Judging the OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG
T his breed has been called di ffi cult to judge but by identifying the key ana- tomical points you will become a “Gold Stan- dard Judge”. Please read our Standard and judge the breed based solely upon that and do not add your per- sonal likes or dislikes nor anything not expressly described in the Standard. You are evaluating the future continuation of our breed. You must match your gen- eral appearance evaluation with what your hands find under the coat. Th is is a thick- set and muscular breed. Above all be con- sistent in your examination of each entry. You are demonstrating your knowledge of our breed and its purpose.
By Dianne McKee-Rowland
Key Points As you judge the Old English Sheep- dog, here are a few key points to keep in mind. 1. Approach confidently and place your hands under and around the muzzle. Look for truncation of a fairly long, strong and square muzzle. 2. Check the bite. A truncated muzzle will show a bite that is straight across not round. 3. Place the heel of one hand just
4. Check all the dimensions of the skull (capacious, width, length and depth combined) and check the ear for size and placement. 5. Move your hands to the neck (fair- ly long and gracefully arched). 6. Examine the shoulders, upper arms, points of shoulders (join- ing of scapula and humerus) and forelegs. 7. Our standard describes the feet and pads, please examine them. 8. Run your hands over the thickset body. Th is is vital to the breed. 9. Place the heel of one hand on the withers and move it toward the rump feeling for the “very stout
behind the nose and move it toward the skull checking for a well defined stop continuing to move toward the back of the skull checking for an arch over the eye and the eye color.
“ABOVE ALL BE CONSISTENT in your examination of each entry.”
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