GSD National Magazine SW News September 2008

Jaquenetta German Shepherd Dogs

September 2008

FROM THE SOUTH WEST. JEAN HISCOX.

I have no problem at all with the Northern Ireland news correspondent mentioning a bitch owned by a South Westerner, but born and bred in Ireland. To ensure I have some news to report every month, I admit to shamelessly exploiting every tenuous connection with the South West.

The programme about pedigree dogs on the BBC, from the GSD point of view, gave the impression that every show dog has wobbly hocks and looks unhappy being shown by keeping their ears down. Surely the viewing public will not be that gullible as not to realise the production company can manipulate their footage to suit whichever message they wish to convey to the public. They take reels and reels of film and trawl through them to pick out the specimen that fits in with the detrimental comments they want to make about the breed. We took about 20 minutes of film of our 4mth old puppy bitch, walking and running about on the lead. We managed to get a split second, half decent, nearly in stance, still shot of her for the Breed Council Yearbook advert. If you look closely you can see she was not stood posed for the photo, we did try to stand her but gave up as time was running out and we could feel Sheila breathing down our necks. If enough film is taken you can manage to find a shot to illustrate most points, good or bad, of a dog you wish to comment upon.

Jaquenetta Chartreuse

I do not know where the programme makers obtained their information, but it was unreliable. For instance the statement that white GSD puppies are culled. The programme is getting the response it hoped for from the public. A letter in Our Dogs from Helen Pope states, “……and the GSDs that simply cannot walk around the ring but are given prizes beggar belief. How could anyone want a dog that cannot walk?” A letter in the Radio Times from Sally Haggerty stated, “ In the 1960’s, I showed an Alsatian at Crufts; they all looked like the working dogs they were meant to be, upright and happy, not the sagging, quivering wrecks that are winning prizes today. Their plight………beggars belief.” I was annoyed by what she said, but even more annoyed that for those uninformed comments she was chosen as letter of the week and won a Roberts Gemini 31 digital radio worth £90.

Well done to the British contingency showing on the continent. At the Belgium Sieger Show in JHKL females SG3 Conbhairean Nadia. JKL males SG9 Videx Razor. JKL females SG4 Corjon Otty who was also SG15 at the Holland Sieger Show.

At Paignton Champ. Show (no CCs for GSDs) under judge Mrs. M. Chalk, 3^rd PGD Cross & Minhinett’s Romainville Charlie.

On to the Welsh KC Champ. Show under judge Eddy Crouch officiating at his first Champ. Show. 1^st PD Cooper’s Leroaine Bravlio. 4^th LD Bowen & Julian’s Lararth Sonny. 1^st NB Kessel & Brimacombe’s Conbhairean Nathalie at Kesenburg. 1^st GB Robert’s Silverleigh Q-Shelley at Komodo. 3^rd GB Cooper’s Reliant Warda at Leroaine. 1^st PGB Cooper’s Reliant Veilia at Leroaine. 2^nd LB Hensley’s Fahra v Amulree. 2^nd OB Tucker’s Jutones Lisa at Chrisinge. Nikki Farley’s Ch. Nikonis Colin was BOB and went on to take Pastoral Group 2. Well done, it is good to see a GSD in the Group placings at a General Champ. Show, something positive after all the negative press we have received recently.

At the SKC under judge Pauline Cullen, also officiating for the first time, 1^st LD Davies & Davies Silverleigh Estor. 1^st LB&RCC Davies Silverleigh Niamh.

At a show in our area on 10^th August there were 2 dogs in JD and 2^nd place was withheld; from a reliable source we were told it was an elderly lady handling her own dog, which was bred by a well-known Kennel. The comment by the judge at the beginning of her critiques in Our Dogs stated “all but one conformed to the KC Breed Standard”. Last weekend at a General Champ. Show there were 2 dogs in MPD and 2^nd place was withheld, 1 dog in VD and 1^st place was withheld, 5 in PB and 5^th place was withheld, 3 in VB and 3^rd place was withheld. It will be interesting to read the preamble to the judge’s critiques for this show.

While perusing the web site of Frank and Sonja Bredefeld of the Cap Arkona Kennels we found a page about their puppy playground. They have fenced off an area, filled it with activity things to give the puppies plenty to do, and a den to sleep in if it is too hot. There are balls and small tugs hanging from posts, low ramps, stairs, see-saws, tunnels, sand-pit, shallow water container and a garden seat for the owners to sit out and watch the puppies at play.

Puppy Playground

We are pleased with the results for Zumander Dulcine ( Pakros x Hilla v Modithor) Hips 4:2=6, Elbows 0.

We had a flyer from a local Garden and Leisure Centre, it contained an advert for Dog Beer in a brown bottle with a head shot of a German Shepherd on the label. It is a non-alcoholic supplementary food for dogs, brewed with barley and beef extract. It was normally £1.99 and they were offering it for £1.49 a bottle. On the back of the SV Shop Catalogue is an advert for The World’s First Beer Especially Made for Dog Lovers named Schlabbertrunk (transl. slurping) at 1.10 euros a bottle, as a dog lover I shall feel obliged to try one or two…..

I had a telephone call from Dave Edmunds. He has the use of land and a cricket pavilion, near Thornbury, South Gloucester. Apparently the S.V. agreed some time ago that the tracking and obedience parts of the Schutzhund qualification can be taken separately. Dave has been training GSDs for over 45yrs and his enthusiasm has never waned; he is patience personified when it comes to training dogs. Dave would like to form a group to take advantage of these superb facilities, training and running tests for Obedience Dog 1,2 and 3; Tracking Dog 1,2 and 3 leading to FH1 and 2. If anyone is interested please contact Dave. tel. 01179501579.

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