[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Topic change - was Apology to The List

  • From: falkrigia@xxxxxxx
  • To: marcatoshepherds@xxxxxxxxx, showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2011 16:08:25 -0500 (EST)

jackie,

No one has said that over-angulation was desirable or even acceptable. 
Let's keep to the facts of the discussion. All amerlican showline GSDs 
are NOT cripples nor are they spooks. you know that. Considering most 
of my dogs are german/american combinations - even most of our 
Champions over the years, I would hardly be a proponent of loose 
ligamentation or locked hocks or spooks. However I am also not a 
proponent of roached backs and no shoulders or rear extension or 
indiscriminate sharpness either. There is a very nice happy medium 
where the majority of good dogs fall whatever their heritage.

I am done with this topic. Some things are just not worth the effort.

Life is too short for so much ado about so little.
lynda


Gene Workman
Lynda Bragg-Workman
www.falkrigiashepherds.com
www.thecraftywoodchuck.com
Appaloosa Acres - an Equine and Canine facility
Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue - training director
 
"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, 
therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any fellow 
creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I 
shall not pass this way again".  du Mabillier (1773-1855)


-----Original Message-----
From: Jackie Short-Nguyen <marcatoshepherds@xxxxxxxxx>
To: showgsd-l <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wed, Dec 7, 2011 3:52 pm
Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Topic change - was Apology to The List


I was down at the Augusta shows just last year, Lynda, and yes, with the
exception of one nasty person, I did have a very nice time.  It was the
very last time I saw Suzanne Kinman.  She commented on the beautiful 
bitch
puppy I had (Mirada).
I know I come off as a know it all sometimes, though it is not my
intention.  But I certainly do have my own opinions and convictions in
regards to what I'd like to own and breed, and I've hit the point where 
I
can no longer work to please everybody else, because it is exhausting,
draining, and I get nothing for it.

It seems this is a breed that people have to walk on eggshells with when
questions are asked or old thoughts challenged, because people are so
deeply engrained with what they have been taught.  And rather than admit
someone may be right, we get defensive, call others "smug" or
"know-it-alls" or "ignorant".

I went to the National Dog Show right before Thanksgiving weekend.  Of
course, I had a LOT of people (a LOT) asking me why GSDs were crippled.
I'm sorry, I am not going to pass that off as ignorance.  I can say "all
those angles help improve herding!" until I'm blue in the face, but I am
lying to the public, and to myself, and doing greater disservice to my
breed.

I do explain why angulation is necessary, but I do not pass of the idea
that an overangulated dog/a dog that walsk on its hocks is correct.  
It's
not.  And it is not being faulted in our show ring, which can be seen by
some of the dogs that have finished.

I explain that I've taken Mirada herding, and have seen myself (and been
told by a diehard working line person, of all people!), that that little
bit of extra angulation DOES allow the dog to "float", and definitely 
keeps
the sheep calmer (that part was told to me by the working line guy!), 
but
by the same token, I'm also honest with myself and realize that that 
little
bit of extra rear Mirada has, coupled with some loose ligamentation, 
makes
it more difficult for her to turn.

She'll take a massive digger, and thanks to good work ethic, continue
working.

I've watched a few HGH videos on youtube, and while there is some 
trotting
involved, I mostly see dogs working at a light jog back and forth.  
These
are not dogs I would say are built incorrectly.  They have less rear, 
yes,
but they are balanced, they work hard, and they are not exhausted by any
stretch of the imagination.

I guess, as a whole, it is hard to fall in line with the idea that "The
American dog really CAN do it all" when people generally are not doing 
it
all with their dogs.

A friend of mine (with German Show lines, no less), is purchasing me a
Christmas gift.  It is a SchH I dumbbell.  The contingency upon me 
getting
this gift, is that I train and TITLE Mirada to a BH and OB1.  She is 
very
much capable of that.  A full SchH I title?  Nope, not a chance.  She 
can't
take the pressure (which is a large flaw in the area of temperament).  I
can admit that about her.  Don't like it, but it's the truth.

She is stable in public, interacts well with people, stands rock solid 
on
the exam (many on this list have judged her), and she's pretty pretty
pretty.  But she can't take pressure from a threat.

Yes, there are only so many hours in a day, but there are blinders on 
all
over the place, from ignoring the over the top extreme drive to sport 
dogs,
to overangulated dogs that stand on their hocks just waiting around (and
yes, I am still seeing them with relative frequency).

Things don't always come off the best in the written word....doesn't 
make
what somebody is seeing, or what they are hearing any less true.
--
Jackie & Jonathan Nguyen Marcato German
Shepherds<http://www.marcatogermanshepherds.com>
S Konzert vom Drachenberg, CD, RN, CGC, SD "Strauss"
Devine's Gunpowder N Lead RN "Mirada"


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============================================================================
POST is Copyrighted 2011.  All material remains the property of the original 
author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind 
are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the 
Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

Each Author is responsible for the content of his/her post.  This group and its 
administrators are not responsible for the comments or opinions expressed in 
any post.

ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY 
MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS 
PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY 
FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE 
PROSECUTED. 

For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxx

VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://showgsd.org  
SUBSCRIPTION:http://showgsd.org/mail.html
NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/
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