Don't know Dawn, if the texture is correct and it has an undercoat there is no reason to trim unless you think it looks better thus.

There has been of late a dog that has won very well, beautifully trimmed and presented but in my opinion it has an incorrect coat, but there you go I like to judge by the standard and if the coat should be coarse then that is how I expect to find it not mater how well it is pruned.

Have you noticed the Spaniels with bald necks and the Basset Griffons that have been plucked to with in an inch of becoming smooth coated, why, who knows. Well I do know, it is because a dog presented thus has been doing some serious winning.

Dont start me on that lot Pita!! Have you seen what they are doing to Afghans? CLIPPING them! their necks etc... its awful, they have even changed the breed standard to say "Any evidence of clipping or scissoring should be penalised."

What some would do to win a rossette eh?

This is why I wouldn`t go near a show ring - it seems to bring out the worst in some people (no-one here obviously! ) Yes the breed standard for GSD`s states that coat/colour is of minor importance but when you`re deciding between fairly evenly matched dogs, I suspect the judges go for the `norm`, which are short-coat black and tan. Personally, having a goldish fluffy, I think they`re most beautiful!

I'm no longer in GSD's but having looked at what is being shown at the moment it seems like two different breeds, still not my business, as I said no longer in the breed.

One has to blame the judges, if the breed should be shown un-clipped or un-plucked then they should not put up dogs that are, after all one cannot judge that which is not present.

ooo theres hope for vinnie yet,,,,only kidding, hes a tad hairy but not a long coat,, but many people take the straggly hairs of there rotties before showing but you can see if a clip has been done,,,I notice it anyway,,, When at the scott rott with boobah I noticed clipper marks down the side, back of a rott, so guess its happening in many breeds,

Under a breed specialist it wouldnt have been placed, you can tell a GSD as been trimmed plus they would have had to pluck inside the ears, as this is another tell tale sign.

Long coats are not allowed ? where in the breed standard does it say that ??

It is not possible to disguise a long coated GSD simply by trimming the ears & legs, the actual body coat will have the wrong"feel"it will be soft & longer than the desired 2cm-3 cm long coat

Any judge placing the dog would have to thing it was so outstanding that the coat was not important(except that long coated dogs do not make good working dogs(real work not service etc but sheep/cattle work)as they will get wet to the skin in bad weather, longcoats have an incorrect undercoat & topcoat)

It wouldn't get placed under me even if it was the only dog in the class or the rest were complete rubbish, all the placings would be withheld

we have actually shown her on several occasions, after a little trim around the ears. On one occasion the judge was a professional groomer so we were caught out, however she was still awarded 2nd place out of 6.
They must of hidden it pretty well!

I have always wondered why we have to clip the neck hair back, but I have to say I personally trim my Spaniel like this as that is how I have been taught, not to try and win more often!