[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Herding with coated dogs

  • From: "Carolyn Martello" <marhaven@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <TerraNorte@xxxxxxx>, <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:55:33 -0700

I think what we need to focus on is OUR Standard and OUR Breed   We  have one 
of the most efficient 
working/ herding dogs in the canine world.....and the Standard is the reason.   
There is a reason for 
good feet, correct croup,  athletic powerful dogs that can work all 
day....strong jaws,  good bite, full 
mouths, length of neck...tail like a rudder  ( not a donut   <G> )  and 
yes....even their coats, texture & color.  
Probably if we were analyzing this to death the least important "fault" in our 
Standard would be light eyes 
as far as not affecting ANYTHING except appearance.   ( don't even 'go there' 
with ears ) <G>   Should we 
then decide all dogs with light eyes have a better shoulder opening,  or seem 
"smarter" and not pay any 
heed to them......until we start seeing "headlights" coming at us?    <G>   
Sure can't hide headlights!!   <G>
           (   It really simplifies things to buy into this Breed ..........and 
stick with the Standard.   <G>    )
Yes...there are wonderful long coats out there......and we all periodically 
have buyers that even prefer them.
I don't want to waste time trying to convince  anyone that they are "better"  
at anything......or "worse" in anything.   
They are what they are.   The coat texture and length  is incorrect.
Soft...or silky.....is not a correct GSD coat.......not nearly as "efficient" 
to deal with for you....or the dog.
We lived in snow country .....snow and ice stick to 'coats'  like glue and 
'balls up'  in little frozen balls that takes 
forever to get out and get a dog dry.   We live in a rural area now, and we 
hike and camp and run the  dogs on 
trails......and dealing with a coat is 'pain' when it comes to  foxtails, 
stickers, dirt,  swimming, brushing, bathing 
and drying.    
When we get a coated puppy we work really hard at getting them placed in the 
City with sidewalks and lawns
.<G>
We did see Irish Setters used for a short time as sled dogs because of their 
stride.   The  'sledders'  we knew 
gave it up because dealing with the soft silky coat in the snow and trees and 
brush was a real problem.

Carolyn    marhaven@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.Marhaven.com



From: Jackie Short To: Showgsd Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010 1:12 PMSubject:  
Re: Herding with coated dogs


I think the important thing to remember, Terra, is that while GSDs come in 
longcoats, and while Briards and the 
like have long coats, show breeders (particularly Americans) have bred for 
PROFUSE coat, because it's
aesthetically pleasing.    I've seen pictures of real working Briards, Bearded 
Collies, Border Collies, and Bouvier.  
The amount of coat they have is SPARSE compared to the show dogs.  Proper 
texture in the show dogs doesn't 
matter if there is still TOOMUCH coat to care for.  Amount of coat is just as 
important as texture.
Jackie & Marcato German Shepherds
                                          
****************************************************************
----- Original Message ---From: TerraNorte@xxxxxxx To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010 12:55 PMSubject: ] Herding with coated dogs


  I have had coated puppies over the years and had people inquire about  coated 
pups. Usually if you keep 
  up on grooming them when they are blowing coat,  not anymore issue than 
non-coated dogs. 
   
  What I have come to realize it how hard it is for coated dogs - not only  
GSD's, but the Border Collies, 
  Aussies, Collies, Shelties, Bouviers, and Briards  to actually herd outside 
of a dirt arena. We have a Briard 
  that is in training  for C course and she walks the stock from the pen to the 
graze, makes a couple  of passes 
  through around the graze and is full of grass seeds. 
  Unfortunately  with native grass pastures you are going to have some seeds. 
   
  I now understand why a long coat is an fault for our breed - the human  
shepherd doesn't have time to brush 
  out that coat every time the dog comes home  from work and in order for the 
canine shepherd to effectively 
  do it's job (take  the stock to graze, manage them during the feeding period, 
and then bring them  back home) - 
  it needs to be able to work without dealing with  seeds and burs. I  wonder 
how setters are able to go to work 
  in the field without the same issues? 
   
  ~ Val Manning
     Terra Norte' GSD
     Rancho Terra Norte'
     Wellington, CO 
     _www.ranchoterranorte.com_ (http://www.ranchoterranorte.com) 


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