˃ѵըeT Q&A
WITH DAVID AND STEPHANIE ABRAHAM, ALBERTO BERRIOS, HOWARD ENGEL, ANN GILBERT, THOMAS J LATTA, JANET AND LARRY SINCLAIR, SHARON K. STECKLER & JUDITH VORAN
AB: Unfortunately, they are not. When I started handling in 1978 competition was very tough. The entries were much larger and the quality was better. It was not easy to win a major. The ring also was full of very good professional handlers. In 1997, when I started to judge the quality was still good but it had depreciated some. Today the quality is lower and the entries are much smaller. Therefore, competition is not as tough and it is easier to win majors. I think that a lot of breeders today do not think about their breeding programs carefully. The breed is in trouble with straight shoulders, no forechest, bad bites, lack of bone and bad feet. There are still some breeders who are really knowledgeable, who have been in the breed for decades. They are usually the old knowledgeable ones and should be consulted by newer breeders. A mistake done by many breeders is breeding only to top winners since it doesn’t necessarily bring success to their breeding program. AG: The good thing is we are seeing more classic Boxers in the ring today, less of the flashy white markings or chrome as I like to call it. I have seen that increase since my judging assignments began. Why or why not? I am saddened at times to see the lack of quality in some of the dogs I judge, but overall I think the breeders and owners try very hard to maintain a good balanced dog. TJL: About the same. J&LS: Back in our breeding and showing days, the Boxer seemed more consistent. Heads and overall structure were improving. But now, probably due to the increased number of shows, the Boxers don’t seem as good since the best ones finish fast. Therefore, the overall quality doesn’t appear to be better. Sometimes the puppies will be awarded the points as the adult classes aren’t competitive. SKS: Boxer breeders have become increasingly responsible about and aware of the need for improved health in our Boxers. As a result, I believe the breed has improved in ways not always visible to the naked eye. I am seeing more overall excellence in conformation throughout the classes compared with when I first began judging. JV: Not necessarily better although tendencies that have altered the proper type and style of the Boxer as described in the Standard have weakened the true essence of the breed. There is too much attention paid in asking the Boxer to move in a “racy” manner which is a distraction and tends to hide soundness. A misunder- standing of head proportions has seriously affected the stated essence of breed type. 5. What do you think new judges misunderstand about the breed? D&SA: New judges have difficulty grasping type in this breed. They are all too eager to put up generic dogs with indifferent to poor heads. Head type in this breed is a real problem for many judges to grasp. Over and over in
J&LS: Yes, the ideal size in our standard is 23" to 25" for the males and 21 ½ " to 23 ½ " for the females. Many times, the height for both sexes is well over the standard. Exagger- ated sloping toplines are becoming more common. The topline should be slightly sloping when at attention and leveling out when moving. SKS: Sometimes breeders, in their quest for elegance, forget that the Boxer is first and foremost a Working breed and it must possess the requisite substance and balance to allow it to do the work it was bred to do JV: Not squarely built as measured according to the stan- dard; too massively built tending to be more massive rather than medium sized; too much attention to side movement and profile rather than balance and proportion. 4. Do you think the dogs you see in this breed are better now than they were when you first started judging? DA: Today, more dogs have gravitated towards a mediocre middle ground. A few fine dogs always stand out, but too many are of indifferent quality. There is always a danger of settling for what seems to be winning—which may often, but not always be the ideal of the standard. SA: I do not think they are better. They are now too long and racy, with many indifferent to poor heads. Movement has suffered because many dogs tend to be over-angulated in the rear and straight in shoulder. This lack of balance is evident in many exhibits. There is also a tendency to excessive height, especially in males, in a breed that is supposed to be “medium sized.” While we have no height limits, we have specific recommendations in our Stan- dard that are often ignored.
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