Breed Improvement Suggestions for the UK GSD Breed Council - Page 30

The situation is:
 
If we combine the health issues and the working issues, and attempt to persuade the Kennel Club to adopt this "combination" we would very likely fail, for many reasons.

If we use the health issue for a two tier KC registration system: as I have done in my proposals, we could and should be successful.

If we use the working issue, which is most certainly a Breed Survey matter, as a basis to "include in the BC Survey" we could and should be successful.

HOWEVER if the Breed Council are unwilling to "include" a Working, aptitude, character, temperament etc test, then we can pursue the introduction of a Körung into the UK by the two WUSV Clubs - GSD League & BAGSD, something they should be doing anyway.

By this "strategic" approach we could and should be successful in ALL what we want. The Breed Council should realise that if they do not develop the current Breed Survey towards a Körung, then the Körung will have to come to the UK through the two WUSV Clubs.

Strategy is crucial to achieve success. It is just as important as the content of a proposal.

Please remeber the Breed Council Breed Survey is only "linked" to a WUSV Event, the British Sieger. A Körung "requirement has been introduced for this event, this year. For the VA title. Therefore a Körung must , logically, be made obtainable in the UK, very soon.

It would be useful if people "printed" my proposals from my website, and sent them by "post" directly to secretaries of GSD Breed Clubs, and the Breed Council Secretary. Obviously it is NOT limited to these people, and I am sure there are many others who would add their support to our honorable and caring objectives. Including MP's. The RSPCA, the British Veterinary Association (BVA), Martin Clunes, and many caring Animal Welfare organisations. We need to encourage the widest support possible. The "proposals" can also be emailed, however something 'also' received in the post, actually printed on paper, makes a much more effective impression. Strategy!

Missbeeb, The joke about a tweedy number!!!! What concerns me is they may all be in tweedy numbers! D.P. has spent many hours looking at the plus and minus, features and benefits of this document, and I'm sure has thought through many more options, he also has a wealth of expieriance in negotiation with committee's and management. My view is, it would be crazy not to exploit such a person with the relevant skills and total knowledge of his document that may be put before the K.C. This is not the time to get involved in personalities, but to be prepared for all eventualities that may come up in a meeting. I'd hate to see our team, unable to answer a particular point at a delicate moment, and they all end up looking at one another, with their thumbs in the wrong hole. Remember 1 chance to either impress or influence people, make sure we have all the tools to do the job. Bill Owen.

Here is what Reinhardt Meyer – SV National Breed Warden writes about his views and idea’s for the Korung – Breed Survey.
"Importance of the Survey"
"The point and purpose of the Breed Survey is to select the cream of our breeding animals, which, in temperament, work and anatomical construction, appear suitable to a significant degree for the preservation and development of the breed.
We must ask the question: does our survey, together with the survey reports on an individual dog, fulfil these requirements?
Shepherd Dog breeding is working dog breeding, and when it is no longer working dog breeding, it is also not Shepherd Dog breeding.
The breeding of a working dog according to the guidelines of the breed standard.
The Direction monitoring and development of the breeding and training of the GSD as a working dog.
When we look at both the inner pages of a survey report, it is obvious that we devote considerable space to the anatomical aspects, the exterior appearance and to Data and measurements.
Furthermore, the same anatomical features are sometimes dealt with several times: e.g. the croup, the front, the length of stride are found in both the text and the Matrix.
The mental areas, features of prime importance in a working dog are rather under-represented.
Practically all the dogs are described ‘pronounced – came out’ (I have revealed my opinion to you about this in comments above) and practically all the dogs are designated:
Temperament: firm
Alertness: present
Condition of Nerves: firm
Imperturbality: present
A properly worked-out temperament test of the necessary thoroughness does not occur. Consequently, it is not possible on the day of the survey to select the essential degree of excellence. These minimal statements, therefore, do not offer the engaged breeder a satisfactory level of information so that he can select the cream from among the breeding animals himself.
At this point, I should report that all the committees are already working with the future in mind to modify and optimize the survey in various areas, especially with regard to the mental qualities of the dogs presented.
The idea of a survey panel comprising 3 surveyors is also being considered. In this way the validity of the survey reports would be freed from an aspect of subjectivity and be based on a broader consensus."

Videx, thank you for your hard work.  I, for one will be doing as you ask and printing and posting.

Jess

Videx

I take your point regarding going to the K C with both the issues ie health and temperament which is why i mentioned previously that this subject for the GSD has become one of two topics, my concern regarding the temperament issue is that the BAGSD GSDL and BC have completely ignored this for the last twenty years, the GSDL and BAGSD only now have working arms and since having them for approx 2 years have made no effort to integrate through survey testing etc The BC have been surveying dogs for a good few years and the furthest they have got is gunshot and walking through a crowd, its easy for me to sit here breed knocking and i am conceusous of the fact that the working people have the same problem by not always FULLY health testing, but until we get a more formal system in the written word i am not sure that either side will take it up

Lets not forget that in the UK we have 3 national organisations GSDL BAGSD and the BC THEY are the ones that MUST grasp this, in their positions THEY are the ones that have been elected to guide us i know its a shitty job but they took it they ,have the power ,they must use it before the BBC make a programme about the GSD and all its faults. Because in a few generations times if something isn t done a large proportion of our breed will either be scared circle runners or riddled with health issues some of which maybe havent even been identified yet

jess: I thank you.
reason: I hope everyone takes my point about going to the KC with both issues, it would be futile.

The BAGSD and the GSDL as WUSV Member Clubs have been incredibly slow to introduce WUSV-SV schemes, such as working/breeding tests and qualifications. I quietly asked for the SV "dental notation scheme" to be introduced into the UK 2 years ago, ZERO RESULT. I asked for the Korung to be introduced, at the time the BC Breed Survey was brought in, ZERO RESULT. I am coming to the firm opinion that those currently with titles of WUSV Co-ordinator are largely window dressing. The answer probably lies with the GSDL Working Branch, they are totally involved in the SV system, they should vigorously pursue the introduction of the Korung into the UK, they have the power and the influence, as well as being an important part of  the GSD League, a WUSV member Club. I would urge them to grasp the challenge and form a GSDL -WUSV sub-committee which can formulate CLEAR objectives and liaise directly with the WUSV regarding all available schemes for introduction into the UK. They can also elect a genuine WUSV Co-ordinator who can be effective by spearheading the liaison with the WUSV.

In my proposals, I have concentrated on "requirements" FOR class one KC registration, deliberately avoiding a reference for those dogs that did not qualify for class one. I did make a reference to colour, for the sake of clarity. I have been asked about LONGCOATS, and my response included the above comment, and I added that I purposely avoided naming all other KC registrations CLASS TWO, simply because I would prefer to name them simply "KC registrations. This means NO CHANGE from how they register now. I personally consider longcoats may be appropriate for Class one KC registration. The considerations being that both parents would of course have to fulfill the BHC criteria, and unlike unacceptable colours, they are not really obvious until around 4 weeks of age, and many breeders KC register prior to this age. This is an important issue, and needs careful consideration. There are developments within the SV regarding longcoats, and this may assist. This is another possible reason for keeping health issues separate from Breed Survey issues. We do have time to consider this, and we should never let such points detract us from the main objectives. Of course this introduces the possibility of duel KC registrations in a litter, Class one and normal. Not a difficult thing to do or administer, I would have thought. We currently differentiate beween collour and sex when registering a litter, so another few "variables" is not onerous.

DP, since the KC have recently agreed to include the BC Survey as mandatory to acquire their "enhanced pedigree", I guess you're right about having to get the BC to up the anti regarding the Class 1 & 2 requirements.

So... onwards and upwards then... I'll print off & post your proposals to relevant "powers that be" in my area, (one to the KC?) with a covering letter.

Bill, you may take my word for it... I'm not interested in personalities here... I don't care if "Auld Nick" himself attends the KC meeting... (no comparison intended DP) if he can get us what we want! 

The tweedy number & perforated shoes, was a joke... just a joke... I like jokes & I think that was funny... so there!!

Its amazing to see where a simple request for suggestions has developed to.

Lets hope that the BC and KC get behind this tier system and we see the introduction being implemented soon.