I've been reading the GSD sieger 2009 showcase in DW & come across 2 phrases which puzzle me. The first being 'soft ears' - this wouldn't be the same as 'floppy ears' would it? The 2nd term was 'dryness'. I can't 'see' it on the photo of the dog described so can someone translate these terms for me please?

Dryness refers to the skin fitting tightly on the head the oppostie of Wet when you ahve a dog with loose fiting skin, that is jowly.

Soft ears is exactly what is says the cartilage in pricked ears shoudl be firm, soft ears is part way to floppy ears.

thankyou Barbara, I suppose you have to have the dog in front of you (rather than a photo) to see if the ears are soft & the skin is tight. Interesting description though. I couldnt imagine dogs entered into a Seiger with one ear erect & the other flopped over, cute though it might seem.

sorry should be SIEGER

I suppose you have to have the dog in front of you (rather than a photo) to see if the ears are soft & the skin is tight.

Soft ears occur in my breed as well (Malinois) and often you cannot see it unless the dog is moving -and judges tend not to feel ears in breeds like these. You will during movement see the tip of the ear flopping up and down, whereas the ear stands up and look normal when the dog is still.

Hi Wolfiestruppi

Was the wording firm and dry. if it was it means that the overall firmness [over back mainly] of the dog. Dryness in a GSD would not have anything to do with the mouth. And soft ears, would mean the ears are up but could move to much when the dog moves. There would be many interpretations of soft ears though.  
Karen

As Karen says, The word dry refers to the firmness of the overall dog, ears should be firm in movement,  the term soft ears means they could be firmer esp when the dog is walking and trotting.

Hi Karen
just looked up the wording on the ad (for a stud dog) & it said he will bring dryness, firmness & athleticism.......etc etc.
I guess you need hands on experience to tell the difference on this?

I still have to read this year's Sieger supplement, I knew it was due out, just haven't got round to getting it yet.

I struggle a bit with the terminology too, what does medium strength mean? Anything to do with strength of bone?  and what does the term strong male mean when judges use it in their critiques?   Thanks in advance

I still think it's a matter of the owners or judge's opinion/knowledge. I haven't sat & watched these GSD's being described but from photos it looks impossible to tell (to my untrained eye). You must get a 'feel' for it. In my other breed I've heard a winning male described as 'large, big boned' - well he wasn't compared to some males I've owned, he looked almost puny to me!