BREED INFO

WORKING LINES

There are several differences between working line vs show line shepherds and your American lines. My kennel is purely working line dogs. These dogs are primarily of Czech or Slovakian descent. You will find most are Sables with darker pigmentation, Bicolors, and Blacks. Working line dogs should still have proper angulation of the hindquarters and top line. However, most are not as drastic as the show line dogs. Proper angulation is essential for athleticism, power, and orthopedic health. Working line dogs tend to have medium to high drives, medium to high energy, and excel in sports and working venues as well as active family dogs. Check out this ARTICLE on working lines!

SIZE

Males should weigh between 65-90 lbs and females between 50-70 lbs. This is the breed average and correct size. Dogs who are in excess of 100 lbs are often referred to as "King Shepherds" which again is another backyard breeder gimmick to market the dogs. These dogs are not bred within the standard and are at much higher risk for Hip Dysplasia and orthopedic problems.

TEMPERAMENT

This breed typically has an excellent temperament for family dogs, they are confident, social, protective, loving, loyal, and though high energy they typically settle well in the home once their mental and physical needs have been met. This leads me to: Dogs with medium to high drives need adequate mental and physical stimulation. Playing fetch for 5 minutes or going on a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood does not cut it. They will need training multiple days a week to burn their mental energy. Their mental stimulation is often most important so they need to learn and work their minds. Without proper exercise and stimulation, they WILL develop behavioral issues including destructive chewing, chasing and nipping, anxiety, and more possibilities. So please be sure you are committed to your dog's needs and will not be leaving them bored and pent up with unrealistic expectations for them to be well-behaved dogs when their needs are not met. Please see below for the PAWS WORKING DOG EVALUATION. We use this when temperament testing our puppies.

PUPPY TEMPERAMENT TEST >>