BBC Dropping Crufts?; tv documentary tonight - Page 1

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article4561098.ece

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7569064.stm

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Perhaps one day more GSD Working enthusiasts will take more notice of our GSD Breed Standard when buying, and particularly when breeding GSD for our working sports! The conformation of working GSD is very poor when compared with the Breed Standard. Far too many working GSD fail to obtain the highest grade for conformation, with many gaining the lowest grade within each age group. When the conformation of GSD working dogs improves I believe more GSD Show breeders will use the working stud dogs. The developments planned for our breed in Germany will certainly bring these possibilities forward over the next 10 years. With much more emphasis being placed on the working ability of our breed within the show fraternity, and equally more emphasis being placed on conformation within the working fraternity.

I will watch the programme and see if there is any reference to the GSD. The comment made on behalf of the Kennel Club, "We are working tirelessly to improve the health of Pedigree Dogs" is quite frankly ridiculous. The Kennel Club do not even make HIP SCORING COMPULSORY, they shy away from any such COMPULSORY rules because they are afraid of REDUCING THEIR INCOME. The Kennel Club could easily do MUCH MORE, they do not, simply because of their BUSINESS CONSIDERATIONS.

if you go on to the bbc website and click on how dogs have changed you will see it is the gsd they have used as an example.

jim h

VIDEX,100% correct in both posts,the k.c. in this country is a joke.MONEY,MONEY AND MORE MONEY,is all they are interested in.they have had many a stern letter from me in the past,but made no difference,in the end i gave up breeding as i will not give them the money. liz

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Bancroft, I think you are correct about this breed losing it's working abilites.  It's happening in all breeds here in the US too.  I've not been to  your country to see the dogs that are being exhibited there,but I suspect we have the same issues going on here in the US. Too much size equals a loss of agility and endurance; too much bulk, same problem.  Tending dogs need long, flat muscles like a runner, not short, bunchy ones like a weight lifter. Muzzles that are too short and blocky to support patent airways resulting in dogs that can't keep their tongues inside their mouths when they close their jaws and that sound like freight trains when they gait because they have overly long soft palates like those of  brachocyphalic breeds like Pugs. Shortening the muzzles will also lead to more missing teeth, not enough jaw space for full dentition or correct alignment and wry, over, and under shot bites will also become more common.  When did the trend come about to make a GSD look like a Bernese Mountain dog cross with a roach back anyway? Ugh! Too much stop will eventually lead to round staring eyes that are unprotected from injury. Short legs, too much angulation, curved backlines, soft pasterns and the worst of all faults in an working dog, bad feet. IMO if the standards were actually followed we would see a dog capable of tending 24/7 or bringing down the bad guy. I think the SV and the AKC standards do a great job describing the ideal GSD and if the judges enforced those standards by rewarding only the dogs that did conform I believe the breed would be in much better shape today.

Generally speaking, I'm usually against changing breed standards as those changes usually reflect a rewrite of the text to conform to what is in the ring today, not to get back to basics and the functional dog. Maybe just breeding to that standard is the short answer, raising the bar and judging by it the long term one?

In the next issue of Das Schaferhund Magazin there will be an interview with Reinhardt Meyer SV National Breed Warden that will outline significant plans for the development of our breed. This will make reference to many aspects including the Korung, Working ability, Oversize, and many other equally important aspects which need serious attention along with realistic and comprehensive plans and policies to ensure they are genuinely improved for the benefit of our breeds future. I strongly recommend every GSD officianado to subscribe to this German Magazin. It is probably the very best Working/Show etc GSD Magazin in the World.

Website: http://www.schaeferhund-magazin.de/

The interview with Reinhardt Meyer was done in 2008 - it makes very interesting and valuable reading - a very significant interview - do not miss it!