Is it really about the dogs? - Page 1

 I,ve been whatching this thing unfold now since the questionable by law change was introduced,yes at first i was angry why was the orginization I belong to and fund telling me where and when i can train and trial and whom I can associate with.  This led me to a knee jerk reaction of "well I,ll just quit" that is my right as it is yours but before we pack up our toys and head to a different play ground we all need to take a big breath and possible a drink and focus for a moment.

Options, what really are our options, If you are intrested in nothing more then the "sport" then there is the DVG it,s not a bad choice it,s been around for a while. But if your thought,s are truley for the dog and the breed what are your real choices? I have grave problems with the WDA and GSDCA.  Until recently the WDA has been the 3rd wheel to the GSDCA and treated as such and until the USA made overtures to them about combining really were on the back burner. I read the newsletter from the WDA president that was posted and was unimpressed. The WDA will always be under the thumb of the GSDCA a orginization truley aligned with the AKC now how many of you who are packing your bags for the trip can honestly say that the AKC has the Working German Shepherd in it,s best intrest?. 

Until the GSDCA was awardwd the 2013 WUSV trial WDA was the red headed step child and I would imagine if they had not been awarded the trial the WDA would still be the kid who pissed in the punch bowl, 

I believe the voted amandement was bad policy and bad politics from USA and short sighted, but I also will not be fanned in a new direction like a wild fire by people who also have politcal agendas and personnel score settleing as is happening now when the herd stampeeds many things are lost good as well as bad and at this time i,m not running away with my hands flayling and screaming.

Cooler heads must prevale if this is truely "about the dogs"  At this time I believe it is about politics,team membership,score settleing, things that "dog folks" could care less about.

I won,t be a member of WDA-GSDCA as there view of the German Shepherd Dogs as a working Dog is a animal forged in the minds of the AKC. And after the 2013 WUSV if you think there won,t be a dive to lick the boots of the AKC with the WDS program your sight is as short as ever. the WDA will never exsist without the blessing of GSDCA and i won,t be controlled by the same politcal group as is now in place.

So think about this before the conductor of this train scoots you on board with promises of pretty lites and beeds and blankets "Is it really about the dog" ?

   

 "i,m not running away with my hands flayling and screaming".

No Bob, We are turning our backs and steping forward proudly!!  Eric has it right!

The recent changes is schutzhund USA are behind us. It is what it is! People who have principles and are not just blind followers will now leave the organization. This is not about USA vs. WDA. It is about freedom of choice. It is about not allowing yourself to be controlled. If anything USA's bylaw change has hurt the German Shepherd community in the U.S. by dividing it rather than uniting it. Leaving USA changes nothing unless you allow it too. Most people involved in the sport of schutzhund spend 98% of their time training with their local friends and 2% of there time trialing at any level. If those of you who have principles and believe in freedom of choice simply start your own schutzhund club with an organization who allows you freedom of choice you can continue to train and trial. If international competition is your goal joining the WDA and DVG gives you access to the WUSV, Deutsch Meisterschaft, FCI. These organizations have regional and national competition and are run democratically. The more people who start clubs the more trials which will be available. There is a misconception about USA offering so many trials. Ask yourself how many trials did you compete in last year? The answer is probably one or two. Where were these trials? Probably close to you. Start a club! It isn't that difficult. If a few people start clubs you will see more and more clubs will pop up in your area. Change is difficult most of us don't like change. When one door closes another opens. What usually seems as such a negative experience in the long run opens up new opportunities. I am a member of the Central Alabama Schutzhund Club, our club has been a member of USA for more than thirty years. This is our last year we have made a choice to join WDA and DVG! We will continue to train as usual and trial at local regional and national competitions just as before. It is time for change! Simply make the right choice for yourself! If you stand for freedom,and democracy then the choice is a simple one. If you are a follower and want to be dictated to and told what you can do with your money and your dog then that is also a choice. You must Stand for something or you will fall for anything!

Eric S. Eisenberg

JoAnn Letcher

does USCA  have the best interest of the dogs in mind?   why is their registry  not used more?   why dont more people adhere to the breed standard set by the SV and followed by USCA?    why are there not more USCA  registered breeders?  of those that are registered, how many follow the standard 100%.  

to me, it is about the dogs.   it's ALSO about the club, and  how it is run.   if USCA wanted more people to support these changes, why was there not more info about it before the meeting?   thats a mute point,  seeing how it passed anyway, but it does lead to how things were handled. 

john

My Answer-
No. Its not about the dogs.

SS

No, it is about self-inflated egos; plain and simple.

Best Regards,
Bob-O

 Ditto Bob-O. I encourage people to withdraw from this negatively driven organization and consider going elsewhere, or remaining independent. There are other organizations and USCA is not the only game in town.

Is it possible for a club to remain independent? For a long time I've felt that would be the way to go. 

I'm currently a member of both organizations and a have been for years.  I've been a member of USA for about 15 years and WDA for 6 or 7.  I'm also a trial helper for both organizations, guess I need to make  a decision soon.  I'm trying to decide and having some trouble with it.  I am not a fan of the AKC, I feel they have ruined every working breed they recognize most notably the GSD.  However, I like the WDA.  If I remember correctly wasn't WDA the only one that sanctioned a large breeder for "coloring" their dogs at the SS, didn't USA fail to do anything about it?  Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems WDA is willing to stand up to some of the bigger names and do what is right.  That is starting to sway my decision.

Jim
Member of USA, 10 yr pin SchH 3 club, helper
Member of WDA  and probably will remain a member. 

Misconsception - seriously?!?!?!  People are free to add up the trials for themselves, there is no misconception there.  As far as other organizations and the amount of trials they hold, none of them holds near the amount of schH trials as does USA.  I don't agree that quiting is the answer at all.  I believe in sticking with it and working from within, if you want to effect change, but that's just me, people will do what is best for them.    I agree Bob M., I plan to think through what has happened, talk to a few people, find out the truth and not rely on internet rumors,  then once I have all the information, I will rationally decide what to do. I would like to be able to retain both my USA and DVG memberships.   But i can tell you I can't imagine leaving USA for  WDA, since I don't feel WDA is anywhere near as good an organization as USA, even with USA's warts and all, but what ever I do,  I certainly will not jump to a rash decision based on emotion or anything I read on the internet.

Eric Eisenberg!!! and you don,t think this schmuck doesnt have a politcal agenda? if so your fooling your self I,would,nt  take his adivise on any thing. This from a guy who,s last little trist ended him up in court if i,m not mistaken.

Just be very careful because when you turn your back and step without looking you can step into a bigger pile.

I,m not sure that USA has the dog focused at this time I know the WDA-GSDCA don,t have the working dog in it,s best intrest and it,s fact the AKC never even considered the working dog useful. I do believe that it,s going to get worse before it gets better do I have the answers No and anyone who claims to is a liar the ones making the biggest proteset right now are the people who make the money from the dog world and there the scariest ones to follow. 

I wish you all good luck with this if I had a magic wand I would make it all better but it,s not fantasey land and every turn has it,s pit falls.