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As we move forward with our dialogue concerning: What does it take for a breeder, owner, or exhibitor of German Shepherd Dogs to become an expert? What might the 10,000 hours of intensive practice look like for these individuals? What will the 10,000 hours resemble in the becoming an expert German Shepherd Dog aficionado utilizing the three pillars outlined in the earlier post?
Achievement is talent plus preparation. How would the 10,000 hours be calculated? How does the individual gain breed knowledge and experience? For some it will be more than, or others less than, the 10,000 hours depending on the type of experience gained and the level of praxis (study, practice, dialogue and reflection, study, practice, dialogue and reflection, etc…).
This calculation, of course, must be individualized. Does each individual excel—making the most of the time and opportunities presented? Or do they simply move through the motions at each stage of development? For some it may take 10 years of experience at roughly 3 hours a day. However, this just does not seem feasible or practical for most individuals involved in GSDs. It may, in fact, take a much longer period of time—for most, perhaps more in the neighbor of 20 years. This would be the result of most people being hobby breeders and exhibitors.
This experience must be a continuum of intense training and exposure to all elements of the German Shepherd Dog. Does the experience build upon the prior experience? Not all experience is equal!
The genesis of gaining knowledge of this breed must be the breed standard. How can one possibly know what the desired outcome of potential breedings will be without first establishing what is the ideal—the standard of the breed? How can one know a good German Shepherd Dog when they see one?
Next, after studying the breed standard, one must place themselves into circumstances to see and evaluate as many dogs as possible. This might most easily accomplished today by undertaking the following:
o Attending dog shows in which your breed is shown and judged; both specialty and all-breed shows. Evaluate each class of dogs according to the breed standard and rank them within that class and eventually the winners.
o Finding a regional specialty club, join that club and attend as many functions as possible.
o Talking with knowledgeable people in one’s bred—judges, handlers, breeders, and owners who show.
o Joining the German Shepherd Dog Club of America
o Attending seminars and educational programs sponsored by the GSDCA.
o Reading the German Shepherd Dog Review and other GSD magazines (such as the German Shepherd Quarterly).
o Referencing the annual Redbook published by the GSDCA and the Bluebook (which has articles dealing with health and genetic issues relative to the GSD). You will find timely information and helpful interviews with breeders, up-to-date health issues and highlights, as well as shown results, etc…
o Reading as much as possible, not only about the GSD of today, but of yesterday as well. There are a fair number of older (30+ years) books available.
Opportunity. Each breeder, owner, or exhibitor is given opportunity to develop. Is (s)he presented with, or does (s)he seek out, the necessary new experiences while being mentored and coached by a highly functioning, experienced expect—a mentor or coach who will guide, instruct, correct, allow for practice and experimentation during these reality development periods? A good mentor will not merely instruct the mentee. They will offer options, advice, and knowledge and allow the mentee to discover through real-life encounters and not simply instruct with the “Do it my way!” mentality. There is little to be gained with this dictatorial instruction.
James Moses in his interview for The German Shepherd Dog Review (June 2010) stated… “You need to stay involved with people who are dedicated to the breed and not just what the current fad is. I hope to learn about this breed until the day I die. I learn something new every week and hope I never think that I know everything (34).”
Luck. This involves having the good fortune of everything coming together naturally—being in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. Nem and Percy Elliott write in the The Complete German Shepherd Dog concerning luck…
“Without this you get nowhere. You can plan all you want and be correct in all your assumptions but without luck there is nothing. The more knowledge and common sense that you possess the more you can cut down the odds and not rely on luck so much (82).”
So the question is: Where are you on this continuum of real-life experience in the area of German Shepherd Dogs? How many hours have you put in? Are you progressing toward a higher level of knowledge or simply repeating elementary knowledge of the breed? You might have 20,000 hours of experience, but only in the more rudimentary areas of knowledge within the breed. Are your experiences building or scaffolding upon prior knowledge?
All the best in the journey!
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