The Differences most commonly known Between German, German Shepherd Lines and The American German Shepherd Lines. Article written by Claudia Bensimoun

You might be thinking: Is there any difference? Start thinking temperament, confirmation, coloring and movement, and angles. So you’re undecided on which line of pups is best for you and your family. Temperaments differ greatly. Start by making a list of all the qualities you are looking for in your shepherd. Pink papered or import German lines from Germany are more likely to be free of hip dysplasia and come from generations of parents that are free of hip dysplasia and that have Schutzhund titles. They are more likely to be a healthier dog, and an all around more stable dog than the American lines. However, Imported dogs from Serbia, Slovania, Turkey, Egypt, Poland these German Shepherds are known to have extreme hip and elbow issues as well as massive temperament issues.

History of the Western and Eastern Shepherd

From 1949 until 1990, Germany was divided into the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR) in the East, and the Federal Republic of Germany in the West. The DDR, being a communist state under influence from the USSR, was kept wholly separate from West Germany. This separation is what caused the split in German Shepherd bloodlines that persists to this day.

The working lines in Czech were bred to have a high pain tolerance so that they could endure the hardships of protection work and border patrol. They are mostly black and tan, all black or sable in color.

Some known differences…..

• American Breeders focus on good movement and looks.

• American shepherds are larger, heavier but have a lighter bone structure, meaning they may be a bigger dog, but are very fine in the head and bone.

• Temperament plays a huge factor here in America as shepherds from the US were not bred as working /herding dogs but for show, so there is no accountability for the temperament of the dog. The American Shepherd is bred only for movement and looks. not intelligence, not workability, not agility, nor any account for stability. This opens the door for massive temperament issues as well as health issues, there is no requirement of this testing here is USA. In Germany there is a requirement of testing to be bred.

• In Germany both parents have working titles-Schutzhund now knows as IGP and are hip certified before they are allowed to breed ensuring the stability of the health of the dog. The German Shepherd must meet not only a temperament, and health test, but also size, correct angulation, this is all very important to ensure we do not have over-angulated German Shepherd (which is what gives the appearance that the American Shepherds have, a sloping top line).

• Schutzhund is about accountability, whereas in the US and Canada, breeders do not need any of these things except pedigree and AKC Registration. American Breeders that tell you their dogs can work, or that the progeny can work, its just not something that interests them, this is letting down the breed and encouraging a watered down unstable version of the breed.

• American German shepherds in the US are judged by their looks and movement.

• German, German Shepherds, MUST work, must meet a specific level of conformation and MUST have a stable temperament to be bred. If a dog is over angulated, they cannot jump the jumps, they cannot climb the walls. The American German Shepherd could never dog this due to their incorrect conformation.

The German, German shepherd breeders , their dogs working ability as well as the outstanding looks combined with the correct health testing. This is what makes the Golden Middle German Shepherd. The one with the looks and the heart to be your best dog that can give you 10+ years of awesomeness.

The West German show lines are the most popular worldwide. These dogs are mostly black and red and exhibit a fluid, ground-eating trot there is an uncommon color the red sable and more uncommon in the show lines is a black. However to meet the standard, must work, going through the stringent titling process.

The Czech lines were originally bred in Communist Czech as state working dogs.

• Large blocky head with big bone structure and much leaner in build. These shepherds have straighter backs and fewer problems with hip dysplasia. However, they are high-energy dogs.

Czech line German Shepherds and East German DDR German Shepherds are essentially the same bloodline.

The bloodlines in West Germany were split between working line dogs and show line dogs.

It is important to recognize that the working line and show line German Shepherds from West Germany are vastly different.

Show line dogs are bred to be physically attractive, and when correctly bred, have the ability to be more stable and maintain the courage for their work, as they have an on and off switch, which is lacking in the Working Lines. I think the gal that wrote this article (Claudia Bensimoun) hit the nail on the head here, when she stated this. Which also makes West German Showline a better pet for the families.

Some people consider the West German lines to be superior, arguing that the DDR/Czech lines were developed before the split between working and show lines, and are not extraordinary in either discipline.

Both lines were recovered from the original German bloodlines after WWII, and both have been continuously built up and bred for working qualities over the past 60 years. The bottom line is that they are both working line dogs.

Showlines are a better choice for homes with children as they are more stable and have a more manageable drive.

The American shepherds are calmer in temperament and have a lower energy drive. The American shepherd unfortunately no longer has the capability to jump, or to be viewed as a healthy breed, their increased every sloping top line, combined with the severely loose ligaments has truly ruined this line of the breed.

Many breeders have attempted to combine the East and West or American shepherds to achieve a lower incidence of hip dysplasia and achieve a strong work instinct and more refined show lines, it has however caused an inner conflict in the German Shepherd causing them to be unstable.

Credit for this article goes to Claudia Bensimoun