# Critique: Kaiser



## Kaiser2012 (Mar 12, 2012)

I posted 5 weeks ago but never got any responses. I'm trying to learn and would really appreciate a critical look at Kaiser  I know his light/white points are not ideal, but thats about as far as I can get since I'm such a noob 

Here is a free stack from today, at *25 weeks*:


self stack by jsnail17, on Flickr

Here is where I tried to stack him, move away, AND take a picture. He moved his front leg (ugh!), and his back leg up a bit so unfortunately its not 90degrees to the ground, *25 weeks* 


semi stack on concrete by jsnail17, on Flickr

Here is a head shot (that tongue!), *25 weeks*


happy boy by jsnail17, on Flickr

Movement from the front 3/4 angle, *25 weeks*


getting better at fetch by jsnail17, on Flickr

Please excuse the potbelly from just having eaten, at *22 weeks*:


sweet boy by jsnail17, on Flickr

Movement from the side, at a slight downward slope (and he was stalking) at *21 weeks*:


movement by jsnail17, on Flickr

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Here was my original post:



Kaiser2012 said:


> *20 weeks* (he stepped slightly out with his front legs, so they obviously aren't squared up perfectly)
> 
> 
> stack 20 weeks by jsnail17, on Flickr
> ...


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Kaiser2012 said:


> Here is a free stack from today, at *25 weeks*:


Will leave an actual critique to people who know what they're talking about. Just wanted to say I think for a young dog he looks great. Not gangly at all, love his legs. Nice looking dog!


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## juliejujubean (May 4, 2011)

i don't know anything about critique but so all i can say is :wub: beautiful dog!


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## Kaiser2012 (Mar 12, 2012)

thanks! I've been wondering if he's going to hit a growth spurt or something, but its been pretty steady from day 1! I appreciate your compliment


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## maureen_mickel (Jul 17, 2011)

Oh...my...gosh! He has gotten even cuter! <3 i think i may just steal your dog ;D


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## Kaiser2012 (Mar 12, 2012)

lmao thank you


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

I can't critique but I think he's beautiful..I love the long coat sables..not that I'm partial or anything...


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## Kaiser2012 (Mar 12, 2012)

I'm not sure he'll end up being a long coat...my guess is a mid-length stock. I've always had a thing for the mid-longer coats though, AND sables. So I'm definitely a bit partial too  Thanks for the compliment!!!


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

I am not a judge, I've only been showing GSDs for 2 years so this is in NO way an *actual* critique, lol. His body is a tad short and his rear looks to be carried higher than his front. His movement pictures aren't really of much use since he's stalking, which makes his high-rear look EXTRA high! 
Over-all he looks to me to be front-heavy.

But, more importantly, he's adorkable! Love it!


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## Kaiser2012 (Mar 12, 2012)

marbury said:


> I am not a judge, I've only been showing GSDs for 2 years so this is in NO way an *actual* critique, lol. His body is a tad short and his rear looks to be carried higher than his front. His movement pictures aren't really of much use since he's stalking, which makes his high-rear look EXTRA high!
> Over-all he looks to me to be front-heavy.
> 
> But, more importantly, he's adorkable! Love it!



So, you mean short lengthwise? or height? And which picture(s) suggest the higher rear? I thought he had a fairly straight back (when not taking into account the "jerry curls" lol) and a minimal downward slope at the hips. I may be looking at the wrong thing though, since I'm not sure what "carried higher" means, haha. I understand what you mean about the movement picture though. I wasn't sure if it'd work, but it was the only one I had that showed a full stride so I figured I'd throw it in there. Still learning here  And I love the word "adorkable"!


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

I was kind of thinking length-wise, but again... I just run in the ring and get excited when judges point to me at this point! 

It may well be that in all these pictures his head/front is down because he's concentrating on you behind the camera. One of my bitches does that... drives the photographers insane!


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

In the first he looks like he has a good topline, but in the rest he looks like his rear is higher than his withers (butt-high). Super handsome! Love his coloring, even if its light. :wub:


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## Kaiser2012 (Mar 12, 2012)

marbury said:


> I was kind of thinking length-wise, but again... I just run in the ring and get excited when judges point to me at this point!
> 
> It may well be that in all these pictures his head/front is down because he's concentrating on you behind the camera. One of my bitches does that... drives the photographers insane!


The most recent pictures required me having him stay and then step back to take a picture. It sure is hard without help! And you are right, he wouldn't give me a nice profile view  



GatorDog said:


> In the first he looks like he has a good topline, but in the rest he looks like his rear is higher than his withers (butt-high). Super handsome! Love his coloring, even if its light. :wub:


I agree...and ironically that's the best stack, and a free stack at that! I had to snap a shot fast, before he moved, which is why the angle is a bit off. I think when he isn't stacked, or is stacked improperly (my bad!) it smooshes his spine up a bit...or...something. I'm not sure what the mechanics are, but I assume that a proper stack would lengthen and smooth the line of the spine.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Next time you stack him, stack him on a hill so his front end is raised. That will help minimize his slightly dropped front and help him look like he has more angulation. 

Cute pup


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## Kaiser2012 (Mar 12, 2012)

qbchottu said:


> Next time you stack him, stack him on a hill so his front end is raised. That will help minimize his slightly dropped front and help him look like he has more angulation.
> 
> Cute pup



Is that allowed? lol seems like bending the rules? 

thanks


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Believe me, stacking a dog on a hill is the _least_ of the things people do to make their dogs look better in pictures! 

Your boy does have a slightly dropped front and it's more apparent when he's moving. It's fine, and he looks great. But help give him the benefit of the doubt and stack him on hills so he can appear better in pictures. Of course if you took him to a conformation show, it would still stand out and you wouldn't be able to get away with it, but if you just want to get a nice stacked picture, stack him to present him to the best of his ability. I would for my dogs!


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## Kaiser2012 (Mar 12, 2012)

qbchottu said:


> Believe me, stacking a dog on a hill is the _least_ of the things people do to make their dogs look better in pictures!
> 
> Your boy does have a slightly dropped front and it's more apparent when he's moving. It's fine, and he looks great. But help give him the benefit of the doubt and stack him on hills so he can appear better in pictures. Of course if you took him to a conformation show, it would still stand out and you wouldn't be able to get away with it, but if you just want to get a nice stacked picture, stack him to present him to the best of his ability. I would for my dogs!


Wow I had no idea! I have soooo much to learn. So, with the slightly dropped front, would that explain what seems like heavy steps when he runs? (I call him my clydesdale!) Or is that simply a product of him being a large breed puppy with big feet (lol)?


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Some things I would change the next time you stack:
-Best case: have someone else stack, another person take the picture and you stand a short distance in front of him to keep his attention while the stack/picture are done.
-Stretch out his back more. He doesn't have a lot of angulation in the rear (and his heavy coat hides it even more) so stretch his back legs out and try to elongate him a little. But he's a working dog so I like his natural shape as well. 
-He has great heavy bone. This is accentuated more so with his thick coat. A thick coat is good and bad. Good because you hide any flaws and bad because you won't be able to show structure as well. When he gets older, be sure to keep him well-conditioned and on the lean side. I think that would compliment his bone the best. 
-Always make sure you catch his attention and have him looking forward. His paws are slightly bridged (east/west) so make sure whoever stacks him is aware of this and you should be out front so his profile is nice and stretched out. 
-Stack him at the end of a heavy exercise session. That way you can get his tongue hanging out and get that intense little half smile. The picture at 20 weeks is a good example. I like that picture/profile the best. Look how nicely it showcases him. Shows his heavy bone, his stature, nice smiley face with tongue out and focus/intensity facing forward.
-If you can, clip the little hair floofies at the end of his penis. I've had vets tell me that those hairs contribute to UTI's in heavy coated dogs. 

Oh and I think he's heavy footed because of his thick frame and puppyness with feet that are too big for his body  
But I noticed in the stalking picture that he does tend to go down quite a bit on his feet when he moves. That could also be why he thumps down so hard. Very unique, adorable pup. I will really be interested to see him grow up! Keep the pictures coming


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## Kaiser2012 (Mar 12, 2012)

qbchottu said:


> Some things I would change the next time you stack:
> -Best case: have someone else stack, another person take the picture and you stand a short distance in front of him to keep his attention while the stack/picture are done.
> -Stretch out his back more. He doesn't have a lot of angulation in the rear (and his heavy coat hides it even more) so stretch his back legs out and try to elongate him a little. But he's a working dog so I like his natural shape as well.
> -He has great heavy bone. This is accentuated more so with his thick coat. A thick coat is good and bad. Good because you hide any flaws and bad because you won't be able to show structure as well. When he gets older, be sure to keep him well-conditioned and on the lean side. I think that would compliment his bone the best.
> ...


This is an AMAZING response! You have been super helpful in this thread and I really thank you for it! I see what you mean with the 20week picture. In that scenario, I did actually exercise him a bit first AND I had my bf in town to take the pictures. I'm teaching him about photography so there is a learning curve there, just as there is with me learning about proper stacking and structure 

So, bridged paws...that means they are slightly pointed away from the center line, correct?

I agree with you in that I do like his natural shape. I've always been attracted to the straighter back, squarer, heavier boned dogs...and while he seems to have a more feminine head, I do love his thicker legs and back (though I definitely see the high hips, as I look closely as his prior pictures).

I never knew that about the hair near his penis. I've noticed that it helps him from peeing on himself (lmao) but how close should it be clipped? I imagine very close, in order to keep the area clear?

Lol and yes..."thumps" is a great term for it! He is definitely not graceful, haha! I'll try to get some better movement pictures that are not of him stalking. Maybe the next time my bf is in town, he will have a new "homework assignment" to work on: photographing successive movement while perfectly parallel to the subject...me and the pup, as I trot Kaiser along, lol. Hmmm...maybe that is a little too advanced for him (the bf) yet


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