[ SHOWGSD-L ] follow your dream --my experience
- From: Kay Springer <showgsd@xxxxxxx>
- To: ninemaplefarm@xxxxxx, showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2011 20:27:53 -0800
Hi Sara - I am just catching up on the emails of the last few days. I
am sorry that you have received so many negative responses.
I have been involved in GSDs since 1979 when I purchased my first GSD
from a friend who was a police officer and his K9 has sired a litter
of puppies. Pepper was a long coat ( I didn't even know about long
coats at that stage) and pretty large for a bitch. She ended up
having Parvo and nearly died but my vet at the time pulled her
through. Since she was my first BIG dog (I had had 3 beagles
previously) I enrolled her in obedience training which quickly hooked
me. Pepper was everything you didn't want in a GSD.....she was spooky/
sharp...either wanted to run from you or bite you, she had bad hips
and some skin issues but I loved her and she made me fall in love
with the breed even through she was not the best representative. I
am telling you this because she was very square with no angulation but
still had bad hips. I later learned that rear angulaltion has nothing
to due with their hips. I showed her in obedience, got a CDX on her
and half way to a UD until she had issues jumping so I retired her. My
vet said I could jump her and she would tell me when she couldn't do
it anymore which she did. Although dysplastic she was by far my best
jumper of all the 10 dogs I have shown in obedience/conformation. So
looks can be deceiving. While training her, I became interested in
conformation and wanted a dog that could do both ---- although the
majority of the GSD exhibitors/breeders told me I couldn't show a dog
in both venues at the same time. I am half German and just stubborn
enough to want to prove them wrong! LOL
I met a breeder that mainly was involved in obedience but was starting
to breed into conformation lines. I liked the female she was going to
breed and I loved the stud dog who was a Champion. Both dogs had
solid OFA pedigrees & great temperament...see I learned from my first
experience buying a puppy. I got the pick of the litter and that dog
was the foundation bitch for my line. She was a breed champion with a
UD. She had her CDX before her breed championship and I got her UD
after she finished her championship. I put most of her minor points
on and one major myself and then turned her over to a local
professional GSD handler as I knew she could finish her faster which
she did. After that I had a few litters, kept a few, breed and co-
breed several champions. All of my personal dogs also have obedience/
herding titles along with their AKC Championship I joined a local GSD
club before I purchased my foundation bitch and became involved in the
club as board member, newsletter editor, show secretary, futurity
secretary and president over the next 20 years or so. During the
time I was always at shows, both all breeds and specialties and
learning about the breed from very experienced breeders and
professional handlers. Most clubs need workers so take advantage of
that as it is a great place to learn.
I admit that there are some dogs that look crippled, but probably are
not. I do not like a dog that is extreme in the rear or toe draggers
but there are so many out there that are not. I don't know where you
live and maybe things are different in your area but I show mainly in
the western US and the majority of the GSD shown are not crippled
looking or have bad temperament. Yes, there are some, but not the
majority. Also, I think you need to look on how these dogs that are
not sound are raised. I firmly believe that dogs need socialization
at an early age and you can take a very sound puppy and never expose
it to "life" and you will have a spook. So just maybe the dogs you
seen with bad temperament are not born that way but have not been
properly socialized....so it is not a breed problem but a "people/
owner" problem.
I encourage you to get involved with a GSD club and find a good
mentor of two. And yes you will probably find club members that are
not so nice to you, but that is life in all venues....not just in
dogs. I had two very good ones which really helped me. And yes you
have to have a very thick skin even if you have the best of dogs as
someone will find something wrong. Believe me from the time I started
in this breed I have had lots of nasty things said about my
dogs.....even the very, very, good ones that were rated in the top 10
GSD in breed rankings.
My current dog is an Int'l Ch. & AKC Ch. He has a TC,CGC,HT,RE & CDX.
The only reason he does not have a UD is that I just finally got tired
of doing obedience as I have been doing it for 30 years!!!! He was
rated the #5 & #6 GSD in the US in breed rankings for 2009. He won
the breed at Eukanuba in 2008 and was BOS in 2008 to a bitch that
Jimmy and Sheree Moses showed. He was never raised with children but
for many years sat on the bench at our local bench show and had kids
of all ages hanging on him, stroking his ears and having their picture
taken with him. To date he is producing very beautiful and sound
puppies. I am telling you all this as I pretty much started out like
you did. If you love the breed like you say you do, just find the
right people to mentor you and learn and learn and learn who the
breeders are that have the style of dog you like.
Kay Springer
www.showboatgsd.com
On Dec 7, 2011, at 6:50 PM, Sara Minsk wrote:
> Well, this has certainly been quite educational for me. I can't say
> whether it has been good or bad. But, judging by the posts and
> private e-mails (with the exception of a few), it would appear that
> the breed has zero problems and everyone outside of the GSD world
> (and myself) are nuts.
>
> I can see with my own eyes how loose the hind legs are and how the
> dogs can't walk normal. So, you can all tell me that I am nuts and
> they would make the ideal herding dog but I don't buy it. I have to
> agree with everyone that has approached me about this GSD condition.
> It's not ok. If this is what wins in the AKC and is the only thing
> than I am not interested. I can't do it. My first GSD as a kid (an
> unregistered white) didn't look like this and he was athletic,
> sound, and healthy. As I start to show my GSD puppy, I was hoping
> that this look wasn't required but every year that goes by I see it
> more and more. I just don't know why.
>
> I wanted to express my frustration over hearing all the negativity
> from outside the GSD world (which I agree with) and the fact that I
> have had experienced breeders tell me that they can't get majors on
> their dog as it's too political. So, if they can't do it how will I
> ever be able to do it? Will I have to be in the breed for 50 years
> before I can finish my own dog?
>
> Maybe all breeds are like this. I don't know. I don't care as I only
> care about my breed.
>
> So, sorry I bothered everyone trying to understand why this is all
> happening in the breed and how it will effect me showing my dog. I
> truly find it upsetting. But, I guess it doesn't concern the
> majority of people.
>
> Likewise, I suppose over the last 3 years I must have also been
> blind witnessing the poor temperaments in the ring.
>
> I don't know. I want to have thick skin but at the end of the day..I
> just don't need the stress. I don't. Why does it have to be this way?
>
> Maybe the GSDCA isn't the right fit for me (which stinks as I am a
> new member and just joined a local GSDCA club). I am still shocked
> at bring called "smug" and hearing "this breeder sells her good dogs
> but wouldn't to you". Blah-blah. I don't like being called a liar
> either. Why is it important what other people think about the breed?
> Maybe because where there is smoke there is fire. I had to sit
> through a whole freaking show with people coming up to me (who had
> met me at UKC) and ask me why the breed is ruined and so deformed..
> I DON'T KNOW. Everytime I am out walking my dog or attending a
> performance class, I get asked the same questions. I DON'T KNOW.
>
> This is my first exposure to other GSDCA members outside of the
> woman I met at a show from the club I joined and the club members I
> met at the meeting to vote me in. I can't say I am not
> disappointed. I just wanted answers and I have no secret agenda.
>
> I apologize again for bothering everyone on the list with my
> concerns as a new person entering the breed and show ring. To the
> few people who sent positive e-mails to me, I thank you. To the
> rest, your negativity is just too much. Truly.
>
> I wish everyone much success in their breeding programs.....
>
> Take Care,
> Sara
>
>
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============================================================================
POST is Copyrighted 2011. 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.
Each Author is responsible for the content of his/her post. This group and its
administrators are not responsible for the comments or opinions expressed in
any post.
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@xxxxxxxxxxx
VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://showgsd.org
SUBSCRIPTION:http://showgsd.org/mail.html
NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/
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