"And my POINT is it's obviously not in the best interest of the breed to breed them without healthy hips, without any brains and only to create a certain 'look' that is popular with the judges."
I don't dispute health - health testing is pretty much imperative no matter how you choose to, or not choose to, abide by original standards. And if you want standards, you can see how much original standards have now threatened the Dalmatian. It's just not applicable to apply it across the board. And I disagree that AmGSDs are 'without any brains'. They just have different drives or lack thereof.. again. That is all.
And I never said your GSD was not happy.. and specifically I said working line, but you quantified it yourself by saying she was from American and German show lines - NOT working lines - which is what you kind of implied there should only be.
Actually, also it's not shown that AmGSDs have poorer health, as you claim. It is unsubstantiated, really. When we compare GSDs of ALL lines, all are affected by hip dysplasia and DM, at least. There are plenty of show only lines in Germany, plenty of back yard breeders, and plenty of mills willing to export to the US just like there are in the US.
DDR German dogs are just at the other spectrum of extreme. The German Shepherd Dog was always bred to be a level-headed, well rounded dog, suitable as a family pet as well as work. It was not meant originally to be a dog with extreme drive. People can certainly claim that DDR GSDs are just as bastardized as pet AmGSDs with good cause.
And lastly, thank you for sharing that you detest hunters. Personally, I have admiration for people willing to take the life of an animal and not just simply grab a pack of some meat off a styrofoam plate in a supermarket... and I've been a vegetarian for over 13 years. I have friends who are hunters and their dogs help them indispensably. I'm sorry that you feel that way towards some people who choose not to participate in industrialized animal husbandry or slaughter.
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