Gsd & Rottweiler Judging

[puppy_dawgs]

ok I've had enough of being confused lol

can someone please give me a breakdown on what makes GSD and Rottweiler judging different. inc specialties etc. And why do people not wear suits at rottie specialities?

anyway just really curious :D

[Flaves]

They dont wear suits at GSD specialties either. I mean why would you when you are doing a hell of a lot more running/walking/moving at a specialty than a couple of laps around a small all breeds ring :)

I suppose really at the end of the day, judging is more in depth at a specialty.

Both breeds are made to move a lot more than what is done in an all breeds ring. The rings are larger, with GSDS and sometimes rotts, the dogs are made to walk, gait and fast gait, showing all speeds of movement.

They also are expected to be fit, and fitness can certainly change placings, and the all breeds ring really cant show that to the same extent.

Each dog is given an individual - similar to the AB ring, however far more in depth.

The critiques are written down and the judge does an thorough assessment of the dogs.

Usually once the dogs are critiqued, they are bought back into the ring and do a lap or two so that the judge can check what they have written with the critiques re the order the dogs should be in. Then they put them in the order that they believe they should be in and work them.

With GSDS, they are worked and changes are made and they are placed from 1st to last dog in the class, either top 6 or 10 are on the pegs.

With rotts they are worked but the judge removes dogs from last until there are the last 6-8 left in the ring and then works them down to 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1.

There are only 6 on the pegs with rotts.

Same same but different IMO

I enjoy both types of specialties

Hope i have helped and not confused you

Edited November 9, 2013 by Flaves

[Podengo]

Some of the breed specialties I've been to have had quite a few pet owners instead of the usual show people, so they may not own suits.

[angelsun]

We always dressed properly when showing GSD's at specialties in Canada. Yup...I felt for the men as most of the shows were stinking hot but they never lost their jackets or ties!! ( I think awards should have been handed out for those handlers as well as the winning dogs!)

[Salukifan]

I've only seen a few GSD specialties but this is how they are different from what I've seen:

* The ring is far larger than an allbreeds ring.

* There is a lot more emphasis on movement and the dogs do a lot of it. Handlers appear to dress to run because they are going to run hard. The dogs are out in front of the handler on a longer lead and end up trotting with lots of reach and drive.

* Double handling is permitted and there appears to be a lot more noise with people attracting the dog's attention.

* There are big classes of dogs (no great surprise for a speciality I suppose.)

Edited November 10, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[LisaCC]

I don't know a lot about it but I have a friend who only showed in GSD specialities when they were still breeding.

[Dory the Doted One]

There are a few Rottie people that will do mostly specialities rather than do smaller 'all breed' shows, I'm sure it's the same with GSD's. And for some I think it's because of the fact that the dogs are individually critiqued and appears to be a more transparent process.

[Allerzeit]

I've only seen a few GSD specialties but this is how they are different from what I've seen:

* The ring is far larger than an allbreeds ring.

* There is a lot more emphasis on movement and the dogs do a lot of it. Handlers appear to dress to run because they are going to run hard. The dogs are out in front of the handler on a longer lead and end up trotting with lots of reach and drive.

* Double handling is permitted and there appears to be a lot more noise with people attracting the dog's attention.

* There are big classes of dogs (no great surprise for a speciality I suppose.)

Yep, that's a good summary of a Rotty speciality too:)

As HW said - the dogs (and handlers) do a lot of running (more under some judges than others) and are dressed for that purpose. The dogs run out in front and the rings are FAR bigger than an all breeds ring. Many exhibitors also use spare runners, and they swap between each other while on the move (like passing a baton, only you're passing a rottweiler) - you learn to do this as smoothly as possible so as not to break the dogs stride. It's always nice to watch a good fit handler though, who is fit enough to not have to change runners!

Edited November 10, 2013 by Allerzeit

[Allerzeit]

There are a few Rottie people that will do mostly specialities rather than do smaller 'all breed' shows, I'm sure it's the same with GSD's. And for some I think it's because of the fact that the dogs are individually critiqued and appears to be a more transparent process.

It's also a lot to do with the fact that the judge is a breed specialist, so is generally more knowledgeable about the breed than an all breeds judge and as a result their opinion is more valuable.

[Dory the Doted One]

There are a few Rottie people that will do mostly specialities rather than do smaller 'all breed' shows, I'm sure it's the same with GSD's. And for some I think it's because of the fact that the dogs are individually critiqued and appears to be a more transparent process.

It's also a lot to do with the fact that the judge is a breed specialist, so is generally more knowledgeable about the breed than an all breeds judge and as a result their opinion is more valuable.

Yep...this too. Completely overlooked that element, I guess it seemed a little obvious to me, and I assumed others.

[Starkehre]

Too right HW, there is a lot of emphasis on movement and rightly so because the Rottweiler is actually a working breed and should be able to trot all day. He is one of the oldest herding breeds in the world.

When the specialist judge watches movement, he is not only judging topline, footfall, reach and drive, pasterns, hocks, pelvis, croup, head carriage, tail carriage etc but also stamina, fitness and attitude on the move. Good or excellent movement can be seen by a good judge fairly quickly, but the latter can take many laps to judge fully.

Yep, all that noise is the double handling that is not only permitted but expected in Rottweiler specialty shows as opposed to being a disqualifying act in AB rings. Double handling/baiting occurs in "clowns corner" during critiquing as well as during the running and interim stacking during the class.

Hey Allerzeit, when are you coming over to the main land again. Haven't seen you for a while :)

[Allerzeit]

Hey Allerzeit, when are you coming over to the main land again. Haven't seen you for a while :)

Just over a week ago, actually :) Wondering why the weather was so incredibly changeable on the Sunday of the champ show? It's because there was a Tasmanian in your midst!

I was over to visit family though, not show dogs, and we only popped into the show briefly before heading off to do family things :) Was only there for a couple of hours, just enough to appreciate the horrid weather conditions - particularly for the poor veterans!

Hoping to come up to Vic for the champ show in November next year, finances permitting :)

[kiwifeathers]

I know the GSD specialites here often have rings around the rings, for the double handlers to run around in! Haven't been to one myself but my parents showed and bred GSDs before the had children and they said its a very different ball game to normal all breeds shows. Dogs and handlers have to be very fit.

...Apparently there is a lot of drinking involved too at ringside :laugh:

[Flaves]

...Apparently there is a lot of drinking involved too at ringside :laugh:

i see that at All breeds shows too :laugh:

[Starkehre]

Hey Allerzeit, when are you coming over to the main land again. Haven't seen you for a while :)

Just over a week ago, actually :) Wondering why the weather was so incredibly changeable on the Sunday of the champ show? It's because there was a Tasmanian in your midst!

I was over to visit family though, not show dogs, and we only popped into the show briefly before heading off to do family things :) Was only there for a couple of hours, just enough to appreciate the horrid weather conditions - particularly for the poor veterans!

Hoping to come up to Vic for the champ show in November next year, finances permitting :)

Well there you go, I didn't even see you mate, sorry Ah, you must have been there on the Sunday for those weather conditions, pretty funky hey??!!

Hopefully you will make in next year :)

[Allerzeit]

Well there you go, I didn't even see you mate, sorry

I pretty much spent all of the time I was there hiding with Sue, Stan, Sue and Neville in their tent! Tried to work out how to get Rave into my overnight bag, but the bugger just wouldn't fit no matter what I did! :laugh:

[ish]

This link is an article by Louis Donald, explaining some of the differences between all breeds and specialty judging with German Shepherd Dogs - you might find it interesting

http://www.gsdcqld.org.au/Louis.Donald.all.breeds.vs.specialist.htm