[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Lifers-Long
- From: Jackie Short-Nguyen <marcatoshepherds@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 3 Nov 2011 17:15:53 -0400
*The only person that affects is you.*
This upsets me. This really, REALLY upsets me. The above quote is
absolute bull pucky.
It shows in our declining entry numbers. It shows in the PC membership.
It shows in regional club membership. It shows AT the shows, where my
husband and I are often the youngest participants there, and we are 25 and
26 years old.
I have a 13 year old girl next door to me who loves dogs, and I'd love to
get her involved in exhibition. But I will not put her in the GSD
conformation ring, where there is poor sportsmanship, lack of help (unless
you have money), the insistence that you cannot finish your own animal, the
lack of encouragement.
I have met good people in this breed. Very good people. I have also dealt
with some absolutely ROTTEN people. There are people that like me, and
people that hate me, and that's just fine. I've got my Shepherds, and LOVE
my Shepherds.
But the above attitude is what is killing our sport. Our wonderful sport
of conformation is dying because of the attitude that quitting "only
affects you". It does not. It affects the whole fancy, because that is
now one less person that we cannot afford to lose, going to another breed
or another sport.
The numbers for Goldens, and Labs and the like remain stable because the
dogs are frequently owner handled, and do well. They do not have the silly
notion that a dog needs a ring half the size of a football field to look
good. They do not have the notion that a dog MUST be doubled because it is
"too smart" to keep going.
You know why a dog should keep working in the ring, regardless of what you
have in your hand, or what you're doing outside the ring? Because they are
supposed to show JOY in the work. Working for their master should please
them. Maybe part of the bloody problem is that dogs get passed around like
wet rags.
This breed is supposed to be ALOOF. Indifferent to strangers. And yet we
hand them off willy nilly to people. and then expect the dogs to work for
them.
I would like to be clear that I do not begrudge people who have to use
handlers, whether it is due to health, age, or they just do not have/do not
feel they have the talent to finish their own animals. That is their
choice.
But there are plenty of people who do have the desire to finish their own
animals, and who ARE capable. The idea that a dog cannot work as well for
its owner is ludicrous to me. That's what this breed was created for! To
work CLOSELY with its owner!
The dogs are not dumb, no. But this is also not Germany, where the dogs
are moved round and round and round for extended periods of time. The dogs
are in the ring for 2-10 minutes (depending on class size). A dog
shouldn't need to be doubled for that.
Newbies are not interested in being sold mediocre dogs so they can be point
fodder for those with money (it happens, we all know it, please do not give
me the same old song and dance). If a breeder has any sort of integrity,
they will sell a new exhibitor a GOOD dog. You don't have to sell them the
next potential GV for cripes sakes, but give them a dog that stands a
chance of winning.
People cannot afford to be wasting money on animals that will further the
agenda for OTHER people. Not in this economy. And doing such things only
leaves a bitter taste in a newbies mouth, and they WILL pick up their ball,
and go play in another sandbox.
And there is another nail in the conformation coffin.
--
Jackie & Jonathan Nguyen Marcato German
Shepherds<http://www.marcatogermanshepherds.com>
S Konzert vom Drachenberg, RN, CD, CGC "Strauss"
Devine's Gunpowder N Lead RN "Mirada"
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