[ SHOWGSD-L ] One person's opinion
- From: ELG440@xxxxxxx
- To: Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 17:00:57 -0400 (EDT)
I was given this letter as one example of someone who is in favor of the
change. I want to share it with others who may want to hear that side of it.
We all have our opinions, formed by life experiences. This was
interesting.
Dear Mari-Beth O'Neill
10/23/2013
Re; secretary's page,October 2013 pg5:change in GSDC standard.
I came to Oklahoma in the late 1960's, lived alone, and worked the evening
shift in a Tulsa hospital. Three times in one month my apartment was
vandalized while I was at work. The police officer suggested I get a dog. A co
worker had a litter of german shepherds, I got one. My first dog. I went to a
local meeting of the gsd community and learned about training, showing,
tracking, schutzhund and obedience. I was told that white gsd's were mentally
defective, dangerous, malformed and had multiple health issues, and must
be destroyed at birth if any happen in a litter. I had no reason to doubt
this information, especially since the standard said they were disqualified.
After becoming an AKC judge ( #7578), I was contacted by a white gsd club
to judge in Tulsa. I suggested they contact some other local gsd judges. I
was told one of the other judges told the caller that "all of them should be
euthanized" I felt so bad about that I called AKC judging ops, they said
that there was no reason for me not to judge them, so I did. ( a bit self
consciously however).
I was shocked, they not only weren't crazy, they looked really familiar,
type, attitude, expressions. and movement. They actually had overall rather
impressively correct fronts that isn't always the case in classical AKC
shows. I noticed they were taking photos of the wins off to the side and
asked if they wanted me to go over there. The answer was "a lot of the judges
don't want their picture taken with our dogs so we don't ask them, to save
embarrassing the judges"
I was embarrassed for my breed. Later that week I took the catalogue and
went to AKC website and started buying online pedigrees to see where these
dogs came from. Shock to me, they had EXACTLY the same foundation stock and
not so distant dogs that mine had and most of the top winning dogs in
regular AKC conformation. I became an advocate for the wgsds and have judged
multiple Nationals, specialty, and futurities and shows for several of the
wgsd
clubs. They always make the point they try to maintain all their shows
with the same guidelines as the GSDCA and AKC regulations. I have addionally
judged them for UKC. The members of the wgsd clubs always want to know what
to do to make their breed better as breeders, and exhibitors. They have
always shown great sportsmanship and routinely do health and DNA testing in
their kennels. I have respect for not only the white german shepherd but for
the breeders and exhibitors associated with them.
I was fortunate enough to see a 4 month old outstanding black and tan
puppy one of the national's I judged, and she was so breathtaking in type and
movement, encouraged the owner to show her in AKC conformation. The owner
said "but her sire is white" She did show her finally in AKC, she is the first
Ch from white kennel in recent times and produces both white and black and
tan puppies of impressive quality.
Although for whatever reason the GSDCA DQ'd the white gsd, it was a
disservice to all gsd's, they are and have always been german shepherd dogs
and
they are not albino, that is a DQ in all the wgsd clubs. I strongly urge you
to allow the reinstatement change to go to the membership of the GSDCA.
Feel free to contact me at any time on this topic.
Respectfully submitted
I did not write this, but someone I respect did. It does bring some
reasonable thought to the issue.
Evan L. Ginsburg
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