IMHO – What Three Words Best Describe You As A Judge?
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By Elaine Lessig
Patricia Trotter – AKC Judge
What three words best describe you as a judge and why?
Dedicated is what you are when dogs have been your calling all your life. Loving dogs from childhood has made me realize what a marvelous creature God created and to appreciate accordingly. To judge dogs, you must have affection for every breed and the qualities that made a particular breed itself–not something else. Not all breeds will move the same; have the same temperaments nor the same configuration. Each breed must be valued for its individuality. This means the judge must study the history and the original purpose of the breed as well as acquire knowledge of its breed standard.
Dedicated also means continually getting up at the crack of dawn, taking multiple flights to get to your destination, and persevere on the third day of the cluster when your back and feet hurt. The exhibitors and their dogs deserve your best all the time. Encouraging newcomers, baby puppies, and little kids is an important aspect of judging dogs. Each judge must be an ambassador of our sport. Dedication to preserve our sport and the future of purebred dogs is our collective mission.
Fair means every dog gets the same examination and consideration for its full two minutes. Then focus until the time when the best ones begin to distance themselves from the rest. Fair and honest means never favor friends nor penalize them no matter the circumstances. Fair means never allowing promised judging assignments or any other “perks” to be part of the evaluation process. Being above those kind of shenanigans is necessary in order to have an honest and valued judgment. Honor, integrity and a strong moral compass are necessary to all who would judge.
Objective means utilizing the breed standard much like the minister of the church uses the Bible–for the breed standard is like the Bible for those who judge. One’s objectivity means personal taste or other subjective emotions always take a back seat to objectivity in determining which dogs best fit the ideal as described in the breed standard. What if all dogs in the ring had the same pedigree? As a judge one has to assume they do, for the judge is not privy to factors such as pedigrees and health profiles in evaluating the stock in the ring. Thus the dog that appears to have the most to offer the future of the breed’s gene pool and its preservation must be the best choice. It’s not about picking the most famous, the best owned, nor those with the biggest winning records. It is about being totally objective in your search for the most correct animal in the ring.
?Objective means understanding that absence of faults is not proof of presence of virtues. A case could be made that in judging the dog what contributes to the dog doing his job is a virtue; what interferes with dog doing his job is a fault.
?Both breeders and judges must always keep in mind that the selection process that lacks objectivity loses value for the good of the sport. Selection done properly is most meaningful to the sport and well-being of purebred dogs! Judges must always be committed to doing the very best to “get it right.”
What three words do you hope exhibitors use to describe you?
Hopefully, the aforementioned words for obvious reasons. They represent what I truly believe.
David J. Kirkland – AKC Judge
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Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=199490
Posted by AnthonyA
on Apr 13 2021. Filed under Current Articles, Featured.
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