SUSAN
PORTERFIELD (Tennessee
- most Working Breeds)
“No, I don’t think I look at them just the same way as I did as
a handler because as a handler, I looked at them from the
perspective of just what the good and bad points were and then
what I could to do to present that dog to it’s best advantage.
As a judge, I’m going to have to know the good and find
the bad points to base a decision on.”
GENE
BLAKE (Oregon - All
Sporting, Hound, Non-Sporting, Toy Groups, BIS, Terrier Breeds)
“No, I don’t look at the dogs as I did as a handler. I used to
look at a dog as a winning dog but in a different light. As a
professional handler what I did, I read the standard on that dog
to learn something about the breed before I really got into it.
But what happens is most handlers want a dog to win regardless
of whether it’s correct or not. They want a winner. As a
judge, when I go in the ring, I try to find the most quality dog
to the standard and when I say to the standard, it is my
knowledge of what the standard says and my knowledge from
input on that breed over the years and experience plays a
big part in judging dogs. (he paused thoughtfully)
Because you can learn just from the standards, but you also got
to have some kind of understanding to go by also. More
than what just the standard says it should be.”
JANE
FORSYTH (North Carolina -
All Breeds)
“Yes, I believe I look at them the same way because I was always
judging dogs as a handler with the thought in mind was I able to
buy it for a client? or was it a dog I really liked? I looked
at it as the same way as I do now which is type first, overall
appearance second, and movement third. No, to me, there was no
difference. I was always very aware of the dog’s quality. I
said “Thank you Ma’am” or “Thank you Sir”, and sometimes I felt
like saying “Yes I agree with you”, but I only got paid to show
them well, (she laughed) I didn’t necessarily have
to like them.”
CHARLOTTE
PATTERSON
(Florida -Toy & Non-Sporting Groups, Hound,
Working, Terrier Breeds)
“Yes, I think that when you are a handler, you are judging your
dogs, meaning the quality of the exhibit you bring in the ring.
That’s your job. I think as a judge you’re judging the quality
of the exhibit standing in front of you, once again, because
that’s your job. I think it’s the same thing. As a
handler, it’s of course, your job to make the judge think it
looks better (I heard the smile in her voice) or at
least, as good as it can be. But I still think you look at them
with the same eye, you should, to be a good handler or a good
judge.”