Breed Articles

27/03/2009

WHAT HAS THE GSA GOT TO OFFER

If you were to read further down this page of the list of accreditations and achievements of GSA Ireland members you might be too intimidated to make the initial contact. That, in our opinion, would be a mistake. Our membership comes from the broadest cross-section of canine activity; Show, Schutzhund, Obedience and Agility to name but a few. If we don’t cater for your particular brand of dog interest we will be only too willing to help you, help us, to get started.

The GSA is a nationwide organisation with training groups and clubs in various locations around the country. These local clubs cater for all breed and training interests regardless of owner’s level of commitment and offer the German Shepherd and other working dog owner lots of choices in the domestic and international conformation and performance dog sport programmes. The clubs also welcome and encourage a good social atmosphere with family participation and involvement.

Annual active membership entitles the dog owner to avail of the wide ranging training opportunities on offer and to participate in any GSA sanctioned event. Membership also carries with it many other privileges including the right to pursue a wide range of degrees, titles, awards and special prizes. Trial participation requires the dog owner to be in possession of a recognised GSA/WUSV scorecard and proof of qualification at the basic requisite level under a GSA/WUSV sanctioned performance judge. Show participation requires GSA issued registration and pedigree paperwork. All animals exhibited under GSA/WUSV/FCI conformation and performance programme rules and regulations are required to have verifiable identification in the form of either a tattoo or micro chip number.

GSA breed specific programmes are of necessity restricted to pure bred German Shepherd Dogs who meet specific set criteria. During the promotion and execution of the SV/WUSV/FCI International working/utility dog programmes the GSA complies fully with the international canine regulatory bodies stipulations by accepting/accommodating all the other recognised working breeds of dogs right to involvement, participation and titling. The GSA in accordance with WUSV international protocol operates the 'Augsberger Modell' along the same lines as the German parent Club, the SV. An interpretation of the “Augsburger Modell” is on the site.

We are responsible for organizing a wide range of educational and training activities that are certain to interest all dog owners. From a perusal of the pages of this site and a look at our wide range of programme documents you will be able to obtain some impression of the activities and rewards on offer. We also run an annual Irish Sieger Show for German Shepherds. This event has now grown to be the biggest single breed conformation event in these Islands. We also run grading events and breed surveys. Our survey system is geared for the evaluation and determination of the pure bred dogs breeding worth and is based closely on that of the International SV/WUSV model.

Any fully paid up member of GSA who is in good standing with the administrative headquarters can aspire to hold any Executive, Council or group Committee position within the organisation, subject of course to the provisions of the Constitution. We are committed to and supportive of the policies of the international German Shepherd organisation, the WUSV. We are structured on a group organizational model, giving the individual member a real voice in the running of his/her club, and providing each training group or club with a real voice and representation on the national legislative body.

We are passionately committed to the future and welfare of German Shepherd dogs and the performance dog sport in this country. We are constantly working, lobbying and representing your interests at all levels, nationally and internationally. GSA Ireland is known and respected world wide because of its long standing strong presence and achievement record on the international competitive dog scene.

We are wholly committed to the WUSV, and as a full voting member we endeavour to live up to its commitments by sending delegates to all World Union breed and performance meetings and conferences. We also fulfil our obligations to international and world agreements by sending a GSA Ireland representative Schutzhund team to the WUSV World championships each year. 

Our team member’s consistent high performances on the world competition stage with their German Shepherd Dogs have repeatedly brought recognition and honour to our club and country. As recently as October 2006 our team in the Schutzhund World Championships, held in Denmark, finished in the highly credible seventh overall position in a competition which featured teams from twenty seven countries. At this Olympics for dogs the GSA team was the best overall tracking team in the world.

GSA Ireland was invited to participate in the recent (2004/2005) Department of the Environment working group set up by the Minister of the Environment to examine to problem of "puppy farming" in Ireland, we were the only breed club in Ireland to be invited to participate. This was because of our known professionalism, our commitment and responsibility to our own breed and the working dog sport.

Prospective members and those contemplating getting a Shepherd puppy are welcome to visit any of our GSA local training groups. However, to attend with a dog or train within a group structure a person must be a full member of the local club. Membership registration with the national organisation is on an annual basis and is renewable in January of each year. Local area training groups and clubs charge no membership fee but do levy various local upkeep and maintenance dues to cover the cost of grounds, and insurance.

As the owner of a German Shepherd or any other breed of working dog we invite you to contact us, to more learn about our breed and sport, to involve yourself and your family in our club, and develop a worthwhile and exciting career for your dog.

Don’t take our word for it. Pay us a visit. Everyone is welcome.