Ideal confirmation in a young male - Page 5

Ilse, As I posted previously: "at 3-4 months, he was as homely as sin--gawd-awful gawky, dry, close-coated--LOL!" Are we not fortunate, indeed, that many dogs (like dorky adolescents) improve dramatically with age? I can recall that during the 60's and 70's, pups of certain bloodlines went through some really "ugly duckling" phases. They were at their worst when they appeared long, tubular, and "butt high". Fortunately, truly qualified breeders and fanciers who were familiar with the developmental anomalies of their bloodlines had the patience to wait for these youngsters to fulfill their early genetic promise. Personally, I've grown to dislike pups with a very "finished" appearance (like miniature adults) at a young age because, when they mature, they may become "overly done"--JMHO--based on my personal experience and observations.

May I ask a question? Just trying to learn; the standard calls for a smooth transition from neck to back to tail, gently sloping, doesn't it? (I am asking this without referencing back to the standard, so correct me, please, if I'm wrong) Yet many of the V rated dogs that I see have a very distinct break in that line where the neck joins the back,(is that what you were talking about Marci, no withers?). The picture of Yasko describes what I mean, & he's undeniably a great dog, so is it just something about the way he's positioned for the picture? Or is it something in the conformation? Your picture of your dog, Louise, has a nice smooth line, Preston's pick has a very slight 'break' in the line between neck & back, the other 2 dogs have nice smooth lines...so, please help me understand this. Thank you, jackie harris

Let take the outline comparison of a WORKING group representative VS the Herding group reps... I noticed that most herders definitely have a long straight back (long defining back probably because these dogs are trotters...) Most Working group dogs(e.g. Dobes, Rotts and Saint Bernards have very prominent Withers...) I remember as a kid when I first watched an all-breed show, I though that these dogs worked(pulled load) with their withers thats why they were put to the Working Group...That time GSD's had HIGH and pronounced withers and they were still included with the working dog group (GSD that time were really LARGE dogs...) Then I learned about the FCI classification the put the GSD to the Herding group... then sillowhettes of GSD's were sloped neck continuing to a very straight back (Well-LAID back to correctly term it...) Now, I wonder how to get that Pronounced withers on the back of the GSD to make the topline shorter... the TOPLINE should definitely be shorter than the UNDERLINE... Pelvice, should be longer than the back to compliment the effect, but that is one of the recessives breeders nowadays are trying to maintain in conformation... but aint we forgetting that the more natural will be the shorter croup... So in a nutshell... aim for a LONG high wither... SHORT BACK (and not arched)... and a LONG(correctly angled) Croup... Have a happy New Year... guys

I disagree with Linda Shaw on several points. I like the depictions included in Winifred Strickland book much better. It's personal preference. I just prefer a GSD that is short in back and loin and sets up with a straight vertical in the front lower legs almost every time. I'm not saying other GSD that don't do this are poor or incorrect, if they don't vary from this to an extreme like the typical American Shepherds (AKC). If folks like long GSDs that is okay, I don't, that's all.