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Judging the GSD

 

Recently, I  got a call from an old-time Shepherd friend  and she said she had just found the article and read it, and  said “ You must have a crystal ball, you can predict the Future!!’. We both laughed and I  said,”   I don’t have a  “Crystal Ball’  , but I can  sense a storm coming a long way off”.

We are now in the midst of that Storm and  frankly I don’t see any sunny days ahead.

UNLESS:  We have drastic changes in lowering  the  Pro Handler’s  fees, etc.  and  the  ‘Specialty Show System”  and SOON!!”

I don’t ‘foretell’ that happening.  I see a silent folding of tents , and  a steady  moving away  to the All-Breed Rings,  because, the All-Breed Shows, will be the only ones left, , who  can still afford to put on Shows..  It will never be the same and  we can only be grateful that we lived in a time, of the “ Specialty Show ERA “… Sorry to  present such  a “ DOOM and GLOOM “  prediction but  it  is  an honest , from the heart , Prediction.

For those who are interested in judging the German Shepherd Breed, you   should attend   GSD  Specialty Shows , the GSDCA National Specialty Show and the  WDA   NASS GSD Shows… where you can see the West German  Shepherds  in  action… Our breed is a   man-made breed,  which came from the passion   of Captain Max von Stephanitz  , in Germany, to produce the GREATEST WORKING BREED this WORLD has Ever Known, or will ever know…   over 100  years ago..  he began with three  herding dog strains and  devoted his life to  creating a German Shepherd Working Breed that was the MOST  VERSATILE,    TRAINABLE , , COURAGEOUS, FAITHFUL, and DEPENDABLE and INTELLIGENT  CANINE   BREED  in the WORLD...

HE SUCCEEDED!

I would urge anyone  desiring to judge, the GSD Breed… to acquire the  GSD BIBLE…. “ The   German Shepherd Dog” by Captain Max von Stephanitz…Read it from cover to cover, over and over again… Always remember, our   GSDCA Breed Standard,   was written directly from the  SV  Breed Standard, of the  Breed’s Mother Country,  GERMANY, by Captain Max von Stephanitz.. …. You need to read every   GSD Book you can get your hand’s on, including  GSD Breed magazines, and  study them… Judging the German Shepherd  with A True Knowledge and Appreciation of this Great Breed  is  an Awesome Task…

Let us start from the Beginning :

You must first understand that the GSD Breed today, over-all,  lacks uniformity of type, conformation and movement…So when your Class comes into the ring, you will be presented with  Shepherds, who often are  different in Conformation and Movement…

Why?  Because too many breeders breed according to their own personal  breed  Standards and Preferences, correct or incorrect, and the Judges , often judge, according to their personal  breed standards and preferences.. which, sadly,  too often, includes their preference for the Handlers who support their entries and keep them  getting Breed Assignments… ….So it makes it difficult to  come to any conclusions, about exactly what a particular Judge likes and dislikes in the Breed.. and that often discourages those who are limited in their ability to pay , often extreme  handling fees..

At one time, the Breeders were in control and they knew exactly what each Judge liked and disliked, and they exhibited their Shepherds with a lot more knowledge and possibilities of winning…It has, become somewhat of a crapshoot, nowadays..

The one constant is that most accept the hard fact, that  it is the  human on the end of the lead, which wins or loses, not the dog…This has had a ghastly toll on the entries in the Shows.. As it  limited those with limited means to afford Pro Handlers…and exhibit..

First  in importance when judging, is to learn and practice the ‘RIGHT APPROACH”  to the  GSD , as a Judge…At Speciality  Shows, the GSDCA requests that all Judges adopt their  uniform rules for approaching the GSD to evaluate Temperament and Character…

Which is: To  request the Handler to  present the dog on a loose lead and the Judge approaches and  does not speak to the dog…and pats it, etc… That might have worked in the past, but with the   German Imports .coming back into the Conformation Ring, I would suggest that you  have your class brought into the ring in catalog order, one at a time,  and   have each one  move  around the ring to a designated place where  you begin your examination.. be sure the Dogs are NOT in a   place, where they are lined up, where the sun is in THEIR  EYES , as you approach…Then you  proceed to start with the first dog at the head of the line.. As you approach  the Dog in a NORMAL manner, with confidence , you  ask the Handler, in a calm voice,  to

“Please   take the dog down and back and once around on a loose lead and bring them back before me, and let them stand naturally”… When that is accomplished, you say to the Handler in a calm   and self-assured voice, ‘Thank You’….and ask them to  “please  ‘set the dog up for an exam’… When the Handler has the  dog s set up, you calmly  approach the dog at a normal natural pace, and say something like “ Hello Son”, or “Hello Pretty Girl”, etc…You don’t STARE at the dog and you don’t  EVER   LOOK, for any more than a few seconds, at  them  DRIRECTLY in the EYES…That is considered  an   Aggressive   Action   to the Dog. You NEVER ‘stalk’ them!!!   Approach from ONE DIRECTION, and EXIT  From the Same. DON”T   EVER  CIRCLE THE DOG!!!…  Be purposeful and business like in your Approach and Confident… Ask the Handler to show the teeth , and inform the Handler that you are going to check the testes of the  Dog, so the Handler has the Dog under Control… …  and  you make your first physical contact by  running your hand down the back of the dog, gently, and  if he is standing quietly, slowly move your hand down his rump and under his tail and feel for the testes.. You should very gently ,  feel  for  two normal size testes, and both should be   the same size and  firm and well-formed.. NEVER SQUEEZE them!!!!…Learn to do this quickly and  without any sudden  or unusual movements of your hand…

NEVER touch the Dog’s   HEAD!!!  You can obstruct their vision and that can cause the Dog to react negatively, and become suspicious of you…NEVER  HOVER over the Dog!!!!  Stand   Straight…Do your Job and observe the Dog and their reaction to you, to ascertain if they appear to be confident and secure and NOT Negative and/or Fearful of you and your Exam…You can steal quick glances at the Dog’s eyes and see  instantly what reaction you are having on the Dog.. Their eyes tell the TRUTH!!!!!   They can be trained to stand for  periods of time… and they can be trained to  present a confident  demeanor.. But no one can Train Their Eyes!!!!   LEARN to  QUICKLY READ their Eye’s and the EXPRESSION in the their Eyes!!!   They will tell you all you need to know, if you learn to read them correctly.. They can warn you if the Dog is fearful enough, or suspicious of you, causing it  to become  self-protective or ready to shy away…A fearful dog can become a dangerous dog.. These Dogs should never be exhibited , who have that propensity, but sometimes you will run across one or two, so be  fore-warned… Another warning:   Never wear  Perfume or Shaving Lotion or  any scents that MASK  your Human Smell… Dangling bracelets,  necklaces, etc.. Floppy hats that cover your eyes…. If even for a moment…

Try to dress simply and present a very natural and normal presence…If you have to wear a rain-Coat, and rain-hat, boots, etc..  remember that plastic covers your scent, so  take the time, to  give the Dog time, to adjust to you…Don’t rush in and try to do it quickly.. Dogs do NOT like  people who smell of   Cigarettes, or Cigar Smoke or Alcohol… …Stay calm and self-assured. This gives the Dog confidence in you… If you are nervous and make quick, unexpected movements and   make many motions with your arms and hands,  you can  cause a nervous reaction in the Dog…Also  be aware of your  voice and it’s  volume and  pitch. Speak  in  a normal and confident manner..

If you have any fear of large Dogs, etc… then you should   NOT  consider judging such Breeds….  German Imports are not   touched by the Judges…as a rule.. They have their teeth and testes  examined by a Helper at the entrance of the ring and a report is presented to the   Judge… This is the normal  procedure for them… Unless they are trained to accept  the requirements of handling in the USA  Rings, this can present a problem….

Always be on the watch when a child exhibits his or her dog, as the  Male s can  become very protective of the child… That also  applies to Women Owner/Handlers with their Male Dogs in particular…

Give the Dogs   the Great Respect they  Deserve!!!  Never approach them in a ‘Hail fellow, Well –Met’  attitude and stanch , grabbing at them and hugging them and becoming way too familiar way too quick…  the German Shepherd,  in particular, must  accept you first, before you are allowed such privileges,( if you ever are).. … if you do not own the Dog, it will never be a good idea…The GSD Is naturally Suspicious  of Strangers when   he or she is with their Owners… So, it is BEST, to approach them all, with Great Respect .   and never  ASSUME  Liberties, they may not wish to give…

This all sounds rather like they are  risky to approach and I do not mean  for you to assume that idea.. I am merely pointing out the correct way to approach  any GSD to get the Best reaction  from them, possible, so that your judging goes smoothly and without incident…

When you are gaiting the  GSD’S together, be sure and keep them at some distance from each other. No crowding up on one another…As sexually mature males often  take offense with each other over the slightest excuse… Fortunately most who are ring-trained  by knowledge trainers, are, for the most part, rather  tolerant of each other, in the ring.

Don’t assume that Females are never a problem in that way.  In  some cases, they can be .. There is an old Saying  about GSD’S.. “ The Males will fight till one is exhausted, the females will fight until one is dead’…  So, it is best to keep them  from crowding each other, as well.

Each Dog is  brought to you  singularly for you to evaluate… That begins with the Going down and Coming back, so a  Judge can evaluate  ‘coming’ and ‘going’   movement…

Hopefully you will have a  Shepherd who moves away from you with strong, correct hock action driving under itself in  a   direct and  straight  forward action, with no weakness of hocks, no showing any weakness in the way the hock  is placed directly under the dog,  strongly and purposefully….….I hope you understand that a weak hock  and those which are overly long, and the  resulting weak action, where  the hock gives with  the dog’s   weight, and/or  twists and is  turned in or turned out, in motion, is totally incorrect and that  dog will not last very long in  motion… It is an EXTREME weakness…. And Totally Incorrect for any Working Breed… A Lap Dog can be carried about in the  owner’s arms, but not a  Working   BREED!!!  They MUST be able to COVER GROUND with GREAT Efficiency and  Mobility…and AGILITY!!!  They should be able to “ Turn on a dime and hand you the change”,    quickly and not miss a beat, change direction at an instant with no giving, or any signs of  weakness of  their hocks…The hock is the springboard from which that dog launches itself  over walls and fences and into action……  Their HOCKS are the Fulcrum that produces the  POWER  and AGILE   Hindquarter  thrust and propulsion…THE HOCK  IS THE POWER and DELIVERS THE HINDQUARTER PROPULSION TO THE FORE-QUARTER, THRU THE BACK….NOW, that Hock gets it’s power from being well-formed, strong, firm  and functional from  it’s strength and musculature   from the  Strong Stifle and the all-Important  connection of the Upper and Lower stifle…and the MUSCLE POWER of both the LOWER  and UPPER    Hindquarter Musculature and the Ligaments and the Cartilage and  Tendons , all play an extremely Important part in the  POWER   that  completes The  Hindquarter,  which, as a whole can deliver  it’s propulsion ,thru the Croup and Back into the fore-quarter…As the English would say, many Moons ago, ‘It is ALL OF A PIECE”… Nothing functions perfectly without the  Perfect Function of the Entire  Whole!!! To Exaggerate any part of the body, is to destroy the whole!!!  And it’s function!!!’…

A dead give-away  of a  Serious  Mal-function of the hock, is foot-dragging… and this extends up and into the lower  stifle…When a dog moves, with it’s hocks, at one point in the gait,  or standing, that are  laying flat on the ground, including the POINT of the HOCK, that is  a Deadly  Foreteller of the  Weakness and Instability of the entire Hindquarter…The  Hind-foot should be strong and well-formed   with  good thick  pads, to traverse the dog over any kind of footing…  Any Part of this Hind-quarter with any weakness ,  is like a  Machine which  has a Mal-functioning part…that affects and often destroy’s the  whole… The POWER of the DRIVE  Originates and comes from the POWER and STABILITY of that HOCK!!!! Never forget it is the FULCRUM!!! NEVER  UNDERESTIMATE  IT”S   Premier  VALUE in  the MOVEMENT  of this  WORKING BREED…An Overly Long stifle  and long hock, creates a WEAKNESS and the HOCK sitting  too far behind the dog, because of it,  destroys the   POWER and   ENDURANCE  of the Dog…That hock has to be able to move fluidly and powerfully  straight under the  body of the dog, and come out behind in a OPEN  , straight motion..easily clearing itself to move back under and out, in a sweeping direct and perfectly timed motion…

The German Shepherd should  APPEAR to be and   MUST be, Powerful, Strong, Muscular and AGILE…..  A weak  Hindquarter, or  any part of it, is  in Direct Opposition to these  Breed  Standard   Requirements.

The   FORE- QUARTER,  is composed  of  the  Shoulder Blade and Upper Arm and the   elbow and fore-leg and pastern and foot.   ANY  deviation  in any of these ‘parts’ is a deviation  from the NORM and the ability for the  Dog to use it’s entire Forequarter in  a   far- reaching direct action….The power from the Hindquarter thrust is delivered to the Fore-quarter thru the back into the shoulder and that  upper arm must reach out directly from the elbow, in a  strong   , straight action of the entire foreleg and  pastern and foot, with the  propulsion coming from the  opening of the SHOULDER , Not the Elbow…If the Shoulder-Blade is laid on too upright and is short and open at the top where the two  shoulder-blades meet,  that demonstrates a SIGNIFICANT WEAKNESS  …The  Shoulder Blades should meet closely at the top in what is called a ‘well-knit’ fashion.. Determined by the fact that a woman with the average woman’s size hands, should only be able to get one fore-finger,  between the blades  where they meet , at the most!! 

The Upper Arm  should be long in direct proportion  to the Shoulder Blade, and  well angulated so that  it lays on flat and well-laid back,. The configuration of both,  should approximate a  figure  V laid on sideways… so that if you drop a plumb line from the  top of the shoulder blade, it should drop  directly behind the elbow of the dog to the ground.. with the dog standing perfectly  square,  and  normal  with it’s fore-legs under it in a natural position. The top of the  V being the top of the shoulder-blade and the bottom of the V , at  front  of the fore=leg. The point of the V is  where the Upper arm and Shoulder blade  meet. .

The Fore-quarter CANNOT be correct with any mal-formation of the RIB-CAGE… The Rib-Cage, should be long and well carried back , a pear shape, with no hint of Barrel or rounded ribs and no hint of flat ribbing. The rib-cage ends at what  should be a short, powerful  muscular loin…and aids in a correct  under-line of the dog…If the Fore-quarter is Barrel-Ribbed, too  wide and  round, it forces the  fore-quarter to be laid on at an incorrect angle… and causes the elbows to be forced out and unable to  allow the foreleg to come  straight out from the shoulder and  rather causes an awkward

Out at the Elbow”  action… This causes extreme tiring in motion very quickly..  If the Ribbing is flat, it can affect the  elbows of the foreleg, to come together too close under the dog, causing a pinched front, which also greatly restricts the action of the foreleg..and creates a serious failure in the ability of the dog to move correctly in front and  have it’s fore-legs moving straight out and close to the ground with no lifting or  flipping of pasterns, etc.. The Pasterns and front feet ,  must be very strong, like the Hock… when they  contact the ground beneath the dog they are absorbing all that power and weight from the hindquarter  propulsion into and thru the topline of the back into the forequarter, to achieve a smooth and agile and effortless , opening and direct  forward  reaching, extending , and expending the thrust of that hind-quarter  power in  motion… Never Forget…” THE FRONT HAS TO GET THERE FIRST!!!”…

Many Judges   neglect the  ‘nuances of improper  motion of the Hindquarter and/or the  Forehand, and instead  concentrate all their attention on the SIDE-GAIT… Which can be

Impressive at the SHORT term….But a True Shepherd Specialist knows that  even small problems with the Hindquarter action and/or the Fore=quarter action, (coming and going)  will soon take it’s toll on the  duration of that side-gait…if one could keep the dog in motion for any length of time, as in the Old Days, when dogs were required to move at a steady  strong  trot , around a huge ring for  one or two to three  hours…often going into a ‘Flying Trot” for several long laps… Those of us fortunate enough to compete in those days, quickly learned that  perfection and  endurance of that side-gait depended upon a  perfectly functioning Hindquarter and Fore-Quarter action…Without which, the dog would soon tire and the  effects of the  imperfection of such incorrect coming and /or going action,   would soon eliminate the dog from competition… We referred to it  as “ the Dog is breaking down”….

Too many  breeders  in recent years,  have been over-looking everything for a rapid quick-fire mover… That is totally against the Breed Standard for   correct Shepherd Movement… The Shepherd  should appear to be, and actually to be,   EFFORTLESS  and FLUID in MOTION like a Perfect Machine!!!!   The legs do not move fast…. They drive and extend in a beautiful  , graceful , motion, covering the maximum  amount of ground with the minimum    number of steps’…The Shepherd at a full out Flying Trot, lowers it’s body to the ground and merely extends it legs, farther under and  farther out to achieve that  correct Highly prized Standard required , Flying Trot…where all four feet are momentarily off the ground,  from which comes the  name ‘FLYING;”   As in “Flying Trot’….   Too many today are just moving  fast , with very  quick, short strides and creating an illusion of  correct  movement.

It always reminds me of the  line from the  poem..” My Candle burns at both ends and it will not last the night’… FOR:

Without  ENDURANCE   the   PURPOSE   of this  WORKING BREED is LOST!

When Judging this Breed,  it is  ABSOLUTELY  a SIN, to ignore  The SEX CHARACTERISTICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The BREED is NOTABLE for it’s MAGNIFICENT   NOBILITY and ‘THE LOOK OF EAGLES”..   A bitchy, fine-headed male that lacks STRONG SECONDARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS is  NOT  to be  seriously considered for Placements or Breeding…regardless of it’s  movement…

The Female should look like a FEMALE…But she should have a Strong Well-shaped Head and Strong Expression of Nobility and the “LOOK OF EAGLES”   as well…

She will be the Mother of Her SONS, and without her having   Great Nobility, she cannot produce  NOBLE SONS…. To carry on  the BEAUTY  and AWESOME  CHARACTERISTICS that set this GERMAN SHEPHERD BREED APART FROM ALL OTHERS!!!!

The Shepherd must be viewed from all angles as well , including  looking down on it, to see the width of the  body  and it’s  proportions…To check the spring of the ribbing, the length of the loin and the breadth of the Fore-quarters and the Breadth of the Hindquarters… which must present a  perfect balance…. A female can be forgiven for a slightly longer loin as she will  be required to carry a litter… BUT, the   Back should remain strong and  without sway, dip or roach… The neck that  supports the Magnificent Heads of this Breed must be strong and well-muscled.. NEVER overly long or too short or  weak-muscled…The neck must lower and support  the head when the dog is in motion and allow the maximum  output of that fore-quarter and it  must be strong and able to endure that support for however long  it is called upon to do so… The GSD  should have a  perfect  length and curve of croup and  a long , strong tail… The tail is the continuation of the spine and should not have any  sign of   mis-shaped verterbrae’s…or curls or twists, etc.. It balances the dog when it makes quick or abrupt turns, etc…

The GSD  is only slighter longer than tall… as 8 is to 10 and ½ is correct… There are many  Conformation and Character requirements and  they should all be heeded!! We have some overly long dogs in recent years with straight upright shallow fore-quarters and long, weak muscled stifles… Some of these backs ‘are a Bridge too Far’.and give in motion and cannot deliver that hindquarter power and drive  effectively to the fore-quarter.. The bones of the  Shepherd should be OVAL and hard.. Round, Spongy bones are a serious fault…

The teeth should be large and well-shaped and close together in Strong Jaws… The Bite should be  closely looked at, as an even bite can result in wear and tear and an overshot or undershot  mouth, can result in a poor grip and be a problem to the perfect formation of the muzzle itself.

The pigmentation should be  VERY  RICH  with STRONG  COLORS …..and  the coat should be of double-strength for  protection  in all climes… The undercoat MUST be thick and a strong insulator.. The outer coat should be hard and without waves and curls… it should have a beautiful sheen that speaks of great health of the Dog carrying it…

We need and must have a Beauty of Head, because it is the Hallmark of This Breed.. The erect and perfectly shaped and formed ears, set perfectly on a strong and correctly shaped skull is an absolute MUST!! A dark warm brown expressive eye of almond shape ( not round!!)  set perfectly in the  head, is the SOUL of this BREED… It is in the Eyes of this Breed that you  can read ‘It’s   Heart’ !!!!

This Breed must always present with Strong Confidence and Certainty that  THEY are in  Complete and Total Control and can handle whatever comes  their way…Any sign of weak nerves and/or  concern of  strange objects, etc. is  to be severely penalized… The Shepherd should be always at ease in it’s strategic  surroundings…Instantly taking it all in and observing every thing in it’s area… When with it’s Master, it should be instantly aware of all that surrounds it’s Master, and should  take  instant notice of any sign of possible danger or harm to it’s    Master.. and   quietly  keep note of it… The German Shepherd is the Strongest Most Intelligent and Discriminating Protector of it’s Master and all that belongs to them….Their  Sworn Duty is to “ GUARD and DEFEND and PROTECT”  that  MASTER… They will give their LIFE without any concern for themselves for that MASTER…

I am always in AWE,  that  I , who mean nothing to So Many Millions  in this World, Mean the World to  My Incredible German Shepherds…

We have not given them a modicum of what they deserve… Let us all  STRIVE to  do BETTER  by Them…   Barbara Lee Williams


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