The Best of the Breed at the First Official Championship
By Hilary Diack
With a rapidly increasing base of enthusiasts in Egypt it was only a matter of time before this much admired dog breed came into the spotlight with its own championship and show. The weekend of the 27th and 28th of February saw NEWGIZA plateau abuzz with activity as 100 pedigree German Shepherds competed for trophies in the first event of its type in Egypt. Cairo West Magazine spoke with organizer, and President of the German Shepherd Dog Club of Egypt, Hashem El Dandarawy.
CWM: What can you tell us about the club?
HD: The German Shepherd Dog Club of Egypt has been a member of the 67 country-strong organization Weltunion der Vereine für Deutsche Schäferhunde (WUSV) since 2007. The GSDCE is dedicated to training, showing, breeding, rescue, education, handling, health and genetics, law enforcement, therapy, search and rescue, micro-chipping, and everything related to the German Shepherd dog.
How does the club ensure that breeders comply with maintaining the standards set?
The club monitors and protects breeding standards to ensure standards and strong bloodlines. We look at the bloodlines of the sire and dam and investigate the papers. DNA testing is carried out in Germany to authenticate all pedigree dogs. It is important to note that inbreeding is not permitted. We also test any dog that is planned to breed, again with DNA, hip scoring, elbow scoring and temperament assessment.
What categories of German Shepherds were competing at the show?
Primarily we have two main categories, imported dogs and Egyptian-bred dogs. Then we break it down into long-haired and short-haired types, then into male and female, and age groups. Prizes are then awarded by category, but of course there is the ‘Best of Show’ cup, along with the ‘Dandarawy Special Cup’ with a cash prize for the best locally-bred dog. We include this to encourage local breeders to raise their standards and develop their breeding program.
What are the judges looking for in a dog?
The dogs are judged first on being sound, in good health, with good teeth and no bone problems, such as hip dysplasia. They must be fit, and move well. They are judged on their confirmation, color and pigmentation, as well as gender-related attributes. It should be noted that excessive size is not a plus, the dog should be within the accepted size range as set out by WUSV.
You mention imported and Egyptian bred dogs, which countries are dogs imported from?
Although traditionally German Shepherds originated in Germany, with this being one of the most popular sources, there are excellent dogs being bred in Italy and Argentina. And, we can proudly add that the Egyptian-bred dogs are now coming up in the ranks.
Do Egyptian dog owners generally have a good knowledge of dog care?
First, let’s not say ‘owners’. The dog, as a living, intelligent creature with feelings, should be considered an integral part of the family. Anyone taking care of a dog should really be referred to as a ‘dog parent’, as the responsibilities involved are much as would be covered in raising a child.
You need to consider a healthy diet, healthy environment and regular exercising, along with the necessary vaccinations. Even when a dog is a happy member of a loving family it still should have sufficient training to ensure it understands the ‘etiquette’ of living in a social environment. This has to be ongoing to be reinforced. A happy well-behaved dog makes for a happy ‘dog-parent’.
With the growth of residential compounds and more open space we see an increase of people with German Shepherds, and equally their knowledge of correct dog care is improving. The biggest mistakes we see are actually overfeeding and insufficient exercise. A healthy dog should be mainly muscle, not fat, and needs at least three long exercise sessions a week in addition to at least three ‘toilet’ walks per day.
So, who were the winners this year, and what can we look forward to in 2016?
- Tony Vom Contra, Short-haired, Male, Open Class – owned by Mr. Mutaz Ibrahim
- Flenstag Mona, Short-haired, Female, Open Class – owned by Mr. Mohamed Moustafa
- Alam Vom Team Panoniansee, Long-haired, Male, Open Class – owned by Mr. Belal Adel
- Ilsa Primo Grande, Long-haired, Female, Open Class – owned by Mr. Ahmed Fawzy & Ms. Ania Rzepecka
The next event is the GSDCE working trial in April 2015.
