Fun with show toons - Page 14

Also, it's not really possible to compare the trots of the two dogs whose pictures you posted, as one is from the side and the other is from in front.  And you really need video and not still pictures anyway.

Donald, Babelfish is free, and it knows how to spell. My point is that many of these people just don't care or don't know any better. I even see pictures posted sideways. I have yet to see one upside down, but wouldn't be surprised if I did!

Unfortunately, I don't have a good picture of the 'goose-step' taken straight on. In all the ones I have, the leg that's extended is facing away from the viewer. However, you can see that the elbow is bent almost at a right angle, instead of opening up from the shoulder, like the pup below:





And yes, it would be nice to have video. That's why I asked.


(And no, I don't care for the fact this pup has his hock flat on the ground. Let's hope his joints got stronger as he grew. He's got nice reach in front, that's for sure.) 

Another show/working thread?!!

1.  Show people have admitted there is a problem.

2.  Some believe a solution (for their lines) is to intermix with the working bloodlines.

3.  But, they're not doing it.  No Javir, no Bomber, or whatever, is going to be widely accepted into their "pure" show bloodlines.  Why?

4.  They are obviously content with their dogs, no matter how poorly they represent the breed, and really only upset at the criticism they receive but are unwilling to do anything about.


Showline people are of course going to be concerned about criticism.  That's what showing's all about, one big popularity contest.  A lot (not all) working people don't give a rats what other people think, they'll do what works.  There's a fundamental difference in the type of mindset between the followers of each type of bloodline.  It's less of a dog problem, and more of a people problem, if you ask me.

Ibrahim, Deanna, I found the video of the dog I was discussing yesterday. Unfortunately, this is NOT what his son who belongs to me does, LOL:

The video after that one was Larus von Batu. Wow, that was some nice bitework! (Dux's is nice, too, of course!)

Are there any videos out there of Urus? (He's my female's grandsire.)

"However, you can see that the elbow is bent almost at a right angle, instead of opening up from the shoulder"

Jane Steffenhagen once told me that out of the thousands and thousands of GSDs she had seen, the only one to have a  correct shoulder per the standard was Fanto vom Hirschel.   

How about Dingo? Here's that famous video of him gaiting. Notice how the shoulder and upper arm open until they form almost a straight line with the lower leg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIFpKL0qRQ0&feature=related

I must praise your enthusiasm in your posts, Jeff. And granted - its true - the German Shepherd really isn't the breed for alot of people. But a switch is necessary with any breed. If the dog is always on the move and always needs something to do, this doesn't just border neurotic - it is neurotic. Which isn't a healthy mental state for the animal. If you like your WL's to be mentally unhealthy - that's your choice. But I would prefer a dog I can bring home to my child, and they know that they need to calm down.

My dogs are out of herding bitches who trot between 50-75 miles per day when working flocks in the pasture.  When my dogs are outside in the yard, they are always on the move, investigating this or that noise from the boat ramp and parking lot down below, walking the fence line, chasing squirrels, sprinting over to the boundary to mooch cookies off my neighbors - the female more so than the male, but I would not be surprised to find that they were each banging out 25 or more miles per day.  And my lawn - or what should be a lawn - has the ruts to prove it.  Even when it hit 100 degrees here on Friday, they didn't really slow down.  If that's "neurotic," I'll take that every time, because I'd rather have them doing what German Shepherds were bred to do and not laying around snoozing under a tree all day like a St. Bernard.  

When they are in the house they are calm.  When they are around the grandchildren they are calm.  But left to their own devices outside, they want to move, and they do.  

 And my lawn - or what should be a lawn - has the ruts to prove it. 

{Laughs ruefully} Now that I own a dog kennel, the dogs aren't on my lawn, but when they were, they wore their own personal racetrack around the perimeter of my rose bed! And my male was determined to excavate my foundation for me....
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