Your Opinion of Morgan's Echo of Airin, please - Page 2

"She could double serve as a can opener...."   



Come on, the owner specifically asked for no snide comments! Did you even LOOK at her picture? I think she has a really nice head!

I like her expression and fercripessakes she isn't even really stacked and the picture angle is from slightly above so conformation critiques are impressions at best.

She looks like a fairly strongly boned girl to me.

Sunsilver,

Thank you for your honest appraisal of my girl! 

That was exactly what I was looking for.  I really got my eyes opened when she stood side by side with a pure german line pup this last weekend, hence the request for comments.  The other pup is Okie's pup's littermate, Eamon (the demon).  Echo is almost the same height, maybe a smidge taller.  But she sure is longer as Eamon is square as a box.  He has a larger head and I think bigger bone and he is wider, almost to the point of being fat. 

As for her drive, it is over the top!  At 8 weeks she tried to chase a car, no fear.  Good thing we had her on a leash!  She chases airplanes overhead, birds, rabbits, squirrels, balls, sticks, leaves.  Tug is her favorite past time and she does not like to let go.  Ever.  Loud noises as a rule do not bother her.  She barked at the trainer when he was cracking a whip at another dog.  She wanted to go get it!  They tested her by offering a tug to her and she latched on and really worked at taking it away from him.  He accidently knocked her off her feet and his face said it all, he thought he had messed her up mentally.  But she surprised him by charging back even harder and his smile split his face.  This was at 12 weeks.  She is difficult to discipline because she is smart and hardheaded.  She wants to please but also will look you in the eye and carry on as if you weren't there yelling no.  I have had to walk her down several times to make my point and sometimes the only thing that gets her attention is the alpha roll over and sometimes that turns into a wrestling match.  She is quick to let me know she doesn't care for my corrections but I let her know real quick and in a hurry it's my way or the highway.  She definately is a work in progress.

As for her movement, it's good.  No she does not walk on her hocks nor does she bunny hop when she turns.  I don't know if you would call her agile just yet, she's kinda clumsy when chasing a ball.  She always cuts it off and sometimes she ends up sprawled out but always quick to her feet and bringing it back.  With her it's all done full tilt.

CatawbaGSD - she'll open a can of whup ass on you!

Okie,

You are right about the stack...we we're barely able to get her to stand still long enough for this picture.  If you notice she is looking over my shoulder at a bird on the fence behind me.  Right after I snapped the picture she was off and charging to run that killer robin off the property.

'run down the killer robin...'  LOL! Wonder if she's related to the gal in my sig picture? She'd do exactly that, and her temperment was very similar to your pup's! Had her for 14 wonderful years, but as she was a rescue, never knew what her lines were. 

Sounds like you got a real firecracker on your hands there!

And of COURSE the male has a bigger head and bigger bone!  They are SUPPOSED TO...but you wouldn't know it from looking at some of the American line dogs!

Sunsilver,

I forgot to mention Echo's hocks are almost straight up and down when viewed from behind.  No "cow hocks" banging together here.  She's a pretty sturdy little girl.  And yes she is a firecracker!!

CatawbaGSD,

I do understand where you are coming from regarding the desire for restrictions and holding breeders accountable with the American lines.  Personally, I think that all dogs/bitches should be titled before being bred.  I've learned alot from this site.  I hope to title Echo in the future but I realize she is not breeding stock regardless of titles.  We will spay her when she reaches 1.5 - 2 years when she is mature.  I was looking for a companion when I found her and she fills that void perfectly. 

Oakie,

She is big boned, solidly built if not perfectly put together.  Thanks for taking up for us regarding the stack!

beetree,

Did you find out what you wanted to regarding Noblecroft?

Regards,
Deb

Here's the sort of head Catawaba is talking about.  I'll be nice, and not identify the kennel by name!



Yes, this was advertised as a SHOW quality female! 

DebSue, I wouldn't be too quick to get her spayed. Once she's mature, I'd get a pro's advice on whether she might be able to pick up a few ribbons in all-breed shows. It sure would be nice to see the letters 'Ch'. and 'Sch' together on the same dog!

I've had a few surprises lately as to what's being titled in the American and Canadian show ring, and I could be wrong about my assessment, because that's definitely not the best stack for judging her conformation!

Sunsilver,

Thanks again for your input and the photo.  I do know Echo is in a poor stack and I'm hoping to get a better one.  Never really entertained the idea of putting her into a show ring to begin with.  We were just hoping we would end up with a healthy companion dog with good hips etc.  Even if we do show her and against the odds win a title we don't intend to breed her.  
 
We had intended to spay her at 6mo although I really didn't want to because I had read a thread about it here some time ago.  It took that excellent thread posted here about a month ago to convince my husband to hold off.  The Vet was really pushing to spay her too.

I'll be happy if she learns to mind me.  She is so smart she will disobey just to get a reaction.  She is not allowed on the furniture except for the love seat where we take her picture for her growth chart.  Once a week since the first day we got her she has sat there for a photo until she turned 6mo old then we went to monthly pictures.  Since we don't usually have every light on in the house, when she sees me turn on the two end table lights next to the love seat she springs up onto the love seat and sits for her photo.  If it isn't photo time I scold her and tell her to get down.  She will get down, jump back up, down, up, then leap off and tear through the house like her tail is on fire.  She is a trip!!

Deb  

 

DebiSue, Thanks for the insight in the Noblecroft line in your dog's pedigree. I do believe,  the Noblecrofts in my dog's pedigee are related to yours. They have an old 1999 website,  under the kennel name von Morgan Noblecroft. There are some other American sounding names too, but through von Morgan Noblecroft they brought in Lerry von Cebu, from Germany, from what I can tell. And he's linebred to  Quanto, Canto and Liane von der Wienerau. You said your dog had crazy ball drive, mine, too! Very smart, active, mine loves to jump! loves to swim, he'll be 3 in Sept. and is great about barking, when you want him to, but he never barks compulsively. Thunder, loud noises, doesn't phase him. I will have to take a new picture and post it, as my avatar shows him as a younger pup. We get compliment  on his good looks, all the time, as I'm sure you do, too! 

I'm not an expert on conformation so I couldn't give a critique.  Just wanted to say she's a pretty girl and it's nice to hear you so excited about her.  She sounds like she'll give you a run for your money.  Good luck with her, no matter what you decide to do together!