WORKING GROUP JUDGES THE
1. Where do you live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a judge? 2. What is your original breed? What is/was your kennel name? 3. Can you list a few of the notable dogs you’ve bred? Any perfor- mance or parent club titles? 4. What are the qualities you most admire in the Working breeds? 5. Have you judged any Working Group Specialties? 6. Do you find that size, proportion, and substance are correct in most Working breeds? 7. Is breed-specific presentation important to you as a judge? Can you offer some examples? 8. What are your thoughts on cropping/docking the Working breeds? 9. Are the Working breeds in good shape overall? Any concerns? 10. In your opinion, how do today’s exhibits compare with the Working Dogs of the past? 11. Why do you think the Working breeds are so admired as family companions? 12. Just for laughs, do you have a funny story you can share about your experiences judging the Working Group. SHILON BEDFORD
the ideal size, proportion or substance. Parent clubs have set those standards based on history and knowledge of the breed’s function. Many of the standards give a range, which permits variation with- out excess, and I think this speaks to the value placed on each of those aspects. Is breed-specific presentation important to me as a judge? Exam- ples? Most Working breeds are shown stacked. This is fine for a “first look” evaluation of a dog, but I do like to see a dog set itself up. When they do this, I have a better picture of how balanced they are. This brings to mind how important it is for a handler to work with their dog so that the dog learns to settle and present itself. Recently, the trend in handling is to constantly feed the dog to keep their attention. However, this is a horrible distraction to the presentation of the dog. What are my thoughts on cropping/docking the Working breeds? Every dog must receive an objective, breed-specific exami- nation. Once all dogs have been examined, my duty is to place the dogs based on the specifics of the standard and to weigh whether any fault or deviation is serious enough to affect the function of the dog. Are the Working breeds in good shape overall? Any concerns? I believe that the Working breeds are in very good shape. The Group is always highly competitive and a challenge, and it is a joy to judge so many fine examples of the breeds. How do today’s exhibits compare with the Working Dogs of the past? Many breeds have strong, high-quality dogs in the ring today. I think the greatest improvements have been in the more recently recognized breeds. To be competitive among the Working breeds, breeders need to know their standard and how to make improve- ments, and in some cases, maintain what they have. Competition can make you a better breeder, and I love when I see that. Why are the Working breeds so admired as family companions? A really good Working dog exhibits a willingness to please, which makes them excellent family dogs. Just for laughs, do I have a funny story I can share about my experiences judging the Working Group? Sorry to say, I do not. LINDA BERBERICH
My husband, David, and I have raised Alaskan Malamutes under the Black Ice name since the early 1980s. They are best-known for produc- ing top-working sled dogs that were equally competitive in the show ring. I judge the Working Group, most of the Toy Group, and several Non-Sporting breeds. I have had the honor of judging the Alaskan Malamute National Spe-
cialty on three occasions. Where do I live? How many years as a judge? My husband and I live in the country near New Germany, Minnesota. I have been judging since 1999. What is my original breed? What is/was my kennel name? We raised Alaskan Malamutes for 35 years under the prefix, Black Ice. Can I list a few of the notable dogs I’ve bred? Recently, eight of our dogs were accepted into the Alaskan Malamute Working Dog Hall of Fame. Most notable were CAN CH Black Ice’s Shear Force WTDX WWPDX (Attla) and CH Black Ice’s High Speed Chase WLDX WTDX WWPDX (Chase). Both were lead dogs that were amazing, hard-working dogs. Riding on a sled behind either of those boys was a great joy. You knew you were in for an extraordinary experience. What are the qualities I most admire in the Working breeds? All dog breeds were bred for a purpose, whether it was to perform a specific task or to please their owner as a companion. But nothing is more exciting than watching dogs instinctively perform at a high level. Knowing the task each breed was bred for brings a unique perspective to evaluating these breeds. Have I judged any Working Group Specialties? I have judged Specialties for seven of the Working breeds, some on multiple occa- sions. I have also judged Specialties in eight countries. Do I find that size, proportion, and substance are correct in most Working breeds? I don’t question a standard’s description of
As far back as I can remember, I’ve always had a dog of some type, starting with a Fox Terrier and German Shep- herds as a child. Growing up, my love for dogs did not diminish. It grew expo- nentially and I became very interested in learning how to train and care for them. My tastes always went in the direction of large Working and Herding breeds, and I purchased my first Rottweiler in 1975.
That dog was an import, and I obtained a CD with her, also going High in Trial. As time went on, I purchased other Rottweilers to cre- ate my breeding program and I began handling them myself. I had also owned Doberman Pinschers and German Shepherds, prior to the Rottweilers, which I did competitive obedience with. Handling became my passion and I did everything I could to learn how to be successful in this sport. I would sit ringside for hours watching the successful handlers, learning what it took to be a top handler. Before I knew it, I was handling for friends, then clients, and happily being very successful, titling many dogs to their championships. It started out as mainly Rottweilers, but developed
144 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2022
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