Now, just what IS the excuse for the right hind leg used to hold up the middle of the topline??????
There are two reasons the GSD is stacked different than other breeds..
First: As DanL mentioned it is to denote a sense of readiness, GSD's are working dogs, they should look like they are ready to "spring into action"..
Second: The stack is designed to show off their angulation and topline.
The "all" and "most" that I refer to are dogs that I have seen, heard of and been told of over a period of about 3 decades.
Seeing, hearing, and being told about is a lot different than living with these animals daily, it's a lot different than being seriously involved in the breed.
I see, hear, and am told about various breeds everyday..and if I believed half of what I heard I would have a very narrow minded view on some wonderful breeds...
Now I realize that being the owner of a dog or two might make you an expert as to the general over all state of an entire breed. If so, more power to you.
You are presuming that just because someone has a dog or two that is where their experience ends...
But lets play that card...Currently I am the owner of two GSDs (both rescues).
I have trained GSD's in tracking, obedience, herding, agility. SchH training is my next step..
I am involved in breed rescue and I foster when time allows.
Prior to my current GSD's coming into my life I was owned by one other and that was years before when I was a small child, after she passed on it was years before I wanted another dog...
As time passed and I was ready for another dog I kept coming back to the GSD and I knew that was the breed for me...In preparation I talked to everyone I could and became involved in the breed so I could be ready for the day that I could again have a GSD in my life.
After making the decision that I again wanted a GSD, it was again years before I actually had one...
It was years that I spent learning about the breed exclusively. Some people in the breed met me with open arms and were eager and enthusiastic to talk to me about the breed and teach..others waited until I proved myself worthy of the breed and took longer to warm up...once they knew that I was serious about the breed, they became some of my best teachers in the breed..
I was given the honor in assisting with training and eventually training on my own some wonderful GSD's owned by some people in the breed that today I am proud to call not only mentors but friends..
I got involved in breed rescue and it was through my involvement in rescue that I ended up with my two current GSD's...
It was a difficult road and I worked my butt off to get where I am, its a road that I started nearly ten years ago..a road that I am still walking and learning on today..the knowledge never ceases...its a road that not I would not trade a second of because it made me a better dog owner, it made me worthy of this breed, and it was on this road that I found my passion for training..
So when you say that those of us who only have a dog or two and imply that we have no real knowledge in the breed you are discounting how we got to that point..some of us worked hard to get there, some of us spent years in the breed exclusively before we brought them into our lives..
What is your personal experience in the breed exclusively? What makes you qualified to bash the breed as you have?
Those of us who know and love the breed will be the first to point out the flaws the breed has, and it is because we know and love them that we do this...For someone with no real experience on the breed to judge them and bash them so harshly is highly ignorant.
Too bad no one will ever know the percentage of Shepherds walking around with dysplasia. Would be interesting.
And no one will truly know the percentage of Dobes, Labs, Goldens, Dals, ect..with dysplasia...In every breed there will be individuals who avoid and falsify test results..