Echo, was a spook ... he was a spook at 6 weeks of age, his father was a spook
... Thank God he was a pet quality dog that I had no intentions to show or
breed, just enjoy. I knew he was reserved when I got him as a young puppy, but
I didn't realize he was a spook, had never heard of a spook. He would crawl on
his belly in a parking lot, act aggressive in many situations and when he was
about 9 months old my sister told me he was a spook, that he would be a fear
bitter if given a chance and if I didn't do something to get him under control
I'd have to have him put down.
So Echo and I worked very very hard to overcome his problem with the help of
many people ... hundreds of hours doing obedience, taking baby steps to expose
him to various situations, Wynn Strickland Clinics, Volhard Clinics, every
obedience match in the DC/MD/VA/PA areas, etc., etc., etc. It was very hard
work, but extremely worthwhile and rewarding.
Ominous Echo of Cloverly earned a CD, a CDX and was trained thru Utility except
for the go out. Obedience judges didn't believe me when I told them about our
trials and tribulations of getting to the point of earning titles. Everyone
thought he had a rock solid temperament.
People were shocked when I told them he was a spook ... dog people ... breeders
... obedience people ... judges (both obedience and conformation) people who
know dogs couldn't believe he was a spook (or should I say a former spook? but
IMHO a spook is a spook even if they've been well trained out of their
spookiness). I remember having a meeting at my house for members of the
Chesapeake Kennel Club (an all breed club in Maryland), those who didn't know
Echo could not believe my outgoing boy was a spook. People from WGSD Clubs
often stayed at my house when we had local shows ... they knew about Echo yet
they were impressed that he seemed "normal".
So it can be done if one wants to invest the time and energy to do it ... but
IMHO it would be unethical to breed such an animal ... a hereditary spook will
produce more hereditary spooks, some will be put down because they will bite
someone or maul a kid, some may be chained in a junk yard to ward off thieves,
and a few may be lucky enough to be trained into leading a normal dog's life
... but no matter how beautiful a dog may be, it's not worth breeding them if
they're a spook.
Gayle & the Hooligans!
http://www.picturetrail.com/arycrest - Link to The Hooligans Albums
Please note: message attached
From: "Evan Ginsburg" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender
"elg440@xxxxxxx" for DMARC)
To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] Perception
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2015 18:31:40 -0400
Lee is asking a rehitorical question. He and I do the same thing. We both judge
the dog by what the dog does in the ring on the day we judge that dog. It
matters not what we know about the dog, but what we see when we judge.
However, at times we see a sound dog turning or looking behind us at the owner.
From outside the ring, it can look like the dog spooked. It is what you as the
judge sees that matters, not what it looks like to someone else.
If the dog stands fine for examination, and is a spook, most judges know it.
But, you still have to judge what you see. Most of the time a trained spook
can't be trained enough to fool a good judge.
Evan
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