[ SHOWGSD-L ] Comments on gsds at AKC Canine Health Symposium

  • From: Zoa Rockenstein <zrockenstein@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:01:58 -0800 (PST)

I attended a symposium organized by the AKC Canine Health Foundation on 
November 5th.  Overall, it was great and I commend the AKC, and the College of 
Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota, for organizing this 
event.  One presenter, however, left something to be desired.  I just 
completed my evaluation of a presentation entitled Gait Analysis:  Fact or 
Fiction.  I am copying it to you all because I thought you should know how our 
breed was treated in this presentation.  
 
Gait
Analysis: Facts and 
Fiction                                                                   
Michael Conzemius, DVM, PhD, DACVS
 
Effectiveness
of presentation:                        1x        
2          3          4          5
Relevance
to your area of interest:                 1          
2          3          4          5x
Appropriateness
of technical level:                 1          
2          3x        4          5
Was
the speaker articulate?                           
1          2          3          4          
5x
Was
the speaker responsive to questions?   1x        2          
3          4          5
Comments/suggestions:
As a German Shepherd AKC
Breeder of Merit/exhibitor, I was shocked, appalled, and very unhappy with this
immature, unprofessional, and poorly informed presenter.  He opened his 
presentation by ridiculing the
structure and movement of German Shepherd Dogs by bending his knees and
waddling across the stage area while the other breeders laughed. This was very
degrading and humiliating to me.  He then
asserted that the â??high incidenceâ?? of hip dysplasia in the German Shepherd 
is
due to dropped movement in the rear, causing additional pressure at that
end.  Someone with both a DMV and a PHD
should know that remarks of that nature need to be data driven.  He failed to 
present any data to back this
up.  The data presented with Dr. Jerold
S. Bellâ??s presentation, included in the symposium packet, did not even list 
German
Shepherds in the 20 breeds with the highest incidence of hip dysplasia
according to OFA.  Dr. Bell did list
German Shepherds among those breeds with the highest incidence of elbow
dysplasia.  Following Dr. Conzemiusâ??
logic, you would think that German Shepherds are built lower in the front than
in the rear, putting more pressure on the front, which is obviously not the
case.  Reputable breeders of German
Shepherds have worked hard for many years to reduce the incidence of both hip
and elbow dysplasia in our breed both through x-raying our breeding stock and
through pedigree analysis.  And, we have made
significant progress.  If Dr. Conzemius
would study the breed standard, and the history of the breed, he would
understand why a German Shepherd is not built like a Malamute.  Predominant on 
Dr. Bellâ??s list of breeds with
the highest incidence of hip dysplasia are bulldogs, terriers, and
spaniels.  Some of these are built high
in the rear, according to their breed standard.  I would suggest that AKC set 
down some guidelines for these symposium
presenters.  I am sure it is not your
intent for breeders to experience the public ridicule of their breed, based on
ignorance and misinformation, at your otherwise outstanding health 
symposiums.  Since gait analysis plays such a predominant
role in the conformation judging of German Shepherds, this topic area is of the
utmost interest to German Shepherd breeders.  This particular presentation, 
however, could have used a little more
â??factâ?? and a little less â??fictionâ??.
Zoa

Dr. Zoa Rockenstein
www.riverrockgermanshepherds.com 
Home of Multiple Group Winner  GCH RiverRock's Hotel California (Callie) HSAs 
RN BN
and her 13 beautiful puppies sired by Welove Du Chien's Captain America (Stevie)
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