great GSD forum - Page 2

The puppy sweeps can also be judged by a breeder or a handler, someone well known in the area. It is so  simple to organize a puppy fun sweeps - enter on the day of the show, divide the entry money as prizes. Make some ribbons, the ring is already set up. I  just don't understand why it's not done.

The thing about AKC showing is for the average person, it is incredibly expensive. At some point, the novice, after the puppy matches, realizes this. It can easily cost $1000 to $1500 dollars for a 3 or 4 day cluster with travel, hotel and handler. And then there are only 3 wins that really count, Winners Dog, Winners Bitch and BOB. Every other placing is just a varying degree of "loser".

The performance events are, IMO, very good outlets for the dog and owner.

I do like the SV type shows. The second show I participated in, my dogs got a V4 and a VP2. I was pretty satisfied with this as there were very nice dogs ahead of them and a V is a V. If I had gotten a 4th. place in an AKC show, I would have been "mule" lipped all the way home.

jmo,
Rik

Rik you would make a good sweeps judge. Any idea why SV people don't do that at their shows?

Yes, it is expensive. OB entries are getting up there too - $26, $27 and, as you know, it takes 3 qualifying scores to title. I  goofed at one RN trial, missed a station, so had to enter one more trial. That RN cost me over $100, but I did get nice certificates from the GSDCA and the AKC . The dog still looks the same though, unimpressed  LOL.  Now AKC offers a  raft of new OB titles, new to me, beginners novice, graduate novice, etc. I think we used to call them subnovice exercises at match shows. I guess matches are getting to be things of the past - IMO that's too bad.

Blitzen, I apologize for being so negative earlier. Yes, the winds of change are indeed a-blowing, and it's very, very encouraging to see!

We just need to get more people on board! 

A start could be the AKC ring or Match show. It is difficult to get good feed back there except for the blood lines the judge is familiar with, which is the ameicanized shepherd. The SV does not offer young pup classes to avoid the trap of worshipping puppys. An execellant rating can not be accomplished by a dog without a working title. Longevity is needed to accomplish the top rankings. We need to encourage people to be serious about our great breed. To be an exhibitor is one thing. To breed one needs to be immersed  in the breed .

I think a lot of the problem is lack of communication between ALL GSD owners.  I wonder how many were surprised to learn how many GSD's earn AKC OB titles monthly. I wish that the SV issued reports of the dogs that pass their IPO, etc. That might be another surprise.  I talk to AKC people who know very well and freely  admit that their dogs need a lot of improvement in general; most of them know why the ASL's are what that are today.  Some are working to improve their dogs. Given that the GSL's have also changed a lot over the years, many think not for the better, they may soon be looking at doing something different too to get back to the future.

Actually one can show a younger pup at a sanctioned SV show, baby puppy class 3 to 6 months,  than at a sanctioned AKC show where the lower limit is  6  months.

getting back on topic, in 2008 I retired and decided I wanted another GSD, tried one from a breeder/friend from the past that was a disaster, returned the dog and thought I might as well give the German dogs a try. This board popped up on the first Google search. I had no experience with German dogs, no knowledge of wl/sl, just that I wanted something different.

Pretty quick I saw that some offered very good advice and by the time I went to Germany later that year, I had a couple of kennels in mind and a better idea of what to expect. I did find what I was looking for and 5 years later, we're still pretty happy with each other.

I think this board is an excellent source of info and helped shortcut some of the learning curve for me, because so many with knowledge/experience are willing to share it.