Making Of A VA Dog In The US - Page 4

6 or 16 - that's a bunch of pups to feed and train......!

Is this the dog you are promoting ?

7:40

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-6dZ2jcBIc

Here's a couple more recent videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpleq0IlYSI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPrMV_p7cFE

 

I absolutely like the fact that you are out there giving this thing a shot. Not my cup of tea, but good luck. So many here are doing nothing at all but complain, or backstab or gripe. You made a plan and I am looking forward to you getting your shot at what you want. 

Thanks Jeff,

Being a working person I really appreciate that. I also hope you can see a different dog in the second videos. Most people would watch a short video, form a quick opinion, walk away.

I took the time to look past what I saw to see what could be there. It wasn't easy, but it paid off. The videos I posted were from about a week of training. I see a lot of excellent qualities brought out. The dog shows much, much, more of his ability than one would imagine from the first video. I hope you would agree.

The family that trained him in the video have been around dog training a few years. They have performed helper work at the National level and competed at the National level. They bred to him and had a litter from him. I doubt they would have used him as a stud if he didn't possess the qualities in a dog they were looking for.

This litter is a part of what we will have in Reston in our VA attempt. Visiting litters to see what your dog produces is a very important part of group development. I drove about 7 hours each way to visit the litter at 6 weeks old. I was very impressed and excited about the litter which is rare for me. Six puppies, uniform litter, excellent structure and temperament. I returned at 8 weeks to evaluate the litter and decided to buy the litter.

We have retained three of the six for the group. Rik has seen two of the three when they were just turning 3 months old in Atlanta. You can read his comment about them in a previous post. I have two here. Pick male and second pick female. First pick female is in a show home. I was fortunate, hopefully we are fortunate to have a friend in Texas interested in a puppy. We drove 12 hours each way to deliver the puppy. She has one of his best. She's getting her ready for NASS. She's one of the breeders helping me with his group. I'm happy to have her involved. Many thanks to Kim and Alli!

Good job Randy - Waiko is looking super in the work.  You chose a good trainer this time - someone who as you say knows what they are doing and has the ability and knowledge to get the job done.  Waiko has improved hugely - he just needed to be worked.  I've met Waiko and his temperament and overall "look" is very impressive - now his work is impressive as well - he will go very far I think - good luck with him!

molly

Thanks Molly! It's good to see some support from the working side.

First casuality of the group.

Pick female went to a breeder friend all excited about the prospect of a sable. Promised to train, prepare, and show. They had been out of the scene for awhile and wanted to get back into it. This was the perfect opportunity to start again.

Recent check revealed not much effort was being put into the pup. Couldn't attend the show. Life was too busy. Yada, Yada. So I'll have to drive 15 hours to pick her up. I think she was one of his absolute best puppies.

Unfortunately this is common. I'm wrestling with the concept. Normally a good prospect is farmed out. The people getting the dog are to train it in exchange. If the dog turns out. It's a resource for both the breeder and the owner. Breeder usually manages the dog, sets up breedings, organizes the shows, etc. Family gets introduced to the sport and mentored along the way. That's the system in Germany and we struggle to adopt it here.

What usually happens? You let a good prospect go. The family doesn't have a lot invested in it. They are new and want to acquire a couple prospects. They have yours which is a very nice puppy and they bought two other ultimate, supreme, top, top top, prospects from someone that's never shown a German Shepherd. They have a lot invesyed in those puppies. They get attention, there's more to loose. You can't hardly train them,,,, their temperments are mush, but dammmm, after laying out the bucks for this ultimate puppy I gotta do something, right???? Meanwhile the pup from you turns out to be a very good puppy but no effort was really put into it because,,,, well,,, they didn't have much to loose because they didn't have much in it.

I kept second pick. I'll replace second pick with first pick. Second pick becomes available. Group becomes 15.

Randy,
This happens to any smaller scale breeder, that is working hard to produce worthy, future prospects......and we can't keep them all.
This is a perfect example on "why" the climb to the top (with a particular dog) is such a difficult, exhausting and financial strain.....

In our case.....with (Cuervo)....it took us over 5 years and 2 generations, to produce the litter he was conceived in.  It was absolutely worth the work.....the litter of 5 puppies were excellent.
We kept 3 out of it.....(2 males & the only female).
Carlos loved these puppies....*Cuervo, Carlos & Chulla*.
After losing Chulla, he put all his concentration into Cuervo.
At the UScA Sieger Show where Cuervo was awarded his VA title......Carlos decided that "he" would handle his own dog, and have a friend double handle.
*Who does this???....first rule in showing...NEVER handle your own dog.* But my husband wanted to show the dog himself. He was proud of his dog, and we did not expect (politically) that he had a fighting chance to "wade through the German handlers"...and push for a top placing.  When Cuervo was first called out in the 5th spot.....we all froze and silenced.....what now?
I was very happy for Carlos, but also very worried.....HE was handling HIS OWN DOG.
He had to rely on Cuervo's desire to keep going...simply because Carlos told him to.
When Cuervo "started to limp" (injury sustained in Germany)...I started to panic.
He moved back 4 places by the end of the class....and I was sure that we "missed" the chance....until the announcement of the VA placings.
Randy.....we cried!  I was so proud of my husband! HE handled HIS dog...the dog that HE bred....the dog that HE invested in.
No politics, no money, no big name......just a really good dog.

Enough ranting.....I just wanted to let you know, that I understand what you are trying to do...and wish you the very best!!
Robin

Robin,

Thanks for sharing your experience.

This thread is to help push the evolutionary process along. Awareness. If we wait until the process evolves on it's own, will it ever evolve? It hasn't in 20 years, it's on the edge of where it can. We just need to get the word out and get teams involved. That's what it will take to make these dogs VA.

Let's take a couple examples of teams coming together and doing it right. Best example is Globalhaus/O.G Carolina. Group of enthusiasts revolving around German Shepherds combining resources. People working together bringing their talents to the group. Helpers, handlers, puppies, older dogs, Training, events, mentoring, competition, and success. It's s football team moving forward down the field, setting goals and accomplishing them.

German shepherds are no longer an individual sport in the US. It's not an obstacle course or marathon where it's you against the clock. Those types of programs no longer succeed. It takes a team now.

Randy, see my comment above about being lucky to find 1 in 100 who actually follow through with all the promises. This is true not just with the German dogs. many Am. line breeders have tried the same thing. What it comes down to is many seem enthusiastic and willing to do anything to get a good dog, but when it comes time to make the 12 hr. drive or get on a plane to the show, pay the hotel bill, etc. they lose that enthusiasm.

 Or they come home from work and sit down in front of the TV, rather than spend the 15 mins a day to have the dog ring ready so it at least has a chance to do well. Good luck.

Oh, and folks who think you are bragging need to pray that I never get another good one. I'll bring tears to their eyes.

Rik