Guide

Working line or show line?

Ján Sudimák breeds working-line German Shepherds, but he does not set one line against the other. He judges every dog by what it can pass on – health, character, drive and sound, functional movement – and reminds readers that show results and titles are not inherited.

By Ján Sudimák International judge for conformation and performance, breed survey commissioner (Körmeister), with German Shepherds since 1963, founder of the Eqidius kennel in Bardejov, Slovakia.
Published 3 November 2026

What the book covers

The book follows the breed from the time before the lines split, through dogs that excelled both at shows and in work, to the lines bred today. Its bloodline chapters and photographs show how the founders of today’s show and working lines are related, and the author explains what the split meant for breeding in Central Europe.

Guide

Related guides

The main German Shepherd bloodlines
The German Shepherd goes back to a handful of founding sires, led by Horand von Grafrath. In his book, Ján Sudimák follows the male lines behind the sires used in Slovak breeding from 1980 to 2021 and groups them into 21 bloodline sections, from Hector von Schwaben to Quanto von der Wienerau.
How to choose a German Shepherd puppy
Start with the breeder and the parents, then look at the puppy itself. Ján Sudimák wants a puppy that is healthy, well fed, lively and open to people and new places, and he advises against one that is fearful or shows no interest in play or contact.