Becoming Breed Type, Breed Type, Breed Type! BY JACQUELYN FOGEL T hat’s the J e o p a r d y answer to the ques-
oversized Whippet, and an English Toy Spaniel does not look at all like a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Sheltie heads are not the same as Collie heads and a Staffordshire Bull Terrier does not look anything like an American Staffordshire Terri- er. Scottish Deerhounds have a very different head and body- type from Irish Wolfhounds and Rat Terriers are not Basenjis without tails. The list of potential confusions is long. Recently, Facebook has had some interesting old photos of purebred dogs being posted. Many of the photos are of dogs from several decades ago. Readers are asked to guess what the breed is. What a great idea! There have really been some interesting answers to the questions. Clearly, there is a large range of breed-specific knowledge among the readers of these posts, but the exercise is still a good one. It’s especially good if there is no recognizable handler the photos so there are no obvious non-dog clues for the viewers. Some of the photos are more than 100 years old, and it takes a really keen eye to identify the breed in its older form. Some of the breeds are extinct, but the photos are still interesting, nevertheless. While this exercise is wonderful for many breeds, I am afraid it will fall short when it comes to breeds with stylized trims. Sometimes the photos are dogs that were in very differ- ent trims from the ones found in the ring today. While many of us have seen the older Poodle and Bichon trims, some of the other dogs, like the early American Cocker Spaniel are nearly unrecognizable without the long flowing side coat. Sometimes the physical structure evolves to a point that the earlier dogs barely resemble the modern dogs. The evolu- tion of the German Shepherd is fascinating. The early Dober- man ears are nothing like the modern ears. The earlier Presa Canario certainly looks a lot like today’s Cane Corso. Over the years it has become clear that grooming tech- niques, products and tools have made a huge difference in the evolution of show dogs in many breeds. All show dogs presented today seem to undergo an extraordinary amount of grooming. Who knew it could take as much time to get a beagle ring-ready as it does a Bedlington Terrier? And how do the over-styled trims of today affect judging? Hair can be sculpted to make dogs look typey, even if they do not possess some of the characteristics considered essential in a breed. What kind of ribs are underneath the Poodle, Bichon or
tion, “What are the three most important things to look for as a dog show judge?” When I am judging, and I am looking at a lineup of dogs, I always start by looking for the dogs that exem- plify breed-type before I begin the nit-picking process of finding the structure I am looking
for and identifying faults. If a Basset has legs too long, or a head with a wide-flat back-skull or flat ears, or a short cobby body, I won’t be spending a lot of time looking for a well- laid back shoulder or an ample rear. I can find soundness in almost any breed—but what I really want is a dog that exem- plifies breed type first. After that minimum criteria is met, I will look for the soundest dogs I can find. The same is true even if an entire class of dogs is not particularly strong struc- turally. I will always choose type first. But how do other judges define breed type? That’s the question of the century. My mentors often quizzed me about breed type. One of the most important lessons from a very knowledgeable breeder/judge was that I should be able to instantly identify the breed of the dog from a moderate dis- tance. There should be no confusion in my mind about what breed is on the end of the leash. With the glaring exception of tri-colored American English and Treeing Walker Coon Hounds, I am almost to the point where I no longer confuse one breed with another. And if I do, then I consider the dog I am unable to instantly recognize to be lacking in breed type. I should never be confused about whether a dog is a Minia- ture Bull Terrier or a Standard-Sized Bull Terrier. I should be able to instantly recognize if a dog is a black and tan Lake- land or a Welch Terrier. A Greyhound should not look like an
“ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM A VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE BREEDER/JUDGE WAS THAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO INSTANTLY IDENTIFY THE BREED OF THE DOG FROM A MODERATE DISTANCE. THERE SHOULD BE NO CONFUSION IN MY MIND ABOUT WHAT BREED IS ON THE END OF THE LEASH.”
78 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , A UGUST 2018
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