LIVING ON Lounge Lizard Time RETIRED SHOW DOGS ENJOY SIMPLY BEING A DOG
BY CRISSY FROYD E very show dog has its time in the spotlight. But eventually, regardless of the heights that a dog reaches, the decision must ultimately be made to retire them. And that is different for every dog, handler, breeder, and owner. One of the most famous and accomplished Herding dogs in recent years to go into retirement is GCHP Gem-N-I River Of Urloved CGC, better known simply as “River.” River, who is owned by Rick and Susan Waits, has won multiple Bests in Show and Bests in Specialty Show. As his owners describe it, they have been “living on River time” with their top-winning canine who ranked among the very best in the country when he was out showing.
For the Waits, River had already proven all he needed in the Conformation ring and it was time for other endeavors. River, who won the Herding Group at Westminster, has more than enough accomplishments under his belt, with that victory serving as the headliner. Since retiring from conformation in 2023, River has earned Herding titles among others in non-Con- formation work. To Rick and Susan, this is extremely important to what the essence of the breed truly is. “It is extremely important to us, as fanciers of and owners in the breed, to demonstrate the amazing versatility of the German Shepherd Dog,” they said. “This breed was created at the end of the 19th century to do working jobs. We want to show that the breed can—and still will—do it all. We are very proud of our once-in-a-lifetime River.” When River is not busy showing off his talents and earning titles, he’s just like any other dog. “He loves being a family member, at home with us, going on daily walks, exercising with our other five dogs,” the Waits share. “He also adores going to our other place, where he can play in the pond and keep in shape doing roadwork with his golf cart. He also likes staring us down for cookies with those dark, soulful eyes.” River has sired multiple champion progeny and is now “living on lounge lizard time” in retirement after a career full of accomplishments.
108 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2024
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