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ForumsGerman Shepherd Dog > Structure Critique (25 replies)
Structure Critique by mfh27 on 30 December 2011 - 01:44 |
I'll be taking Quinn (pictured below) and my male to a conformation show. Just curious what show rating she may get. Just my novice observation, her pasterns look short; but overall I think she is well put together. And her movement is very beautiful.  Thanks! |
mfh27 by Xeph on 30 December 2011 - 02:29 |
| That is a beautiful young lady! Beautiful front, slightly short upper arm, pasterns should be stronger, but she's a baby yet. Flat wither transitioning into what looks to be a strong topline. Beautiful angles in the rear. Hope she keeps the angles Croup looks slightly short to me, but is nicely sloped, tail set is beautiful. Love her bone and underline. Head is strong, but lips should be tighter. Good underline. Very pretty bitch. IMO she deserves a high P, if not a VP. |
Xeph by EuroShepherd on 30 December 2011 - 02:37 |
Where are you showing them? She's a longcoat so if it's a German style show she'll need to be in the long coat class. AKC faults longcoats but UKC accepts them well. |
EuroShepherd by mfh27 on 30 December 2011 - 03:14 |
The female is 4 years old. Just had a litter with her previous owner, and came to me in time to blow her coat all over my house haha. That's why she looks relatively bald. Here she is with more coat. I was planning on going to the WDA show mid March in NC. Judge is Helmut Konig. But may go to the USA show in April in KY. Judge is Johannes Grewe, who I thought may be fairer to WL since he owns them. But I dont know much about either. |
by Elkoorr on 30 December 2011 - 15:42 |
| I have shown my working line under Helmut Koenig in Statesville, NC. He is one of the fairest SV judges towards working lines. However, competition in Statesville is always very strong. I was planning on showing my WL male as I couldnt go to the show in Jacksonville, NC this month (he blew his coat). He is 2.5 years old right now. And maybe my current pup, if she stops barking at anything and everything....lol Your girl looks pretty and should get at least a "G". She has a deep chest, with somewhat short front legs, she is long. She has very good rear angulation. There is a possibility that she will fall slightly on her front while gaiting; meaning her rear drive is stronger than the front stride can support. This is commonly seen in WL as they have the straigter back, the sloped back of SL will cover something like this a bit up and will result more in a pounding front. Your chances in placing closer to the front are better in an "all" WL show then in an pretty much all SL show like Statesville. However, this should not have an affect on the overall rating you can achieve. I usually placed at the end of the line, but still got the pups VP, and later on my girl a G. For some its to win, for me it is to get a rating. When and where is the show in Kentucky? Our club trial is in April... |
Elkoorr by mfh27 on 30 December 2011 - 16:21 |
Elkoor, if you show Apache in the working dog class, you will at least place above my Robby  . Im just going for my dog's show rating and for my own educational experience. Couldn't care less where we placed, but do want a fair assessment and rating.Cedar Hill Working Dog Club is having a show April 14-15 (with trial on the 13) in Woodburn, KY. |
by danny killeen on 30 December 2011 - 16:45 |
| Strengthen the pasterns if you can. This will effectively lengthen the forelegs and balance her more. Good luck. |
by Jenni78 on 30 December 2011 - 16:50 |
| I don't have anything to add that hasn't been said, but she's a very unusually-colored, pretty bitch. |
Jenni78 by danny killeen on 30 December 2011 - 17:51 |
Agree she is pretty, but 'unusually coloured'? Not for a WL dog. |
by Jenni78 on 30 December 2011 - 18:14 |
| Yes, Danny. You read that correctly. Her pattern/lack of is unusual. Her mask coloration is unusual. I would not mistake another dog for her, hence, to me, she is slightly "unusual." |
by danny killeen on 30 December 2011 - 18:21 |
Maybe I see too many dogs then! |
by Elkoorr on 30 December 2011 - 18:55 |
Mfh... the placing doesnt worry me so much with Apache, more his dominant behavior towards other males. He can get very ugly and is difficult to get out of it once he is in the mood. Maybe I need to show him in the bitch class  he loves his girls.... Darn with the Kentucky show as this is exactly our club trial weekend.I think whats throwing off Jenni is that she is very even in her coat color and that she has what looks like a faint reverse mask. pretty girl though. |
by mfh27 on 30 December 2011 - 19:27 |
I think her long coat makes her sable look darker than it would be if she was a stock coat. She does have that reverse mask look, but she is sable throughout her face. Danny, any tips for strengthening the pasterns? I've read running on sand helps, but I'm an hour from the beach. I agree that her pasterns and forearm could be longer, but to me, her upper arm looks correct. Looking a the working line dogs that get V and those that get SG, it seems random sometimes. Maybe its just judge dependent. |
by danny killeen on 30 December 2011 - 20:27 |
| Pasterns. I read a tip on here that said you should place the food bowl high up so that the animal has to push up on their front toes to eat. I was sceptical but I tried it with my bitch whose pasterns had softened after her litter. It helped. Hard surface walking has also been recommended. Your dog doesn't have BAD pasterns, just a little low. Good luck tightening them. |
by Jenni78 on 30 December 2011 - 20:45 |
| Thank you, Sina. That's exactly what I meant about unusual. As dark as she is, the lighter red mask is a surprise when you see her face. I think it's very striking and unusual. I guarantee I won't see a hundred more in ads that look just like her, as is the case with many darker sable GSDs. I would expect her muzzle/face to be almost solid black by the rest of her coloring. I agree, mfh, her longer coat makes the sable less prominent on her body and the darker guard hairs show up more. <sigh> Oh well. Maybe I just haven't seen enough dogs. I would not raise an adult GSDs food bowls due to bloat risk, I'd use sand or other surfaces/climbing type walks/exercises. |
by mfh27 on 30 December 2011 - 21:55 |
| Now that I think of her pedigree, I would not be surprised if she was carrying the reverse mask gene from great great grandfather Ben Bolfu |
by aaykay on 31 December 2011 - 03:38 |
| She is a very pretty bitch. Not an expert on judging structure, however. How is she temperamentally ? Reverse mask dogs are rumored to be "harder" and more dominant type dogs. Does she have those traits ? |
aaykay by mfh27 on 01 January 2012 - 00:44 |
| She is not pronounced in those traits. |
by sonora on 01 January 2012 - 02:09 |
Hi mfh27, You have a nice bitch and I see her as , medium size medium strong,dark grey bitch of slighty long proportions. She has good head but the expression is marred by yellow / light eyes. good withers,firm level back,with a short,steep croup and good set of tail. She has a good fore chest and depth of chest with a good underline She has very good front angulation, with a well placed shoulder blade and the upper arm is long with a good lay.(her strongest assets) Her hind angulations are good. I would like a little more length of fore leg. She stands badly east/west in front with very weak pasterns. ( this could be due to lack of calcium, please check with your vet.) Happy New Year to all. |
by Jenni78 on 01 January 2012 - 02:24 |
| I don't see yellow eyes. I see medium to darker amber eyes in direct sunlight. I also don't see a terrible East/West front, though perhaps slight as can be seen from the side view that we have. I would agree with the pasterns...and I have seen this in dogs who are just out of shape. Mfh said she just had a litter w/another owner, so perhaps she got her in "not the best condition." |
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