GSD National Magazine SW News April 2009

Jaquenetta German Shepherd Dogs

April 2009

FROM THE SOUTH WEST. JEAN HISCOX.

There was a good turnout for the open shows in Yorkshire and Scotland, but no results to report from the SW at either. We are still in hibernation down here; we will venture out when the sun does.

I have heard some people are disappointed with their litters from top German show lines, but you need patience as some of this breeding takes time for all the parts to come together. Between five and seven weeks the puppies usually look good, and then not so good at times while they go through their growing stages to adulthood. A lot of German breeders farm out their picks of litter as young puppies. The chap we bought our bitch from in Germany had a litter of ten by Quantum; he farmed out two bitches. He took back the best bitch about a year later and began to show her. She was a very good bitch, she did quite well and was in the top 20 SGs at the Sieger Show. He offered her to us and we were interested in buying her, until he had an offer of 30,000 Euros from a couple in China. He sold her to them at the show with no Schutzhund and no Körklasse.

I listened to a lecturer on the canine skeleton about the different lengths of time each bone takes to grow. Which is why young stock often look out of unison with themselves until all the bones have finished growing and settle down. The last to finish growing is the lower jaw; a young puppy needs to be slightly overshot to give a correct bite when adult. How does this stand when judging? I do not penalise a slightly overshot jaw on young puppies for this reason (you can judge by the age of the puppy how much overshot is allowable), but judging by KC rules ‘the dog on the day’ the puppy has not got a correct bite. Will the KC allow a little leeway for breed specialists who know the peculiarities of their chosen breed? Probably not! We have two litter sisters at the moment; one is going through the various ungainly growing stages as per the book; the other has resembled a perfectly proportioned miniature adult from six weeks of age when her ears came up. She is now a year old and it will be interesting to see if she stays in proportion until maturity, or follows the theory that as she has looked ‘finished’ so young she will end up overdone.

At the GSDC of Wales under judge Egidio Esposito there were some large classes so placings down to first five. 3^rd MPD Richards & Ward’s Jadema Fabius. 5^th MPD Apps & Tucker’s Felsental Danison. 2^nd JD Aldridge’s Edser Anton. 2^nd PGD Bassett & Yates’s Kalbeshan Qudos at Gollygobble. 5^th PGD Cross & Minhinett’s Romainville Charlie. 1^st OD&BD Bowen & Julian’s Lararth Sonny. 2^nd OD Davies & Davies Silverleigh Estor. 2^nd PB Pearson’s Voneche Imogen. 3^rd YB Shepherd’s Cannislore Breanna. 5^th PGB Bassett & Yates’s Lilet od Petrovica. 2^nd OB Sheffield’s Willowdale Keifa.

I found Marilyn Roberts article interesting and a lot of what she says makes good sense, but I have to take issue with her observations listed under European Breeding; I cannot agree with any of them if they are supposed to be a generalization. There are very few dogs too long in the foreleg. I would not say the dogs are too short but some are on the limits of 9 to 10. There are as many stretched and on the limits of 8.5 to 10. Ratios can be checked on all dogs that have been breed surveyed. I have not seen any height to length measurements of the short on foreleg long backed dogs to check their ratio. Too short in body is not the cause of a roach back. The loin is supposed to be relatively short. I do not think I have seen a croup that I would describe as too long. Extreme rear angulation is not due to an excessively steep, long croup. There are some faults common throughout the breed, but these observations of the international GSD in her article do not seem to mention them.

At the Irish Sieger Show under judges Rudiger Mai and Cedric Blackbourne. JYM SG1 Cullen’s Veneze Connor. MPM VP2 Cullen’s Veneze Dino. JYF SG3 Cullen’s Veneze Chaos.

On the same day at Bolton Champ Show under dog judge Bill Patterson. 3^rd JD Andrews & Rees’s Nikonis Arthur. 5^th JD Aldridge’s Edser Anton. 2^nd YD Keen’s Clokellys Lagos. Under bitch judge Damir Jovanović. 2^nd PB Pearson’s Voneche Imogen. 4^th PGB Sheffield’s Willowdale Keifa.

I had a telephone call from Dave Edmunds to tell me he is putting on the tests for tracking, obedience, etc., in our area, (as included in the September SW News). The judge is WUSV recognised. Also the procedure of requirements for Kkl and character test for BH if anyone is interested in these. If anyone wishes to train for or enter these tests all are welcome, please contact Dave tel. 01179 501579 for further information.

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