Are you beginning to think that your dog is always a �bride�s maid� and never a �bride� when it comes to her show wins? Is he/she always winning a reserve at the dog shows? I know of some really good dogs that have accumulated many of these reserve wins over the lifetime of their career before they�ve finished their championship title.
So just what does it mean to win a reserve at a point show? Your dog doesn�t win any points for all his and his handler�s expertise! On a positive note, if he wins a reserve at a major pointed show, then he will have helped contribute to his parent�s ROM (register of merit title).
I would like to see the AKC award a point to a Reserve Winners Dog that has won at a major specialty show but put a limitation on how many points that he can win this way. Many times the reserve winner�s dog is just as good as and maybe even better than the winner�s dog, but perhaps he didn�t show as well on this particular day. Maybe tomorrow he�ll be the winner�s dogs and the other dog will be the reserve winners. Different judge will see different things and maybe the dog is feeling better on this day and shows his little heart out.
Many people believe that a conformation show is a �beauty contest� for dogs. And perhaps in some ways it is if you didn�t count the importance of temperament and movement. I mean if we just judged the dogs on what they looked like, I can understand where some of these people are coming from. And if that were the case, then like in a beauty contest if the winner can�t live up to her expectations, than the second place winner (reserve) would take her win and her title. It�s not the same in a dog show.
So in some cases a reserve winner�s dog is little more than a brag for some people especially if it was received from a major pointed show. A dog that I bred many years ago (Am Select #3 BOS futurity Am & International Ch Chieftains� Kharu CD) was the Reserve Winners Dog at the National Specialty show out in Arizona the year before he went Select. It was a huge show and I was so proud and excited that he achieved such a wonderful award, but it didn�t add any points towards his championship.
I searched and searched on the AKC website to give me some more information about the reserve win at a conformation show. I couldn�t find it. That doesn�t mean it�s not there, but �yours truly� just couldn�t find any information about this award outside of the fact that the second place dog in any class will compete for reserve winners if the winner�s dog came from his class. In other words if the Winner�s Dog came from the American Bred class, then the second place American Bred dog would go back in the ring to compete for the reserve win.
So why is there a reserve win to begin with? Just how important is it or is it important at all? Do you think that the AKC should award a point to a major winning reserve dog? How many reserve winners� ribbons have you accumulated over the years of showing your dogs? Perhaps someone can enlighten me to the importance of the Reserve Winner�s Dog award besides ROM points for his parents if he won it at a major pointed show.
From the book: "NO CONTEST: THE CASE AGAINST COMPETITION"....Are you of the belief that my success depends upon your failure? Contending that competition in all areas school, family, sports and business destructive, and that success so achieved is at the expense of anothers' failure, Kohn, a correspondent for USA Today, advocates a restructuring of our institutions to replace competition with cooperation. He persuasively demonstrates how the ingrained American myth that competition is the only normal and desirable way of life from Little Leagues to the presidency counterproductive, personally and for the national economy, and how psychologically it poisons relationships, fosters anxiety and takes the fun out of work and play. He charges that competition is a learned phenomenon and denies that it builds character and self-esteem. Kohn's measures to encourage cooperation in lieu of competition include promoting noncompetitive games, eliminating scholastic grades and substitution of mutual security for national security.
My rating: Reserve Winners Award: (if achieved at a major pointed show) - (3 - 4)!
Showing posts with label show dog supplies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label show dog supplies. Show all posts
Monday, 21 February 2011
Thursday, 17 February 2011
CAUTION - SHOW DOGS - A "DOGUMENTARY!"
What perfect timing that I should receive this DVD about Show Dogs when the Westminster Dog Show was on television this past Monday and Tuesday. I just watched it this morning and it was a delightful way to spend 61 minutes of my time! Show dogs, no matter which breed you favor are really different from your next door neighbor�s dogs. Or better put, it�s the people that own them that are really different from your other neighbors! Yup, we show dog people are unique among other folks that one might know. Can I say that we live and breathe dogs?
CAUTION � SHOW DOGS is a dogumentary that was orchestrated by Leslye Abbey. This is what the outside of the DVD case says. �Repeatedly throughout the year, at the many prestigious Dog Shows, hundreds of breeders from all over the country present the very best of �Man�s Best Friend.� While showing at these events, the dogs are evaluated alongside all the other competitors to eventually contend for the highly coveted top prize � BEST IN SHOW.
Behind the glamour and excitement lie endless hard work, enormous amounts of love and an all-consuming dedication difficult to imagine. Get to know four top breeders and their dogs and share the years of knowledge and experience required to produce consistent champions. CAUTION � SHOW DOGS puts you behind the scenes so you can feel the excitement and exhilaration of the big world of SHOW DOGS! It you love dogs and are just a wee bit curious about the intrigue and hoopla of Dog Shows, this is your movie!�
In easy to understand language, follow some breeders, handlers and judges as they take you along with them on their road to a dog show. I found the interviews with these people refreshing and enlightening especially for the novice person just getting into the world of show dogs. And even then for those of you that just simply love dogs, it�s an amusing way to get a little educated about the sport of showing dogs.
Some of the subjects they talk about are showing, handling, judging, agility, etc. They even touched a bit on politics and the show ring. You�ll see a German Shepherd breeder who has a lot of success breeding and showing her Australian Shepherds as well. She showed some pictures of her Australian Shepherds winning with Jimmy Moses as their handler. I have to admit for me, it was a little unusual seeing Jimmy with anything but a German Shepherd. Then too, there is a little interview with Alan Stone who was very well known in the breed for many years. Alan is no longer with us, but it was good hearing what he had to say once again.
Naturally this DVD is not just about German Shepherds, but anyone who is a show person in another breed goes through very similar things that we do with our breed. I loved hearing what some of those handlers from other breeds had to say and a couple of judges as well that talked about politics and some �tricks of the trade.�
Do pay attention even at the end when the credits are being shown because the camera will cut back to more comments from some of the people on this DVD. What was really interesting and amusing was what a professional handler had to say about a dog that was being shown. Apparently this dog had one testicle as a youngster and the breeder liked him so much that she wanted to show him. So doing the �unthinkable� she had a plastic surgeon �sculpt� him a second testicle! Yup, it�s done folks. I�ve heard of this one before even in our own breed! Well on this particular day in the show ring, it seems that the judge was spending too much time �back there� with the dog�s testicles. Finally, he shakes his head and says, �Geez, this dog�s got three testicles!� I laughed out loud. Apparently the owner never checked her dog any more after the testicle surgery. Seems like if she would have been a little more patient, she would have found out her dog �grew a new one� all by himself! The truth was out. She got caught!
I also loved the saying that seems to go around the show ring about show dogs. It goes something like this: �A good dog will win some of the time. A great dog will win most of the time!� Love it!
CAUTION � SHOW DOGS doesn�t take itself too seriously. Rather it shares information and stories about the show dog circuit and what it�s like to be part of it. One thing remains true throughout this movie. These people love what they�re doing and most of all they love the dogs that they�re sharing their lives with! All in all, a light, breezy and most of all entertaining little piece of �dogumentary.� In my opinion this is a great way to introduce the novice to the world of dogs and to show them that what we do is a lot of fun and to encourage them to get involved in the world of the show dog. Dog shows should be fun and this movie showed that indeed, it is!
My rating: CAUTION � SHOW DOGS: (4)!
CAUTION � SHOW DOGS is a dogumentary that was orchestrated by Leslye Abbey. This is what the outside of the DVD case says. �Repeatedly throughout the year, at the many prestigious Dog Shows, hundreds of breeders from all over the country present the very best of �Man�s Best Friend.� While showing at these events, the dogs are evaluated alongside all the other competitors to eventually contend for the highly coveted top prize � BEST IN SHOW.
Behind the glamour and excitement lie endless hard work, enormous amounts of love and an all-consuming dedication difficult to imagine. Get to know four top breeders and their dogs and share the years of knowledge and experience required to produce consistent champions. CAUTION � SHOW DOGS puts you behind the scenes so you can feel the excitement and exhilaration of the big world of SHOW DOGS! It you love dogs and are just a wee bit curious about the intrigue and hoopla of Dog Shows, this is your movie!�
In easy to understand language, follow some breeders, handlers and judges as they take you along with them on their road to a dog show. I found the interviews with these people refreshing and enlightening especially for the novice person just getting into the world of show dogs. And even then for those of you that just simply love dogs, it�s an amusing way to get a little educated about the sport of showing dogs.
Some of the subjects they talk about are showing, handling, judging, agility, etc. They even touched a bit on politics and the show ring. You�ll see a German Shepherd breeder who has a lot of success breeding and showing her Australian Shepherds as well. She showed some pictures of her Australian Shepherds winning with Jimmy Moses as their handler. I have to admit for me, it was a little unusual seeing Jimmy with anything but a German Shepherd. Then too, there is a little interview with Alan Stone who was very well known in the breed for many years. Alan is no longer with us, but it was good hearing what he had to say once again.
Naturally this DVD is not just about German Shepherds, but anyone who is a show person in another breed goes through very similar things that we do with our breed. I loved hearing what some of those handlers from other breeds had to say and a couple of judges as well that talked about politics and some �tricks of the trade.�
Do pay attention even at the end when the credits are being shown because the camera will cut back to more comments from some of the people on this DVD. What was really interesting and amusing was what a professional handler had to say about a dog that was being shown. Apparently this dog had one testicle as a youngster and the breeder liked him so much that she wanted to show him. So doing the �unthinkable� she had a plastic surgeon �sculpt� him a second testicle! Yup, it�s done folks. I�ve heard of this one before even in our own breed! Well on this particular day in the show ring, it seems that the judge was spending too much time �back there� with the dog�s testicles. Finally, he shakes his head and says, �Geez, this dog�s got three testicles!� I laughed out loud. Apparently the owner never checked her dog any more after the testicle surgery. Seems like if she would have been a little more patient, she would have found out her dog �grew a new one� all by himself! The truth was out. She got caught!
I also loved the saying that seems to go around the show ring about show dogs. It goes something like this: �A good dog will win some of the time. A great dog will win most of the time!� Love it!
CAUTION � SHOW DOGS doesn�t take itself too seriously. Rather it shares information and stories about the show dog circuit and what it�s like to be part of it. One thing remains true throughout this movie. These people love what they�re doing and most of all they love the dogs that they�re sharing their lives with! All in all, a light, breezy and most of all entertaining little piece of �dogumentary.� In my opinion this is a great way to introduce the novice to the world of dogs and to show them that what we do is a lot of fun and to encourage them to get involved in the world of the show dog. Dog shows should be fun and this movie showed that indeed, it is!
My rating: CAUTION � SHOW DOGS: (4)!
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
THE WISDOM OF THOSE THAT WALKED BEFORE US!
Anything that has ever lived, never truly dies. Oh we may not actually see that person or that animal, but because they have lived, they still walk among us. For one reason is that we keep them alive in our hearts. Their memory lingers on. But if truth be told, it�s more than just our memories that keep them alive. It is their impact that they left that lingers behind. I know this all may seem philosophical but just give it some thought.
Every President of the parent club (GSDCA) that ever conducted a meeting, every board member, every person that was a member that has brought change to the club lives on in the history of this governing body of our beloved breed.
Every judge that ever judged the GSDCA�s National Specialty show that has pointed to the newest Grand Victor or Victrix has helped shape the genetic pool of this breed. Every judge that has judged at major specialty shows has helped dictate the style and movement of this breed through his interpretation of the standard.
Some past breeders are responsible for some people�s kennels that are now producing top winning show dogs. Some past breeders are responsible for putting smiles on family�s faces for all the love and devotion that their dogs are bringing to these people�s homes. Some past breeders are responsible for helping keep our country safe for their dogs are protecting our country by serving in the military or local police forces. When these dogs leave us, their legacy that they leave behind far outlives the short times that they lived here on this earth.
Great dogs are not born every day and I dare say maybe not even in a decade or two. Sure we�ll see some really good ones in our time, but very few great ones! Just think about it, when was the last time you saw a really great German Shepherd and the impact that he left on the breed? How often in your lifetime do you think you�re going to see it? I know everyone thinks that the dog that they own is great and just maybe he is, but I�m talking about the greatness this great dog leaves behind.
How often does a dog like GV Ch Lance of Fran-Jo come along? Lance was a little before my time, so I never got to see this dog in person. From his pictures, he looked to have been a stallion type dog. He appeared to be a hard, dry animal in breed type. He wasn�t necessarily my type of dog, but the impact of what this dog did for the breed remains till this day. Was he a perfect dog? Of course not. For all those that loved him and thought he did some great producing, there are others that blamed him for the problems in the breed as well. Whatever side of the fence you are on about this dog, one thing is for sure; very few ever changed this breed as much as this dog did. Very few have been talked about as much as this dog. Although he has been gone for many years now, his bloodlines are still behind some of today�s top winning dogs. This is truly an example of a dog that walked among us and still does today. A dog that has had this much of an impact on the breed never dies.
Any of the icons of the breed, the greats among the greats has never left us either. If you were fortunate enough to have been mentored by them or even to have shared a friendship with them, they still walk among us. It�s because they have lived and shared their knowledge with us that they never die. Anything that remains still lives on. It�s what they have taught us and we bring to our own breeding program today. It�s in the echoes of our mind that we still hear their words of wisdom. Every breeder that taught you what good movement was about, every breeder that pointed out good character and structure to you lives on every time you look at a dog now yourself. That mentor may not physically be standing right next to you, but he lives on in your memories by his teachings. A teacher never dies because their students carry on their teachings.
Every forefather of this breed that sat down and helped put together the standard lives on every time a judge sets foot in the ring. It is those people�s foresights and wisdom that is carried on in the show ring today. They paved the way for others to follow and for them to leave their footsteps behind for future generations.
Every writer that has written a good book about this breed, every editor of the German Shepherd Dog Review has been responsible for helping educate today�s generation so they too may bring their knowledge for the generations that follow.
Every dog that has played with your children, every dog that has protected your home never dies because your memories keep him alive.
It is because these people and dogs have lived that the breed continues today. The truly great ones (in whatever way you may perceive that) still walks among you and me today. Aren�t you glad that they touched your life? It�s because they�ve positively touched our lives that we pass on to future generations the wisdom of those that walked before us!
I can still hear the soft voice and laughter of Connie Beckhardt or the accent of Joan Ford answering a very novice person�s question. I remember Marge Dolan whispering in my ear at a show, �I want you to run for the President of our club.� I can still hear the cackle of LaMar standing ringside and proclaiming to me, �Darling did you ever see such a magnificent looking animal in your life?� These people have just gone onto another plain of existence perhaps somewhere in another galaxy, but their teachings, their friendship, their expertise still lives on and sets an example of what can be to those that now follow and look to pave their own path. May all those that walked before us, continue to walk with us now. Because they have lived, they never truly have died!
From the book: "CREATING A LIFE WORTH LIVING"...Dreaming is easy. Making it happen is hard. With a fresh perspective, Carol Lloyd motivates the person searching for two things: the creative life and a life of sanity, happiness and financial solvency. Creating a Life Worth Living helps the reader search memory for inspiration, understand his or her individual artistic profile, explore possible futures, design a daily process and build a structure of support. Each of the 12 chapters, such as "The Drudge We Do For Dollars" and "Excavating the Future," contains specific exercises and daily tasks that help readers to clarify their desires and create a tangible plan of action for realizing dreams. The book also provides inspiring anecdotes and interviews with people who have succeeded in their chosen fields.
My rating: Learning from a mentor: (4), Becoming a mentor: (4)
Every President of the parent club (GSDCA) that ever conducted a meeting, every board member, every person that was a member that has brought change to the club lives on in the history of this governing body of our beloved breed.
Every judge that ever judged the GSDCA�s National Specialty show that has pointed to the newest Grand Victor or Victrix has helped shape the genetic pool of this breed. Every judge that has judged at major specialty shows has helped dictate the style and movement of this breed through his interpretation of the standard.
Some past breeders are responsible for some people�s kennels that are now producing top winning show dogs. Some past breeders are responsible for putting smiles on family�s faces for all the love and devotion that their dogs are bringing to these people�s homes. Some past breeders are responsible for helping keep our country safe for their dogs are protecting our country by serving in the military or local police forces. When these dogs leave us, their legacy that they leave behind far outlives the short times that they lived here on this earth.
Great dogs are not born every day and I dare say maybe not even in a decade or two. Sure we�ll see some really good ones in our time, but very few great ones! Just think about it, when was the last time you saw a really great German Shepherd and the impact that he left on the breed? How often in your lifetime do you think you�re going to see it? I know everyone thinks that the dog that they own is great and just maybe he is, but I�m talking about the greatness this great dog leaves behind.
How often does a dog like GV Ch Lance of Fran-Jo come along? Lance was a little before my time, so I never got to see this dog in person. From his pictures, he looked to have been a stallion type dog. He appeared to be a hard, dry animal in breed type. He wasn�t necessarily my type of dog, but the impact of what this dog did for the breed remains till this day. Was he a perfect dog? Of course not. For all those that loved him and thought he did some great producing, there are others that blamed him for the problems in the breed as well. Whatever side of the fence you are on about this dog, one thing is for sure; very few ever changed this breed as much as this dog did. Very few have been talked about as much as this dog. Although he has been gone for many years now, his bloodlines are still behind some of today�s top winning dogs. This is truly an example of a dog that walked among us and still does today. A dog that has had this much of an impact on the breed never dies.
Any of the icons of the breed, the greats among the greats has never left us either. If you were fortunate enough to have been mentored by them or even to have shared a friendship with them, they still walk among us. It�s because they have lived and shared their knowledge with us that they never die. Anything that remains still lives on. It�s what they have taught us and we bring to our own breeding program today. It�s in the echoes of our mind that we still hear their words of wisdom. Every breeder that taught you what good movement was about, every breeder that pointed out good character and structure to you lives on every time you look at a dog now yourself. That mentor may not physically be standing right next to you, but he lives on in your memories by his teachings. A teacher never dies because their students carry on their teachings.
Every forefather of this breed that sat down and helped put together the standard lives on every time a judge sets foot in the ring. It is those people�s foresights and wisdom that is carried on in the show ring today. They paved the way for others to follow and for them to leave their footsteps behind for future generations.
Every writer that has written a good book about this breed, every editor of the German Shepherd Dog Review has been responsible for helping educate today�s generation so they too may bring their knowledge for the generations that follow.
Every dog that has played with your children, every dog that has protected your home never dies because your memories keep him alive.
It is because these people and dogs have lived that the breed continues today. The truly great ones (in whatever way you may perceive that) still walks among you and me today. Aren�t you glad that they touched your life? It�s because they�ve positively touched our lives that we pass on to future generations the wisdom of those that walked before us!
I can still hear the soft voice and laughter of Connie Beckhardt or the accent of Joan Ford answering a very novice person�s question. I remember Marge Dolan whispering in my ear at a show, �I want you to run for the President of our club.� I can still hear the cackle of LaMar standing ringside and proclaiming to me, �Darling did you ever see such a magnificent looking animal in your life?� These people have just gone onto another plain of existence perhaps somewhere in another galaxy, but their teachings, their friendship, their expertise still lives on and sets an example of what can be to those that now follow and look to pave their own path. May all those that walked before us, continue to walk with us now. Because they have lived, they never truly have died!
From the book: "CREATING A LIFE WORTH LIVING"...Dreaming is easy. Making it happen is hard. With a fresh perspective, Carol Lloyd motivates the person searching for two things: the creative life and a life of sanity, happiness and financial solvency. Creating a Life Worth Living helps the reader search memory for inspiration, understand his or her individual artistic profile, explore possible futures, design a daily process and build a structure of support. Each of the 12 chapters, such as "The Drudge We Do For Dollars" and "Excavating the Future," contains specific exercises and daily tasks that help readers to clarify their desires and create a tangible plan of action for realizing dreams. The book also provides inspiring anecdotes and interviews with people who have succeeded in their chosen fields.
My rating: Learning from a mentor: (4), Becoming a mentor: (4)
Thursday, 2 December 2010
THROWING IN THE TOWEL
There has been unrest in the German Shepherd Dog community for quite some time now. I suppose it�s not unlike the unrest in the rest of the country. But I feel it deep down in my bones. It�s like there is something in the air that we breathe. A general state of unhappiness perforates that air. You can�t touch it. You can�t smell it. But nevertheless it�s there.
Like most of you I have access to communicating with the rest of the German Shepherd Dog community through e-mail lists, Facebook, and the good old fashioned way of on the telephone or in person. People are not as enthusiastic or excited about a new litter or a show coming up like they once were. Negativity has replaced hopefulness and the anticipation of a �new star� that is born. Some breeders are closing shop or at least cutting way back. The days of the big show dog kennels are becoming a thing of the past. More and more breeders are devoting their time and effort into helping with the rescue efforts. Some people just enjoy their dogs by training them for obedience work and then others still are just enjoying them as their devoted and loving pets.
When Specialty clubs close their doors and it becomes harder and harder to find a major pointed show, many people have become discouraged and don�t want to put in the extra work looking for a major. It�s almost like the German Shepherd community has taken a nap. Will they wake up and prosper and shine again? Or will they find other things to take up their time? Oh their love for the breed will never waver, but perhaps they have discovered that there are other ways to enjoy their dogs that they never did before.
Well known kennels tell me that they don�t want to show anymore and I laugh looking at their success record questioning their decision. But the last laugh is on me. They�re serious. When they tell me that they can�t even sell their top show puppies because there isn�t any show homes, then I realize that they are very much serious. What�s the sense in putting thousands of dollars into a breeding and you don�t have the show homes to sell them to? For some of these people they are now using local stud dogs or the ones that they have in their own kennels. It�s become a thing of economics and it�s forced some breeders to rethink their breeding programs.
Baby Boomers are now hitting their senior years and in some cases it has forced some to look at their priorities a little bit more. Let�s face it, housing and feeding a kennel full of dogs is expensive. And let�s not forget the wear and tear on our aging bodies. Even if we do age well, we�re still not like when we were in our twenties. And if you are not breeding these dogs like you used to, then you are spending lots of money to keep them comfortable for the rest of their lives. Many wisely decide to find loving, forever homes for their dogs rather than have them waste away in a kennel all day long. It has brought some people to their knees making the decision to let some of these wonderful animals go, but economics helps make that decision a little easier for them.
I have a few personal friends that have changed their view on breeding and showing dogs. All have been successful in their own ways��some in very big ways and others in smaller ways, but successful nevertheless. When I hear the words like, �It�s no longer any fun� or �Nothing excites me anymore� I immediately think that this is just a phase that they are going through. They�ll lay low for awhile and come the spring, �show dog fever� will hit them once again. Hey maybe that�s it. It�s the winter time and some people do tend to become a little more melancholy during the long, cold winter days. But I�m assured by them that no it�s not a seasonal blue period in their lives. It�s almost as if they are looking for greener pastures to explore. Some of them are all �showed out!�
The other thing I hear an awful lot of is the lack of support from the established breeders and exhibitors towards the �younger version� of themselves. Without a welcoming community for new people to come into, I�m afraid a hostile environment will only leave them cold and leave them never walking back into a show ring again. The days of noses up in the air, �I�m better than you,� has died a slow death and right along with it the very community of the future of the show dog. It can�t exist without the people needed to support it.
Will my friends and those others that are leaving the breeding and showing of the German Shepherd Dog behind �come to their senses� again or will their common sense prevail? Will they buy that little red sports car and vacation on Paradise Island spending their senior years sipping on Pina Coladas and partaking of tropical delicacies? Probably not. Will we still have things to talk about now that dogs are no longer a major focus of their lives? I hope so.
Our love for the German Shepherd Dog brought us together and a friendship was formed because of our shared interest and love for the breed. Hopefully that friendship will endure because we truly care about one another. They�ll probably still be German Shepherds in our lives even if it�s one of the �oldsters� lying by our rocking chair, or just the memories that reach out to us from the pages of our photo albums. The dust might collect on the show win pictures hanging on our wall, but it will still be a reminder. We will remember because it was a good time to be in dogs and although the applause has come to a halt, the memories of it still linger in our mind and we remember it was the best time!
From the book "MY SO-CALLED FREELANCE LIFE"...."Since we�re all sh**ing our pants over the current economic situation, this book couldn�t come at a better time. My So-Called Freelance Life saunters its way through the ins and outs of becoming a successful solo professional, whether you�re a newly graduated 20-something trapped in a monotonous cubicle job or a new mom looking for flexible hours. Having accumulated a great deal of experience on the topic, Michelle Goodman (author of The Anti 9-to-5 Guide) leaves no paperweight unturned, explaining how to get started, maintain a budget and schedule, gather/weed out clientele, and legally cover your a**. Goodman includes a bevy of relevant links, contacts, organizations, and advice on everything from negotiating your hourly rate to when to quit working for the Man. While her book thoroughly covers every fundamental career intricacy you can imagine, wit and hilarity are also seated firmly within. (She even quotes Peter Gallagher on The OC, thus actualizing the poetry of my heart.) Not only is this book an incredible guide on how to get started, but it�s also inspiring and oddly comforting. �You can�t hitch your entire creative career on one big break�or one fat failure,� Goodman writes, �you have to keep moving forward, reaching for bigger and better.� It�s a book you will feel compelled to keep in your personal library (probably between your college dictionary and your religious tome of choice), or you can be like me and sleep with it in your arms."
My rating: Retiring from dogs: (1 - 4), Developing other interests: (4)
Like most of you I have access to communicating with the rest of the German Shepherd Dog community through e-mail lists, Facebook, and the good old fashioned way of on the telephone or in person. People are not as enthusiastic or excited about a new litter or a show coming up like they once were. Negativity has replaced hopefulness and the anticipation of a �new star� that is born. Some breeders are closing shop or at least cutting way back. The days of the big show dog kennels are becoming a thing of the past. More and more breeders are devoting their time and effort into helping with the rescue efforts. Some people just enjoy their dogs by training them for obedience work and then others still are just enjoying them as their devoted and loving pets.
When Specialty clubs close their doors and it becomes harder and harder to find a major pointed show, many people have become discouraged and don�t want to put in the extra work looking for a major. It�s almost like the German Shepherd community has taken a nap. Will they wake up and prosper and shine again? Or will they find other things to take up their time? Oh their love for the breed will never waver, but perhaps they have discovered that there are other ways to enjoy their dogs that they never did before.
Well known kennels tell me that they don�t want to show anymore and I laugh looking at their success record questioning their decision. But the last laugh is on me. They�re serious. When they tell me that they can�t even sell their top show puppies because there isn�t any show homes, then I realize that they are very much serious. What�s the sense in putting thousands of dollars into a breeding and you don�t have the show homes to sell them to? For some of these people they are now using local stud dogs or the ones that they have in their own kennels. It�s become a thing of economics and it�s forced some breeders to rethink their breeding programs.
Baby Boomers are now hitting their senior years and in some cases it has forced some to look at their priorities a little bit more. Let�s face it, housing and feeding a kennel full of dogs is expensive. And let�s not forget the wear and tear on our aging bodies. Even if we do age well, we�re still not like when we were in our twenties. And if you are not breeding these dogs like you used to, then you are spending lots of money to keep them comfortable for the rest of their lives. Many wisely decide to find loving, forever homes for their dogs rather than have them waste away in a kennel all day long. It has brought some people to their knees making the decision to let some of these wonderful animals go, but economics helps make that decision a little easier for them.
I have a few personal friends that have changed their view on breeding and showing dogs. All have been successful in their own ways��some in very big ways and others in smaller ways, but successful nevertheless. When I hear the words like, �It�s no longer any fun� or �Nothing excites me anymore� I immediately think that this is just a phase that they are going through. They�ll lay low for awhile and come the spring, �show dog fever� will hit them once again. Hey maybe that�s it. It�s the winter time and some people do tend to become a little more melancholy during the long, cold winter days. But I�m assured by them that no it�s not a seasonal blue period in their lives. It�s almost as if they are looking for greener pastures to explore. Some of them are all �showed out!�
The other thing I hear an awful lot of is the lack of support from the established breeders and exhibitors towards the �younger version� of themselves. Without a welcoming community for new people to come into, I�m afraid a hostile environment will only leave them cold and leave them never walking back into a show ring again. The days of noses up in the air, �I�m better than you,� has died a slow death and right along with it the very community of the future of the show dog. It can�t exist without the people needed to support it.
Will my friends and those others that are leaving the breeding and showing of the German Shepherd Dog behind �come to their senses� again or will their common sense prevail? Will they buy that little red sports car and vacation on Paradise Island spending their senior years sipping on Pina Coladas and partaking of tropical delicacies? Probably not. Will we still have things to talk about now that dogs are no longer a major focus of their lives? I hope so.
Our love for the German Shepherd Dog brought us together and a friendship was formed because of our shared interest and love for the breed. Hopefully that friendship will endure because we truly care about one another. They�ll probably still be German Shepherds in our lives even if it�s one of the �oldsters� lying by our rocking chair, or just the memories that reach out to us from the pages of our photo albums. The dust might collect on the show win pictures hanging on our wall, but it will still be a reminder. We will remember because it was a good time to be in dogs and although the applause has come to a halt, the memories of it still linger in our mind and we remember it was the best time!
From the book "MY SO-CALLED FREELANCE LIFE"...."Since we�re all sh**ing our pants over the current economic situation, this book couldn�t come at a better time. My So-Called Freelance Life saunters its way through the ins and outs of becoming a successful solo professional, whether you�re a newly graduated 20-something trapped in a monotonous cubicle job or a new mom looking for flexible hours. Having accumulated a great deal of experience on the topic, Michelle Goodman (author of The Anti 9-to-5 Guide) leaves no paperweight unturned, explaining how to get started, maintain a budget and schedule, gather/weed out clientele, and legally cover your a**. Goodman includes a bevy of relevant links, contacts, organizations, and advice on everything from negotiating your hourly rate to when to quit working for the Man. While her book thoroughly covers every fundamental career intricacy you can imagine, wit and hilarity are also seated firmly within. (She even quotes Peter Gallagher on The OC, thus actualizing the poetry of my heart.) Not only is this book an incredible guide on how to get started, but it�s also inspiring and oddly comforting. �You can�t hitch your entire creative career on one big break�or one fat failure,� Goodman writes, �you have to keep moving forward, reaching for bigger and better.� It�s a book you will feel compelled to keep in your personal library (probably between your college dictionary and your religious tome of choice), or you can be like me and sleep with it in your arms."
My rating: Retiring from dogs: (1 - 4), Developing other interests: (4)
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RAMIFICATIONS OF SHOWING DOGS
You�ve been preparing to show your newest little superstar before he was even born. You planned his breeding; you socialized him, trained him, and groomed him getting him ready for his first introduction into the show ring. You�ve made preparations to hire the best handler that money can afford. You �talked� him up to your friends and family. You even showed a picture or two of him on some of the show dog lists. You did a real good job of selling him to the show dog public. People now are starting to talk about him and anticipating seeing a real �head turner� when he walks into the ring.
The big day arrives. In trots your much �hyped� up superstar. You see people starting to whisper and you accept this as an acceptance of his star power. You smile to yourself knowing they haven�t seen anything yet. Just wait until they see your guy move around that ring. Off he goes and he�s charging around the ring. You�re beaming with pride about his great showmanship and attitude. People are whispering even more now. The judge calls his handler out to the center of the ring for a loose lead temperament test. Your dog is bucking and jumping pulling the handler in the opposite direction. Finally the handler gets him to the center of the ring. The dog blows his mind when the judge tries to examine him. Oh he doesn�t try to bite the judge; he�s too scared for that. So the judge sends him to the back of the line and that is where he stays as the winners are handed their ribbons and you�re handed back your dog.
Now the whispers grow louder and you can�t help but overhear some of the snide remarks made as you and your dog walk by. �Even if he didn�t blow his mind, he�s not that much better than a pet dog� someone says a little too loudly. �That�s not movement. He was running because he was afraid of his handler� another voice says.
Showing dogs is not just about getting a dog ready and prepared for the show ring. You better learn to be pretty tough skinned when you are showing dogs. Naturally the above scenario is in the extreme. But sometimes even the best of dogs can have an off day and they may be a little unruly in the show ring. People will talk if a dog looks at them the wrong way. Some people can be down right cruel when it comes to showing dogs. It is a competition and some are out to win no matter which way they can do it. Step aside if you are faint of heart because you may get run over.
There is a whole psychology in the showing of dogs. No one likes to lose, but if you don�t learn how to lose well, then you�re going to carry it from show to show. And an angry competitor is not a very nice person to be around. The dog picks up on it. Ring side picks up on it and the other exhibitors pick up on it. All and all it doesn�t make for a very enjoyable show experience. Showing should be fun. If it isn�t, then what are you doing it for? I can think of a lot of other ways to spend one�s time than doing something that turns your insides upside down.
If you don�t psychologically prepare yourself to show dogs then you may be in for a big shock. All the preparation in the world of getting your dog ready to be shown will not take the sting out of losing with this dog that you have placed so much hope in. If you have a good dog, common sense will tell you that sooner or later, he will be rewarded as being such. To lose control of yourself because one or two judges don�t agree with you is silly. Even the best of dogs will lose throughout their show careers. It�s to be expected in any sport. It�s the nature of the beast if you will. You win some and you lose some. Everybody likes to win. No one likes to lose. But lose you will and if you don�t know how to lose, you can make yourself sick about it!
Oh sure there will be some times that you lose and your dog lost to a better dog that day. Come on admit it now��.the other dog was better on this day. And then there will be those days that you lose to an inferior dog and you want to scream! Go ahead and do it if you have to, but try to do it away from the ring so the judge doesn�t feel like you�re going to jump the rope and strangle her! Probably the worst loss would be when you feel like you walked into a set up situation. You know the ones that I mean. The winning dog/bitch was determined before he even set foot in the ring! And before you die hard �believe that all judges are honest� fans shout that never happens����..OH YES IT DOES! In this case, if you feel like jumping the rope to strangle the judge, ask your friends to hold you back so you don�t lose your AKC privileges and you can still show your dog under honest judges in the future!
Let me tell you, if you are reading this and have never shown a dog before it can be very nerve wracking. Headaches are throbbing temples, tempers are at their most unattractive stage, stomachs are doing cartwheels, intestines are in knots and exhibitors are fighting for the next free bathroom seat in the nearest restroom! I kid you not. I know I�ve been there before.
Talk about catty people��my goodness gracious just walk around ringside and eaves drop if you must and listen and watch the tongues���.they�re wagging faster than your dog�s tail. This is where people come to observe, to compare, to learn and yes to gossip. It�s alright I guess if you are one that is partaking of the sometimes unsavory conversations, but what about if you�re on the opposite side of this equation and you�re the one that they are gossiping about? It can be pretty painful stuff���if you let it get to you. If you go to the show knowing that sometimes your feelings will get hurt because people may not like your dog and are talking negatively about him, then you may be better prepared to deal with it. If on the other hand you go to the show and EXPECT that everyone will love your dog, you may be in for a rude awakening.
Showing dogs can be some of the most thrilling times of your life and some of the most positive as well. You must bring along with you the right attitude. If you do, your losses will not overcome you. You�re smart enough to know it just comes with the territory. Tomorrow is another day and another judge!
Go to the show knowing you love your dog and hope that others will as well. If they don�t, don�t take it personally. Remember you are competition the moment you step foot on the show ground. Not everyone will like your dog and so what. Take him home and love him anyway. Have fun and don�t let the psychological warfare of showing dogs get to you. If it does, then maybe this is not the sport that you should be in. If you�re not having fun, then do something else with your dog where you are having fun! The German Shepherd is one of the most intelligent of breeds. If you�re not enjoying yourself and are tense and upset, he knows and feels it. You can�t expect him to perform his best if you are not willing to accept the consequences of his performance on that day!
From the DVD: "CAUTION: SHOW DOGS!"......Behind all the glamour and excitement lies the never-ending hard work, enormous amounts of love and an all-consuming dedication that is difficult to imagine. Get to know four top breeders, and their dogs, while sharing the years of knowledge and experience required to produce consistent champions. In fact, the full-length movie CAUTION: SHOW DOGS! puts you behind-the-scenes so you can share the excitement and exhilaration of the world of SHOW DOGS!
My rating: showing dogs: (3 -4)
The big day arrives. In trots your much �hyped� up superstar. You see people starting to whisper and you accept this as an acceptance of his star power. You smile to yourself knowing they haven�t seen anything yet. Just wait until they see your guy move around that ring. Off he goes and he�s charging around the ring. You�re beaming with pride about his great showmanship and attitude. People are whispering even more now. The judge calls his handler out to the center of the ring for a loose lead temperament test. Your dog is bucking and jumping pulling the handler in the opposite direction. Finally the handler gets him to the center of the ring. The dog blows his mind when the judge tries to examine him. Oh he doesn�t try to bite the judge; he�s too scared for that. So the judge sends him to the back of the line and that is where he stays as the winners are handed their ribbons and you�re handed back your dog.
Now the whispers grow louder and you can�t help but overhear some of the snide remarks made as you and your dog walk by. �Even if he didn�t blow his mind, he�s not that much better than a pet dog� someone says a little too loudly. �That�s not movement. He was running because he was afraid of his handler� another voice says.
Showing dogs is not just about getting a dog ready and prepared for the show ring. You better learn to be pretty tough skinned when you are showing dogs. Naturally the above scenario is in the extreme. But sometimes even the best of dogs can have an off day and they may be a little unruly in the show ring. People will talk if a dog looks at them the wrong way. Some people can be down right cruel when it comes to showing dogs. It is a competition and some are out to win no matter which way they can do it. Step aside if you are faint of heart because you may get run over.
There is a whole psychology in the showing of dogs. No one likes to lose, but if you don�t learn how to lose well, then you�re going to carry it from show to show. And an angry competitor is not a very nice person to be around. The dog picks up on it. Ring side picks up on it and the other exhibitors pick up on it. All and all it doesn�t make for a very enjoyable show experience. Showing should be fun. If it isn�t, then what are you doing it for? I can think of a lot of other ways to spend one�s time than doing something that turns your insides upside down.
If you don�t psychologically prepare yourself to show dogs then you may be in for a big shock. All the preparation in the world of getting your dog ready to be shown will not take the sting out of losing with this dog that you have placed so much hope in. If you have a good dog, common sense will tell you that sooner or later, he will be rewarded as being such. To lose control of yourself because one or two judges don�t agree with you is silly. Even the best of dogs will lose throughout their show careers. It�s to be expected in any sport. It�s the nature of the beast if you will. You win some and you lose some. Everybody likes to win. No one likes to lose. But lose you will and if you don�t know how to lose, you can make yourself sick about it!
Oh sure there will be some times that you lose and your dog lost to a better dog that day. Come on admit it now��.the other dog was better on this day. And then there will be those days that you lose to an inferior dog and you want to scream! Go ahead and do it if you have to, but try to do it away from the ring so the judge doesn�t feel like you�re going to jump the rope and strangle her! Probably the worst loss would be when you feel like you walked into a set up situation. You know the ones that I mean. The winning dog/bitch was determined before he even set foot in the ring! And before you die hard �believe that all judges are honest� fans shout that never happens����..OH YES IT DOES! In this case, if you feel like jumping the rope to strangle the judge, ask your friends to hold you back so you don�t lose your AKC privileges and you can still show your dog under honest judges in the future!
Let me tell you, if you are reading this and have never shown a dog before it can be very nerve wracking. Headaches are throbbing temples, tempers are at their most unattractive stage, stomachs are doing cartwheels, intestines are in knots and exhibitors are fighting for the next free bathroom seat in the nearest restroom! I kid you not. I know I�ve been there before.
Talk about catty people��my goodness gracious just walk around ringside and eaves drop if you must and listen and watch the tongues���.they�re wagging faster than your dog�s tail. This is where people come to observe, to compare, to learn and yes to gossip. It�s alright I guess if you are one that is partaking of the sometimes unsavory conversations, but what about if you�re on the opposite side of this equation and you�re the one that they are gossiping about? It can be pretty painful stuff���if you let it get to you. If you go to the show knowing that sometimes your feelings will get hurt because people may not like your dog and are talking negatively about him, then you may be better prepared to deal with it. If on the other hand you go to the show and EXPECT that everyone will love your dog, you may be in for a rude awakening.
Showing dogs can be some of the most thrilling times of your life and some of the most positive as well. You must bring along with you the right attitude. If you do, your losses will not overcome you. You�re smart enough to know it just comes with the territory. Tomorrow is another day and another judge!
Go to the show knowing you love your dog and hope that others will as well. If they don�t, don�t take it personally. Remember you are competition the moment you step foot on the show ground. Not everyone will like your dog and so what. Take him home and love him anyway. Have fun and don�t let the psychological warfare of showing dogs get to you. If it does, then maybe this is not the sport that you should be in. If you�re not having fun, then do something else with your dog where you are having fun! The German Shepherd is one of the most intelligent of breeds. If you�re not enjoying yourself and are tense and upset, he knows and feels it. You can�t expect him to perform his best if you are not willing to accept the consequences of his performance on that day!
From the DVD: "CAUTION: SHOW DOGS!"......Behind all the glamour and excitement lies the never-ending hard work, enormous amounts of love and an all-consuming dedication that is difficult to imagine. Get to know four top breeders, and their dogs, while sharing the years of knowledge and experience required to produce consistent champions. In fact, the full-length movie CAUTION: SHOW DOGS! puts you behind-the-scenes so you can share the excitement and exhilaration of the world of SHOW DOGS!
My rating: showing dogs: (3 -4)
Thursday, 7 October 2010
DIFFERENT DEGREES OF ALPHA
The dictionary describes the word �Alpha� as something that is first. I think when you live with dogs or should I say that they live with you, then there is always someone that is the �alpha� in this kind of relationship. It�s either you or the dog. But when you have more than one dog living together, there is always one of them that are the leader of the pack. Some of those �leaders� lead better than others. Some with a gentle nudging and others with a ferocious presence than no one can deny. If you are in dogs for any length of time, you just might come across a few different �alpha� personalities. Not too unlike the human society that we live in. Some people win you over (and that�s really what an alpha sets out to do � win you over) with a sweetness that covers up a strong willed personality. You never quite know just what it is about these types of personalities that always end up getting their way. You just can�t put your finger on it. But out on top they come. That type of personality that although so different from the �in your face� type of alpha, still accomplishes what they set themselves out to do���which is to be in control.
Having lived with most of the different degrees of alpha, I can say that I prefer the sweet type of alpha over the �in your face� type of alpha any day! What the sweet alpha may do is let her �subjects� know in subtle ways that she is in control without being overly aggressive. For example, take a look at the picture of the two dogs at the top of my blog. One very obviously the bitch and the other very obviously the male. The bitch weighed 58 pounds and the male weighed 105 pounds. He was double her weight and look at the size of his head. He was a big healthy boy. She was a small feminine bitch. But that small feminine bitch was the one that controlled the reins in their relationship. He adored her and she could do no wrong in his eyes. She was never overly aggressive with him. She never needed to be although this was never her nature to begin with. If she wanted a toy that he was chewing on, she would gently take her mouth and put it over his until he gave her what he was chewing. Most of the time she never really wanted it anyway. She was just reminding him that she would and could take whatever it was that he had and he would willingly give it up to her.
Of the three bitches I own now, one is extremely dominate and is always exerting her powerful influence over the other two whether they want her to or not. Although she is an aggressive �alpha� she�s not a nasty �alpha.� Rather she intimidates and controls everything in her environment. She doesn�t ask permission. She just takes what she wants, when she wants it and doesn�t back down from doing it. For example, I just gave all three girls a marrow bone this morning. You would think that they would love this. Nope, they have got to play �musical chairs� with the bones all morning long. They don�t care about the bone that they have. They care about the bone that the others have. This naturally was the �brain child� of the alpha girl a long time ago and it has stuck. She steals her sister�s bone or her mother�s bone until she decides which one she would rather chew on. Her sister has been taught another one of her bad habits and she thinks it�s perfectly alright to steal her mother�s bone now also. This goes on for the hour or so that I tolerate them in the house and then when I�ve had enough, the sisters are shown the back door once again. Then their mother (my house dog) can have her choice now of the three well chewed on bones.
Come supper time around here is another story in itself. The �natives� get restless about an hour and a half before their scheduled feed time. The mother paces around and around, whining more than she normally does. When the two on the back porch hear their bowls clanking, this is the signal for the �alpha� girl to set about her usual intimidation habits. Her sisters back feet and legs get nipped until she retires herself into the dog house which the �alpha� has shown her the way to. It never fails. You should see the fresh face that she wears when I tell her to stop being so bad. Her mouth is all puffed (because I just caught her in the act) and she has the �devil in her eye� look. There�s no denying that she�s been up to no good when she has �that face� on!
I only owned one alpha bitch that would have been more of the aggressive nature type. She was trying to �demote� the sweet nature alpha that I already mentioned in the first part of this article. She would go after her every chance she got and she was only an older puppy at the time but much bigger than the adult alpha bitch. I sold her which was a good thing as I probably would have strangled her if she hurt the smaller, sweeter bitch because she was one of my all time favorites!
So as you can see there are definitely different degrees of alphas. Of course the human in the relationship should always be the alpha of the pack, but even so, you can�t take away the �nature of the beast� sort of speak. One of the dogs in the pack will still have alpha tendencies but with you as the leader, those tendencies can be subdued. Such are the ways of the �secret language of dogs!�
From the book: THE FRIENDSHIP FACTOR - --Readers learn how to be a warmer, more loving person, how to communicate better, to resolve tension in relationships
--For friendships, marital relationships, and parents and their children. Friendship is the model for all intimate encounters.
My rating: Different degrees of alpha: (1 - 4)
Having lived with most of the different degrees of alpha, I can say that I prefer the sweet type of alpha over the �in your face� type of alpha any day! What the sweet alpha may do is let her �subjects� know in subtle ways that she is in control without being overly aggressive. For example, take a look at the picture of the two dogs at the top of my blog. One very obviously the bitch and the other very obviously the male. The bitch weighed 58 pounds and the male weighed 105 pounds. He was double her weight and look at the size of his head. He was a big healthy boy. She was a small feminine bitch. But that small feminine bitch was the one that controlled the reins in their relationship. He adored her and she could do no wrong in his eyes. She was never overly aggressive with him. She never needed to be although this was never her nature to begin with. If she wanted a toy that he was chewing on, she would gently take her mouth and put it over his until he gave her what he was chewing. Most of the time she never really wanted it anyway. She was just reminding him that she would and could take whatever it was that he had and he would willingly give it up to her.
Of the three bitches I own now, one is extremely dominate and is always exerting her powerful influence over the other two whether they want her to or not. Although she is an aggressive �alpha� she�s not a nasty �alpha.� Rather she intimidates and controls everything in her environment. She doesn�t ask permission. She just takes what she wants, when she wants it and doesn�t back down from doing it. For example, I just gave all three girls a marrow bone this morning. You would think that they would love this. Nope, they have got to play �musical chairs� with the bones all morning long. They don�t care about the bone that they have. They care about the bone that the others have. This naturally was the �brain child� of the alpha girl a long time ago and it has stuck. She steals her sister�s bone or her mother�s bone until she decides which one she would rather chew on. Her sister has been taught another one of her bad habits and she thinks it�s perfectly alright to steal her mother�s bone now also. This goes on for the hour or so that I tolerate them in the house and then when I�ve had enough, the sisters are shown the back door once again. Then their mother (my house dog) can have her choice now of the three well chewed on bones.
Come supper time around here is another story in itself. The �natives� get restless about an hour and a half before their scheduled feed time. The mother paces around and around, whining more than she normally does. When the two on the back porch hear their bowls clanking, this is the signal for the �alpha� girl to set about her usual intimidation habits. Her sisters back feet and legs get nipped until she retires herself into the dog house which the �alpha� has shown her the way to. It never fails. You should see the fresh face that she wears when I tell her to stop being so bad. Her mouth is all puffed (because I just caught her in the act) and she has the �devil in her eye� look. There�s no denying that she�s been up to no good when she has �that face� on!
I only owned one alpha bitch that would have been more of the aggressive nature type. She was trying to �demote� the sweet nature alpha that I already mentioned in the first part of this article. She would go after her every chance she got and she was only an older puppy at the time but much bigger than the adult alpha bitch. I sold her which was a good thing as I probably would have strangled her if she hurt the smaller, sweeter bitch because she was one of my all time favorites!
So as you can see there are definitely different degrees of alphas. Of course the human in the relationship should always be the alpha of the pack, but even so, you can�t take away the �nature of the beast� sort of speak. One of the dogs in the pack will still have alpha tendencies but with you as the leader, those tendencies can be subdued. Such are the ways of the �secret language of dogs!�
From the book: THE FRIENDSHIP FACTOR - --Readers learn how to be a warmer, more loving person, how to communicate better, to resolve tension in relationships
--For friendships, marital relationships, and parents and their children. Friendship is the model for all intimate encounters.
My rating: Different degrees of alpha: (1 - 4)
Thursday, 29 July 2010
WHAT YOUR EYE IS USED TO LOOKING AT
I�ve done articles here before about the different coat colors and coat lengths of the German Shepherd Dog. We have a breed standard, but you could line up all these different dogs with their unique coloring or coat length and there really wouldn�t be any consistency in their breed type. Oh they may all be beautifully structured, but they really wouldn�t look alike except for the erect ears that this breed is known for. So even if they all were the best representatives of their breed only in different colors and coat length, no two of them would look alike.
Many pet people have never seen an all black German Shepherd for instance. Some have never seen or know what a sable looks like. A bi-color may totally confuse them. Most people have seen a white German Shepherd so that wouldn�t be too confusing. Probably the most favored color is the black and tan dog.
Over time if you live with one of the different types of this breed, your eye gets used to looking at that type of dog. Correct or not, this is what you�re used to seeing so when you see something else that doesn�t look like your dog and may even be a better representative of the breed, you still think that you dog has the better quality. That�s because that�s what your eye is used to looking at.
For example, if you are used to showing a specialty type of dog that has more hindquarter than an All-Breed dog, than that�s what you think is correct. It works both ways. The All-breed exhibitor will think his dog is the correct standard for the breed. If your kennel is known for producing good fronts, you will automatically be looking at the competition to see if they have the front and side gait that you�re used to looking at. The same thing goes for the kennel that consistently produces good hindquarter angulation. If a dog has anything less than what you�re used to looking at, then you�ll think it lacks hindquarter. It�s all because this is what you are used to looking at in your own dogs.
Many times you can follow a specialty judge and know what he likes by looking at the type of animals he�s bred and raised. If he�s bred some top winning dogs, many times that�s the type he�s going to put up. It�s what he�s used to looking at everyday and it�s what he�s won with. Some judges are movement judges. Some are breed type judges. Some like lots of rear. Some like lots of front. Ideally you want to show under a judge that takes the whole package into consideration when he judges. Hopefully you show under a judge that has a �trained� eye. He�s lived with and knows dogs and specifically the German Shepherd Dog.
It can be very difficult for some people to develop a �trained� eye. You will never know what a good dog is unless you�ve lived with them and bred them. Living with these beautiful specimens of the breed is all the education one needs. To have bred and lived with dogs that �take your breath� away is the best education you could ever hope for when you step into the middle of that ring. No book, no magazine, no video could ever prepare you to what it�s like living with one of these properly structured animals. I used to love letting my dogs out in the back yard and just sit watching them float around the yard like it was no effort at all. And that�s the key��a good dog moves like there is no effort at all. The other dogs will have to put out more energy to move. That�s probably why you see your better movers in the ring floating rather than charging. The dog that is not as good of a mover will have to put out harder to make up for the lack of his proper structure, whereas the good mover makes it look easy. You won�t see him huffing and puffing at the end of his lead like the charging dogs in the ring next to him.
Someone said to me not too long ago when talking about a fellow exhibitor, �What does she see in that dog? Why is she still showing him?� She said that the dog was a really horrible dog. I replied to her, �It�s what she�s used to looking at.� Is the owner right or is he wrong in showing his poorly structured dog? It�s really not a question of right or wrong. It�s all about what her eye is used to looking at. Until she educates herself, she will still think her poorly structured dog is correct.
So if your dog lacks the front or rear and he�s not a very good mover, you won�t really know it until you put him in the ring next to those that have these attributes. When you watch a dog that is not properly put together, because you live with him, you believe he�s the best thing next to a �hot off the grill� cheeseburger. Then when you put him in the show ring and you see the other dogs, you think that there�s something the matter with the other dogs. They look nothing like your dog does. It�s all what your eye is used to looking at. This is called being kennel blind. Your education begins when you are forced to re-evaluate your breeding and show stock.
You can chose to like whatever it is that you find appealing in this breed�s structure (hindquarters, fronts, movement, etc.) but for all the variety that is out there, there is only one correct structure and that is dictated by the German Shepherd Dog Club of America�s breed standard. Once you become familiar with it, you may come to realize what your eye has become used to is not what the standard calls for in a correctly structured animal.
My rating: Get familiar with the breed standard: (4)
Many pet people have never seen an all black German Shepherd for instance. Some have never seen or know what a sable looks like. A bi-color may totally confuse them. Most people have seen a white German Shepherd so that wouldn�t be too confusing. Probably the most favored color is the black and tan dog.
Over time if you live with one of the different types of this breed, your eye gets used to looking at that type of dog. Correct or not, this is what you�re used to seeing so when you see something else that doesn�t look like your dog and may even be a better representative of the breed, you still think that you dog has the better quality. That�s because that�s what your eye is used to looking at.
For example, if you are used to showing a specialty type of dog that has more hindquarter than an All-Breed dog, than that�s what you think is correct. It works both ways. The All-breed exhibitor will think his dog is the correct standard for the breed. If your kennel is known for producing good fronts, you will automatically be looking at the competition to see if they have the front and side gait that you�re used to looking at. The same thing goes for the kennel that consistently produces good hindquarter angulation. If a dog has anything less than what you�re used to looking at, then you�ll think it lacks hindquarter. It�s all because this is what you are used to looking at in your own dogs.
Many times you can follow a specialty judge and know what he likes by looking at the type of animals he�s bred and raised. If he�s bred some top winning dogs, many times that�s the type he�s going to put up. It�s what he�s used to looking at everyday and it�s what he�s won with. Some judges are movement judges. Some are breed type judges. Some like lots of rear. Some like lots of front. Ideally you want to show under a judge that takes the whole package into consideration when he judges. Hopefully you show under a judge that has a �trained� eye. He�s lived with and knows dogs and specifically the German Shepherd Dog.
It can be very difficult for some people to develop a �trained� eye. You will never know what a good dog is unless you�ve lived with them and bred them. Living with these beautiful specimens of the breed is all the education one needs. To have bred and lived with dogs that �take your breath� away is the best education you could ever hope for when you step into the middle of that ring. No book, no magazine, no video could ever prepare you to what it�s like living with one of these properly structured animals. I used to love letting my dogs out in the back yard and just sit watching them float around the yard like it was no effort at all. And that�s the key��a good dog moves like there is no effort at all. The other dogs will have to put out more energy to move. That�s probably why you see your better movers in the ring floating rather than charging. The dog that is not as good of a mover will have to put out harder to make up for the lack of his proper structure, whereas the good mover makes it look easy. You won�t see him huffing and puffing at the end of his lead like the charging dogs in the ring next to him.
Someone said to me not too long ago when talking about a fellow exhibitor, �What does she see in that dog? Why is she still showing him?� She said that the dog was a really horrible dog. I replied to her, �It�s what she�s used to looking at.� Is the owner right or is he wrong in showing his poorly structured dog? It�s really not a question of right or wrong. It�s all about what her eye is used to looking at. Until she educates herself, she will still think her poorly structured dog is correct.
So if your dog lacks the front or rear and he�s not a very good mover, you won�t really know it until you put him in the ring next to those that have these attributes. When you watch a dog that is not properly put together, because you live with him, you believe he�s the best thing next to a �hot off the grill� cheeseburger. Then when you put him in the show ring and you see the other dogs, you think that there�s something the matter with the other dogs. They look nothing like your dog does. It�s all what your eye is used to looking at. This is called being kennel blind. Your education begins when you are forced to re-evaluate your breeding and show stock.
You can chose to like whatever it is that you find appealing in this breed�s structure (hindquarters, fronts, movement, etc.) but for all the variety that is out there, there is only one correct structure and that is dictated by the German Shepherd Dog Club of America�s breed standard. Once you become familiar with it, you may come to realize what your eye has become used to is not what the standard calls for in a correctly structured animal.
My rating: Get familiar with the breed standard: (4)
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
ON THE SPOT - WITMER'S GERMAN SHEPHERDS
I think when one thinks of the Witmer German Shepherd Dogs they immediately think of beautiful breed type. I know I do. It seems that Suzie Witmer has strived for a certain �look� in her animals. I know when I see one of her dogs, I say to myself, �Wow what a pretty dog that is!� Her dogs are very easy on the eyes. They also have been consistently good moving animals having won many Futurities and Select titles to their credit. (See the above dog: Ch. Witmer's Hale of Vanderwerth OFA).
I asked Suzie if she would consent doing an interview with me about her breeding program and I�m happy she consented to share her ideas with us.
1. WHEN DID YOUR LOVE AFFAIR BEGIN WITH THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG?
I always had a love for animals. Horses came first and then dogs, and mostly German shepherd dogs. My aunt raised a couple litters of German Shepherd puppies when I was a kid. There was one in particular (male) that I became very attached to while my aunt lived with us. She took him with her when she moved out, and broke my heart... I saved my allowance, $5 a week, and bought a purebred unregistered German Shepherd puppy for $75.00.
2. HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR KENNEL NAME?
My kennel name is Witmer, which is of course my last name. A German name!
3. DID YOU HAVE ANY MENTORS WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED OUT IN THE BREED?
Nancy Towns, Bob Vanwinkle, the Dancosse family, and Rose Quigley. Nancy had a great eye for motion/side gait. She sat with me for hours looking at puppies and teaching me correct movement. . Bob taught me how to groom and condition.
4. WHAT HAVE YOU NOTICED TO BE THE BIGGEST CHANGES IN THE BREED SINCE YOU STARTED?
The folding of specialty clubs, and lack of exhibitors�
My dogs are known for a dominant breed type, correct shoulders, and that they�re good moving dogs. (See the above dog: Am Select Excellent Can Select Ch Witmer's Jamiroquai OFA H & E ROM).
6. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS SOME OF THE STRENGTHS OF THE BREED TODAY?
Intelligence, trainability, and their loyalty.
7. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS WITH THE BREED TODAY?
Too many short upper arms and moving from the elbows. Also running too fast and too many steps to cover ground.
8. WHEN BREEDING WHERE HAS SOME OF YOUR BEST STOCK COME FROM? LINE BREEDING, IN BREEDING, OUT CROSS?
Line breeding, and inbreeding.
9. A VERY WELL KNOWN BREEDER ONCE TOLD ME TO BREED TYPE TO TYPE. HE SAID FORGET ABOUT PEDIGREES. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT STATEMENT?
I think type to type can work. However I do feel pedigrees are very important. Looking at a pedigree gives you a lot of knowledge including health issues and their pheno and geno type. I'm a pedigree person!
10. AT WHAT AGE DO YOU PICK YOUR TOP SHOW PUPPIES AND WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR?
5 wks 7 wks, 12 wks. If I like them, then I grow them out. Teenage stage (8 months to 14 months)is not a good time for my dogs. I look for forehand, type, presence/showmanship, and character.
11. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE PARENT CLUB (THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS CLUB OF AMERICA) DO THAT THEY�RE NOT DOING NOW?
I would like the parent club to be more open to the membership. Too many hush secrets have hurt us badly..
12. YOU HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE HAVING PRODUCED SOME OF THE TOP WINNING FUTURITY/MATURITY WINNERS. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE FUTURITIES? HOW IMPORTANT ARE THEY?
I feel futurities are important. I enjoy seeing what breeders are producing. Futurities enable us to make educated decisions in our breeding program. Unfortunately entries are very low.
13. WHAT FOOD DO YOU FEED YOUR DOGS?
I feed Costco's, Kirkland chicken & Rice. It does a very nice job, and is a good quality food at an affordable price. I feed it with meat. I also feed a few raw.
14. DO YOU USE SUPPLEMENTS FOR YOUR DOGS?
I use Dr Kruger�s supplement show coat formula.
I do have favorites, and all my favorites are my heart dogs... Wilmer�s Angel, my Hawkeye dtr, her 2 inbred Hawkeye sons Witmer's Expresso, and Witmer's Executive, both passed with 12 pts all majors. My Andretti son, CH Ramhaus Eros of Nordlicht, Sel Ex CH, Can Sel CH Witmer's Jamiroquai "Jerry", CH Witmer's Angelina, and of course my current heart dog, Sel Exc CH Karizma's Nicaragua "Neeko"... One of the sweetest/kindest dogs I have owned. He has his 10 qualifiers, and it will be anytime now he receives his Rom.. (See the above dog: Select Excellent Ch Karizma's Nicaragua OFA).
16. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST PROUD MOMENT IN THE BREED?
Watching Jantar's China Lake of Witmer go Grand Victrix in Canada...enjoying it with my best friends!! We also had a great party that night! A lot of good laughs.
17. ARE ANY OF YOUR DOGS INVOLVED IN RESCUE WORK, POLICE WORK, THERAPY WORK, OBEDIENCE TITLED, ETC?
Not dogs I personally own, but dogs by or out of my dogs are in all venues. Many therapy, search, and Rescue, herding, and obedience. My passion has always been in the ring. I have never had the desire for anything else.
18. WHAT IS YOUR BEST ADVICE FOR PEOPLE JUST STARTING OUT IN THIS BREED THAT WANT TO SHOW THEIR DOGS?
Join a breed club, and hopefully find a good mentor.
19. WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT OWNING A GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG?
Their companionship and loyalty.. They are so smart they amaze me. They are always
a step ahead of me, especially now!
20. IS THERE STILL SOMETHING IN THE BREED THAT YOU WANT TO DO AND YOU HAVEN�T ACCOMPLISHED IT YET?
I am content with the accomplishments to date. However adding more would be just fine with me....
21. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR IN THIS BREED?
Beautiful breed type, fronts, dogs that can side gait and are always competitive.
My rating: Witmer's producing consistently beautiful moving animals: (4)
Friday, 11 June 2010
"STINKIN' THINKIN"
So the man pulls up in my driveway in a Lincoln sedan. He looks at my puppies. He asks how much? I tell him. He looks shocked. He says to me, I can buy a German Shepherd puppy at the pet store for �such and such.� Why should I pay you that much? My reply to him is, �You could be driving a broken down second hand car instead of the Lincoln that you drove here with. It�s obvious; you get what you pay for. I tell him of the bloodlines of my puppies, the health guarantee that I offer and my return policy if he�s unhappy with the puppy. Bottom line��he�s only interested in the purchase price. I tell him �Do yourself a favor, if you are looking for something for nothing, adopt a dog from a shelter.� He keeps the Lincoln. He drives away. I keep the puppy until the better person comes along. I am looking for a forever home for my puppy. He�s looking for �bargain basement prices� ��..�stinkin� thinkin�!�
So I call up the �nose up in the air�thinks he�s better than most� handler who is in charge of the Grand Victor�s stud services. He campaigns the dog as well as keeps him at his kennel for stud services. I tell him I want to breed my champion bitch to this dog. He gives me an �attitude� and is unwilling to cooperate with me about the day the bitch needs to be bred. Nope he can only do it on this one day. Take it or leave it. I leave it! I wonder if he ever told the owners of this dog that he didn�t breed the Grand Victor to this top producing champion ROM bitch��..�stinkin� thinkin�!�
I need a handler for my dog at the upcoming four day week-end shows. The judges should be great for my dog. So I call the handler and tell him I want to enter my dog at these shows. He tells me he can�t take him that week-end. He MIGHT be showing �so and so�s� dogs there. But I tell him, these judges really like my dog. They�ve already put him up in the younger classes. I think we have a great shot to win under them. I know the dogs he�s taking and the people that own them. They have lots of money, but their dogs are not as good as mine. I can�t convince him. I get another handler. We show. They lose. We win. Now handler number one isn�t talking to me because we just beat him at his own game��..�stinkin� thinkin�!�
Your friend owns a lovely young stud dog. He�s a very well bred dog. He hasn�t really proven his worth as a producer yet because he�s so young and hasn�t been bred to that much yet. You own a beautiful young bitch. She too is well bred. Your friend wants you to breed your bitch to his male. You don�t want to. Oh, both are lovely animals, but they don�t complement one another very well and you need improvement in your bitch in an area that the stud dog lacks as well. Your friend doesn�t want to hear it. You two are friends and he feels that you should breed to his dog based on that friendship. Your bitch comes into season. You breed her to another dog. Your friend calls you a traitor and isn�t talking to you anymore����stinkin thinkin!�
You get your judging license and are asked to judge a specialty show that is known to pull 4 or 5 point majors. The attendance is huge and some well known pillars of the breed belong to the club that asked you to judge. You�re excited and honored and can�t wait for the day to arrive. In walks one of your closest friends dogs that you recognize right away as she�s calling her dog to get his (and your) attention while his handler is setting him up. You really think he�s a nice dog, but you really love the dog standing behind him better. You go with your gut and pick the other dog hoping your friend understands. She doesn�t��.she�s not talking to you anymore��.�stinkin thinkin!�
You belong to many different German Shepherd e-mail lists. It�s not uncommon for people to come on those lists and brag about all their wonderful achievements and show wins. You being of the good natured spirit that you are, find yourself writing one congratulation note after another. Sometimes people thank you. Other times they ignore your social graces all together. The following week-end your dog wins his first major. You�re excited to share your joy and post your own brag. You�re lucky if you receive one �Way to go kid� from someone����.�stinkin thinkin!�
You share your opinion about a certain subject that everyone is talking about. Because you haven�t been around very long, you�re met with the mentality of �I�m right, you�re wrong� and your opinion has no merit. You�re intimidated, so you keep your mouth quiet and you don�t get a chance to say what�s on your mind for fear you�ll look like a fool���.�stinkin thinkin!�
You buy a puppy from a well bred litter. You have high hopes for this youngster�s future. You show him at some local shows. He takes a third and fourth place ribbon. You let him mature and then bring him back out again. Time hasn�t been on his side. The well bred promising puppy is a losing adult. The breeder won�t take him back or refund your money. And no he�s not going to replace him with another puppy. You�re furious, but there�s nothing you can do about it, so you take it out on the dog. He no longer gets all the attention that you once lavished on him���..�stinkin thinking!�
I�m way up here. You�re way down there. I know best. You don�t. I�ve bred all these champions. You�ve bred just one. My dogs finished in the specialty ring. Yours finished in the All Breed ring. I�ve been in the breed for over thirty years. You�ve only been in the breed for five years. Therefore, I know and you don�t know. I�m the big shot. You�re the little shot����stinkin thinking!�����.sometimes the big shot gets run over by the little shot����ahh�..and history is made!
From the book: "HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE".......This grandfather of all people-skills books was first published in 1937. It was an overnight hit, eventually selling 15 million copies. How to Win Friends and Influence People is just as useful today as it was when it was first published, because Dale Carnegie had an understanding of human nature that will never be outdated. Financial success, Carnegie believed, is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to "the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people." He teaches these skills through underlying principles of dealing with people so that they feel important and appreciated. He also emphasizes fundamental techniques for handling people without making them feel manipulated. Carnegie says you can make someone want to do what you want them to by seeing the situation from the other person's point of view and "arousing in the other person an eager want." You learn how to make people like you, win people over to your way of thinking, and change people without causing offense or arousing resentment. For instance, "let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers," and "talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person." Carnegie illustrates his points with anecdotes of historical figures, leaders of the business world, and everyday folks.
My rating: Being kind and helpful to one another: (4)
So I call up the �nose up in the air�thinks he�s better than most� handler who is in charge of the Grand Victor�s stud services. He campaigns the dog as well as keeps him at his kennel for stud services. I tell him I want to breed my champion bitch to this dog. He gives me an �attitude� and is unwilling to cooperate with me about the day the bitch needs to be bred. Nope he can only do it on this one day. Take it or leave it. I leave it! I wonder if he ever told the owners of this dog that he didn�t breed the Grand Victor to this top producing champion ROM bitch��..�stinkin� thinkin�!�
I need a handler for my dog at the upcoming four day week-end shows. The judges should be great for my dog. So I call the handler and tell him I want to enter my dog at these shows. He tells me he can�t take him that week-end. He MIGHT be showing �so and so�s� dogs there. But I tell him, these judges really like my dog. They�ve already put him up in the younger classes. I think we have a great shot to win under them. I know the dogs he�s taking and the people that own them. They have lots of money, but their dogs are not as good as mine. I can�t convince him. I get another handler. We show. They lose. We win. Now handler number one isn�t talking to me because we just beat him at his own game��..�stinkin� thinkin�!�
Your friend owns a lovely young stud dog. He�s a very well bred dog. He hasn�t really proven his worth as a producer yet because he�s so young and hasn�t been bred to that much yet. You own a beautiful young bitch. She too is well bred. Your friend wants you to breed your bitch to his male. You don�t want to. Oh, both are lovely animals, but they don�t complement one another very well and you need improvement in your bitch in an area that the stud dog lacks as well. Your friend doesn�t want to hear it. You two are friends and he feels that you should breed to his dog based on that friendship. Your bitch comes into season. You breed her to another dog. Your friend calls you a traitor and isn�t talking to you anymore����stinkin thinkin!�
You get your judging license and are asked to judge a specialty show that is known to pull 4 or 5 point majors. The attendance is huge and some well known pillars of the breed belong to the club that asked you to judge. You�re excited and honored and can�t wait for the day to arrive. In walks one of your closest friends dogs that you recognize right away as she�s calling her dog to get his (and your) attention while his handler is setting him up. You really think he�s a nice dog, but you really love the dog standing behind him better. You go with your gut and pick the other dog hoping your friend understands. She doesn�t��.she�s not talking to you anymore��.�stinkin thinkin!�
You belong to many different German Shepherd e-mail lists. It�s not uncommon for people to come on those lists and brag about all their wonderful achievements and show wins. You being of the good natured spirit that you are, find yourself writing one congratulation note after another. Sometimes people thank you. Other times they ignore your social graces all together. The following week-end your dog wins his first major. You�re excited to share your joy and post your own brag. You�re lucky if you receive one �Way to go kid� from someone����.�stinkin thinkin!�
You share your opinion about a certain subject that everyone is talking about. Because you haven�t been around very long, you�re met with the mentality of �I�m right, you�re wrong� and your opinion has no merit. You�re intimidated, so you keep your mouth quiet and you don�t get a chance to say what�s on your mind for fear you�ll look like a fool���.�stinkin thinkin!�
You buy a puppy from a well bred litter. You have high hopes for this youngster�s future. You show him at some local shows. He takes a third and fourth place ribbon. You let him mature and then bring him back out again. Time hasn�t been on his side. The well bred promising puppy is a losing adult. The breeder won�t take him back or refund your money. And no he�s not going to replace him with another puppy. You�re furious, but there�s nothing you can do about it, so you take it out on the dog. He no longer gets all the attention that you once lavished on him���..�stinkin thinking!�
I�m way up here. You�re way down there. I know best. You don�t. I�ve bred all these champions. You�ve bred just one. My dogs finished in the specialty ring. Yours finished in the All Breed ring. I�ve been in the breed for over thirty years. You�ve only been in the breed for five years. Therefore, I know and you don�t know. I�m the big shot. You�re the little shot����stinkin thinking!�����.sometimes the big shot gets run over by the little shot����ahh�..and history is made!
From the book: "HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE".......This grandfather of all people-skills books was first published in 1937. It was an overnight hit, eventually selling 15 million copies. How to Win Friends and Influence People is just as useful today as it was when it was first published, because Dale Carnegie had an understanding of human nature that will never be outdated. Financial success, Carnegie believed, is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to "the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people." He teaches these skills through underlying principles of dealing with people so that they feel important and appreciated. He also emphasizes fundamental techniques for handling people without making them feel manipulated. Carnegie says you can make someone want to do what you want them to by seeing the situation from the other person's point of view and "arousing in the other person an eager want." You learn how to make people like you, win people over to your way of thinking, and change people without causing offense or arousing resentment. For instance, "let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers," and "talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person." Carnegie illustrates his points with anecdotes of historical figures, leaders of the business world, and everyday folks.
My rating: Being kind and helpful to one another: (4)
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