healthy.

[discostu]

All the pure breeds need to be shaken up and de-purified. They’re all having problems, inbreeding is bad.

[JustaCowgirl]

Your dog is beautiful. Every time I see one of those German Shepherds with the sloping back, it makes me cringe. That poor dog on the right, my goodness.