SV Conformation Judges Please - Page 1

Would you consider this dog a long coat??? Thank you for your input!

I am no SV Judge but that is a long coat in all the books and videos I have read and seen

Not a very good photo for judging....can you put on a head shot from the front? Also take a photo of his legs from the front. He is certainly a plush coat, but other than what appears to be some feathering on his front legs, it is tough to assess. The fact that the dog is black makes it even more difficult unless the photo and the light is much better. 

From this picture the dog looks to be a long coat.

The feathering behind the front legs, pants and tail seem to support this.

A front picture of the head showing the hair in and around the ears would make it conclusive beyond a doubt.

djc, Is this your dog ?The dog looks absolutely gorgeous regards to what the coat is :)

These are the only pictures I have. I know they are not good for judging, but that is my quandry. This dog is full brother to a new puppy I am considering buying and he is said to have the same coat as this dog. ?? I see that there is no long hair handing down all along the middle of the dog, all the way back to his thighs. His tail is pretty plushy, but not as long of hair as I'm used to seeing on a coat. His chest hair does not seem extra long to me either. Maybe some on the back of his neck looks longer than a plush? He does not apear to have ear feathers either. The feathering on the front legs is what is throwing me off.  I do not want to buy a coat and I do like plushes. So, there it is..... Thanks for any input!

A better photo is necessary showing the head and ears up close. The fur on his legs and his tail and behind his thighs in the first photo appears wet and again, it may simply be that he is plush. I have a male like this, although black and red who is clearly not a coat, but if wet, and fur is out of place, someone might mistake that.

From what I see, I do not see what I consider feathering but photos and light can be deceptive. If you can get a better and closer photo, that would help. This dog is a very nice dog from many perspectives. Most all black dogs, even males, have small and fine bone and often finer heads. This fellow has excellent bone and a nice, masculine head. But because he is all black and the photos are not good enough, I reserve judgement as to whether he is really only plush or coated. Whatever he is, he is very nice.

You can have him DNA tested to learn if he's a coat or a carrier.  Beautiful dog.

http://www.vetdnacenter.com/canine-long-hair-test.html

I'm with Hodie, we need to see the ears more clearly in a better photo.  I don't think I have ever seen an actual black longcoat.  This dog is beautiful, and as stated, seems to have the bone and substance often missing in black gsds.

Thanks for your input Hodie and others. I truly appreciate it.  I want this new puppy for my working line stud dog and competition dog, so it is important as a stud dog that he not be a coat.  I love this breeding pair and they have produced so well!!  Both sire and dam have LGA qualified and also have great conformation! Sire is V in BSZS and the dam is rated SG, but it must be something in her movement because she looks V to me! If I have to wait on the next breeding... that's disapointing but OK as it is well worth waiting for.

Debby