h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Phew, it took some clicking to find how to do this, but here goes.

I like your article on the GSD a lot. Having owned and trained them for over 35 years, I feel I know the breed, and I congratulate the writer on a perceptive summary. BTW, in your list of Crufts Champions, the letters SH stand for Show...as in Show Champion.
You may be interested to add to the article the GSD Obedience Champions who have won either the Dog or Bitch Crufts Obedience Championships, which have been run now for around 60 years. If you are interested please let me know, and I'll send you a list. (My navigation to this site is so suspect, that anyone wishing to contact me on this could use [Personal details removed by Moderator] ...that way you'll be sure of a reply.)

MrZirco,
Agreed this is a very good entry. If I were to add one thing, it is that from my experience(sharing my life with GSD's from 1992 to present) that they mature slowly, so it is wise not to over extent them physically and to be patient with their puppy ways.
I have two blacks GSD's, Anubis, 7 yrs. and Monique(Roo) 17 months old. They are very ruined dogs, that live on 65 acres in North Eastern, Ontario, Canada.
My first memory of meeting a GSD, was when I was a toddler, I dropped my mother's hand and ran up to the dog and hugged him. My mother was frozen and the owner was some what shocked but, the boy and I had the best cuddle. My Mom, did lecture me about not hugging strange/unknown dogs. I answered her, that I knew he was a nice dog, and basically, so... what is the problem?
At, now 55 yrs. old, I do realize my mother's concern was well grounded.

MrZico -

Thank you, I'm chuffed you enjoyed it, especially with your wealth of experience compared to mine. Admittedly I didn't think of the Crufts Obedience Championships (my bad), as it seems so obvious in light of the breed's trainability.


anancygirl oh what a tangled web -

Thank you too, & what a great memory; why is it that kids can often see through to the essence of people/dogs do you think? It always intrigues me, as with our last GSD (who was a big, chunky lad, although he was a 'smiler'), kids were always drawn to him. It was adults who had reservations, mainly due to his size & perceived potential aggression. Actually, I may have answered my own question - social conditioning in addition to a sense of potential danger, which kids often haven't had the experience to discover yet.
And yes, your mam's concerns were grounded. I certainly would not let a child in my care run up to a strange dog - regardless of breed.

>>They are very ruined dogs, that live on 65 acres in North Eastern, Ontario, Canada<<
They are certainly ruined compared to the vast majority of dogs, I bet they absolutely love it, but I hope they don't feel the need to patrol your boundaries - you'd never see them

Hi anne,
Now I have the image of Anubis running the parameter with combat booties and a AK47, stuck in my brain. That will make those pesky deer and elk respect him. In reality though, they just trot away from us when we go walking the woods(he chases them to the property line then comes back to me "all smiles").
Great entry thanks again.