Reinhardt Meyer, Main Breed Warden, SV       Article from the April SV Magazine

SV: What has well succeeded in your area last year?

 RM: In my acceptance speech I talked about several topics, which I take quit seriously. Of course everything cannot happen in just one year and that was not my request. Notoriously we talk since years about the size. My forerunners took already action. Since the beginning of my curator ship I requested the assembly of the decision from the Breed Board members meeting 2004 from all officiating conformation judges. All dogs from the Working, Young and Youth Classes getting measured and the ones, to big, has to be put back. I have existed on it to get the measurements mailed, not like before anonym. Therefore we have actually a better overview about the size of the shown dogs.  The measurements, mailed to me, we used at the conformation judges meeting in December 2007 related to the dogs with a progeny group. The results showed definitely a size problem. Presumable it’s a natural human problem that some of my conformation judges colleagues have a problem with the consequent realization of the decision, which partially  they worked out with the breed board members. Fortunately most of my colleagues are taking the decided approach. I’m pretty sure that we take that approach also for the year 2008.

As well I declared  the mental characteristics, also the working efficiency to benefit our dogs. We all know that  part of our breed under “normal” circumstances is not able anymore to get titled. A suitable criterion to notice that effect and to select , in the conformation line is and will be the Bite Work at the Siegershow. To the first time in the history of the SV we gave a big built up to the best male, told to me by the bite work judge for the males above the average. Some of them, beside working line dogs, fortunately VA and highly V rated males. I think to promote the working abilities it’s really important to show the breeders, who couldn’t join the whole bite work at the Siegershow, accountable people tell them which dogs had been really good in the TSB-Test, so they can decide which males they want to use for their breeding program.

Another reform was the opening of the main rings at the showground for the working classes. Prior to the criticism people thought it will end up in a chaos. It was not in such a way, everything was total disciplined and the exhibitor welcomed that new step. Also the gap in the off lead, just to show the difference between the individual dogs was in my opinion the right decision. Always we saw running onto ground and the jockey to a good position was over. Furthermore I want to start the individual  rounds from the end of the class, so some really good dogs are able to move up in the next group ore the after next.

 SV: What are your emphases for 2008

RM: Approximately I want to hold on to the arrangements/innovations , even make them better in 2008. Also we should look at the health of our breed. In my preposition to the working class males I talked detailed about my thoughts regarding the Sieger 2007. In respect of the improvement of the health we have to apply a higher standard. Finally that dogs are the representatives for our breed.                    

SV: Are innovatations planned for the exhibitors in 2008 and do you have some new ideas for the siegershow 2008 in Aachen? 

RM: Of course the exhibitors have to know we take care consequently on the size problem and have to accept that to big dogs are getting graded down. Those consequences are really a long tome well known and to complain won’t help anymore. Last year at the breed board member meeting we made it easy for the exhibitors to pull their dogs at the Siegershow. And as with nevery innovation we have to think twice. I realized that that innovation wasn’t that good anymore and it wasn’t that succesful. At the breedboard member meeting in April we have to start that topic again. As the case may be we have to have the backbone to change that again. Even in 2008 we expose the dogs which are above the average at the bite work, as you could read above. Further on we have to talk about the timetableat the siegershow. The presentation from the Kennel groups and the Victory ceremony happens mostly without the big crowd. Here a commision from the breed board is working something out regarding that timetable. The results of that we will hear at the breed board member meeting.  

SV: Which issues must be discussed in the future and dissolved? 

RM: A the breed board member meeting I talked seriously about our  breed survey book and that the real sense,  an expressive book for the breeders, failed. The reports and measurements have to be more authentically. The description of the mental characteristics ( working abilities ) is below presentation. Most of all the dogs are getting TSB pronounced and out and most of them are described as well behaved, brashly and  fearless. This is less of significance and  and it proves mistaken for that book. Unfortunately we don’t find conclusive directions for the serious breeders. About that issue we have to think seriously. All conformation judges and breed surveyors got a letter from me, beginning of 2008 with the favour of proposals and their thoughts about that. Further on we have to take care that the breed surveys region wide as far as possible are the same and not will be different in some regions.

We need a consistent judging from all judges at the shows. Breed oriented arrangements and terms of references have to be done from the top to below. So the breeders will know crystal-clear where the goal in breeding is.

SV: What is contemplative and optimistic in your opinion in our dog sport? 

RM: With dog sport you mean surely the work with our dogs in every department in our club the SV. It’s really important for me to make clear that our German Shepherd is a Universal talent and not a dog , which ca be used as a specialist for only one job. I am getting thoughtful to see that we still have to parts in our organization and it seems really  difficult to bring them back together. That’s why I try everything to show that the GSD a working dog is, with a lot of universal  attributes and everybody in our club can use it’s multifariously characteristics. It’s a personal wish of mine and near to my heart that the breeders of the show line and the working line breeders are getting closer. We cannot look away that “Working Line Dogs” have to get better in their anatomy.  But bin the same way we have to take care on the mental characteristics in the “Show line”. We need GSD’s with great anatomy and mental characteristics like our breed standard directs, so everybody in our organization can work them in our clubs and are really attractive for them. There is still a lot we have to tell our breeders and dog sportsmen, but I am total sure and optimistic, with all that arrangements we are on the right line and I see for our breed and for the sport with our dogs a great future

26th,  2007  Our new Website is online......       

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