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Location: Scotland
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,578
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i love debates (no i am kidding)
My PERSONAL opinion is that if i felt safe about taking any dog, i would choose a german shephard. I think they are the king of dogs, obiedent, agile, fun and outgoing (like me!) However i am absolutly scared to death of the health problems i have seen so many going about with. It breaks my heart to see a six month old puppy with hip dysplasia, and of course this is not confined to this breed, although i personally have seen alot of sheps with this problem.
As for the KC i believe it was started with the best intentions, but as with most clubs, politics take over eventually. I dont believe KC reg is worth the paprt its written on, and here is my reasoning: as i have been involved in rescue i have seen more than once a dog handed in with 'papers'. i remember one in particular, a bassett hound which looked very ill (it was infact a badly bred, but well taken care of b'hound). Baileys papers revealed that she was two years old (the vet confiremd this) and that her father was a famous basset champ, who had died 12 years previous, and could never have sired her or her litter. Now at the time i thought everything of the KC, they were the reining body of the dog world, and it shook my world, to discover that papers could be made up so easily, to look like real KC papers. of course chekcing with the KC would reveal that this wasnt a registered pup, but someone bought this dog...other people are buying them, and possilby breeding them. The KC have no real control over who breeds and who doesnt, and there the problem starts, with breeders who dont know genetics, and screw with nature.
So going back to what i said, i would love a german shephard pup, absolutly adore one. but i would never ever buy one, as i would be terrified of the problems that may appear. you never really know what you are getting. (of course same goes for mongrels...but there is a much much lower possiblilty)