I have just heard the list of the new officials for the SV - Almost all
working dog people. This is the best news for the future of the German
shepherd dog in 25 years.

The NEW SV president is named Henke, he is a WORKING dog judge, he does not
like shows dogs.

The new vice president is a man named Orschler, although he is a show dog
breeder "Batu" he has shown some his dogs in the BSP, he also likes working
dogs a lot.

This is the best one the new Breed Warden is none other than DR HELMUT
RAISER!!!!!!!!. I think we already know which kind of dogs he likes.

Training warden is Gunther Diegel, he showed orkar Kathargo at the BSP, he
is strictly working dog judge.

Youth leader is the woman that judged at this years BSP Ingabord Balioner.

Press person is a man named Grube, another strictly working dog Judge.

Walter Hoffman is in charge of search and rescue.

Finally it looks like the SV is going to change. The membership has
realized that SHOW DOGS are not the future of the breed.

It's time for USA to do the same - Mark Przybylski needs to go (2 years
ago). Jim Elder (the president elect of USA) needs to pay attention to what
is going on in the SV. The same thing can and should happen to USA.

It's a clean sweep for the working dog! Wow!

One other you left off the list Ed... Wilfred Scheld is the new SV Head Herding Judge. Herr Scheld is one of the most working dog friendly Koermeisters in the SV...he really likes strong dogs. I have heard nothing but good things about Herr Scheld from working dog folks, who come out in big numbers whenever he does Breed Surveys in America.

Laura

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Big Names.
Did this occur because many have felt it was taking the wrong direction and have been afraid for it to decline any further?

What made this election go this way?
Basically why now do the right thing compared to the past?

I totally agree with the outcome. Because I'm inexperienced it makes me wonder why this wasn't done sooner? For Veterans on the board I'd love to read what you feel led or influenced this decision.

This is from the ARV site:

Zuchttauglichkeitsprufung (called the ZTP or BST) translates as "breeding suitability test," and certifies that a Rottweiler is acceptable as breeding stock. In Germany, a Rottweiler must attain this degree before being bred. The ARV offers the ZTP to its members. The dog to be tested must be at least 18 months of age and be tattooed. The dog must not have any disqualifying faults according to the January 16, 1996, FCI standard. The dog must have successfully completed an ARV BH or a VDH sanctioned BH. The ZTP is provisionally awarded until the dog attains OFA certification or has ADRK HD hip approval.

There are several phases in the ZTP. First, the dog is measured and weighed. A conformation critique is given, which includes the dog's eye color and any abnormalities in dentition.

The dog then performs a light obedience pattern during which a gun is fired twice, to test the dog's sureness in the face of noise. The dog must heel through a crowd and allow several people to close in on him without a display of fear or unwarranted aggression.

The dog is then rated on the characteristics of self sufficiency, temperament, tractability, courage, protection drive, excitability, fearlessness, attentiveness, mistrust, fighting drive, and hardness. All of these, plus the reaction to the gunshots, are noted on the dog's ZTP form, along with his measurements and critique, which is kept on record by the ARV and entered into the Körbuch. The ARV strongly holds that the ZTP is imperative to preserve the correct Rottweiler in both conformation and character, and is highly recommended for all dogs before breeding.

In addition to the gun sureness test and the crowd test, a courage test is also performed. In the courage test, the Rottweiler must bite the padded sleeve on the agitator's arm, take threats of two hits over the withers with a padded stick, be driven in the fight, and release the sleeve upon command at least once during the exercises. Then the Rottweiler must guard the agitator until the judge signals the handler to pick up his dog.

This to me is a surprise. I would guess that the GSD is getting alot of bad press over there from the Police. When you look at the police dogs over there many are not GSD, and the ones that are are not from there in numbers. I have been told that the German Police are fed up with the SV; I think Ed has some info on this.

Another reason is after the September 11 attacks working dogs are in high demand, and will most likley become in more demand; the GSD is starting to lag behind in working circles. I would also guess this had something to do with it.

I have also been told that there are alot of the old timers in Schutzhund that are watching the working part of the SV fade away slowley, but surley; I guess the buck stops here.

I read about the people in positions of authority now in the SV and got a warm fuzzy feeling all over

I can only say that I hope that the GSD is saved here in America too.

Originally posted by Jeannette:
I can only say that I hope that the GSD is saved here in America too. With any luck, we will see changes here too. USA will follow whatever (in most cases) the SV does, so if the SV leans more to working, then USA should too. There is no way that what goes on in the SV will not spill over to USA. That is like rain without clouds!

I am intrested in seeing what will happen with the breeding requirment for the SV GSD. I am also intrested in seeing if the grip requirement is not bent a little for a stronger fighting dog. This is going to be an intresting few years to see what comes of this. But it should be good.

There is a reason why these people have been elected.

A lot has been said on many threads that USA needs to implement changes or else the GSD breed as a working dog will be destroyed as we know it....I've only been a member of USA for less than a year, could someone briefly describe the changes that need to be made and what they think these new electees to the SV might enact that would be beneficial? I just don't have an understanding of how the SV and USA work.....(If this is the wrong place for this post I will gladly start a new thread).....