# Sabra is now eight months old



## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

Here are photos taken yesterday. Please let me know your thoughts on her growth and development for AKC conformation.

She set herself up here - watching puppy obedience class during their break


I stacked her for this photo.


Starting to gait - not full throttle yet in this photo


Head shot


Sabra is now in her fifth, sixth and seventh classes. One rally, one obedience and one conformation. She is doing well and I am pleased with her socialization and training so far.


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

For me, personally, this is a puppy I would continue to train, but would definitely wait until adulthood to see what I've got. She's very balanced, and her movement looks nice. Very functional.

Big enough for AKC (even the all breed ring)? IMO I would say no. BUT, she still has a LOT of growing to do.

Pigment and color look fabulous. Nice head.

My biggest concern is that she is a bit long, and her back looks soft right now (not terribly uncommon at this age). I would suggest doing some core strengthening exercises, to help with that a little. She can also firm up a bit as she grows.

Does her topline bounce when she gaits?


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

Jackie:

The breeder of both of Sabra's parents is concerned about her size and told me not to put her in any puppy classes. She is bigger than her mother already and is as tall as many males. Her mother is all American Show Lines and her father is the combination of an ASL bitch bred to a WGSL imported male. Her maternal grandsire is Diesel. 

I took some short videos of her gaiting yesterday and will try to download them tonight when I am home. No one has ever mentioned that her topline bounces when she moves. All I have ever gotten is comments about nice fluid movement. However, I am always the one moving her so I need to watch some videos. Will try to get more next weekend when I have help. 

Thank you very much for your comments.


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## lorihd (Nov 30, 2011)

i dont critique, but she looks lovely to me


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

She's getting so big...I can't critique, really like how she looks...


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

WVGSD, my "big enough" comment was on her movement, rather than her physical size


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

Xeph:

I guess that I don't understand "big enough" movement. Do you mean that she has a nice open gait with decent reach and drive for her age? 

Everyone keeps commenting that she is "big" for a puppy bitch and, while no one is calling her a "doggy" bitch, they are advising that I put her in classes other than the puppy classes when I show her soon ("AKC).


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

Shannon, her gait is balanced for sure, just not sure it's open ENOUGH for AKC. They look for "big" movement in the show ring.


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

Jackie:

Thank you. 

That photo was taken just as we started gaiting. Not an excuse, but she was not gaiting at her full capability. I tried to take some videos, but the parking lot space was not really large enough for me to get her in to full gaiting, so we are going to try again (weather permitting). 

We are doing conformation classes and, during those, we have an unobstructed half basketball court with matting for her to move out on. I might try to get a video taken there rather than outside just to see if it helps.

Many thanks.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Long back and steep croup stick out other than what Xeph has said. 
It's hard to tell in person (size) but her head appears feminine now, on the head shot anyway.
That's about all I have - still learning to critique.


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