Printer Friendly
Send this page to a friend
The Gap Widens
by Fred Lanting
Copyright November, 2006 -
In the German Shepherd Dog world, and echoed elsewhere, we have long heard (and voiced) complaints about the schism that exists between the "show" (Hochzuchtlinie or high-breeding) lines and the "sport" or working-competition (Leistungs) lines. I'll speak to the issue of the non-standard (AKC, Alsatian) styles elsewhere, but first I intend to discuss the continued and even widening gap in the international type. Here, I will allude a little more to the history of the breed. You might consider this "Part Two", with an illustrated companion article (though not actually designated "Part One") having been made available under the title, "Will the True Working Dog Disappear?"
The vision of Max von Stephanitz, which even today is cherished by many of us who love the breed, was to standardize, to "fix Type" in, the many variations of the shepherd's dog he found all over Germany and many adjoining lands. Some were shaggy, others were short-coated. Some were scrawny, some high in the rear, some had ears that did always stand up. But all that he incorporated into the new "breed" association in 1899 had jobs they worked in.
Besides the flock tending, which was becoming less needed in the age of industrialization and migration to the cities, dogs with these talents and type were finding other occupations. Captain von Stephanitz saw, selected, and developed the abilities that soon made his German Shepherd Dog the preferred breed for police and military service. Before long, its combination of sensitivity and need for nearly-constant human contact, plus its size, made it ideal for the newly-recognized occupation of guide dog for blind people. It was still a dog with "working papers".
Between the two big wars, the pastime of exhibition and competition grew, designed to select the dogs that looked like they were best qualified to produce the next generation. Coat length and colors, body size and proportions, ear and tail carriage: all these were added to the evaluation of character and some evidence of utility. Conformation competition classes were categorized by age, with any dog over two years old being required to have a suitable training title in order to compete in the "beauty" shows. These titles included the HGH herding certificate and the newer Schutzhund (protection) title. Other, less-encountered service designations were retained for a while.
After WW-2, with the breed in Germany decimated as a result of personal dogs having been commandeered by the military, and most of them killed in action or having disappeared when the concentration camps were found and dismantled, the breed and sport had to start all over with a limited gene pool. Conformation shows were only suspended during a few of the war years. Still, despite different zones of Germany being assigned to the major allies, and many GSD's becoming prisoners of Communism behind an iron curtain, there was still the oneness of the breed, with one conformation standard and set of requirements for proof of working ability.
This united, single-breed status continued for another couple of decades. In Eastern Europe, because of the Soviet Union's cancellation of such freedoms as communication, dogs on "their side" stopped sharing and exchanging genetic material with their western counterparts. Therefore, we who were around then and for many years later could see the result of this isolation. We could spot, at a glance, the rust-red Czech dog, the bicolor or black East German dog, and the wiry sables from many parts of these imprisoned lands. But in western Germany and in all the countries of the free world that got dogs from there, the GSD looked pretty much the same. Even in North America, where no proof of working ability was or is needed, the international type and styles were honored until the late 1960s.
There are two main annual, national competition events in Germany that are of the greatest interest to people around the world, and I have led tour groups to both. One is variously called the Sieger Show or Bundessiegerzuchtschau (BSZS), and the other is the Bundessiegerprüfung (BSP). The former, held around the first of September, is supposed to select and rank those dogs that conform anatomically, and the latter is to rank those that perform all the schutzhund exercises (tracking, obedience, and protection). The BSP is generally held two weeks after the conformation event, in a different part of Germany. The BSZS is open to all qualified dogs regardless of country of birth or residence, but the practical fact is that if a dog has not been competing in Germany's local and regional shows during the spring and summer under the judge who will see them at the Sieger Show, and if it has not been placing highly there, it will not get an elevated placing at the big show in the autumn. The BSP is open only to dogs resident in Germany.
At the Sieger Show, there is a qualification performance for adult dogs on the first of the three days. It is commonly referred to as "the courage test" and involves two short excerpts from the SchH-1 (IP-1) exercise. In the first one, the handler and dog walk at heel toward a blind from which an attacker jumps out and threatens them. In the second, the dog is sent from the far end of the field to intercept the "bad guy&". In each case, the trespasser is charging at them, waving a stick as his weapon. The dog must confidently and firmly hit the intruder, and bite steadily with (hopefully) a full-mouth grip. The dog must not "shy” at any time or let go during the struggle.
In each case, after the "out", the dog must guard the motionless "bad guy" until picked up by the handler. An evaluation of Ausgeprägt (pronounced) enables a dog to be presented for the conformation judging, which for that dog begins a few minutes after leaving the courage test field. An evaluation of Vorhanden (sufficient" means the dog barely passed but with a relatively poor level of courage and fighting drive (TSB). Such a dog can still get an SG (Very Good) rating at most, but is ineligible for the V (excellent) rating, or the VA, which is what the top few qualifiers get. Adult females go through the same process, but since males produce up to ten times as many offspring a year, they are the ones most studied at the show by breeders and potential puppy buyers. The dogs that completely fail to engage, stay on the sleeve, and act protective and brave are sent home or to the kennel box — hopefully in the shade.
« Previous Page 1 2 3 Next Page » | Single page version
Fred Lanting is an internationally respected show judge, approved by many registries as an all-breed judge, has judged numerous countries’ Sieger Shows and Landesgruppen events, and has many years experience with SV. He presents seminars and consults worldwide on such topics as Gait-&-Structure, HD and Other Orthopedic Disorders, Anatomy, Training Techniques, and The GSD. He conducts annual non-profit sightseeing tours of Europe, centered on the Sieger Show (biggest breed show in the world) and BSP.
All Things Canine -- consulting division, Willow Wood Services Phone: 256-498-3319 Fax: 256-498-3311 E-mail mr.gsd@netscape.com
Canine HD and Other Orthopedic Disorders by Fred Lanting.
It covers all joints plus many bone disorders and includes
genetics, diagnostic methods, treatment options, and the role that environment
plays. This new "Hip Dysplasia and Other
Canine Orthopedic Disorders" book is a comprehensive (nearly 600
pages!), amply illustrated, annotated, monumental work that is suitable as a
coffee-table book, reference work for breeders and vets, and a study adjunct for
veterinary students, for the dog trainer
and the general dog owner of any breed.
The Total German Shepherd Dog by Fred Lanting
This is the expanded and enlarged second edition, a "must" for
every true GSD lover. It is an excellent alternative to the "genetic history" by
Willis, but less technical and therefore suitable for the novice, yet very
detailed to be indispensable for the reputable GSD breeder. Chapters include:
History and Origins, Modern Bloodlines, The Standard, Anatomy, The German
Shepherd in Motion, Shows, Showing, and Training, The Winners, Nutrition and
Feeding, General Care and Information, Health and First Aid, Parasites and
Immunity, Diseases and Disorders, The Geriatric German Shepherd, Breeding,
Basics of Genetics, Reproduction, Whelping, The First Three Weeks, Four to
Twelve Weeks, Trouble-shooting Guide.Click here to purchase
books by Fred Lanting
