Ringside.

Posted by jennifer on October 17, 2007 in Dog & Wolf News / Issues.

I don't know what came over me but sitting ringside, it was hard to even look anymore. Was it me? Why was my heart half way down my chest? I knew why... I was watching a 4 month old American-bred German Shepherd collapsing in his back end and trying desperatly to run down the ring and keep up with the handler. He couldn't though. He kept falling & tripping she had to wait for him to get up & keep running. It was horrible.
I came to this show to see the best of the best of American bred German Shepherds. This is the National Championship afterall. What I got walking out was a heavy heart for this puppy that was so deformed, he couldn't even run. Maybe my dog show days are over. So much has changed since I started working with wolves. A life of a show dog is not a desired life of a dog. It's many days in a crate on the road and with a busy handler, that means not a lot of attention. Sure they are fed, grromed, given some exercise, bathroom walks, etc. but once they enter that ring it's as if they have been cooped up for days. It really and truly breaks my heart with this particular breed. I grew up with them, went to the shows that our dogs were in, my Mom even owned a dog from the famous Covy Tucker Hills line but all has changed since I moved away. The first dog I ever bought out of college was Macho. The name says it all... An ENORMOUS German Bred Shepherd who would not only put his life infront of me, his litter mate bit seven people and put 5 in the hospital. When Macho bit someone, he wouldn't let go. I will say this- he taught me the most out every dog I've ever worked with. I've never had a more aggressive dog or case for that matter than Macho. I did get him over it but if he didn't like you, there was always a reason...

My family in Germany has been involved in the breed since the 1940's. They have titled, owned and trained more German Shepherds than I could imagine in Schutzhund training (Schutzhund dogs are tested in three phases- tracking, obedience & protection). I guess what I saw today was a breed that over the years has increasingly gone down hill. I'm talking about the American Shepherd- not the German bred.... There's a big difference. What I have seen over the years is more slant in the back end which causes tremendous discomfort to the dog, more chances of hip dysplasia and other joint related problems in the future.
I love all dogs- every bad, mean, dis-figured, rescued, abused or highly bred last one of them. However, I have a different perspective now on dog shows.
You see, when you are in the world of showing dogs, nothing is more important than the win. Oh man, do people love to win best in breed, best in show, group- whatever. I think though, that for some people (not everyone), it becomes just about "the win" which becomes just about "My dog looks better than yours."
I think my soul, my heart and every once of me felt sick today because I saw humans making a very dis-figured creature. Like I said, I've changed since moving to Colorado. I live on 5 acers near the Rocky Mountains. My dogs live a life most dogs would dream of and every crate I passed had the eyes of a soul saying "this isn't fun." "Winning" to a dog isn't fun. Winning to a human is. These dogs did not show pleasure running around the ring. They didn't show willingness to be "stacked". They were saying "Where's my ball- let's go play- let's go work- let's hike up a mountain- let's attack bad guys- let's run through a tunnel or please just tell me to sit!" This wasn't a job. This was pointless to the Shepherd. Imagine getting groomed non-stop, sitting in a crate and taken out at the last minute to a ring where you are being placed, touched, whistles blown at to get their ears up, everything and then just asked to run. "Run?" Says the Shepherd.... "RUN?!" I can do that in my sleep. Give me something a little more challenging than a beauty pagent and you may see my ears go up all on their own."
I honestly think that dog shows aren't for me anymore. I'm upset at what humans are doing to these breeds. It really makes you think when you spend time with wolves how these dogs came to be. Even the little one's. Even Jack- my mini Daschund who's as long as a string bean.
I think today I realized that the path I'm on with animals is a great one and has far exceeded my expectations. Quite honestly, I finally feel like I've reached a whole new level and Colorado has been so good for me. This is about the dog, not about the breed. This is about preserving what we already have for the benefit of the animal to live a mentally & physically healthy life and not about "what looks good". Slant hips so far down looks like this is not a good direction to go in. Interestingly enough, when that puppy ran around the ring the crowd kept cheering loudly. Not because the pup got up and kept running, because they liked the way he looked.
Thanks for reading,
JMc

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