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During a field trip, we had dog handlers/canine unit from the local police dept explain to the kiddos how they purchase german shepards from germany cuz they don't do doggy incest...

Oh really? My son-in-law happens to be a canine police officer (has a Belgian Malinois) and I have never heard that explanation.

Interestingly, not nearly as many German Shepherds are used in police work these days.......at least not around our San Diego/Southern California area and I think it may be the same nationwide.

Yep, our canine unit rep said that it's very expensive to go to pick one out and that not as many depts are as lucky. I think the officer was flown out to choose his dog, and train with it.. or something like that..

Many police departments go to Germany because the rearend of American German Shepherds has been ruined by breeders looking for a sloping rear end. If you go to any American dog show, you will see American German Shepherds who are practically walking on their hocks.

This was not true back in the 50s when we had German Shepherds. American breeders want to win at an AKC show, and will breed for "looks" or "type", and will neglect working ability entirely, so most American GSDs are useless for work, and they have done this by excessive line-breeding and breeding to just a few champion dogs, using frozen semen.

This is the reason we went to the Belgian Malinois when looking for a good all round, solid tempered, healthy farm and protection dog. They haven't been "discovered" by American breeders yet, are not that popular, and work harder, have better instincts, and are so much healthier...

Congrats to your son-in-law for having a Malinois... Our rescue male does a perfect "bark and hold" without ever having a lesson in his life on how to do this properly. And our bitch could take down a 250 lb man with no trouble, even though she weighs only 48 lbs.

That is another problem with the American GSDs, they have gradually bred them bigger and bigger, so that they just can't scale walls, work long distances, etc... too big to work, and too clumsy.

It is instinctive in the breed, although some of them can be quite "sharp", and need experienced dog people as owners.

I really hope the American breeders do not get interested in Belgians...