[ SHOWGSD-L ] standards, illustrations, conformation vs brains?
- From: Schipstar@xxxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, Germanshepherds4show@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2005 16:13:42 EST
Hello,
I really signed up on this list to learn and observe, but as opinionated as I
am about things, I just wanted to put in my input for what it is, or isn't
worth...
I am sort of delighted by the passion you all feel for your breed, it's
obvious that here, as in most groups people with one common interest, there is
a
great variety of personalities and opinions, and after all, wouldn't it be a
boring world if we all agreed upon every little thing? I'm in the sort of cool
position of not knowing who all the people are nor what their "personal
agendas" are (although sometimes it is becoming a bit apparent to me, very
rapidly!).
So in a way, I suppose you could say that I have a sort of unbiased outlook
on the "big picture". At the same time, I may be totally ignorant, and that
might not be a good thing, but I have to open my mouth and possibly insert foot
because I LOVE this breed, and really, that's what I think this list is all
about, the love of the breed, and what MAKES it the breed it is.
One thing that I always have to remind myself about a breed standard is that
they are made up of words. These are words that are developed by breeders,
fanciers, etc., adhering to the AKC guidelines, and trying to describe with
words, what the perfect specimen of a breed should look like, move like, be
like
structurally, and mentally. Words are funny things, very open to an
individual's interpretation of their meaning, and if you ask ten educated,
intelligent
folks what a particular word means, more than likely, NONE of them will use the
exact same words to define it.
So, then, it's up to each individual person to interpret those words into a
vision of the "perfect dog" (as they see it via THEIR interpretation of what
the words mean). The old saying, there IS no perfect (insert name of breed),
is
true, but then again, is not true. We all read the same words, but more than
likely, NONE of us will agree 100% on what the perfect vision is, because we
all interpret and see things individually. What one knowledgeable person may
see as the absolute perfect example of a breed, another knowledgeable person
may disagree with. That's why, on a four day dog show circuit with a huge
entry in a particular breed, and four excellent judges, you may see four
different
BOB, BOS, WD, WB, BOW, and yet all of the dogs who win can be very nice
examples of the breed, if not every single person's vision of "the perfect one".
I can speak for my own "main" breed - I HATE our illustrated standard! In
theory, the membership at large was "allowed" to vote on the final version, but
the problem was, because of the way the balloting was handled, etc., most did
NOT vote, and so a small percentage of members "approved" our illustrated
standard. The problem with this is that now, you are no longer talking
"words",
you are talking pictures that you are putting into a judge's head, leaving
nothing up to personal interpretation. There were a few people, all of whom
were
"old timers", who took a great deal of time and wrote extensive comments on
why certain aspects of the illustrated standard were incorrect, but it all came
down to a yes/no vote, and so none of these things were ever considered in
the final version of the illustrations. As a result, "our" illustrated
standard, to some of us, shows things as "correct" that are actually incorrect,
and it
leaves a LOT to be desired in the eyes of many long time breeders.
An illustrated standard is almost impossible for everyone to agree on 100%,
but certainly, it is possibly the most important tool you give to a judge,
because it takes away to a large degree, the need for a judge to have to
"interpret" a standard. I don't know exactly what the solution to this problem
is, but
I do think that it's very important for an illustrated standard to be
developed with the input of as many knowledgeable breed experts as possible, by
having open panel meetings at national specialties, and also, to make sure the
artist doing the illustrations is in attendance, in order to HEAR what the
consensus is. I don't think that it's appropriate for an artist to insert
their own
personal "vision" into this very important project, as that is only one
person's opinion. At national specialties, hopefully, there will be an
opportunity
to photograph many different dogs who are each, in their own way, excellent
representatives of their breed. Hopefully, by taking pieces of each
outstanding
dog, you can come up with a composite that a majority of people can agree
isn't TOO offensive.
I also firmly believe that the membership at large should have the final word
on the development of an illustrated standard. It is very important to take
this "vote" illustration by illustration, and it's very important for the
members to be apprised as to how important this vote is to the future of your
(or
if I may be so bold as to say "MY" breed). It is a long, drawn out process,
may (and should) take many years to complete to a majority satisfaction, but it
is well worth all the time and work that goes into it, as that illustrated
standard holds the future of the breed in it's grasp.
Shepherds have always been my first love. I worked with Eric Renner (some of
you may know who he is, most of you probably don't) in California, in the
70's, and had what I feel now was the privilege of seeing what I believe were
some of the most wonderful shepherds ever. My "vision" of the correct shepherd
is directly related to that experience. I especially remember Bodo and his
son, Hasso, they were two dogs who set my "vision" or interpretation of the
written standard into a picture that I suppose I mentally measure each dog I
have
seen since to.
I have Schipperkes largely because they are actually SO much like shepherds
(don't laugh, it IS true), and because they are lower maintenance, and take up
less room, etc. I refer to them as my "poor man's shepherd". After living 15
years without a shepherd in my life, I am now privileged to share my life
with a wonderful "mature" gentleman named Viper, a retired champion. Because
of
the generosity of his owner, as well as his love for the dog, he is now "part
of the gang" and tolerates all the Schip-nannigans with good humor and
tolerance, illustrating the commen sense that makes this breed what is is.
He actually is not my absolutely PERFECT" ideal" vision of everything a
shepherd should be, at least not physically. He is a bit more extreme, very
angulated, etc., but he is still a beautiful shepherd. Even though I think
he's
close to 9, I love to watch him run around, poetry in motion! And then,
there's
the temperament - never seen a better temperament, and he is indeed,
everything I feel the breed temperament embodies, the ultimate companion to
"man". I'd
give anything to find a girl who is close to my physical criteria for
perfection, in the hopes of blending the two together to get my "perfect" GSD.
I
want to keep a "piece" of this wonderful boy to carry on his wonderful genes,
and
would love to have a daughter of his to do so with. Egads, I sound like a
breeder!
To address the CD vs CH vs CH vs CD discussion, two very valid points were
made...
You can take any mix out of a shelter and put a CD on it. However, that
said, the most beautiful, most perfect physical specimen of any breed, is
extremely imperfect if it does not have a correct temperament, or the ability
to
perform the original function that the breed was "created" to do.
It's a lot more difficult to breed a perfect physical specimen with a perfect
correct temperament, that's the package we all should strive for, in fact,
isn't that what dog breeding is all about - the drive to breed that perfect
combination of ALL things? One should not be more important than the other,
form
must ALWAYS follow function, and it's important to keep this in mind when
"interpreting" what YOUR personal vision of an ideal is.
Just my own "looking from the outside in" opinion, I hope I don't offend, but
couldn't help myself, just had to do it!
Lynn
Lynn Brown - Angelsgate Schipperke Rescue and Animal Education - Ebonystar
Schipperkes
www.angelsgaterescue.com\www.schipperkerescue.com
Special Dogs for Special People for Over 30 Years!
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