To Judges:

Are You Part of the Problem?

Are You willing to be Part of the Solution?

Re-printed with the author's permission

It used to be that the purpose of dog shows was to showcase your best breeding stock.  In my opinion those days are mostly a thing of the past.  It seems that shows today have become so political and so money oriented that the dogs themselves have gotten lost in the shuffle.  Sadly, the dogs are often stripped of their dignity by the “win at any cost” tactics put upon them.  With that said, I believe it is reasonable for all exhibitors entered at a dog show to have the expectation that their entry will get an equal and unbiased assessment by the judge based on their breed standard.  An exhibitor has the right to expect that their entry has an equal chance of going Best of Breed whether their entry is a class dog (that includes 6-9 puppy!) or a Special.  The AKC Judges Guide tells judges they should, “Always judge dogs solely on the basis of their condition as they are presented in the ring on show day.” (emphasis AKC).  The judge is responsible for judging each dog by the breed’s standard. (emphasis mine)

In most cases, entry fees are the same for all dogs entered.  (Some clubs will give price breaks to puppies and bred by).  The judging guide does not state that if there are price breaks for certain classes that those entries receive less consideration and are not eligible for Best of Breed.  In fact, no where does the guide state that the Winner’s Dog/Bitch shall receive less consideration for the award of Best of Breed.

In theory, since a dog show judge’s duty is to select the best representative of the breeds exhibited to them, you would expect a dog show to be an equal opportunity sport.  You would expect that every exhibitor should feel confident that they are getting a fair shake, but are they?  With the above facts in mind:

Are you a judge who, if you disagree with a breed standard, will not hesitate to award your personal preference, even in some cases when your preference is a fault?  Just two examples are:

1.       having a preference for a specific color and never putting up other equally allowed colors.

2.        ignoring the breed standard for minimum/maximum heights

If you answer “yes”.  You are part of the problem.

Judges should be professional and their personal preferences should be set aside.  The breed standard is the rule not a guideline.  If the standard states that there is no color preference, what right does a judge have to assert their preference for color? It is unfair to the exhibitors that have paid their money for equal assessment.

Judges should not penalize dogs for size when the size of the dog is in standard.  Statements like, “I prefer them bigger” (who cares?) is fine as long as the “bigger” is equal or better and preferably In the standard.  Too often, that is not the case.  For example, if a Samoyed looks to be the same size as an American Eskimo, that probably means that you have a Samoyed bitch at the bottom of the standard.  The bottom for Samoyed bitches is 19” and the top for the American Eskimo male is 19”.  Both are correct, neither should be penalized just because you dislike one end of the standard more than the other.  In the case of the Samoyed, a judge will often put up a dog or bitch out of standard, (on the big end) or a dog of lesser quality rather than reward the more correct dog that looks like an “American Eskimo”.  This is not judging a breed by its standard and it hurts the breed when judges insert their personal preferences.

Are you a judge who believes you have the right to interfere with a dog owner’s right to decide what is best for their dog by withholding the award the dog deserves?  In other words you have a dog/bitch that should win BOB, but you have decided that the dog is too young, too old, the owner too novice, etc., etc. to go to the group?

If yes, you are part of the problem.

Judges are to judge dogs in their ring based on their standard.  Whatever might happen in the Group should not be of any concern of the breed judge.  The breed judge is supposed to award BOB to the best dog.  That is what exhibitors expect and that is what they pay for.  Exhibitor’s do not need nor want judges denying their dogs the award they deserve due to the judge’s personal speculations on who is ready for the Group ring.  A judge who does this interferes with the dog owner’s right to make their own decisions regarding their dog.  Judges who do not just judge dogs, but insert their personal feelings as to who might look better in the Group actually change the outcome because the Group judge is deprived of actually judging the best dogs.

Are you a judge that knows or has strong suspicions that a dog has been groomed illegally and you ignore it?  Examples might be wigs in poodles or over trimming in the Golden Retriever and Pomeranian, etc.

If yes, you are part of the problem

Judges have the obligation to investigate any suspicions they may have.  The AKC guidelines state, “In reviewing a class, avoid excessive rearranging of a dog's coat, whistling, gesturing or baiting. However, do not hesitate to feel out a suspected fault beneath a highly groomed coat.”  Over grooming has become epidemic.  Almost everything in a breed ring today is “sculpted”.   A friend of mine recently relayed a phone called she received from a friend of hers who is a Field Rep.  The Field Rep. asked, “what the %&*#@ is going on with Newfoundlands?  She was very angry and said, “They all look like cookie cutters in the ring!!”  Frankly, I don’t know why breeders and handlers make more work for themselves on dogs that should be shown in a clean, groomed and natural state.  If judges would not reward this, it would not continue.

Are you a judge that faults a dog based on your speculation of what the dogs height, bite, or color might be later?

If yes, you are part of the problem

The Guideline states, “Give absolutely no consideration to what a dog's quality may be at some future time, or what a dog's condition might have been were it not for some disease or accident” Enough said.

Are you a judge who, regardless of the quality of competition, always puts up the ranked dog even though it may not be the best on that day?

If yes, you are part of the problem

Please stop it.  This common practice is a total disservice to exhibitors and to the sport of purebred dogs!

I have heard some lame excuses for this.  One is they do it out of respect for the dog’s show record.  They do it because of all the money spent on advertising.  IF there is a better dog, please do the ethical thing and award that dog what it deserves on that day. That is a judge’s duty.

Are you a judge that will not put up a dog unless it “asks” for it?

If yes, you are part of the problem.

Not all breeds are the bubbly, crowd pleasing, free stacking stars that “ask” for it.  Several standards state that the breed is reserved/conservative with strangers or when out of their territory. (Judges are strangers!)  Some of those breeds are Rottweilers, Kuvaszok, Samoyeds, Clumber Spaniels, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Caanan Dogs and Anatolian Shepherds.  The Rottweiler standard specifically warns judges not to penalize dogs that are aloof or reserved, “as this reflects the accepted character of the breed.”  The Mastiff standard states, “Judges should also beware of putting a premium on showiness.”  If there have been a few dogs in one of these breeds that were exceptions to the standard’s description, that is all it is, an exception and the rest of the breed should not be judged and compared to the “exceptions”.  Since the “exceptions” are not displaying the typical character/demeanor as described in the “breed standard” some might consider that in itself a fault.  Judges should be mindful of the breed standards and the descriptions of character and temperament.  Frankly, I’m tired of hearing, “well, it is a ‘show”.  Unfortunately, it is that kind of thinking that has turned the purpose and priorities of dog shows (including the character and temperament of some breeds) up side down.  As an experienced breeder, who would select the dog that simply has to “ask for it” over the dog that has the best overall qualities of the dog you’re looking to breed to?  Not all breeds are going to “ask” for it, but are still exquisite representatives of their breed and should be appreciated and rewarded when they deserve it.  That is a judge’s duty.

If you answered “NO” to the above questions, most of us probably already know who you are and appreciate your dedication to our breeds and more importantly to our breed standards.  It takes an honorable and ethical person to set aside personal feelings and reward the exhibitor what they deserve on that day.

If you answered “YES” to the above questions, one has to wonder why you decided to judge.  You are taking too many liberties with the standards.  People spend their hard-earned money for that "equal opportunity” in the breed ring.  Please give it to them.  Be part of the solution.  It’s just a thought…

Gini Addamo symphonysams@earthlink.net

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