Gretchen, I agree with you whole heartedly!!! Unfortunately, the last USRC Sieger show I was at (May 2004), I still saw many dogs that had more weight on them then necessary. No one is saying the dogs need to look like Dobermans, but what some people think are perfect weight, is still overweight for the "working dog". It disgusts me and saddens me when owners who do both show & work, put the added weight onto their dogs to please the conformation judges. That working dog has to run blinds, jump hurdles and scale a wall, run agility courses or any other activity. I'd like to see those owners do the same with the comparable extra weight they put on their dogs! My 15 month old pup (sister to Melissa's male), will be shown with her working weightl. Guess, I'll have to find a judge(s) who has a realistic concept on what our dogs should weigh to do the WORK.
