FINDING BREED TYPE IN THE DOBERMAN
BY BOB VANDIVER
B reed type is much more subtle and much more complicated than what can be defined by words alone. One of my favorite sources on the subject of breed type is a book written by Rich- ard Beauchamp entitled, Solving the Mysteries of Breed Type. In his book, Mr. Beauchamp examines many breeds and discusses qualities of type that are important for each breed. He gives the read- er an appreciation of how diverse the dog species are... and how difficult it is to describe breed type in words. After considering those many breeds and identi- fying their defining qualities, Mr. Beauchamp con- cludes that there are five elements that determine breed type. Those elements are: • Silhouette • Head
VERY GOOD DOG
• Gait • Coat • Breed Character
I believe Mr. Beauchamp is spot-on in defining the components that constitute breed type as it applies to Dobermans—and other breeds.
VERY GOOD BITCH
“BREED TYPE IS MUCH MORE
FIRST, LET’S LOOK AT SILHOUETTE The visual outline of a dog is the major way that we identify a breed. You should be able to see a dog at a distance and be able to identify the breed by outline alone. The silhouette conveys much about breed type; size, proportion, substance, angulation, topline, underline, tailset, head carriage, along with a myr- iad of other traits. All of these traits must combine in a unique way to become that breed, and to be unlike any other breed.
SUBTLE AND MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN WHAT CAN
BE DEFINED BY WORDS ALONE.”
254 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SPRING EDITION
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