Breed Improvement Suggestions for the UK GSD Breed Council - Page 2

This has to be said.You are all living in LA LA  land if you think that the KC will go for this.

Do you not realise that the showing world and working are only a very small minority of GSD breeders!!!

The vast majority of GSD litters registered with the KC are done so by Joe public and i would very much doubt if they even hipscore let alone anything else.

For the KC to do the right thing and only register puppies from well bred dogs that have all been hipscored,elbow scored,breed surveyed etc would mean that they would lose a fortune every year.It simply wont happen

"SIRENS" FROM THE FEARFUL

I like the idea of a panel sitting for the breed survey.  I would also like some way of making the dog "unknown" to the surveyors.  This way if one member of the panel knows the dog there is no way they can sway the others into either improving or reducing the quality of score - come one we all know there are bias out there.  Also for the rubber measuring stick as I've heard it referred to dumped.  For all surveyors to use the same system, with some form of base big enough for the longest dog to stand on reducing the ability for a dog to stand in a hollow etc and affect its height.

However seeing how much dogs change during the growth phase, and that dogs are hipscored here in the UK after 1 year, when do you all suggest surveying?  Bitches are not supposed to be used until the are 20 months (at least) but many dogs are used at 1 year - so when should the survey be done?  Surely if Dogs were not used until they are 2 then both dogs and bitches could go for survey after 18 months and then will have matured and hopefully faults in construction and temperment will be more evident.

A

To put a spanner in the works (kind of)  When we manage to get some kind of change what do we do about the dogs who are already out there?  Do we treat it like the system for driving licenses, those already out there carry on regardless and just treat the newbies different?  On the basis that the oldies will stop being used in a relatively short period of time?

For example - people will not want the aggro of extra screening for proven males who maybe only have another couple of years of use, and who possibly might not get used that much?  Many of the younger dogs are already elbow tested as well hip, and hopefully the young males are haemophilla tested too.  So may be it could be enforced on dogs under the age of 3? and hope that owners of dogs that are older but getting much more use will put those dogs forward too.

Tigermouse, the KC don't give a stuff about colour/coat length... have a look at what they register... a veritable plethora of colours that don't exist.  You could register a litter of Purple Shepherds... with a cheque of course!!

Peggy, it didn't have to be said actually; we know it's a tall order and that there is no possibility of getting everything necessary out of this one meeting, however, if we get a few of them, it's a start and there's no doubt that the KC are a little more vulnerable than they were last week!  So... NOW is the time to "hit them".

If we really can't get anywhere maybe we will have no alternative but to go it alone?  That's NOT what the KC want because if we did... other breeds would follow!  We need a hard negotiator as DP said on a previous posting.  After all, how can they legitimately refuse to implement things that will improve our breed & reduce suffering?  Yes, I know that they have done for years but maybe the media has a role to play in the negotiations?

The updating and formulation of the Breed Survey could take some time, say 6 months. The training, examination and selection of the Surveyors could also take 6 months. The seminars for GSD breeders with explanation and demonstration of the Breed Survey could take 6 months, the re-evaluation and final approval of the breed Survey could take 6 months. A two year programme, and if this programme commences 1st January 2009, we could have an implementation date of 1st January 2011. From then on annual reports should be produced by the National Breed Surveyor. Statistics could be produced quarterly.
For immediate discussion with the Kennel Club It would be useful to list those items of health screening we require to be compulsory from 1st January 2011, e.g. Hips, Elbows, Haemophilia tests, along with compulsory identification through Tattoo/Microchip and DNA parentage tests. 
There is a need to be realistic and patient, coupled with being very thorough. Rome certainly was not built in a day, our goals will take some two years to implement, and we should gear ourselves to a carefully considered, agreed and realistic programme for change. Our requests to the Kennel Club should be Breed Specific to the GSD.

Well... you've got my vote so far.  Do you know how the BC feel and what they intend to put forward at this meeting?

Yes it will take time to implement, fortunately I am young enough to be patient and see things through.  However in the meanwhile there is nothing to stop breeders especially the most visible ones from implementing the desired criteria.  All they have to do is get their dog breed survey 1, ensuring that they have met the higher criteria that ideally will be introduced.

The more breeders that start to do this, the easier it will be to get things introduced.  After all Hip scoring was introduced slowly and unfortunately no limits have ever been placed.  If enough breeders follow the ideal scheme voluntarily then the breed council can go to the KC with look what we are doing!

So on that basis, taking into account of what has been said above we need to undertake the following:

• Use the BVA health screening for all uk bred dogs and only breed from hips 15 or below, Elbows 0
• Have passed a breed survey - ideally only using those with a breed survey Class 1
• Undertake hemophilia testing in males and have the dogs DNA registered
• Tattoo/Microchipping of all animals.  Ideally have all puppies chipped or Tattooed before leaving breeder
• No line breeding closer than 3-3

We also need to recognise the different divisons in the breed and hopefully ensure that all types are healthy.  Also find a way to survey the long coats - the are so popular with the pet market and with the SV allowing them back in the future they should be included.  Mind you I'm biased my oldie, a shortcoat,  is out of a longcoat male and is incredibly fit for his age and has had no health issues and has fab hips too!

So who is willing to show their actions speak louder than words and follow this through?