The breeding use of the Alf-Nordfelsen / Werra-Osnabrücker-Land son Gundo v. Stolper Land in connection with ancestral, high-quality families made breeding in the DDR catch up with the world’s best in the mid-sixties.
The high proportion of HD dogs in this line brought about by Gundo, which probably also brought a hasty control strategy for the hereditary disease in this regard, made the influence of the line, in which good character dogs were the rule, disappear, with the exception of a few bitches, the influence takes on other lines. After a few detours, the line continues to exist in direct succession, modified by Don Rolandsteich, and this line, because of the hard nature and the good genetic values, is called a safe bank for breeding in the DDR.
Essentially due to the use of Ex Riedstern for breeding and the large number of his inherited descendants, the breed consolidated in the DDR in the currently largely existing type. With the now existing distance to this time, the repeatedly voiced allegations can be justified that Ex, who anatomically and typically was a great improver, has permanently reduced the manageability and resilience in the breed.
Olf Fürstendamm, our three-time winner and best sire, typically improved the population in the short term. Based on the relatives and typical closeness to Ex-, Ingo Rudingen descendants, he was able to have a strong positive effect, from his father’s point of view compared to Quanto Wienerau, so that West German observers noticed a typical change in the population after only three years at the winners’ exhibition. There will be Olf offspring who influence breeding, but there are few resilient animals in this line. This assessment does not claim to be complete.
A large number of dogs from other populations influenced breeding in the DDR. The commitment of Bernd Lierberg to the development of the character and the work quality was marked by substantial, constant success. In the recent past, the German Shepherd Dog Breeding Management has used every opportunity to provide legal and organizational support to sports fans who want to mate abroad or introduce dogs to the DDR.
This endeavor was largely recognized by the sports fans and the cohesion of the German Shepherd athletes was significantly promoted. These possibilities currently appear to be essentially developable. The breeding management supports every initiative that can contribute to the development of the breed in the DDR. Under no circumstances should we give up our traditional population.
From the applause for my statements in this regard on the occasion of the funeral evening in Leipzig, I gather that there is broad agreement among the breeders that we want to improve our population with good dogs. This of course also means to part with what is unworthy to improve. Behavioral criteria should expressly be included in this train of thought. Now back to the DDR winners’ exhibition.
The character check on Sunday evening again met with a broad response. With our dogs we were able to demonstrate our understanding of the unity of beauty and performance to domestic and foreign sports fans.