This American Show breeder says - Page 14

GSDTravels,

You reseached because you had the intelligence to do so. A lot of people really don't bother, no matter how many times they hear that they should , while watching Westminster. :-) Consequently, some dogs end up in shelters, or worse, because of idiots who simply did not bother to do even minimal research on the breed.
 
Unfortunately, few breeders screen for intelligence in their puppy-buyers, or for sanity. That is often evident on this forum. :-)

It's not the main point of the conversation, but an important point!  You made the point that the majority of GSD are purchased for the pet trade.  You also made the point that most don't know about drives and have never heard of Max.  That pretty much sums up, if true, that the majority of GSD pets should not have been purchased in the first place.  You need to know what you're getting when bringing an animal into your home.  If people WOULD educate themselves to the purpose of the breed to begin, there wouldn't be as much trade in pets, thus bringing integrity back to the breed.  If people don't want a dog with drives, a dog that has the ability and possibility to be dangerous when mishandled or untrained, then this breed may not be their best choice, IMHO.  People can't claim ignorance to origins and purpose when all you need to know can be found in a book store, or nowadays on the internet, just a click away.  I have a Yorkie book and a Border Terrier book, two other breeds I've owned.  I have a dog, I need to know what makes them tick in order to know how best to handle them!

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Westminster - best of breed

 Very sad that that is best in show!!!! What have the show lines come too?  And why would anyone want one?  As a pet owner first and formost I don't even enjoy looking at them!

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Since the BOB bitch was brought into this discussion I would like to link to a thread regarding that particular Westminster class:

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/bulletins_read/364397.html?pagen=1#364663

And in particular Preston's post, which I think is so informative and well written it bears repeating:


Video of Westminster Kennel Club German Shepherd class judging   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRoNwU8uJPs
by Preston on 18 February 2010 - 03:02 Preston

Posts: 1548
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 04:19 am
These are your typical showring American Shepherd Dogs. This is the best they have for the all breed circuit and really typical of the type one usually sees in the in the AKC allbreed and AKC/GSDCA specialty showrings. If you like this type of shepherd fine, but they have some characteristics that take them far from the FCI/SV standard and typical SV showline type.

Compared to the FCI/SV standard and the typical SV showline GSD shown in zuchschau, several major deficiencies appear that are common to all, and these unfortunately have come to be preferred by the America Shepherd Dog breeder who competes inthe showring. (Just go to any GSDCA/WDA show which features SV registered GSDs and note the typical differences). I'll summarize them here:

Lack of sex type, weak male secondary sex characteristics including snipey heads. Close poor coats, lack of bone. Somewhat steep croups, lower thighs too long (as usual). Weak sagging backs that are way to long. Front scapula and upper arm too far forward, lack of adequate prosturnum. Upper arms steep but long, scapula too close to the horizontal. This allows fairly good reach but poor follow through. All the dogs were "strung up" on a short tight lead, masking many problems.

This is what the American showring folks like and so be it, that is their preference. It took many years of close selective breeding to end up here with this product which is really a cookie cutter type. There were many choices made as far as what the goals of the breeding were and they often were centered around sidegait, but actually a technically incorrect sidegait. They tend to lift and hold in front while being propelled by a hard driving rear which is inefficient--these ASDs tend to tire out quickly when run long & hard loose lead.

Here is an example of a perfectly constructed front with good prosturnum and perfect croup and proper proportions.
   http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/395083.html

Here is an another example of a well respected German GSD that has proper front & rear, with great proportions and good prosturnum. Do you see any ASDs that looks like this in the AKC/GSDCA showring?
   http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/401432.html