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"The one absolutely unselfish
friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous,
is his dog... He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with
the roughness of the world...When all other friends desert, he remains." -George
G. Vest- Speech in the U.S. Senate, 1884 Questions: 1. Why create a new large breed of dog that has no purpose other than to
be a companion? 2. Aren't there enough large breed
dogs in the pound? 3. These dogs look similar to
the Shiloh or King shepherds. Why not just buy one of them? 4. Aren't there enough dog breeds in the world without adding a new type? 5. What does this dog offer to owners that other dogs do not already possess? 6. Wouldn't a German Shepherd Dog do all we need as a companion dog? 7. How are these dogs a new breed if they are not recognized by AKC or
other kennel clubs? 8. Is this dog a new breed even
though it looks so similar to a long-haired German Shepherd Dog? |  |
| | | K-9 Emporium Obedience Classes 1986 |
Let
us take you back in time. Unlike today, pet stores were everywhere and a person could buy a purebred or designer dog from
pet shops throughout cities and towns.
As early as the 1960s, Lois had been handling and working with many family
dog owners and dogs were Lois' passion. Finally, in 1986, Lois became the owner and operator of the K-9 Emporium, pet and
grooming shop, in Oxnard, CA. She could now dedicate all her time to this enthusiastic yearning inside her to help others
with their dogs.
After several years, Lois became aware of a need from buyers and those who came
to her for advice about their pet dogs. She learned that many owners bought dogs based on looks alone and not whether the
dog could handle life in the big city. She also realized that many people were extremely busy and had bought a pet that required
a great deal of exercise and time. As a result, many people would beg her to take their dogs from them because they could
no longer live with the barking, digging, hyper behavior they exhibited. The general public no longer needed a working
dog, but wanted a family pet. These experiences made a great impression on Lois, who could not understand why the public
would buy a dog that was bred for generations to work hard on farms, ranches, and protection and expect that dog to adapt
to life in the big city. | | CH. Here Comes the Judge, 2008. sire: Beamer dam:
Annie |
Lois then turned
her attention to the different breed standards and asked herself which dog breeds would be best suited to life in the new
fast-paced world of the average American. She rooted through dog breed standards that could point her in the direction of
the ultimate pet. She observed numerous dog breeds as they came and went from her shop. Each breed she read about and watched
exhibited traits that needed to be trained out. Dogs bred for chasing game possessed excessive barking and hyper qualities.
Dogs bred for protection possessed an aggressive personality. Dogs bred for herding needed a lot of space to run and time
to move. Dogs bred for retrieving needed exercise and lots of activities to keep their minds active. Small dogs could be
barkers and aggressive toward other dogs or children. Of course these dogs behaved in these ways. They had been specifically
bred for generations to exhibit these traits.
Lois also observed some dogs who had all the qualities that would 'fit'
in the new American lifestyle. There were mellow, non-barking dogs within the chasing, herding, protection, retrieving and
toy categories. A person could find dogs who could live happily within this fast-paced world. The difficulty she noted was
that these dogs were not in one breed, but randomly within all breeds. A potential owner could not be absolutely sure that
the dog they bought from the breed they chose would be as mellow and adaptable to the city. Within the same litter, a person
could find that one German Shepherd Dog would be a great friend to all and another German Shepherd Dog would be an aggressive,
hyper, barking nuisance.
Addressing the various breed standards, Lois recalled that all these now unwanted working
traits were bred for a reason. Although you could find a retrieving dog who was mellow and needed minimal space, the breed
standards called for an active and energetic dog. If a good breeder was always striving for better adherence to the breed
standards with each new litter, then this breed would continue to be an active, energetic dog more often than not. Where
was the medium/large breed pet who was solely bred for family companionship and not working abilities? | | CH. You Can Call Me Al, 1990, German Shepherd
Dog |
Lois' favorite dog, the German Shepherd Dog, specifically was a moral dilemma for her. This dog
came from Germany with a courageous fighting drive and hardness. However, the German Shepherd Dog of the AKC show rings is
not prized for its working ability, but more for its looks and friendliness, as you can read in the AKC standards. Although
the names are the same and many view these two types as the same breed, the standards for the German and American dogs are
different. As a result of the indiscriminate breeding between these two types, AKC registered dogs can possess
working ability or non-working ability.
There is no dilemma with changing a dog's temperament to fit a different purpose.
The moral dilemma arises when a breeder knowingly breeds more low-drive German Shepherd Dogs in order to sell pups for
the public or win in the show rings. Calling the changed dog by the same breed name as the high-drive dogs confuses
the public and misrepresents the breed's integrity and purpose. Nevertheless, Lois finally settled on the mild-tempered,
low-drive German Shepherd Dog as the closest ultimate companion dog.
Lois loved the German Shepherd Dog's intelligence,
but could not tolerate the dogs within the breed that barked incessantly, dug their way to China, became aggressive especially
when provoked, and paced the fence line. Although that type of highly driven dog was perfect for those who worked dogs, she
knew that in order to have the ultimate companion dog, she would need to extend what AKC had started and continue to alter
the German Shepherd Dog's drive in order to produce a dog without these character traits unwanted by the busy American family.
Not wanting to breed low-drive German Shepherds who did not fit the working standard and could not perform the duties they
were meant to perform, she chose instead to create a new breed, as she felt the AKC should have done when they first started
registering the mellow German Shepherd Dog in the United States. In looking
at the German Shepherd Dog as the ultimate companion dog, Lois also noted the many health issues related to this dog, such
as hip and elbow dysplasia, epilepsy, and panosteitis. These health issues prompted others to produce different breeds similar
to the German Shepherd Dogs of old, such as the Shiloh Shepherd and the King Shepherd. However, unlike the Shiloh and
King Shepherd breeders who wanted to keep the German Shepherd drive, Lois felt that a complementary dog could calm the temperament
and breed health and vigor into the lines. She chose an Alaskan Malamute with good health and temperament to help her
achieve her goals.
As stated in the American Alsatian™ history, it has taken Lois 20 years to accomplish her
purpose of creating the ultimate family companion dog that does not bark, whine, dig, or run the fence. She has eliminated
hip and elbow dysplasia, epilepsy, and panosteitis. She has consistently produced generation after generation of beautifully
healthy, mellow dogs. These dogs are not found in the pound or shelter because they do not exhibit difficult behaviors
or temperaments. Although she has not focused on the looks of the dog, but on the temperament, character, and health, these
dogs have evolved into lovely large-boned dogs with beautiful golden and silver colors.
Although these dogs breed
true to her vision of character with each passing generation, Lois' dream is not yet complete as the looks of this breed can
now start to develop without fear of bad health or unstable temperaments. Once you've lived with this breed of dog you
will understand the differences within its temperament and health. Now there is a choice for a mellow, all-purpose family
companion dog breed when there was not before. Those who are looking for a beautiful large dog without the unwanted
behaviors of a working dog breed have found the ultimate complement to your family life. Questions Answered: 1. Why create a new large breed of dog that has no purpose other than to
be a companion? The fast-paced average American demands it as an alternative to a working
dog breed. 2. Aren't there enough large breed dogs in the pound? These dogs
will not find themselves in the pound as they do not possess difficult character traits that lend themselves to pound puppies. 3. These dogs look similar to the Shiloh or King shepherds. Why not
just buy one of them? The Shiloh and King shepherds continue to have the working dog traits of
the German Shepherd Dogs. The Alsatian is different in temperament, although similar in looks. 4. Aren't there enough dog breeds in the world without adding a new type?
There was no large breed companion dog option before the American Alsatian™. 5. What does this dog offer to owners that other dogs do not already possess? Consistently calm, gentle companion temperaments. No excessive barking, whining, digging, fence
pacing, or hyperness is bred. 6. Wouldn't a German Shepherd
Dog do all we need as a companion dog? There are different temperament types of German Shepherd
Dog and a potential buyer could not be sure to acquire a calm, even-tempered, mellow German Shepherd Dog. 7. How are these dogs a new breed if they are not recognized by AKC or other
kennel clubs? These dogs breed similarly in temperament, health, and looks with over 18 generations
from the first breeding. We do not seek recognition from an outside kennel club. 8. Is this dog a new breed even though it looks so similar to a long-haired German Shepherd
Dog? Yes, the temperament, health, and body structure are different than the German Shepherd Dog.
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