I don�t claim to know everything there is to know about the anatomy and movement of the German Shepherd Dog. I do believe I know enough, however about what is good movement and what is not.
I love seeing all the wonderful pictures of some magnificent looking German Shepherds that people have advertised on �Facebook!� I�ve got to say the German breeders have produced some of the most handsome looking dogs that I�ve ever seen. As far as pigment, coat length and heads go, it�s hard to beat them. That said, as much as I love their breed type, what disturbs me is the shortness of back on some of these animals. And then here in this country, we sometimes have bred an animal with too much length of back or loin.
I did some research on the internet about the movement of our breed. Now I�m not going to write a description about it here on this blog. If you want to read about it, take a look on the GSDCA�s website about the standard. What I did find is many, many videos on �You Tube� showing the German Shepherd Dog in motion. Many of them were downright awful, in my opinion. For the novice seeing these videos they might think that this is what our breed looks like in motion. If we only had some of the great movers of our breed on video in slow motion, what an educational piece of work that would be.
My question is this, if the dog�s back is too short, where is he going to go with the rear thrust of his hind legs? The back hunches up from the powerful thrust of those hind legs. The front in many cases lacks the proper lay back of shoulder or the dog has a short upper arm. This being the case, the whole top line in motion gets distorted.
If on the other hand you get a dog that is too long in back, his back is whipping all over the place��.too much movement going on over the back. He carries a soft top line and this makes the dog look weak instead of the strong, powerful animal he is meant to be.
If one looks at some of the animals in the wild�..the ones that are known to be powerful movers, I can�t think of any of them being short in back. Take for instance the big cats. These animals are long striding. Their powerful hindquarters propel them forward through a strong back to their powerful fore assemblies.
Because the German Shepherd is a herding/working breed, the anatomy of this breed is extremely important in order for him to do the work he was bred for. If he is built correctly, he won�t tire as easily. If he�s built incorrectly, then he has to put forth more energy due to a faulty anatomy.
Having a bad croup also takes away from the proper movement of the breed. Too long, too short, too flat all will disturb the correct movement of the German Shepherd Dog. They will kick up in the rear; they won�t get their rears up under them and they won�t follow through in their motion. Once again, I�m not an expert on this subject, but I know it when I see it.
I think it�s so beneficial looking at people that advertise their dogs especially when I see them put moving pictures up of their beautiful animals. But I�ve got to ask this question and I see it time and time again. Why advertise a dog in motion and it�s obvious that his best quality is not his motion? What do I mean by this? Many times I see pictures of dogs in motion and they are reaching from their elbows. Then I�ll read the feedback on these dogs and people will say, �Lovely moving animal.� Are you serious?
Anyone can pick out a beautiful looking dog. You don�t have to be a rocket scientist to do that. Handsome is handsome and I believe most people can agree on what makes a dog to be so. Knowing what a good moving dog is, is having a good eye through education and studying of this breeds anatomy while in motion. If you are one of the lucky ones that owns a good moving dog, well he�s just about all the education you�ll need. But seriously, you need to know why that dog moves the way he does. You see it for yourself, but do you know why he�s moving that way? Do you understand about each component of that dog�s structure that enables him to move as well as he does?
In an ideal world, I would like to look at a gorgeous representative of this breed standing true under himself�..meaning his front assembly doesn�t have to be rearranged for a picture. He doesn�t have to be hand set because his front is straight under him. He�s not pinched in at the elbows and he doesn�t stand east/west in the front. His top line is strong without being overly long and not bunched up because his back is too short. He�s not caved in in the rear because his hocks can�t handle an overly angulated rear. The dog should present a beautiful picture when standing on his own without a handler having to �fix� his imperfections. He shouldn�t look like a hyena with a quirky looking front, a rounded top line and a rear that looks like he�s squatting all the time. Yup, that�s what some of the pictures that I�ve seen looks like in this writer�s opinion and others that I�ve spoken to about this subject as well.
From the book: "GERMAN SHEPHERD VIRTUES: LESSONS LEARNED FROM OUR FAITHFUL COMPANIONS"......There are certain characteristics we find honorable in each other and valuable to leading a good life. We call these characteristics virtues. -Melissa Sovey. This beautiful gift book uses the model of the German Shepherd-with their associated traits of service, loyalty and honor-as guides or role models for virtuous behavior. Stunning photographs of German Shepherds are accompanied by quotes reflecting on 44 virtues. The quotes and the subject matter easily apply to all of our canine companions. This book would make the perfect graduation gift, or as a token of appreciation for anyone who owns or works with a service dog... or for anyone who loves and appreciates the lessons that all dogs have to offer us.
My rating: Understanding the GSD anatomy and its functions: (4)
Showing posts with label dog show supplies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog show supplies. Show all posts
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Monday, 23 August 2010
THANKFULNESS
I wrote four other articles this morning and hated them all. That said, doesn�t mean you or I am going to like this one any better! Oh yes it is tough being a writer. We are self critical and sometimes can be real �pain in the neck� perfectionists. Some days we wake up with a bit of �brain fog� and thinking of writing about anything can become a real challenge for us. But I�m thankful that I can write anything at all when I have three German Shepherds running around from one room to the next dropping dirty toys or bones on my lap. Or like �Bu� dripping water from her sloppy mouth all over me and my desk as I try to write any article at all. It�s non stop raining this morning so I find myself surrounded by the breed of dog that I try to write about five days a week. When I can no longer tolerate their overly enthusiastic personalities contributing to my insanity for one second more, I am so thankful for the invention of the dog crate!
When I read the e-mails from a list about which is the better dog, the one that has won at the Specialty show or the one that has won at the All-Breed show, I�m thankful that I�m not showing anything right now. I wouldn�t want to contribute to anyone�s jealousy getting out of control, so I�ll just let others remain in that �enviable� position!
Then when I read on a list about the problems of the Parent Club and its lack of new membership, I�m so very thankful that I turned down running for the presidency (NOT) of the club. Can you just imagine a club run by a peace loving woman who detests fighting and �I�m better than you� types of mentalities? Can you just imagine what it would be like belonging to a club that truly was for the betterment of the German Shepherd Dog, rather than for the betterment of ones own personal agenda?
A post was sent over one of the list several years ago telling of one of the most horrific cases of dog abuse I had ever read up to that time anyway. It was a story about a puppy named �Mooie.� She was the puppy that had acid thrown all over her body and face. It was this heartbreaking story that led me to write about a puppy that I never met except through the horrors of her photographs. My article didn�t save the unfortunate Mooie, but it would open up a door for me to write other articles about the abused and neglected. It would also introduce me to the founder of Last Hope, Safe Haven, Dawn Restuccia. I was saddened for the precious little Mooie whose life was sacrificed and whose story was read all around the world but I am thankful to that little baby as well. Had her story not been told, I may never have met Dawn and her unselfish efforts to be the voice for those who couldn�t speak for themselves.
Owning my own list and blog has afforded me the opportunity to meet some new people in the breed while maintaining old and cherished friendships as well. How else would I have been introduced to Bruce and shared in his fantastic stories of life in the wild on �God�s mountain� that he shares with his wife Carol and their three dogs? Or how about Kathy and her white German Shepherds that like Bruce both have contributed generously to articles here on my blog? Kathy�s unique way of sharing a story with us and her wonderful artistic drawings adds to the enjoyment of my readers on this blog. Both of these fine people and others like them as well make me realize just how thankful I am to have been introduced to their friendship.
And how about my longer standing friendships? Many times I write about some of my dog friends experiences here on my blog. Sometimes they don't even know that I'm writing about them until they read it here. They give me so many interesting things to write about. I'm thankful to one of my dearest friends Lorraine who is one of the more sweeter people in the breed. It's through some of the heartaches that she has endured that I find a need to write a story surrounding it. Also recently I got goosebumps when she and I had one of our most interesting conversations about "OUR" dog Kharu - I bred him, she loved and owned him. It was the story of how he came back to pay a visit to the home where he once lived and died.
Not to be outdone by Lorraine is my friend Marilyn, who will enthusiastically give me a call. I'll ask her what's up and she'll tell me that she has the next article for me to write about on my blog. Her suggestions are for articles about this world and not the spiritual world like those I've shared with you from Lorraine and Kathy. So yes I'm thankful to Marilyn, but because she and I can talk for hours sometimes, I wish I would write down what she called be about because by the time I get off the phone, I forget the reason she called me in the first place!
These people and others that write to me privately and offer suggestions for articles here on this blog, I'm very thankful for.
When I read about the dangers of giving too many shots to our dogs or the dangers of putting poisons on our dogs to prevent ticks from enjoying their chubby little bodies, I�m very thankful for the knowledge of some of the people on the lists that I belong to. If I need to know how to dry up a hot spot or how to take weight off a dog, all I need do is type in my question and my inbox will be filled with opinions, educational viewpoints and just down right good old common sense. Belonging to some of these lists, I would dare say that it has saved some people thousands of dollars!
And for those of you that have read this �blog about nothing� today, I am thankful that you stuck it out with me! What do you expect on a rainy, dreary, gray, miserable day anyway����..a literary masterpiece?
And I just know that my Amber who is laying right here next to me while I type this is very thankful that she NEVER has to go into a crate like her wild daughters. Instead she lays patiently looking up at me (almost in a hypnotic trance like state) waiting for the next butter pretzel she�s sharing with me to drop her way. Yes life is good for Amber. She�s very thankful, indeed!
And aren�t you thankful this article is finished?
My rating: one can never have enough friends in this breed: (4)
When I read the e-mails from a list about which is the better dog, the one that has won at the Specialty show or the one that has won at the All-Breed show, I�m thankful that I�m not showing anything right now. I wouldn�t want to contribute to anyone�s jealousy getting out of control, so I�ll just let others remain in that �enviable� position!
Then when I read on a list about the problems of the Parent Club and its lack of new membership, I�m so very thankful that I turned down running for the presidency (NOT) of the club. Can you just imagine a club run by a peace loving woman who detests fighting and �I�m better than you� types of mentalities? Can you just imagine what it would be like belonging to a club that truly was for the betterment of the German Shepherd Dog, rather than for the betterment of ones own personal agenda?
A post was sent over one of the list several years ago telling of one of the most horrific cases of dog abuse I had ever read up to that time anyway. It was a story about a puppy named �Mooie.� She was the puppy that had acid thrown all over her body and face. It was this heartbreaking story that led me to write about a puppy that I never met except through the horrors of her photographs. My article didn�t save the unfortunate Mooie, but it would open up a door for me to write other articles about the abused and neglected. It would also introduce me to the founder of Last Hope, Safe Haven, Dawn Restuccia. I was saddened for the precious little Mooie whose life was sacrificed and whose story was read all around the world but I am thankful to that little baby as well. Had her story not been told, I may never have met Dawn and her unselfish efforts to be the voice for those who couldn�t speak for themselves.
Owning my own list and blog has afforded me the opportunity to meet some new people in the breed while maintaining old and cherished friendships as well. How else would I have been introduced to Bruce and shared in his fantastic stories of life in the wild on �God�s mountain� that he shares with his wife Carol and their three dogs? Or how about Kathy and her white German Shepherds that like Bruce both have contributed generously to articles here on my blog? Kathy�s unique way of sharing a story with us and her wonderful artistic drawings adds to the enjoyment of my readers on this blog. Both of these fine people and others like them as well make me realize just how thankful I am to have been introduced to their friendship.
And how about my longer standing friendships? Many times I write about some of my dog friends experiences here on my blog. Sometimes they don't even know that I'm writing about them until they read it here. They give me so many interesting things to write about. I'm thankful to one of my dearest friends Lorraine who is one of the more sweeter people in the breed. It's through some of the heartaches that she has endured that I find a need to write a story surrounding it. Also recently I got goosebumps when she and I had one of our most interesting conversations about "OUR" dog Kharu - I bred him, she loved and owned him. It was the story of how he came back to pay a visit to the home where he once lived and died.
Not to be outdone by Lorraine is my friend Marilyn, who will enthusiastically give me a call. I'll ask her what's up and she'll tell me that she has the next article for me to write about on my blog. Her suggestions are for articles about this world and not the spiritual world like those I've shared with you from Lorraine and Kathy. So yes I'm thankful to Marilyn, but because she and I can talk for hours sometimes, I wish I would write down what she called be about because by the time I get off the phone, I forget the reason she called me in the first place!
These people and others that write to me privately and offer suggestions for articles here on this blog, I'm very thankful for.
When I read about the dangers of giving too many shots to our dogs or the dangers of putting poisons on our dogs to prevent ticks from enjoying their chubby little bodies, I�m very thankful for the knowledge of some of the people on the lists that I belong to. If I need to know how to dry up a hot spot or how to take weight off a dog, all I need do is type in my question and my inbox will be filled with opinions, educational viewpoints and just down right good old common sense. Belonging to some of these lists, I would dare say that it has saved some people thousands of dollars!
And for those of you that have read this �blog about nothing� today, I am thankful that you stuck it out with me! What do you expect on a rainy, dreary, gray, miserable day anyway����..a literary masterpiece?
And I just know that my Amber who is laying right here next to me while I type this is very thankful that she NEVER has to go into a crate like her wild daughters. Instead she lays patiently looking up at me (almost in a hypnotic trance like state) waiting for the next butter pretzel she�s sharing with me to drop her way. Yes life is good for Amber. She�s very thankful, indeed!
And aren�t you thankful this article is finished?
My rating: one can never have enough friends in this breed: (4)
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
LETTERS, I GET LETTERS.....
All right so I�ve worked on this blog all morning long and wrote it, proofread it and it was all ready to go. I copied and pasted it to my blog and it came out a total mess. Sure I could have opted to send it out like that, but I�m too particular that way so this is what I�m going to write today instead. I�ll have to fool around with the other article some way to get it to print the way that I want it to.
Anyway, I get many letters sent to me privately and they address certain things with me or they ask if I will write about certain things. So because I�m keeping the authors of those letters private, I will still share some of their thoughts and questions here anyway.
Maybe some of you can offer advice to them or add your own ideas on a particular subject.
Yesterday a well known breeder wrote to me and suggested I write about this on my blog. Here�s what she said. �If you co-owned a dog and you found out it had been neutered without your consent, what would you do?� Now I don�t know the writer personally, but we�ve enjoyed some e-mails back and forth occasionally. So I wrote back to her with my answer. I told her: I�D CHOKE THEM! I don�t think she was amused. I think she was looking for more than that answer. But my quirky sense of humor what it is, I just couldn�t resist. Anyway on to her question.
Because I don�t have any other particulars about this question, I�m going to assume that the co-owners had a written contract. I�m going to assume that they had everything spelled out what each one expects. Sometimes in contracts not everything that can happen is spelled out. But in this case because this is a top breeder, I�m assuming she made it very clear what she expecting when this person bought a puppy from her. I�m assuming she might have wanted to breed to the dog herself and she probably wanted the dog shown.
Some co-ownerships can be a wonderful experience for all that are involved. For others, it can be a total disaster. It really depends upon the moral integrity of the person that you co-own with. Most people want to live up to their part of the co-ownerships expectations so everyone is happy. Unfortunately it doesn�t always happen that way. One may get greedy and want it the way that they want it, forgetting (or choosing to forget) their responsibility with the other co-owner. Some people�s true colors show their ugly little faces when they want to do it their way and betting on that the other co-owner never finds out. Well I just love it when they do and good prevails over bad and the truth comes out! I don�t know what the legalities are in the case of this breeder and her co-owner. Perhaps she might need to check up about that.
On the other side of the fence about co-owners, sometimes it can be truly a wonderful experience for all that are involved. Many of your top breeders won�t even consider letting some of their best dogs go if they are not a co-owner on that dog.
Another letter that I received awhile ago was about asking me to address the much debated subject of German vs. American lines. I told her that I had written an article about this all ready, but it seems that this subject will continue as long as there are German and American bred dogs in this country. I really could never understand the controversy myself. Isn�t a German Shepherd a German Shepherd no matter where he was born? I guess it�s just me, but like I never liked the division of �them against us,� �you against me,� �whites against blacks,� �Christians against Jews,� I really hate it even more when it comes to our breed. Why must there be this division within our own breed? Is it the way of human nature? Who knows? So to the writer that wrote me about this subject�..you say you�re proud of your German bred dog and plan on showing him anyway but you�re upset about all the snotty comments that are made to you. As I wrote in one of my other articles��..DO IT ANYWAY! The hell with the rest of them!
Then there�s the letters that I get from time to time from people that write to tell me that they�re afraid to stand up for their beliefs because they fear the criticism that they�ll receive. Now believe it or not, I�ve heard this quite a few times from those just starting out in the breed, but I�ve also heard from a judge that has been in the breed for many years right about this very same subject. Then there are some very well established breeders that have told me the same thing. They say that they just sit back and read what is posted, but no longer respond because of the fighting and bickering. What these people are saying is if they put an e-mail out over any of the specialty e-mail lists that many of us belong to, that they get ripped into or read the riot act! Why is this I wonder? Aren�t these lists places that we all should be able to give our opinions about any given subject? One would think so. Some of these people have written to me and have asked me to write about something or ask a question on the list for them. Many times I have done this for them. I've also addressed some of their concerns by writing articles here on my blog. Why should anyone fear to write what�s on their minds without worrying that someone is going to go off on them? I always look forward to a HEALTHY exchange of ideas.
Oh well there you have some of the letters that I get from people. I also want some of my readers that are not on these e-mail lists or maybe only might belong to one of them, many of the responses to my articles on this blog, you never get to read. I wish that some of them would respond on this blog so everyone can read some of the very important information that they share with the rest of us. Some people will respond here, but the majority responds on the e-mails lists. I send this blog to five e-mail lists.
So I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the many, many wonderful e-mails that you send to me. I try to respond to all of you. Excuse me if I�ve missed a couple of you. Although that�s rare, it does happen. So now back to trying to figure out how to get my other article up for tomorrow. I hate modern technology that was invented to make my life a whole lot easier! NOT!
From the book: "YOU CAN BE HAPPY NO MATTER WHAT: FIVE PRINCIPALS FOR KEEPING LIFE IN PERSPECTIVE" Many people believe they can only be happy when their problems are solved, relationships improve, and goals are achieved. In this simple guide, Dr. Richard Carlson shows readers how to be happy right now � no matter the situation. His plan, based on the principles of Thought (thoughts are voluntary, not involuntary);Mood (thinking is a voluntary that varies function varies from moment to moment and these variances are called moods); Separate Realities (everyone thinks in a unique way and lives in separate psychological realities); Feelings (feelings and emotions serve as a barometer for when one is �off-track� and headed for unhappiness); and the Present Moment (the only time when genuine contentment, satisfaction, and happiness). This timeless book guides readers through life's challenges and restores the joy of living along the way.
My rating: Life hands us problems, it's how you decided to deal with them that matters: (1 - 4)
Anyway, I get many letters sent to me privately and they address certain things with me or they ask if I will write about certain things. So because I�m keeping the authors of those letters private, I will still share some of their thoughts and questions here anyway.
Maybe some of you can offer advice to them or add your own ideas on a particular subject.
Yesterday a well known breeder wrote to me and suggested I write about this on my blog. Here�s what she said. �If you co-owned a dog and you found out it had been neutered without your consent, what would you do?� Now I don�t know the writer personally, but we�ve enjoyed some e-mails back and forth occasionally. So I wrote back to her with my answer. I told her: I�D CHOKE THEM! I don�t think she was amused. I think she was looking for more than that answer. But my quirky sense of humor what it is, I just couldn�t resist. Anyway on to her question.
Because I don�t have any other particulars about this question, I�m going to assume that the co-owners had a written contract. I�m going to assume that they had everything spelled out what each one expects. Sometimes in contracts not everything that can happen is spelled out. But in this case because this is a top breeder, I�m assuming she made it very clear what she expecting when this person bought a puppy from her. I�m assuming she might have wanted to breed to the dog herself and she probably wanted the dog shown.
Some co-ownerships can be a wonderful experience for all that are involved. For others, it can be a total disaster. It really depends upon the moral integrity of the person that you co-own with. Most people want to live up to their part of the co-ownerships expectations so everyone is happy. Unfortunately it doesn�t always happen that way. One may get greedy and want it the way that they want it, forgetting (or choosing to forget) their responsibility with the other co-owner. Some people�s true colors show their ugly little faces when they want to do it their way and betting on that the other co-owner never finds out. Well I just love it when they do and good prevails over bad and the truth comes out! I don�t know what the legalities are in the case of this breeder and her co-owner. Perhaps she might need to check up about that.
On the other side of the fence about co-owners, sometimes it can be truly a wonderful experience for all that are involved. Many of your top breeders won�t even consider letting some of their best dogs go if they are not a co-owner on that dog.
Another letter that I received awhile ago was about asking me to address the much debated subject of German vs. American lines. I told her that I had written an article about this all ready, but it seems that this subject will continue as long as there are German and American bred dogs in this country. I really could never understand the controversy myself. Isn�t a German Shepherd a German Shepherd no matter where he was born? I guess it�s just me, but like I never liked the division of �them against us,� �you against me,� �whites against blacks,� �Christians against Jews,� I really hate it even more when it comes to our breed. Why must there be this division within our own breed? Is it the way of human nature? Who knows? So to the writer that wrote me about this subject�..you say you�re proud of your German bred dog and plan on showing him anyway but you�re upset about all the snotty comments that are made to you. As I wrote in one of my other articles��..DO IT ANYWAY! The hell with the rest of them!
Then there�s the letters that I get from time to time from people that write to tell me that they�re afraid to stand up for their beliefs because they fear the criticism that they�ll receive. Now believe it or not, I�ve heard this quite a few times from those just starting out in the breed, but I�ve also heard from a judge that has been in the breed for many years right about this very same subject. Then there are some very well established breeders that have told me the same thing. They say that they just sit back and read what is posted, but no longer respond because of the fighting and bickering. What these people are saying is if they put an e-mail out over any of the specialty e-mail lists that many of us belong to, that they get ripped into or read the riot act! Why is this I wonder? Aren�t these lists places that we all should be able to give our opinions about any given subject? One would think so. Some of these people have written to me and have asked me to write about something or ask a question on the list for them. Many times I have done this for them. I've also addressed some of their concerns by writing articles here on my blog. Why should anyone fear to write what�s on their minds without worrying that someone is going to go off on them? I always look forward to a HEALTHY exchange of ideas.
Oh well there you have some of the letters that I get from people. I also want some of my readers that are not on these e-mail lists or maybe only might belong to one of them, many of the responses to my articles on this blog, you never get to read. I wish that some of them would respond on this blog so everyone can read some of the very important information that they share with the rest of us. Some people will respond here, but the majority responds on the e-mails lists. I send this blog to five e-mail lists.
So I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the many, many wonderful e-mails that you send to me. I try to respond to all of you. Excuse me if I�ve missed a couple of you. Although that�s rare, it does happen. So now back to trying to figure out how to get my other article up for tomorrow. I hate modern technology that was invented to make my life a whole lot easier! NOT!
From the book: "YOU CAN BE HAPPY NO MATTER WHAT: FIVE PRINCIPALS FOR KEEPING LIFE IN PERSPECTIVE" Many people believe they can only be happy when their problems are solved, relationships improve, and goals are achieved. In this simple guide, Dr. Richard Carlson shows readers how to be happy right now � no matter the situation. His plan, based on the principles of Thought (thoughts are voluntary, not involuntary);Mood (thinking is a voluntary that varies function varies from moment to moment and these variances are called moods); Separate Realities (everyone thinks in a unique way and lives in separate psychological realities); Feelings (feelings and emotions serve as a barometer for when one is �off-track� and headed for unhappiness); and the Present Moment (the only time when genuine contentment, satisfaction, and happiness). This timeless book guides readers through life's challenges and restores the joy of living along the way.
My rating: Life hands us problems, it's how you decided to deal with them that matters: (1 - 4)
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
ONE REASON A DOG IS SUCH A LOVABLE CREATURE IS HIS TAIL WAGS INSTEAD OF HIS TONGUE
�ONE REASON A DOG IS SUCH A LOVABLE CREATURE IS HIS TAIL WAGS INSTEAD OF HIS TONGUE� � author unknown
I have always loved quotations. In fact I have many books on the subject. Every time that I see a clever one, I save it and find myself reading it many times over. Well this morning I was reading quotations about dogs. I�ve decided that I will try to write articles around some of those quotations in the future.
Someone recently asked me to write an article about losing friendships over dogs. I gave some thought to this. I put the idea on a �shelf� for awhile and after reading the above quotation, I thought maybe I could try to write something about it now.
When competition presents itself in our life, it can be a good thing. It�s the way sport teams win their games, it�s what makes children want to be the best at whatever they do and it�s what challenges us to better ourselves. However, competition can also bring out the ugly side of people as well.
In the sport of showing dogs competition is a good thing for the most part. It makes the breeder/exhibitor want to bring out his best animal for people to �drool� over and for the judge to honor his dog with the winning points. For the most part, people will show good sportsmanship to their fellow exhibitors. Then there are others that will rant and rave when things don�t go his way and make everyone uncomfortable in his presence.
Whatever it is that you�re involved with because of the ownership of the German Shepherd Dog (showing, breeding, training, rescue, etc.) this brings you in contact with other people that share a similar interest. Bringing people together sharing common interests and goals can be a good thing. It can also bring out the worse in some people, especially those that are highly competitive to begin with. It�s human nature to want to have the best and make other people take notice. My dog�s prettier than your dog. My dog is smarter than your dog, etc. This can open up the door for healthy exchange and some good natured joking around, but it also can lead to those that are not necessarily of the good nature type becoming aggressive and abusive.
What about those that have been our friend for years? You know the ones that I�m talking about. They�re our best buddies. We talk everyday on the telephone with them. We go shopping together. We go out to lunch with them. They�re at all our parties sipping our wine and eating our �famous� barbecued beans. Why heck, even our kids grew up together. We�ve both always owned dogs. But one day, we both own the same dog! We decide to co-own the newest little �superstar� in our kennel. Oh we don�t mind letting her go. She�s going to a good home. We don�t even bother to make out a contract. Our verbal contract is all we need with our best friend, isn�t it? WRONG!
In this authors opinion, I don�t care how well we know someone or for how long. Get EVERYTHING in writing, best friend or not. Best friends can become our worse headache, heartache or nightmare! I guess it�s because we expect more from those people that we love the most and hold dear to our hearts. We feel we can trust them. They would never think of doing something against us. I�m sorry to say, that these are the very people that can sometimes do us the most damage. It�s because of their closeness to us that we would never suspect them of any wrong doing. We might suspect the �trouble makers� of the breed, but never our closest friend.
Again in this writer�s opinion, I believe that these �so called best friends� have other agendas going on that has nothing whatsoever to do with dogs. When a person that is the closest to us turns on us, I believe it was never about the dogs to begin with. I believe that this person is jealous of us, perhaps for our success, perhaps for our lifestyle, perhaps for our intelligence, or whatever! It was never about the dogs to begin with. I believe it was about them and their view of our success or another positive aspect in our life that they felt threatened by. We have something that they want and maybe they will never be able to achieve. So blaming the loss of friendship over dogs doesn�t ring true for me. The �Green eyed monster� (jealousy) is one of the most destructive emotions that man can have. Heck even our dogs are jealous creatures. Just look at how they act when we show attention to another dog. Some have been jealous of other people that are close to us in our life even going as far as preventing those people that they view as a �threat� from sitting on �his� sofa!
If you�ve been in this breed or any breed for that matter for any length of time, you will notice one thing��.dog people love to talk about dogs! And when talking about a dog that leads to talking about those that own those dogs that you�re talking about. I mean there are some of the biggest gossips on the planet when it comes to discussions of dogs and �their� people. Like anything in the world of gossip, from the time it leaves the lips of the first person that shares a little �juicy tidbit� with someone until it erupts into the worst possible offense it can change the course of some people�s relationships forever!
So our feelings can be hurt, our friendships can be lost and our dreams can be shattered when we realize the one who we cared for the most didn�t feel the same way. I wonder if it really is worth it all in the whole scheme of things. The older I get, the more I realize that I�ll be �stepping up to the plate� sooner than later. Blaming the loss of friendship over dogs is foolish. It goes deeper than that but maybe it took owning dogs to find that out!
Oh the stories we pass on, oh the lies that we tell���Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.�
From the book: "THE FRIENDSHIP FACTOR: HOW TO GET CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE YOU CARE FOR....A must read to strengthen friendships, timeless classic, a manual for living, warms the heart and helps you remember what's really important in life!
My rating: friendships are important: (4), healthy competition when showing dogs: (4)
I have always loved quotations. In fact I have many books on the subject. Every time that I see a clever one, I save it and find myself reading it many times over. Well this morning I was reading quotations about dogs. I�ve decided that I will try to write articles around some of those quotations in the future.
Someone recently asked me to write an article about losing friendships over dogs. I gave some thought to this. I put the idea on a �shelf� for awhile and after reading the above quotation, I thought maybe I could try to write something about it now.
When competition presents itself in our life, it can be a good thing. It�s the way sport teams win their games, it�s what makes children want to be the best at whatever they do and it�s what challenges us to better ourselves. However, competition can also bring out the ugly side of people as well.
In the sport of showing dogs competition is a good thing for the most part. It makes the breeder/exhibitor want to bring out his best animal for people to �drool� over and for the judge to honor his dog with the winning points. For the most part, people will show good sportsmanship to their fellow exhibitors. Then there are others that will rant and rave when things don�t go his way and make everyone uncomfortable in his presence.
Whatever it is that you�re involved with because of the ownership of the German Shepherd Dog (showing, breeding, training, rescue, etc.) this brings you in contact with other people that share a similar interest. Bringing people together sharing common interests and goals can be a good thing. It can also bring out the worse in some people, especially those that are highly competitive to begin with. It�s human nature to want to have the best and make other people take notice. My dog�s prettier than your dog. My dog is smarter than your dog, etc. This can open up the door for healthy exchange and some good natured joking around, but it also can lead to those that are not necessarily of the good nature type becoming aggressive and abusive.
What about those that have been our friend for years? You know the ones that I�m talking about. They�re our best buddies. We talk everyday on the telephone with them. We go shopping together. We go out to lunch with them. They�re at all our parties sipping our wine and eating our �famous� barbecued beans. Why heck, even our kids grew up together. We�ve both always owned dogs. But one day, we both own the same dog! We decide to co-own the newest little �superstar� in our kennel. Oh we don�t mind letting her go. She�s going to a good home. We don�t even bother to make out a contract. Our verbal contract is all we need with our best friend, isn�t it? WRONG!
In this authors opinion, I don�t care how well we know someone or for how long. Get EVERYTHING in writing, best friend or not. Best friends can become our worse headache, heartache or nightmare! I guess it�s because we expect more from those people that we love the most and hold dear to our hearts. We feel we can trust them. They would never think of doing something against us. I�m sorry to say, that these are the very people that can sometimes do us the most damage. It�s because of their closeness to us that we would never suspect them of any wrong doing. We might suspect the �trouble makers� of the breed, but never our closest friend.
Again in this writer�s opinion, I believe that these �so called best friends� have other agendas going on that has nothing whatsoever to do with dogs. When a person that is the closest to us turns on us, I believe it was never about the dogs to begin with. I believe that this person is jealous of us, perhaps for our success, perhaps for our lifestyle, perhaps for our intelligence, or whatever! It was never about the dogs to begin with. I believe it was about them and their view of our success or another positive aspect in our life that they felt threatened by. We have something that they want and maybe they will never be able to achieve. So blaming the loss of friendship over dogs doesn�t ring true for me. The �Green eyed monster� (jealousy) is one of the most destructive emotions that man can have. Heck even our dogs are jealous creatures. Just look at how they act when we show attention to another dog. Some have been jealous of other people that are close to us in our life even going as far as preventing those people that they view as a �threat� from sitting on �his� sofa!
If you�ve been in this breed or any breed for that matter for any length of time, you will notice one thing��.dog people love to talk about dogs! And when talking about a dog that leads to talking about those that own those dogs that you�re talking about. I mean there are some of the biggest gossips on the planet when it comes to discussions of dogs and �their� people. Like anything in the world of gossip, from the time it leaves the lips of the first person that shares a little �juicy tidbit� with someone until it erupts into the worst possible offense it can change the course of some people�s relationships forever!
So our feelings can be hurt, our friendships can be lost and our dreams can be shattered when we realize the one who we cared for the most didn�t feel the same way. I wonder if it really is worth it all in the whole scheme of things. The older I get, the more I realize that I�ll be �stepping up to the plate� sooner than later. Blaming the loss of friendship over dogs is foolish. It goes deeper than that but maybe it took owning dogs to find that out!
Oh the stories we pass on, oh the lies that we tell���Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.�
From the book: "THE FRIENDSHIP FACTOR: HOW TO GET CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE YOU CARE FOR....A must read to strengthen friendships, timeless classic, a manual for living, warms the heart and helps you remember what's really important in life!
My rating: friendships are important: (4), healthy competition when showing dogs: (4)
Monday, 7 June 2010
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
So a few years ago, I was just getting ready to step in to the shower when the telephone rang. In my �birthday suit� (more than you needed to know), I scurried across the floor to see who it was. I saw that it was my friend Marilyn Smith of Darby Dan kennels. I quickly picked up the phone and said, �Hi Marilyn.� She said �I need you to do me a favor and help me with something.� Forgetting that I�m standing in the middle of my living room in �what God gave me,� I�m thinking to myself, �Gee, this sounds serious. �Okay, Marilyn, what�s going on?� I asked her. She told me, �Well I�ve held onto this male puppy from my �Trouble� litter and I still haven�t registered him and we want to show him. Can you help me come up with a name for him?� �Oh is that all?� I replied. Well Marilyn, you just caught me getting into the shower. Let me call you back when I�m finished.� �Okay she says, but don�t forget because I need to send this in right away.�
So I take my dirty little body back into the bathroom, pull back the shower curtain, step in and proceed to pull my hair out trying to help my friend come up with a name for her youngster on such short notice. So because she told me his daddy�s name was �Trouble,� I thought perhaps I could come up with a few names around that name. So from the time she called me until the time I got back to her was no longer than forty minutes, tops! The phone rings at her house. She picks it up. I tell her about the few names that I thought might be of interest to her. She proceeds to tell me, �Thanks, but I�ve already named him.� �Wow that was fast I told her. So what did you name him?� I ask her. She replies, �Just Jack.� �Jack? I repeated with a quizzical expression on my face. �No not Jack, she answers me. Just Jack.� I scratch my head and ask myself, isn�t that what I just said, just the name Jack. But no, she meant his whole name would be �Just Jack!� So my friends, that is how I �HELPED� Marilyn come up with the name for Select Ex 5 2X Can Select Ch Darby-Dan�s Just Jack OFA H/E. (See the above picture). Most of you never knew my part in helping name that famous dog, now did you? And as they say, the rest is history!
When choosing a kennel name that people want to run their breeding business with, many will combine the husband�s and wife�s first names together. For example, one of the most famous breeders in the German Shepherd Dog world is the Fran-Jo kennels taken from the names Fran and Joan Ford. Others come up with more unique names for their kennels. My kennel name, �Chieftain�s� came from the old Gimbels department store. They had an estate by that name that we used to drive past once in awhile and the name just stuck with us. How did some of you come up with your kennel name?
My very first show dog that I bought came from a small Connecticut breeder. The owner of the kennel graduated from Cornell University. She told me that she took the name Cornell and spelled it backwards. Cornell spelled backwards is Llenroc. So my first show dog�s name was Llenroc�s Summer Harvest. She and I called him Harvey, coming from the part of his name that was Harvest.
Unlike the simple names that kennels like Darby Dan uses when naming their dogs (Just Jack, Eve, Samson, Miranda, etc.), some people when naming their litters will have a theme that they will use to help them name their puppies. Some themes that some people have used are car names, fragrance names, song titles, movie titles, etc. Some of the most unique names that stand out to me are from the Edan German Shepherd kennels. You�ll recall that I did an interview with Ann Schultz here a few months ago. Ann always comes up with such wonderful names for her marvelous dogs that I don�t hear other people using. Some of those unique names are: �I�ve got it all of Edan, Am Can Sel 4 Ch Me First Me First of Edan, Ch You Ain�t Seen Nothing Yet of Edan, Select Ch MMM MMM Good of Edan, Sel 6 Ch I'm All That Matters of Edan (pictured above)��to name a few of her many, many champion dogs.
Another kennel that I did an interview here several months ago with is Geran's German Shepehrds. Gerald and Angela Roach come up with some wonderful names for their dogs as well. One of their most famous litters was born on Christmas day and so they named their dogs with Christmas names. For instance, �Ch All I want for Christmas, aka Zak.� Other times the Geran Shepherds are named for songs. One puppy Gerald came up with a unique name for is �Geran�s Down to My Last Dollar, aka Reichen� (see the picture below). As Gerald explains it: Reichen became very ill at 4 weeks after being sick for a week and a half and three different vets diagnosed him with a kidney infection. But I remember telling my wife that when we hit $1,500 paying out medical bills on him, I said I was down to my last dollar. Hence his name.
It�s funny sometimes how we all try to come up with names that are different or ones that will stick out in people�s minds, only to call them something totally different from their registered names. Don�t we do that sometimes with our children as well? It�s like we go out of our way to come up with these distinquished names only to call them these �baby� names!
I suppose many people can say, �What�s in a name?� After all it�s the quality of the dog that really counts. This is true, but it can be so much fun when trying to come up with names that you like or that people might remember. My own personal favorites from my dogs that I bred were from my �K� litter. (I was one of those kennels that followed the alphabet when naming my dogs). The two names that I loved from that litter were Select #3 BOF Am & International Ch Chieftain�s Kharu CD and Ch Chieftain�s Kazaan. Kharu�s name (pronounced Ka-roo) was such a unique and masculine name. It seems the name extends all the way back to ancient Egyptian times. It was really such a good fit for this dog. Kazaan was perfect for him as well because the dog had an exuberant, happy out going personality.
So when naming your litters, what have been some of your best loved names? How did you come up with your kennel name? I would love to hear some of your stories.
My rating: coming up with unique names when naming your German Shepherd: (4)
When choosing a kennel name that people want to run their breeding business with, many will combine the husband�s and wife�s first names together. For example, one of the most famous breeders in the German Shepherd Dog world is the Fran-Jo kennels taken from the names Fran and Joan Ford. Others come up with more unique names for their kennels. My kennel name, �Chieftain�s� came from the old Gimbels department store. They had an estate by that name that we used to drive past once in awhile and the name just stuck with us. How did some of you come up with your kennel name?
My very first show dog that I bought came from a small Connecticut breeder. The owner of the kennel graduated from Cornell University. She told me that she took the name Cornell and spelled it backwards. Cornell spelled backwards is Llenroc. So my first show dog�s name was Llenroc�s Summer Harvest. She and I called him Harvey, coming from the part of his name that was Harvest.
Unlike the simple names that kennels like Darby Dan uses when naming their dogs (Just Jack, Eve, Samson, Miranda, etc.), some people when naming their litters will have a theme that they will use to help them name their puppies. Some themes that some people have used are car names, fragrance names, song titles, movie titles, etc. Some of the most unique names that stand out to me are from the Edan German Shepherd kennels. You�ll recall that I did an interview with Ann Schultz here a few months ago. Ann always comes up with such wonderful names for her marvelous dogs that I don�t hear other people using. Some of those unique names are: �I�ve got it all of Edan, Am Can Sel 4 Ch Me First Me First of Edan, Ch You Ain�t Seen Nothing Yet of Edan, Select Ch MMM MMM Good of Edan, Sel 6 Ch I'm All That Matters of Edan (pictured above)��to name a few of her many, many champion dogs.
Another kennel that I did an interview here several months ago with is Geran's German Shepehrds. Gerald and Angela Roach come up with some wonderful names for their dogs as well. One of their most famous litters was born on Christmas day and so they named their dogs with Christmas names. For instance, �Ch All I want for Christmas, aka Zak.� Other times the Geran Shepherds are named for songs. One puppy Gerald came up with a unique name for is �Geran�s Down to My Last Dollar, aka Reichen� (see the picture below). As Gerald explains it: Reichen became very ill at 4 weeks after being sick for a week and a half and three different vets diagnosed him with a kidney infection. But I remember telling my wife that when we hit $1,500 paying out medical bills on him, I said I was down to my last dollar. Hence his name.
It�s funny sometimes how we all try to come up with names that are different or ones that will stick out in people�s minds, only to call them something totally different from their registered names. Don�t we do that sometimes with our children as well? It�s like we go out of our way to come up with these distinquished names only to call them these �baby� names!
I suppose many people can say, �What�s in a name?� After all it�s the quality of the dog that really counts. This is true, but it can be so much fun when trying to come up with names that you like or that people might remember. My own personal favorites from my dogs that I bred were from my �K� litter. (I was one of those kennels that followed the alphabet when naming my dogs). The two names that I loved from that litter were Select #3 BOF Am & International Ch Chieftain�s Kharu CD and Ch Chieftain�s Kazaan. Kharu�s name (pronounced Ka-roo) was such a unique and masculine name. It seems the name extends all the way back to ancient Egyptian times. It was really such a good fit for this dog. Kazaan was perfect for him as well because the dog had an exuberant, happy out going personality.
So when naming your litters, what have been some of your best loved names? How did you come up with your kennel name? I would love to hear some of your stories.
My rating: coming up with unique names when naming your German Shepherd: (4)
Monday, 24 May 2010
WOULD YOU DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN?
Maybe when you were growing up you always had a dog. Or maybe you were one of those kids that wished you had a dog. Whatever your circumstances were growing up you probably now own a dog or many dogs.
For most of us when we got our first German Shepherd, we just loved the breed and wanted to own one of them. He was going to be our friend, our watch dog and our buddy. He was going to be there for us when we got home from work. We could take him for rides in the car with us. We�d play ball with him in the park or even take him for a run on the beach. We�d go hiking with him and he�d even come with us when we went camping. I mean after all, isn�t this what people do with their canine companions?
So when did your interest grow from just owning a German Shepherd to wanting to train or show him? How did you discover there was such a thing as dog shows?
Do you remember your very first dog show? Did you go just to watch and observe or did you participate with a dog of your own? What were the people like back then? Were they friendly and welcoming? Was your first dog show a good experience?
My very first dog show was the most prestigious dog show in America. We went to Westminster at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Oh no, we weren�t showing. We just went to watch, to learn and to be educated. Didn�t we think we were something though? We already owned our first German Shepherd that we bought in a pet store. I mean isn�t that where everybody buys a dog? What�s a breeder? I never heard of them before. I just thought you bought a dog at a pet store or you went to the Humane Society and got yourself one. But we wanted a pure bred dog with papers so we bought our girl at the pet store.
It didn�t take us long to have our bubble burst about what a good German Shepherd looked like. We thought we had something special with our long coated black and silver girl. But we were soon to find out that �The only place you�d find a dog like that is in a pet store.� Yup that�s what a very known breeder told us who we met at that prestigious show in New York City all those years ago. Well we really weren�t heartbroken. We loved our dog and didn�t have any intention of letting her go. We continued taking her to obedience classes and we bought a show quality puppy from that very well known breeder that we met at Madison Square Garden. Long story short, he was a fear biter. So we placed the well bred dog and kept our black and silver long coated girl that we bought from the pet store. Her temperament was wonderful and we figured show dog or no show dog, she was a dog that we could be proud of.
Was I upset that this breeder sold me an inferior dog because he knew that we were novices and what the heck did we know anyway? Oh yes I was upset then because I had to place this youngster and even though his temperament was far from ideal, I still loved him and cried when he left. He went to someone that wanted his property guarded.
Looking back on it now, I realize it was a good thing because it taught me what a good dog is and one that isn�t. It taught me the difference between good and bad temperament. This dog�s conformation was not that of a show quality dog either. I know that now, but I didn�t then. I really thank this breeder now for opening the door for me. Because he sold me a bad quality dog didn�t turn me off to the breed. I knew there was something better out there for me and I wasn�t going to stop until I got it.
Our next show dog was indeed a true show dog. But alas he was from bloodlines at that time that was known to have produced the dreaded bloat. We lost our beloved show boy to this horrific disease at 2 � years of age. He went to doggie Heaven with seven points and a major to his credit. Somehow, I don�t think the Heaven�s was impressed.
We bred very few litters a year.....most of the time one to two litters was enough. Like all breeders, we bred some good ones and some mediocre ones. And like most breeders we had some show dog quality puppies but mostly pet quality puppies. We dealt with those people that came knocking on our doors looking for a pet for their little Johnny. We may have tossed and turned wondering if we should have let a certain puppy go before we realized his true potential. We cleaned up and we scooped up. We watered and we fed. We groomed and we trained. We won and we lost. We took home a trophy and blue ribbon one day, and another day we went home empty handed. And we never really learned how to say good bye even though popular belief would have us believing it gets easier with time. NOT!
So where did it all start for you? Was your experience a good one or a bad one? Did you have any mentors helping you or did you learn on your own? I was EXTREMELY fortunate that I had some wonderful people, many of them pillars of the breed guiding me in those early years. Many of them are no longer with us, but what they taught me and showed me remains with me to this day. All of these people in one way or another helped shape my future in this breed. I listened, I learned and I watched. I took what they taught me and formulated my own opinions about things. I am forever thankful to them for their guidance.
So this is how it all began for me. What about you? Would you do it all over again? Would you have done things differently? Would you have been just as contented owning a pet German Shepherd as you are owning a show dog?
My rating: Owning a pet or show dog: (4), Learning from mentors: (4), educating yourself about the breed: (4)
For most of us when we got our first German Shepherd, we just loved the breed and wanted to own one of them. He was going to be our friend, our watch dog and our buddy. He was going to be there for us when we got home from work. We could take him for rides in the car with us. We�d play ball with him in the park or even take him for a run on the beach. We�d go hiking with him and he�d even come with us when we went camping. I mean after all, isn�t this what people do with their canine companions?
So when did your interest grow from just owning a German Shepherd to wanting to train or show him? How did you discover there was such a thing as dog shows?
Do you remember your very first dog show? Did you go just to watch and observe or did you participate with a dog of your own? What were the people like back then? Were they friendly and welcoming? Was your first dog show a good experience?
My very first dog show was the most prestigious dog show in America. We went to Westminster at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Oh no, we weren�t showing. We just went to watch, to learn and to be educated. Didn�t we think we were something though? We already owned our first German Shepherd that we bought in a pet store. I mean isn�t that where everybody buys a dog? What�s a breeder? I never heard of them before. I just thought you bought a dog at a pet store or you went to the Humane Society and got yourself one. But we wanted a pure bred dog with papers so we bought our girl at the pet store.
It didn�t take us long to have our bubble burst about what a good German Shepherd looked like. We thought we had something special with our long coated black and silver girl. But we were soon to find out that �The only place you�d find a dog like that is in a pet store.� Yup that�s what a very known breeder told us who we met at that prestigious show in New York City all those years ago. Well we really weren�t heartbroken. We loved our dog and didn�t have any intention of letting her go. We continued taking her to obedience classes and we bought a show quality puppy from that very well known breeder that we met at Madison Square Garden. Long story short, he was a fear biter. So we placed the well bred dog and kept our black and silver long coated girl that we bought from the pet store. Her temperament was wonderful and we figured show dog or no show dog, she was a dog that we could be proud of.
Was I upset that this breeder sold me an inferior dog because he knew that we were novices and what the heck did we know anyway? Oh yes I was upset then because I had to place this youngster and even though his temperament was far from ideal, I still loved him and cried when he left. He went to someone that wanted his property guarded.
Looking back on it now, I realize it was a good thing because it taught me what a good dog is and one that isn�t. It taught me the difference between good and bad temperament. This dog�s conformation was not that of a show quality dog either. I know that now, but I didn�t then. I really thank this breeder now for opening the door for me. Because he sold me a bad quality dog didn�t turn me off to the breed. I knew there was something better out there for me and I wasn�t going to stop until I got it.
Our next show dog was indeed a true show dog. But alas he was from bloodlines at that time that was known to have produced the dreaded bloat. We lost our beloved show boy to this horrific disease at 2 � years of age. He went to doggie Heaven with seven points and a major to his credit. Somehow, I don�t think the Heaven�s was impressed.
We bred very few litters a year.....most of the time one to two litters was enough. Like all breeders, we bred some good ones and some mediocre ones. And like most breeders we had some show dog quality puppies but mostly pet quality puppies. We dealt with those people that came knocking on our doors looking for a pet for their little Johnny. We may have tossed and turned wondering if we should have let a certain puppy go before we realized his true potential. We cleaned up and we scooped up. We watered and we fed. We groomed and we trained. We won and we lost. We took home a trophy and blue ribbon one day, and another day we went home empty handed. And we never really learned how to say good bye even though popular belief would have us believing it gets easier with time. NOT!
So where did it all start for you? Was your experience a good one or a bad one? Did you have any mentors helping you or did you learn on your own? I was EXTREMELY fortunate that I had some wonderful people, many of them pillars of the breed guiding me in those early years. Many of them are no longer with us, but what they taught me and showed me remains with me to this day. All of these people in one way or another helped shape my future in this breed. I listened, I learned and I watched. I took what they taught me and formulated my own opinions about things. I am forever thankful to them for their guidance.
So this is how it all began for me. What about you? Would you do it all over again? Would you have done things differently? Would you have been just as contented owning a pet German Shepherd as you are owning a show dog?
My rating: Owning a pet or show dog: (4), Learning from mentors: (4), educating yourself about the breed: (4)
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