Honest Sieger Show performance test judging - Page 1

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

APPLAUSE!!!!!!!! BRAVO!!!!!!!!!

I like your comments but I'm wondering why you're still supporting both organizations with your membership fees. Why are you still a member? Are you still entering local trials and shows?

Aqua: I'm wondering why you're still supporting both organizations with your membership fees.

That' s good question. Why am I supporting either organization? At least, USA has fewer midnight trials--with the exception of "dual clubs". My dogs are veterans (age 7. 9.5, and 12) and retired from trials. By then, I may have one foot in the grave--that is, if I have any feet left after "shooting myself in the foot".  I do what I do out of habit, I guess--having been in the breed since 1964.

I will not be keeping any more GSD's until one or more of these guys dies--I don't believe in putting older dogs into "retirement homes".  I may show one of my males in veterans classes from time to time. However, this is only for fun and socialization. It is is difficult to have any clout in veterans classes when VA-1 dogs are entered in these classes as the competiton for my dogs!

I do volunteer my boys for various regional USA helper certifications and protection seminars--where they don't pop off the sleeve before the helper locks up or run from the field limping when a less experienced, wannabe helper steps on them. These events is fun for all participants and good PR for SL dogs.

Otherwise, my dogs are excellent representatives for the breed when they accompany (on airplanes and in other public places) me as my assistance dogs. No, I don't let on that they are schutzhund titled--especially, not to neighbors.

I guess the  dilemma is how we can change the corruption???? 

Some suggestions:

1  Sign the peitions online calling for change.  It's a start but don't hold your breath for instant change.

2  Refuse to pay dues to organizations that refuse to follow the rules and allow corruption.  Problem here is that threre would only be a significant impact if half of each organization withheld their dues and made a financial hit.  Unlikely.

3  Hold an independent exercise exactly like a sieger show and tape it and see who has the stones to bring their dogs for the whole world to see.  Encourage those who actually have showlines who can work to attend.  Play by the rules, not tougher or easier than the rules call for.  By the book.  Perhaps some people will wake up and those breeders who are breeding for correct working ability will get some long overdue recognition.  Put that video next to the pathetic video of the USA sieger show.  End of story.  The judge would have to be totally objective and unbiased. 

4  Call for a change to the scoring.  How about a grading system for bitework..  1 being barely and 5 awesome and those numbers are factored in with the show rating.  Unlikely to happen since the two organizaions follow the SV and they are unlikely to alter their system but an interesting concept.

I'm sure others have better suggestions than these so chime in everyone.

Judy

Judy, Thank you!

All suggestions are welcome and definitely anything that makes us think is great! 

YES! people need to add their name to the petition, if they agree the rules are NOT being followed. How anyone can watch the videos and say they are AMAZES me. We have lost integrity, and those who sign their name PROUDLY show they have integrity and stand for integrity as well.

We WILL make a change, and do not think for one moment, that we have not already started the change. It is happening. We have a YEAR to make the change before the NEXT sieger show! We already know what isn't right and what has not worked.

I see a change already happening. People who have spoken up before are speaking up again, and louder!

I have already received several emails from people who have adjusted their way of thinking. "What's the point of beauty if it serves little purpose?" that was my second favorite quote I received in an email. My first was one that I printed out and I have on the bulletin board behind my desk at work, and my "Wall of Smiles" at home by my computer. Someone sent it to me saying it was posted on the petition. How can anyone read this quote and NOT sign the petition is unfathomable.

"An able handler may manage to get such a dog on to the trial ground and perform, - but it would be no genuine performance. But to bring such a dog on to the trial ground in order to get for him from an indulgent judge the desired credentials would not only be insincerity -- for the handler cannot have overlooked the dog's defect!-- but also a crime against the breed. In real life such superficial training is of no use, the dog would fail if it came to a struggle in earnest. Thus, however "beautiful" such a dog may be, he is not the dog for the shepherd dog lover to whom he would cause nothing but disappointment, shame and anger, and he is even less a dog for the breed. Away with him!" .....Max von Stephanitz

Truer words were never spoken or written in regard to the German Shepherd Dog!

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Videos of the Performance Tests of all Working Male Dogs are viewable online in Catalog order:

Just a reminder on what we are discussing.Here are the video's!

Catalog # 1-5:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E09xVRKc6Cg

Catalog # 6-11:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PZOLWYDcBM

Catalog # 12-19:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m11Ul79yNac

Catalog # 20-28:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NiT96r3k2Q

Catalog # 29-34:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDKhlHYHGoI

Catalog # 35-39:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yDNqQpvqIQ

Catalog # 40-44:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwg8dDOSj0I

Catalog # 45-47:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-SbBOkQTGo