Show Line vs Working Line German Shepherds: Which to Buy ?

Looking for a good family protection dog or something more sporting for Schutzhund? Show line vs working line German Shepherd: which to buy? That is the question this article will address. Since the 1950’s, purebred German Shepherds have separated into two distinct subgroups— working line German Shepherds and show line dogs. So the question is, whether you are simply looking for a family companion dog or a trained guard dog, what do you choose?  As this article will show, working line dogs are superior in two significant ways. Find a great pedigree working line German Shepherd puppy for sale and you should end up with a far healthier and far more trainable dog than a show line dog.  The health and trainability of the working line dogs simply cannot be matched! Healthy and very trainable, choosing a working line dog is a no brainer!  Continue reading to see why it makes far more sense to choose a working line German Shepherd puppy for sale than a show line dog— even if that dog were a Westminster winner.

Superior Trainability of Working Line German Shepherds

Schutzhund requires exceptional work ethic and persistence. Dogs that succeed in Schutzhund have been selectively bred to excel in protection, tracking and obedience work. By testing working line German Shepherds against an objective exams, puppies from titled parents consistently score higher in obedience and protection work.

• Schutzhund titled working line German Shepherd’s must possess both endurance and focus in order to pass Schutzhund/IGP exams. Puppies produced from pedigrees where generations of dogs have been tested against an objective standard consistently outperform dogs lacking this kind of testing. This should come as no surprise.
• It’s not so much the testing that improves outcomes. It is when breeders exclude dogs that don’t meet minimum standards. And this is one of the key pitfalls in so many of the show lines. AKC championships are essentially beauty contests. Many of these dogs are never tested for aptitude in serious obedience work, tracking and protection. What do you get when generations have never been tested against objective exams? Big couch warmers. Dogs that look like German Shepherds but are largely unable to function according to the standards for which GSDs were bred.
• Choosing working line German Shepherds build on titled parentage where dog after dog in pedigrees have proved their aptitude as highly trainable with strong inherited protection instincts makes the most sense. Want a family friendly dog with a high aptitude for protection work, then choose a Schutzhund titled dog build on dogs that have passed their IGP exams.
• Food and ball drive ensures that a puppy remains engaged during training sessions. Dogs without these drives will be a bear to train. Most times they end up washing out and won’t pass their IGP exams. Food and ball drive are key attributes to look for in breeding stock for working line GSDs.

Genetic Stability in Temperament and Nerve Strength

Schutzhund titled German Shepherds must display stable “dry nerves.” Dry dogs are those dogs that are not a bundle of nerves. They don’t shiver and quake at every unexpected noise or situation. Dropping a metal pan and watching how young puppies respond can be a way to evaluate temperament and nerves in young puppies. Or bringing puppies into rooms with different floor surfaces. How do puppies respond to slick concrete floors, shinny hardwood or tile— especially when they are first being exposed. It’s typical for a dog to express caution. But are they frightened? Do they refuse to walk? Puppies that whimper and express fear will often not be good candidates for Schutzhund and IGP work. These are not the dogs you want to hold back as future breeding stock. Stable nerves are critical in both obedience and protection training. Dogs that are overly anxious, fearful, or excitable struggle won’t make the cut when it comes to intense training. As noted earlier, testing dogs against an objective standard is crucial to improving the German Shepherd breed. With working dog’s regular testing, working line German Shepherds consistently score higher in Schutzhund obedience and protection exams than show dogs. And this just makes sense. Test and exclude and you improve your lines.

• Schutzhund-titled dogs undergo extensive temperament testing. This testing ensures the dogs that pass remain confident and composed under stress. More testing and excluding dogs that don’t pass their exams leads to more stable and trainable offspring.
• Show line breeding often prioritizes aesthetics over temperament, meaning that some lines produce dogs that are overly sensitive, reactive, or lacking the confidence needed for demanding training exercises.
• Puppies from Schutzhund titled lines are better equipped for dry nerves, calmness and stability.

As Bannasch makes clear, one of the more significant advantages of working line German Shepherds is their superior genetic health due to selective breeding practices (Bannasch et al., 2021). Ethical breeders prioritize health testing. They screen for genetic diseases, For GSDs, degenerative myelopathy (DM), hip and elbow dysplasia are the two big ones to watch for (Zhang et al., 2020). Focusing on functional dogs that “do things,” working line German Shepherd dog breeders necessarily need a diverse genetic pool. In contrast, many show line German Shepherds breeding for aesthetic conformity, often produce dogs with increased incidence of hereditary disorders. Nowhere is this more true than with the sloped backs of the American show lines. But wait, we’ll get to that in a moment!

Another common problem in GSDs is that of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) and chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy (CDRM). As recent recsearch shows, this condition can be observed at higher rates in show-bred GSDs (Anderson et al., 2022). Responsible breeders actively avoid producing puppies from lines carrying known recessive disorders. With the focus on working line German Shepherds so strongly on producing dogs that work, athletic dogs that can get stuff done, working line German Shepherd puppies consistently score points for better health than their show line counterparts!

Natural Engagement and Handler Focus

One of the most valuable traits for GSDs is a dog highly responsive to training. Highly trainable dogs are the result of repeatedly selecting for dogs displaying higher than average focus and engagement with the trainer. This trait has been highly developed in Schutzhund-bred German Shepherds. Requiring dogs to pass objective exams is a simple way to help sort the wheat from the chaff. Contrast these exams with a typical AKC dog show. In theory, every dog in an AKC show could be totally untrainable. But due to the nature of showing, one dog is chosen as the best. Win enough shows and your dog is crowned an AKC champion. But this might say nothing about that dog’s aptitude for training, tracking and protection work. The dog might be entirely incapable of passing a Schutzhund obedience or protection exam. But so long as it is the prettiest dog in the show ring, it wins. And this is yet another reason why we at Czech Working Line don’t ever breed American show line dogs. It’s not just the sloped back with accompanying joint problems. Engagement while working and handler focus are key attributes that we select for in our working line German Shepherds.

• One the one hand, Schutzhund training emphasizes direct interaction and responsiveness to cues. Dogs that pass Schutzhund exams have these stables nerves and capacity for training. They naturally pass these traits to their offspring.
• On the other hand, show line German Shepherds are often selected based on physical structure rather than handler engagement. Many of show line dogs lack the focus and responsiveness common in working line German Shepherds.
• Wanting a puppy highly responsive to training? When searching for German Shepherd puppies for sale, find a working line GSD breeder with proven, titled lines.

Problem-Solving Drive

One of the most defining characteristics of a well-bred Schutzhund dog is its persistence in overcoming challenges. These dogs are selected for their ability to problem solve. They have been selected for dogs with persistence in completing tasks. When passed to their offspring, these traits that make their offspring exceptionally responsive to training.

Persistence in problem solving starts with strong mental health. Dog trainers consistently agree, mental health in working dogs is just as important as physical health. As Bray’s research shows, working dogs consistently exhibit lower rates of anxiety, aggression, and neuroticism compared to their show line counterparts (Bray et al., 2021). For similar reasons already given, working line German Shepherds consistently outscore show line dogs when it comes to nerves in temperament. Again, this shouldn’t surprise us. Test dogs and exclude those that don’t pass their exams. And voila, you are on a sure path to improving your bloodline.

Key factors contributing to superior mental health in working line GSDs include:

1. Purpose-Driven Breeding: These dogs are bred to work. Their genetics have been selected for a stable temperament suitable for high-pressure environments. These stable temperaments stand in contrast to show line dogs, dogs which may show nervy or reactive tendencies. These nervy dogs can be the result of over emphasis on appearance. Working lines retain a clear-headed, confident nature.
2. Lower Prevalence of Fear-Based Behaviors: Nervousness and insecurity are significant behavioral concerns. These are more common in poorly bred GSDs. Studies have shown that working line dogs exhibit a higher threshold for fear-based reactivity, making them more reliable in training and daily life (Wilsson & Sundgren, 2022).
3. Joint Health: So now we have covered the relationship of genetics to trainability, what about joint health?

Superior Joint Health in Working Line German Shepherds

A dog without strong joint health is simply unrealized emotional pain and grief. Over and over we hear from people grief stricken over having lost their dog at just a few years of age. Do a google search for what German Shepherds look decade by decade over the 20th century. What you will find is that starting around the middle of the century, show line breeding took a sharp turn away from the original intent of early GSD standards. Nowhere has this shift in perspective been more obvious that in the sloped back of the show lines, especially the American show lines. Here at Czech Working Line we argue with conviction that the modern roach back in show lines are so harmful to the dog’s health that continuing to promote this kind of breeding is unethical. And that is being kind. Can you imagine building a tree fort for your children and putting all the support beams at an angle. No sane dad would ever do that. The structure would be unstable. The inward pressure from the angled supports would destabilize the structure hastening its collapse. Its no different with our dogs.

The patrol work of border patrol and police dogs requires dogs thrive under high physical stress. The same is true with Schutzhund sport dogs. Military and police dogs were often required to scale a six foot vertical wall. In Schutzhund, dogs carry weights in a pattern while scaling tall, slanted platforms. Putting the time and effort into such training endeavors requires a lot of time and expense. Financial investment alone is enough to eliminate all dogs except those with exceptional joint health. A general rule of thumb is to only breed dogs with good or great hips and elbows. Here at Czech Working Line, our requirements for stud dogs are even more stringent. We are committed to only using stud dogs with A/O hips under the European ranking system, or great hips and elbows under the OFA rating here in the USA.

• Working line German Shepherds breeders have typically stuck far closer to the original GSD breed standard. Working line German Shepherds tend to emphasize straighter backs. This is absolutely true for our breeding program here at Czech Working Line. We actively select for authentic straighter back working line conformation. This more functional build in combination with correct angulation in the hindquarters tends to produce superior joint health over the life of a dog. What does it matter if a dog lives to a ripe old age if the dog is crippled and in pain for half its life? I don’t want that for my dogs. I don’t you do either. Selecting for these traits is no guarantee we don’t get a dog with joint issues. But it for sure will reduce the incidence rate, and that is something we are all about!
• Show line German Shepherds, particularly those bred with exaggerated rear angulation or roach backs, often struggle with joint health. In many cases, the sloped, roach back of so many show dogs ultimately leads to joint failure and hips/elbow dysplasia.
• When finding a dog with strong joints is a priority, limiting your search to working line German Shepherd puppies for sale is almost always going to serve you well. As Captain Stephanitz once famously argued, function is the source of true beauty in German Shepherds. And so, choose beautiful German Shepherds by starting with sound joint health, the kind of health that will allow your dogs to thrive in active living and work.

Longevity in Working Line German Shepherd Dogs

Due to superior genetic selection working line German Shepherds often experience longer lifespans with fewer chronic ailments. Quality of life is improved. In short, working line GSDs frequently outlive their show line counterparts (Kane et al., 2021). And this is something to celebrate. Recent peer research clearly shows working line German Shepherds as the healthier choice. Want a healthier dog, steer clear of the show lines with a ten foot stick. As this research shows, working line German Shepherds consistently score higher in longevity and quality of life.

1. Lower Risk of Cancer: While all dogs are susceptible to cancer, research show working line GSDs have a lower incidence of hemangiosarcoma, a common fatal cancer in the breed (Larson et al., 2020).
2. Delayed Onset of Age-Related Conditions: Conditions like arthritis and degenerative joint disease often appear later in life. Working line dogs straighter backs and more natural angulation to hindquarters consistently lead to better joint health and improved quality of life.
3. Sustained Cognitive Function: Aging working line German Shepherds often retain sharp mental acuity. Some of this may be due to lifelong training and work. Engaged dogs tend to be happy dogs. Engagement and training reduces the likelihood of canine cognitive dysfunction (Chapagain et al., 2021).

Conclusion

Working line German Shepherds exhibit significant health advantages over their show line counterparts. No contest when it comes to health. With reduced cancer concerns and far superior joint health, most people will find choosing a working line German Shepherd puppy for sale the better choice nine out of ten times! As Captain Emile Stephanitz argued, function is the true source of beauty in German Shepherds. By choosing a German Shepherd puppy for sale from working lines, you exponentially raise the odds of getting a highly trainable puppy. With robust genetics, reduced hereditary diseases, longevity and a highly trainable character, we at Czech Working Line exclusively raise working line German Shepherds for a reason. Healthier, living longer and far easier to train, we are convinced every working line German Shepherd for sale offered by our program will beat the pants of a show line dog every time!

Bibliography

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