Someone wrote to me this morning and asked me if I could write about this subject. So I gave it a little thought and decided, “Sure, why not?” Everyone in dogs has a “first time” doing something. The woman that wrote to me was so thrilled that she had just put the first point on one of her own animals that she was showing. Here are her own words: “I handled my girl Piper a few weeks ago in Urbana Ohio. Nothing new except she went Winners Bitch. I was on cloud nine and sill am. It’s the first time I ever put a points on my own bitch. I handled others and got majors, but this was different. It is a very special feeling, one that I have never experienced before, and I hope to again and again. I know I will never forget it.”
Looking back in my own involvement in dogs, I was never that talented to show my own dogs so I left it to the professionals. I probably am the world’s worst double handler and every professional handler’s worst nightmare so pretty much the dog was left to win on his own merit. The very first time that I ever showed at a major specialty show, I hired Jimmy Moses and my dog won a big four or five point major and back in those days the entries were huge. First of all I was thrilled that Mr. Moses was showing my dog because I was a young, “just starting out” novice and he consented to show my dog. So that was my “first time” having a cream of the crop handler showing for me. Then the other “first time” was that my dog won his first major! So those two things stand out in my mind of “first time” events. I remember driving to the show that day, but I don’t remember driving back home because I was floating, because my feet hadn’t stepped back on the ground yet.
Then there are memories of the first litter I ever bred and there are memories of the first champion I ever finished and the first champion I ever bred. There are memories of the first “big shot” I ever talked to and that was so sweet and supportive of me. That was Carol McPheron who owned GV Ch Scorpio of Shiloh Gardens. She was just the nicest and most helpful person to a newcomer like me.
Can I ever forget the first time an icon of the breed bred to my stud dog? When Bill Goldbecker bred one of his German bred bitches to my dog, I couldn’t believe it. He was a fascinating man who knew a lot about the breed. He didn’t let you forget it either. Now most people when they breed to your dog, they bring the bitch to him. Nope, Bill expected and he got me bringing my stud dog to his bitch. What did I care anyway? He thought enough of my dog to breed to him.
Could I have been any luckier than to be able to lease a bitch for my very first litter from the kennels of Marge Dolan of Dolmar Shepherds? She was from the famous Reno/Rhyme combination. I’ve always said it many times on this blog, I was VERY LUCKY when I first started out to have some knowledgeable people take me under their wings.
Another first for me was when the GREAT, late Joan Ford judged a match show. The entry was huge. I kid you not; there must have been a hundred entries that day. The sun was shining brightly; a cool breeze was in the air……a perfect combination for a dog show. We entered our sable “Charlie” son and without a professional handler at the end of the leash. Well can I tell you when she pointed to him and gave him Best Puppy at this match; you would have thought he just won the Grand Victor title. I was stunned that she awarded our super moving puppy this title.
Then owning BIM Ch Arbar’s Xanadu ROM afforded me many, many “firsts.” She was the best thing that ever happened to me in dogs for a gazillion and one reasons. She was a once in a life time dog and I owe her so much more than she ever got.
And writing this article wouldn't be complete if I didn't include when I bought my very "first" German Shepherd Dog, Helga. Bought from a pet shop, but loved like she was a champion because although she may have taught me everything that a good quality German Shepherd shouldn't look like conformation wise, she also served to remind me of the fantastic mind and temperament of this breed. And after all that was the real reason I bought a German Shepherd to begin with. It was who they were that attracted me to them in the first place. It was their nobility, loyalty and the love for their master that first caught my eye. My very first German Shepherd made me realize that my first choice of a dog breed was the right choice for me.
So looking back over my ownership and involvement with the breed, I remember many “firsts.” How about you? Do you remember some “firsts” in your dog show career? Do you remember the thrill of it all? Did it feel different then then what it feels like today when you win? Do you still get that “rush” when you win? Are there still “firsts” that you are looking forward to experiencing?
From the book: "CHOOSING GRATITUDE: YOUR JOURNEY TO JOY" - Gratitude is a choice. If we fail to chose it, by default we choose ingratitude. And once allowed into the heart, ingratitude does not come by itself but with a lot of other seedy companions that only succeed in stealing joy. To not choose gratitude - daily and deliberately - is more costly than we usually realize. And when we do choose a lifestyle of heartfelt, humble gratitude, we are mindful of the benefits received from our gracious Savior and those He has placed around us. By intentionally thanking God and others, bitterness and entitlement are replaced with joy and the humble realization of just how undeserving we really are. Derived from a popular Revive Our Hearts radio series, Choosing Gratitude: The Path to Joy challenges and equips the reader to live a life of intention. A life based on thankfulness - for the freedom Christ has provided and for the blessings of others.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
THE CARDBOARD BOX
I open the hall closet looking for my boots. I know I’ve shoved them in here somewhere. Oh there they are in the back with one scattered over here and the other one over there. I have to reach in deeper in the closet to get the second boot. It’s leaning haphazardly against an old cardboard box. The box looks familiar but I don’t remember what I put in it. I drag the box to the front of the closet as I kneel on the floor to peek inside to see what treasures I may have hid in there. I see piles and piles of pictures. Big pictures, little pictures, even black and white pictures. I gently pull out a small handful of photos and lay them on the carpet next to me.
Memories all come alive as they play with my brain begging me to remember and asking me to walk down memory lane as one picture after another transports me to another time and place. Was I ever that young and skinny I ask myself, looking at those hip huggers I’m wearing complimenting a slender, youthful frame? There’s one of me with the wind blowing my hair across my face as I’m playing on the beach with my very first German Shepherd puppy. My how inquisitive she was. There wasn’t anything that frightened her. Waves rolled onto the shoreline crashing gently across her paws. She moved back as if she knew that a larger wave might carry her out to sea. She was small but smart enough not to venture too far from the sandy beach that her paws felt secure on. Oh there’s another picture that shows how I drew a heart with her name “Helga” sketched in the wet sand. Just 24 years old and my future was waiting to become my history.
I reached in the box and pull out a few more pictures. Oh there’s one of me holding a chubby little puppy not more than six weeks old. I thought he was chubby then, but that was because he had this fluffy coat around his head making him look more like a Lion then a puppy. I would soon find out that fine “feathering” would signify that he was a coated pup.
Oh here’s a show win picture of Connie Beckhardt giving my Xanadu Best of Breed at “The German Shepherd Dog Club of Eastern Connecticut.” Sadly the club is no longer in existence and nether is my friend Connie. I can still hear her sweet voice when we would talk on the telephone almost like it was yesterday. “Oh hello Barbara dear” she would greet me. Some years later I would run into her again at the Westminster Kennel Club down at Madison Square Garden. She was already sick now as she told me, but I embraced her and smiled and acted like she would be around forever. I had no way of knowing that was the last time I would see one of the icons of the breed as I gently kissed her on the cheek and bid her fair well.
What’s this picture laying upside down on the floor? I turn it over and it’s another show win picture of Xanadu winning Best of Breed under Dave Rinke with the only time the late, great LaMar Kuhns handled her. I smiled looking at his devious little face with his one eyebrow raised in the air staring deeply into the photographer’s camera. Showman extraordinaire……that was LaMar. This short, robust, boisterous most colorful of all those at ringside man would play an important part of my memories when I looked back on my show and breeding career. “Barbara darling what do you think of my dog?” he would ask as he proudly displayed his newest superstar while standing in the ring. His newest superstar was the great Ch. Wellsprings Ironsides or Charlie as he was known. I keep shaking my head back and forth looking at that picture saying to myself what a character he was. Just look at those "colorful" pants and his bright jacket to coordinate his look! He was such a great promoter of a dog if he loved him and he loved this dog.
I reach in the box and pull out another handful of memories. ‘Oh these go way back”, I say to myself. There is another icon of the breed, Lorraine Clifford stacking and posing her great “H” boys, Hawkeye and Hammer so a very young and still very “wet around the ears me” could take their pictures. And here’s another one of her setting up her beautiful young stud dog “Steel Curtain.” “Wow”, I find my self saying out loud. He’s the very first stud dog that I ever bred a bitch to. In fact, I pick up that picture of the coated puppy and remember now that he is the father to the little fluff ball.
I pick up another picture and this one’s more personal. It’s a New Year’s Eve party at my house with all my dog friends. It’s aged quite a bit as have the people in the picture. How festive, how joyful as everyone is standing with a drink in their hands rose up in the air with funny New Year’s Eve hats on their heads. There’s Nancy, there’s John, there’s a pregnant Jane and her husband Sylvan, there’s Ruth and Joe and Nick and Ed too. Smile everyone for the camera for you’re never going to look this young again.
There’s the picture of the chocolate mousse cake with “Congratulations Ch Xanadu ROM” handwritten in white icing almost too pretty to cut into. “You guys don’t really want me to cut into this cake, now do you?” First her championship party…….I wonder if I have pictures of that one as well, and now her ROM party. “Did dog people really need a reason to party?’ I giggle to myself.
Yes pictures of first litters and last litters too. Champion pictures, new “superstar” hopefuls set up on the front lawn, puppies playing “catch me if you can” and there’s even a few of my mother holding those twin coated puppies on her lap that were so easy to sell. Yes, they’re all gone now, my beloved mother included. But the pictures allow me to open up the flood of memories that always remain when all else is gone.
I pick up the pictures and carefully put them back in the box promising myself I will finish going through the rest of them another time. Like the pictures in that box, those faces of all the people and dogs I’ve known before remain forever in my heart as part of those that I’ve cherished and have helped make my journey on this earth what it has been. I wonder if I've thanked them enough. I wonder if they knew I cared enough. I wonder if I showed them how much they meant to me. Some are gone and some remain but all have left their impressions, with their voices still echoing in my mind. They’ve help shape, helped mold, helped encouraged a “thirst for knowledge” young girl that I used to be to the matured, sometimes gray around the temples woman than I’ve become.
I push the box inside the closet, close the door and walk away with a smile on my face feeling like that 24 year old once again if only for a brief moment or two. I pat my dog on the head as I go down the stairs with a new spring in my step carrying my memories with me. When’s the last time you looked inside your cardboard box and remembered?
From the book: "THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU" - "I have filed away at least a million things to thank you for, but somehow I never got around to actually telling you what I felt nearly as often as I wanted to." --BTG, inside Thank You for Being You. This book makes up for every thank you letter you forgot to send. The perfect expression of gratitude for parents, friends, siblings, co-workers, and loved ones.
New York Times best-selling author Bradley Trevor Greive (BTG) knows a thing or two about offering thanks. He has penned 15 book titles that have been published in more than 105 countries and have sold more than 15 million copies. That's an awful lot of thank you letters to write, so BTG decided to pen the ultimate acknowledgement of appreciation ideal for expressing a range of gratitude-induced sentiment. So, for all the thank you letters you may have sent, and especially for those you forgot to mail, consider this the long-overdue, but perfect message.
My rating: People and animals make your life's journey what it is today: (4)
Memories all come alive as they play with my brain begging me to remember and asking me to walk down memory lane as one picture after another transports me to another time and place. Was I ever that young and skinny I ask myself, looking at those hip huggers I’m wearing complimenting a slender, youthful frame? There’s one of me with the wind blowing my hair across my face as I’m playing on the beach with my very first German Shepherd puppy. My how inquisitive she was. There wasn’t anything that frightened her. Waves rolled onto the shoreline crashing gently across her paws. She moved back as if she knew that a larger wave might carry her out to sea. She was small but smart enough not to venture too far from the sandy beach that her paws felt secure on. Oh there’s another picture that shows how I drew a heart with her name “Helga” sketched in the wet sand. Just 24 years old and my future was waiting to become my history.
Oh here’s a show win picture of Connie Beckhardt giving my Xanadu Best of Breed at “The German Shepherd Dog Club of Eastern Connecticut.” Sadly the club is no longer in existence and nether is my friend Connie. I can still hear her sweet voice when we would talk on the telephone almost like it was yesterday. “Oh hello Barbara dear” she would greet me. Some years later I would run into her again at the Westminster Kennel Club down at Madison Square Garden. She was already sick now as she told me, but I embraced her and smiled and acted like she would be around forever. I had no way of knowing that was the last time I would see one of the icons of the breed as I gently kissed her on the cheek and bid her fair well.
I reach in the box and pull out another handful of memories. ‘Oh these go way back”, I say to myself. There is another icon of the breed, Lorraine Clifford stacking and posing her great “H” boys, Hawkeye and Hammer so a very young and still very “wet around the ears me” could take their pictures. And here’s another one of her setting up her beautiful young stud dog “Steel Curtain.” “Wow”, I find my self saying out loud. He’s the very first stud dog that I ever bred a bitch to. In fact, I pick up that picture of the coated puppy and remember now that he is the father to the little fluff ball.
I pick up another picture and this one’s more personal. It’s a New Year’s Eve party at my house with all my dog friends. It’s aged quite a bit as have the people in the picture. How festive, how joyful as everyone is standing with a drink in their hands rose up in the air with funny New Year’s Eve hats on their heads. There’s Nancy, there’s John, there’s a pregnant Jane and her husband Sylvan, there’s Ruth and Joe and Nick and Ed too. Smile everyone for the camera for you’re never going to look this young again.
There’s the picture of the chocolate mousse cake with “Congratulations Ch Xanadu ROM” handwritten in white icing almost too pretty to cut into. “You guys don’t really want me to cut into this cake, now do you?” First her championship party…….I wonder if I have pictures of that one as well, and now her ROM party. “Did dog people really need a reason to party?’ I giggle to myself.
Yes pictures of first litters and last litters too. Champion pictures, new “superstar” hopefuls set up on the front lawn, puppies playing “catch me if you can” and there’s even a few of my mother holding those twin coated puppies on her lap that were so easy to sell. Yes, they’re all gone now, my beloved mother included. But the pictures allow me to open up the flood of memories that always remain when all else is gone.
I pick up the pictures and carefully put them back in the box promising myself I will finish going through the rest of them another time. Like the pictures in that box, those faces of all the people and dogs I’ve known before remain forever in my heart as part of those that I’ve cherished and have helped make my journey on this earth what it has been. I wonder if I've thanked them enough. I wonder if they knew I cared enough. I wonder if I showed them how much they meant to me. Some are gone and some remain but all have left their impressions, with their voices still echoing in my mind. They’ve help shape, helped mold, helped encouraged a “thirst for knowledge” young girl that I used to be to the matured, sometimes gray around the temples woman than I’ve become.
I push the box inside the closet, close the door and walk away with a smile on my face feeling like that 24 year old once again if only for a brief moment or two. I pat my dog on the head as I go down the stairs with a new spring in my step carrying my memories with me. When’s the last time you looked inside your cardboard box and remembered?
From the book: "THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU" - "I have filed away at least a million things to thank you for, but somehow I never got around to actually telling you what I felt nearly as often as I wanted to." --BTG, inside Thank You for Being You. This book makes up for every thank you letter you forgot to send. The perfect expression of gratitude for parents, friends, siblings, co-workers, and loved ones.
New York Times best-selling author Bradley Trevor Greive (BTG) knows a thing or two about offering thanks. He has penned 15 book titles that have been published in more than 105 countries and have sold more than 15 million copies. That's an awful lot of thank you letters to write, so BTG decided to pen the ultimate acknowledgement of appreciation ideal for expressing a range of gratitude-induced sentiment. So, for all the thank you letters you may have sent, and especially for those you forgot to mail, consider this the long-overdue, but perfect message.
My rating: People and animals make your life's journey what it is today: (4)
Monday, November 1, 2010
IS A CHAMPION BORN OR MADE?
When I see all of the titles that some people have attached to their dogs names in the front of it as well as the end of it, I’m totally amazed. These breeder/owners are truly utilizing everything that is available to them to get their dogs titled whether its conformation, obedience, hips/elbows, or heath and temperament. This then is truly a partnership. The dog is genetically born to be what he will be, but it is the owner’s true dedication to ensure that her animal will be that and so much more!
I remember one of the icons of the breed wrote to me privately about something I wrote one time and he told me that he is the creator of the puppies that he produces. He is the genius behind their greatness! He was certainly very successful and his dogs are behind many of today’s top winners but his words made me stop and think. I think the word “create” made me uncomfortable. I think one may say that they are the “mastermind” behind their dog’s greatness. One may say that they are responsible for the combination of the bloodlines that their dogs have. But I don’t know that I agree with the theory that man creates the dogs that he owns. We can’t create the DNA combination that our dogs carry in their bloodlines. Sure because we are their breeders, we chose the partners for our dogs and therefore are responsible for the bloodlines that our puppies have, but we can never take credit for the combination of those genes because we just don’t know which ones will produce the finished animal. That is up to the true creator to establish that.
I believe that breeders can produce some outstanding dogs. The dog may have every wonderful physical and mental attribute that one may wish for. He may be the best side gaiting dog you ever bred. His coat, his pigment, his secondary sex characteristics may be everything that you are looking for. Then you put him on a lead and he plods along side of you. You’ve even sent him away to be trained. You’ve taught him how to bait, you’ve rung the bells, you’ve coughed, you’ve clapped, you even did the occasional cart wheel or two at ring side to get your “uninterested” pooch’s attention. He may look in your direction like you’re crazy, but he still plods along side his “very expensive” handler. This is indeed the type of dog that makes you want to pull your hair out. He is everything you’ve ever wanted to breed for, but his lack of attitude challenges that assessment!
A champion quality young dog may be sitting in your backyard right now and no one will ever see him in the show ring. Oh you tried several times showing him, but it became clear to you that he was far more comfortable at home then running around in circles in some dirty old ring. This is every breeder/exhibitor’s nightmare. No attitude means his chance of winning his championship title is slim, but not impossible. If he does attain the title, you’ve probably vowed never to even try to put him in the specials class because getting him his championship title just about cost you your sanity.
So many young dogs may be born for greatness but will never realize his full potential because he has made up his mind that showing is just too darn boring and a waste of his precious time. I am a firm believer that you can’t put attitude in a dog. Either he has it or he doesn’t. It’s just like some people. Some people are very “out there” and jumping from one thing to another. It seems like they never can sit still. Then you have others that seem like they’re “half dead.” The sky could be falling and they wouldn’t even know it was happening. It’s no different with the dog.
I believe that the potential for a champion may be bred into him. I believe that the breeder/exhibitor is responsible to give her animal every chance to utilize that potential to become the best that he can be. I don’t believe however, that you can make a dog a champion without his cooperation.
My rating: Show Dogs need a good attitude for the conformation ring: (4)
I remember one of the icons of the breed wrote to me privately about something I wrote one time and he told me that he is the creator of the puppies that he produces. He is the genius behind their greatness! He was certainly very successful and his dogs are behind many of today’s top winners but his words made me stop and think. I think the word “create” made me uncomfortable. I think one may say that they are the “mastermind” behind their dog’s greatness. One may say that they are responsible for the combination of the bloodlines that their dogs have. But I don’t know that I agree with the theory that man creates the dogs that he owns. We can’t create the DNA combination that our dogs carry in their bloodlines. Sure because we are their breeders, we chose the partners for our dogs and therefore are responsible for the bloodlines that our puppies have, but we can never take credit for the combination of those genes because we just don’t know which ones will produce the finished animal. That is up to the true creator to establish that.
I believe that breeders can produce some outstanding dogs. The dog may have every wonderful physical and mental attribute that one may wish for. He may be the best side gaiting dog you ever bred. His coat, his pigment, his secondary sex characteristics may be everything that you are looking for. Then you put him on a lead and he plods along side of you. You’ve even sent him away to be trained. You’ve taught him how to bait, you’ve rung the bells, you’ve coughed, you’ve clapped, you even did the occasional cart wheel or two at ring side to get your “uninterested” pooch’s attention. He may look in your direction like you’re crazy, but he still plods along side his “very expensive” handler. This is indeed the type of dog that makes you want to pull your hair out. He is everything you’ve ever wanted to breed for, but his lack of attitude challenges that assessment!
A champion quality young dog may be sitting in your backyard right now and no one will ever see him in the show ring. Oh you tried several times showing him, but it became clear to you that he was far more comfortable at home then running around in circles in some dirty old ring. This is every breeder/exhibitor’s nightmare. No attitude means his chance of winning his championship title is slim, but not impossible. If he does attain the title, you’ve probably vowed never to even try to put him in the specials class because getting him his championship title just about cost you your sanity.
So many young dogs may be born for greatness but will never realize his full potential because he has made up his mind that showing is just too darn boring and a waste of his precious time. I am a firm believer that you can’t put attitude in a dog. Either he has it or he doesn’t. It’s just like some people. Some people are very “out there” and jumping from one thing to another. It seems like they never can sit still. Then you have others that seem like they’re “half dead.” The sky could be falling and they wouldn’t even know it was happening. It’s no different with the dog.
I believe that the potential for a champion may be bred into him. I believe that the breeder/exhibitor is responsible to give her animal every chance to utilize that potential to become the best that he can be. I don’t believe however, that you can make a dog a champion without his cooperation.
My rating: Show Dogs need a good attitude for the conformation ring: (4)
Friday, October 29, 2010
WOLF DOG - WOLF/GERMAN SHEPHERD HYBRIDS
A couple of days ago over on my list (The GSD Showcase) we touched briefly on the subject of German Shepherd/Wolf breeding or the hybrid. I wanted to write a little about this subject as I found it to be interesting and disturbing at the same time. A couple of people had written that they at one time had owned this type of dog.
I became interested in this subject when I was watching a program last week on Animal Planet called “Fatal Attraction.” It is an excellent program in my opinion that shows how some people become involved out of the kindness of their hearts with wild animals. The program can be very graphic but I think it needs to be to show how serious this subject is.
I think it’s safe to say that most people that read my blog or belong to my list or other lists are animal lovers or at least German Shepherd dog lovers. Many of us have big hearts when it comes to animals. Many of us treat our dogs like they’re part of our families and some like they’re our child. It is this love for animals that can extend to wild life as well. We feed the birds, the squirrels, and even a wild cat or two. Because eating is one of the strongest needs an animal has, he will return time and time again to its food source. And if its food source is being generously handed out by a human, then the wildlife grows more tolerant of human beings and before you know it, they are standing at your back door. And the bigger the animal you’re feeding, the more brazen some of them can get to where they’re not just standing at your back door, but they’re scratching at it and even trying to break through it.
It’s tempting to feed a wild animal. You’re doing it because you love animals and you don’t see the harm in it. But feeding wild animals can have deadly consequences for both the human that’s doing it and ultimately the animal that we’re trying to help survive. We are putting ourselves and the animal in real danger. It’s dangerous for the human who may find himself the wild animal’s supper and then for the animal that will be hunted and killed. That’s why feeding wildlife in national parks and refuges is illegal. In many states, feeding certain wild animals is punishable by fines and /or imprisonment.
On one of these “Fatal Attraction” shows last week, there was a program about Wolfs and Wolf hybrids where the wolf and German Shepherd Dog were mixed. It showed a story of a woman who raised these Wolfs and hybrids. She truly loved her animals and they were like her children. It showed pictures of her and her companions up on the sofa laying there like any other “dog” would. They were beautiful animals. The videos showed some of the animals outside in a fenced in enclosure. Although they were “domesticated” by this woman, one could still see how restless and wild they still were. They played rough with the woman and the dominate alpha personality of the Wolf was very evident.
I wonder why man felt the need to breed the Wolf with the German Shepherd and what he was hoping to accomplish. I realize that dogs come from Wolfs but if man bred away from some of those negative characteristics of the Wolf, why would they want to reintroduce it in the bloodlines again? There are actually breeders who breed these two animals together and are selling their puppies to the public. Although the German Shepherd looks probably the most like a Wolf, he most certainly doesn’t have some of the characteristics of the animal. Although the German Shepherd has a strong character and you must be the “pack leader”, he is very happy to allow you to be so once you establish that rank from the time he is a puppy. The Wolf on the other hand, is extremely dominate and it’s much harder to take the “alpha” out of him. He will challenge you time and time again. Sometimes the German Shepherd will challenge you as well, but the Wolf is a predator and one should always be aware of this if you think owning a Wolf or a hybrid is the thing to do.
Most of the pictures that I’ve seen of the Wolf/German Shepherd cross look more like the Wolf than the dog. One of the main differences is in the shape of the eye of the two animals. The Wolf has a very slanted eye whereas the German Shepherd’s eye is almond shaped. Also the Wolf’s eye is very cold and has a staring look to his face. The German Shepherd’s eye is usually friendlier looking. If you have the hybrid, most of the time he has a colder stare which really makes him look like a wild animal rather than a domesticated dog.
Also the hybrid can be more skittish in temperament. They can be easily spooked by fast motion or loud noises. They can learn to love their people, but at the same time can be extremely aggressive towards strangers. This would not be one that I would invite into the house when I had company. Who wants an animal that you can’t trust? We must never lose the fact that these mixed bred animals have the characteristics of both the wolf and the dog. Because they have the characteristics of a wolf, one never knows when the wolf side of him will show up.
Much patience is needed when you train this animal. They need consistent and firm training and lots of room to roam. From what I’ve read, the Wolf Hybrid will start to show the Wolf side of his DNA when he’s about 18 months old. Prior to this, they are playful and adapt more easily to their surroundings. They are easier to train and even bond with other dogs. As they mature and their hormonal system reaches maturity, this is when you will see them begin to exhibit all of the typical behaviors of the Wolf.
I think we’ve come a long way from the Wolf in our domestication of the dog and the German Shepherd in general. With our breed, one can see the beauty of the Wolf without the aggressive predator showing it’s dominate face. The German Shepherd may look like a Wolf and may even be considered the “King of dogs” but he’s come a long way from the plains and forests of the land to be a companion, protector and unlimited source of love and affection to his master. As much I as I love the wild animals and enjoy immensely watching them on television, I’ve always said, let the wild animals alone. Let them remain wild. I hate them locked in cages in carnivals or zoos. I hate them used to entertain at a circus jumping from one platform to another or sitting up on command! There is just something so wrong seeing a wild animal caged panting and pacing back and forth for our viewing enjoyment. NOT!
From the book: "THE WOLF: THE ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF AN ENDANGERED SPECIES" - Since the dawn of history, no other living thing (save, possibly, the snake) has been as reviled by humankind as the wolf. Still, wolves and people have been drawn to each other since the beginning. Canis lupus bounds through our folklore, howls in our dreams, and--occasionally--competes with us on the hunt. As one zoologist imagines it: "Through the cold of winter the wolf made music in the mysterious darkness and sometimes, in curiosity, sat just beyond the dwindling circle of firelight and watched." The curiosity was mutual; this is the feared animal, ironically, that gave rise to man's best friend. Yet only recently has science begun to understand these complex social mammals. Enter biologist L. David Mech. Years of research during the 1960s in Michigan's Isle Royale National Park provided Mech with a level of firsthand knowledge shared by few in the field. In 1970 he compiled his findings (updated in 1980) into the preeminent document of its kind. Thomas McNamee, author of The Return of the Wolf to Yellowstone, calls the book the "best single source of information on wolf biology," and refers to its author as "the undisputed king of wolf research." When government officials in the early 1990s decided to embark on an ambitious project to reintroduce wolves into their former range of Yellowstone National Park, they called on Mech's expertise. All this is to say that, if you want to learn about wolves, you cannot ignore this seminal work or its author. Chapters cover wolf evolution, range, and physiology; society and pack behavior; reproduction; hunting and predator-prey relationships; and the species' uncertain future. Like any self-respecting scientist, Mech includes all the hard data, but he presents his work in an engaging manner that is accessible to a broader audience, drawing heavily on anecdotes and personal experience. "Many people strongly dislike the wolf," Mech writes, "others rush to its defense. But no one denies that the animal is strong, powerful, intelligent, keen, and dynamic." While persecution by man has severely restricted its current status, the tide is turning, thanks to education and conservation efforts. After all, a night without a howl echoing somewhere across the landscape would surely be a colder, less alive night. --Langdon Cook
My rating: German Shepherd Dog: (4), Wolf: (4), German Shepherd/Wolf hybrid: (1)
I became interested in this subject when I was watching a program last week on Animal Planet called “Fatal Attraction.” It is an excellent program in my opinion that shows how some people become involved out of the kindness of their hearts with wild animals. The program can be very graphic but I think it needs to be to show how serious this subject is.
I think it’s safe to say that most people that read my blog or belong to my list or other lists are animal lovers or at least German Shepherd dog lovers. Many of us have big hearts when it comes to animals. Many of us treat our dogs like they’re part of our families and some like they’re our child. It is this love for animals that can extend to wild life as well. We feed the birds, the squirrels, and even a wild cat or two. Because eating is one of the strongest needs an animal has, he will return time and time again to its food source. And if its food source is being generously handed out by a human, then the wildlife grows more tolerant of human beings and before you know it, they are standing at your back door. And the bigger the animal you’re feeding, the more brazen some of them can get to where they’re not just standing at your back door, but they’re scratching at it and even trying to break through it.
It’s tempting to feed a wild animal. You’re doing it because you love animals and you don’t see the harm in it. But feeding wild animals can have deadly consequences for both the human that’s doing it and ultimately the animal that we’re trying to help survive. We are putting ourselves and the animal in real danger. It’s dangerous for the human who may find himself the wild animal’s supper and then for the animal that will be hunted and killed. That’s why feeding wildlife in national parks and refuges is illegal. In many states, feeding certain wild animals is punishable by fines and /or imprisonment.
On one of these “Fatal Attraction” shows last week, there was a program about Wolfs and Wolf hybrids where the wolf and German Shepherd Dog were mixed. It showed a story of a woman who raised these Wolfs and hybrids. She truly loved her animals and they were like her children. It showed pictures of her and her companions up on the sofa laying there like any other “dog” would. They were beautiful animals. The videos showed some of the animals outside in a fenced in enclosure. Although they were “domesticated” by this woman, one could still see how restless and wild they still were. They played rough with the woman and the dominate alpha personality of the Wolf was very evident.
I wonder why man felt the need to breed the Wolf with the German Shepherd and what he was hoping to accomplish. I realize that dogs come from Wolfs but if man bred away from some of those negative characteristics of the Wolf, why would they want to reintroduce it in the bloodlines again? There are actually breeders who breed these two animals together and are selling their puppies to the public. Although the German Shepherd looks probably the most like a Wolf, he most certainly doesn’t have some of the characteristics of the animal. Although the German Shepherd has a strong character and you must be the “pack leader”, he is very happy to allow you to be so once you establish that rank from the time he is a puppy. The Wolf on the other hand, is extremely dominate and it’s much harder to take the “alpha” out of him. He will challenge you time and time again. Sometimes the German Shepherd will challenge you as well, but the Wolf is a predator and one should always be aware of this if you think owning a Wolf or a hybrid is the thing to do.
Most of the pictures that I’ve seen of the Wolf/German Shepherd cross look more like the Wolf than the dog. One of the main differences is in the shape of the eye of the two animals. The Wolf has a very slanted eye whereas the German Shepherd’s eye is almond shaped. Also the Wolf’s eye is very cold and has a staring look to his face. The German Shepherd’s eye is usually friendlier looking. If you have the hybrid, most of the time he has a colder stare which really makes him look like a wild animal rather than a domesticated dog.
Also the hybrid can be more skittish in temperament. They can be easily spooked by fast motion or loud noises. They can learn to love their people, but at the same time can be extremely aggressive towards strangers. This would not be one that I would invite into the house when I had company. Who wants an animal that you can’t trust? We must never lose the fact that these mixed bred animals have the characteristics of both the wolf and the dog. Because they have the characteristics of a wolf, one never knows when the wolf side of him will show up.
Much patience is needed when you train this animal. They need consistent and firm training and lots of room to roam. From what I’ve read, the Wolf Hybrid will start to show the Wolf side of his DNA when he’s about 18 months old. Prior to this, they are playful and adapt more easily to their surroundings. They are easier to train and even bond with other dogs. As they mature and their hormonal system reaches maturity, this is when you will see them begin to exhibit all of the typical behaviors of the Wolf.
I think we’ve come a long way from the Wolf in our domestication of the dog and the German Shepherd in general. With our breed, one can see the beauty of the Wolf without the aggressive predator showing it’s dominate face. The German Shepherd may look like a Wolf and may even be considered the “King of dogs” but he’s come a long way from the plains and forests of the land to be a companion, protector and unlimited source of love and affection to his master. As much I as I love the wild animals and enjoy immensely watching them on television, I’ve always said, let the wild animals alone. Let them remain wild. I hate them locked in cages in carnivals or zoos. I hate them used to entertain at a circus jumping from one platform to another or sitting up on command! There is just something so wrong seeing a wild animal caged panting and pacing back and forth for our viewing enjoyment. NOT!
From the book: "THE WOLF: THE ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF AN ENDANGERED SPECIES" - Since the dawn of history, no other living thing (save, possibly, the snake) has been as reviled by humankind as the wolf. Still, wolves and people have been drawn to each other since the beginning. Canis lupus bounds through our folklore, howls in our dreams, and--occasionally--competes with us on the hunt. As one zoologist imagines it: "Through the cold of winter the wolf made music in the mysterious darkness and sometimes, in curiosity, sat just beyond the dwindling circle of firelight and watched." The curiosity was mutual; this is the feared animal, ironically, that gave rise to man's best friend. Yet only recently has science begun to understand these complex social mammals. Enter biologist L. David Mech. Years of research during the 1960s in Michigan's Isle Royale National Park provided Mech with a level of firsthand knowledge shared by few in the field. In 1970 he compiled his findings (updated in 1980) into the preeminent document of its kind. Thomas McNamee, author of The Return of the Wolf to Yellowstone, calls the book the "best single source of information on wolf biology," and refers to its author as "the undisputed king of wolf research." When government officials in the early 1990s decided to embark on an ambitious project to reintroduce wolves into their former range of Yellowstone National Park, they called on Mech's expertise. All this is to say that, if you want to learn about wolves, you cannot ignore this seminal work or its author. Chapters cover wolf evolution, range, and physiology; society and pack behavior; reproduction; hunting and predator-prey relationships; and the species' uncertain future. Like any self-respecting scientist, Mech includes all the hard data, but he presents his work in an engaging manner that is accessible to a broader audience, drawing heavily on anecdotes and personal experience. "Many people strongly dislike the wolf," Mech writes, "others rush to its defense. But no one denies that the animal is strong, powerful, intelligent, keen, and dynamic." While persecution by man has severely restricted its current status, the tide is turning, thanks to education and conservation efforts. After all, a night without a howl echoing somewhere across the landscape would surely be a colder, less alive night. --Langdon Cook
My rating: German Shepherd Dog: (4), Wolf: (4), German Shepherd/Wolf hybrid: (1)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE BUYING YOUR PUPPIES?
Probably one of the hardest things to do when you have a litter of puppies is to find them the best homes that you can. We are all hoping that we can get our puppies into loving “forever” homes. Many people will promise you the world when they come to your house seeking to buy one of your puppies. Most of the time, we are satisfied with the homes that we get our pups into. But there are those other times that can become a nightmare for us. If I had a dollar for every time that one of my breeder friends tells me the horror stories that she goes through dealing with puppy buyers, I’d probably be wealthy by now. Dealing with the public can stretch your nerves to its limits sometimes.
I was probably one of those few people that didn’t have too many problems with the puppy buying market. First of all, I didn’t breed many litters so therefore, thankfully didn’t have to deal with the public all that much. But when I did, I grilled the people ahead of time on the telephone so they sort of knew what to expect when they came to my house. Then the grilling continued when they came to visit me and my dogs. I wasn’t mean to anyone, but if I didn’t think they were the kind of home that was suited for my puppies then I would politely refuse to sell them one. I figured I brought these babies into the world and it was my responsibility to get them into the best homes that I could find for them. Even when I did find the good homes, many times I’d act the fool when the little guys were walking out the door with their new owners. Yup, sometimes my eyes would well up with tears and the people almost felt guilty taking the puppy with them. Every one of my puppies meant something to me!
They are certain types of people that shouldn’t own a dog no less a German Shepherd. Unfortunately when someone comes to your house, they can promise you the world and many times you can still be fooled. There’s no way of knowing 100% if someone is going to be good to your puppy. Most of the times we’ve got to go with our gut feelings about someone. As I said, this is the hardest part of breeding dogs is selling them into the right homes. Sometimes the “right” home turns out to be the worst home.
In certain parts of the country now, there has been more crime being reported than ever before. Someone called me last night to tell me that there has been many break ins in her neighborhood and other towns in the area. People are being robbed, beaten or raped and she has become very frightened by this new criminal activity in her own backyard. She told me that she’s thinking of getting a dog for protection purposes. She readily admitted to me that she’s not a dog person and even though she’s had a couple in the past, after she’s had them for a few years, she ended up giving them away. I told her I didn’t’ think it was a very good idea for her to get a dog. First of all, she has already admitted not to being a dog person. Secondly, she is very fussy in her house. Everything has to be just so. She hates dirt of any kind especially if it’s in her house. Dog hair? Oh my goodness this is a given when you own a dog. She has a son and he already told her if she gets a big dog that he’s not picking up after him. He wants a small dog. I can just see it now. After a very short period of time, I’ll ask her how the dog is doing, and I won’t be surprised to hear her say, she found him a new home.
I’ve had people come to my house and tell me that they want a German Shepherd to be used as their guard dog at their business. I love it when people are honest with me like this because then I tell them that I don’t have the type of dog that they’re looking for. It’s those that tell you that the puppy will be part of their family and you find out its been tied up in their back yard most of their lives that you loose sleep over. No one wants to be fooled especially when it comes to a dog that you’ve bred.
A friend of mine recently told me a heartbreaking story of a gorgeous male puppy that she sold into what she considered to be an excellent home. The puppy had a marvelous temperament and one could tell that he was well taken care of. So my friend sold the puppy to a couple who claimed to love the dog so much. After having him for a few months, he ate something and he became ill. They took him to their vet who did an x-ray and he located the object and said he’d have to perform an operation on him to remove the object. The husband and wife talked it over and they both decided to have the youngster put to sleep rather than have him go through the operation. The vet assured them that the puppy should be fine, but no they decided to have him put to sleep instead. Did they call my friend to let her know? No they called her after the dog was put to sleep. My friend who truly loves each and every one of her dogs like children was hysterical. The puppy was never given a chance. His life was decided for him. He got himself into a little trouble and the people that CLAIMED to love him; decided it wasn’t worth it to try to save the little guy. And the breeder thought she sold him into a loving forever home…..it was forever as long as there wasn’t any problems!
So I tell people before you get yourself a dog, make sure you want a dog for the right reason. Just to get a dog for protection isn’t the right reason. You’re not doing yourself any favors or the dog. Before you know it, the dog will probably be out the door after a short amount of time. A dog is a lifetime commitment……or should be. This means that adjustments to your lifestyle will need to be made. If you are not willing to change the way you live when you welcome a dog into your home, then in my opinion, you are not ready for a dog. Bring a dog into your life because you would love to have a dog. The dog is so much more than a growling, barking protection dog. If you don’t have your heart to give him, then have a heart not to bring him home in the first place because his heart will become attached to you whether you want him to or not.
Do you find yourself strapped for money? Do you have some puppies that are just not selling? Is the expense of holding onto puppies getting harder and harder for you? Are you considering selling one of your puppies to that guy that came by last week wanting your dog to guard his car dealership? In my opinion if you don’t have homes for your puppies when you decide to breed another litter or have deposits on most of them, then why are you breeding in a deflated economy? More and more people are buying things out of necessity rather then just because they want something. Many times buying puppies is an impulse type of purchase. Sometimes those puppies are returned. If you’re not prepared to hold onto puppies that don’t sell right away, then maybe right now is not the best time to breed your bitch. I have some friends in the breed that tell me that they have puppies that are six months to a year old that they can’t find homes for. Maybe the economy is trying to tell us something.
From the book: "LIVING WITH DOGS" - Man's relationship with the world of dogs is not only universal, but also frequently all-encompassing, influencing how we live, what we collect, and how we spend our leisure time. Living with Dogs explores the multitude of ways that dog owners share their lives with their pets. In 26 delightfully written stories, a witty, admiring text, and 400 full-color photographs, the authors of The Sporting Life and A Passion for Golf capture the experiences of dogs and people--at home, in the country, in the city, and even at work, with a special focus on the nostalgic memorabilia that remind people of their devotion to their pets. The authors visit passionate owners, breeders, trainers, and collectors across the country and offer a look into their dog-filled lives. Profiles include an interior designer who has amassed a lifetime of canine art; a collector with a house full of four-legged porcelain figurines; a bibliophile with an outstanding assortment of dog-literature first editions; an artist who specializes in dog portraits; and a veterinarian who proudly displays antique tools of his trade. The authors also focus on other aspects of dog devotion, including the Philadelphia All-Terrier Show; a hotel decorated with canine appointments; a New England camp exclusively for dogs; a boutique devoted to canine accessories; the American Kennel Club; and a Manhattan gallery specializing in 19th-century dog art. Whether they are devoted to a particular breed or have simply fallen in love with dogs in general, the people featured here have succumbed to the "Slipcover School of Dog Management, allowing their dogs the complete run of their lives as well as their hearts. With an extensive resource list that includes dog art galleries, dog shows, kennel clubs, breeders, supply houses, and more, Living with Dogs is the ultimate tribute to canine companions. In 26 stories and 400 full-color photographs of homes, collections, galleries, meets, shows, kennels, and camps, Living with Dogs celebrates the devotion and passion of the millions of Americans for whom a life without dogs is not worth
living.
My rating: breeding dogs: (4), finding the right homes for puppies: (1 - 4)
I was probably one of those few people that didn’t have too many problems with the puppy buying market. First of all, I didn’t breed many litters so therefore, thankfully didn’t have to deal with the public all that much. But when I did, I grilled the people ahead of time on the telephone so they sort of knew what to expect when they came to my house. Then the grilling continued when they came to visit me and my dogs. I wasn’t mean to anyone, but if I didn’t think they were the kind of home that was suited for my puppies then I would politely refuse to sell them one. I figured I brought these babies into the world and it was my responsibility to get them into the best homes that I could find for them. Even when I did find the good homes, many times I’d act the fool when the little guys were walking out the door with their new owners. Yup, sometimes my eyes would well up with tears and the people almost felt guilty taking the puppy with them. Every one of my puppies meant something to me!
They are certain types of people that shouldn’t own a dog no less a German Shepherd. Unfortunately when someone comes to your house, they can promise you the world and many times you can still be fooled. There’s no way of knowing 100% if someone is going to be good to your puppy. Most of the times we’ve got to go with our gut feelings about someone. As I said, this is the hardest part of breeding dogs is selling them into the right homes. Sometimes the “right” home turns out to be the worst home.
In certain parts of the country now, there has been more crime being reported than ever before. Someone called me last night to tell me that there has been many break ins in her neighborhood and other towns in the area. People are being robbed, beaten or raped and she has become very frightened by this new criminal activity in her own backyard. She told me that she’s thinking of getting a dog for protection purposes. She readily admitted to me that she’s not a dog person and even though she’s had a couple in the past, after she’s had them for a few years, she ended up giving them away. I told her I didn’t’ think it was a very good idea for her to get a dog. First of all, she has already admitted not to being a dog person. Secondly, she is very fussy in her house. Everything has to be just so. She hates dirt of any kind especially if it’s in her house. Dog hair? Oh my goodness this is a given when you own a dog. She has a son and he already told her if she gets a big dog that he’s not picking up after him. He wants a small dog. I can just see it now. After a very short period of time, I’ll ask her how the dog is doing, and I won’t be surprised to hear her say, she found him a new home.
I’ve had people come to my house and tell me that they want a German Shepherd to be used as their guard dog at their business. I love it when people are honest with me like this because then I tell them that I don’t have the type of dog that they’re looking for. It’s those that tell you that the puppy will be part of their family and you find out its been tied up in their back yard most of their lives that you loose sleep over. No one wants to be fooled especially when it comes to a dog that you’ve bred.
A friend of mine recently told me a heartbreaking story of a gorgeous male puppy that she sold into what she considered to be an excellent home. The puppy had a marvelous temperament and one could tell that he was well taken care of. So my friend sold the puppy to a couple who claimed to love the dog so much. After having him for a few months, he ate something and he became ill. They took him to their vet who did an x-ray and he located the object and said he’d have to perform an operation on him to remove the object. The husband and wife talked it over and they both decided to have the youngster put to sleep rather than have him go through the operation. The vet assured them that the puppy should be fine, but no they decided to have him put to sleep instead. Did they call my friend to let her know? No they called her after the dog was put to sleep. My friend who truly loves each and every one of her dogs like children was hysterical. The puppy was never given a chance. His life was decided for him. He got himself into a little trouble and the people that CLAIMED to love him; decided it wasn’t worth it to try to save the little guy. And the breeder thought she sold him into a loving forever home…..it was forever as long as there wasn’t any problems!
So I tell people before you get yourself a dog, make sure you want a dog for the right reason. Just to get a dog for protection isn’t the right reason. You’re not doing yourself any favors or the dog. Before you know it, the dog will probably be out the door after a short amount of time. A dog is a lifetime commitment……or should be. This means that adjustments to your lifestyle will need to be made. If you are not willing to change the way you live when you welcome a dog into your home, then in my opinion, you are not ready for a dog. Bring a dog into your life because you would love to have a dog. The dog is so much more than a growling, barking protection dog. If you don’t have your heart to give him, then have a heart not to bring him home in the first place because his heart will become attached to you whether you want him to or not.
Do you find yourself strapped for money? Do you have some puppies that are just not selling? Is the expense of holding onto puppies getting harder and harder for you? Are you considering selling one of your puppies to that guy that came by last week wanting your dog to guard his car dealership? In my opinion if you don’t have homes for your puppies when you decide to breed another litter or have deposits on most of them, then why are you breeding in a deflated economy? More and more people are buying things out of necessity rather then just because they want something. Many times buying puppies is an impulse type of purchase. Sometimes those puppies are returned. If you’re not prepared to hold onto puppies that don’t sell right away, then maybe right now is not the best time to breed your bitch. I have some friends in the breed that tell me that they have puppies that are six months to a year old that they can’t find homes for. Maybe the economy is trying to tell us something.
From the book: "LIVING WITH DOGS" - Man's relationship with the world of dogs is not only universal, but also frequently all-encompassing, influencing how we live, what we collect, and how we spend our leisure time. Living with Dogs explores the multitude of ways that dog owners share their lives with their pets. In 26 delightfully written stories, a witty, admiring text, and 400 full-color photographs, the authors of The Sporting Life and A Passion for Golf capture the experiences of dogs and people--at home, in the country, in the city, and even at work, with a special focus on the nostalgic memorabilia that remind people of their devotion to their pets. The authors visit passionate owners, breeders, trainers, and collectors across the country and offer a look into their dog-filled lives. Profiles include an interior designer who has amassed a lifetime of canine art; a collector with a house full of four-legged porcelain figurines; a bibliophile with an outstanding assortment of dog-literature first editions; an artist who specializes in dog portraits; and a veterinarian who proudly displays antique tools of his trade. The authors also focus on other aspects of dog devotion, including the Philadelphia All-Terrier Show; a hotel decorated with canine appointments; a New England camp exclusively for dogs; a boutique devoted to canine accessories; the American Kennel Club; and a Manhattan gallery specializing in 19th-century dog art. Whether they are devoted to a particular breed or have simply fallen in love with dogs in general, the people featured here have succumbed to the "Slipcover School of Dog Management, allowing their dogs the complete run of their lives as well as their hearts. With an extensive resource list that includes dog art galleries, dog shows, kennel clubs, breeders, supply houses, and more, Living with Dogs is the ultimate tribute to canine companions. In 26 stories and 400 full-color photographs of homes, collections, galleries, meets, shows, kennels, and camps, Living with Dogs celebrates the devotion and passion of the millions of Americans for whom a life without dogs is not worth
living.
My rating: breeding dogs: (4), finding the right homes for puppies: (1 - 4)
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
ON THE SPOT - MASSTANA'S GERMAN SHEPHERDS
I like interviewing people for my blog that are not just the big name kennels and breeders but also the smaller breeders and exhibitors that have made their own contributions to the breed. Today my interview is with John and Nancy Vaught of Masstana’s kennels in Richfield, Connecticut.
I have been friends with John and Nancy Vaught for many years…..probably going all the way back in the mid-late 70’s. We belonged to the same club (The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater New Haven), we showed our dogs together often sitting together at the shows. We had supper at one another's homes and had some great times together at “Dog Show” parties. Probably my most fond memories is those times that I spent with Nancy when she and I would get together a few times a week and exercised our dogs by taking them to this huge reservation. It was good for the dogs and it was good for us. Sadly those days are behind as. I’ve moved from their area, but when I think of the time I’ve spent in this breed, these two people will always hold a special spot in my “memory bank” and heart. Thank you John and Nancy for taking the time to do this interview with me.
1) When did you two become involved in the German Shepherd breed and why did you choose this breed to own?
Nancy and I loved Rin Tin and Bullet (Roy Rodgers dog) so when it came time to get a dog, this is the direction we went. We got our first German Shepherd (a 4 month old white male puppy) the same year that we got married in 1964. We did not know anything about whipworm or hookworm so our apartment was quite a mess at the time. Because we both were working, it did not take long to realize that having a young puppy was a big mistake so we placed him on a farm in Pennsylvania. Our real involvement in the breed began in 1968 when we bought our first house. By then we had our first child and Nancy was a stay at home mom so getting a puppy was the first thing we bought when we moved in. We bought Nikroc’s Nikki, a Halmark’s Tanto’s of Cosalta daughter at 8 weeks of age. She turned out to be a beautiful dog and folks would walk up to us and make nice comments about her. We decided to breed her in 1971 and enjoyed the experience so much that we decided to learn more about the breed and the AKC Standard.
Pictured above: BOSM Ch Masstana's Mercede (3rd generation Masstana)
2) How did you discover there was a sport known as showing dogs? Whose idea was it to show dogs?
We discovered the idea of showing because a number of folks would say something like "You should show her" (Nikki). When we looked at puppies in the area we were exposed to many champions and Shepherd enthusiasts so the concept of showing was there early on. We both decided to try it. We entered the Framingham KC show and John showed Nikki. The judge was a nice person who overlooked John's attire (shorts and tee shirt) and placed Nikki 4th out of 7 in the novice bitch class. We were thrilled! That basically "hooked" us.
3) Did you have any mentors that helped you when you first became involved in the breed?
Around 1972 or so we met Edie and Bob Trocki and Edie became our first mentor and best friend. In fact Edie arranged for us to get our first show bitch, Eva of Anton, a Ch Asslan of Robinsway daughter from Alice Zygmont. Eva had already won her futurity class but Alice was keeping her sister, so Eva was available. We bred Eva to a Ch Reno son that Edie had bred and got our first real competitive show dog, Masstana's Ferris of Anton. Ferris never finished his championship but he was always competitive. That is when we met Jimmy Moses who showed Ferris for us in a few shows. Through Jimmy we met Ed Barritt and they both took an interest in mentoring us. After Jim told us that he probably wouldn't be able to finish Ferris we met Lamar and he showed Ferris a couple of times. In fact in the first show Lamar showed Ferris it was a huge 5 pointer and he took him into the open class of 22 dogs and won the class! Everybody was congratulating us, but then we had to go back in and unfortunately we lost to an American Bred dog that Jimmy showed. It was a good dog though, (soon to be GV!) Kismet's Impulse of Bismark. We went reserve that day. The next day the exact same thing happened again. We stopped showing him after that weekend. During those early years we would have to say that Edie, Jim, Ed and Lamar were our mentors.
4) When did you breed your first litter and do you remember what stud
dog you used?
Our first litter was out of Nikki in 1972 and we bred her to an Italian import named Yago Di Casa Gatto. The dog was owned by a fellow named Romie Yagmenis (Sp) in Bridgewater Mass. We got some nice pets but no apparent show dogs.
Pictured above: BOSF Ch Masstana's Brix (5th generation Masstana)
5) Your kennel name is MASSTANA. How did you come up with that name?
John was from Montana and we were living in Massachusetts so it seemed a natural. It was either that or Montachusetts. There were already a number of GSD kennels using John and Nancy in their names so we went with Masstana.
6) When choosing breeding partners for your bitches, what are some of the things you are looking for in the stud dog?
We both like strong backs, good color, harmonious movement and sound temperaments. We both will choose a dog that has proven that he can produce what we need for our bitch. The overall dog is important to both of us. Looks ("type"), temperament, health, show attitude, beautiful correct outline, and balanced extended movement are more important to both of us over extremes at either end. We have no interest in dogs with weak backs, light pigment or faulty rear action no matter how good they might be from the side.
7) What differences (if any) do you see with the breed from the time you first started until now?
We feel that overall; there is better temperament and stronger ligamentation now. Back when we started, hip dysplasia was much more prevalent and heart problems, ear problems and dippy backs were more common. We still have bad backs but not as many as the old days. Unfortunately we (the breed) have lost some of the great male heads we used to see.
8) You've both been involved in The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater New Haven for many years. What changes are you seeing in the clubs? Many clubs are folding due to lack of membership, funding, participation, etc. Where do you find the problems lie? Any ideas for a solution?
We think the reduction in the number of conformation breeders everywhere has impacted the conformation aspect of many of the regional clubs. It is difficult to get new people involved in conformation and breeding. It seems that, for many, there is just too much time involved to become successful. There are more folks who are interested in Schutzhund work and other performance oriented aspects of showing than there are those interested in breeding the "perfect" dog. So if a club still wants to be a breed club rather than a training club they might be in trouble. We are lucky in that our club still has a number of folks who are still breeding and showing dogs who they hope will meet the AKC or even the German Standard. It is also very apparent that parents of young children today have little time for things that are not related to raising their kids. Also the expense of showing a dog is a major factor to young people. We also feel that PETA has had an effect on the social aspects of breeding/owning pure bred dogs. We have no "silver bullets" to solve these problems.
9) You’re both partners in this sport. Do you work side by side or is one more responsible for something and the other for something else (planning, breeding, conditioning, showing, etc.)? Nancy does everything. I handle some of the pups and help train the dogs. Generally we agree on the breedings.
Pictured above: Ch Masstana's Karli (7th generation Masstana)
10) What do you know now that you wish you would have known when you first started out in the breed?
If we had known that we were going to go into showing to the extent that we have, we probably would have made a more concerted effort to get the best bitch available. But with two growing children and other demands on our time, showing was just something that happened without a lot of planning.
11) What are some of your concerns in the breed right now?
We both believe it is most difficult to breed a male who can move like we want and still have the great head piece and bone to go with it. Also we like a dog (or bitch) who is motivated to move (i.e.: ATTITUDE). A show dog should love to show. We believe that even a "great dog" needs to perform to show his/her structural attributes properly. There are too many dogs that do not "cover the maximum amount of ground with the minimum number of steps" because they simply can't. But they can win under some judges (many of whom have no knowledge of how to judge movement) because of the handlers on the other end of the leash or the owners of the dogs. While we don't condone racing around the ring, we feel the breed loses something if we see a dog plodding around not having any fun and certainly not showing how he/she is built. But the racing around is not a problem with the dog anyhow. It is with the judges who allow flat out racing. We believe that at some point the judge should be able to see the dogs move on a loose leash. That doesn't mean go slow. We believe that those people in the breed who make the most noise about dogs moving with alacrity own dogs with no attitude or showmanship. They would like to see the breed move like their dogs. We sincerely hope that doesn't happen while we are showing. We believe that, while we need to bring some more diversity into the breed now, what we see from Germany is not what we want our dogs to look like. Back in the old days the better German dogs had a lot to offer. Now, other than red and black color and nice head pieces, what are you getting?
12) Do you see more health problems now than when you first started breeding?
It's become very difficult to find a stud dog that does not produce ME and EPI. There's nothing worse than to have to put a sweet little puppy to sleep because he had a bad case of ME. We realize it takes two to tango, but stud dog owners have to be honest about what their stud dogs produce. We will never breed to a dog if we think the owner doesn't want to honestly answer our health questions regarding what his/her dog is producing. We realize that any dog that is bred a lot is eventually going to produce every problem in the book. We simply want to know how often it happens with the dog we are interested in. We have seen fewer heart problems now than in the past and better hips for sure.
13) After all these years of being involved in breeding, raising and showing dogs, what makes you continue?
It is something we do together and we love our doggy friends that we have met over the years. Our dogs are our therapy! We truly enjoy raising puppies and finding loving families for them. Also, through showing dogs, we've made friends all over the country that we would otherwise have never had the good fortune to meet. And we enjoy the challenge of trying to breed the "perfect" dog.
14) You two go to many National Specialty shows. What do you consider are some of the biggest differences in the dogs that you see come from all parts of the United States?
In the old days, it appeared to us that many of the really great movers came from the East. The most beautiful dogs came from the West. Now it appears that the Midwest is producing some of the best moving dogs in the country. Time will tell but we think the rising expense of shipping a bitch to a stud will adversely impact the dispersion of bloodlines throughout the country.
15) Are there any things that you would like to see change in the parent club (The GSD Club of America)?
Probably to recognize that change (i.e.: significantly smaller National entries) is upon us and maybe cut down the number of days (to reduce the expense) of the National. We love the German Shepherd Dog Review so hope that is not where the cuts come from. Also we should consider again a realignment of the Fut/Mat system. We love these shows but find such small entries that one has to wonder if there is a better way.
16) When picking your top puppies, what are some of the things that you are looking for? In you opinion, what makes a puppy a star?
We love a good top line in a young puppy followed by a curvy rear and playful attitude. We like to pick a puppy that is good looking and has good balanced movement with a showy attitude. We recognize that puppies go through stages. Thankfully, most of our good ones grow pretty steadily, but they still go through some changes in top line and angulation. You have to be patient and know what stages to expect at different ages from your bloodlines. A "star" is a puppy who demonstrates effortless movement, that "look at me" attitude and a beautiful outline. It is easy to tell if you have a "star" when you go to a match or show and everyone comes up and asks "who is that?" However, unfortunately, we have learned that not all "stars" turn out.
17) Up to this point, what has been your most proud moment in the breed?
There have been many. We feel very proud when we win a Futurity/Maturity (11 of them so far) or when some of the big "names" in the breed inquire to buy one of our dogs. Our Ch Masstana's Mercedes was probably the best dog we ever produced, but our Ch Masstana's Brix (her grandson) brought about the largest buy offer. Mercedes is behind Ch Oscar so it is nice to see that he is a top producer. She is also behind one of the Fasano's ROM bitches who is the dam of MV Sel Ch. Woody Bearelson. Another of our males was GV Tacoma's grand sire. Our bitch, BIF, Sel Masstana's Vivacious of Farmil, won the 9 to 12 class at one national under Dan Dwier, American Bred at the 2nd National under Helen Gleason and went Select at the 3rd national under David Rinke. She certainly made us proud. The fact that one of our current champion bitches represents 7 generations of our breeding also makes us feel proud.
18) If you had to do it over again, would there be anything that you would change?
Probably not. We consider the mistakes we made along the way were lessons for the future.
19) What would you like to be remembered for in this breed?
We would like to be remembered for producing dogs that are good representatives of the breed in every way. The kind of dog that anyone could be proud to walk downtown and have people come over to pet them, but will be there as a protector if needed. From a show standpoint we would be pleased to be remembered for having dogs that had good balanced movement, good temperaments, strong backs, nice top lines and great show attitude. And of course we would like to be remembered as being nice, honest and reasonably knowledgeable breeders of German Shepherds.
Thanks for letting us tell you about Masstana German Shepherds. John and Nancy Vaught
My rating: Furminator deShedding Tool: (4)
I have been friends with John and Nancy Vaught for many years…..probably going all the way back in the mid-late 70’s. We belonged to the same club (The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater New Haven), we showed our dogs together often sitting together at the shows. We had supper at one another's homes and had some great times together at “Dog Show” parties. Probably my most fond memories is those times that I spent with Nancy when she and I would get together a few times a week and exercised our dogs by taking them to this huge reservation. It was good for the dogs and it was good for us. Sadly those days are behind as. I’ve moved from their area, but when I think of the time I’ve spent in this breed, these two people will always hold a special spot in my “memory bank” and heart. Thank you John and Nancy for taking the time to do this interview with me.
1) When did you two become involved in the German Shepherd breed and why did you choose this breed to own?
Nancy and I loved Rin Tin and Bullet (Roy Rodgers dog) so when it came time to get a dog, this is the direction we went. We got our first German Shepherd (a 4 month old white male puppy) the same year that we got married in 1964. We did not know anything about whipworm or hookworm so our apartment was quite a mess at the time. Because we both were working, it did not take long to realize that having a young puppy was a big mistake so we placed him on a farm in Pennsylvania. Our real involvement in the breed began in 1968 when we bought our first house. By then we had our first child and Nancy was a stay at home mom so getting a puppy was the first thing we bought when we moved in. We bought Nikroc’s Nikki, a Halmark’s Tanto’s of Cosalta daughter at 8 weeks of age. She turned out to be a beautiful dog and folks would walk up to us and make nice comments about her. We decided to breed her in 1971 and enjoyed the experience so much that we decided to learn more about the breed and the AKC Standard.
Pictured above: BOSM Ch Masstana's Mercede (3rd generation Masstana)
2) How did you discover there was a sport known as showing dogs? Whose idea was it to show dogs?
We discovered the idea of showing because a number of folks would say something like "You should show her" (Nikki). When we looked at puppies in the area we were exposed to many champions and Shepherd enthusiasts so the concept of showing was there early on. We both decided to try it. We entered the Framingham KC show and John showed Nikki. The judge was a nice person who overlooked John's attire (shorts and tee shirt) and placed Nikki 4th out of 7 in the novice bitch class. We were thrilled! That basically "hooked" us.
3) Did you have any mentors that helped you when you first became involved in the breed?
Around 1972 or so we met Edie and Bob Trocki and Edie became our first mentor and best friend. In fact Edie arranged for us to get our first show bitch, Eva of Anton, a Ch Asslan of Robinsway daughter from Alice Zygmont. Eva had already won her futurity class but Alice was keeping her sister, so Eva was available. We bred Eva to a Ch Reno son that Edie had bred and got our first real competitive show dog, Masstana's Ferris of Anton. Ferris never finished his championship but he was always competitive. That is when we met Jimmy Moses who showed Ferris for us in a few shows. Through Jimmy we met Ed Barritt and they both took an interest in mentoring us. After Jim told us that he probably wouldn't be able to finish Ferris we met Lamar and he showed Ferris a couple of times. In fact in the first show Lamar showed Ferris it was a huge 5 pointer and he took him into the open class of 22 dogs and won the class! Everybody was congratulating us, but then we had to go back in and unfortunately we lost to an American Bred dog that Jimmy showed. It was a good dog though, (soon to be GV!) Kismet's Impulse of Bismark. We went reserve that day. The next day the exact same thing happened again. We stopped showing him after that weekend. During those early years we would have to say that Edie, Jim, Ed and Lamar were our mentors.
4) When did you breed your first litter and do you remember what stud
dog you used?
Our first litter was out of Nikki in 1972 and we bred her to an Italian import named Yago Di Casa Gatto. The dog was owned by a fellow named Romie Yagmenis (Sp) in Bridgewater Mass. We got some nice pets but no apparent show dogs.
Pictured above: BOSF Ch Masstana's Brix (5th generation Masstana)
5) Your kennel name is MASSTANA. How did you come up with that name?
John was from Montana and we were living in Massachusetts so it seemed a natural. It was either that or Montachusetts. There were already a number of GSD kennels using John and Nancy in their names so we went with Masstana.
6) When choosing breeding partners for your bitches, what are some of the things you are looking for in the stud dog?
We both like strong backs, good color, harmonious movement and sound temperaments. We both will choose a dog that has proven that he can produce what we need for our bitch. The overall dog is important to both of us. Looks ("type"), temperament, health, show attitude, beautiful correct outline, and balanced extended movement are more important to both of us over extremes at either end. We have no interest in dogs with weak backs, light pigment or faulty rear action no matter how good they might be from the side.
7) What differences (if any) do you see with the breed from the time you first started until now?
We feel that overall; there is better temperament and stronger ligamentation now. Back when we started, hip dysplasia was much more prevalent and heart problems, ear problems and dippy backs were more common. We still have bad backs but not as many as the old days. Unfortunately we (the breed) have lost some of the great male heads we used to see.
8) You've both been involved in The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater New Haven for many years. What changes are you seeing in the clubs? Many clubs are folding due to lack of membership, funding, participation, etc. Where do you find the problems lie? Any ideas for a solution?
We think the reduction in the number of conformation breeders everywhere has impacted the conformation aspect of many of the regional clubs. It is difficult to get new people involved in conformation and breeding. It seems that, for many, there is just too much time involved to become successful. There are more folks who are interested in Schutzhund work and other performance oriented aspects of showing than there are those interested in breeding the "perfect" dog. So if a club still wants to be a breed club rather than a training club they might be in trouble. We are lucky in that our club still has a number of folks who are still breeding and showing dogs who they hope will meet the AKC or even the German Standard. It is also very apparent that parents of young children today have little time for things that are not related to raising their kids. Also the expense of showing a dog is a major factor to young people. We also feel that PETA has had an effect on the social aspects of breeding/owning pure bred dogs. We have no "silver bullets" to solve these problems.
9) You’re both partners in this sport. Do you work side by side or is one more responsible for something and the other for something else (planning, breeding, conditioning, showing, etc.)? Nancy does everything. I handle some of the pups and help train the dogs. Generally we agree on the breedings.
Pictured above: Ch Masstana's Karli (7th generation Masstana)
10) What do you know now that you wish you would have known when you first started out in the breed?
If we had known that we were going to go into showing to the extent that we have, we probably would have made a more concerted effort to get the best bitch available. But with two growing children and other demands on our time, showing was just something that happened without a lot of planning.
11) What are some of your concerns in the breed right now?
We both believe it is most difficult to breed a male who can move like we want and still have the great head piece and bone to go with it. Also we like a dog (or bitch) who is motivated to move (i.e.: ATTITUDE). A show dog should love to show. We believe that even a "great dog" needs to perform to show his/her structural attributes properly. There are too many dogs that do not "cover the maximum amount of ground with the minimum number of steps" because they simply can't. But they can win under some judges (many of whom have no knowledge of how to judge movement) because of the handlers on the other end of the leash or the owners of the dogs. While we don't condone racing around the ring, we feel the breed loses something if we see a dog plodding around not having any fun and certainly not showing how he/she is built. But the racing around is not a problem with the dog anyhow. It is with the judges who allow flat out racing. We believe that at some point the judge should be able to see the dogs move on a loose leash. That doesn't mean go slow. We believe that those people in the breed who make the most noise about dogs moving with alacrity own dogs with no attitude or showmanship. They would like to see the breed move like their dogs. We sincerely hope that doesn't happen while we are showing. We believe that, while we need to bring some more diversity into the breed now, what we see from Germany is not what we want our dogs to look like. Back in the old days the better German dogs had a lot to offer. Now, other than red and black color and nice head pieces, what are you getting?
12) Do you see more health problems now than when you first started breeding?
It's become very difficult to find a stud dog that does not produce ME and EPI. There's nothing worse than to have to put a sweet little puppy to sleep because he had a bad case of ME. We realize it takes two to tango, but stud dog owners have to be honest about what their stud dogs produce. We will never breed to a dog if we think the owner doesn't want to honestly answer our health questions regarding what his/her dog is producing. We realize that any dog that is bred a lot is eventually going to produce every problem in the book. We simply want to know how often it happens with the dog we are interested in. We have seen fewer heart problems now than in the past and better hips for sure.
13) After all these years of being involved in breeding, raising and showing dogs, what makes you continue?
It is something we do together and we love our doggy friends that we have met over the years. Our dogs are our therapy! We truly enjoy raising puppies and finding loving families for them. Also, through showing dogs, we've made friends all over the country that we would otherwise have never had the good fortune to meet. And we enjoy the challenge of trying to breed the "perfect" dog.
14) You two go to many National Specialty shows. What do you consider are some of the biggest differences in the dogs that you see come from all parts of the United States?
In the old days, it appeared to us that many of the really great movers came from the East. The most beautiful dogs came from the West. Now it appears that the Midwest is producing some of the best moving dogs in the country. Time will tell but we think the rising expense of shipping a bitch to a stud will adversely impact the dispersion of bloodlines throughout the country.
15) Are there any things that you would like to see change in the parent club (The GSD Club of America)?
Probably to recognize that change (i.e.: significantly smaller National entries) is upon us and maybe cut down the number of days (to reduce the expense) of the National. We love the German Shepherd Dog Review so hope that is not where the cuts come from. Also we should consider again a realignment of the Fut/Mat system. We love these shows but find such small entries that one has to wonder if there is a better way.
16) When picking your top puppies, what are some of the things that you are looking for? In you opinion, what makes a puppy a star?
We love a good top line in a young puppy followed by a curvy rear and playful attitude. We like to pick a puppy that is good looking and has good balanced movement with a showy attitude. We recognize that puppies go through stages. Thankfully, most of our good ones grow pretty steadily, but they still go through some changes in top line and angulation. You have to be patient and know what stages to expect at different ages from your bloodlines. A "star" is a puppy who demonstrates effortless movement, that "look at me" attitude and a beautiful outline. It is easy to tell if you have a "star" when you go to a match or show and everyone comes up and asks "who is that?" However, unfortunately, we have learned that not all "stars" turn out.
17) Up to this point, what has been your most proud moment in the breed?
There have been many. We feel very proud when we win a Futurity/Maturity (11 of them so far) or when some of the big "names" in the breed inquire to buy one of our dogs. Our Ch Masstana's Mercedes was probably the best dog we ever produced, but our Ch Masstana's Brix (her grandson) brought about the largest buy offer. Mercedes is behind Ch Oscar so it is nice to see that he is a top producer. She is also behind one of the Fasano's ROM bitches who is the dam of MV Sel Ch. Woody Bearelson. Another of our males was GV Tacoma's grand sire. Our bitch, BIF, Sel Masstana's Vivacious of Farmil, won the 9 to 12 class at one national under Dan Dwier, American Bred at the 2nd National under Helen Gleason and went Select at the 3rd national under David Rinke. She certainly made us proud. The fact that one of our current champion bitches represents 7 generations of our breeding also makes us feel proud.
18) If you had to do it over again, would there be anything that you would change?
Probably not. We consider the mistakes we made along the way were lessons for the future.
19) What would you like to be remembered for in this breed?
We would like to be remembered for producing dogs that are good representatives of the breed in every way. The kind of dog that anyone could be proud to walk downtown and have people come over to pet them, but will be there as a protector if needed. From a show standpoint we would be pleased to be remembered for having dogs that had good balanced movement, good temperaments, strong backs, nice top lines and great show attitude. And of course we would like to be remembered as being nice, honest and reasonably knowledgeable breeders of German Shepherds.
Thanks for letting us tell you about Masstana German Shepherds. John and Nancy Vaught
My rating: Furminator deShedding Tool: (4)
Monday, October 25, 2010
WOULD YOU, SHOULD YOU?
If you breed long enough, sooner or later you may breed a litter that has genetic health problems like mega, EPI, SIBO, etc. Many times you are very surprised by this because you were unaware of the bloodlines that you were breeding carried these problems. Truth be told many bloodlines carry some health problems. There is not a perfect bloodline free from any and all health problems. The trick is to find a bloodline that has as few of these problems as possible. Without honesty among breeders and especially stud dog owners, then “surprise” litters like this will pop up more and more.
Why do I say especially among stud dog owners? Well because most of the time a breeder should know (if she’s done her homework) the faults of her bitches line. When she chooses a stud dog, she is looking to correct those faults or stay away from them altogether! She’s not looking to double up on them. She should be able to go to the stud dog owner and ask him if his dog carries these health problems in his line. Sadly, many (not all) stud dog owners will say, “Not my dog!” Without this honest communication among the breeders, the bloodlines get corrupted and may take generations to weed out the genetic health problems.
This is the purpose of this article today. Most good breeders if they have a puppy or two in a litter that has mega esophagus for example, will not keep a brother or a sister that doesn’t have it and use them for their breeding program. They’re smart enough to know that although this puppy doesn’t have the fault, that the potential for him to carry it is great. So perhaps if they bred their unaffected puppy, her pups could be affected with this terrible health problem.
Now what I want to know is does the same thing hold true with the temperament of a litter? If you had a potential “star” in a litter, but a couple of his litter mates had bad temperament, would you keep or sell the star knowing that although he has wonderful temperament, the potential for him to produce bad temperament is there?
So your new litter seems to be healthy and strong with no obvious genetic health problems. BUT………a couple of the puppies don’t have ideal temperament. You know your bitch has a good temperament and the stud dog appears to have a good temperament as well. How much do you know about the temperament behind the two dogs you bred?
Why is it that breeders will keep a puppy from a litter that didn’t have 100% of the puppies with the ideal German Shepherd Dog temperament? How is this any different from keeping a puppy where litter mates had health problems? Is one more serious and important than the other? Should we not be as conscientious when it comes to keeping a puppy that comes from a litter that has bad temperament in it although he himself is fine?
I remember one time a litter that had two champion males. One of the males had the ideal temperament and the other one did not. Both of these dogs were utilized by breeders in their breeding program. I remember talking to breeders that had bred to the dog that had a good temperament. A few of these people told me that they were disappointed in the temperaments that they got from this dog even though he himself was fine. On the other hand the bad tempered male produced some dogs that had good temperament.
So do we do a disservice to the future genetics of the breed by including dogs that come from litters that are not 100% sound of mind? Would you, should you be breeding dogs that come from litters of unsound temperament? Are we fooling ourselves by thinking that because we kept the good tempered puppy that we don’t have to worry about bad temperament in our future litters? We should not treat temperament problems in a litter with any less seriousness than we do a health problem.
From the book - "CONTROL OF CANINE GENETIC DISEASES" - If you breed dogs for any reason, you must own this book. Genetic diseases are among the most serious hazards on the landscape of modern dog breeding and one of the most vexing challenges facing today's dog breeders. Is it appropriate to open the gene pool to unwanted conditions in the pursuit of physical perfection, or must breeding to the Standard take a back seat to producing healthy animals?
In Control of Canine Genetic Diseases, renowned authority George A. Padgett, DVM, provides an expert road map to help dog breeders everywhere avoid the pitfalls they are almost destined to encounter. For anyone whose goal is to produce healthy, functional and beautiful dogs, this is the book they need. Dr. Padgett provides clear explanations of modes of inheritance, how to conduct and analyze test matings and how to lower the chances of producing affected animals. Numerous tables, diagrams and graphs further enhance the text to facilitate the breeder's understanding.
My rating: Genetic faults: (1)
Why do I say especially among stud dog owners? Well because most of the time a breeder should know (if she’s done her homework) the faults of her bitches line. When she chooses a stud dog, she is looking to correct those faults or stay away from them altogether! She’s not looking to double up on them. She should be able to go to the stud dog owner and ask him if his dog carries these health problems in his line. Sadly, many (not all) stud dog owners will say, “Not my dog!” Without this honest communication among the breeders, the bloodlines get corrupted and may take generations to weed out the genetic health problems.
This is the purpose of this article today. Most good breeders if they have a puppy or two in a litter that has mega esophagus for example, will not keep a brother or a sister that doesn’t have it and use them for their breeding program. They’re smart enough to know that although this puppy doesn’t have the fault, that the potential for him to carry it is great. So perhaps if they bred their unaffected puppy, her pups could be affected with this terrible health problem.
Now what I want to know is does the same thing hold true with the temperament of a litter? If you had a potential “star” in a litter, but a couple of his litter mates had bad temperament, would you keep or sell the star knowing that although he has wonderful temperament, the potential for him to produce bad temperament is there?
So your new litter seems to be healthy and strong with no obvious genetic health problems. BUT………a couple of the puppies don’t have ideal temperament. You know your bitch has a good temperament and the stud dog appears to have a good temperament as well. How much do you know about the temperament behind the two dogs you bred?
Why is it that breeders will keep a puppy from a litter that didn’t have 100% of the puppies with the ideal German Shepherd Dog temperament? How is this any different from keeping a puppy where litter mates had health problems? Is one more serious and important than the other? Should we not be as conscientious when it comes to keeping a puppy that comes from a litter that has bad temperament in it although he himself is fine?
I remember one time a litter that had two champion males. One of the males had the ideal temperament and the other one did not. Both of these dogs were utilized by breeders in their breeding program. I remember talking to breeders that had bred to the dog that had a good temperament. A few of these people told me that they were disappointed in the temperaments that they got from this dog even though he himself was fine. On the other hand the bad tempered male produced some dogs that had good temperament.
So do we do a disservice to the future genetics of the breed by including dogs that come from litters that are not 100% sound of mind? Would you, should you be breeding dogs that come from litters of unsound temperament? Are we fooling ourselves by thinking that because we kept the good tempered puppy that we don’t have to worry about bad temperament in our future litters? We should not treat temperament problems in a litter with any less seriousness than we do a health problem.
From the book - "CONTROL OF CANINE GENETIC DISEASES" - If you breed dogs for any reason, you must own this book. Genetic diseases are among the most serious hazards on the landscape of modern dog breeding and one of the most vexing challenges facing today's dog breeders. Is it appropriate to open the gene pool to unwanted conditions in the pursuit of physical perfection, or must breeding to the Standard take a back seat to producing healthy animals?
In Control of Canine Genetic Diseases, renowned authority George A. Padgett, DVM, provides an expert road map to help dog breeders everywhere avoid the pitfalls they are almost destined to encounter. For anyone whose goal is to produce healthy, functional and beautiful dogs, this is the book they need. Dr. Padgett provides clear explanations of modes of inheritance, how to conduct and analyze test matings and how to lower the chances of producing affected animals. Numerous tables, diagrams and graphs further enhance the text to facilitate the breeder's understanding.
My rating: Genetic faults: (1)
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