German Shepherd Dog Specialty Show

Gaiting dogs at an AKC conformation German shepherd specialty show in the Puget Sound area, June, 2007. I own the copyright to the film, but not the song. It's "Someday, Somehow" by The Beu Sisters from the soundtrack to Because of Winn-Dixie. Enjoy!

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• American
• Kennel
• Club
• dog
• dogs
• showing
• German
• shepherd
• shepard
• gait
• run
• jog
• trot
• AKC
• Western
• Washington
• handler
• judge

[YourSkankyMom]

Max von Stephanitz is rolling over in his grave.

[zipper179]

@gsd766 SAY IT LOUD, pal! I was at a show, in 2009; what a bunch of snotty bastards! That's my last show. You're right, GSD766, let's see some schutzhund, herding; real work. Agreat big AMEN!

[K9ProSportUSAdotcom]

@ImFlareonBitch it won't be too long before they destroy the Belgian Malinois either. The AKC ruins 90% of the dog breeds they accept. There was a sizeable group of Mal people opposing it. Many have BURNED their dog's papers so they can't be registered.

[K9ProSportUSAdotcom]

@ImFlareonBitch. If it were up to me I would impart SV rules onto GSDs and make sure every dog was titled in work before being bred. That is the only way to insure working ability and discourage lazy fanciers and their lazy dogs from ruining the breed's name. Germany cancelled their deal with the SV a few years back. So Germany basically refuses to buy German Shepherds because show line dogs have been found inadequate. In some parts of Germany the Malinois outnumbers the GSD.

[ImFlareonBitch]

@K9ProSportUSAdotcom Because conformation will always be about looks first and foremost. We could rename these dogs but German Shepherds would inevitably be recognized and shown since they are one of the most popular breeds and they will gradually evolve to some other extreme show variety based on looks over drive and working ability. It may temporarily solve your issue but showing will stick around - there will always be dogs bred for show over work.

[K9ProSportUSAdotcom]

@ImFlareonBitch See, this is where MY issue is personally. People tell me "Well, I can't handle a working dog, so I want an American lined dog with less drive and a softer temperament". The problem is, the GSD was designed from the start to be a working dog, not a show dog, not an "easy" dog to own. If people want a "softer" shepherd with a different look? I ask them to break away and start their own breed and rename it. By calling them the same name you're causing confusion.

[ImFlareonBitch]

@K9ProSportUSAdotcom anybody is ruining anything, just that they are breeding for something different. I feel that an AKC style GSD would be a more suitable pet for most families than any working line GSD. There are still dedicated breeders breeding for work and that is great because I would hate to see them have their place entirely taken over in law enforcement and military work (we're seeing Malinois more and more now already - it's good to have some GSDs that can compare) but I like pets.

[ImFlareonBitch]

@K9ProSportUSAdotcom However, we still have to take into consideration that not everybody wants to dedicate their lives to working their pets. I LOVE conformation and I like obedience - the AKC-style GSD is perfectly suitable for both. As long as they are healthy, happy, and stable, they aren't ruining anything (after all, they aren't usually mixing with the working dogs.) Just about every working breed is extremely different from the show variety - BCs, Springers, Labs. It doesn't mean that

[ImFlareonBitch]

@K9ProSportUSAdotcom With the AKC, there are so many shows a year that one best of breed doesn't necessarily mean anything (sure, with a specialty win, it means more, but you can say the same for the yearly SV Sieger.) I, personally, could not handle multiple working line dogs, but I would never choose another breed. I think they are beautiful and there is definitely a place for them considering American showlines could never hold up in the work they do, but they are not for everybody.

[K9ProSportUSAdotcom]

@jfkjrlover "The German Shepherd Dog is not a fancy dog" Max von Stephanitz. If you're so concerned with looks date one of the ugly American lined mutts. Besides, American Showlines have crappy temperaments. They're usually fear biters. I saw the GSD that won westminster a couple years back, it tried to run from the handler AND judge! LOL! American lined GSDs should be renamed, the same as Cocker Spaniels.

[jfkjrlover]

@K9ProSportUSAdotcom Czech dogs are the UGLIEST, much more so than West German!! Like I said, I don't give a tiny shit crumb about the GSD's work ability, just it's looks and that it has a loving temperament, so please keep your ugly European GSDs and I'll keep the beautiful American ones. :)

[K9ProSportUSAdotcom]

@TheK9handler I agree K9Handler. The American GSD is so far gone from the original GSD that it simply can NOT be salvaged. It has to be, and HAS BEEN, completely cut off from European stock for a reason. Not even Show Line dogs in Europe implement the American GSD.