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I was talking about what the article said with respect to Kraftwerk getting the dog. Perhaps I didn't remember it correctly either and I'm too lazy at the moment to go back an read it again. But I thought the article said Kraftwork got the dog as soon as they knew it was in Seattle, which was after the dog had stayed at the kennel overnight. I thought it said the airline called Kraftwork the next day. I could be wrong.

I don't we are in disagreement about Shepherds being ruined. They most certainly have been ruined.

I think you are misinterpreting what I'm calling an ethical breeder (I did not say reputable). Reputation and ethics are two different things. There's no such thing as alleged ethics — they either have ethics or they don't. I wouldn't buy from a breeder who doesn't breed ethically, and I discourage everyone from doing so.

I absolutely agree with you that Shepherds in this country have been ruined. The vast majority of breeders of Shepherds are not breeding to Standard, and the breed has suffered tremendously from it. I am talking about every kind of breeder here, when it comes to Shepherds (though there are individual exceptions, of course). Whether they be backyard breeders or high-profile show dog or working dog breeders — have collectively ruined the breed. Show Judges should not be awarding ribbons to Shepherds that do not fit the Standard, period. I'm specifically talking about the horrible toplines and hips, and I might also add temperament in that statement. Breeders and Judges have completely gotten away from the GSD Standard, which says the following regarding the topline/back of the GSD:

“Topline— The withers are higher than and sloping into the level back. The back is straight, very strongly developed without sag or roach, and relatively short.”

And this:

“At full trot, the back must remain firm and level without sway, roll, whip or roach.”

LEVEL back. When was the last time you saw a level back in a Shepherd? I had a breeder who bred excellent Shepherds, and she even won in the show ring. Her dogs regularly lived to 12-14 years with no hip problems. She bred to the Standard, and she did all the appropriate health and genetic testing. But the vast majority of Shepherd breeders do not, and they have ruined the breed.

I don't care how reputable a breeder is, or how famous a breeder is, or if a breeder is a backyard breeder — if they are breeding horrible specimens with terrible health problems and hips and rear ends that are so weak the dogs won't make it to 7 years of age, then they are not ethical breeders.