[ SHOWGSD-L ] The Standard - does anyone care? LONG
- From: Cinosam GSD <cinosamgsd@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2005 08:57:50 -0700 (PDT)
After reading about what constitutes a hockwalker and what people interpret as
correct movement and the difference between the AB verses specialty dog, and
why white dogs should be accepted in some form, I went back and reread the
Standard. What I found based on the posts on this list and my own observations
is that the only thing that seems to really matter with regard to breeding
GSD?s, is movement. I know there has been talk of rewriting the standard in
the past and it wouldn?t be a bad idea. We could just have one line that says,
any shepherd-like dog that can obtain the ?flying gait? should be deemed the
ideal representative of the breed.
Do you know that the words flying gait don?t even appear in the standard. If
you read it?and read it the way it was meant to read not some interpretation of
what you want to see, I think what you see is a description of a muscular
powerful low stationed dog, beautiful and noble, that moves with such ease that
it can herd livestock all day but has such power that it excels any variety of
protection-type roles making it one of the most versatile breeds in the world.
Nowhere in the standard does it suggest or imply that all aesthetic qualities
of the GSD can be sacrificed in order to achieve the flying gait.
This is why you hear such criticism not only from the novice standing ringside
at a specialty show, but true dog person that can identify what constitutes
correct movement and what is some mutation of a good idea gone bad. Many of
the GSD?s being shown today have a laundry list of faults that identify them as
inferior animals in the eyes of novice and the experienced breeder alike, but
because they can fly around the ring they are what is winning and consequently
identified as the best representatives of breed. This is why you hear so many
complaints about conformation people ruining the breed.
I realize that there is nothing more spectacular or exciting than watching a
great moving dog effortlessly flying around a huge grassy ring?..but at some
point the overall quality of the dog has to be taken into consideration. The
argument could be that since GSD?s are basically working dogs, it shouldn?t be
a beauty contest, but lets face it, a herding dog does not need to move like
the dogs that are currently being shown in the specialty rings to be successful
and most of the herding dogs I?ve seen don?t come close to having the angles
that specialty dogs do. In fact, everyone seems to forget that GSD?s did just
fine when they were actually used as working dogs on ranches and farms, so if
the goal is to breed the ultimate working dog then the way to do that is
emulate the dogs from decades past not create a new variation because it?s
exciting and entertaining to watch it moving at the end of a lead.
I love specialty shows, love running around the ring, making ?cat in heat?
sounds to get my dog?s attention, just love the excitement of it, but it is so
depressing to see dog after dog with flopping ears or ear sets so bad they look
cartoonish, horribly feet, round goofy eyes, so much angle they can?t even walk
as the standard suggests (functional cripples?), long backed, gazelle-like
legs, weak pasterns, dogs that look like bitches bitches that look like
offspring of some hybrid wild dingo and so on?.win again and again?because they
can move.
IMO a good breeder regardless of the breed of dog should always try to create
the ideal complete package (according to the standard) rather than concentrate
on one aspect of the package that is currently hot in the show ring. I haven?t
been around long enough to remember how badly angulated dogs were fifteen years
ago, ?..so maybe things are improving.
And lest anyone think I?m anti-specialty or that I?m suffering from sour
grapes, that is not the case at all. I saw some of the nicest bitches at a
recent specialty, particularly in the Am-bred Class that seemed to represent
the entire package. I really want to be successful in the specialty ring but I
absolutely refuse to breed my ?correct? (according to the standard) moving
bitches to ultra extreme dogs (with god awful faults) just so I can be
competitive. My hope is that this trend dies out similar to the whole ?peanut
roller? fad that infected the Western Pleasure Horse (horse folks will require
no further explanation), in the eighties and early nineties.
In the meantime I?ll just sit tight, enter specialties for fun (yes I still
show for fun) and finish my dogs in the all-breed rings?.where the judges might
be clueless (according to some on this list) but at least they follow (and
know) the standard?it?s the only guide they have afterall?.so don?t anyone tell
them anything different <G>?And please don?t criticize the judge that puts up
the beautiful GSD correct in every way that is a good mover over it?s leggy
splayed toed counterpart that simply flies?.there is nothing in the standard
that suggests he do otherwise.
Finally to clarify a few points for those that will nitpick.
The standard is open for interpretation?.
Angulated dogs can be successful herding dogs
Not every specialty dog breeder has forgotten what the ?complete? package is
Moderate angulation is required to propel and drive the dog forward.
Breeding is an art not a science, even with the best intentions faults occur or
are in the lines and it can take many generations to eliminate them.
My dogs are not without faults and my bitches could use more rear to add
balance and drive.
Not all all breed judges interpret the standard correctly.
Not all specialty judges are blinded to everything but movement?and they can
only judge what is presented to them.
No I do not feel we should be producing a style of dog that was popular in the
50?s.
Regardless of what takes precedence in a breeding program, health and
temperament should always come first.
Dingo?s do not have any angle so in reality could not produce specialty
bitches?.
And so on?.
JMO
Cindy
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