This place well nice dog…. food not so nice……

At Grunfeld Shepherds the kitchen is closed…. most of the tine

Mentors……………if you are really lucky, not only do they help you to learn they also become good friends. This is what happened when I finally met Gordon Garrett in 1994. Prior to this I knew him only as a columnist for Breed Lines in the Dogs In Canada magazine that came to every CKC member. I looked forward to this magazine every month for several reasons; Robert[a] Cole’s series on judging dogs, Fred Heal’s Breedline on the Doberman Pincher, the center newspaper edition of all the dog shows that month in Canada with the results and the names of the judges and Gordon Garrett’s Breedline on the German shepherd dog.

Unlike the Breedlines that have been printed for the last several years that are more social and talking about Specialties and the like, these breedlines were informative, questioning, supporting and criticizing. They never failed to grab your attention and while sometimes you might have agreed whole heartedly , other times you were required to think and question your own opinion on the topic being discussed. I found that both Mr. Heal and Mr. Garrett did not just write to hear themselves talk . They had opinions and were not afraid to express them.

I liked the topics that Gordon discussed so much that I faithfully cut out each one and kept it in a scrap book for referral purposes. Here was a person who thought like I did but knew so much more.

From my first Grunfeld litter I kept back two dogs, both males.,because I liked the conformation on one but didn’t think the other one was good enough to sell. He will be another story down the road.The dog I liked was named Achen Von Grunfeld whose call name was Alert.I saw so many good things about him and he seemed to fit into what Gordon was talking about. I asked a good friend to handle him at a show that Gordon was judging and he went Best In Show under Mr. Garrett. When I was introduced to him after the show as the owner we made a connection and have been friends eve since.

Gordon has spent his life involved with the German Shepherd Dog. Many might not know that he has written a book of which I might have the only hard copy. He now has this same book available on the internet and I strongly urge people to contact him and get one. It is fascinating to listen to Gord talk about the well known breeders that he worked with or counts among his friends.

He went to Germany and stayed with the Kirschental family and walked the fields with Marion’s father. He worked for Mary Southcott. If you want to talk pedigrees……this man can start with a dog and go back to Horand. What a fabulous source of stories and information.

Most important is the fact that Gordon Garrett will tell you honestly what he thinks. But you need to ask him or make a comment that stirs a response form him. Structure and movement, what to look for behind, what are the cues that something is not quite correct with that gait, and the reasons for what you are seeing or think you see. I have heard him applaud judges and express his thoughts on perhaps a class not that well placed. He loves this breed and at 80 still runs my dogs when he comes to visit. The quote that I will always hear about dog shows when I think of Gord will be….”do not be a fault judge, every dog has faults, look for the good”.

Gord has many videos of all breed dogs as well as shepherds which he uses to show the good, the bad and the ugly. He has graciously given me copies and I treasure them because when you study them you really can see and learn. He never has tied himself exclusively to shepherds as he was an all breed judge and taught me that you can learn from all breeds He also taught me to stay and watch other breeds and look for the structure issues he discussed with regard to german shepherd dogs. Has he made mistakes or missed a good dog in the ring……he will be the first to say that he has. No one is perfect. But what I love about Gord is that he is always open to discussion and will listen and learn himself.

One of the facets of Gord that I enjoy the most, away from dogs, is his sense of humor. He is a riot to have under foot as they say because you never know what he will say next and be prepared to hear him burst into song at any moment if an event triggers a association. When I am not arguing with him over a world event then I am probably laughing and telling him that he is good for my soul.

If you do not know Gord you are missing out on a fabulous person . Maybe you need to introduce yourself to him at a dog show or via the internet.

Look for the really tall man with the homemade Sioux Saint Marie hat.

Luv ya gord