Handling (continued..)
Who is a Judge?
Judges are dog people with years of experience. Many have to know the exact
breed standard of many dogs to become a judge. They judge the breed by what is
called a "standard" which is a set of rules of how the breed should look.
Generally, the dogs aren't judged against each other. They are judged by how
well they meet the standard. This is why dogs of different breeds can be judged
alongside each other.
So what is the Judge looking for?
The following outlines what the judge will be looking for and some ways to show your dog the best. A judge will look for the following comparing it against the standard as they go:
- Appearance: Your dog should be clean and groomed. In some countries and for some breeds, the dogs should look natural, and definitely not "glamorous".
- Movement:
You will be required to run your dog in a certain pattern. Most common is the triangle where the judge is ascertaining the movement of the dog three different ways. You must understand the pace at which your dog needs to move to produce the desired gait. Dogs should not walk or 'bound'. They should float when moving. Often people make the mistake of running their dog at
the wrong speed. Too fast or too slow can make your dog 'bound'
- Stance. (dog standing square):
It does take practice for both you and your dog to get him/her to stop and stand in the required fashion. You need to able to get your dog in the correct stance in less than 10 seconds.
This takes much practise.
- Temperament: A dog that demonstrates a poor temperament in the ring should not win. Often dogs as they are new to the ring will not be too happy as they can be nervous, just like the handlers! However, a dog should never be vicious.
- Animation:
The judge is looking to see how interested your dog looks in what is going on around him/her. It is perfectly "legal" for you to use a small piece of food in your hand, or a small toy to show the judge that your dog can be animated.
Lastly - you can't win everything all of the time. Everyone has a bad day.
That's part of the game. Some days will be great days. Enjoy all the different
sorts of days and look at mistakes as learning opportunities.
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