Show brag

[lhczth]

That topic feels odd for me to type.

This past weekend I did my very first conformation show and breed survey. I have been in the AKC ring once MANY years ago and helped double handle a dog back in 2001, but this was my first with my own dogs.

Saturday we took Elena into the 12-18 month female class. Lies handled her for me and I did my best to double handle with coaching from Kevin Nance (has the 3X Universal Sieger Vandal Mittlewest) and a little help from Jeff Lund (can't remember his kennel name). Elena actually did very well especially once I vanished during the gaiting. She was very good for the stacking, when the judge looked at the movement coming and going and just standing in the stack during the critique. She showed some good moments during the gaiting, but the show line female in the class didn't do much better and she had more training. Anyhow, Elena ended up with an SG (the highest she could receive until she is titled) and a very nice critique from the judge who felt that she should be able to V when older. I was pleased that what I have seen in her structure was the same as what the judge saw.

Deja then went into the working females class. She stacked and did some of those parts very well, but was awful during the gaiting pretty much dragging Lies around the ring. She also got a very good critique from the judge though he would have liked to see her have more substance (bone and size) or he would have given her a V rating. So, Deja got an SG1, above the other working line females and 2nd to the show line female that went V. She is 57 cm and just under 63# and I like my quick athletic and balanced girls so I am happy with her SG. Maybe if she had a showy coat it would have helped.

On Sunday we did the breed survey starting with the bitework portion. Deja rocked slamming into the helper on the attack out of the blind, fighting him during the drives, outing cleanly and transitioning into her strong guarding. Same thing on the courage test. She received a praiseworthy on her work in her survey critiques and also recommended for improvement of working ability (or something like that). During the rest of the breed survey she also received a very good critique of her structure. Parts I remember: medium size, medium strength, normal withers, good topline, good croup, good angulation in front, upper arm could be more slanted, very good angulation in rear, slight restriction of movement in front, strong drive from the rear. Good color, strong pigment, dark eyes. Correct coming and going. So Deja is now, SG1 Dejavu zu Treuen Händen IPO2 AWD1 KKL1 B/HOT

[GatorDog]

Huge congrats!!!!

[carmspack]

proof positive that working lines can and do have good structure -- congrats - that is great . Is one of them the Javir progeny that I liked?

[lhczth]

Thank you.

Carmen, Elena is my Javir pup.

I'll post photos as soon as I have them.

[Sunflowers]

Congratulations, and looking forward to your pics.

All these posts are inspiring me to get out there and do something with my boy!

[TimberGSD2]

Congrats! Wish I could have come back for the show Saturday to watch.

[ponyfarm]

Congratulations! I got to see Elena and she is indeed..very nice. Again, good job!

[qbchottu]

Congrats Lisa. Great work!

[Andaka]

Congrats Lisa, and poor Lies!

[cindy_s]

Congrats!!!!