# Please critique - updated photo's of Zefra



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I would love some opinions on how Zefra is progressing. We have our SV show next month as well.

Stack (I did my best.. lol)

These are just a few photo's from this past weekend while we were on vacation.




























Movement 



















Head shot



















Thanks everyone, looking to learn so please feel free to share opinions, etc.


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## lorihd (Nov 30, 2011)

beautiful! thats my opinion


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## CeCe (Jun 1, 2011)

Very nice dog-she looks long, lean and elegant. I love her coloring, especially in the trotting pics. Perfect ears and a lovely, keen expression.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

wow what an amazing looking dog. i like the "movement" photo. beautifully contoured body!


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

She's got a very pleasing form--very tightly ligamented ("dry") and compact, with a very tight coat. Nice medium size and bone, tight coat, lovely head with good earset, a nice long neck, pleasing topline with a slight nick behind the withers--this shows up more bc of her tight coat and lean build. A little upright in the pasterns--goes with being tightly ligamented. I really like her front--nice angle of shoulder blade and upper arm, good length and lay of upper arm.

However, she could use more length of upper thigh to give her a bit more angulation in the rear. So, she's got a better shoulder than rear and this shows up in movement. The proportions may improve some as she matures over the next year or 18 months, but I think she's always going to be lacking somewhat in rear angulation for the show ring.

Because of her better front than rear, she "falls on the forehand" a bit in movement, meaning that she moves "butt high" and looks a bit like she's running downhill (her shoulders are lower than her hips) at the trot.

This is very common in the working lines--and I suspect she's got great agility and is very nimble on her feet.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

BlackthornGSD said:


> She's got a very pleasing form--very tightly ligamented ("dry") and compact, with a very tight coat. Nice medium size and bone, tight coat, lovely head with good earset, a nice long neck, pleasing topline with a slight nick behind the withers--this shows up more bc of her tight coat and lean build. A little upright in the pasterns--goes with being tightly ligamented. I really like her front--nice angle of shoulder blade and upper arm, good length and lay of upper arm.
> 
> However, she could use more length of upper thigh to give her a bit more angulation in the rear. So, she's got a better shoulder than rear and this shows up in movement. The proportions may improve some as she matures over the next year or 18 months, but I think she's always going to be lacking somewhat in rear angulation for the show ring.
> 
> ...


wow. i love the technicality of this answer. bless you. if you get a chance can you find my Zeeva and do me the honor of critiquing her?


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

also thinks she's gorgeous and looks, is built alot like Masi..Masi I believe, along with Christine's assessment is 'dry' / very tightly ligamented love her just the same


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

I third Blackthorn. If you want to bring down her rear at the stack you'll really have to shape her so she crouches slightly and pushes forward with her chest; if you bring her right foot under a touch it might force her down (or she'll pull back off her front end and look odd, depends on the dog). She's a little shallow-chested compared to the dogs we usually see in the SE AKC/UKC shows. In the ring judges want to see a level back at highest and a lower rear (no roach, of course) at best. My friend's bitch has a similar build, and she has put some wins on her with a well-shaped stack so DON'T DESPAIR! A lot of UKC judges are putting up the less-angulated working type dogs now. Keep in mind I'm not a judge, I just show a lot so it's one person's opinion.
Beautiful working girl, I'd love to see her going after a frisbee! I bet she's like lightning.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

BlackthornGSD said:


> She's got a very pleasing form--very tightly ligamented ("dry") and compact, with a very tight coat. Nice medium size and bone, tight coat, lovely head with good earset, a nice long neck, pleasing topline with a slight nick behind the withers--this shows up more bc of her tight coat and lean build. A little upright in the pasterns--goes with being tightly ligamented. I really like her front--nice angle of shoulder blade and upper arm, good length and lay of upper arm.
> 
> However, she could use more length of upper thigh to give her a bit more angulation in the rear. So, she's got a better shoulder than rear and this shows up in movement. The proportions may improve some as she matures over the next year or 18 months, but I think she's always going to be lacking somewhat in rear angulation for the show ring.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the critique! I was hoping you would take a look and respond.

I totally agree with your assessment as well. She is LIGHTENING fast and super agile.

I wish she had more of a rear but I guess you can't get everything in one dog! LOL

Would you take a guess at what she will place? I am of course hoping for a SG but she is in a line up of all showlines (there are only 2-4 working lines being shown at all in this trial.. lol) and so who knows.. lol. 

This girl is just full of trouble as well. She has a temperament to die for, nothing rattles her, loves people and kids, awesome with other dogs, totally biddable but with some 'tude. She doesn't take crap from anyone and is a super worker!


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Thanks everyone!

Much appreciated!


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

In the young dog class where "SG" is the highest possible rating, I think she'll get "G"--they won't put her in the same ranking as the conformation dogs. IMO--unless she gaits extremely well.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

I have to comment that I love the set of ears that look as if they are growing out of her back in the first picture


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

I feel a bit like my comment will come across harshly -- I showed several dogs for their koerung--got 3 Gs. 

I like my G working dogs--but will still strive for improvement, as long as "improvement" isn't decreasing physical agility, power of movement, and confidence of foot!


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Thanks Christine, no harshness coming across at all!

Everyone thinks she will SG but I don't think she will, I kept/keep saying a "G". Especially since the judge likes a larger, longer dog and Zefra is petite and compact.


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

Liz.....If you want the best rating as possible......then the best advice that I could give you is: _Honestly train her for the ring._

1) Teach her to gait properly.
2) Teach her to allow people to properly "stack" her.
3) Teach her to "pull" forward on the leash....but to remain "calm" on the leash also.
*These are the things that will assist your dog when being judged in Conformation.
It is not as *simple* as many people think......_trust me.*_

Dogs get frustrated in the ring. They also tire from gating continuously...fast & slow. They become bored....since the only real reward comes from you at the end of the class.
*Training* the dogs to *show*, in 90 degree weather (hot, humid) or rain (down pours)...continuously going (without breaking down) is more work than it appears.
*If you train your dogs....you should get the best possible critiques for your dogs.*

I wish you the best!...please let us know how the show goes!


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Thanks Robin!

We have been working on it with her, and I have a trainer coming to work with her a few times before the big day as well! 

Great, great, great tips!


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