White shepherds

[GSDtrent]

Well, what if you want to show a dog for fun? If I wanted to show my dog, and I'm not aiming for any points or ribbons, I don't want anyone telling me I can't/shouldn't show him. I want the experience, and I want to be able to learn more about the standard.

I know the standards are a guide line, but it's also up to the judge's interpretation. The standard isn't entirely the cause of the hock walking ski sloped show line German shepherds you see in the AKC show ring. It's also the result of the judge's and breeder's interpretation of the standard.

[Ceph]

Originally Posted by GSDtrent

But you don't see anyone calling a black long coat German shepherd a Belgian Terv., do you?

No -- but thats because no one but most serious dog people know about Tervs. Now...you see ALOT of people making comments along the lines of 'look at that funny looking german shepherd,' when it comes to Dutchies and Belgians. You definetley see people looking at dogs like Tervs or Black Malinois and calling them German Shepherds. I think the only one of those breeds I haven't seen called a GSD (of the Belgian and Dutch Shepherd breeds) is the Laekenois....and that one's kinda hard to miss

Originally Posted by GSDtrent

Well, what if you want to show a dog for fun? If I wanted to show my dog, and I'm not aiming for any points or ribbons, I don't want anyone telling me I can't/shouldn't show him. I want the experience, and I want to be able to learn more about the standard.

I think the problem isnt so much the people who are showing as it is the judges whom are putting up dogs that dont follow the standard. That shouldnt happen. We have issues with that every year at the AWSA Nationals...the judges for some reason frequently put up a couple of dogs that have entirely too much angulation. It irks the hec out of folks...but then again those judges dont come back.

~Cate

[GSDNewbie]

I dont know who has been telling you what about your dog. Opinions are only as good as the person giving them. I would say find a mentor in what you wish to do that knows their stuff and have them evaluate your dog. This is what I did with Aleit before I took her to larger more expensive shows.

[rutylr]

Originally Posted by GSDtrent

Well, what if you want to show a dog for fun? If I wanted to show my dog, and I'm not aiming for any points or ribbons, I don't want anyone telling me I can't/shouldn't show him. I want the experience, and I want to be able to learn more about the standard.

I know the standards are a guide line, but it's also up to the judge's interpretation. The standard isn't entirely the cause of the hock walking ski sloped show line German shepherds you see in the AKC show ring. It's also the result of the judge's and breeder's interpretation of the standard.

They do make fun matches for this type of fun showing.Who wants to waste 25.00 for nothing?
AKC the registery nor UKC the registery has nothing to do with the way dogs look.Just the breeders exhibitors,(plus having handler who can finish pretty much anything doesn't help)

We have issues with that every year at the AWSA Nationals...the judges for some reason frequently put up a couple of dogs that have entirely too much angulation.

I saw this at the Spec I was at.It was nice to see alot of WS all in one place,but there were alot of over angled dogs.

[GSDtrent]

Originally Posted by Ceph

No -- but thats because no one but most serious dog people know about Tervs. Now...you see ALOT of people making comments along the lines of 'look at that funny looking german shepherd,' when it comes to Dutchies and Belgians. You definetley see people looking at dogs like Tervs or Black Malinois and calling them German Shepherds. I think the only one of those breeds I haven't seen called a GSD (of the Belgian and Dutch Shepherd breeds) is the Laekenois....and that one's kinda hard to miss

Well, I don't think the average joe dog owner knows what a white shepherd is either, at least in my experience - heck, they don't even seem to know German shepherds come in long coat, black, white, bi-color, sable, etc.

Want to guess how many times my blanket back black/red German shepherd has been called a fox hybrid? It's absurd.

Originally Posted by Ceph

I think the problem isnt so much the people who are showing as it is the judges whom are putting up dogs that dont follow the standard. That shouldnt happen. We have issues with that every year at the AWSA Nationals...the judges for some reason frequently put up a couple of dogs that have entirely too much angulation. It irks the hec out of folks...but then again those judges dont come back.

~Cate

No, it shouldn't. It's disappointing, and especially when the breeders use those points/awards as grounds to declare and prove that their dog is the ideal example of the breed and will only improve the breed by passing on those attributes.

Originally Posted by rutylr

They do make fun matches for this type of fun showing.Who wants to waste 25.00 for nothing?
AKC the registery nor UKC the registery has nothing to do with the way dogs look.Just the breeders exhibitors,(plus having handler who can finish pretty much anything doesn't help)

Well... I would pay $25.00 to enter a UKC show. Not for the titles or Ch., but for the fun of the experience and to learn a thing or two about showing.

I wouldn't say they have NOTHING to do with the way dogs look, that's pushing it. But as for handlers... *cough*JimmyMoses*cough* Man, that guy could probably put an AKC Ch. on MY dog

[bdrcol22]

Originally Posted by GSDtrent

I wouldn't say they have NOTHING to do with the way dogs look, that's pushing it. But as for handlers... *cough*JimmyMoses*cough* Man, that guy could probably put an AKC Ch. on MY dog

That's because the man can handle... And he has class. I have shown against him a number of times, as he handled a top winning BC for a while. The dog NEVER looked bad.
I know there are a lot of politics, but when I go in the ring as an owner handler, and my dog looks like garbage... I expect the pro to win. But I have gone up over pros before... It is being professional and showing your dog to its best. And I have had judges who are known to only put pros up, put me up.
George Alston told me once... Never let the judge see your dog looking bad.