GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG Q&A
our breed fight it out on their own, by letting their structure make the decision and having a good judge let that happen. In my opinion, is my breed in good condition overall. Any trends that warrant concern? I do believe our breed is in good shape (USA/ AKC). I think we have taken responsibility for fixing and working hard to bring back the whole package vs. pick a part… as it was for years. The only trends to be concerned with aren’t with the dog or breed. It’s people; the trend for the “smoke and mirrors” on social media and the fools who fall for it instead of judging dogs on the day! Is the GSD well-suited to be a family dog? Who are the best can- didates to own my breed? Yes, absolutely, we are a breed that can do many things and our standard is written for it to be versatile. Our breed can go from being a rug-warming pet and babysitter to an on- the-road show dog, to a faithful protector and then back on the farm to work. We have many service hero dogs that work all day with the police force and go home to be gentle, loving souls. Anyone who is willing to listen and learn is a good candidate for a German Shepherd. Someone willing to take direction from their knowledgeable breeder. A GSD is so intelligent and, if not trained properly, will train their owners. Most issues are because the dog was set up to fail. They need a job at all times and they will die trying to do that job for you with all the love in their heart! Do I feel that my breed is supported by a sufficient number of preservation breeders? Yes and no… old-time preservation breeders are passing. I fear the lack of education for the newer breeders and the lack of willingness to be open to learning is our biggest down- fall and, again, social media makes everyone an expert. The younger generation doesn’t study like we did. I don’t believe most study the pedigrees or the dogs like we used to either; sad, but reality! Again, another subject… For a bit of fun, what’s the most amusing thing I’ve ever experi- enced with a GSD? It’s a very old story… I was a kid. All I wanted was to train and condition the dogs like the handlers. It was just my mom and I. She had to work full-time and I was a latch-key kid. I was so taken by the sport of showing dogs; we would go to a dog show and it would be 3-4 chairs deep ringside all the way around the ring. You couldn’t get a front row seat. I would climb under chairs and lay on my belly to get a ringside seat as I watched and learned. I would overhear all the stories, tips, and tricks. I was like a sponge, taking it all in. So, I heard them talking about roadworking and the dogs that won that were in good condition. So, I thought, well, I can do that for me and mom so that our dogs were the best. So after school, I would come home, clean the kennels, and then roadwork the dogs. I had no idea about right from wrong as far as running them on black- top, etc. I just wanted us to be the best. I would take my bike out; I had a training lead that I tied around the handlebars. I would get the dogs out, hook them up, and off we’d go… I wanted to impress all my friends who were playing ball in the street. I always seemed to be the odd-ball, but in my mind this would impress them. They did know we went to dog shows and that our dogs would win prizes but, like most, they had no idea about what went into all of it. So I would open the gates and out I’d come, right onto the street. We lived in a suburban neighborhood on Long Island, so no big grassy fields close by that I’d be allowed to go to by myself. The kids on the block would see me coming, and instead of yelling “Car!” and parting from their game and go onto the sidewalk, they’d yell “Dog- gie Donna!” and go onto the sidewalk as I went through. Most of them would part, kinda like the Red Sea, because they were afraid of the big German Shepherd. (And I let them be scared, so I felt cooler.) Again, I was 10 years old, if that. So on a certain day, I went through my routine and down the block I came. They would get sick of it when it was the third or fourth dog… so one wiseguy took the ball as I went and threw the ball. Well, it bounced, went off to the side and under the car. I had full control until I wanted to show-off, not knowing what was com- ing. I let the dog have more lead because on a normal circumstances she’d obey and stay in front, but this time the dog went after the
give a treat, repeat… and we also roadwork. The reasoning for things; no intelligent dog is going to keep running the same circle with enthusiasm and alertness without the reward of pleasing their person. At Specialty shows, the rings are more properly sized for the evaluation of true GSD movement. We aren’t taking two steps and making a turn, which prevents the dog from fully opening up their shoulder while being propelled by a powerful hindquarter—espe- cially if you have any suspension. I believe that half or more of the evaluations done by judges are incorrect, based on the judge hav- ing to obey time constraints, ring size, and improper training on judging our breed. (Again, another topic for another day.) However, we roadwork them on long straight-aways at different speeds. I also make them walk up and down hills and in weeds and high grass so that they use different muscles on different terrain. Doing this helps the animal use all of his muscles, making a better all-around, condi- tioned dog, which will make a better show dog. The one thing I will say, if they don’t want to do it… no matter how good, don’t! It will make you crazy and it’s not worth it! Care to comment on the various coat colors of the breed? Any per- sonal preferences? At the present moment, there aren’t any issues with colors in our breed. There are people who want to breed the “off ” col- ors for whatever reason… and people who buy them because they are different. But there are reasons why those colors are disqualifications. I have always preferred a darker dog, but I love a red sable, tradi- tional black and tan or black and red, and I don’t mind a good solid black. I’ve had them all. An old-timer’s saying was that once you breed sable, it’s like a virus… they take over your kennel (being a dominant color). What are my thoughts on the various “styles” of GSD seen in the US and around the world? This is where our problem lies; one Standard interpreted in so many different ways in so many coun- tries. I can only speak for myself here in America, but I’ve noticed the extremes that other countries have gone to and it looks awful, i.e., hump backs, splayed pinched fronts, and rears so dysfunctional. I believe that, for years, the Americans, like in every aspect of our lives, went to extremes; it’s just human nature… we want more or better. We have done that and now, for some, we have paid a price. The dog is built a certain way to perform its tasks and, with extra length of bone in the hindquarters, we created dogs that looked like grasshoppers. I think we have done a good job here in the States of educating people on proper proportions and showing them how they work vs. not work with the extra, more extreme rear. Let’s imagine for a moment. If a dog has to herd sheep all day long and act as a fence line, moving back and forth mechanically, those bones need to be correctly proportioned or they will get tired by having to com- pensate for where they aren’t as long; hence balance. It will do the job but will break down sooner and not be able to get the job done at the end of the day, the same as in the beginning. I also think that one of the most misunderstood parts of our breed is the croup. I too fell victim to it until lately. The more I study the films of past shows, go to educational seminars, and study on other breeds and my own dogs, the better I understand. Without a correct croup, the rear can- not function properly like a pendulum. It must open up and get back under the dog. We also have a great educational committee through our parent club, the GSDCA. Do I compete with my dogs in Companion and Performance events? Are Specialties important? I personally don’t. I don’t have the time. I have friends and clients who do… I have the utmost respect for them! Yes, Specialties are extremely important, especially for people who want to actually study our breed and its movement. We aren’t on any AKC time constraints; we get to show our dogs the way they should be shown. When I say this, I mean in large, grassy rings where you get to actually watch the form and function of our breed. The judge has time to do a more thorough job of comparisons, not just take a lap, pose pretty, go down and back and then one more time around and done. I love and thrive on competition and I love to see
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, APRIL 2022 | 209
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