One down,, other one MIA

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

My GSD has an undescended testicle... he is four months old... my breeder recommended a surgical fix, so I can have the option to show him.... she said do it soon or it'll be too late... do any of you know about such things? Advice and opinions greatly appreciated.

[msvette2u]

You can't show him if he's got one undescended. That is a major disqualifying fault.
You only show in conformation if he's going to be bred, and a dog who is undescended should not be bred.

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

You can't show him if he's got one undescended. That is a major disqualifying fault.
You only show in conformation if he's going to be bred, and a dog who is undescended should not be bred.

My breeder said there is a surgery that can bring the undescended one down.... ?????

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

You can't show him if he's got one undescended. That is a major disqualifying fault.
You only show in conformation if he's going to be bred, and a dog who is undescended should not be bred.

Why would you only show if breeding was an option? Isn't showing a fun competition?

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

I just hate to not have all my options available to me...

[lhczth]

Using surgical means to bring down a testicle just so you can show would not be ethical. If you want to keep your dog intact for other reasons then I would look into it.

This dog should NOT be bred.

[msvette2u]

No, you show to see how your dog meets the standard. It doesn't matter if he's not going to be bred. He's a "pet quality" dog and not "breeding/show quality".

Using surgical means to bring down a testicle just so you can show would not be ethical.

Just a question - CAN they do that??

It is my understanding that even if the testicle was brought into place it's still not a developed testicle.
It would be removed surgically and thrown away, to reduce the chance of cancer, the other testicle could be left in place if desired but then again, the dog should not be bred.

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

I am going to keep him intact for at least two years, regardless... This was a recommendation from my breeder.... as for being a "pet quality" dog... I'd like to think of him as being a bit more than that... I am going to do all I can with him... looking into shutzhund,, but having very little luck getting hold of the local clubs,, closest I've come is private training at $75 a session... agility and S&R also appeal to me... I want to have as much fun as I can and raise Yoschi to his full potential...

[msvette2u]

"Pet quality" is appearances only. That is, not a desirable dog for breeding or showing.
MOST of us on the forum have pet quality dogs and that's fine. They aren't physically or mentally impaired, it simply means they aren't going anywhere in the show ring.

[qbchottu]

Agree with Lisa and msvette2u.

You need two to show - judge checks that along with teeth, etc. If you artificially make the other one descend in order to show, that is ok if you are only doing it for fun - however, if I am going to get nitpicky, this is technically cheating. You have surgically altered your non-show worthy dog in order to show and get a show rating. This dog should *NOT* be bred. He has a genetic fault. Surgically altering that for health and a prerequisite to show for fun is ok, but again, this is NOT a breed worthy dog - sorry. If you had a clause for this in your contract, you may be owed compensation. Otherwise, just enjoy the dog.