# German Shepherds



## Moobli (7 April 2018)

We seem to have quite a few of this wonderful breed on AAD these days so lets show them off!

Ill have to join in when Im on my laptop as I dont think I can add photos via the phone!


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## QuantockHills (7 April 2018)

fantastic breed! Had them since 1993 and current two are aged 9 and 12. sadly the first 3 I had didn't make it past 7 which was heartbreaking but i'm glad I kept going with them! So intelligent and loyal.


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## pippixox (7 April 2018)

I miss my boy everyday. Got him aged 2 off preloved! Underfed, barely seen the world, bullied by other dogs so reactive. But walked into my house, settled on his bed and slept through the night straight away- I think he knew he was home! Had a few dog friends but not many. Loved all people and changed many peoples negative veiws on the breed. Had a baby and he was so gentle, a wonderful big brother. Sadly he died aged 5: he was so stoic people could not believe he was ill, but I knew something was off. He was riddled with cancer.

Decided to continue to rescue (as much as a GSD would be fun!) so ended up with a collie. But always on the look out for a suitable GSD. Have just been offered a GSD x collie! (Plus a friends lab, all in 24 hours, aaah!)


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## Moobli (7 April 2018)

QuantockHills said:



			fantastic breed! Had them since 1993 and current two are aged 9 and 12. sadly the first 3 I had didn't make it past 7 which was heartbreaking but i'm glad I kept going with them! So intelligent and loyal.
		
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Any photos QH?  My current shepherds at 10 and 7 years, and the old girl I lost two years ago was 14 years.  It is heartbreaking to lose them early - hard enough when they reach a good age.


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## Moobli (7 April 2018)

pippixox said:



			I miss my boy everyday. Got him aged 2 off preloved! Underfed, barely seen the world, bullied by other dogs so reactive. But walked into my house, settled on his bed and slept through the night straight away- I think he knew he was home! Had a few dog friends but not many. Loved all people and changed many peoples negative veiws on the breed. Had a baby and he was so gentle, a wonderful big brother. Sadly he died aged 5: he was so stoic people could not believe he was ill, but I knew something was off. He was riddled with cancer.

Decided to continue to rescue (as much as a GSD would be fun!) so ended up with a collie. But always on the look out for a suitable GSD. Have just been offered a GSD x collie! (Plus a friends lab, all in 24 hours, aaah!)
		
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Your boy sounded so special and such a tragic loss for him to die so young   Oh gosh!  What a dilemma!  Which seems more appropriate for your situation?


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## Moobli (7 April 2018)

My current older shepherd.  Yogi.  He is noisy, hairy, a good tracking dog but has suffered various ailments over the years.  He is now ten and has slowed down considerably but on good days he is still up for two hour walks and a bit of bunny chasing.

Yogi with my son when they were both wee.







With some of my other dogs.







Out with friends







With one of my collies.







At the beach







Handsome bear







Last summer


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## Moobli (7 April 2018)

My working line boy, Zak.  He is everything I ever wanted in a dog.  Loyal, intelligent, biddable, sociable, a fab working dog and a great family dog as well.  If I could clone him I would!  He is now 7 years.

Sorry for the overload of photos (but I could have posted so many more lol) 

Pup







Trying a bit of foundation bitework as a pup







As a youngster







Working trials tracking







Sheep work



















Family pet







With a pal







On holiday last year


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## Moobli (7 April 2018)

My two gone but not forgotten sheps, Sharna (standard coat, who was a reject police dog) and Flame my obedience longcoat.

























And a few of the police dogs from my past life.  Cracking dogs!


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## BBP (7 April 2018)

Absolutely no offence intended to all the other beautiful dogs here, but Zak is just a stunning dog to look at.


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## Moobli (7 April 2018)

BBP said:



			Absolutely no offence intended to all the other beautiful dogs here, but Zak is just a stunning dog to look at.
		
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Thanks BBP - he is my ideal shepherd in all ways, including looks


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## JennBags (7 April 2018)

They are beautiful dogs.  This was my mum's dog, she sadly lost him in February


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## Moobli (7 April 2018)

Great photo JB.  Lovely dog.  So sorry to hear your mum has lost him


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## pippixox (7 April 2018)

I love how the breed combine their intelligence and ability to work but while also being family friendly dogs who will happily sleep by a babies cot.

I am very tempted by 4yo GSD x collie: hopefully meeting him next week. He looks collie in colouring but long coat and GSD size, with one floppy ear. However, may end up fostering friends lab as well for a bit with the aim that my friend will fall for him (currently has one older lab and has mentioned she wants a second!) sorry offtopic a bit!


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## Lintel (7 April 2018)

Ooh what a good thread! I love see all these hairy handsome beasts! Clyde doesn't really count as a whole GSD yet at nearly 7 months old, still a bit gangly and fuzzy looking haha! The pictures show his slightly extreme colour change.. dark to light... to dark..  - sorry picture overload.


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## paddy555 (7 April 2018)

lovely idea WGSD and I would post pics of Merlyn if I knew how. Without photo bucket I am at a loss. They are in photos on a mac. How do I get them to here? thanks


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## Moobli (7 April 2018)

Clyde is so gorgeous Lintel.  I look forward to your sharing more pics as he grows.


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## Lintel (7 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			Clyde is so gorgeous Lintel.  I look forward to your sharing more pics as he grows.
		
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Not doing to bad for the runt of the litter! Yours are all gorgeous I envy how well trained they must be!


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## Moobli (7 April 2018)

paddy555 said:



			lovely idea WGSD and I would post pics of Merlyn if I knew how. Without photo bucket I am at a loss. They are in photos on a mac. How do I get them to here? thanks
		
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I use Tiny Pic now, in the same way as photobucket.  http://tinypic.com/ but I saw someone post recently that you can right click on a photo on Facebook and save and then copy between 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 on here with no spaces - if that makes sense?  I haven't tried it though.


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## Lintel (7 April 2018)

paddy555 said:



			lovely idea WGSD and I would post pics of Merlyn if I knew how. Without photo bucket I am at a loss. They are in photos on a mac. How do I get them to here? thanks
		
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I find this website the easiest as I'm abit anti social media 
https://postimages.org


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## Moobli (7 April 2018)

Lintel said:



			Not doing to bad for the runt of the litter! Yours are all gorgeous I envy how well trained they must be!
		
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Ha well they have their moments


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## pinball (7 April 2018)

Buster a big softy and with his big sister before we bought him







and his favorite toy


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## MurphysMinder (7 April 2018)

I've been surrounded by shepherds all my life.   My mother was a breeder, exhibitor and judge and I think probably my first baby photo was in a whelping box with a bitch who had just had 10 pups,which made the local paper !    I have shown , competed in obedience and agility and bred but currently just have 2 girls, Evie and freya who are mother and daughter.    I have posted loads of pics over the years but they have all disappeared with photobucket


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## paddy555 (7 April 2018)

amazing pics of your dogs WGSD. The one underneath "at the beach" is my ideal. Just love it. I think my pup is going to be very like Flame. Why police dogs? were you a handler or did you take police dogs in?


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## splashgirl45 (7 April 2018)

all look like lovely dogs but agree Zak is something special.....love the pic of jennbags mums dog, what a great momento...


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## Karran (7 April 2018)

I grew up very close to my grandparents and they used to take in retired police dogs. None of them lasted very long unfortunately (I seem to remember back end problems with most of them) but would have four or five years happy retirement which suited my grandparents needs at the time
The first I remember was actually a Dobe,
But then there was Zero, Solo, (both shorthaired GSD's), very similar in look, Simba (longhaired) and Merlyn (longhaired black)
Unfortunately this is the only photo I can find of any of the four. I think its Zero in the photo along with me early-mid 90's!


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## Pr1nce (7 April 2018)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=110859295579&set=a.109168600579.196748.901380579&type=3

This is Toby who is now 15 and a bit wobbly! Nicest natured dog I've ever had!


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## Sandstone1 (8 April 2018)

Cant see the photo, but 15 is a very good age for a shepherd.


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

Pinball - Buster looks like a big softie!  I love the photo of the toy duck in his mouth   So many people who are scared of the breed don't realise they have a really soft, sensitive side.


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

MurphysMinder said:



			I've been surrounded by shepherds all my life.   My mother was a breeder, exhibitor and judge and I think probably my first baby photo was in a whelping box with a bitch who had just had 10 pups,which made the local paper !    I have shown , competed in obedience and agility and bred but currently just have 2 girls, Evie and freya who are mother and daughter.    I have posted loads of pics over the years but they have all disappeared with photobucket  

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Ooh you were so lucky to grow up with shepherds!  My parents wouldn't let me get a dog and heaven for me was time spent on my grandparents farm each summer with the sheepdogs.  I also walked all and sundry's dogs in the village where I grew up.  I always had the dream of owning my own GSD, probably helped along by Joyce Stranger books and my ambition to be a police dog handler.  What a shame you lost all your photos


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

paddy555 said:



			amazing pics of your dogs WGSD. The one underneath "at the beach" is my ideal. Just love it. I think my pup is going to be very like Flame. Why police dogs? were you a handler or did you take police dogs in?
		
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That is Yogi.  I've had two longcoats but don't want another in future.  Long hair and living on a farm in Scotland is not really compatible!    I can't wait to see Merlyn again.  Did we work out that he and Flame shared relatives?  (My memory is shot these days!).  Police dogs were my ex OH who was a police dog handler and then ACPO accredited police dog instructor for 15 years.  My ambition was to be a police dog handler and I applied to the police in my mid 20s and passed all the tests but unfortunately and underlying health issue reared it's head and put a stop to that career


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

splashgirl45 said:



			all look like lovely dogs but agree Zak is something special.....love the pic of jennbags mums dog, what a great momento...
		
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Thanks Splashgirl.  Zak is my one in a million I think and is going to be a hard act to follow.  Here is his son, and hopefully the same breeder (in Denmark) will be using Zak's semen on her future breeding bitch and I hope to have a pup from that pairing if it all works out in 2-3 years time.


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## Pr1nce (8 April 2018)

Sandstone1 said:



			Cant see the photo, but 15 is a very good age for a shepherd.
		
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I can never get photos to work


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

Karran said:



			I grew up very close to my grandparents and they used to take in retired police dogs. None of them lasted very long unfortunately (I seem to remember back end problems with most of them) but would have four or five years happy retirement which suited my grandparents needs at the time
The first I remember was actually a Dobe,
But then there was Zero, Solo, (both shorthaired GSD's), very similar in look, Simba (longhaired) and Merlyn (longhaired black)
Unfortunately this is the only photo I can find of any of the four. I think its Zero in the photo along with me early-mid 90's!
		
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Lovely photo Karran.  What a lovely thing for your grandparents to do as well.  To take in an older dog, knowing that you wouldn't get a long time with them in very selfless.  It is something I would be interested in doing when I am older and unable to deal with the boisterousness of pups.


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

Pr1nce said:









https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=110859295579&set=a.109168600579.196748.901380579&type=3

This is Toby who is now 15 and a bit wobbly! Nicest natured dog I've ever had!
		
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Aw I can't see the photo probably because it is on private settings.  If anyone wants to email their photos to me and I can post them for you, feel free to send me a PM.


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## Clodagh (8 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			Thanks Splashgirl.  Zak is my one in a million I think and is going to be a hard act to follow.  Here is his son, and hopefully the same breeder (in Denmark) will be using Zak's semen on her future breeding bitch and I hope to have a pup from that pairing if it all works out in 2-3 years time.












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That is Zak's pup? What a lovely dog. He has evenly erect ears - how did that happen!?


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

Clodagh said:



			That is Zak's pup? What a lovely dog. He has evenly erect ears - how did that happen!?
		
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Yes, this is his pup.  Now 6 months and huge ... so hope he won't grow any more!  His ears did the usual up, down, cross, down, up before both standing to attention and staying there   Hopefully he will grow into them soon lol!

ETA : He should get darker and darker as he ages too, as sables do.  Zak and also the mother are both dark sable so I would expect Phoenix (pup) to end up a similar colour to them.


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## Clodagh (8 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			Yes, this is his pup.  Now 6 months and huge ... so hope he won't grow any more!  His ears did the usual up, down, cross, down, up before both standing to attention and staying there   Hopefully he will grow into them soon lol!

ETA : He should get darker and darker as he ages too, as sables do.  Zak and also the mother are both dark sable so I would expect Phoenix (pup) to end up a similar colour to them.
		
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Is there an ideal weight for a GSD? Or will he not be shown, will he do working stuff? (Where I assume weight is irrelevant?)


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

Clodagh said:



			Is there an ideal weight for a GSD? Or will he not be shown, will he do working stuff? (Where I assume weight is irrelevant?)
		
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Oh no he won't be shown.  He is training for IPO (tracking, protection, obedience).  Height shouldn't be too much of a problem and I know his owner will keep a close eye on his weight to keep it optimum for the work he will be doing, but I can only assume he has grown so big so quickly because he was a singleton pup.  Neither mother or father are large dogs.  Zak is 63cm and 39kg.


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## Karran (8 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			Lovely photo Karran.  What a lovely thing for your grandparents to do as well.  To take in an older dog, knowing that you wouldn't get a long time with them in very selfless.  It is something I would be interested in doing when I am older and unable to deal with the boisterousness of pups.
		
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Think it ties in nicely with your other thread! I never thought about it as a kid but here were working dogs coming from a working life and living in kennels to suddenly being pampered pets in front of the fire, two walks a day and there was 7 boisterious grandkids all very close in age around there almost daily to get used to!

I don't remember any problems with them although we were taught very young how to treat them as dogs and not toys (if only we'd applied that knowledge to our own Labrador who was always a willing playmate for anything we dreamed up!)


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## MurphysMinder (8 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			Ooh you were so lucky to grow up with shepherds!  My parents wouldn't let me get a dog and heaven for me was time spent on my grandparents farm each summer with the sheepdogs.  I also walked all and sundry's dogs in the village where I grew up.  I always had the dream of owning my own GSD, probably helped along by Joyce Stranger books and my ambition to be a police dog handler.  What a shame you lost all your photos 

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Joyce's first shepherd Puma came from Mum,  and Joyce did all her GSD related research with us in the early days.   The lead poisoning story in Never Count Apples actually happened to  a litter of pups we had


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

Karran said:



			Think it ties in nicely with your other thread! I never thought about it as a kid but here were working dogs coming from a working life and living in kennels to suddenly being pampered pets in front of the fire, two walks a day and there was 7 boisterious grandkids all very close in age around there almost daily to get used to!

I don't remember any problems with them although we were taught very young how to treat them as dogs and not toys (if only we'd applied that knowledge to our own Labrador who was always a willing playmate for anything we dreamed up!)
		
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It probably worked so well because it was older dogs who had probably had quite a hard working life (and GSDs usually retire at 8-9 years) being brought into an experienced home where there were boundaries.  I have noticed a change in my working line dog's energy levels for the past year or so (he is now 7 years) and although he is still very physically fit and active, he is happy to snooze for longer when there isn't anything else going on.


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

MurphysMinder said:



			Joyce's first shepherd Puma came from Mum,  and Joyce did all her GSD related research with us in the early days.   The lead poisoning story in Never Count Apples actually happened to  a litter of pups we had 

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Oh wow - I know who you are now then   Your mum bred some beautiful dogs.  Do you still have the more Alsatian type or the WGSL?  I loved Joyce's books as a child and still have many that I cherish to this day.  The lead poisoning of the pups must have been devastating


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

Thinking back to Puma, Chita and Josse, as well as Joyce's fictional dogs especially the GSDs (Storm from the Paddy Joe books, Ven and Josse the police dogs, Gelert, Zellie in Never Count Apples) and border collies (Flash, Lig from A Walk in the Dark, Rex) definitely helped nurture and grow my love of these breeds of dog, especially as a child and young teen when I was absolutely desperate for a dog of my own.  

I spoke to Eric Roberts at a training event a few years ago about Joyce (as she mentioned him a few times in her non fictional books) and he said she was a lovely lady if a little eccentric.  I spoke to her via letters and then on an email forum for working dogs run by police dog handlers when the internet was fairly new and long before these kind of forums/boards.  You used to just be on a list and get group emails that everyone could read in your inbox.  Oh the good old days


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## paddy555 (8 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			My parents wouldn't let me get a dog

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mine were the same but appparently I soon put a stop to that! As a 3 and 4 yo I would keep going up to GSDs and putting my arms around them. (there were several around our way)  They got too panicky I would get hurt and got me a collie type pup to cuddle.


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

paddy555 said:



			mine were the same but appparently I soon put a stop to that! As a 3 and 4 yo I would keep going up to GSDs and putting my arms around them. (there were several around our way)  They got too panicky I would get hurt and got me a collie type pup to cuddle.
		
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Ha ha I was similarly unphased and went up to cuddle any breed of dog - but especially GSDs and collies, but my parents were still mean.


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## MurphysMinder (8 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			Oh wow - I know who you are now then   Your mum bred some beautiful dogs.  Do you still have the more Alsatian type or the WGSL?  I loved Joyce's books as a child and still have many that I cherish to this day.  The lead poisoning of the pups must have been devastating 

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Very much WGSL,  in fact Puma was probably the last of english type and she was mated to a german bred dog.  The lead poisoning was heartbreaking ,  we only lost one,  who was my favourite but the other pups really struggled for a while.

Joyce was a little eccentric,  but looking back she spoke a lot of sense.  She used to go on about there being a movement against dogs and people would be trying to ban them and I don't think anybody took any notice as it just wasn't the case then,  but look at the anti dog feeling nowadays.


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## pinball (8 April 2018)

WorkingGSD he is a big softy. Your dog Zak is very handsome.
Buster,s usual positition unless trying to sneak on your lap.


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## Clodagh (8 April 2018)

pinball said:








]
		
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My goodness he looks vicious. Those teeth!


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## pinball (8 April 2018)

Clodagh he does but would lick you to death. He barks like a nut case at the door but then throws himself on the the floor to scratch his belly.


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## jsprince (8 April 2018)

My present boy  Teddy and my dearly missed boys, Prince, Duke and Beau.

Duke








Prince








Beau






















Teddy


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

MurphysMinder said:



			Very much WGSL,  in fact Puma was probably the last of english type and she was mated to a german bred dog.  The lead poisoning was heartbreaking ,  we only lost one,  who was my favourite but the other pups really struggled for a while.

Joyce was a little eccentric,  but looking back she spoke a lot of sense.  She used to go on about there being a movement against dogs and people would be trying to ban them and I don't think anybody took any notice as it just wasn't the case then,  but look at the anti dog feeling nowadays.
		
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Do you happen to know Chita's breeding?  Joyce never mentioned it in her books.  

I think lots of "dog people" might be considered eccentric by some but I always found Joyce' books to be insightful, interesting and down to earth.  She didn't mind admitting her mistakes, especially in the hope that someone else might learn from them.  And as you say, there is much more of an anti-dog feeling these days than there was even just ten years ago.


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

Pinball - love Buster's grin.  He's lovely.


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

jsprince - some beautiful dogs there!  Wow and Teddy has grown so much since I last saw a photo of him on here.  What a handsome boy.  Will you show him?


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## jsprince (8 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			jsprince - some beautiful dogs there!  Wow and Teddy has grown so much since I last saw a photo of him on here.  What a handsome boy.  Will you show him?
		
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Thankyou WorkingGSD, they were all much loved boys.

No Teddy won't be shown there is not much of a Gsd show scene near me and I don't really think I would have the time for it I hope to try agility with him.


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## MurphysMinder (8 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			Do you happen to know Chita's breeding?  Joyce never mentioned it in her books.  

I think lots of "dog people" might be considered eccentric by some but I always found Joyce' books to be insightful, interesting and down to earth.  She didn't mind admitting her mistakes, especially in the hope that someone else might learn from them.  And as you say, there is much more of an anti-dog feeling these days than there was even just ten years ago.
		
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I've a feeling she was a Tracelyn , but I could be making that up !     I know she was quite strong working lines.


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

MurphysMinder said:



			I've a feeling she was a Tracelyn , but I could be making that up !     I know she was quite strong working lines.
		
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From the description of her temperament and high drive I did think she must be from working lines, although I don't suppose the UK had the continental working line influence that we have today.  I must ask Margaret Crispin if she was one of hers.  Thanks.


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## Moobli (8 April 2018)

jsprince said:



			Thankyou WorkingGSD, they were all much loved boys.

No Teddy won't be shown there is not much of a Gsd show scene near me and I don't really think I would have the time for it I hope to try agility with him.
		
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I haven't met a dog yet that doesn't enjoy at least some of the equipment in agility so I am sure Teddy will have a great time.


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## Keith_Beef (8 April 2018)

When I was really young, my uncle (my mum's sister's husband) worked for a while as a security man / night-watchman (until he had a fall off a roof and injured his back), and he had an Alsatian (as we called them back then), called Tanya.

I have a few memories of playing with her, especially throwing snowballs for her to catch in the woods, and laughing when she looked stunned that the ball had disappeared in her mouth.

My mum has a photo of me in my high chair, gnawing on the bone from the Sunday roast, with Tanya looking up and waiting for it to be her turn...

She tells me that she could take me out into the park and let me run around and do whatever I wanted at three or four years old, and that Tanya would keep and eye on me and not let me stray too far.

I don't think I see as many of that breed around as when I was a kid, and those that I see don't look anything like as nice; they seem to have a bigger slope from shoulder to hip, often have terrible hip problems when they're older, and nasty-looking dew-claws.


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## Moobli (9 April 2018)

GSDs in the UK have certainly changed over the past 30 odd years.  The influence and popularity of the West German show type (with the more angulated shape you mention) is the main reason for this.  Continental working lines being imported have also seen the split between show and working dogs become bigger.  When I was young the working dogs (such as police, prison and army dogs) were the same types that you saw in most pet homes and even the show ring to some extent.

Hip dysplasia has always been an issue and researchers have been working hard for decades to find a solution, as well as breeders testing their breeding stock to try to reduce the risk of producing affected pups but still the problem remains.  We know there is likely to be a genetic component (as certain breeds and lines are more prone to it) but we also know it is influenced by environmental factors (such as joint laxity, nutrition, weight and exercise) and so finding a genetic solution is unlikely to happen.  Thats a whole other topic though! 

Not sure where your comment about dew claws comes in? Do you mean rear dewclaws?  Ive never seen a GSD with rear dewclaws.


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## jsprince (9 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			Not sure where your comment about dew claws comes in? Do you mean rear dewclaws?  I&#8217;ve never seen a GSD with rear dewclaws.
		
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WorkingGSD

I can remember back in the early 90's my Mum and Dad purchased two GSD littermates from west country,  they both had dew claws and were operated on and removed at a few months old, I think because of the risk of their being caught and ripped off.

They were both lovely boys Roger and Sabre,  one for me and one for my brother.  Sabre managed to break his rear paw as a pup trying to climb out of playpen and had a metal plate inserted,  I can always remember my Mum who loved animals saying Dad was soppy we had only had him for a few weeks and the cost of the op i think it was a few thousand back then could have bought another 6 puppies!

Sabre though was the one who used to follow Mum around most.


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## MurphysMinder (9 April 2018)

40 odd years ago you routinely checked pups in a litter for rear dew claws,  and any present were removed at a couple of days old.    I don't remember seeing rear dew claws on a pup for many years though,  which is good and certainly not seen them on an adult.    Most breeders will remove them from pups as it is a far bigger procedure in the older dog.


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## Moobli (9 April 2018)

Pr1nce said:









https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=110859295579&set=a.109168600579.196748.901380579&type=3

This is Toby who is now 15 and a bit wobbly! Nicest natured dog I've ever had!
		
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Here are Toby's photos for Pr1nce.  What a lovely boy.







No idea, how to turn this photo the right way (I did try, sorry).


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## CorvusCorax (9 April 2018)

Lovely dogs 
I've done a bit of everything with mine over the years, I was born into it and there's no other breed for me, GSDs are a way of life!
I think it is important to show, work and health test, to showcase the complete animal and to contribute to research, record-keeping and the gene pool for the future.

As regards hips, if you research your lines and go for those proven to have genetically good hips and elbows over many generations, you'd be extremely unlucky to have one with problems. To me elbows are just as important.
The German system has passing and failing scores over which you cannot breed, show or work at high level, and an advanced database which makes it much easier to check back.
Under the BVA scheme, while there is no consequence from breeding from high hips and no 'breeding ban', it is recommended that for 'responsible breeding', only animals with results under the mean score for the breed should be bred from (Hips total 11, elbows total 0). 
The BVA hip scoring scheme has been in place in the UK since the 70s and the SV system has also available to use for many years, there really is no excuse for anyone to be breeding from untested or high scoring animals.
What a lot of people think is bad hips ('going down at the rear end') is actually CDRM, a neurological condition which weakens the back legs and then travels back up the spine. 
There is now a DNA test for this condition so that people can avoid breeding from carriers if they so choose.

Also never seen a dog with rear dewclaws for a loooong time.


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## Pr1nce (9 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			Here are Toby's photos for Pr1nce.  What a lovely boy.







No idea, how to turn this photo the right way (I did try, sorry).






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Thank You so much WGSD, no idea how i managed to take the sideways one yesterday!
He is starting look every bit of his 15 years but apart from the grizzled look and the wobbly back legs he is still as full of life as he ever was and loves his toys, especially the squeaky ball in the pic (he is giving Jack BC a dirty look as he was getting ready to swipe it!)


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## Moobli (9 April 2018)

Pr1nce said:



			Thank You so much WGSD, no idea how i managed to take the sideways one yesterday!
He is starting look every bit of his 15 years but apart from the grizzled look and the wobbly back legs he is still as full of life as he ever was and loves his toys, especially the squeaky ball in the pic (he is giving Jack BC a dirty look as he was getting ready to swipe it!)
		
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Bless him!  He looks good for 15 years.  Treasure your time with him.  Here was my old lady at 14 and not long before I had to say goodbye to her for the last time.


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## Pr1nce (9 April 2018)

what a lovely wise face 

I know he's very much on borrowed time so we are just plodding along and taking each day as it comes (15 seems to be my magic number with dogs so i feel like i'm on a count down this year  )


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## CorvusCorax (9 April 2018)

Too add to the previous discussion, there was no real split between show and working types up until the 80s and it was a concerted promotion of a certain type, by a small number of revered individuals which caused it.
All the dogs in the show ring and in working trials on the continent were of the same lines until then. 
The reason continental working lines had to be imported to the UK, was because of that split.


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## texas (9 April 2018)

Thanks for this thread. Was thinking of posting similar a while ago, asking for people's photos!  The guy I buy my eggs from has around 6 long haired GSDs that guard his property.  They are jolly scary when there is no person around and they all run at the gate barking, but as soon as one of their owners is around they are soft as anything.  He recently acquired a puppy, it looked exactly like Yogi's puppy photo and I admit I fell in love after a previous phobia!  I am glad to hear they can be family dogs as I don't hear that often and have a small child (and cats and ponies) to consider when we do get a dog eventually.


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## blackcob (9 April 2018)

CorvusCorax said:



			Also never seen a dog with rear dewclaws for a loooong time.
		
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My horse landlord's GSDs (don't ask me about the breeding, they'll have come from freeads ) both have rear dewclaws, big loose flappy ones that make me cringe.


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## CorvusCorax (9 April 2018)

My mother wrote a very strongly worded letter to the canine press about the removal of rear dewclaws as a teenager, I must look it up, I can't remember whether she was for or against, but she definitely had a bee in her bonnet either way 
A female I had ripped her fronts and that was bad enough.

Absolutely family dogs, I had one at my side every day when I grew up


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## Sprig (9 April 2018)

Lots of lovely dogs. Zak is my favourite HHO dog out of all of them though. He is so handsome and sounds like a fab dog to have around. I am very tempted by a working type GSD next time around. Our collie is just over one now and has been brilliant so when the lurcher goes (who is only 7 now, so probably will have a while to wait!) the decision will be between another collie and a GSD.


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## Moobli (9 April 2018)

texas said:



			Thanks for this thread. Was thinking of posting similar a while ago, asking for people's photos!  The guy I buy my eggs from has around 6 long haired GSDs that guard his property.  They are jolly scary when there is no person around and they all run at the gate barking, but as soon as one of their owners is around they are soft as anything.  He recently acquired a puppy, it looked exactly like Yogi's puppy photo and I admit I fell in love after a previous phobia!  I am glad to hear they can be family dogs as I don't hear that often and have a small child (and cats and ponies) to consider when we do get a dog eventually.
		
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They can be the BEST family dogs.  My younger son has an amazing relationship with Zak in particular.  It is obviously important to choose your breeder carefully and look for one who is breeding for excellent temperament as well as health.  Kids also need to be taught to respect the dog and vice versa - as with any breed.  

One of my fave photos of Zak and Ben (and I have many more).  Zak is also really safe around Ben's friends who come to play too.


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## Moobli (9 April 2018)

Sprig said:



			Lots of lovely dogs. Zak is my favourite HHO dog out of all of them though. He is so handsome and sounds like a fab dog to have around. I am very tempted by a working type GSD next time around. Our collie is just over one now and has been brilliant so when the lurcher goes (who is only 7 now, so probably will have a while to wait!) the decision will be between another collie and a GSD.
		
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Aw thanks Sprig.  He really is a great dog.  Collies and GSDs do compliment each other well too


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## JennBags (9 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			They can be the BEST family dogs.  My younger son has an amazing relationship with Zak in particular.  It is obviously important to choose your breeder carefully and look for one who is breeding for excellent temperament as well as health.  Kids also need to be taught to respect the dog and vice versa - as with any breed.  

One of my fave photos of Zak and Ben (and I have many more).  Zak is also really safe around Ben's friends who come to play too. 






Click to expand...

This is a brilliant photo!


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## pinball (9 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			They can be the BEST family dogs.  My younger son has an amazing relationship with Zak in particular.  It is obviously important to choose your breeder carefully and look for one who is breeding for excellent temperament as well as health.  Kids also need to be taught to respect the dog and vice versa - as with any breed.  

One of my fave photos of Zak and Ben (and I have many more).  Zak is also really safe around Ben's friends who come to play too. 






Click to expand...

Beautiful picture


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## Moobli (9 April 2018)

Thanks both


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## Keith_Beef (10 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			GSDs in the UK have certainly changed over the past 30 odd years.
		
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The dogs I saw when I was growing up in the 1970s and 1980s were in England, and I suppose a number of them might have been retired police dogs as well as active working dogs.

Those I see today are in France.

I hadn't thought that there could well be a preference for a different body shape over here, just because it's a different country, as well as the breed having changed over time...


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## texas (10 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			They can be the BEST family dogs.  My younger son has an amazing relationship with Zak in particular.  It is obviously important to choose your breeder carefully and look for one who is breeding for excellent temperament as well as health.  Kids also need to be taught to respect the dog and vice versa - as with any breed.  

One of my fave photos of Zak and Ben (and I have many more).  Zak is also really safe around Ben's friends who come to play too. 






Click to expand...

Lovely photo.  It'll be a couple of years before we are ready to add a dog to the mix and I expect I'll be posting for advise here, hopefully you'll still be around   I'm certainly doing my best to teach my child to respect the animals in the mean time!


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## CorvusCorax (10 April 2018)

Keith_Beef said:



			The dogs I saw when I was growing up in the 1970s and 1980s were in England, and I suppose a number of them might have been retired police dogs as well as active working dogs.

Those I see today are in France.

I hadn't thought that there could well be a preference for a different body shape over here, just because it's a different country, as well as the breed having changed over time...
		
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In France I've seen dogs I've never seen walking down a street in any other country (Beauceron, Komondor) but no German Shepherds out and about.
A French dog won the world breed show a few years back (and he is now in most show pedigrees) and they do send a team to the working world championships every year. 
The latter has been held in France a few times, most recently four years back, but in the part of France which used to be in Germany 
French Ring is a slightly similar but more popular sport there (for obvious reasons ) than IPO or Schutzhund, which is the original breed selection mechanism/sport for the German Shepherd Dog.
As with any country, there will be show lines, working lines, pet lines and everything else in between!


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## Keith_Beef (10 April 2018)

CorvusCorax said:



			In France I've seen dogs I've never seen walking down a street in any other country
		
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I meet a few dogs in my town, but not really all that many. I've caught a few loose ones, though; a Weimeraner, Golden retriever, a couple of mongrels, either in the school playground (as kids are arriving in the morning, the dog sees kids playing with a ball and dashes in when a gate opens to let parents in or out) or running around in traffic.

I live in a small town, and work in Paris; a lot of people live in small flats, so they tend to have yappy little dogs that I dislike intensely: chihuahuas, French bulldogs, pugs.


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## Moobli (10 April 2018)

Keith_Beef said:



			The dogs I saw when I was growing up in the 1970s and 1980s were in England, and I suppose a number of them might have been retired police dogs as well as active working dogs.

Those I see today are in France.

I hadn't thought that there could well be a preference for a different body shape over here, just because it's a different country, as well as the breed having changed over time...
		
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You get the working lines and the West German show types in France as you do here in the UK.  French Ring does tend to be the sport of choice for the working lines in France though and they have some absolutely super dogs.  A friend imported one a few years back and he is a cracking dog.  I would definitely consider a French working line dog in future.  They tend to be smaller and more agile.  

This dog is superb imo.
http://deslegendesdhirjasko.chiens-...e,jaguar-de-la-coquellerie,52327,1040800.html

And this is the father of my friend's dog. He was another great dog.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdg2lnOrwW0

And here is a random French WGSL kennel , which I am assuming are the type of shepherds you have seen.
http://www.collinesduboischaut.com/pages/nos-bergers-allemands-etalons/

In the 70s/80s in the UK we ha the more "Alsatian" type.  It is quite amazing how many different types of one breed there are!

And some fantastic old footage of 1960s "Alsatian"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EysUF-kkQAw

And 1961 War Dogs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lnmg984pns

I love all these old films!


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## CorvusCorax (10 April 2018)

All the Ring GSDs I have seen are quite large, helps with the pulling.

And wash your mouth out, that's a German Shepherd Dog doing odd jobs in Hamburg


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## Moobli (10 April 2018)

texas said:



			Lovely photo.  It'll be a couple of years before we are ready to add a dog to the mix and I expect I'll be posting for advise here, hopefully you'll still be around   I'm certainly doing my best to teach my child to respect the animals in the mean time!
		
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Happy to help if I can


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## Wella (10 April 2018)

This is my daughters Shepherd 8 months now and when he was 8 weeks.


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## CorvusCorax (10 April 2018)

Very nice type


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## Moobli (10 April 2018)

Wella said:













This is my daughters Shepherd 8 months now and when he was 8 weeks.
		
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Beautiful!  Just my type.


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## Wella (10 April 2018)

Thank you she did her homework before she got him. She spends a lot of time on him. He is very clever maybe too clever lol


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## Moobli (10 April 2018)

MurphysMinder said:



			I've a feeling she was a Tracelyn , but I could be making that up !     I know she was quite strong working lines.
		
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You were right!


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## MurphysMinder (10 April 2018)

WorkingGSD said:



			You were right! 

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Wow,  so some of the brain cells still work!


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## the shadster (10 April 2018)

https://postimg.org/image/n8lbq2byz/


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## CorvusCorax (10 April 2018)

Ok. We need to talk. You may have a problem!


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## Moobli (11 April 2018)

the shadster said:



https://postimg.org/image/n8lbq2byz/

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Wow, great group shot.  Beautiful dogs.  Are they all yours?  Do you breed?


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## the shadster (4 May 2018)

Yes all mine. Head of security centre back, deputies centre front & right, apprentices far left and right lol.


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