what do u think about cow hocks - Page 9

Wow you learn something new everyday. I would have never thought it would be done but then with all the tricks being done "in the back" why does it surprise me. Thanks for all the info. BTW it's not something I would ever ever do. Guess that's why I'm fairly happy with my little UKC shows and not competitive or rich enough to go the AKC route. I'm not going to fix tails, tape ears, insert testicles, etc and so on so I'll never make it in the AKC big boys section and guess what I don't care. My best online friend, who shows AKC/UKC all the time with a different breed, told me the other day that to really make it you have to not be attached to your dogs and allow them to come and go to always make room for a better one in order to get in with the big boys. I told her well I'll never make it then. She said she wouldn't either.....................

Another or my infamous goofs, the typo queen. I tried to fix it, but it's too late. Sorry HM, I'm a dork.

Vonissk, I think UKC shows must be a lot of fun, some of my friends have switched from AKC to UKC.

My impression is that the main concern about seeing more dead tails is that spondylosis may be sneaking back into the breed after it was thought to be almost bred out or that it may indicate DM in the dog's future. If it truly is the result of fixing tails, then I would think it would be less of a concern.

Yes later on I am going to read the link you put up ny Lanting. More things I need to cram in my brain just in case. Thanks for sharing it by the way...............

Not a problem Blitzen I had just put it down to dyslexia,  I don't mind
a bit of variety anyway (must check how that translates in German !)

I really hope dead tail doesn't indicate anything medical - one of the
things I was trying to get across are there are a lot of tails which do
this, I don't think messing about with them is all that common [don't
really see why it would happen widely in the States or Germany, but
not the UK] and I really find it difficult to envisage most British vets going
with it.  On (ok, limited) experience of a dog who appeared to have a
dead tail when gaiting but so obviously had nothing wrong with it or
any alteration to it in daily life, (nor any spinal trouble, she went off her
back legs a little bit right at the end but with a hip score of 60 I'd expect
the arthritis that led to that )  I had hoped this was more 'urban myth'
than anything ?

hm, It was not wide spread, at least when I was really involved. Just something seen occasionaly and easy to spot. Someone mentioned 8 at the nationals, if so that's quite a few in one class.

" dawulf, i agree with you on the in/line breeding. But I do feel that there is a little more that can be told about the German dogs besides hip/elbow scores. One is that generation after generation had a full mouth, one dog here is well known for missing teeth.

another is that off leash, the german dogs were willing to go away from the handler/owner and engage a helper. even if they only did it for play time, they at least did it. most ASL will end up in another zip code if taken off leash and faced with a stranger waving a stick and making noise. the same for gun shots. if the German dogs were shown in sieger, they had to do this in public, with video or first hand observaitons available and each person can decide if it is acceptable or not. "

 

My bad, Rik... that last post I had made was rushed (was getting ready to leave for work)... I thought I had mentioned the SchH titles and such in there, but must've forgot.

 

What a shame that the ASL breeders are covering it all up... when lines like these (I thought anyway) are sought after. I am also learning a lot from this thread.

Some ASL breeders "cover it all up" but not all by any means. Most I know do recognize a problem and do what they can to correct it.  GSL and GWL breeders don't disclose everything either. They have their own monsters hidden under their beds. I seriously doubt there are no GSL's with dead tails as a result of a surgical correction.

i was told by a sv judge in 2004 that he did not believe you could find many dogs in germany that were not cowhocked

the illustration at the bottom of page 2

the 2 inner toes on each hind foot are the load bearing toes, (like our bigtoe) and take up the vast majority of the weight - i asked a couple of dog physical therapists.

 the line drawn from the top, thru the knee, hocks and center of the load bearing toe is structurally correct.

wanted to make sure before replying.