This is very interesting thread i really cant believe the changes in some of the breeds.
Here's the Cairn Terrier which i dont think has changed considerably except the name short-coated skye terrier to cairn.


My boy:

Much improved in my opinion. I love the modern GSD in its country of origin. Mind you the GSD is an inteesting case as a lot of the changes were brought about by Von Stephanitz himself as he worked to produce what he wanted when he started the breed
Mind you my current rescue looks very like the first set of photos but I still love him.

IMO this is the way GSD should look like. This phenotype is very similar to that seen in its cousins the Belgian and Dutch SDs

Of course it doesn't hurt that this dog is a Schutzhund dog and not exclusively a show dog.

Now to me that is the opposite of anything a GSD should be, a dip behind the whither lacking turn of stifle & poor front angulation to name but a few faults I want a GSD as those in Germany regulated by the SV. I don't want a Belgian or Dutch Shepherd dog or thats what I would own.

But what you describe is not a GSD, it is something created much later thanks to the pressures of the show people. The GSD, as described by Max von Stephanitz is exactly what is shown above, straight back, medium size, and not much different than it's cousins. From a biomechanical standpoint, today's GSD couldn't hold a candle to the specimen above.

It's no surprise that Schutzhund world is now dominated by Dutch and Belgians, as the current GSD being crippled by angulation have a hard time keeping up.

Current GSD development seems to have been inspired from the great seventies campaign.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq0OQ...eature=related

Excellent thread! Really enjoying it.

That's hearbreaking to be honest. I would love one if they were the same as the original line. So sad ;o(

I love your chap/chappess but wow, what a fantastic looking dog in the early lines. Interesting story behind them too. Very educational. Thanks ;o)

Very hound-like. Ears are alot like the Viszla/Weimeraner I think.

God no. Sorry but that is hideous and quite upsetting. I'm afraid I don't like the GSD much at all, but they look so much better in the early lines.

Labradork beat me too it with the springer. They used to be allot like the cocker in shape and size, in fact it was quite hard to tell them apart. Rips has a great book on it that she once posted.

Interesting link here though - http://tinyurl.com/yatqtzf

Also, don't forget we've gone from this:


To this:


To this along the lines:
(Woody's Great Grandfather)


(Woody)

If Pugs still looked like this, I could almost be convinced into owning one

How can you argue it has not.

Doe anyone have any proof , that the original dogs were healthier than what we see today.

And I dont mean because the way they look, shorter legs, sloping backs, and so on.

But recorded proof, that breeds in their infancy were healthier than their counterparts today!!

Angulation has nothing to do with the word crippled by which I take it you mean hip dysplasia if this were the case chows would not have severe hip dysplasia. All adult dogs shown in Germany have to have a good grade in hipe. The modern English line GSD has developed from the show fraternity but in Germany the dog has been developed by the SV & their judges are required to follow the edicts of the SV & health checks are done or adults can not be shown & they also have to have schutzhund qualifications to be shown unless they have herding qualifications. I prefer todays dog you do not. However they are the GSD as evolved. from their conception to now, in their country of origin & what either of us think is basically irelevent. Its only what we personally find esthetically pleasing.What I do know is that from when German dogs had to be health tested to be bred from & shown to now there has been a considerable improvement in the health of the dogs.
By the way if you want to comment on Von Stephanitz I personally think the difference between Horund & Klodo V Boxberg, both dogs at the times Von Stephanitz was in charge, is as great as any modern changes.