# Question to the AKC confirmation peeps



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

I have a puppy. A stunning puppy( I think at least), but not an ASL dog. In fact he is DDR/Czech, black sable. 

I thought it would be fun to show him in some AKC conformation shows. For exposure, experience, and cause ( why not?). 

I personally hate the separation in the breed. I hate the discourse and complaining. And I figure you should show what YOU think is to standard and the judges can't put up dogs that don't show. So if I think my puppy is to standard, then I should put him out there. 

Am I being stupid? Would my pup be welcomed? How does one go about " picking" judges to show under? Is there somewhere you can look at the dogs that judges have picked? A central database? Would he have a better chance if I used a pro handler? 

I do plan on doing German style showing as well, and fingers crossed getting a Koer rating. But I wanna get him into as many venues as possible. 

Any help or insight would be great. PM is fine if there are things you don't want to say on the board. I am in Maryland if that makes a difference. 




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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I have toyed with ASL ring, and did well in puppy matches, and am a member of a GSD club where the ASL is the typical line of members. 

I would not show the dog in a specialty show because you will just waste your money, and probably be the recipient of some nasty comments. I mean, as hard as it is to get enough dogs together for a major, a member of my club entered her GSL dog to help them get a major, and she heard some really crappy comments from other people about her dog. I don't think you want to expose yourself or your dog to that. 

GSL dogs do better in the ALL breed shows. If you have a nice working line dog, I have to think he would do better there than the specialty rings. And I think there are sieger shows here in the US. That might be your best venue. 

There really is too much politics in dog showing that you will ever see a Czech dog be put up in a specialty conformation show.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Yeah. I know specialties are OUT!!! I really just want to get him out. Show what I think a correct GSD should be. 

I have zero delusions that he will win a lot, if at all. But I don't want to be part of the problem. I would rather put out what I like and let others see my boy. 

In the long run, it's about getting my boy out, having fun together, and being around other GSD people of all types. 

I talked with a good friend who is uber successful in the AKC show ring, with terriers, and she gave me some good feedback about showing and what to expect. 

I am going to start with a B match. Just to get out there and see what happens. 


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

go for it, 

I showed my male who was ddr/asl , he did not step out of the ring without getting an RWD, of course always a best man never a groom I did it because I wanted to learn and he was a great dog to learn with.

I agree , go to all breed shows..I'd start with matches if you can find any, they aren't out there like they used to be years ago. 

As for being welcome, well I found the matches are much more welcoming/fun than the shows..There are some that are friendly, others that will ignore you because 'they' have the best dogs

I'll never forget my first show, I had a handler and stayed away from the ring because I did not want to be one of those "double handlers"..Anyhow, Iwas in thegrooming area, dodge was in the ring for BOB, this high profile handlers wife came charging over yelling "who owns that black dog?" I said "I do why?" "oh" and just turned and walked away..Not to friendly, my dog was certainly the "talk" of the ringside that day "who is he?" blah blah blah..He took a RWD over the 'wife's' husband who was handling a well known dog, 

Fun while I did it, the politics was ridiculous, learned it, didit, got out of it.

But GO FOR IT!.


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

I agree with Diane. If you don't show you can't win.

Do you have a stacked photo of him?


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

It's tiny. I need a better one. 

Here is a natural stance










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## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

No advice, just encouragement. Go out there and do it!!

I don't show dogs (yet), but I do go to dog shows, and speaking as a spectator, it is really refreshing and encouraging to see different types of GSDs in the venue.

Just expect that you might get hassled by some Maryland version of me who is desperately eager to learn more about your dog and pesters you mercilessly after your run.


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## CMorton (Oct 28, 2000)

The AKC ring can be fun 
#1. if you don't take it too seriously.
#2. can take some well meaning unsolicited criticism and advice.
#3. if you make it fun for your dog and learn to block out the crap.

I think he's a nice looking puppy


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I would also take some handling classes if you can find them in your area..They were sooooo educational for me and the dog I had was such a great student , another great learning experience


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

I plan on taking a handling class, if I actually decide to do it. One of our localish training clubs offer them. 

And I have a very thick skin. I can take criticism, constructive or not. I want it to be fun. 


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I took a three week conformation class with Joy. I still have nightmares -- just kidding. But I worked my butt off in there, much more than obedience/rally.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Ok, so stupid old thread of mine resurrected. 

Today I went with a friend to show her dog. It was her dogs first time in a ring(staffy bull). And had a total blast. Surprisingly(maybe not) everyone was a delight. Helpful (I had lots of questions) and my friends dog is a people magnet. What I found funny was that people outside the breed commented that she was "the correct size" but people in the breed commented "oh we thought she was a puppy", sometimes snidely. Her dog is 14 inches. Low side of standard, but standard. Also, her dog is solid muscle, I saw very little muscle tone in many of the other dogs, which was odd for me. 

Anyway, no GSDS there. Some speciality was happening, but it got me thinking about trying this again. 

I am getting ready to sign up for a handling class. I have some work to do. Mainly dog reactivity, it's not horrid, but I can't have it rear its ugly head. 

Any show people out there willing to give me an honest critique of my boy? I would rather know what I have going into it, in the AKC world, before I go. 

Yes, again, I know I won't be in the ribbons, or single ribbon either. But as a GSD show person, if I am humble(which I can be), would you be open to seeing an obvious not SL dog in your class? It gives you numbers right? Beat more dogs get more points? 

I want it to be fun. I have no delusions. I know most will say I am throwing money away, but I don't think I will be. It's all in the exposure and experience.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

How about UKC? Or SV shows? Upper Bucks is having a conformation show in June.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Is that a UKC or SV. He is 2. No IPO titles yet, though hopefully a BH by then. Can he show without a title?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

SV. hmmm...don't think so  In SV, they can get a show rating before they turn 2. If they are 2 then they need the AD and a title to get a show rating. 

But, if I was going to show just for fun, I would choose UKC over AKC. AKC has to many politics, professional handlers. UKC does not allow professional handlers and seems a bit more fair.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I say if you want to show, then show! 

I do have ASLs, and more often than not, I'm throwing my money away, LOL. I'm just doing it for fun. I have a champion bitch, and another that is almost finished, and a dog that may or may not ever be shown. Frankly, while he can move, he's too extreme for me. So meh. But I don't go to shows with the idea that I'm going to set the world on fire with my GSDs. At the end of the day, they are my pets. I'll admit though that I have told the whole bunch of them, after a particularly depressing dog show weekend, that I'm dropping them all off at the animal shelter and getting a corgi. 

Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with someone showing a WL or a GSL, or crosses of any and all. I know someone that has ASL/WL crosses that are in the ring and are quite lovely. You might think about entering in the Amateur-Owner class. It's just what it says. The dog or bitch must be 6 months or older, and the person showing the dog has to be the owner, and can't be a professsional handler. I've watched this class before, and the judges generally are helpful and friendly. It's a regular class, so the winner will go in with the rest of the winners, for winners dog or winners bitch. 

Maybe Jackie or Daphne can give you a critique. I'm not good at looking at dog's photograph and doing a critique. Better in person.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I wish you were closer to my part of the country. My GSD show friends are a very friendly helpful bunch, and you wouldn't feel like you were out there swinging in the wind with your "different" shepherd. 

I know everyone says to do UKC instead of AKC, so you may want to try both. My UKC experience was not very good. I'll give it one more shot with Carly (my AKC champion) this time, and call it a day.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

Oh and if you do decide to give AKC a shot, then groom your dog properly! Blow dry him the day of the show, so he's nice and plushy.


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

I'd be happy to give you tips and an honest critique  There are some nice WLs out there that some AKC judges WOULD appreciate. Maybe not the specialty people, but I rarely agree with them anyway


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## Mikelia (Aug 29, 2012)

I often see a variety of gsd types in our local all breed shows  The working lines don't often place, and there is some nasty comments from some of the showline folks, but there is also nasty comments about the showline dogs too. I enjoy seeing the variety. I have yet to see a really nice working line dog though, but I would be so excited if I did see!
I can't for the life of me find this dogs name but she is not like your typical asl type and she placed select at the 2013 nationals. She was a gorgeous red/black bitch (the pictures do not show her true colouring). I didn't think the judge would pick her as she is not heavily angulated but she placed in the top 10 of all the bitches at the nationals. I just adored her.
Shawlein Fine Art & Purebred German Shepherd Dogs


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