Good reply, Carolyn. I also find there is a care issue when you have a dog with a long soft coat our in the field. In pet homes they are fine and on very short grass sheep arenas, but get them out in brambles or those dreadfull foxtrails or screw weed and you have a huge issue. And then there is the adobe clay -- Ruth ________________________________ From: Carolyn Martello <marhaven@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: uwish@xxxxxxxxxx; Showgsd-l <Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 7:55:58 AM Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: THE LONG COATED SHEPHERD DISQUALIFIED OR A WINNER? From: Barbara Galasso To: 'Showgsd-l' Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 7:59 AM Subject: THE LONG COATED SHEPHERD DISQUALIFIED OR A WINNER? http://insidethegermanshepherddogsworld.blogspot.com/ Hi Barbara; Great articles on your blog. I enjoy reading them and really appreciate the way you continue to try to get a discussion about 'DOGS' started. Regarding the subject about long coats I probably will be the "odd man out" on this one as they are automatically 'disqualified' by us in our breedings for keeping, or breeding. <G> Even though it is considered a minor fault......we place long coat puppies as nice pets as quickly as we can once they are vaccinated and clear the Vet check. Occasionally one is definitely as nice as you describe in your article......but they are placed as pets and not kept for breeding purposes. We have never utilized a long coat to try to get more coat in our breedings either. It just is not something we felt we needed to do although we love a thick lush coat as much as anyone. I don't personally believe you have to breed to a coat to get a lush thick coarse correct coat......? Also, when we place a long coat puppy I really work at getting them in homes in the city where they are just exposed to lawns and cement. <G> We live in the Country......and in our area when the deer migrate through in the winter ticks can be a problem. Also Fox Tail stickers and what I call 'Velcro' stickers are a problem here and our land is not ALL immaculate lawns and the dogs are not kept in cement kennels but loose on the property much of the time. To try to deal with a long coat with any of the issues described above...from ticks to stickers in the area can be a real problem. In the snow country......the snow 'balls up' in little balls of ice on their coat and won't easilty brush off. Not to mention the simple fact that the coat is incorrect in it's length.....BUT also in the texture. It is often WAY too soft to repel dirt, water, stickers, etc. I am just grateful for the loving homes that actually want a long coat to place them in .....and I never worry about letting a pup go that is wonderful in bone, or gait or conformation. I love it when we have dogs that do not carry the coat factor. Just another 'minor' fault to not have to be concerned with. <G> My goal is always to get all the wonderful attributes you mentioned........ with a normal correct coat. <G> Carolyn marhaven@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.Marhaven.com ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2009. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://showgsd.org NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/ ============================================================================ ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2009. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://showgsd.org NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/ ============================================================================