Developing an Eye for a Dog

An Eye For A Dog - The Art & Science of Judging

By Gretchen Bernardi

Knowledgeable, competent and honest judges are essential to the showing and breeding of quality purebred dogs. Judges are an integral part of the very foundation of our sport upon which almost everything we do depends, that is, if we are still interested in quality. … If we want excellence in our dogs, we need excellence in our judges.

Understanding the Mysteries of Breed Type

By Richard Beauchamp

The innate ability to assess breed type has become known as “having an eye.” It’s a sense of stockman-ship -the ability to recognize a fine animal. But yet, even beyond that, it’s a highly developed sense of proportion, symmetry, and balance. Even with this gift, this eye, it still takes time to unfathomed all the subtleties of breed type. Good teachers can provide the proper clues that…

QUOTES

“Excellence in our breeds is more important than show entries, majors or win records,

and if we are not pursuing that, then just what are we doing?

If we want excellence in our dogs, we need excellence in our judges.”

-Gretchen Bernardi

From her article - An Eye For A Dog - The Art & Science of Judging

Did you ever wonder why people disagree about the winners at a dog show? We all have at one time or another, but we know from our experiences that what we think we observed usually depends on many things. At most shows it’s a matter of where you sit or stand during the judging and what you know about the breed standard, structure and movement...

*Publication Pending Permission by Author

Judging Conformation from Photos

by Eilene White

With the popularity of Facebook, Instagram and other social media venues, we have access to hundreds of dog photos online. We have many chances to purchase a promising puppy or adult from the other side of the USA or even another country via advertising on Facebook. This can be a scary and sadly disappointing when the actual puppy arrives ..

Structure & Locomotion by Ann Seranne

Like love and marriage, structure and locomotion "go together" and cannot be divorced from each other. A study of both is essential for every dog breeder and for every judge. Just as the artist or sculptor needs knowledge of anatomy in order to sketch or sculpt the human body, so must the breeder or judge know what lies beneath the skin and coat to be able to evaluate the true quality of a dog. When a dog is correctly built, its movement will be smooth, graceful and efficient. A good shoulder, together with an upper arm correctly positioned…

The Cocker Spaniel

Seeing Movement Beyond the Coat

Movement is more than “flash and dash,” or how fast your dog moves around the show ring. Outstanding movement is based on proper structure. How your dog is built determines his stride. Proper structure allows a dog to go the distance with less effort and gives him improved shock absorbency in athletic activities such as Agility and hunting. Good structure enables him to remain sound throughout his lifetime. While the Breed Standard gives lists of traits and attributes of the breed, we will highlight some of these with visual examples.

Outstanding parti-color cocker of the late 1970's - early 1980's

“Show Quality” vs “Finishable”

At a recent dog show, several littermates of both sexes, handled by assorted novice owners, were entered in the 9-12 Month Puppy class. While none of the puppies exhibited disqualifying faults, they were generic in type and not what I would consider “show quality.” The judge that day agreed. The puppies were not up to the competition, and the owners were disappointed that a younger, better-made puppy from the 6-9 Month class beat them for Reserve. At the completion of breed judging, one of the novice owners, who had seen me at earlier shows, approached me and asked, “What happened?”

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To Withhold or Not To Withhold Ribbons

There has been much talk over the years as to whether judges should withhold ribbons. When a ribbon is withheld, exhibitors get upset. Judges fear future financial loss because angry exhibitors vow to never show to them again. AKC does not want to discourage new exhibitors from showing their dogs. But by not withholding ribbons, are we benefitting the cause of purebred dogs and helping new exhibitors improve their breeding programs?

THE GREAT DEBATE

The Beginning: An Eye For A Dog

by Kristi Tukua

An eye for quality in a chosen breed can be refined and improved through education by mentors, attending seminars, watching dogs in the ring, and practice evaluating puppies. Most Cocker fanciers probably got their first Cocker as a child, perhaps during the breed’s high-popularity years. Cockers were a frequent feature on calendars and other print ads. Many eyes are drawn to the long ears and soft look of the Cocker face!

Developing an Eye for a Dog

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