That is the day I bought my first GSD, S Konzert vom Drachenberg, affectionately known here at Marcato, as Strauss. In terms of conformation, he is a mess.

He is fine boned, has weak pigment, his left ear never stood properly, he has locked hocks, and he's east west in the front. All in all, my dog is "just another BYB animal"
...but his temperament is impeccable, and the moment I got him, I knew he was something special.

I purchased him for a modest sum, and being a beginner, thought I could turn him into
the next "Hatter". It wasn't to be and I was absolutely crushed. However, for all his bodily flaws, this dog is by far the best dog I have ever owned.
He has an uncanny desire to do any and everything I ask of him, he is always there right by my side, and,
throughout my short years of life, out of all the dogs I have had, he is the most special.

Strauss is my heart dog.

My goal for Marcato is to have dogs that do not just show in conformation, but work too.
All of my dogs must prove themselves in working or performance trials.
My feeling is that a dog obtaining his championship is not enough to consider the dog worthy of breeding.

I consider working trials for the GSD, to be Herding, and Schutzhund. Everything else is, to me, performance.
Next to temperament and health, the most important thing about this breed is the ability to work, and I don't believe just a championship is enough anymore.

In the next forty to fifty years, I'd like to have a name for myself in Shepherds. I want to see my American line dogs on the schutzhund field.
Not just "barely passing" with the Germans, but scoring as high, or higher than the German dogs. I want people to know that they can do it, and I want to show
the Americans that a German dog can still be pretty and functional without being overdone in drive.

This is Marcato German Shepherds.

- Jackie Short
Founder, Marcato Shepherds

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