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by Jenni78 on 13 October 2010 - 14:10
I know what I think looks good and correct and healthy, but I'm terrible at putting it into words. I like the overall impression of this dog very much, but like all animals, he's not perfect and has some structural issues.
What I KNOW is wrong with him:
He's too big. 27" at the withers, and 98-103lbs LEAN. He is very heavy boned.
Here's what I THINK is wrong with him:
A tad too long in the back??
Has that "hinged" back Louise mentioned in mfh27's post about her dog??
Not enough rear angulation?? (though I confess I don't mind that at all)
What I love about him:
His head- Daddy must've been a buffalo, lol. I have yet to see another GSD w/a head like that. Being black, he's hard to photograph to get the full effect; people are shocked when they see him in person.
Extremely masculine. No one has ever wondered if he was male or female.
His superb agility. AMAZING- especially amazing for a dog his size. He has done obstacles typically only effectively conquered by Malinois.
Heavy bone. When I posted xrays of him, people accused them of being Rottweiler or Mastiff xrays. He has true substance lacking in many dogs as of late.
BUT- I may be a teensy bit biased! LOL So, I would appreciate honest critiques from knowledgeable folks who know conformation. Unfortunately, the dog had a very inexperienced owner for his early years and I'm so picky that I thought he wasn't perfect so I never bothered to get him a show rating and a breed survey. I might do it if you don't tell me he's ugly and awful and I would be embarrassing us both (he hates embarrassment). If you do tell me he's ugly and awful, I will cry, kick you in the shins, and then take my ball and go home.
7yr old male, BTW.
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http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Jenwilliams918/Caleb/caleb2-8-2010032.jpg
What I KNOW is wrong with him:
He's too big. 27" at the withers, and 98-103lbs LEAN. He is very heavy boned.
Here's what I THINK is wrong with him:
A tad too long in the back??
Has that "hinged" back Louise mentioned in mfh27's post about her dog??
Not enough rear angulation?? (though I confess I don't mind that at all)
What I love about him:
His head- Daddy must've been a buffalo, lol. I have yet to see another GSD w/a head like that. Being black, he's hard to photograph to get the full effect; people are shocked when they see him in person.
Extremely masculine. No one has ever wondered if he was male or female.
His superb agility. AMAZING- especially amazing for a dog his size. He has done obstacles typically only effectively conquered by Malinois.
Heavy bone. When I posted xrays of him, people accused them of being Rottweiler or Mastiff xrays. He has true substance lacking in many dogs as of late.
BUT- I may be a teensy bit biased! LOL So, I would appreciate honest critiques from knowledgeable folks who know conformation. Unfortunately, the dog had a very inexperienced owner for his early years and I'm so picky that I thought he wasn't perfect so I never bothered to get him a show rating and a breed survey. I might do it if you don't tell me he's ugly and awful and I would be embarrassing us both (he hates embarrassment). If you do tell me he's ugly and awful, I will cry, kick you in the shins, and then take my ball and go home.
7yr old male, BTW.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Jenwilliams918/Caleb/caleb2-8-2010032.jpg
by wrestleman on 13 October 2010 - 14:10
First thing I hate about this mutt is that he isn't mine LOl I think the big head and bone are something that has been lost in todays lines. You here people claim their dog has such a great head and bone and when you see them its never that way.I remember some of the old DDR dogs with huge wide short muzzles that could literally collapse a Frabo. These are gone you are VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A DOG WITH THE TRAITS OF YESTER YEARS. I really feel its like a secondary sex characteristic that has been lost. Nothing looks worse that a collie headed fine boned German Shepherd in my opinion. He certainly carries his size well and looks compact in the pics. A very very nice specimen of what a German Shepherd should look like
by Sunsilver on 13 October 2010 - 14:10
Personally, I think he's GORGEOUS!
And below is a pic of what I believe is a hinged back (which your dog does NOT have!)
(The female below is otherwise a very nice looking bitch.)
And below is a pic of what I believe is a hinged back (which your dog does NOT have!)
(The female below is otherwise a very nice looking bitch.)
by 4pack on 13 October 2010 - 15:10
He is just gross, you should send him to me and I will...(heh hem) take care of it!
I'm not big on conformation either. I know what looks good and what looks like a train wreck and everything inbetween. He looks good in my book but he looks like a solid black version of my dog, so...
I'm not big on conformation either. I know what looks good and what looks like a train wreck and everything inbetween. He looks good in my book but he looks like a solid black version of my dog, so...
by crhuerta on 13 October 2010 - 15:10
Jenni,
He is indeed an extremely handsome, strong male dog!
It is very hard to "pick apart" an animal that is so pleasing to look at......
But if I were to own him....I would know that to make him "even better looking"...( if at all possible!) LOL
He could have a slight less length, a little more angle in the front & rear. He has a "break" in the top-line, a little past the shoulder...
Again...the overall appearance of this male is stunning & strong....I would be proud to own him.
Robin
p.s....and his color is "acceptable"...even though he's not B&R..LOL!!!
He is indeed an extremely handsome, strong male dog!
It is very hard to "pick apart" an animal that is so pleasing to look at......
But if I were to own him....I would know that to make him "even better looking"...( if at all possible!) LOL
He could have a slight less length, a little more angle in the front & rear. He has a "break" in the top-line, a little past the shoulder...
Again...the overall appearance of this male is stunning & strong....I would be proud to own him.
Robin
p.s....and his color is "acceptable"...even though he's not B&R..LOL!!!
by OK GSD LOVER on 13 October 2010 - 16:10
I am no expert, but this is the type I love! But like has been said before, he is a black version of my dogs. I show my dogs, not because I might win but because I enjoy it. I would do whatever I wanted with him. If you enjoy it and the dog works happy that is all that is important. I would be proud to own him if he was mine!
by Jenni78 on 13 October 2010 - 16:10
Thank you all, esp. Robin since she acknowledged that he's not perfect, lol.
I know he's impressive to look at, but impressive is not necessarily correct for the breed standard. I am very curious as to how he really measures up conformationally. I know he's handsome, and I'm biased, so I think he's the mostest handsomest ever, LOL, but again, that doesn't mean he is conformationally correct.
I have realized through the years though that many dogs who I thought were "all that" had severe flaws when I saw them in person, and I realized I'd been too hard on my own- they were much better than I had thought. In my effort to judge my dogs harshly and not fall prey to kennel blindness, I probably screwed up and sold a few of mine short.
I'm hoping some of the others will chime in here. Thanks again to all.
I know he's impressive to look at, but impressive is not necessarily correct for the breed standard. I am very curious as to how he really measures up conformationally. I know he's handsome, and I'm biased, so I think he's the mostest handsomest ever, LOL, but again, that doesn't mean he is conformationally correct.
I have realized through the years though that many dogs who I thought were "all that" had severe flaws when I saw them in person, and I realized I'd been too hard on my own- they were much better than I had thought. In my effort to judge my dogs harshly and not fall prey to kennel blindness, I probably screwed up and sold a few of mine short.
I'm hoping some of the others will chime in here. Thanks again to all.
by Rik on 13 October 2010 - 17:10
SS, I have always considered a hinged back to be one with a low spot behind the wither. But I'm always open to further education.
Jenn, nice dog. His rear suits him just fine. Don't get caught up in the angulation thing. It is all show speak.
Best,
Rik
Jenn, nice dog. His rear suits him just fine. Don't get caught up in the angulation thing. It is all show speak.
Best,
Rik
by Keith Grossman on 13 October 2010 - 17:10
"It is all show speak."
Wouldn't that be true of anything conformation related?
Wouldn't that be true of anything conformation related?
by 4pack on 13 October 2010 - 17:10
I thought the pic of the showline exibits a "carp back". Never heard the term hinge. My dog has the same small dip at the shoulder blades, alot of dogs do.
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