German Shepherds must no longer be stacked in the ring and instead shown free standing on a loose lead only." "The KC believes the culture of double handling, ‘widely practiced and condoned at breed club shows’, has a particularly detrimental effect on the temperament of dogs, which often show symptoms of enormous stress while being exhibited. The KC have really got it in for the Gsd, double handling has been going on for donkeys years why have they not stopped it before if they are so concerned about it. I fail to see what ‘stacking has to do with temperament? http://www.dogworld.co.uk/product.php/163052/GSDs can no longer be stacked, says KC Shame that it has come to this, there are some truly good and unexaggerated specimens out there but they don’t make news
I do have to say I agree with the new rules about dogs being shown on loose leads only. At the local GSD rescue home fun dog show, they shown all their dogs on loose leads (the GSD rescue home dogs looking for new homes) & I have to admit I was blown away at how well these dogs presented themselves in the ring on loose leads.
Sorry Tina but fun shows are not in the same league. The kc promoted this in the first place many years ago, but because of media and public outcry they have relented. The problem is not that they have to be shown on a loose lead it’s the fact that they have been singled out. (Quote The health and welfare of dogs is the primary objective of the KC) Is it really, Lets then hope major overhauls are in place for other breeds with more health problems than the Gsd.
Not that I am ever going to own a GSD, but I found that article quite interesting. Thank you for posting it Vee. But as you just said, why pick on GSDs regarding the loose lead and stacking? Why just that breed and no others?
I was dying to know what Vee thought about this item. I wonder whether the League is going to take this lying down? Past history would suggest not! I can also imagine that many of the established A list judges are going to strongly object to the requirement that they will need to attend a further seminar. (Given by whom?). It seems as if Nikki Farley is reconsidering her 2018 Crufts appointment. Personally I do not like to see double handling, but see nothing wrong in GSD having its own style of presentation in the ring. The way a dog is stacked does not alter its basic structure, and that is what the judge should be assessing. You could equally ask why Yorkie's are posed on boxes, or why Staffs. are presented head on? It used to be that when the KC changed rules, they took effect from the following year, but lately there have been a couple of other fast rule changes, including the one about Dachsie's being allowed to be registered under their appropriate coat type - which was then rescinded almost instantly, due to a vote against by the Dachs. Breed Council.
It’s a well known fact that the KC have never liked the Germanic type, preferring the ‘other type’ We went through a similar scenario when they withheld our cc’s http://www.gsdinfo.co.uk/KC & GSD/IMPRESSIONS of the Kennel Club.htm Well it will be interesting to see what transpires; The Gsd fraternity doesn’t take well being dictated to. If UK exhibitors have the opportunity and be able to do all registrations under the WUSV and SV banner this is the route I think they will take. As for suspending judges until further training is complete, should be interesting to see the SV judges take on that one. Interesting article on Double handling. http://www.videxgsd.com/double_handling.htm
The loose lead rule has been brought in for all breeds, mainly for those dogs you see when the front feet do`nt touch the ground (a lot of terriers) but the definition of a loose lead is wide, you are not going to see leads that have big loops in them, you still have to control your dog round the ring and run it in a straight line, to do this you need some contact on the end of the lead. but hopefully now you will not see dogs moonwalking on the from legs due to them being strung up so high.
I have to agree that double handling has gone a bit OTT, years ago it was done very discreetly, the GSD is not and cannot be shown in the same way as a lot of other breeds as you cannot convey the true gait by trotting in a little triangle/circle on a carpet .That is why at the bigger breed shows the outside rings are much bigger and the Siegers are held in stadiums. The main reason GSDs use double handling is that the gaiting goes on for so long, they can cover miles in one class, and the dogs do need a bit of encouraging to keep going ‘though it should not be a frantic race, it is about endurance, not speed. In Germany there is a section of gaiting where the lead is removed, the handler gives the 'fuss' command and the dogs gait at heel, to prove willingness and also to prove that the dog has not been 'held up' by the lead and will not drop on the forehand. I would love to see that introduced here and any dog which is also competing in the working disciplines should be able to do so. As for stacking yes the look of the dog can be altered by the way it is stood, and in most cases they can be stood ‘extreme’ which can give the impression of a ‘roached’ back, but stacking and double handling doesn’t affect the dog’s structure.
