WORKING GROUP JUDGES Q&A
the Illustrated Standard and on the committee for standard revision regarding color of the Siberian Husky. I judge the Working Group and the Non-Sporting Group, 17 Hounds, and seven Herding breeds, as well as Junior Showmanship. Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a judge? I live in Overland Park, Kansas, which is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. I started in Junior Showmanship in the 1960s, help- ing to form a Junior kennel club. What is my original breed? By the late ‘60’s, I was showing Sibe- rians for a family friend, and that led to showing additional dogs. I wasn’t a professional handler, and I never accepted payment, but I got a lot of free rides to the dog shows. I didn’t do any breeding until the late ‘80s and then it was just for our own pleasure. With very few litters, my husband and I were able to keep ourselves busy throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. Have I judged any Working Group Specialties? My first judg- ing assignment was a puppy match for Heart of America KC in the 1970s. Mel Schlesinger asked me to judge several of the Working breeds and Junior Showmanship. Throughout the ‘80s and into the ‘90s, I judged A and B Matches and Sweeps. In 2000, I was licensed for Siberians and Samoyeds. What are the qualities I most admire in the Working breeds? I admire the Working Group because, generally, we appreciate the “whole dog,” not just individual pieces. I think this leads to sounder dogs, which means less stress on their bodies. We value the qualities for which the dogs were originally bred, even if they are not asked to do them anymore. This concept of purpose-bred dogs and heritage breeds is important to stress in today’s world. Have I judged any Working Group Specialties? Group shows are a “positive.” The pace of the show is a little less hectic. If you want to study breeds, you can often sit down at one ring and watch one breed follow another. At Group shows, I believe more exhibitors “hang around” and there is less “show-and-go,” making it easier to find mentors. It is unfortunate that Group shows are generally held earlier in the week, with an all-breed show, because it does limit some working people. Yes, I have done Working Group shows and they have allowed me to see breed entries that I do not see in the all-breed shows. Do I find that size, proportion, and substance are correct in most Working breeds? For the most part, yes, but you have to look at individual breeds to answer this question. You find variations, depending on the area where you are, and sometimes you will see changes in a relatively short period of time. Comments about the state of a breed can change relatively quickly. This is true in all breeds and is not restricted to the Working Group. We can make a statement about the quality of a breed today, and two months down the road, regret it. Sometimes judging does not follow the breeders’ interpretation of the standard. Is breed-specific presentation important to me as a judge? Can I offer some examples? Standards dictate how a breed should look, move, etc. The presentation should be geared to making the dog match its standard. Movement is an area in which exhibitors some- times forget what their standard says. “Flashy” and “fast” are not in most standards. Grooming is another area where standards are forgotten. Sometimes it is just “doing too much” and then there is scissoring when a standard says, “No.” Judges have some control over movement issues with ring directions. It is pretty easy to say, “Slow Down,” and not reward those who don’t. It can be trickier with grooming issues, but noticeable issues should be penalized. What are my thoughts on cropping/docking the Working breeds? Leave that up to the individual breed clubs. Let them decide “if ” and “when.” I’m getting used to uncropped Boxers, Danes, and Schnauzers, even Rotties with tails, but not Dobermans. The breeders should get the last word on this.
Are the Working breeds in good shape overall? Any concerns? To get a really good reflection of how a breed is doing as a whole, you need to look more broadly than just the dogs at a show. If I have a concern, it would be that show people are too myopic; thinking that what we see in the ring is truly representative of the breed— particularly in popular breeds. To get a true reflection of a breed, you need to look at the dogs that are in the general pet population too. If we go back to evaluating the dogs we see in the ring, I would say we see a lot of mediocrity in the classes, though Specials classes can be pretty strong. Breeders are the folks who can provide the best answers on this. In my opinion, how do today’s exhibits compare with the Work- ing Dogs of the past? Comparing dogs of the past with current exhibits: We hear a lot of “dogs aren’t as good as they used to be.” Be careful with past memories. We tend to remember “the good old days” with fondness. Most of us remember when it took many more dogs to get a major than it does now. I remember a show where the Open Bitch class was so big, they opened the Group ring to judge it. The drop in the number of dogs shown can also mean a drop in the number of really good dogs. It may be easier to find a winner in a class of 30 than in a class of 3. That’s not always true, but it is a lot of times. I guess I would say the only fair way to compare current dogs with dogs from the past is to pull out pictures of the exceptional dogs, both past and present, and let some really knowledgeable breeders discuss them. In the 1960s and ‘70s, we saw some really good dogs that could compete today, but we also saw some dogs in the ring that were much worse specimens and would never be shown today. Why do I think the Working breeds are so admired as family companions? Working dogs are popular family pets because most families are familiar with a number of the breeds. They have a sense of what they are getting. Because most Working breeds were devel- oped for a purpose, people can romanticize what their dog can be. Many Working breeds are seen as easily trained and devoted to their families. Even the independent ones, like my Siberians, have a fan club because of their independence and the stories of the Far North. And, last but not least, Working Dogs are popular with families just because they are Good Dogs!! ANNEMARIE TAYLOR
Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a judge? We sold our kennel in Fenton, Michigan, in 2010 and moved into a subdivision in Grand Blanc, Michigan. My dad was third generation raised on a cattle ranch with large dogs such as Mastiffs, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Labs, etc. So, I grew up with large dogs, albeit mixed breeds from the Humane Soci- ety. In 1974, Jim came home one day after teaching 4-H Obedience and told
me that he bought an AKC Registered Akita. I didn’t know what it was. I thought he’d bought me one of those cute, tiny, white dogs with the long hair… Maltese. LOL! NOT! I’ve been judging since 1999. What is my original breed? What is/was my kennel name? Aki- tas were our original breed. We’ve had Alaskan Malamutes inter- jected throughout the years. Tora Akitas is our kennel name, after our first Akita. Can I list a few of the notable dogs I’ve bred? Any performance or parent club titles? Our foundation bitch, Am./Can. CH Tora’s Michiko O Ryan TT, ROMPX, is still tied for producing the most AKC champions. “Michiko” was bred by Rita J Biddle, Esq.
168 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2022
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