Our 11-yr-old Shepherd is well past his prime, arthritic, and has breath that would kill any bad guy, but he, like several on the kraftwerk site, would STILL retrieve a ball all day long!
Their videos are very interesting. My Belgian is almost 12, and still has a lot of energy. He's not a schutzhund dog, but he does have obedience training, and even a certificate in herding.
I have a breeder friend who has imported a number of dogs from Germany, with titles. This way, she can be assured that the dogs she uses in her breeding program have the ability to work, have sound hips/elbows, and have been breed surveyed (conform to the German breed standard). She sure doesn't breed to make money, as the parents cost her a fortune.