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In this study, genetic and non-genetic effects on behavioural traits were estimated, based on records of the field behaviour test of the Swiss German Shepherd Dog breeding club. This standardized test has been applied since 1949 and comprised the following seven traits: self-confidence, nerve stability, temperament, hardness, sharpness, defence drive and fighting drive. The analyses were based on the test results of 3497 German Shepherds between 1978 and 2000. Gender, age, judge and kennel had significant effects on all behaviour traits. The heritabilities were calculated using three different methods and ranged between 0.09 and 0.24, with a standard error varying between 0.04 and 0.06. Phenotypic correlations among the traits lay between 0.28 and 0.94, the genetic correlations between 0.34 and 1.0. No significant correlations between hip dysplasia scores and the behavioural traits were found (-0.04 to 0.01). The modest genetic improvement over the last 25 years in the studbook population of the German Shepherd dog (GSD) was due to the low heritabilities of the behaviour traits, but mainly because of the low selection intensities after the test (only 8% failed). Some recommendations were made to improve the test and selection response.

Age. --- Behaviour. --- Breeding. --- Dog. --- Dogs. --- Drive. --- Field. --- Fighting. --- Gender. --- Genetic correlations. --- Genetic. --- German shepherd. --- Heritability. --- Method. --- Population. --- Response. --- Selection. --- Temperament. --- Test.

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A desirable dog guide weighs 18 to 32 kg and measures 53 to 64 cm in height at the withers as an adult. Heritabilities and genetic correlations were estimated for birth weight, 42-d weight, mature weight, and mature height for 2,334 German shepherd dogs and 2,028 Labrador retrievers raised by the Seeing Eye, Inc., Morristown, NJ, from 1979 to 1997. Data included 5,006 observations for German shepherd dogs from 113 dams and 33 sires and 4,123 observations for Labrador retrievers from 89 dams and 29 sires. A mixed effects model was considered with sex and birth year as fixed effects. Random effects were animal, maternal, and litter incorporating all pedigree information available. A derivative-free REML method was used to estimate parameters. The maternal component was higher than the additive genetic component for birth weight. Heritability of mature weight was estimated as 0.57 +/- 0.07 for German shepherd dogs and 0.44 +/- 0.07 for Labrador retrievers. Mature height heritability was estimated as 0.35 +/- 0.08 for German shepherd dogs and 0.46 +/- 0.08 for Labrador retrievers. Selection for lighter dogs at maturity is predicted to decrease the average mature height, and selection for taller dogs at maturity is predicted to increase the average mature weight. The estimated genetic parameters will aid in the development of strategies to increase the probability of breeding dogs for optimum mature size

Adult. --- Animal. --- Birth weight. --- Birth. --- Body weight. --- Breeding. --- Development. --- Dog. --- Dogs. --- Eye. --- Genetic correlations. --- Genetic. --- German shepherd. --- Growth. --- Height. --- Heritability. --- Increase. --- Labrador retriever. --- Maternal. --- Method. --- Model. --- Observation. --- Parameters. --- Selection. --- Sex. --- Sexes. --- Size. --- Strategies. --- Strategy. --- Weight.