THE DIFFERENT COLOR COATS OF THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG

Most pet people when they think of the German Shepherd dog, they think of the black and tan or even the black and silver coat. They are not familiar with the many different colors of this breed. The colors of the German Shepherd are: black and tan/black and crèam, black and silver, sable/gray, bi-color, black, white, blanket, blue, and liver. According to the German Shepherd Dog Club of America the coat color may vary although strong rich colors are preferred. Pale, washed-out colors and blues or livers are serious faults. A white dog must be disqualified. I wonder why blues and livers are only serious faults but yet the white dog would be disqualified!?

When you think of a black and tan/crèam/silver, or red this would usually describe a dog that has a black saddle and the majority of the rest of his coat color is tan, crèam, silver, or red. This would be the most common color of this breed. Most of the time this is the type of dog that you would see in the movies or television or even the advertising of this breed. I would venture to say that more dogs of this color than any other color of this breed does the most winning in the conformation shows. In fact some judges have a hard time putting up some dogs of other colors like the black dog, the bi-color or even the sable dog. For some of them, this is not a color that they prefer. That’s why it’s very important to find out what a certain judge may like before you enter the ring. Of course the best structured dog with the most desirable temperament should be the dog that wins. However, it is a known fact that some judges just do not favor other coat colors besides the black and tan variation.

The sable/gray coat looks very similar to the coat you would expect to see on the wolf. Even with a sable, you can see variances in the color of the pigment. Sometimes you will hear people say they own a red sable. Sometimes you will hear them say that they own a gray. The hairs on a sable dog refer to the banding of color on the dog’s individual hairs. The dog’s hair is tipped with varying amounts of black on the ends with the rest being different shades of red, gray, etc. So you can find black sables, tan sables silver sables or red sables. This is how much the coat of a sable can vary.

The blanket type of coat is where the saddle part of the dog extends approximately to the elbow of the dog. This gives the dog more of a blanket look on his back than a saddle look. Sometimes people confuse the blanket backed dog with a bi-color type dog.

The bi-color is when the saddle part of the dog covers most of the body leaving markings on the feet and sometimes on the face like having eyebrows.

The totally black dog is exactly what it sounds like. There are no tan markings on this dog. However, sometimes this dog may appear to have a reddish undercoat. Most of the time that is due to the dog being out in the sun too long. Also I have seen a totally black dog have a white splash on their chest. The solid black is a recessive gene meaning that both parents must carry this color gene.

A dog that is blue in color can vary from very light almost looking like a silver to a very dark blue almost looking like a black, but never truly a dark black…..almost dusty looking. Most of these dogs will have a light eye. The blue gene is a recessive gene that both parents must carry in order for a puppy to be born blue.

A liver dog will look usually like a black and tan dog, but instead of the black saddle, he will carry a brownish looking saddle. The liver colored dog is also a recessive gene. Both the blue and liver dog dilutes the black gene. The liver dog will have a brown colored nose almost looking like he was digging in the dirt all day.

The white German Shepherd is not an albino as some people may think. Here again, the white gene is a recessive gene.

Some people will argue and say that no matter what color a German Shepherd is, he is still a German Shepherd. They will say that color shouldn’t matter as long as the dog is healthy. And yes, they would be right that no matter what color he is, he still has the heart of a German Shepherd and many people have different colors of this breed and love them no matter what. But as with any breed of dog, there must be a standard to breed to. There must be an ideal for which a breeder tries to reproduce in his litters. If there were not standards, then there would be no German Shepherd “look” and than just any old thing would do.

I have owned black and tans, sables, bi-colors and blankets. I love a gorgeous plush sable bitch. This combination can be very striking to look at. The male dog that is pictured on the left hand side top of this blog, “Chieftain’s Rajah” was a blanket dog. One would look at him and see his black face and predominately black body and think that he was a bi-color. He was not. He had the tan markings that went up on his legs unlike the bi-color bitch that I now own. (See picture on top of this article - Chieftain's Hello Gorgeous).  Her (Jess's) tan markings are only on her feet and under her tail. She too has a totally black face. She also has the stripes on her toes which is normally a give away on a bi-color. This means that there are black stripes going down each of her toes. The blankets don’t have this. Normally their feet are tan. So distinguishing between a blanket and a bi-color can sometimes be very hard for some people.

Knowing about the genetics of color is a very long and detailed study…..too long for me to write about here. I would suggest anyone who is interested about coat color; check out the many articles about this subject on the internet. Also if you want to see what some of these colors look like, there are many fascinating pictures for you to look at on these websites.

Once again there are many different color coats that a German Shepherd Dog may have. One can argue that each of them is pretty in their own way. Each of them can bring joy to their owners. However, most people will associate the black and tan to be the “typical” look of the German Shepherd Dog.

My rating: breeding to the standard: (4), any color can still be a good dog: (4)

ON THE SPOT - GERAN'S GERMAN SHEPHERDS

The first picture is of Ch Geran's Always on my mind ROM OFA H&E HIC (MyMy) taken at nine years of age (dam of nine champions)!
The second picture is of MyMy's champion inbred daughter, Ch Geran's I did it my way (Presley)!


This interview was conducted with Gerald Roach of Geran’s German Shepherds. Gerald lives in Indiana with his wife Angela and their beautiful young daughter Alexa. I never met Gerald but we established a telephone friendship when he called me and invited me to be a member of his popular German Shepherd Dog List called, “German Shepherds for show.” That was a little over four years ago and as I told him one time, “Not talking to Gerald every morning would be like starting my day without my Raisin Bran!” So thank you Gerald for giving me permission to do this interview and to use your pictures of your beautiful dogs on my blog.


Me: Please tell us how and when you got started in the German Shepherd Dog breed.

Gerald: Wow that brings back memories. I used to stay with my cousins on the weekends when I was growing up. My uncle had a subscription to Dog World and I would end up spending most of the weekend reading those magazines front to back. I fell in love with the German Shepherds from those magazines and I was hooked.

Me: Who were your mentors?

Gerald: Nancy Schneider and Lorraine Rosinski. God the hours I spent on the phone with these ladies and they both taught me so much.

Me: You have had a tremendous amount of success over the last few years. What do you contribute that to?

Gerald: Ch Geran's Always On My Mind ROM for without this bitch I would have no success. She has proven to be one of the great producing dams of our breed and her true worth to the breed was not been seen for years. To date My My has given Geran's nine champions with several more coming. I have stayed very focused and worked very hard at training, conditioning, and showing along with great owners and co-owners. Add all of this together and these are the reasons for Geran's success.

Me: What are the Geran's German Shepherds known for?

Gerald: I think my dogs are known for motion and type, with a strong emphasis on shoulders.

Me: Besides your own dogs, which dog from the past was your favorite and why?

Gerald: Ch. Wellspring's Ironsides ROM. I didn't see Charlie till he was older but I remember him as one hunk of a male. I fell in love with his breed type and presence.

Me: Where do you see the strengths in our breed today?

Gerald: I think we have excellent breed type. I don't see as many weak backs as I did in the past.

Me: Where do you see the weakness in our breed today?

Gerald: Shoulders and temperaments.

Me: What would you like to see change in the breed?

Gerald: I would like to see more breeders focus on correct motion and sound minds.

Me: What do you feel your greatest contribution to the breed is?

Gerald: I think my love and passion for this breed and preserving it to my best ability is the greatest contribution I can give.

Me: What do you think about today's judging?

Gerald: I think too many judges focus on pretty and plushy or what might seem to be today's fad. They need to focus on the dog’s motion more. This is a movement breed.

Me: Although you have shown and won at both Specialty and All Breed shows, you have told me that you prefer the All breed shows. Why is that?

Gerald: As a breeder and owner I love showing my dogs myself. I feel I am more competitive in the All breed ring as an owner handler.

Me: Is there anything that you would like to see changed in the Parent Club?

Gerald: Not really. It seems to be going very well right now.

Me: What food do you feed your dogs and how many times a day do you feed them?

Gerald: We feed Diamond natural chicken and rice and extreme athlete. We feed twice a day.

Me: What sort of advice would you give to people just starting out in the breed?

Gerald: Learn the standard. Learn correct motion. Then find a breeder who has a proven breeding program and watch what they do. Let them help you pick a nice puppy.

Me: What do you still want to accomplish in the breed that you haven't yet done?

Gerald: I am still looking to win a Best in Show!

Me: Where do you see yourself in the next five years in the breed?

Gerald: I have thought about judging, but keep telling myself I want to keep showing. So, I guess the future is still open.

Me: Tell us something about you that people don't know.

Gerald: I am a 32nd degree Mason.


Gerald is probably one of the most ambitious young men that I know of. If he sets his mind to do something, he usually achieves it. He is very focused about what he wants to do with his breeding program. He might listen to what others may say about different bloodlines, but one of the things that I’ve learned about him is that he ALWAYS DOES IT HIS WAY!


To see more of Gerald’s beautiful German Shepherds, take a look at his newly designed website at: www.Geransgermanshepherd.com


My rating: dedicated breeders: (4), mentors for the breed: (4)

THOSE THREE

Sometimes people write to me asking about some of the stories that I've written.  So I dug out of my archive one of the stories that I wrote several years ago.  Maybe I'll pull some of them up again and share them with my new readers.  I thought I might do this occasionally on a Friday when things are usually slower.  For those of you that are new to the sport of showing the German Shepherd Dog, this is a fictional story that I wrote but the the names of the characters are real.  The three that I wrote about are no longer with us but were all "pillars of the breed!"  Two were breeder/judges and the other was a professional handler.  Both judges were highly respected and popular.  The handler was extremely colorful and sort after for his expertise in showing the German Shepherd Dog.

Wow..........take a look at what Amazon came up with for display for this story today.  They have truly matched their product to fit my story!  After reading the story you'll see what I mean!  I love it! 

Have a great week-end everyone and I'll be back on Monday. 

THOSE THREE
By
Barbara J. Galasso

“Sir, if I may have a moment of your time please. It looks like the German Shepherd fancy is in need of your help again,” says one of the residents of this massive kingdom. “Oh, asks the Lord as he leans in closer to listen, what kind of trouble have they got themselves in this time?” “Well your worship, from what I can gather, it seems like the membership is dwindling away because less and less people are staying in the breed to show their dogs. Moral is down and it seems some of the new people are discouraged and without much hope, they are taking their dogs out of the show ring and away from the Specialty clubs. And the master asks, “What’s becoming of these people and the dogs that they love so much?” “Well sir, from what I’ve been told, they still love their dogs but they either put them in obedience or just take them home and keep them as their family pets.” “Well,” the Lord replies in a commanding voice, “There’s nothing wrong with that, now is there?” “Oh no sir, nothing wrong with that at all, the gentle man replies.  “Well then, let us intervene and send them some help, shall we?” Go and gather for me the following people please and bring them to me,” he instructs the man.

Within an hour, the three people that the Lord summons stand in front of him waiting for his direction. One by one he speaks to each of them and tells them what he wants them to do. “LaMar Kuhns,” he calls out, come closer to me. “LaMar anxiously obeys him and listens intently to what he has to say. “I want you to go down to earth and show them how to groom and show a dog properly. None of this nonsense with hair blowers and grooming tables. They’re making the manufacturer wealthy and themselves poor. No wonder they can’t afford to show their dogs.  Do you understand what it is I want you to do LaMar?” “Oh you bet I do sir. You bet I do,” LaMar says in a delighted voice. “Well,” the father says, Quick boy, get to it. Be off with you then."  LaMar quickly scrambles to be on his way. “Oh just a minute son”, he hears the loud voice say in a very commanding tone. LaMar turns to face him. The master says,” I’m warning you; watch your language or its back to purgatory when you return” “Right; you got it,” LaMar sheepishly answers.

“Mrs. Connie Beckhardt; please step forward” the father says. Connie bows her head in obedience and waits for her instructions. “You my dear woman were loved and admired by many in the fancy. You not only accomplished in the breed what many only dare dream of, but you were also an ambassador of good will to the fancy through your kindness and sincerity for your love of the breed. Go to these clubs that are folding and show them what it means to be a mentor and encourage them with your knowledge and charity. I’m counting on you Connie.” “I won’t let you down sir” she says as she leaves his kingdom on her way back to earth.

One person still stands before the Lord. “Mr. Ernest Loeb, you are the third person I want to send to the earth. You lived longer than the other two, and in that time you became one of the most recognized names in the history of the German Shepherd Dog breed. You were known as a much sort after judge, a breeder of top quality dogs and someone who many turned to when they were looking for knowledge about the breed.
You my dear man are to go down to earth and show them how to judge a Specialty show and what a good specimen of the breed looks like. Go forth than and once again teach the students of the breed.” Mr. Loeb bows his head humbly and says, “It will be my pleasure sir,” as he slowly turns and walks away.

“Wow, the show pulled a 5 point major in males and bitches today” one of the club members is overheard saying to another club member. “I can’t believe how that happened, when the day before the entries closed we only had 1 point on both sides”, he says scratching his head. “Beats me,” his companion says. “Maybe it’s because the original judge called in sick at the last minute. I wonder who’s going to replace him.”
With that, in walks a medium built man who is under the tent talking to the show secretary. He walks to the center of the ring and all eyes are on this man as he looks familiar to most, but they can’t figure out who he is. He asks for his first class to be brought in. Everyone comes into the ring as directed, and is waiting for the last dog who is being fluffed up at the withers a bit more, and then as the judge loudly clears his throat, the handler allows the dog to put on a display after everyone else is standing calmly waiting for him. The dog circles the handler many times and then stops and sets himself up. The handler steps back and looks at his audience and says, “darlings, did you ever see such a magnificent specimen of the breed?” All eyes are fixated on the flamboyant handler in the checkered pants more than the dog he is showing off. “Darn, he reminds me of someone,” you could hear among the whispers in the audience.

Outside the ring, a lovely soft lady is talking to many newcomers and she’s asking them about the gorgeous puppies that they have standing with them. She encourages them to work hard with them and get themselves a good handler to show these promising youngsters. She inquires about their bloodlines and advises them of what dogs they may want to consider using in the future. She asks them if they are members of this club, and if they are not she hands them an application form and suggests maybe they should think of joining. She smiles warmly and gives them a tender hug and tells them she has to go over to the food stand to help them sell some hotdogs, but she’ll be back to talk to them later.

Back in the ring, the winners dogs come in for one more look. Again, the class is held up just a little bit as the handler with the checkered pants comes charging in. The judge and handler meet one another’s eyes and the judge shakes his head and if you looked hard enough, you could swear he had a smirk on his face. He asks the handlers to move the dogs around nice and easy and demands a loose lead. A handler comes out to the center of the ring with her dog and she has him on a tight lead and he tells her to drop the lead.
She puts her hand on her hip and continues to hold the dog the same way. He slowly walks over to her and says, “My dear young lady, if you don’t drop the lead, I will forget that you and your dog ever stepped foot in my ring. Is that understood? She is about to make some wise crack to this mystery man, but when she looks him in the eye, it’s one she’s familiar with and respects, but she doesn’t know why. She does as he asks.

Now the class is gaiting together and just then the handler by the name of Georgie comes running up close to the handler with the checkered pants and he lets his dog cover the other dog so the judge can’t see him. The man in the checkered pants runs even faster with his short little legs and he turns and looks at Georgie and says to him, “I taught you everything you know about handling, you son of a b----. But before he can utter the profanity, a lightening bolt streaks across the sky and hits him square in the butt. “Ouch,” he says looking up towards the heavens as he tumbles to the ground. People try to help him up, but he insists that he’s alright. He gets up, and the judge has to turn his head for fear that the people will see him laughing. He’s thinking to himself, “He still hasn’t changed. I wouldn’t want to be him when we go back home. No sir. Wouldn’t want to be him.” The battle continues for winners with neither handler giving in to the other. They both want this win. The judge points to the handler with the now ripped checkered pants. With that he turns to his competitor and says, “You’re still learning sonny boy. After all these years, you’re still learning. Even after all this time, you still can’t beat me,” he chuckles out loud. “Just who is this wise guy”, Georgie asks himself. “I know I know him, but who is he?”

The show is now over, and people are gathering up their chairs to put them in their vans. They are all dumbfounded by what they just have witnessed, knowing that they recognized three people, but couldn’t quite figure out who they were. “Who are those three?” they wonder. I haven’t had so much fun at a dog show in a long time. That nice lady signed up six new members, the judge had total control of his ring and just look at how large his entry was. And that handler was just about the most colorful guy I’ve ever seen. He was such a showman. They decide to go over and talk to them. They turn around to look back at the field and they see two men and a woman walking away. “There they are,” they say. They call out to them to wait. But the three people continue to walk closer to the wooded area. “Wait a minute,” the people say as they start to walk faster to try to catch up to them. As the three people come to the woods, the people begin to run faster before they disappear. Someone says, “If I didn’t know better, I would have thought we just seen Connie Beckhardt mentoring our members, Ernest Loeb judging our show, and LaMar Kuhns himself handling our dogs.” “You’re crazy one of the other people” says. With that, as the three people step into the woods, a light breeze stirs up and the man with the checkered pants turns one more time to look at all the people and their dogs and the sport that he always loved. He smiles at them and gives them a wink as he and his companions disappear among the trees and bushes.

When they return, the gates of their home are opened to only two of them. When LaMar tries to enter, he hears the voice of the master say, “You did a good job my son showing how to groom and show a dog, but like usual, once you were back on earth that mouth of yours got you in trouble again.” “Yeah, but I can explain that to you sir,” he begins to say in protest. “No explanation necessary Mr. Kuhns. You forgot one important lesson. You might have been the master of your game on earth, but up here there is only one master, and it isn’t you. Off to purgatory then for you!” LaMar hangs his head low and talking to himself, he says, “You would have thought the lightening bolt to my butt would have been purgatory enough.” “What’s that you say son?” the master asks. “Nothing. Nothing, sir,” he answers. God smiles. He already knows.

My rating: taking a walk down memory lane:  (4), having a sense of humor: (4)

THE FACE THAT I WEAR

What does kindness look like? When you think of someone who is kind, do you automatically think of the little old lady in her rocking chair telling stories to her grandchildren? Or perhaps, kindness might bring to your mind those who help out in the soup kitchens during the holidays. And yup, you’d be right on both counts. Both these types of people are ones you would automatically think are kind. But kindness is not only reserved for these “typical” types of people.

Having been in the German Shepherd Dog’s world for many years, I’ve had the good fortune of meeting or corresponding with some fantastic people in this breed. Not everyone that is kind wears a happy go lucky type of face on a daily basis. Sometimes those that you may think come across as gruff and tough can be the kindest types of people you may ever want to meet. The face that they wear and the one that the public sees may not be who they really are. Truly the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” would apply many more times than you may think.

There are a tremendous amount of people in the German Shepherd Dog community that are involved in the rescue efforts of our beloved breed. Many times it is the breeder that gets all the applause and “fan fare” for the beautiful animals that they produce. But what about those who go about helping and saving the many German Shepherd “victims” in the shelters? These are the true heroes of the breed and many more times than not, they never look for a reward or a pat on the back for all that they do. They do it because something in them drives them to help the breed that they love so much. They don’t think that they are any better than you or me. They’re doing something that comes so naturally to them. There are no rewards (blue ribbons or trophies) for them except the reward of knowing that they helped another dog live.

I remember a few short years ago, someone who is very active and responsible for the rescue of hundreds of dogs called me very down and depressed. I listened to her tell me that she was just about ready to give up in her efforts of trying to raise the much needed funds to try to save one more dog. I remember all of her pleas coming across some German Shepherd Dog lists asking for donations. I remember some of the responses that she received. Many were sympathetic to her requests, but then there were those others who were downright hostile and confrontational to her. I read the same letters that she did except those that she received in private. I remember some of them writing to her and accusing her of trying to make everyone feel quilty. They said they’ll donate to whoever they want to donate to and not because they are made to feel bad about. She felt downright defeated. I told her……”You keep on doing what you’re doing. Sooner or later, they will hear you. Sooner or later, they will start to support what you are doing. I told her you just “keep on keeping.” Well she kept on keeping even with her own personal illnesses and they finally did listen and they finally did help her cause. In fact they liked what she did so much that The German Shepherd Dog Club of America honored her with the “President’s Award” for her tireless and unselfish work for the rescue dogs. She’s a breeder of her own champions, a wife, a mother and grandmother, but she never forgot those who were forgotten about. Thank you Dawn Restuccia and your organization, Last Hope, Safe Haven for all you have done and continue to do.

Dawn is not alone in her efforts to help rescue the German Shepherd Dog from an untimely death. My goodness, far from it. I don’t know all the names of those who help, but there are many more. Just take a look at Pat who is starting up a sanctuary for our senior dogs. Look at all the people on the rescue list known as “Second Chance.” There’s Steve who has rescued many an unwanted dog. How about Joe? He has taken and given shelter to the oldest and sickly fellas and given them a new lease on life. Look at the German Shepherd Dog rescues in California. They still send me information about their organization. There’s Tari who has had much success in the conformation ring breeding many beautiful litters and yet she still finds the time to take in rescue dogs.

Then there are those who are the “silent” angels. These are the ones that you don’t hear too much about. They prefer to remain behind the lines sort of speak, but they do as much as the others I’ve already mentioned but you’ll never hear about them. Just as there are many different people who donate to the different rescues, there are those who help in other ways. Not everyone can donate money. Not everyone can take in a rescue dog. But for those who can’t do those things, there are other things they do. Some of these people transport some of these rescue dogs to their new homes. Some donate their time helping raise funds for these dogs. All of these people are needed in whatever way that they can help.

We are a fortunate group of people in the German Shepherd Dog community. Sometimes our “growling and barking” is a lot of show. These same people are the ones who come to the forefront when one of our German Shepherd Dog people are in the most of need. Just look at how many people came forward last year donating thousands of dollars for some people who couldn’t pay a mortgage or electric bill or buy their dogs a bag of food. When one our own is in need this is when we spring into action. How many times have we seen people write about losing a dog or someone has been put into the hospital? These people are so overwhelmed with the well wishes that are sent their way through e-mails or letters and telephone calls. We never let one of our own fall between the cracks.  Sometimes those who appear to be a “toughie” are really a “softie” when it comes to helping their fellow man or a German Shepherd.

You can find us all over the web. Whether you read this blog, belong to one or more German Shepherd lists, belong to the parent club, belong to a regional specialty club, gather on Facebook………we’re all over the map. When “push comes to shove,” most German Shepherd people spring into action and are there to help. Kind of like the breed that we all love so much……strong and helpful…….almost “Hero like!’

My rating: German Shepherd Dog rescues: (4)

PICA - NOW JUST WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN?

I don’t care how long I’ve owned dogs, there is always something new to learn. Doing some research this morning, I came across this word “Pica.” I never heard of it before but once I started reading about the description, I knew that I could identify with this word concerning some dogs that I’ve owned or own. If your dog likes to eat everything that he can get his little greedy mouth on that’s a non-food object, than your dog has a condition called pica! He may think that rocks, stones, sand, dirt, objects found on the floor, tissues, socks, clothing, etc. is a gourmet meal. Oh yeah, and lets not forget the “poop” eater. Well you just may be sharing your home with a “pica” loving dog. Pica is a compulsive disorder. It becomes a habit for the dog who engages in this behavior.

Pica is a potentially life-threatening condition that involves the craving, eating and digestion of non-food items because some things should just not be eaten. If they swallow a pin or sharp object, you can just imagine what trouble that could cause in the dogs stomach or digestive system. This condition can cause choking, digestive blockage, or breaking teeth. Various digestive disorders may be related to pica, such as difficulty swallowing, or problems related to intestinal absorption. Other problems such as diabetes or a nutrient deficiency may be related as well. Have your veterinarian check your dog. He may want to run blood tests and urinalysis to check for an underlying disease and organ function.

Many times you will have problems with puppies that like to investigate everything and put things in his mouth. Most of the time the puppy will have outgrown this by the time that they are two years old. Some of them however, never outgrow this bad habit. Watch out for the older dog that suddenly starts to engage in this behavior. This could be an indication of a serious health problem such as diabetes, or intestinal cancer.

From my research, it says that about 90% of dogs who exhibit this condition do not have a health problem. Many times it can be due to behavioral issues. Sometime pica may result from a pet's need for attention, frustration or anxiety. Some experts suspect it can also be a way animals attempt to make up for nutrients lacking in their diet.

Coprophagia is the ingestion of poop that is neither accidental nor incidental. It is deliberate and habitual. If you’ve been in dogs for any length of time, sooner or later you will probably deal with a poop loving dog. It’s yucky, ugly and disgusting especially when they want to come back in the house and plant a big wet one on your face! We’re not just talking about bad breathe here. We’re talking about one gross, foul smelling filthy mouth. I have had a few of my dogs in the past take an occasional “taste” here and there in their life times. Right now I own one who partakes of the “nasties” on a daily basis.

The reasons for a “poop loving” dog are many. It can range from anything from boredom, needing more nutrients in their food, digestive disorders (SIBO, deficiency anemia, chronic pancreatitis, esophageal dysphagia – swallowing problems, enterocolitis, esophageal dysplasia (pre-cancerous condition), lack of attention, habit, etc. Once they start doing this, it can be an ongoing struggle to get them out of this gross habit. Believe me, I’ve read everyone’s suggestions about how to stop a dog from doing this (Fig Newton’s, pineapple, Bitter Apple, meat tenderizer, poop stopping supplements, etc.). Nothing changes the mind of my dog from eating her favorite treat. This is my dog that has SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth) so I feel that this is part of her problem along with her hyper active personality. I’d love to hear what has worked for any of you that are reading this.

But what about the dog that loves to put everything in his mouth that he shouldn’t? I also have one of those types of dogs (aren’t I lucky though)? I own a bitch who is the biggest “chow hound” on the planet. No I really mean it. She was born this way. When I removed the sac from her huge head, she let out a big cry and twisted in my hands until I put her to her mother’s body so she could taste her first “drink” of milk. She didn’t need any encouragement. She was a hog then and she’s a hog now!

When I give my dog’s snacks at night, usually they are sharing something with me. The “chow hound would make a great football player. She totally throws her big body on top of the treat if it lands on the floor so no one else can get it. She gets most of the treats before the other two can get theirs unless I intervene. She is truly a glutton! I kid you not! If I put a large towel or blanket in her crate, she will shred it to pieces eating little chunks here and there. She’s constantly up on my counters looking for a crumb or two that I didn’t wipe up. She “vacuums” my floor with her mouth, by picking up anything that vaguely resembles a piece of food.

If your dog is fed a good quality food and is not lacking in nutrients and he does not have a medical condition and he starts to eat everything in sight it can be caused by a number of factors. He may be crated for too long of a time, bored, not exercised enough, or not given enough attention or activities to do. It is repetitive, non-functional and non-beneficial. This would indicate that it is psychological in nature (stressed, bored) and not medical. Then the owner needs to make sure that his dog is getting the proper amount of exercise and that the dog’s brain is stimulated and challenged (training through obedience, a job to do), etc.

So next time you wonder where you put that sponge that you use to clean the counters with, turn around and look at “Harvey.” He might have the answer for you!


My rating: over the counter remedies: (1), behavioral training: (4)

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK - WON'T YOU GIVE A FELLA' A CHANCE?!

So one of my readers asked me if I would write an article about what it takes to show a dog. Here is an excerpt from her e-mail to me.

I, again, so appreciate your writings. Would you possibly consider drafting a few articles about getting started in showing, what the novice needs to know, how to start, where to start, etcetera, but from a realistic point of view? I, for one, would be very interested as I am just starting out in showing (for the second time) and I have very little guidance or direction. Thank you for your consideration with regard to this topic.

OK, so I don’t know if this reader already has a show quality dog that she is interested in getting into the ring or if she is planning on buying a show quality dog. So I’ll try to address both of these issues.

If you already own a dog that you would like to show and are new to the sport of showing dogs, it can be a most exciting time for you. Your hopes are high and your expectations may be as well. Hopefully, you have gone to several shows to watch what happens in the show ring and to learn what judging is all about. You would have asked breeders and exhibitors questions you may have about showing your dog. You may not always find the friendliest people at a dog show if they are exhibiting that day. They may be excited and nervous and not have the time to answer your questions. Choose someone who isn’t showing that day and ask if she minds you picking her brain for a few minutes. Learn everything you can about this breed BEFORE you step into the ring. Hopefully you would have educated yourself BEFORE you bought your first show dog as well!

It’s important for you to know the correct structure, temperament and movement of the German Shepherd Dog. If you don’t, you’ll never know why your dog may not be winning like you expected he would. Read everything you can get your hands about the breed. Watch videos of this breed in motion. Better yet, watch it in slow motion. Educate yourself about the proper opening of the shoulder, the follow through in the rear, the top line in motion, coming and going, etc. Then when you think you understand what it is your dog will be judged on, you can move forward.

Next thing you should do is decide whether or not you want to show your dog yourself or have a professional dog handler do it for you. If you do it yourself, realize you might not win as often as you would like. Many times a dog won’t move or present himself for you as he would if a professional was on him. Of course this isn’t always the case, but many times it is. A professional knows which judges to show your dog to and he knows how to bring out the best qualities of your dog while hiding the less desirable things about him. Oh by the way, speaking of handlers, have you brought your dog to a professional to evaluate him? Be prepared for an honest critique of your dog. Realize just because you think your dog is fabulous, not everyone else will.

Another thing to think about is if you want to show your dog in a specialty ring, an all-breed ring or both? Most really good dogs can win in both rings. Then there are some that are better in a smaller all-breed ring than they would be in a larger specialty ring. Many times this has to do with your dog’s attitude and his willingness to pull out on the lead.

If you decide to have a professional show your dog, it will cost you a lot more money initially, but in the long run, it might be a whole lot less than if you showed him yourself. What this means is that you are paying him for his professionalism and expertise. You’re not as familiar with knowing what a particular judge may be looking for. In other words, you are paying a handler for his knowledge.

Alright, let’s say you are starting out and are in the market to buy your first show dog. Where do you start? Who do you go to? This will probably be the hardest part about beginning your show career. Who will sell you a show puppy? And just what is a show puppy anyway? There are a gazillion German Shepherd breeders you can find on the internet. Of those gazillion, who has the show quality puppy that you are looking for and better yet, will sell it to you? You will find the top breeders that have been breeding for years as well as the smaller breeders that have been around for several years with relatively good success. You are looking for the breeder that will sell you something good that will prove to be competitive in the show ring. In this case, not only are you the buyer, but you better know how to sell yourself as well to the breeder.

What the breeder is getting from you is that you are new and want a show dog to begin your journey into the world of showing dogs. You are asking and willing to pay a show quality price to this breeder. Coming from the breeders stand point, he has bred a top quality litter and he is looking for top quality show homes. He is looking for people that have proven show records to their credit. But you say, “I’m just starting out. Everyone has to start somewhere.” Many times you may find a breeder may be very hesitant with a “newbie” because they want their dogs to be shown. Sometimes you will find a breeder willing to take a chance on a novice person.

BUYER BEWARE! I wrote about this before. Know what you are paying for AHEAD of time! Ask your questions NOW! Make sure that you GET A WRITTEN CONTRACT. NEVER get just a verbal agreement! This is not a smart thing to do no matter how well known the breeder may be. GET IT IN WRITING! Read every single line and especially the small print. Is the breeder a signer of the Breeder’s Code? I’m going to voice my opinion about that. I know SOME people who are the signer of the Breeder’s Code that are not scrumptious breeders, so I’m sorry but the Breeder’s Code doesn’t always mean too much to me. This is just my opinion!

Remember a breeder can use different language when describing their show quality puppies to you. Be aware of what each of these things may mean. If a breeder says to you, this puppy is SHOWABLE or he’s got SHOW POTENTIAL, what they are saying is that the puppy RIGHT NOW doesn’t show any disqualifying faults. If you are being told that the puppy is SHOW QUALITY, again this means that he doesn’t display any disqualifying faults AT THIS TIME! If you are being told that the puppy is FINISHABLE, then you should be smart enough to know, NO ONE for no matter how long that they have been breeding can ever say that any puppy is finishable! Realize anything and everything can happen to a potential show quality puppy. All of their teeth are not in, their mouths may change – overshot, undershot, even bite. Their ears may go up and down and may have problems with weak ears as they age. Their temperaments might change. He used to be friendly, but he’s not now. Hindquarters most of the time will change. He may have had a nice rear when he was younger, but now he’s square and boxy. Most of the time fronts remain the same. I’ve personally never seen a puppy that didn’t have a nice shoulder all of a sudden get one as he got older. Also I’ve never seen a puppy that couldn’t move all of a sudden grow up into a superstar mover. This is why you as a breeder MUST learn everything that you can about this breed BEFORE you pay a breeder a visit. The above picture shows what a 5 1/2 month old show quality puppy might look like. 

Obviously the best dog that you can buy is an older puppy or young adult. This way you can basically see the finished product so to speak. Also realize that this dog will cost you more money than the cute little 8 – 10 week old puppy will! This is why it is so important that you know what it is that you are buying. EDUCATE yourself! Buying show quality puppies is always a risk and chance. The only one that can take a chance on a puppy is the breeder if he decides to hold onto the pup for himself. With a show potential puppy, there are no guarantees that he will grow up into a show quality animal.

If you can, join a breed club. Talk to other breeders. Get yourself educated. Most importantly, LISTEN! Listen to what different breeders have to say. Listen to them when they exchange information to one another about the breed. Go to handling classes. Learn how to show your dog. Get him used to the ring procedure and being gone over. Socialize him. Take him everywhere with you. Learn about what “double handling” means if you are going to use the services of a professional handler. When you get ready to buy your first show dog, check out the breeders ads on the German Shepherd Dog Club of America’s website. Watch for advertisements of puppies and young adults for sale on the many different German Shepherd Dog Show lists.

If you go to a breeder without knowing anything about the breed then you are relying solely on that breeder to make all the decisions for you. If you arm yourself with some knowledge, the breeder might just see how serious you are and might be more willing to allow you to buy one of her puppies. Know the difference in breeders. Sometimes novice people think that they can only get a top quality animal from a well known breeder. This is not always the case. There are many smaller, less known breeders that you can be just as successful with and many times may be more willing to work with you. ASK AROUND about different breeders BEFORE you make a commitment. See what other people may have to tell you about their dogs and any experiences they may have had with the breeder. Does the breeder have a good reputation? Now I’m not just talking about the breeder that has bred a million champions. Breeding champions doesn’t necessarily make for a good reputation! I’m talking about how well the breeder stands behind their dogs and how they are to deal with if a problem should arise. Beware of those breeders who love to talk “trash” about all the other breeders across the country. This is probably not someone you may want to deal with.

So there you have it. I hope I’ve answered some of your questions and there are a lot more breeders reading this blog who might give you some valuable input that I didn’t cover here. You wanted a realistic point of view and this is just my point of view. I have dealt with some well known breeders and some of the smaller ones as well. My best success came from the smaller breeders. However, that being said, some of my best associations, mentors and friendships have been from the big breeders. So listen, learn and take away from them all some valuable lessons. If your mind is open and you truly want to be successful in the show ring……do your homework. Breeders like to deal with sincere, knowledgeable lovers and students of the breed. Good luck, thank you for your letter and let me know how you did!

My rating: buying show quality puppies: (2), buying show quality older pups/young adults: (4)

TAKING MATTERS INTO YOUR OWN HANDS

Have you ever put a dog to sleep other than because he was dying? My answer to that question is no! I’ve put them to sleep because they were near death but I still wasn’t thrilled with making that decision. Most people will do the humane thing when it comes to putting their beloved animal out of his misery. Then some people who are not breeders and some pet owners that I know think that that is a terrible thing that we do and no one should take the dog but God. This is a personal choice and everyone has to live with their decisions. But that’s not what this article is about. I wanted to write about those people who chose to put their animals to sleep because of other reasons.

Some people have put a dog down because of poor temperament. I think anyone who has been a breeder for any length of time will have seen the occasional dog with an undesirable temperament. There are different degrees of undesirable temperament. Some will destroy a dog that shows any sign of bad temperament. I have had a few over the years that were not always great in temperament, but I never chose to destroy them. I think the only time that I would make this painful decision is if they every tried to attack me or a loved one. This would be a dangerous dog for anyone to live with and as breeders we have the responsibility to do the right thing.

There are those breeders who feel that if the dog doesn’t turn out the way they want them to (show, breeding), then they dispose of them rather than look to place them in a pet home. If they get too old to breed anymore, then they dispose of them. Oh yes, they do exist. I know of a few of them. They will look to justify what they did, but it was due to their own laziness or “I don’t give a damn” type of attitude that they take the easy way out. Dog doesn’t turn out the way you had hoped……take to the vet and give him the needle. Putting a dog to sleep because it’s past its “prime” is just plain old cruel!  Animals are not disposable……or shouldn’t be!

Some breeders have told me that they won’t tolerate bad temperament and they’ll take the dog to the vet and put them to sleep. As I said, if the dog is a threat to someone, I could understand, but if he isn’t, I would never do it. It’s like saying someone had a kid and he’s not the perfect child. He has a disagreeable personality. He’s always getting in to trouble. He doesn’t listen, etc., etc., etc. So what do you do? Do you put him to sleep? Sometimes you might feel like you’d like to, but of course, you don’t! Right about now, I can hear some of you saying, you can’t compare a dog with a child. One’s an animal and the others a human being. Well, for this writer, the animal feels every bit as much pain as the child. He has every bit as much right to his life as the child. You brought the child into the world and if you’re a breeder you brought the dog into the world.

I have heard breeders say, this is a German Shepherd Dog and he better have the ideal temperament because I won’t live with it if it doesn’t. In their minds, there is no room for error. He’s a German Shepherd and he better act like a German Shepherd. Woe to this dog if he doesn’t! Well I’m not an ideal human being and I don’t know too many ideal, flawless human beings. There are very, very, few people that I dislike. But of those few that I dislike, it’s because they are evil spirited and enjoy doing bad things to others. The dog doesn’t think like these types of people. I’ve never known an evil dog, but I have known a few evil people! I’ve known some bad dogs but most of the time, that’s due to poor genetics or a poor environment and poor training or lack of it. Many people think if the dog doesn’t have the ideal temperament than they won’t waste their time on him. Most dogs can be worked with and trained unless he’s a true wacko! A dog can be people aggressive or dog aggressive. It’s important to recognize the difference. Just because he may not like other dogs, doesn’t mean he’ll be a threat to people.

Let’s face it; we all love it when the whole litter we just bred has excellent temperament! If bred correctly, they should. However, genetics being what they are, this is not always the case. A dog with the ideal German Shepherd temperament is a joy to live with. They need a little basic training and attention and they should bring you years of enjoyment. When you do come across a dog with the less than ideal temperament, this is the type of dog that will need considerable more work. Some people are not willing to do the extra work that it may take with this type of dog.

I love watching “The Animal Planet” and “National Geography” for all the wonderful shows about animals especially the ones about dogs. I have heard some of you who have liked Cesar Millan’s "Dog Whisperer” program and others who do not agree with his training methods. I’m far from being an obedience expert, but I love his program. The breeder that I interviewed here on this blog over a week ago, Dawn Restuccia (Laxfield German Shepherds) attended one of his training lectures and she raved about it. I’ve question him saying that no dog is too much for him to handle. Can that be possible? Then just last night I was watching a program that I taped on Animal Planet about a young female Pit Bull Terrier that was traumatized and fearful of everyone and everything. She had absolutely little contact with the outside world. But it showed how this sweet natured little girl with training and positive reinforcement and running and playing with the other dogs brought her out of her shell. She loved being with other dogs because her mother was the only contact she had ever had in her young life.

So I guess what I’m saying is, each case is certainly an individual thing. But I am so against those people who never give a dog a chance, who never take the time to socialize the animal, who never train the dog and turn around and put him to sleep because the animal would have taken too much time and work! Some children take more work than their brothers and sisters. They present us with a tougher challenge, but we don’t give up on them because of it.

With the “sue happy” society that we live in and finding it harder to get home insurance when you own an “aggressive or dangerous” breed, owning a less than desirable tempered animal can prove to be too much for some people. If you decide to breed, realize that you may get the one puppy that is not displaying the happy “wagging tail friendly” traits of his litter mates. His momma and daddy weren’t running down the street one day and they decided to mate. No, we took it upon ourselves to breed the “ideal” litter. The decision to bring these little guys in to the world was made by us. If we are not willing to take responsibility for the type of animals we bring into this world, then we shouldn’t be breeding. We won’t always produce great temperament in every single puppy that is born in our households. We need to recognize this. Take responsibility for that puppy and do the right thing by him and not take the easy way out by destroying him. Yes, he’ll take more work, but there were no guarantees that everything was going to go the way that you wanted it to.

In this writer’s opinion, there is something morally wrong with putting a dog to sleep because he has less than ideal temperament. Here again, this is a personal choice and what’s right for me to do may not be right for you to do. (Again, I’m not talking about a dog that is vicious and menacing to people). I’m talking about the fearful, shy, timid dog. Even a dog that has dominant tendencies can be trained. It all takes time.

So as I said in the beginning of this article, some breeders will not put up with less than ideal temperament. No one who loves the German Shepherd Dog wants to see him cowering in the corner or shaking at the first unfamiliar noise that he hears. Breed for any length of time, and evidently you will see one of these types of personalities. Some of you will destroy them. Some of you will make sure the dog gets the extra training that he needs to make him a happy part of someone’s family. Growing up, I know that I haven’t always been the most ideal type of personality everyday of my life. My mother and father didn’t take me out in the back yard and shoot me because I may have been disagreeable! They disciplined me and taught me right from wrong. So who am I not to give a less than desirable tempered animal the same consideration through discipline and training and “Oh yeah, in some cases” a whole lot of patience?!

My rating: train your dog: (4)!