Tribute to the Pets which touch my Heart and Soul

Special Dogs for Special People

The Three Biggest Legends of the breed, by Gerrit Nagel www.DuitseHerders.com

throughout the years, from the beginning around 1890 there has been an enormous evolution in the conformation of the breed. One could say that under the influence of several facts the conformation has been polished to where it is today. I am predominantly discussing the dogs who are considered Show-lines as in judged in the Bundes Sieger Zucht Schau. In working lines one sees much more variation in color and conformation. These dogs of course still fall within the German Shepherd standard. There is much more conformity in the dogs of the BSZS.

The breeding of a top dog is always, aside of the studies the breeder does about which bloodlines to use, in need of plain luck. It will almost always remain a mystery why a certain dog is able to stamp his excellent points to his progeny, and why another champion doesn't. Through which his breeding worthiness diminishes over time without bringing forth another excellent son, who in turn will continue the bloodline.

It is of course, not fair to only look at the Sires. Because, throughout history, there have been excellent Dam's, some of which have produced two VA dogs with different Sires. The use of the males through analyses, is simply because of them being able to have more progeny, for which quality the Sire is judged in the shows. The female can only have 2 litters per year, for a few years.

another disadvantage of looking at the Sire's line is that it will not tell us anything about the Sire's line of the Mother and that of the grandmothers. This is of course important because the crossing of different lines leads to successful dogs. The taking into consideration of this, that an analyses is too detailed and hard to get clarity. To review only the Sire's line, delivers generally good facts, but, has its limitations.

If you look at the entire history, and you use the BSZS as a reference, then there are only a few dogs which really are determining the totality of the breed. In other words, those who produce sons, and grandsons, and great grandsons, which all put forth positive aspects of the foundation male and are still able to produce progeny with those identifiers.

Aside from these positive traits of the say "foundation male", they also put forth their limitations. This is up to the breeder to identify, to find a breeding partner who does not possess this trait to attain the desired result. This is for all traits, conformation, character and the workability of the dog.

In the literature and opinions of several magazines, the following dogs are considered most valuable to the breed:

QUANTO von der WIENERAU

CANTO von der WIENERAU

MUTZ von der PELZTIERFARM

The value of these three has been proven. I will return to them individually later on . After all, it is a fact that in the year 2000 (at the time of this writing) these forefathers are present, but that they are far away in the pedigrees. And, it is necessary therefore to take into account the various foundation males. And to those who in turn will follow in the fame and importance of those foundation forefathers. And, who will be named the new(er) generation of foundation males.

Out of the QUANTO line I think of :

Via LASSO VAL SOLE
TO: QUANDO vom ARMINIUS
and his son: ODIN von der TANNENMEISE.

and via a different branch out of Quanto URAN vom WILDSTEIGERLAND

From the CANTO branch:

TELL vom GROSSEN SAND
FEDOR vom ARMINIUS and his son MARK vom HAUS BECK

From the Mutz branch:

JOHNNY RHEINHALLE and through him CELLO RÖMERAU & FANDO SÜDBLICK

Quanto von der Wienerau

Quando Arminius Odin Tannenmeise Palme Wildsteiger Land

QUANTO descents directly from Rolf vom Osnabruckerland. Rolf was VA in 1950 and 1951. He was a dog with nice pigmentation, heavy bones, strong head, great temperament, but a somewhat short croupe and somewhat lesser hocks.

Quanto was the type of Rolf, in other words, that Quanto too had the short croupe and weak pasterns. He stamped much type on his progeny and much uniformity. Good upper arms. Proportionally well sized and strong dogs. The danger that he would stamp his weak pasterns has not been proven.

The most important son of Quanto was Lasso di Val Sole. He was regularly found in the VA groups. Lasso was a dog of incredibly type, color and temperament. He was line bred on Dago Schloss Dalhausen, and therefore they had to keep in mind Dago's short upper arm, and his breeding partners needed to have very good hocks. Dago's hocks were borderline acceptable. Progeny of Lasso who were more of the DAGO type, could not equal the quality of their sire, Lasso.

Lasso was the Sire of the now Famous "X" litter of Arminius, with the Dam the legendary Palme vom Wildsteiger Land. The son Xavier, a beautiful dog, but also known for his over-assertiveness, sired the Top "Q" litter of Arminius.

Palme was also the Dam of Uran vom Wildsteiger Land, and Palme was a descendant of Nick Wienerau. This male came out of the Mutz line. This is why PALME became the most indicative females in the history of the GSD. Her sister Perle was VA1.

In the "Q" litter of Arminius, one was QUANDO. This male was World Champion in '86 and '87. This was a dog of perfect size, very muscular, with a perfect croupe in lenght and position. Worth mentioning is his sister Quina who is the Dam of Mark vom Haus Beck and Yago vom WildSteiger Land. I will discuss these males later on.

Quando produced a large amount of good progeny. But, the absolute most outstanding male was the bred in Holland Odin von der Tannenmeise. His Dam was Hasel von der Tannenmeise, who's blood leads back to Mutz. Odin went VA in 87 and 88. His 'joy during the show' presented a critical problem during the shows. The fear of his obvious joy ( - a shortcoming in shows - ) was that he would lose the VA placements. However, the decision by Hermann Martin to still extend him the VA rating, proves, in retrospect justified, based on the role which Odin now plays in the bloodlines. A role which may likely equal the importance of the "Three great Legends".

Odin has in turn produced 2 sons who produced superb progeny, and who's names are now getting closer in all dogs' pedigrees. First, Jeck von Noricum, the 1993 World Champion. Jeck is known for his form and character, his great upper arm and the length and positioning of his croupe. There is some critique for his front. As well as the size and firmness of his ears, and his somewhat light pigment. He was "Still allowed" or a3 for hip rating, which is also an important fact to keep in mind.

The second son of Odin is Zamb von der Wienerau, the World Champion of 1992. Zamb is seen as the typical representative of the QUANTO line. Some critique on the hocks.

Yago Wildsteigerland Fedor Arminius Max Loggia del Mercanto

There is however another noteworthy QUANTO WIENERAU branch. Namely the URAN vom WILDSTEIGERLAND branch. Uran was Sieger in 1974 and 1975. His Dam PALME vom Wildsteigerland was discussed earlier. The Sire of Uran was IRK ARMINIUS. A very well proportioned dog who had already produced four VA dogs, but, not comparable to URAN however...

Uran produced great progeny, with croupes better than his, and with extreme uniformity. One recognized an Uran child quickly. Shortcomings he stamped on his progeny: lack of strong head in the males, and lack of pigment. Uran's most important son was Eiko KIRSCHENTAL, Sieger in 1988, with a note worthy point that his Dam was HGH certified, (sheepherding titled) which inserted working ability in his blood.

Eiko himself could have had a bit stronger head, and more masculinity overall. To compensate for this, the breeder, Hermann Martin of Arminius, used a female out of the formerly mentioned "Q" litter. Namely Quina, and together Eiko and Quina produced Yago vom WildsteigerLand. Yago was VA in 1990 and 1991. He was critizised for his "Joyeuss" gaiting, but usually didn't stamp this on his progeny, contrary to his son ULK von Arlett, Champion in 1995 and Yago's daughter Palie vom Trienzbachtal, Champion in 1993...

sons who continued the URAN bloodline, are :

Through Yago:

Ulk vom Arlett & his son Sieger 1999, Rikkor vom Bad-Boll & Vando vom
Moorbeck
Flick vom Arlett
Gildo vom Wildsteigerland&nbsp
Nicco vom Arlett
Odin Liebenauer Schloss
Falk Isidora
Idol Jahnhöhe

Time will tell, of course.

As the last Quanto branch, there is another one which is less successful than the previous two. But, certainly worth mentioning. This branch begins with Sieger of 1963 DIck vom Adeloga, which over several male progenies leads to Jack vom Trienzbachtal. His most important son is Cash vom Wildsteigerland which was VA in 1997. Cash would be the one to propel the Adeloga branch. However, no VA has been produced through this branch.

To conclude the chapter of Quanto von der Wienerau, something about the importance of the Dam's. Palme vom WildsteigerLand has already been covered. But, there are still some additionally exceptional females. First, ICA von der WIENERAU. Daughter of the Champion of 1980 Lasso, son of Axel von Hainsterbach. Ica is the Dam of Zamb Wienerau, as well as the Dam of the important "L" litter with Mark vom Haus Beck. With Vice Siegerin (Siegerin =Female Champion) 1991 Lana vom Haus Beck, and the very well producing LORD vom Haus Beck.

Lastly, ICA von Haus Reiterland. Ica was the daughter of the Champion Reza vom Haus Beck. A gorgeous male whose name diminished because he didn't produce well. ICA was also the Dam of VA Nero vom Hirschel, as well as for many, the most gorgeous German Shepherd of all times: FANTO VOM HIRSCHEL. Sieger in 1990 and 1991. Fanto descents from the CANTO WIENERAU line.

Fanto vom Hirschel