HE'S BETTER THAN HIS FATHER!

If you’re the owner of that stud dog who is the father, how does that make you feel? Are you mad? Do you disagree? Do you point out all the reasons that the father is better? Or do you thank them and agree knowing it’s the truth and be happy about it? There’s no correct answer to that question because everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if you’re a smart breeder, you’ll know that that is probably one of the best compliments your stud dog could receive! You have in your hands and own a prepotent stud dog! Congratulations!

A prepotent stud dog is one who exhibits genetic prepotency. For a dog to produce as good as or better than himself is what most breeders can only dream about. What good is a dog that does a lot of winning and is a gorgeous representative of the breed but never produces it? The same thing holds true for a bitch. There have been some beautiful Selects and GV/GVX who never produced any great quality. And most of the times these are the dogs and bitches who are afforded the best opportunities when it comes to breeding. On the other hand, some people don’t care if you ever use their stud dog or buy a puppy from their bitch. They’re just happy showing and winning with their dog. That’s fine as well. We’re all in this breed for different reasons.

In my opinion, there is nothing better for a German Shepherd who is used for stud or whelping litters than for them to acquire their ROM (Register of Merit) titles. To me this is the ultimate achievement when talking about breeding animals. Some champions never achieve this goal.

So you have this dog that is a better dog than his father. Do you breed to this better quality dog or do you breed to his father? I would breed to the father because he has already proven that he is an excellent producer. The young stud dog has yet to prove that.
Hopefully the father will have passed on his excellent producing genes to his sons and daughters, but here too that is not always the case because you have to factor in the bitches line that he’s being bred to.

An excellent example of a dog producing better than him and passing his producing abilities on to his kids was Dallas. I saw the dog in his stud dog class at the 2005’ National Specialty show. Was he my favorite dog in the world? No. In fact he wasn’t my type of dog at all except for his marvelous disposition and he was a handsome boy. But in his favor, I must say that his offspring are producing like mad! Every time I pick up a Review, I always look in the back pages to see the winner’s classes. I would say that 85% of the time, they have been sired by the well known Dallas son, known as Bailey. He has produced some really nice animals. Then to take it even further, take a look at his son Oscar. Here is another fantastic producing dog. He’s already made his ROM. Another Dallas son known as Danny Boy also made his ROM without having a ton of bitches bred to him. Now as I said I wasn’t a fan of Dallas, but I’m a fan of some of his wonderful producing offspring.

I never saw the great producing GV Ch Lance of Fran-Jo ROM. He was a little before my time. Looking at pictures of him however, I wouldn’t necessarily call him a breath taking dog although many times he was the father of many breath taking dogs. One of my all time favorite dogs was a son of Lance known as GV Ch Mannix of Fran-Jo ROM. Now here was a magnificent looking dog, but I didn’t think he was a magnificent prepotent stud dog. Oh, he made his ROM, but in my opinion he never produced anyone that looked like him or that was better than him except for maybe his son GV Ch Scorpio of Shiloh Gardens ROM. I don’t know if he was better than Mannix, but he was a great one. Never having seen either one of these beautiful dogs except to gaze at their pictures, I couldn’t determine that. Scorpio never lived long enough although made his ROM in a short amount of time.

When you have a dog that is as gorgeous looking as Mannix was, how would it be possible to produce one who looked better than he did? He had the head, he had the front, he had the rear and he had the plush coat. Oh yeah, let’s not forget his magnificent side gait. So it is a mighty tall order than for a dog of this exceptional quality to produce better than himself.

Sometimes when you breed a wonderful dog or bitch, they may produce champions but they don’t resemble the sire or dam. My BIM Ch Arbar’s Xanadu ROM was a case in point. Xanadu didn’t produce what she looked like. The sires were the one’s who dominated her litters in breed type. She however, excelled at producing her beautiful side gait (which was one of her most outstanding attributes) and her exceptional oval shaped bone so I was more than satisfied.

So next time someone looks at a young offspring from one of your dogs and says the youngster is better, thank them. They may have not meant it as a compliment and they may have even said it with sarcasm, but whether they realized it or not, they just gave your dog a compliment!

Have a great week-end everyone!

My rating: prepotent stud or bitch: (4), ROM’s (4)

THE TRIMMINGS CONTRIBUTE TO THE WHOLE PACKAGE

Today I wanted to write about some of the things that make a German Shepherd look like a German Shepherd. You’ll hear the breeder discuss the structure of the dog and the movement that he is known for. These are the things besides temperament that we pay the most attention to. But some of the smaller things on the dog can make or break the whole look of this noble breed. Without it, they just don’t look too noble at all.

I’m talking about the ears, eyes and feet of this dog! I’ve already wrote about the ears in another earlier post, but I just wanted to say once again without a good ear set, the German Shepherd’s head just doesn’t look noble at all! Floppy, soft, or ears sticking out to the side just ruins the look of the dog’s head. Even if you were to ask a novice person or the pet person something about this breed, probably one of the first things that they will comment on his the German Shepherds ears and how beautiful his head is!

You don’t hear too many people talk about the color and shape of the German Shepherd’s eyes. Probably (in this writer’s opinion) one of the most unattractive things on a dog’s face is if he doesn’t have the proper color and shape to his eyes. The GSDCA’s standard says, (and I quote): "The expression is keen, intelligent and composed. Eyes of medium size, almond shaped, set a little obliquely and not protruding. The color is as dark as possible." End quote. Also I’ve seen and actually owned a champion who had gorgeous deep Mahoney colored eyes that matched her Mahoney colored facial hair. Very pretty!

Did you ever see a German Shepherd with a yellow protruding ROUND shaped eye? Yuck! Even though he may be the smartest dog on earth, he doesn’t look like it. No nobility on this dog’s face. This among other things only reinforces the need for a breed standard! The ideal eye shape for the German Shepherd is the same ideal eye shape for a beautiful woman……almond shaped! Take a look at some of the world’s most beautiful women and look at the shape of their eyes. Just thought I’d throw that in!

Now onto the feet of the German Shepherd. None of my three girls have great feet. “Bu” probably has the best feet, but it certainly wouldn’t be her claim to fame! I love a good looking foot. In fact, I wish I had better looking feet myself, but this isn’t about me! Another quote from the GSDCA’s breed standard about feet: "The feet are short, compact with toes well arched, pads thick and firm, and nails short and dark." End quote.

Some dogs with the less than ideal foot will have what they call a splayed foot. The toes are long and spread open rather than short and compact. You won’t see a nice thick, firm pad. The pad is not as “cushiony” but looks like it lies flat on the ground. Many times this type of foot has nails that always seem to grow out so quickly. Someone told me recently that she has a bitch that has beautiful feet and she never has to cut her toenails. In fact, she told me that she hasn’t cut her nails since she was a puppy and the bitch is now six years old! I want that bitch!

There’s something about the dog that has black toenails that makes the foot look that much more attractive……almost healthier looking for some reason. Sure the light nail is much easier to cut because you can see the quick in the nail whereas the black nail is a much more delicate situation trying to avoid the quick when you’re cutting their nails.

It’s all about the genetics of his pedigree. I don’t know how easily it is to correct some of these things. Maybe better feet would be the easiest of the three. I think that the ears are the hardest to correct in one generation. What do you guys think?

So ears, eyes, and feet will most definitely make or break the way that your German Shepherd Dog looks. A homely German Shepherd just isn’t too nice to look at. Oh he’s still a lovable brute, but he’s not going to win any beauty contest and I suppose that that’s alright for some people and sometimes the homeliest is the easiest to love. But for me when I think of this great breed, a picture comes to my mind and it’s not of a protruding, round yellowed eyed, floppy eared dog standing with splayed feet and his tongue sticking out looking goofy. The German Shepherd Dog must have presence…..preferably a noble presence!

My rating: soft ears, poor ear set: (1), splayed feet: (1), yellow round eyes: (1)

LAST MINUTE GIFT IDEAS!

Oh I am without doubt the worst when it comes to buying holiday gifts for this time of year. I mean I procrastinate. I’m just plain awful. By now, most people have bought their gifts and they’ve even wrapped them. Cards have been sent and they’re planning their holiday meals. Christmas trees have been decorated and the outside house decorations are the envy of the neighborhood. I’ll wait to the very last minute before I go out to do what everyone else has been doing for the last few months. Well at least I’ll know what my New Years resolution will be……to stop procrastinating!

So for those few people out there who are like me, still pondering about what to get great Aunt Matilda, I’ve got some gift suggestions you might like to consider. I’m sure if we put our collective minds together we can come up with something. Most of these ideas will be geared towards our “fur” owning families and friends.

For those people who have everything: how about personalized items? You know the ones I mean…..those things that you can have their names, kennels, or dog’s names engraved on something. Suggestions might be: t-shirts, mouse pads, hats, totes, license plate holders, letterhead stationery or cards. And if you’re a big spender, how about a portrait of their beloved dog or dogs?

For the easy to please type of people: You can do the same thing for these guys by giving them a personalized gift or skip the monograms and give them a plain old t-shirt, etc. After all they’re easy and will love whatever you give them even if it is just another polyester shirt or boxed tie. A nice idea might be a dog breed book or a movie that has a dog as its leading character. How about a DVD of the “Dog Whisperer” series?

For the children of “fur” owning parents: Give the kids books about the German Shepherd Dog. Teach them early. Pay to have a pro teach them the ins and outs of dog show handling. Pay a professional to train your dog with your kid on the end of the leash. Buy him a new bike so he can help road work the dogs. Save up for a trip to the National so your child can compete in the junior handling events. Get him involved. Buy him the best dog grooming products so he can participate in the care of the dogs. You have no idea how happy this will make him! While all his friends brag about their football victories, Johnny will have bragging rights about his new Grand Victor (in the making)!

For the husband or boyfriend of a “fur” owning woman: Buy him a new vanity plate for his car with your kennel name on it. How about some doggie mats for his car? Give him a new video camera so he can tape all the dog shows you go to. Buy him one of those chairs that have the umbrella attachment so he’s protected from the sun when he’s watching the dog shows. Even better, buy him one of those tent like awnings and invite all your friends to sit and watch the show with the two of you. Get him a new barbecue grill for all the dog parties you plan on giving this year and designate him as the top chef! And there you go, how about personalizing a new barbecuing apron for your champ of a husband? And if you’re a big spender, how about giving him a year’s membership in the gym so he’ll be in better shape to help you double handle the dogs. If this is out of your budget, you can always buy him a new pair of sneakers to help him better double handle your new up and coming star! He’ll love you for it!

For the wife or girlfriend of the “fur” owning man: How about buying her a new top show quality puppy that she’s been having her eye on for the last month? You know she wants that puppy to add to the twenty dogs that she already has! Just think how grateful she’ll be. How about buying her a new sweat pants outfit to clean the dog kennels? In fact, buy her two or three so you don’t get tired of looking at her in the same one. And if you’re really on a budget, here’s one that won’t cost you a dime. Volunteer to pick up the dog’s kennels for the next couple of months or even just on the week-ends. Make sure they have clean, fresh water without having her ask you if you’ve checked. Go ahead, surprise her! Buy her a new vacuum that’s great for picking up dog hair, or how about one of those steamers for the carpet? She’ll appreciate you thinking of lightening her work load! Give her tickets for the host hotel at next years National Specialty show and tell her you plan on coming with her! For the really big spender, give her the keys to a brand new van that can easily accommodate 4 dog crates! To show her appreciation, she might even make you her secret recipe meat loaf that night!

What to give your “doggie” friends: Bake up some home made dog biscuits and tie them up with a pretty ribbon. Layer the ingredients for home made dog biscuits in a plain glass jar and include the instructions for baking them and put a festive bow on top of the lid. Buy them a new doggie brush or comb. How about a new bottle of shampoo or conditioner? Offer to “doggie” sit so they can go out to a dinner and movie one night. You can offer to help leash train some of their new puppies on a Saturday afternoon. Bring a pot luck dish and you can have a light lunch together. How about gifting her with this years newest Redbook? You can order that on the GSDCA’s website. And if you’re really a big spender, how about offering to pay for her membership dues so she’s sure not to miss out on receiving her latest issue of The German Shepherd Dog Review?

If your budget is really only able to squeeze out $5 to $10 a person, buy them a lottery ticket and help make someone a millionaire! Or you can donate in their name to one of their favorite charities or donate to Last Hope, Safe Haven to help save a German Shepherd from a shelter and do it in your friends name! The needy dog will be forever grateful that you did!

And for your own “fur” kids: Buy him a top supplement like Vibrant Pets (from yours truly) to help keep him healthy all year. Call up Mary and ask her to send you some more Naked Care for grooming his coat so he’ll look real pretty for his Christmas picture! How about ordering a new leash from Emily the Leash Lady? E-mail me and let me do a personalized t-shirt, mouse pad, tote or hat for that special person. (See the above pictures with this article). Get in touch with Ginger Cleary and ask her to do a sketch of your dog for you. Ask Sally if she can send you one of her jackets with her beautiful hand made German Shepherd embroidery decorations. If you really are looking for a very SPECIAL “one of a kind” gift, no one does more beautiful paintings then our very own Syd Mailberg! Ask anyone who has one of her lovely portraits how much they love her work! I’m sure there are many more people in our breed who sells wonderful things that would make great gifts. Seek them out and support what they do!

So there you have it, all you last minute procrastinators! The list of possibilities is endless. But do it now, shipping to get those gifts in time for Santa’s delivery is coming down to the wire. After all, there are just so many gifts he can fit on that sleigh. And besides rumor has it, (and I have it from Mrs. Clauses own mouth), Rudolph is on strike and might have to be replaced with another reindeer! So make those calls, send those e-mails, but get your orders in. Don’t find yourself like me, going to the stores late Christmas Eve looking over the last remnants of gifts that other shoppers didn’t want. Will I ever learn to put a stop to this madness or come this time next year, find myself rummaging through the “nobody wants” pile of leftovers once again? Stay tuned!

My rating: Buy gifts from our dog community: (4), home made gifts: (4), receiving “big spenders” gifts: (4++++++)!

GLOSSARY OF DOG BRUSHES AND COMBS

There are so many different dog grooming supplies on the market, it could make your head spin. Just what does each of these things do and are they really necessary in making your dogs coat look beautiful? Let’s take a look at some of them.

GROOMING BRUSHES:

SLICKER BRUSH: These brushes have fine wire pins that are secured to a flat base. The pins are bent on an angle. You can get them in different sizes and different pin stiffness. This type of brush is better suited for the long coated dog. It’s ideal to remove loose hair and mats or for dematting. The heavier and thicker the coat, the stiffer the pins should be. This type of brush is good for the long coated Shepherd. A high quality brush to check out is Chris Christensen slicker brushes.

PIN BRUSH: The pin brush is usually oval and have metal bristles set in a flexible rubber base. These brushes are good for dogs that have a wavy or long coat. It’s important to make sure that the brush you chose has polished or coated pins so the brush doesn’t scratch or irritate the dog’s skin. Once the pins lose their coating, it’s time to replace the brush. Again, a good choice for these types of brushes is from Chris Christensen’s line because of their excellent quality. They may last a lifetime.

BRISTLE BRUSH: This is the type of brush that is best for the short-coated dogs for everyday grooming and to remove surface dust and dirt. It’s also an excellent choice to finish the coat and bring out its shine.

COMBINATION PIN/BRISTLE BRUSH: As the name states, this is a two in one type of brush combining the pin and bristle brush together. You can use one side to groom the dogs short hair areas and the other side to penetrate the under coat of the German Shepherd’s body.

PORCUPINE BRUSH: This is a brush that combines long quill like bristles with shorter bristles. It is a brush that is best suited to remove loose hair and debris from medium length hair to the long coated Shepherd.

SPECIALIZED BRUSHES:

ZOOM GROOM BRUSH: This is ideal for long or short-coated dogs. The Zoom Groom can be used on wet or dry coats. This is a great brush to use at bath time. It’s waterproof; collects hair like a magnet and it’s easy to remove the loose hair from the brush.

RUBBER GROOMING GLOVE AND DOG BRUSHES: These brushes are designed to remove the hair of a short coated dog. They come in rubber dog brushes, rubber bathing mittens and rubber curry brushes. You don’t actually brush your dog with these grooming aids, but you massage the dog’s coat in a circular motion. It can be used on a wet or dry coat. The bathing glove works well at bath time to help lather up and rinse the dog.

COMBS AND RAKES:

STANDARD METAL COMB: This comb has widely spaced teeth on one end of the comb and finer teeth on the other side of the comb. A standard combination comb will have widely spaced teeth at one end and finer spaced teeth at the other end. A highly recommend metal comb is the Butter comb by Chris Christensen. It easily glides through the dog’s hair.

DEMATTING COMB: German Shepherd Dogs coat rarely mat so this is not a favorite coat for grooming this breed. The only time you may have use for this coat with this breed is if he is a long coat or plush coated dog. This type of comb has very sharp teeth used to split and remove mats. If you find the need to use this type of comb, use caution with it as it can injure your dog’s skin.

UNDERCOAT RAKE: This is an ideal comb for the German Shepherd Dog. It is used for dogs that have an undercoat. It is designed for the undercoat of the dog and will remove loose hair quicker than the regular type of comb.

SHEDDING COMB: These combs have long and short teeth. The widely spaced, longer teeth comb out the dense undercoat... while the shorter teeth separate the longer outer coat.

SHEDDING BLADE: This is used like a brush and is designed to remove loose hair from a dog that sheds a lot like the German Shepherd.

FLEA COMB: These are very fined tooth like combs that effectively remove fleas from the dog’s coat. It can also be used to groom the hair on the dog’s face. Make sure you always clean the comb in a bowl of soapy water after each stroke to remove and drown any fleas that are removed by the comb.

FURMINATOR: This has become a favorite of the German Shepherd Dog owner because of its excellence in removing the under coat of this breed. See my review of this product in an earlier post on my blog.

So besides feeding our dogs a top quality diet and supplements, brushing and grooming them is also an important factor in maintaining a healthy, glossy coat. Dog brushing spreads the animal’s natural oils throughout his coat which gives him that beautiful shine. Because the German Shepherd Dog is a breed that sheds all the time, grooming should be an important part of the care of this breed.

I think you can get away with buying a cheaper comb, but not a cheaper brush. The combs are usually quite sturdy, but the brushes if cheaply made can fall apart too quickly. I don’t know how many brushes I’ve replaced. It’s more economical to spend a little more up front than having to replace them every few months. Chris Christensen brushes usually can run from $22 to over $50. Among other places, you can find his brushes at Cherrybrook. The Furminator can be found all over the internet. For some of the best prices on the Furminator, check out Amazon and E-bay!

My rating: top quality brushes and combs: (4), lower quality brushes: (2), lower quality combs: (3)

HOTEL ON WHEELS

I always thought it would be so much fun traveling in an RV (recreation vehicle) going across country. There’s no set schedule to follow. No check in time. No check out time. You can come and go as you please. Just imagine all the wonderful things you can see and visit. Unless I win the Mega Millions, an RV will just have to remain part of my dreams. When researching for this article, I actually saw a motor home that was for sale for ONLY $1,250,000! Yup, you read that right………over a million dollars! I’m sure these are the type of buses (that’s what this one looked like) that the country/western or rock stars travel in. Inside they look like a five star hotel!

Some people who show dogs and some handlers own RV’s (motor homes). Most of the time I’ve seen the larger RV’s that show dog people own. If you are traveling with dogs, naturally you’ll need the room for dog crates and that can take up a lot of space even when you are stacking them on top of one another.

When choosing which RV to buy, there are some things to take into consideration. Obviously the number one thing is how much money you can afford to spend. As noted, some RV’s cost as much or more as a house! Naturally comfort is important. Roominess is another factor. Is a nice little kitchen important to you with modern conveniences? Does it have a table to eat at? Is the bathroom large enough? Does it have a shower? What about the bedding area? How’s the storage areas? Some have hidden storage under the seat cushions of the sofa. How many people can sleep in the RV? Does it have enough room for dog crates? Generators are standard or available in most motor homes, so you’re less dependent on campground hookups. Motor homes are run by diesel or gas.

I don’t think people who own RV’s are looking to save money by not staying at a hotel. I think people who choose to own an RV, choose it because of the freedom it affords them. They can travel at their own pace. They just have to find places for hook ups for their motor homes and places that will allow dogs to be exercised.

There are three classes of RV’s, (A, B, & C), but for this article I’m writing about class C and class A. The class C motor home is great for small trips. These smaller motor homes are built on a van chassis with attached cab section. Some of them feature a large bed over the cab. Larger Class A motor homes feature open, spacious floor plans and are an excellent choice for extended trips. Class A motor homes have an integrated chassis (they look more “bus-like”). Gasoline-powered Class As is typically less expensive than diesels, and, since most have the engine in the front they offer more flexibility in the rear floor plan. Diesel-powered Class As tend to be more powerful and more fuel efficient than gasoline models. Most have the engine in the rear, which makes these smoother and quieter to drive.

There are many different dealers who sell RV’s. Do your research about the reliability of the manufacturers of these motor homes. Ask other motor home owners what they think about their RV’s. I’m sure they can give you some tips of what to look for. For instance, how well does the motor home handle on the road? Some of them I’m told are very easy to drive whereas, some of them are much harder and someone told me that they sold their first motor home because it was not easy to handle on the road. They bought another one and driving it is so much nicer.

Some popular manufacturers that you might want to check out are: Airstream, Allegro, Coachmen, Fleetwood, Forest River, Gulf Stream, Jayco, Keystone, Newmar, Winnebago, among others.

Another way to travel in a motor home if you can’t afford to buy one is to rent one. If you are going to travel to a big show like a National Specialty, you might want to consider hooking up with a friend to see if they might want to share the expenses and rent a RV with you.

As for this writer, as I said unless I win the lottery, I’ll just look at all the pretty pictures online and dream about it!

My rating: if you can afford it…RV: (4), renting an RV: (4)

MISSING OUT ON ALL THE FUN?

Dog shows should be fun. For some people it is and then for others, it’s all about the winning and nothing else seems to matter. These are the people who are missing out on all the fun. Sure a dog show is a competition and everyone wants to win. But the fact of the matter is, not everyone is going to win. Maybe on a different day, but today might not be that day! So do you drive away angry that your dog lost or do you accept the fact that today was not the day for him to win under this judge?

The fun part of showing is the socialization with the different spectators and exhibitors. This is a time to play catch up with the latest gossip. It’s a time to talk about your new litters that you have planned. It’s a great time to promote your young stud dog. It’s a time to compare notes about the different attributes and hindrances in a certain bloodline.
Going to a dog show is a “feel good” type of experience. Some people truly only go to a dog show to win. That’s it. Nothing more. I know a very successful breeder who told me just that. He comes. He shows. He leaves. Then it’s on to the next show.

In my opinion, a dog show is so much more than just showing your dog. Sure, that’s the main reason one goes to a show, but it shouldn’t be the only reason. If it is, in my opinion, you’re missing out on some of the good stuff. I think its great fun when after the show is over that many of the exhibitors get together and go out for dinner. It’s not unusual to see twenty or more people squeezing around a table at a local restaurant. What great conversation takes place at these tables. It can be educational and oh so much fun! Get some of the people in the breed that have been around for a long time and get ready for some very interesting tails and tidbits!

Some of my fondest memories in dogs have been the parties that I put on or was invited to. Everybody is in a good mood. Good food, good conversation and good fun! We used to take videos of some of our parties and looking back on some of them, it saddens me that some of those people are no longer with us. I’m also grateful for those who still are.

We celebrated championship parties, ROM parties, New Years Eve and any other excuse to have a get together with our dog friends. We danced, we ate, we laughed, and we were having lots of fun together. Sometimes the dogs would steal a morsel or two off of someone’s plate, but who cared; we were just enjoying one another’s company.

Other ways to have fun in this dog game are the training classes. Here is where like minds come together hoping to achieve the same thing……a well trained dog. Someone teaches the class, many others give tips on how to handle a certain problem and sometimes someone else will take your dog in the training ring just so the dog is used to someone else handling him. Again we come to train our animals, but here too is another fun way to socialize with our peers. We exchange ideas. We help one another. And then maybe afterwards we all go out for a cup of coffee and enjoy some engaging conversation.

The same thing can be true when you belong to a breed club. Sure your objective is to talk about business and the proper way to run a club. But here is another opportunity for people to come together and talk and listen to one another’s view points. Normally coffee and donuts might be served. People take their cup of coffee and find a place to sit and listen to the night’s agenda. The young can learn from those who have been in the breed for some time. The seasoned “old timers” can learn from the young by listening to their concerns about the breed. A healthy back and forth exchange can be enlightening for both parties. The breed club should be a place of goodwill for all who come. All should be encouraged and welcomed.

Anytime you go to a big week-end of shows, most people will have to stay over at a hotel or in their motor home. Normally the hotel will have a bar and restaurant on the premises. Here you will find many dog people engaging in interesting conversation and usually welcome you to join them. You’ll find many people gather like this at the National Specialty show held once a year. This is a time for people to see other people who they normally couldn’t because of distance. It’s also a great time to meet new people. Most people have wonderful times at the National because of the availability of many people from all over the country gathering in one place.

Another fun time to be had is when local breeders get together at someone’s home to look at and help evaluate someone’s litter. Oh my gosh, I was so very lucky to live in an area that had some good breeders close enough so we could do this. It was me, Marge Dolan, Doris Farrell, Nancy Vaught and Edie Trocki (Edie & Bob would have the best Super Bowl parties)! We would get together for lunch and chit chat about all the stuff dog people talk about……bloodlines, shows, handlers, breeders, etc. Then we would go outside and look at puppies or older youngsters. Most of the time Nancy would gait the pups. She was good at that. The rest of us would “ooooh and awww” over the screaming, jumping, clawing “most definitely” not trained puppies. Geez, this was some of my fondest memories in dogs. It was the people. Not the dogs. The people were the ones who made it fun!

So as I said, if you are not having fun in this dog game, you are most definitely missing out on a lot of what makes this all worthwhile. The showing of dogs is not just about the showing of dogs! It’s about the people you meet. It’s about the friends you make and especially those who become life long friends. I have been fortunate to have some very long standing friendships in this breed that I am most grateful for. I miss those who are no longer with us. I can vividly see them standing up and talking at a club meeting. I can see them running around outside of a ring double handling their dog. I can still hear their voices over the telephone saying “Hello Barbara dear.” I can hear their hearty laughter. I can turn around and see their smile, feel their tap on my back for encouragement and I can still see the twinkle in their eye about something they may have said naughty about someone else’s dog. They are the ones who have made the showing of dog’s lots of fun, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!

My rating: showing dogs: (4), friendships in this sport: (4), parties & socialization: (4)!

HONEY, DOES THIS OUTFIT MAKE MY BUTT LOOK BIG?

One of the biggest health concerns for dogs today is obesity. We live in a country of “land of plenty” and just like some of us humans some of our dogs are suffering from it. Many times you will see this with the pet owner. He loves his dog TOO much! The dog is fed a decent enough food and if the puppy was bought from a breeder is probably on the food that was recommended to keep him healthy. Many times the pet owner thinks his dog is too thin because he can see a rib or two and feels like the dog needs to be fattened up a little. He begins to increase the dog’s food and before you know it, “Fido” is now a pleasingly plump spoiled boy. Although this is seen more with the pet owner, I have seen (and have been guilty of it myself) some show dogs that have less than the ideal “figure!”

To make matters worse, some dogs are getting too much food AND treats and table scraps as well. And if you have young kids around, forget about it. He is now sharing everything that little Johnny didn’t want to eat in his own dinner!

Another problem is the dog that doesn’t receive too much exercise or none at all! If the dog just lies around the house all day without getting any exercise he will pack on the pounds very quickly.

A lot of pet owners think their dogs look adorable with the extra weight on them. In fact they think their dog is very healthy. After all, his coat is shiny, his eyes are bright and “Fido” is a very happy, content dog who doesn’t give them any problems. They don’t realize that all this “extra love” that they are giving their dogs can produce serious health problems. Overweight dogs can have the same health problems that their overweight owners may have…..diabetes mellitus which can be tricky to treat. Also the overweight dog can have a shorter life expectancy.

How does the pet owner know if his dog is overweight? A dog of normal weight should have an indentation at his waistline, and his ribs should be easily felt under his skin. An overweight dog will not have a waistline and there will be a thicker layer of fat over his ribs.

Besides over feeding your dog and not giving him enough exercise there is other factors that may be contributing to your dog’s weight problems. The dog may have health issues such as hyperthyroidism or hyperadrenocorticism, age, gender, and breed. The best thing for the owner to do is have his vet check the dog for any health problems.

If no health problems are found, the next thing you should look at is the quality and quantity of food you are feeding your dog. Many store brand and generic foods do not have the proper nutrients required to keep your dog healthy and fit. There are some foods on the market that are geared for the overweight dog. There are also prescription diets that are available. When switching to a different dog food, don’t just start him on the new food. Gradually introduce the food by mixing a bit of it with the food you already use. By the end of the week, you should have him eating just the new food. This will help reduce digestive problems like vomiting and loose stools. Feed your dog the amount that the label or your veterinarian recommends.

Dog treats and snacks need to be cut out from the dog’s menu. Many people feed their dogs the appropriate amount of food, but do not realize how high in calories many treats are. If you don’t want to cut out treats altogether, look for healthy snacks like carrots or ones that are low in calories. Read the labels. Stop feeding the dog leftovers and tell the rest of the family not to give him any more handouts. Stop letting the dog beg at the table. Put him away when the family is eating or give him a little obedience training like teaching him to lie still on the floor while the family eats. And stop looking at those big brown eyes that are begging you to throw him something. Just ignore him while you’re eating!

Another important factor in reducing your dog’s weight is providing him with the appropriate amount of exercise. Some people don’t understand that dogs require a lot of exercise to maintain proper health. If your dog is overweight, you should take him for a walk in the morning and the evening. Dog parks are an excellent place for both you and your dog to get exercise. Sign up for a class like agility or fly ball to help keep your dog active. Play lots of games like fetch and Frisbee. You have to be an active participant in your dog’s daily exercise. Besides it will be good for both of you. I know someone who pays for her dog to be exercised. Someone in her neighborhood jogs and she takes the dog with her. This is a group winning show dog whose owner is not able to exercise her dog the way that she would like. So now he goes for a jog everyday with someone else.

Weight loss in dogs should be very gradual. Don’t take drastic measures in trying to help your dog lose weight. In other words if you feed your dog 10 cups of food a day, don’t drop that down to feeding him 5 cups a food a day. Everything should be down gradually for the best results and not to shock your dogs system.

Sometimes an exhibitor will show his dog thinking that he looks great. After the class is over, he might be told by a friend or even the judge that he has a very nice dog but his back is loose and rolling. Most of the time this means that the dog is too heavy and he has not been given enough exercise. This is an athletic breed and nothing is more unattractive than looking at a dog that is not in tip top shape. Because one of the things that he will judged on is his movement, it is imperative that this dog is up to moving in a large ring without tiring out or looking sloppy.

So if health problems have been ruled out for the reason why your dog is overweight, then the only conclusion is that the dog is being overfed and not given enough exercise. With a German Shepherd dog you can tell by his attitude. This is a breed that needs to be exercised. He becomes very restless when he’s not. As I’ve said in other articles that I’ve written about this breed, he is not a happy dog when he’s not given something to do. Because of his need and love of being with you, exercising him brings out the happy side of this breed.

My rating: proper nutrition: (4), exercise: (4)