On Thu, 17 Oct 2013 11:23:56 -0700, "Kathy Partch" <jokaysedona@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: >If a GSD entered the obedience ring or any kind of working group like >herding/tracking, etc., with just 3 legs or any registered breed & was able >to go through all the exercises & do the job would this dog be disqualified >because of not having all 4 legs? I really have never heard of this so >that's why I'm asking. OOH... OOH... I feel qualified to answer this one. Disqualified? No. EXCUSED??? Yes!! I don't believe it is technically a requirement that each dog have a full complement of God-given legs. HOWEVER... Such a dog is probably walking with a limp or abnormal gait, and that IS a valid reason for excusal in pretty much all AKC sports. From the rule book: "A dog that is lame in the ring at any obedience trial or at a tracking test may not compete in that class. Lameness is defined as any irregularity of locomotion. The judge must determine, without a veterinarians opinion, whether a dog is lame. If the judge deems a dog lame, that judge will not score the dog and will mark the judges book 'Excused-lame.' So any dog exhibiting a limp or otherwise abnormal gait will be excused from its class and not allowed to compete. A dog who sprained a leg or was stung by a bee might be limping for its class, but go home to recuperate, feel better and show the next day or week and do just fine. But a 3-legged dog is never going to get any better or stop being lame. You can figure the rest out... The reason I know all this is that I have an English setter right here next to me who is crippled from a freak accident as a 5 week old baby (mom stepped on him in just the wrong way and broke his femur in multiple places). He walks with a permanent limp now because that one hind leg didn't develop normally and is actually shorter than the other three. Doesn't stop him from living a full and complete life and running around like a fool, but he can never compete in any AKC sport, obedience or otherwise. He limps. He will always limp for the rest of his life. That's just the way it is. PS: If I were after a conformation dog or a serious obedience or field prospect, I would NOT have purchased this dog because I knew about his injury and prospects for recovery (or not) going in. As it happens, I'm nearly as crippled up as the dog these days. I had a home that needed a good setter and he was a puppy who needed a good home, so it was a great match. As the old obedience magazine 'Off Lead' used to proclaim, "the handler gets the dog he deserves." -- Karen C. Email: kmc@xxxxxxxxxxxx ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2012. 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/ ============================================================================