From: gsd@unislc.uucp (Greg Dodd)
Subject: Black GSDs
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 17:05:03 GMT

Sorry about the previous post, lets try again:

net readers, 

I tell ya, people have some interesting ideas to say the least about GSD's.

I bet you never thought you'd get so much info!.

I agree with alot of things that have been mentioned in this thread, I 
usually, just read it and go on about my business. But let's set the record
straight on a couple of issues.

Solid Black GSD's are NOT highly desireable at all!!!!. in the show ring. But
as with coat color it is a personal choice. 

Just like Victoria Janicki stated: the solid black GSD, exaggerates most of the
conformation faults. This statement means with a solid black you get what you
see there are no color contrasts to distract from any fault the dog has.
 
It is hard enough to finish GSD's in the conformation ring as it is, breeders 
don't usually want a strike against them before they even enter the ring,
with a color issue, eventhough it should not be an issue, however it is!. 

This year has been very interesting for the solid black GSD, at the GSDCA
National Speciality, the judge gave Ch Steigerhaus Bo Jackson Select rating #6.

Also for the first time in the history of the breed a solid black 
female Ch Schneiderhof's Elvira acheived the Register of Merit (ROM) award.

Proberly the most famous solid black GSD in recent years was Ch Caralon's
Phantom v Leberland. A reason for his popularity was his father Select Ch 
Caralon's Hein vd Lockenheim CD ROM. With as many breedings as Phantom had in a 
easy access area of Southern Cal, he still did not acheive his ROM. 
(Should say something, if you read between the lines).

Who know's maybe Bo Jackson might gone on to get the ROM award!.

So solid blacks can and are shown, YES!.

I would also like to set the record straight regarding a couple of comments
made by Victoria Janicki, she states: 

(This might be referred to as net:picking:)but not negitively. 

    a)	In GSD's, long haired dogs are a major fault and should be sold as 
                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^
	pets but some people call them exotic and charge more!

I have never met anyone who refers to them as exotic.     However!!!
The GSD standard adopted by the GSDCA, and AKC does NOT mention that long 
haired, (or Long coats) as they are referred too, is a major fault. It simple
says fault. Such a major fault would be mentioned in the standard under the
subheading of Disqualifications. A major fault is a trait that disqualifies 
the dog from the conformation show ring. The standard does say that it is a 
fault, it is referred to as a minor fault. Dogs with minor faults can and 
are hopefully shown, I haven't yet come across the perfect GSD, who has no 
faults, if you have let me know so I can breed to him, or purchase one of
her puppies. 

Granted most of them should be neutered/spayed, just as my 10 year old is. 
However there are exceptions!!. 

This year another girl Piper Hill's Kodachrome a long coat brood bitch, 
achieved her Register of Merit. This is not uncommon, but thank goodness she 
was bred to '87 Grand Victor Ch. Rio Valle's Nestle's Crunch ROM, because if 
the breeders hadn't have enough forsight, then the GSD breed would not have 
'88 Grand Victor Ch Piper Hill's Polo. Polo will easily go on the achieve his 
ROM. Polo was only 3 years old when he became Grand Victor!. 

I have seen many long coats shown, and I've even seen a bitch in California,
take a 5 point major, and I have seen a finished long coat male. The owners
referred to him as a plush coat, but he was a long coat. 

    b)  The GSD standard is for a medium large dog(20-25" at the shoulder) 
	as befits a working breed                  ^^^^^

The standard is a little more specfic than this in highest point of the 
shoulder blade is to be 22-24" for females, and males are to be 24-26". 
I personally don't believe you would compete with a dog only 20" at the 
shoulder blade.

I hope that I've not offended anyone, all I'm doing is trying to inform people.