AKC & a can of worms

It's not just this show and it's not just this breed. How many terriers nowadays do you see that looked scared out of their mind? Terriers that were bred to believe they're 200 lb, 36"-at-shoulder dogs loaded with piss, vinegar, and instinct to rock everyone's world are now cringing in fear. And yet, they get put up. It's sad that a dog that comes closest to its breed standard physically but is scared of its own shadow places over one with a few physical faults but stellar temperament, but thank goodness for working and performance-oriented breeding programs! The structure of a dog will not determine if it loves kids, nor will the ear set contribute to whether a dog is fear aggressive, and because we all live in litigious societies temperament should really be placed above all else. What good is a beautiful and healthy dog if it tries to attack everyone it sees or hides behind its owner if a child shows up?

As to the rears, I just don't get it. They walk with their necks and heads straight up and the rears straight down. I really just don't get it.

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/55.html
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/467782.html
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/124262.html

Now these are very nice dogs, great structure, excellent overall look. Showlines, of course, and I'm sure they move nicely. IMO the exaggerated flying trot gait is displeasing but a true, balanced flying trot (one that any well built breed can accomplish) is wonderful to watch. But again, I don't care what it looks like so long it can move efficiently without much movement waste, turn on a dime (how many of these American lines seem to be unable to do that..), be agile as a ferret on crack and have the completely bombproof and amazing temperament that makes the GSD what it is. If all that is there, it is beautiful regardless of lines or type. I have seen dogs of all lines that I like; the common theme is moderation and closeness to the TRUE standard, not the one idealized in the minds of some breeders and judges.

a breeder judge in Amer was telling me of a Can judge who put up a female whose tail curled around to her back. I aksed him if that judge forget he was judging gsd's and thought this was the husky ring...

A lot of judges try out for many breeds, without really having a solid foundation for any particular breed. They don't really know the standard, and they judge by handler, or what teythink is pretty, or what they remember Rin Tin Tin looked like when they were a child.
Most show folks dislike all breed shows, because they feel that most of the judges wouldn't know a pure gsd much less one that conforms to the standard.

For example, people will call anything with pricked ears a gsd mix.

Now it's a shame on the breeders who, instead of avoiding those judges,( lowering entries and forcing the clubs to hire a decent judge) show their junk that they couldn't get passed by anyone else.

Sigh. I have seen some niiiiice Kirschental dogs here. I tend to like dogs with the heaviest bone-- just my preference, bordering on "coarse."

Balancing out how bad it is when the AKC show judges sway the way the AKC standard is interpreted, is that working dog judges get planefare paid for to come over from Europe, accomodations paid for here-- and end up being VERY generous to the host club's dogs with ratings. Judges are people. There is crookedness in the show world for sure. But I think one can find a show dog with ideal nerves and drive level (exempting the extreme) if one looks. Too bad the looking is not so simple as it once was. But very nice when we find dogs with reliable minds and good structure in the same body.

Many of the Dachsunds here incidentally, probably nobody in USA would want. No only no newfangled colors, but they have still got the original temperament: Assertive, domineering tyrants with wills of iron, hearts of gold, kisses for their fave people, big dog barks, and more actual true aggression and fire than is seen in the most spunky Dachsies in USA. Okay.. not everyone wants one like that. but I can't help admire them. Longer legs and often wirecoats in the wild-boar colors.. nice!

I don't disagree that there are temperament problems which either go unnoticed by judges (not much of a judge in my opinion who can't see it) or is just overlooked in the AKC or CKC rings. There are many good and sound dogs out there though, unfortunately it's the bad ones who are remembered and cause for all the hoopla.

But I have seen some atrocious judging in SV style shows, at least in my area, by judges brought in from Germany. A number of us used to enter a dog or two to support the local club and just have a day out with GSD's, no matter the bloodlines. One year my dog who is now 12 was entered in one of the young male classes, can't remember which but under 2 years. He was placed behind the dog who won the class. The dog who won did not have his mouth examined as he attempted to escape the judge, kept his tail glued to his belly - he may have had testicles under there, who knew? And he backed behind the handler on the gun test. Class winner.

Funny thing is, his owner entered him hoping for just this type of display as she had been attempting to return this dog to the breeder because he was unsound, and the breeder had refused to acknowledge the problems. His owner figured if she put him out there for others to see she'd at least have witnesses to his fear and lack of nerve. She ended up with a class win, go figure.

And yes, my Canadian bred dog and the others in the class were gun sure, steady on their exams and clean and balanced in their movement, by no means were any of them more extreme than German bred dogs in the class (many people have asked over the years if my dog had German lines). Overall, a pretty souring experience when obvious spooks are given the wins in the SV style ring.