This year's BSP saw I think only two V-rated dogs. This is most certainley not a good outlook for the working GSD. While the sport is not everything, I think that this is pretty clear that either our dogs are getting weaker, or the people competing cannot train, or it was a bad weekend.

What I found intresting was that (and I do understand that there were a few strong dogs that are breed worthy that did not V over-all) was that while many feel that schutzhund is getting watered down, alot of the dogs that competed were family to FERO. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

This in my view implies(and if you check other years I think you may find the same thing) that Fero (or the FERO line) is not really capable of producing top dogs. While there may be some very nice Fero line dogs, I think that there more weaker one's then strong. Furthermore alot of the dogs that showed never V rated the LG so you had a stadium full of SG or G and a few V dogs competing to be the best.

While I was not sure before, I am leaning to the side that Fero is not all he is cracked-up to be. There seems to be plathra of weaker GSD coming from that line. There may be come geat dogs that have come from combining FERO with certain lines, but I do not think that the line is a breed improver over-all.

The BSP is not different than the KNPV championships. Some years show better dogs than other years. I have seen it again and again. I don't believe that one years dogs reflects the future of the working dog. Next year can be totally different.

You happen to be right about FERO though.

I was just pleased that Bernhard and Itor finshed 13th - this was 2 weeks after Itor won the German Police Dog Championships. Bernhard will be in Alabama with itor to compete in this years USA Nationals.

I thought that the Police Dog Championships were two weeks after the BSP. Ed, will you be getting a video of this to sell?

A friend of mine who was at the BSP and competed in the FCI said that he felt the helper work, specifically the front half, was very disapointing. He said 'it was like the helper was sleepwalking'. I realize this was an exaggeration, but I think you get the point.

He aslo said that the OB judging was brutal, which is not a bad thing as long as it's fair and consistent.

Again, titles and scores give us only a very superficial view. Again, I agree with Ed on this one.

Originally posted by John Haudenshield:
A friend of mine who was at the BSP and competed in the FCI said that he felt the helper work, specifically the front half, was very disapointing. He said 'it was like the helper was sleepwalking'. I realize this was an exaggeration, but I think you get the point.

He aslo said that the OB judging was brutal, which is not a bad thing as long as it's fair and consistent.

. Would this be for the FCI or the BSP or both?

It was the BSP helper work and judging that I was refering to in my post.

I have been watching and enjoying Schutzhund competitions since 1975. I cannot remember how many BDP's, Schutzhund USA or DVG events that I have seen. I have NEVER been to one event where I heard people say "Wasn't the judging and helper work great !!"

Complaining about helper work and judging is a favorit pass time of most people who watch national events. Not that all judging or all helpers are perfect - too often this complaining is an excuse to cover poor performances from dogs.

Originally posted by John Haudenshield:
It was the BSP helper work and judging that I was refering to in my post. When will Ed have this realeased on DVD or video?