Here Come All the American Show Shepherds - Page 8

Ok, I'm really new to the show world and stacking my GSD.  I did a crash course my first time in the ring 3 weeks ago!  I have been working on it since then to try to make him look better in the ring.  The picture that I posted on his pedigree page, was one of my first attemps, but I have hopefully gotten better since the picture.  Any suggestions on what I should do differently?  Also, DO  easty westy feet correct them selves as the dog matures?  Some have told me yes, and some no!

Complete Chaos Von Steppenwolf is his name.  Please check out his pic and help me out here, lol.  Thanks all!

"My main problem with some of the intensely INBRED Am-bred specialty show lines concerns health issues: general lack of longevity and often early death (bloat, toxic gut), lack of constitutional vigor, EPI, myelopathy, reproductive issues, etc. For years, I worked at veterinary emergency clinics and at a university veterinary teaching hospital. I saw many GSD's bred and or/owned by established breeders (often AKC judges!) presented with an assortment of often life-threatening health issues. I witnessed that numerous well-known dogs (in the pedigrees of many of the dogs pictured) lived only 3-5 years--but were used for breeding early in their careers and had already muddied the genetic pool."

I have an Ambred who is 12 and still going strong.  Total bonerack, overangulated behind (although he doesn't gait on his hocks like the dogs in the videos posted here today), X-rays at 1 year showed mild unilateral dysplasia...and he can still trot 10 miles on a long walk.  Go figure.   

The late fella from German lines died the week after his tenth birthday from DM.  He was by far the superior athlete in his prime: powerful, super-fast and could jump on top of my SUV.  Guess it's all the luck of the draw, although the Ambred has no linebreeding at all in the first five generations, so maybe that's the reason he's hung in there so well. 

And I'm hardly "embarrassed" by him as some apparently feel I should be.  He barks when strangers arrive and calms down immediately when one of his humans says "it's OK," tolerates my pesky new guy extremely well, likes kids, is smart as hell, doesn't much care for strange male dogs but won't start fights, and is absolutely devoted to me.  He was never a Schutzhund candidate, but I figure he's about 95% of what a GSD should be behavior-wise, and the missing 5% doesn't bother me all that much.

in an attempt to play devil's advocate. ....

I have a 13 year old male who is american bloodline and I had always grown up with AM dogs and didn't know the "Other side" existed.  Because I did not understand the differences or problems I read up on Schutzhund and wanted to try it.  I proceded to take my 4 month old pup to a schH club and hated every moment of it.  Every person there had purchased a titled dog and no one knew how to tell me what i had done correctly and what i had done wrong and what i needed to do next.  So.... I made LOTS of mistakes with him, but I got his SchH I and frankly the only thing I learned well at the schH club was that whenever you leave, they are going to trash you.  Just grow thick skin. 

 Since that male, I have purchased other dogs... all of them the german W.German show line type dog.  It is a broad generalization, there are good and bad in ALLLLLL GSD types.  Anything ppl get passionate about they will politicize.  The ppl in that schh club were the some of the most unfriendly, poor sports of any people I have ever met and I've met some stinkers in the AKC ring too.  But I've met some really honest and forthright ppl in the AKC ring and equally on the other side.

The more we try to change someone's opinion, the more likely it is to solidify their opinion out of defensive posturing.

 I like what I like, a moderate dog of exceptional temperament.  I like some  East german dogs, I like some Czech dogs, I like some West German show dogs, I like some golden retrievers.  I try to take each dog as it comes as a whole and complete package. 

There will never be a compromise or peace on this issue, choose your bed and lie in it.

Purely an emotional response here----I loved my American Showline Shepherds.  Loved my American showline/German working line crosses.  Switched to West German Showline Shepherds for a different look (health concerns are also there).  They all had and have their good and bad points---as do 'ALL' German Shepherds. The one characteristic they all commonly possessed, though, was that not one was a 'cheap shotter'. My cup runneth over with pride. (Always apparent to me was the fact that dogs resemble their owners---somewhat amusingly lookwise, and what is more-- profoundly similar in temperament (once a bond has been established).

Symphoni,

I'm sorry your first experience with a SchH club was such a rotten one.  The good news is that they are not all like that.  The bad news is that this sport has a way of attracting more than a healthy share of macho jerks who think of their dogs as an extention of their own.... um.... ego. 

I really hate to hear about people having bad experiences at SchH clubs due to the rudeness of the club.  I hope you decide to give it another shot one day, and find a better club.

Yvette

P.S.  Don't forget your thick skin, though.  The more people I meet the more I love my dog.  ANY club that involves a pack of imperfect human beings such as ourselves is bound to have moments to test the patience of a saint from time to time.