ShowSight - August 2018

says DO YOU EVER ASK JUDGES FOR POST SHOW FEEDBACK IF YOU DOG DIDN’T PLACE?

I used to occasionally if I really had a question in my mind but some judges need to be warned that the person asking may not be totally inexperienced or a moron. Some of the answers should be gathered together in a book. They would make hilarious reading. Since I have been in my one breed for over 50 years I really do know the faults and virtues of my dogs so if a judge is particularly put off by my dog’s fault I can understand putting up a dog with more virtues. If the dog that wins is really inferior there isn’t any reason to ask the judge. His or her answer has no real value. —Anonymous No, gave up on that ages ago. Most don’t have the strength to give anything but excuses and lip service. During my early years, I did fortunately get good advice from Robert Waters. And, I’m proud to say I listened. —Anonymous Yes often. Just because we’d like to know if it was some- thing we did, or something we can fix, to make the presenta- tion/grooming etc in the ring when we are competing against professional handlers. —Anonymous Rarely. But, sometimes if I stand by the ring the judge will make a comment to me on their own volition, which is always appreciated. —Anonymous

“I USED TO OCCASIONALLY IF I REALLY HAD A QUESTION IN MY MIND BUT SOME JUDGES NEED TO BE WARNED THAT

THE PERSON ASKING MAY

NOT BE TOTALLY INEXPERIENCED OR A MORON.”

Nope, you pay for an opinion and you got it, like it or not. —Anonymous

In 35 years of showing, I can count the times I asked on one hand. Invariably, the answer I received either made me angry or made no sense. Which explains why I so rarely ask! —Vicki DeGruy I have asked when the dog put up was a poor representa- tion and the judge was only looking at handlers. I have asked for their feedback and made notes. If a my dog is not better than the one being placed, of course I would not ask but I have thanked judges for putting up the best dog, even though it wasn’t mine. —Anonymous No, not anymore. When I see what they place some times I don’t want to know—it makes me think they don’t know the standard they are judging. Just getting disgusted by all the politics in the dog show world. I am finding in my breed that a certain breeder will stack the ring with her type of dog so they are the majority. This ensures a win for her. The dogs that are not the same type are not selected. Both types are correct for the breed but seems like the judges just go with the type that is the majority entered. —Anonymous Of course. Some honestly answer others round about answers, one said you were weaving. I was weaving, really? —Anonymous Not often because sadly most of them don’t know the breed well enough and or don’t understand the standard and put up dogs that should be getting DQ’d or are horrible repre- sentations of the breed. They put up the handler on the dog

No, I never feel that I’d be getting an honest answer. I did only once and learned my lesson. Asked the Judge what he liked about the winner’s dog versus my dog; he answered he liked the other dogs’ “swagger”. Well a “swagger” is not a movement you want in my breed. I never entered under him again. —Judi Basto I used to ask for judges feedback, especially when I defi- nitely had the nicer dog but I don’t ask anymore, realizing that I was either outhandled, had the lesser dog or there was a political agenda. —Anonymous This was several years ago. I was an owner handler with a dog that would go to a four day show and come in second every day with four different dogs taking first (that came in third, fourth or didn’t place the other days.) It seemed I had a dog the judges like but could never get the win. So I approached one Judge very politely, after she had completed all her judging for the day. I made sure I articulated my respect for her as a judge and the decision she made, I didn’t want her to think it was sour grapes—which it wasn’t, I just wanted some feedback. The judge flew off the handle and chewed me out for daring to approach her or question her decision. I’ve never approached a judge again. —Anonymous I have in the past, but the answers were generic, such as “the other dog asked for it” no actual critique. The judg- es did not seem to know enough about the characteristics of my breed to discuss them. I do not bother any more. —Pam Williams

104 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , A UGUST 2018

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