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Fay (Shelby) + Crixus | GSD Education

@ohmygsds

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🌲 GSDs living & living well in the pnw
🐾 Show dogs • dog friendly adventure/travel
📚 German Shepherd education & discussion
📧 [email protected]

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↳ “why are their backs slanted?” The question that started it all over seven years ago now. We were doing a “meet the breed” and this kid had come over and asked this very question. I was stumped and my mentors were looking at me, expecting me to know the answer. When I couldn’t explain, they answered. I understood stacking for the most part, but I had no clue about toplines, rear angulation, withers, proportions, etc. These were my early days of learning about the breed’s structure; where I was still in my “I see this and like/dislike this, but I don’t know why” phase. This question and the embarrassment in that moment fueled my drive to learn this breed’s structure inside and out, how to explain what I’m seeing and why. I will never truly know everything and I still have so much to learn— as my grandma would say, “the day you stop learning is the day you stop caring!” — and 𝘰𝘶𝘧 if I didn’t feel that. I carry those words with me everyday, especially on the days where I feel burnt out from the same, endless discussions, scenarios and hitting brick walls with some people that simply dismiss facts. But this is my breed. This has been my obsession from the very start. I will never stop caring for it and hopefully I can make an impact in the education of this wonderful breed. If that means only changing one mind at a time, then that’s one more person to benefit the breed and that is a win to me. ✨
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German shepherd || GSDs || Explore with Dogs
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. #gsd #germanshepherd #gsdlove #gsdlife #pnwdogs #dogsofpnw #oregon #exploreoregon #dogsthathikearedogsilike #showlinegsd #showline #stackdogsaturday #agirlandherdog #gsdpuppy #gsdpage #mydogismybestfriend #showdog #obedience #dogtraining #hikingwithdogs #workingdog by @ohmygsds

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2 years ago

↳ “you do not yield.”
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I got #fourthwing vibes from this, but @waywardaussies got Aelin and Fenrys vibes 🗡️
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@voyagersk9apparel raincoat
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@vessi #waterproof shoes (link in bio) 🌊
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@wethepeopleholsters leggings
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[Tags 🏷️] #gsd #germanshephered #pnw #pnwdogs #oregondogs #oregonexplored #explorewithdogs #hikingwithdogs #hikingdogs #dogsthathikearedogsilike #gsdcommunity #gsdcute #gsdlover #gsdofigworld #gsdoftheday #waterproof #waterfallhike #throneofglass #throneofglassseries #tog #aelin #wethepeople #gsdowner #gsdlover by @ohmygsds

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3 years ago

Popular ≠ correct… I’ve said this how many times? You’re not going to know what’s correct if you don’t read the blueprint. You can’t make a difference to a breed if you think something’s correct just because it’s popular. Let that sink in.
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I acknowledge every dog in this video has its own faults according to the standard (no dog is perfect), however the two dogs at the end of the video have far less faults than the other two first shown. Roach toplines are not correct. Elbow movement is not correct. Locked hocks are not correct. A gsd unable to properly trot is not correct. 👏🏻
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#gsd #germanshepherd #akcgermanshepherd #showline #showlinegsd #rumor #gsdlover #gsdunited #gsdcommunity #gsdnation #dogshow #crufts #akc #dogshows #westminster #nationaldogshow by @ohmygsds

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3 years ago

↳ I’m ✨alive ✨. I haven’t lost motivation to post here, and I still have a lot of posts scheduled to be making — such as the post about pasterns. I’ve simply spent the last several weeks solely writing my book. It’s been literally stealing all of my time. I’ve felt bad for the time the dogs are being robbed— but it’s one of those things that if I stop, I won’t return to. And this one is consuming me 😩 but I’m still here 😅 what has everyone been up to?
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ALSO 9/11 ♥️ never forget the lives lost and changed forever.
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German shepherd || sunflower || dogs in flowers || pnw dogs || gsd owner
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[Tags 🏷️] #germanshepherd #gsd #neverforget911 #dogsinflowers pnwdogslife by @ohmygsds

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a month ago

Is there?
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AKC || AKC German shepherd || show dog || showline || pnw dog || German shepherd || gsd
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#germanshepherd #showlinegsd #showline #akcgermanshepherd #showdoglife by @ohmygsds

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12 days ago

I take like… an entire month off socials to write my book and seeing some of the stuff since coming back is just 🤚🏻. With my line of work I see it everyday anyways, but sometimes— it’s nice to have a reprieve. Hope everyone’s having a fantastic October 🎃
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German shepherd || gsd || show dog || hiking with dogs || senior dog || pnw dog show || pnw hiking || 2A || girls that hike ||
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#germanshepherd #showlinegsd #akcgermanshepherd #hikingwithdogs #akcregistered by @ohmygsds

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13 days ago

↳ what are “panda” German Shepherds?
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Panda GSDs are the result of a dominant KIT gene mutation that causes white spotting (piebald-type pattern). This means the trait does not randomly appear—it must already be present in the breeding lines. ✨Genetics aren’t random—repeated outcomes reflect what’s in a breeding program.✨
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They are still genetically German Shepherds, but this pattern is not part of the breed standard (AKC/SV/FCI). Large white/piebald patterns (like what’s commonly called “panda”) exceed what is described in the standard.
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This post is for educational purposes only—focused on coat genetics and breed standards, not individuals.
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Images used for illustration. No ownership claimed on images.
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Panda German shepherds || AKC || SV || purebred German shepherd || gsd education
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#pandagermanshepherd #ohmygsds #gsd #germanshepherd #akcgermanshepherd by @ohmygsds

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6 months ago

Like most, I LOVE my time in the ring with my dogs. Especially Crixus—he loves showing, with his wagging tail, the clapping, and cheering making it so much fun.
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But hear me out.
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The point of conformation should be judging dogs against their breed standard and rewarding the best dog in the ring that day. A class dog earns its championship, proves its quality, and then ideally moves on to proving itself in other areas: obedience, herding, rally, agility, Barn Hunt, etc.
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Instead, it increasingly feels like the goal is to create the next Special to campaign.
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And that shifts the focus from “Which dog best represents the breed?” to “How many BOBs, Groups, and BIS has this dog won?”
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That can influence breeding decisions, too. “I want to breed to that sire because look at all his wins!” Then everyone breeds to the same popular Special, and suddenly finding a line that DOESN’T contain that dog becomes nearly impossible. Sometimes that dog is exceptional. Sometimes it isn’t. Either way, it can contribute to increasingly tight gene pools.
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Then there’s the class dog problem.
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I’ve had a judge tell me, “Oh, he’s a champion now? I wish you had told me. I would have given him BOB.”
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I’ve also heard a professional handler challenge a judge, “You’re really going to put a class dog over all these Specials?”
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Why should finishing your championship suddenly make you more deserving?
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I love great Specials. Some are incredible representations of their breeds. But there are also incredible class dogs that never get the opportunity to see the Group ring because they’re competing against dogs that are already being campaigned.
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Some breeders won’t sell you a show prospect unless you’re willing to campaign it. That’s their right. They want their breeding program represented.
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But I think there are so many more meaningful ways to prove what your breeding program produces.
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Earn the championship. Then go prove what that dog can actually DO.
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Herding. Obedience. Barn Hunt. Agility. Tracking. Whatever fits the breed.
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Show the public that our dogs aren’t just pretty.
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What do you think?
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#germanshepherd #showline #showlinegsd #akcgermanshepherd #showdoglife by @ohmygsds

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2 months ago

My handsome boi 🫶🏻 faults ≠ crippled. Instagram Highlights for more info 😮‍💨🫶🏻
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German shepherd || gsd || showline || show dog || hiking with dogs || senior dog || pnw dog show || pnw hiking
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#germanshepherd #showlinegsd #akcgermanshepherd #showdogs #akcregistered by @ohmygsds

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3 months ago

Crixus had a good weekend out at the show. He got Best Veteran and Select Dog. He had a great time, I think, and I enjoyed showing him again. He has always been my favorite dog to show just purely based off of the enjoyment he has from being there. He is and always has been the biggest absolute show off of the century. He looked amazing and we got a lot of compliments about him looking great for his age which is honestly the best thing to hear 🫶🏻. We are heading out today to go celebrate his bday the right way 👑
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German shepherd || AKC || AKC registered || show dog || show dog life || showing dogs || showline || showline Gsd
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#germanshepherd #showlinegsd #akcregistered #showdoglife #showdogs by @ohmygsds

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3 months ago

Anywhere and everywhere, the @fordbronco sport will get you there🫡
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So funny how this part of the trail looks lowkey lame on video but so daunting in person. We passed a jeep wrangler on the way down and gave them the courage to go down it. Stay on the tires, you got this, fellow off-roaders 🫡 😂
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Bronco sport || German shepherd || off road || sketchy road || hiking || hiking with dogs || dog mobile || pnw hike
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#broncosport #germanshepherd #pnwhike #dogsthathikearedogsilike #pnwdog by @ohmygsds

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3 months ago

German shepherds are boundary herders. Often labeled “living fences” with the purpose of herding all day long to then go home acting as protectors and companions to their people. In turn, making them extremely versatile, agile, and intelligent. It’s no wonder they become as popular and lovable as they are… however, these very traits that made the German shepherd as perfect as they are also created allll of the problems we are seeing now.
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Introducing a new series— where I turn my story highlights into posts and dive deeper into the many questions about the German shepherd structure, standard and history.
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#herdingdogs #showlinegsd #akcgermanshepherd #ohmygsds #herdingdog by @ohmygsds

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10 months ago