Did You Know…. It’s Time For A Change!

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198 – September, 2026

By Michael Canalizo

William Penn is credited with saying, “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.”

How many times have we thought just that when a judging schedule arrives or is posted? Many people bemoan what they read: an exhibitor with a coated breed scheduled first thing in the morning; a handler with several dogs expected in different rings at the same time; or a judge who could save the club an extra hotel night by catching an evening flight but instead receives the last group assignment, with a 3 PM start time on Sunday at a 400-dog show. The list is long.

This brings me to the recent “change” made by those with the authority to make it. There is a new directive that can be applied during the judging process, and it affects group competitions most. In short, a judge no longer must provide a “second” exam of an entry they have already seen in their ring earlier that day. If a judge examined your entry at 8 AM, and that same entry is later presented to them in the Group or Best In Show, there is no longer a requirement to repeat a full exam. There is no need to recheck dentition or confirm two normal testicles normally located in the scrotum—just another look and a movement evaluation to confirm there is no lameness. Of course, this change has prompted a wide range of reactions–both positive and negative.

Let’s address a few existing factors that may have influenced this new ruling.

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198 – September, 2026

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Posted by AnthonyA on Sep 17 2026. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.