WORKING GROUP JUDGES Q&A
“Dogs should be presented in the ring to show their breed-specific virtues. Of course, the exhibitor must be knowledgeable enough to know what those are.”
LEEWHITTIER
disrespect the standard, and to inflict a glaring fault on the dog that didn’t need to be there. The breeder made this decision knowingly, and the dog may suffer the consequences because of this decision. I enforce those consequences. If the dog was bred overseas and imported for breeding pur- poses, I commend the breeder for finding strength from outside the US and for broadening the breed’s gene pool. Use the dog in the breeding program, but it does not have to be shown. Most people show their imported dog to earn a championship because it makes the pedigree look better, and therefore, the pups more marketable. Many of the countries these dogs come from do not allow a cropped or docked dog on the show grounds, much less in the ring. We should all be treated equally. If imported dogs can show here, then ours should show there. It’s called reciprocity. Are the Working breeds in good shape overall? Any concerns? At the typical all-breed show, most breeds will have a few good dogs mixed with a lot of mediocre and less-than-mediocre dogs. Some will have very few good examples of the breed. This is not a constant. With luck, some shows will have breeds with mostly good dogs, but taken over a couple dozen shows, they regress back to the average. My concerns would be the large number of dogs that just lack breed type and/or soundness. In my opinion, how do today’s exhibits compare with the Work- ing Dogs of the past? It’s interesting to look back to a few decades ago. In the sixties and seventies, there was much more competi- tion. Competition breeds improvement. By the end of the seventies, breeds had evolved in type and soundness. That stayed with us for almost three decades. In the late 2000s, the competition dropped steadily, and the overall quality has deteriorated since. The lack of competition is a result of fewer people interested in showing dogs and the on-going increase in the number of dog shows, dividing what little competition there is over more shows. This results in even less competition. Does that seem like a spiral? Why do I think the Working breeds are so admired as family companions? There are so many different types of breeds in the Working Group: guard dogs, cart pullers, livestock guarding, sled pulling, water dogs, etc., and so many colors, sizes, and coat types. Families can usually find something that fits their lifestyle easily. And probably, as stated earlier, they are admired for their innate desire to please their humans. Just for laughs, do I have a funny story I can share about my experiences judging the Working Group? The only one that stands out was during a large Group; I think it was in Florida. It was an indoor show. The Group had entered the ring, and as usual, the Great Dane was first in line. I always walk the line for an overall review prior to the exams. When walking back from the end of the line, I pointed to the Great Dane handler, indicating that I wanted the Dane moved to the exam area. As I was pointing and walking, I stumbled on a rumple in the vinyl mats. It was a dramatic trip, and an unusual visual to see a judge flat-out doing a “face plant.” I quickly stood, brushed myself off, and although totally humiliated, I went to judging as if nothing had happened. Afterward, I wish that I had stood up, faced the crowd, and said, “For my next trick, I’ll judge the Working Group.”
Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a judge? I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for 14 years and in Vermont for my adult life before that. I have always had dogs, and my mother was a hobby breeder who showed occasionally. I started showing dogs in my early 20s as a result of my exposure through obedience. The rest is history! What is my original breed? What is/was my kennel name? I bred Rottweilers under the Legend prefix for over 25 years. Can I list a few of the notable dogs I’ve bred? Any performance or parent club titles? BIS CH Legend’s More Chutzpah was a won- derful example of the breed. CH Legends More Class UDX and OTCH had titles on both ends, and over-the-top Rottweiler, Leg- ends Dream Reaper UDX3 OM2 VER, was very competitive on a high level in the Obedience ring. Ha-Ha! I’m just showing off a couple of fancy titles! What are the qualities I most admire in the Working breeds? As a judge, I want the dog to carry the important qualities from the Standard that gives him the ability to do his job properly. Note that this is the “apparent” ability because we can’t know for sure with the dog trotting around a small circle whether he can or cannot actually do the job intended. What we can do is evaluate from the knowl- edgeable perspective of someone with the experience of watching the different breeds work as near as possible to their original pur- pose. For example, a Rottweiler should appear to be able to trot all day long. He was a drover dog. He should appear agile enough to dive out of a vehicle and chase “the bad guy.” He may be aloof to strangers or have a sense of humor. (Possibly both, depending on the circumstances of his surroundings.) A Swissie should appear strong enough to pull a cart, with the correct coat to protect him. The Siberian should be able to pull that light load over 60 miles, and absolutely have the correct (and untrimmed) coat. These are just a few examples. Have I judged any Working Group Specialties? I have judged the Connecticut River Working Group. Do I find that size, proportion, and substance are correct in most Working breeds? For the most part, the dogs are correct in these aspects. However, their condition is often sorely lacking. Toplines are saggy, angulation often strays from the desired, and muscle tone overall is nonexistent. I believe this is due to lack of knowledge on the part of exhibitors. I talk extensively about conditioning in the Dog Show Mentor program, exclusively for owner handlers. Is breed-specific presentation important to me as a judge? Can I offer some examples? Breed-specific presentation IS important to me as a judge. Here’s why. Dogs should be presented in the ring to show their breed-specific virtues. Of course, the exhibitor must be knowledgeable enough to know what those are. Every exhibi- tor should know the hallmarks of their breed, and be savvy and able to show them to the judge. Often, this is a silhouette. Some- times it’s the correct head proportions or planes; Great Danes come
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2022 | 179
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