This weekend at a local Open show I watched the AVNSC classes being judged whilst waiting for the group to begin, there were several GSD entered and without fail they were asked to run round the ring several times instead of doing the usual triangle and straight up and down that all the other breeds in the classes did. Why is this  ? , why do judges make allowances only for this breed when many others were also originally bred to be workers too ...in fact my own breed ( the BSD) was bred for EXACTLY the same original purpose as the GSD yet are not asked or expected to be gaited round and round the ring. It's bizarre that this is simply accepted and I can't help thinking that this emphasis on the side profile when moving is one of the reasons why so many GSD are so very unsound in the rear !!

Yvonne

GSD exhibitors have always been in their own little world. When entries were much higher the day would start with 'hunt the handler' ..a routine where middle aged, unfit owners looked to pay young, short wearing men who handled by class for money... then up started the whistles, water bowl banging etc. I kind of suspect others are intimidated by the breed and let them continue in this 'unique' status.

cant answer for in the ring but at class they get the GSD to often do that instead of the triangle due to space, the ones are class are big dogs so cant get up to the speed they like to move them at so they normaly do a circle a few times instead.

Yep GSD are big dogs but certainly no bigger than Ridgebacks or Borzois yet those breeds are not given the same opportunity or time to 'get up to speed' ......is'nt it about time that this bias was done away with ?

Yvonne

It is weird isn't it, like the way that bulldogs etc are stacked facing forward, ok they may be a 'head' breed but surely a judge ought to want to see the whole profile?

They often do it with the salugis at class to.
I guess it depends on what the judge wants, at one show I had a judge want me to do it with my vallhund. I made myself look like a right twat as when she said go around I thought she ment the same as the other judges ment when they said that (go around and join the end of the que). So that's what I did, she had to pull me out to come back to her and told me she wanted a circle.

Like the breeds who are stood facing the judge, same thing I guess, what the breed judges want most do.