From The Publisher

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10 – May, 2024

By Tom Grabe

I love the big shows. The Westminsters, Louisvilles, Houstons, Orlandos, Portlands and Palm Springs of the dog show world bring out the best of the best. The best dogs, the best exhibitors, and the best judges are generally found at these crown jewels in the sport of purebred dogs. Most times, the final lineups are filled with the world’s best dogs and the suspense of waiting for the judge’s final decision keeps most on the edge of their seats.

I always wonder what goes through the judge’s mind as he or she is parsing through the finalists in the breed, group or Best In Show rings at these major events. What becomes the determining factor in their decision? We all know the tired old line, “I envision the perfect dog as defined by the standard. I see it in my mind’s eye,” yada, yada. For all I know, maybe the judges do have the vision of the perfect dog in their mind and they somehow apply it to the dogs they are judging in the ring. Frankly, I have a hard time understanding how they can do that, but maybe it’s because I am not a judge.

Were I a judge, I would find myself drawing from experience when determining what qualities each dog has that makes them stand out. I would remember the best dog of that breed I had ever seen; or possibly I had been fortunate enough to put my hands on it. My next step would be to compare my finalists to that memory. If I was judging a group or Best In Show, I would think to myself, “Is this the best example of the breed I have ever seen? If not, is it second best, tenth best, twentieth? How does this dog compare to the greats of the past?” This would give me real-life framework so I could determine where this dog fits in the history of the breed.

Click here to read the complete article
10 – May, 2024

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