[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: showgsd-l Digest V3 #3355
- From: Santanagsd1954@xxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:39:02 EST
In a message dated 11/29/2006 1:23:56 PM Pacific Standard Time, Showgsd->
> Okay Jeff:
>
>
>
> From the GSD Standard: Lack of confidence under any surroundings is not
> typical of good character. Any of the above deficiencies of character which
> indicate shyness must be penalized as very serious faults, and any dog
> exhibiting pronounced indications of these must be excused from the ring. .
> The ideal dog is a working animal with an incorruptible character combined
> with body and gait suitable for the arduous work that constitutes its
> primary purpose.
>
>
>
> You further bring up 2 anecdotes that indicates there maybe be an issue with
> sound within our breed that is not being addressed in a some manner.
> Possibly dog number one just has a sound sensitivity due to never being in
> that situation before - unless EVERY time the dog hears it he/she is
> uncontrollable. Dog 2 - Possibly could be the same as dog one, however, the
> numbness reaction tells me that there might be more to investigate.
> Regardless, if they were my dogs, I would be putting them into other
> situations where they are faced with loud noise. If they react the same
> each time - Might be a problem that should be thought about before offering
> the dog at stud (ie disclose the dog has sound sensitivity), and especially
> before deciding on breeding partners. Notice I'm not saying that these
> animals shouldn't be bred what I'm saying is this issue needs to be brought
> out of hiding so that people are more aware of it PRIOR to making breeding
> decisions. I think at the National is the perfect place for it - since a
> lot of breeding decisions are made by viewing dogs at the national and/or on
> the national tapes.
>
>
>
> When its all said and done, we are supposed to be caretakers of the breed -
> if we are, then we have to remember that these dogs are also supposed to
> serve a purpose outside of being kennel decorations in our back yard. As
> breeders, I think we need as much information. Imagine the following:
>
>
>
> 1) Farmer Jones and King are out gathering the flock in because there
> is expected to be a severe storm. To make matters worse, it's close to
> lambing season and some of the ewes are still out in the pasture. Farmer
> Jones is relying on King to help him gather up the flock to hopefully avoid
> loss. Unexpectedly a rogue cloud comes up sooner than expected and - "CRACK
> BOOM BANG" - King turns around, eyeballs rolling, looks at farmer Jones and
> makes tracks as fast as he can for anywhere but there - running just as bad
> as the sheep are. Sheep scatter and he loses some ewes to damage from
> running, some lose their lambs, regardless, Farmer Jones is stuck having to
> go back and get old Gus his other breed herding dog because that damn german
> shepherd is useless. OR
>
> 2) Farmer Jones has another gsd, Spike out working as a living fence
> keeping the flock on his newly harvested land to do clean up work - and keep
> them off his just about ripe cash crop that they love to eat. Rogue cloud
> comes up, CRACK BOOM BANG, Spike says. See Ya later Farmer Jones --- and
> heads for the hills. Flock enters the cash crop - destroys it, eats too
> much and half of them get sick, some die.
>
> 3) Serviceman in the field with his dog. Sends the dog out on a
> retrieve/message sending/track (whatever work he's doing).
> Cannon/Missile/Gun fire starts up. After wigging out the dog goes numb but
> stands there totally oblivious to anyone, commands or anything - Serviceman
> needs to retreat cause things are getting more dangerous, is stuck trying to
> haul the oblivious dog towards safety and he gets hit in the leg.
>
> 4) Policeman and K-9 are out doing crowd control at an important
> football game. The PA system goes off, "Crackle crackle". Police dog wigs
> out - now instead of controlling the crowd, the police officer is trying to
> control an out of control dog who is not able to do his job. Police officer
> has to go off duty to take the dog out of service, and there's no one else
> to take up the spot where he was - and someone gets hurt.
>
> 5) A blind person and their guide dog are walking on the street - Out
> of the blue, car backfires - guide dog goes berserk and here is the sight of
> this poor blind person being pulled willie-nillie down the sidewalk at
> break-neck speed.
>
>
>
> Of course, it's not too likely that some of these are going to happen,
> because yes, most dogs before being pressed into service are proofed and
> Tested over and over to insure that they can indeed perform the work. How
> many of the above imaginary dogs would make it into service - probably not
> many - but we are also looking at another issue. How many of the
> traditional work avenues for German Shepherds are being taken over by other
> breeds because there is a lack of suitable GSDs being bred to fulfill the
> jobs?
>
>
>
> Some will argue that if a gun test was instituted at the National - that
> this would mean that people would just proof their dogs and therefore it
> won't do any good. there is where I disagree - because, like the dog that
> Zoe described in the post that started this thread - no matter how much
> proofing and training you do - a dog that is very sound sensitive is not
> going to be "bomb-proof". Who in their right mind is going to spend
> thousands of $$$$ showing dogs, that "MIGHT" not be able to stand up to the
> pressure of a simple gun test at home, never mind one at the National in
> front of the fancy attending. Furthermore, even if the people do "proof"
> their dogs - everyone will know it - because IMO a non-reaction is not a
> normal response either (regardless of the dogs who people love to pose their
> anecdotes of their animals living close to firing ranges).
>
>
>
> Well that's just some thoughts. It's just dialog at this point because
> until enough people get on the band wagon, that's where it will stay.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
>
> Kathaleen
>
> KATHLEEN: : I DO AGREE WITH YOU. IT IS WHAT IS CALLED SOUND
> NERVES......A SOUND NERVED SHEPHERD IS INVALUABLE AND TO BE BRED FOR, BECAUSE
> , AS YOU
> SAY, OTHERWISE, ANY KIND OF NOISE OR SUDDEN UNEXPECTED LOUD NOISE OR SHARP
> CRACK, LIKE A BULLET, CAN UNNERVE A 'SOUND SENSITIVE' DOG...
WE ALL KNOW OR HAVE HEARD OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TRANQUILIZE OR SEDATE OR
KNOCK COMPLETELY OUT, THEIR SOUND SENSITIVE DOGS ON THE 4TH OF JULY OR DURING
THUNDER STORMS...ETC.
IT ISN'T A GOOD THING...AND TENDS TO BE PASSED ON DOWN ,IN SPADES, TO THEIR
OFFSPRING... BARB WILLIAMS
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