# Please critique my puppy's structure - ASL



## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

Here are some new photos of Sabra. I am submitting them with her application for UKC registration since she is AKC registered currently. Would love to hear what others see in her at this young age. Once I get the registration from UKC, we will begin going to shows . 




























UKC requires photos from both sides, hence the stacked photos in both directions.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

is the dog overshot?
http://www.felsteadgundogs.com/canineundershotandovershotjaws.htm


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

How old?


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

From her signature: Sabra - new GSD puppy - April 30, 2012

OP: do you have a larger picture?


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

carmspack said:


> is the dog overshot?
> Dog overshot and undershot jaws - Information regarding this issue


No, when her mouth is closed her bite is correct. She just lost her first puppy tooth yesterday.


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## svtcobragirl (Aug 19, 2012)

What a BEAUTIFUL pup!


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

qbchottu said:


> From her signature: Sabra - new GSD puppy - April 30, 2012
> 
> OP: do you have a larger picture?


Yes, I have larger file size photos - but there are restrictions here for larger file sizes. How should I post larger file sizes?


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Max picture size is 800x600. You can resize to below that size and post it on here.


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

lhczth said:


> How old?


Sabra is 16 weeks old this week.


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

Here are the re-sized photos. I set them to 800 x 600.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

one very quick way to find out what your chances are at the "shows" is to enter her at Sanction matches . Most clubs hold these semi official shows . By semi official I mean to say that the rules and structure and conduct are the same as a real points show . There are ring stewarts, a judge-in-training who has to apprentice so many shows on the way to getting the nod to be an AKC/CANKC recognized judge able to award points. There is opportunity to get the young pups out there and get them used to patiently waiting in a stack , walking into stack, doing the turns, gaiting , learning to not be distracted by ringside spectators , learning to not goof around and pile up into the dog in front or play with the dog behind. Then ...here comes the judge... who is going to run hands over , look at dentition, check the under carriage, feel for two descended testicles. 
One more benefit . The Sanction match is a bit of a reality check , an inexpensive reality check before you get out there and travel , book motels, pay handlers (some which are honest and others who will ride as long as there is pay), and pay entry fees which add up if you fail to place .

Did you buy your dog with the intention of she being a show dog ? 
Here is what I do like about her .

Good pigment. Good bone. Feminine - proper secondary sex characteristics. Dark eye. Nice length to the neck. Good breadth , or width to chest . Good straight legs with strong pasterns and from what I can make out good feet .
Her back is short and level - no roaches or sags - strong . Her underline is nice, good depth to the body for that lung capacity . Been seeing a few shallow bodied dogs or dogs with too much tuck . This one looks good.
I like the proportions of her hind leg, the thigh to stifle to hock. She looks to have good ligaments. Front and rear. No let down on pasterns , no cow hock , no resting on hock . 
No exaggerations on this female. Plus she shows that she should have a lovely double coat , under coat and guard hairs of proper texture. And she looks to be a bright dog interested in her surroundings, and not showing signs of anxiety . There is an endearing happy look to her expression .

That is a whole bushel of good.

On the negative side FOR SHOWING is that she appears to have a short upper arm . In stacking her you've done her a disservice and pulled her front too far back . This makes her lean forward distorting the front and topline too.

So go to picture #1 . Draw a line down the middle of your left blue jeaned knee. Go a little higher to where you have a darker blue triangular spot in the picture (your arm your fleece sweater. Draw a line from there and you will see it will go exatly down the middle of your blue jeaned knee.

Now recognize that by co-incidence the dog is perfectly in line with these two points. The high point of her wither, her shoulder blade is "there" . The front legs should be placed squarely under this point in the shoulder blades . 

Recognize that if you draw this imaginary line from the dark patch through your knee , THIS is where the outside of her front legs should be . This will place her leg properly under her shoulders. 

The top line will change a bit .

In picture one you did a pretty good job setting up the rear without temptation to pull that leg back further. Set up her hock so that the hock is straight - just an inch or two will do it . You have it correct in the last picture .

At the moment she is taller in hind than front . Her croup is short and steep . That is the other thing against her conformation. At the moment her croup is higher than her wither so she is slanted downhill. Pups grow like this. With time she very well could grow into herself and level off . This won't change the fact that she lacks upper arm , maybe layback or that her croup is short and steep.

She is balanced in her ability to reach and drive , more or less equal in difficiencies front and back .

Balance is very important . A dog that is unbalanced will side wide , crab , lift at the front , pound , pick legs up high to get out of the way of the "more rear" . That compensation takes energy and puts strains on muscles and is energy inefficienct. Our breed is about being an efficient trotting animal -- not about flying gaits and side gaits .

So what do you think?

Carmen
CARMSPACK.com


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

If you are doing UKC then you can show a puppy 3-6 months in the NLC class, so it's basically a puppy match without having to find an actual match. Most shows I've been to offer this. It's cheaper than a normal entry and you are treated like all the other competitors. The NLC puppies show after the Best of Breed and then if you are First Place NLC puppy in your breed there's a puppy Best In Show at the end. You get ribbons but no points since it's an NLC/dogs are too young to earn points and wins.


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

Carmen and Liesje:

Thank you for the great critique and information about showing a puppy in UKC shows. At this point, all that I am familiar with is the AKC show world, so I will have to learn the differences. I have friends that are now UKC judges and hope to attend some shows with them this Fall. 

Sabra was obtained with the intent of being a show ring GSD. She was the bitch pick of the litter and I helped the breeder evaluate the litter. Her temperament, confidence, movement and structure were the better package than any of the other two females. There were three females and six males in the litter. 

I have never shown German Shepherds before and will make sure that I get lots more practice stacking before we go in the ring. No other breed has to be stacked like a GSD, so all of my years with my Sporting Group breed won't help me with Sabra. We will learn this together.


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