Why Working vs Show Line Split Ruins Dog Breeding

Hey {{first_name}} , it's Gerald.

Just had a conversation with a Rottweiler breeder who's doing everything I've been preaching for years.

It reminded me why the best breeding programs don't make you choose between working ability and correct conformation. They demand both.

What to Expect in This Issue

Why "working line" vs "show line" shouldn't exist (and how European breeders avoid this split)
The screening process every serious breeder should use before selling puppies
Sport dogs vs. personal protection dogs: Which transition is easier (the answer surprised me)
The puppy training mistake that's burning out dogs before they're 2 years old
Why organizational politics are hurting breed standards more than bad breeding

Reading time: 4 minutes

THE COMPLETE DOG PROBLEM

I was listening to Lorenzo Williams - a Rottweiler breeder out of Georgia who runs a quality Rottweiler Kennel - talk about how people keep asking him if his dogs are "working line" or "show line."

His answer? Both. Because that's what the breed requires.

His IGP3 female? Also a V1-rated conformation dog. Same dog. Works on the field, wins in the ring.

And here's what hit me: This is exactly where American Doberman breeding went off the rails.

We split the breed. Working dogs that look like greyhounds on fire. Show dogs that can't pass a basic temperament test. Somewhere along the way, we decided you had to choose one or the other.

In Europe, this isn't a choice. It's a requirement.

Before you can breed a Doberman in Germany, the dog needs:

ZTP (breed suitability test)
Health clearances (hips, elbows, cardiac, vWD)
Conformation evaluation
Working ability verification

One dog. All requirements. Not "working line" or "show line." Just a correct Doberman.

Lorenzo said something that stuck with me: "I want a balanced dog. I want a dog that looks the part and has all the natural tendencies a Rottweiler should have."

❝

"Every puppy isn't going to fit every household. The fattest, fluffiest, most energetic puppy may not work for what you're trying to do long term with the dog."

SCREENING BUYERS (OR: WHY EVERY PUPPY ISN'T FOR EVERYBODY)

Here's where most breeders fail: They treat all puppies like they're interchangeable.

Lorenzo's approach is simple—when someone calls about a puppy, he asks:

Have you owned this breed before?
What's your plan for the dog? (Family pet? Sport work? Personal protection?)
What's your lifestyle like?

Then he matches the puppy to the buyer. Not the other way around.

His exact words: "Every puppy isn't going to fit every household. The fattest, fluffiest, most energetic puppy may not work for what you're trying to do long term with the dog."

I do the same thing with my Dobermans. High-drive puppies go to experienced handlers or people committed to training. Calmer puppies go to families who want a stable companion but aren't looking to title the dog.

The mistake most breeders make? They let buyers pick based on cuteness. Then six months later, that "cute" high-drive puppy is tearing up the house because it's under-stimulated and the owner can't handle it.

Your reputation as a breeder isn't just about producing quality dogs. It's about making sure those dogs end up in the right homes.

If you're not screening buyers, you're setting up both the dog and the owner for failure.

SPORT DOGS VS. PERSONAL PROTECTION: WHICH CONVERTS EASIER?

This came up in the conversation and I've had this debate with trainers for years.

The question: Is it easier to convert a sport dog to personal protection work, or a personal protection dog to sport work?

Lorenzo's answer (and I agree): Personal protection dog to sport is the easier transition.

Here's why:

Sport dogs are trained for specific scenarios:

Targeting the sleeve
Responding to specific cues
Working for a toy reward
Clean, controlled bites with immediate outs

Take the sleeve away, and many sport dogs will just bark and circle. They're looking for the "toy" (the sleeve). Not the threat.

Personal protection dogs are trained for the man:

They're focused on the person, not the equipment
They're not waiting for a cue to engage
They're reacting to threat, not performing a routine

You can teach a personal protection dog the structure and control needed for sport work. It's harder to teach a sport dog to stop looking for equipment and start reading real threat.

Lorenzo's take: "With a personal protection dog, I want that joker focused on the man. I don't care about no sleeve, no ball, no anything. I want that joker locked in on the man."

That's the foundation. You can add sport precision to that. But you can't always add real threat assessment to a dog that's only known sport scenarios.

❝

"I'm working on relationship. I want him locked into me and I want him to enjoy life."

THE PUPPY TRAINING MISTAKE THAT'S RUINING DOGS

Here's something Lorenzo said that every breeder and trainer needs to hear:

"I let a puppy be a puppy."

He's not doing heavy bite work at 4-6 months. He's not drilling obedience. He's building relationship, drive, and confidence.

I see these videos all the time - 5-month-old puppies getting yanked on prong collars, doing bite work while their baby teeth are still falling out, getting corrected for mistakes they don't even understand yet.

The result? Burnt-out dogs by age 2. Dogs that shut down. Dogs that won't give you 100% because they've been doing the same drill for 18 months straight with no joy in it.

Lorenzo's approach with puppies:

Build prey drive (tug games, ball retrieval)
Work on barking (especially important for protection foundations)
Develop bond and relationship with the handler
Let them be puppies - no heavy pressure, no forced compliance

His exact words: "I'm working on relationship. I want him locked into me and I want him to enjoy life."

Save the serious training for when the dog is mentally and physically mature. Stop trying to rush titles and burn out dogs before they've even hit their stride.

WHY ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS HURT BREED STANDARDS

Lorenzo mentioned something that's plaguing every breed - organizational politics.

In the Rottweiler world, you've got RKNA, USRC, and URKA. All started from the same organization. All have the same goal: preserve the breed. But internal drama split them apart.

Now breeders are being told, "You can't be part of that organization if you're part of this one."

Lorenzo's response? "I'm a grown man. No one is going to tell me who I can associate with. I spend time with the dogs to promote the dog and want to better the dog."

Same thing happens in the Doberman world. AKC vs. DPCA politics. ZTP drama. Judges who hold grudges.

Here's the reality: The dogs don't care about politics. They care about being bred correctly, trained properly, and placed in the right homes.

If you're more worried about organizational loyalty than breed quality, you're part of the problem.

THE STANDARD WE SHOULD ALL BE FOLLOWING

Here's what I know:

The breed should be complete. Working ability. Correct conformation. Stable temperament. Health clearances.

Not "working line" or "show line." Just a correct Doberman.

If your dog can't do both, you're only half way to the standard.

READY TO BUILD A QUALITY BREEDING PROGRAM?

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