[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Topic change - was Apology to The List
- From: Jackie Short-Nguyen <marcatoshepherds@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2011 15:51:09 -0500
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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