[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: promoting the breed?????
- From: Mary-Anne <versatilegsds@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:35:14 -0500
I agree with Kathy and Carolyn. As a non-'show' GSD owner ( and a coated
one to boot), I absolutely love taking my boy out in agility class as my
'demo' dog. My students ooh and aah at his versatility. However, the first
question I always get is - "Well that's not a German Shepherd, he must be a
mix with a Collie?" - So I start on my spiel about GSD's throwing long coats
occasionally and show them the photos of his short coated mother, brother
and sister. With kids, they dive into his coat and the mothers are all
smiling until they ask what he is. Once they find out that he is a GSD,
there is first consternation in their face and then acceptance. The GSD has
earned a reputation as a fearsome police dog or a neighbourhood terror.
Each time I take Magnum in public, I convert another person. Since 'pet'
people buy the puppies that don't end up in the show ring, we want them to
know that these are truly the family dogs that everyone wants. We also want
them to know that these dogs (if raised properly) can do anything from
leading the blind, bringing home the sheep, tracking the lost child,
cuddling up when you're blue to keeping unwanted personnel off your property
just by being there.
As an agility instructor, I have brought 3 people in my area to the 'dog'
world and they are now involved in 'showing'. One in German SV type and two
in CKC All Breed (and hopefully I can drag them to the Nationals soon). I
have involved many more than that in agility, obedience and tracking (my
true loves since I don't have a show quality GSD ...yet). I have many
friends who were terrified of GSD's who are Magnum's love slaves. The more
that the public meets dogs like our kids, the better the reputation becomes
and hopefully BEFORE the breed specific legislation adds the German Shepherd
to the list.
Mary-Anne
C C Mistral of Waldenridge CGN CD TD AGN RE RA(CL) TEC HIC SGDC 26 June
2001-1 August 2010
Tersha's Magnum Force CGN PCD CD TDX UTD AGN AGNJ AGNJS RE RN(CL) N-TDX TEC
HIC
-----Original Message-----
From: Carolyn Martello
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 12:36 PM
To: Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx ; showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: promoting the breed?????
I'm actually not an "All Breed" exhibitor per se.......( a big joke to many
who threaten to call
an ambulance if we show up at one. <G> ) .... but Kathy and Penny are of
course correct.
We don't really care for All Breed Shows. Specialties are our chosen
venue......just because
we prefer the larger ring, more dogs to compete against ( and see ) and a
Judge that is more
inclined to judge German Shepherd Dogs .....and has a German Shepherd Dog
'background'.
BUT.....
We have ( unknown to many ) finished the Championship on a Grand Victor we
bred AND
on our Grand Victrix ( and I might add ....SOLID BLACK Grand Victrix ) at
All Breed shows!!
Her very next show was the National where she won her GVx. title!!
IMO the key is whether or not the dog can ALSO win under a specialty
judges....in a big ring with
many other GSD's to compete against at a Specialty.......and with a judge
who IS a German
Shepherd Dog person. Also...finding a good SD Judge at an All Breed helps.
BUT.....
The BIG PROMO is exactly as Kathy has stated....taking your dog or young
pup out in the public
where it is admired by many who learn just a little ....or a lot ...from you
in the process. Whether or
not it is a show....a soccer game....a shopping mall.....a huge yard
sale....a Rest Area....anything
where people really get a close up encounter with your good dog and you are
willing to respond in
a friendly informative manner to their questions and curiosity. MANY do
not know GSD's can be
BLACK.....ALL seem to know there are some whites. <G> Which is kind of
funny to me. Many
notice the difference in the way they stand and love it....and want to know
what it is....<G> Take the
time to talk to them.
HERDING Trials and some All Breed can be a learning experience for ALL OF
US!! <G>
Carolyn marhaven@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.Marhaven.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Wednesday,
December 22, 2010 5:29 AM
Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] promoting the breed?????
John are you implying that only Specialty shows promote the breed? How
sad.
(Normally I would say misguided, myopic, ill informed and just plain
wrong but I'm trying
to be nice here.)
If I take a walk in the local park this afternoon with a beautiful puppy
to socialize it and run
into a half dozen people who oooohhhh and ahhhhhh over my beautiful,
correct, well
groomed puppy, petting it and ENJOYING the experience as we chat and
perhaps I answer
their questions, I am promoting the breed. If I take a dog to my
nephew's sporting events and
end up with a crowd of children and adults loving on my dog, THAT is
promoting the breed.
If my state federation needs a speaker at a school to talk about dogs
and I share one of my
beautiful, well mannered dogs, THAT is promoting the breed. For God's
sakes, when I take
a dog to the vet for a rabies booster and they sit quietly in the waiting
room, oblivious to the
chaos around them and welcoming an admiring pat, THAT is promoting the
breed.
If I take my beautiful, correct dogs to AKC all breed events, allowing
anyone and everyone who
wants to pet and love on them, I am promoting the breed. I've sent a
special into the ring with
red with red white and blue cotton candy stuck in his coat left there
seconds before by a tiny
hand...proof that I NEVER say "no" when someone asks if they can pet my
dog, It's NEVER a
bad time, it's NEVER inconvenient...that my friend is promoting the
breed.
And I agree with Penny. The all breed events are where you find the
majority of "non GSD"
spectators.
Tell you what...breed healthy, correct, beautiful dogs that you can take
anywhere, anytime for
admiring hands to touch. You'll be promoting the breed.
Kathy, member GSDCA, DVGSDC
Celebrating generations of Dual Titled TC'd Champions
visit _http://www.pinehillgsds.com/_ (http://www.pinehillgsds.com/)
*****************************************************************************
In a message dated 12/22/2010 8:04:53 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
ketchy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
A GOOD DOG can be shown in both rings. Most dogs I've shown have been
able to do
that and ALL should. You talk about the all breed ring as a separate
entity; it is NOT.
I can't tell you the number of times I've been approached by shepherd
people and OTHER
fanciers who congratulate me for the wins or just to tell me that they
like my dog! More
breeders and a lot more spectators see our dogs at all breed shows. If
that doesn't
promote the breed, I don't know what does!
Penny in NC
****************************************************************************
And I am kind of lost by showing your dog at an all breed ring, how does
that help promote
the ring? It helps the AKC make money, but how does it promote the
breed compared
to a specialty? Does it have specialties for the gs, does AKC have
other venues for strictly
the GS? NO!! WeSo tell me how does it promote the breed?
John Garnett
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