I thought that I would share with you my post of the USA-GSD list:
Many USA members are already WDA members. Did you notice those handlers (often with VA dogs--and, also, often with other dogs with failing performance tests) of dogs coming off the sleeve before the lock-up, with poor grips, lack of drive-containment, re-grips, munching the underside of the sleeve (looking for green tripe bait?), heeling on their bellies? Go to the WDA website and check out the scores of some of these miserable specimens at WDA trials on the homefield or at other nearby WDA clubs.
Many of these guys already "own" their private WDA clubs--known for midnight trials, food on the tracks, trainers doing helper work with their own dogs in a trial or BS, putting in "ringer" dogs for the bitework after the originally entered dog does the tracking/obedience, AD's that last 2-3 miles, trialing club dogs separately and/or secretly from those entered by non-club members, etc.
Some of these are the very people "rewarded" for their dedication and loyalty with new appointments as WDA officers and committee chairs--and are approved as WDA-certified helpers on the club level as well as regional, national, and teaching helpers. When there are enough crooked WDA clubs in one region, they may band together and have their own "private" RD elected!
These influential breeders/handlers (who provide the judges with beer at evening SS gatherings, during lunch and breaks, and after the show) are greedy and want the best of both worlds by going VA at NASS and at the USA SS. I saw one such handler have a judge change (with post-judging schmoozing and beer) a client-dog's "insufficient" (for a dog responsible for starting a dogfight in Working Males) after the show to a "V" rating--when the NASS show results were announced several days later on the WDA website.
If USA has a SS judge of the performance tests follow the rules already place, these cheats have the choice of bringing convincing dogs to our SS's or being content with VA ratings at NASS. Given their innate greed for multiple VA's, I suspect that handlers may soon become motivated to actually train their dogs.
Let the WDA live in the dark ages and prohibit the humane use of e-collars during pre-show performance test scheduled "training" times, in the parking lot, at the host hotels, etc. Strange--I saw many handlers working dogs with e-collars at 2005 NASS in Pittsburgh. That's fine with me--don't make a mockery of it. Better a humane, black and white reminder to the dog than nagging him with repeated, ineffective corrections from long lines (often attached to pinch collars). No wonder that this "nagging" has created dogs which look back nervously at their handlers during the "guarding".
While I am a member of both USA and the WDA, I am unlikely to enter either another USA SS or NASS. Even the thought of going to such a dishonest event as a spectator is not inviting . I've seen personally that having a correct performance test has no bearing on a dog's show rating. I have no local club where I may refresh my titled dog's timing and targeting the month before a SS. With the price of gas, I am not motivated to drive to a distant club for a paid helper to briefly give a few bites my trained and titled dogs
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