There has been some heated discussion recently (late 2005) about clubs
in the UK, USA, and Australasia adhering to the rules of the SV, the
perpetual extending of the SV's "deadlines" to conform to world
Standards, and allied topics. A Körung classification is required* for
registerable breeding in Germany, and it has always been encouraged for
other members of the WUSV. If I may, I'd like to offer (my translation
of) the rules as they pertain to a couple of the key arguments or
statements in the current exchanges; I am sure these will clarify the
matter in the minds of some of the people who've been in the middle of
the discussion.
*
Correction: the word “required” should read “strongly recommended”, as
there are exceptions, even though much pressure is applied to keep the
gene pool at a high quality level. See “Part Two”, an addendum added
after this first part was originally circulated. I have further
corrected this Part One by modifications in brackets.
A busy
(vocally, but not otherwise active in dogs) e-mailer from Australasia,
who has incidentally ignored my translations of the Zuchtordnung
(breeders’ rules) and other SV documents, has made some more erroneous
statements lately. One was, “in Germany, a GSD can be bred… doesn't NEED
to undergo a Körung…” [That is true but those that are bred without a
Kkl-1 or 2 are rare.] As you will read below, in excerpts from my
translations (found on several websites), GSDs there need a [certificate
of breed purity] in order for their offspring to be registered as
purebred GSDs. [Almost nobody will breed a dog that does not have a]
qualifying result in a breed survey And in order to get that, they need
a tattoo, DNA, working title, AD, [certain things in the pedigree], and
approved hips (“a”-stamp or equivalent). Normal elbows will be added
soon.
That
same Internet contributor of arguments said, “…in Australia, Britain, N.
America and New Zealand it needs neither SchH nor a Breed Survey
classification before being bred”. That is true to the extent that he
means “…in order to get listed with the major dog registry of that
particular country”. Unfortunately, the SV/WUSV plays footsies with such
entities as the AKC and other non-FCI members instead of favoring those
clubs that adhere to the SV’s own rules and standards, such as USCA.
(See my website article on “Different Dog Organizations” such as found
on
www.SiriusDog.com and other places.) To honestly claim the name of
German Shepherd Dog, such requirements really should be met.
[See
Part Two] I’m sure that a brief search in the right locations would
easily have turned up my English-language rules. If any website manager
still cannot find them, and would like to carry my translations of the
Standard, breed survey, breeding, and IPO/SchH rules, you can e-mail me
at
mrgsd@hiwaay.net and I’ll be happy to send them for your site.
The
above-mentioned man also says, “except for the USofA), the bite-work
aspect of DogSport is severely frowned on by politicians and kennel
controls”. He should not have excepted the U.S., because Americans have
a really enormous recurring headache with local and State dog laws being
written by non-dog-owning politicians. In the U.S., there are a
multitude of anti-dog, breed-specific laws that overwhelm the dog owner
associations that have to use their own money to fight those
unconstitutional and false-fable-based laws one at a time. The AKC (what
he might call a “kennel control”, I’m guessing) has been anti-dogsport
since the mid-1980s at least, and only recently has allowed some clubs
to practice schutzhund without being thrown out of the AKC (small loss
though that would be!), as long as they do it nearly out of sight.
______________________________________________________
SV
Rules for breeders and registration (Fred Lanting translation):
3.2
Tattoo
For
the purpose of identification, the puppies are tattooed in the club’s
district. Tattooing them is a requirement for registration in the
“studbook” (official SV records of GSDs, also known as “breed book”).
4.
Breed Value and Breeding Requirements
4.1
Breed Value
4.1.1 Dogs Admitted to the Gene Pool
To be
allowed breeding rights in the SV system, all dogs must be entered in
the studbook, and possess on the date of mating a training degree such
as SchH 1-3, IP 1-3, HGH, or an equivalent acknowledged training degree,
obtained under an SV judge [that applies to German-resident dogs]. The
SchH or IP title must include a score of at least 80 points in phase C
(protection). In addition, at an SV conformation show [or breed survey]
they must have the breed evaluation of at least “Good”, and have both
the “a” stamp for hips and a DNA archives number marked in the
Ahnentafel. The DNA record is essential for dogs born after July 1,
1999. For dogs bred in foreign countries, which are to be bred in
Germany, the DNA information is required regardless of their whelping
dates. Two classes of breeding animals are hereby distinguished.
4.1.2 Dogs “Suitable” (Allowed) for Breeding
Dogs
suitable for breeding are those that get classification 2 (Körklasse-2)
at an SV breed survey.
4.1.3
Dogs “Recommended” for Breeding
Dogs
recommended for breeding are those that get classification 1 (Kkl-1) at
an SV breed survey.
4.1.4
Dogs Not Qualified or Suitable for Breeding (not allowed to breed — to
have registerable offspring)
a) not
meeting the requirements under 4.1.1 to 4.1.3
b)
dogs from the working dog records of the SV (a classification of working
dogs not necessarily purebred or breedworthy but that are actively in
service)
c)
dogs with the following defects:
-
poor/weak in character, biting and nervous dogs
-
known “severe HD”
-
unilateral and bilateral cryptorchids
-
incorrect ear and/or tail faults
- any
deformities
-
tooth faults as follows:
- are
missing:
1
premolar-3 and 1 further tooth
or 1
fang
or 1
premolar-4
or 1
molar-1
or 1
molar-2
or any
3 or more teeth.
(The
absence of the molar-3 is of no consequence if such dogs have the
original presence of the tooth proven and confirmed on the Ahnentafel.)
-
considerable pigment faults, also blues
-
long-coats, with or without noticeable undercoat
-
tooth (bite) faults: more than 2 mm overshot*; undershot
-
over- and/or undersize by more than 1 cm: Males 66 cm / bitches 61 cm
max. (Kkl-2 is possible if over 65/60 cm but not over the maximum.)
-
bitches that have given birth three times with Caesarean (C-section)
- the
pectineus muscle having been cut
d)
Surgical operations on a dog for the purpose of correction or for
acquisition and/or improvement of a breed survey (examples: ears, tail,
teeth, testicles) will result in a breeding prohibition and legal
proceedings against the owners.
The
breeding value of dogs described under 4.1.4 listed dog is considerably
limited. They are not to be used, therefore, for breeding. Should there
be any progeny from these dogs, they are ineligible for entry in the
studbook of the SV. The owners of these dogs are informed by registered
letter about the decision, regarding the uselessness to the breed,
immediately upon being known to the breed book office. Objection to the
decision is possible 14 days after delivery, at the latest. If there is
an objection, the studbook manager decides in the first instance, and in
case of further objection, the SV president or the Chief Breed Warden
makes the definite, final decision.
________________________________
Under 4.1.5, there is this statement: “Inbreeding closer than 2-3 or
3-2 (including with siblings of those dogs) is not allowed. (Linebred
2-3 is the maximum.)”
And,
this additional was published by the SV in the SID Issue #1, Jan. 2001
as
- “Der Zuchtausschuss informiert” (Fred’s excerpts and
editing/revising of original translation by Susanne Stramm; Note: IPO
rules replaced slightly different SchH rules):
9.
Only animals that are strong, healthy and not genetically defective, and
that are representative of the breed may be used in breeding. They must
also be in accordance with the breed regulations. Admissible are all
dogs that are registered in the SV breed book who, when they are bred
to, have a title in accordance with the Trial regulations (SchH/IPO 1-3,
passed with a minimum of 80 points in C, or HGH or an equivalent), have
received a show rating of G (minimum) at an SV show, have the “a” stamp
and have a DNA registration number. In addition, the HD breed value may
not be above 100 (the average of the two dogs’ HD ZW). Dogs that have
been bred in a foreign country must also have proof of a "DNA tested"
stamp, and must show promise to be good for the breed with respect to
temperament.
10.
When used for breeding, males must be (on the day of the breeding) 2
years old. Females must have completed their 20th month (when first used
for breeding).
_____________________________
And on
January 1, 2002, this became effective:
“Furthermore, dogs born after 1 July, 1999 must have a DNA verification
(proven ancestry). Dogs that have been bred in a foreign country and are
to be used in breeding in Germany must also have the DNA verification
regardless of the date of birth. Blood samples will no longer be
required — a cheek swab, as is done in the U.S., will be acceptable.
This can be done at the time of tattooing, for example.”
____________________________
The
above may be reprinted. Please remember to give proper credit for the
translation by SV Auslander judge and author of The Total German
Shepherd Dog, Fred Lanting,
www.MrGSD.com
_____________________________________________________________________
Part
of the recent Internet discussion that I referred to earlier quoted from
a speech made by a former SV officer and chief körmeister, Helmut Buss,
on the occasion of his judging in England early in 2005. Some of those
observations may be pertinent to this article’s main thrust of breeding
requirements.
Buss
said, “…emphasis is being placed on the German Shepherd as a 'sport'
dog, where the owners involved are not interested in breed type so long
as the dog works to a high standard. This cannot be the right attitude.”
He is quite right. There is far too much linebreeding in both the
working-lines and the hochzuchtlinie (“high-lines” or “showdogs”).
Otherwise brilliant Helmut Raiser shot himself in the political foot
when he intimated that we should crossbreed Malinois into the GSD family
to improve high-scoring performance. But we definitely should be mixing
the better-working show dogs into the BSP-competition bloodlines, and
the better-structured working-line dogs into the show-dog bloodlines.
Judges and körmeisters also should be tougher on which showdogs get the
“pronounced” description at the courage tests.
“Of
the highest placed males [in 2004], 44% of them were Ursus sons or
grandsons, and this is unhealthy for the gene pool.” Indeed! That is why
the use of such dogs as Ando Altenbergerland, Orbit Tronje, Timo
Berrekasten, and their offspring should be encouraged by placings in the
show rings as well as in verbal recommendations and breed warnings by
judges.
Buss
also said, “many people are not able to do schutzdienst and some do not
want a schutzhund dog.” Quite true. They should be allowed to own a dog
that is listed as a GSD, but if it does not conform to the breeding
requirements, its breed name should not be inherited by any offspring.
There are many “pet homes” for longcoats, as there are for non-titled,
non-breeding GSDs.
“DNA
tests must be done”, he said. I’m sure he felt a pang in his heart when
he said that, because his magnificent and valuable-to-the-breed Hoss
Lärchenhain failed to get a VA because DNA had showed his ancestry to be
not what it had been represented to be on paper. He also said, “The
Sieger Show must be seen to be judged honestly, as Germany is becoming a
laughing-stock”. That also must have been hard for him to say, because
he had been accused of violating that principle himself at the 1999
Sieger Show, following which he got kicked out of his jobs as chief
judge of females and körmeister. When I ran into him again at the 2005
show, he immediately brought up the fact that I had reported on his fall
and the charges made, and seemed to blame me for his falling out of
favor with the SV (which happened well before I had said anything about
the reported scandal).
As
David Payne in the UK says (I slightly edited his comments), “I would
strongly advise that all SV members who live in Australia… write to
Wolfgang Henke, president of the SV & WUSV. Send an email to his
attention at: info@schaeferhunde.de and ask very simply and
briefly, "How does the SV view the situation in Australia, with
particular regard to the GSDCA/ANKC negative attitude and behavior
towards Schutzhund?" To that I would add a recommendation that people in
other countries also put the pressure on the SV to stop dilly-dallying —
to crack down on such organizations as the GSDCA/AKC, the GSDC of
Canada/CKC, as well as the UK’s Kennel Club and GSD clubs in Britain,
which have been sidestepping the so-called requirements for too many
years already.
The
SV-WUSV has also been far too reticent to protect the name and nature of
the breed. What they should have done a long time ago (and it’s not too
late) is to take over the registration of all German Shepherd Dogs,
possibly even as far as supporting legal moves to deny using the name or
any international recognition to any dogs not fitting into the Standard
description and breeding regulations. If that is too big a chunk of meat
to swallow, they could at least deny recognition to the GSDCAmerica and
GSDCCanada. Since AKC will never bow the knee (nor will CKC or The
Kennel Club of the UK curtsey), the WUSV should pressure FCI to exclude
GSDs from recognition as AKC (etc.) breeds, and recognize the GSD only
if registered with the WUSV. The efforts of the SV to persuade such
independent countries’ dog registries (such as the above-mentioned) to
adhere to a unified Standard of anatomy and performance has failed, and
will always fail, unless some stronger measures are taken.
So,
when you write to the SV, express your thoughts on separate
(non-AKC/CKC/ANKC/KC/etc.) status for clubs that are willing and eager
to conform to the world standards. Tell Herr Henke that there should be
full recognition/registration of purebred GSDs who meet the WUSV
standards regardless of whether or not they have affiliation with those
non-compliant national registries.
Fred Lanting
[magazine & website managers, please include this notice: The new Canine
Orthopedics book is now available through
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