A breeder friend of mine sent me this article today, and I found it interesting, so I thought I would share it with the forum. Please feel free to share your thoughts on this matter. I have never been in the show ring, so I am just an outsider looking in, and although I do not wish to make judgements along these lines, I still felt this warranted honest discussion.
"This is the post that was made by Arnold Jacobson, husband of Mae, AKC Judge and former President of UDC (United Doberman Club) the Working Arm of the DPCA:
American Show Doberman Pinscher
Problems in Paradise
The dog show activity is an assembly of very comfortable owners and professional dog handlers. People like to compete to show that they have the most beautiful animal in a particular breed to collect breed wins and points toward a championship. Most of the handlers are professional and collect a substantial fee for exhibiting a dog for the owner. The owners will present their wins by placing ads and win pictures in a magazine. Hopefully they will be able to sell puppies or stud service for a substantial price to other show breeders and exhibitors also at a expensive price.
Most selected judges at the shows come from the same background as the handlers, breeders and exhibitors. Very little attention is placed on the function of why the breed was created in the first place by anyone of this group. They, in turn, breed to biggest winners within this group.
Health, breed temperament or longevity within most of the breeds is secondary to showmanship and big show wins. Producing and introducing big winning dogs becomes the major goal to be continued by the next generation.
More and more as I talk with dog people, the poor quality of judging seems to dominate the conversation. I'm not talking just about Doberman people, but many from other breeds, particularly those involved with herding,working and sporting breeds. What seems to be the bases of the concern and why is it happening?
First, there seems to be a complete breakdown as to the understanding of what constitutes a functional dog breed is all about. Secondly, there seems to be absolutely no understanding of the physicality or mentality needed as to the arrangement of parts that would enable the breed to function as it was intended.
For example lets look at a typical functional working Doberman. It should have medium to heavy bone and heavy muscling to withstand body impact at high speed . . . a powerful jaw to catch and hold prey . . . a powerful and well muscled neck . . . not too long that it would be subject to strains if spun too vigorously.
A working dog should be able to jump at least three feet carrying a medium sized dumb bell . . . the front assembly has to be set up properly so as to absorb the concussion of gait and the shock of the jump . . . the rear should not be over angulated and should be balanced with the front. A working dog must be able to accelerate but have the balance enabling it to turn corners quickly. I would add information agility, sure-footedness and the ability to hold soundness over time, which comes with moderate structure not an overdone one. A working dog must be able to accelerate but have the balance enabling it to turn corners quickly. I dare say that few aficionados of the working breeds would argue these points. But what are the "so called" judges putting up? Too long and refined necks . . . straight fronts and over angulated rears . . . refined bone . . . weak under jaws, narrow skulls and finally a lack of balance throughout the dog's entire makeup. A
dog out of balance may look ok trotting around a small show ring. A dog out of doors that does not move properly in a large area; that dog does not work properly, and won't hold to the stress of work over time.
Who is at fault? The judges? The breeders? The exhibitors or the handlers? Lets take the Judges first. How are they selected? In a lot of cases the number of champions they have bred or finished seems to carry a great deal of weight . . . followed by who they know. They don't have to have handled or trained in any venue and once chosen to judge their main concern is how to get more assignments and additional breeds and sadly, in many cases, their judging becomes corrupted in achieving those goals.
It would be interesting to know how those so called experts would answer the following questions: What is good bone? What is too much muscling or too little. When does show exaggerations become too little or too much? What is the effect of too much bone? Is the neck too long or too refined? If one has never trained a dog how can he tell the character by watching how well it eats the bait or by just watching gait how can he measure the acceleration or jumping ability of the dog? Is the dog willing to engage an aggressive attacker? Is the dog totally stable around people and children? Does the Doberman have drive and energy to work? Is the Doberman resilient and able to bounce back easily from adversity? That is not part of structure lack of mental toughness and resilience is one of the biggest faults in the breed.
Next and possibly equal in importance is how judges get their assignments. Many of the suggestions come from members of various breeds who most likely use professional handlers who in turn tell their clients who to suggest. So, unfortunately, if a judge wants an assignment he most likely will favor the professional handler or the owner who got him the assignment. You know it and I know it. it's just that no one wants to admit it. Assignments should be based upon the functional knowledge of the judge. A requirement for a conformation judge is to have trained or been associated with dogs in a performance venue.
Then there are the "quote" heavy hitters in the all breed clubs who bring in, or suggest, the judges that put up their dogs. When it's all said and done this procedure puts the owner handlers at a decided disadvantage. Unlike the owner-handlers, in a way, the professional handlers have it made. If they win. That's great . . . they cash a check. If they lose . . . that's okay . . . they still cash a check.
But the plot thickens: Handlers, who learned the game and played it well are a major pool from which AKC judges are selected. In many cases their knowledge based on breed presentation is second to none. However, their knowledge of breed standards is woefully inadequate which leads us to the old adage, "lack of knowledge makes cowards of us all" unfortunately that adage is reflected in their judging.
Show breeders and big time exhibitors are the sport's next problem, although not necessarily in that order. For the most part they are only interested in winning. If their dog has three eyes, four ears and five tails and the judges put them up . . . that's what they'll breed and exhibit. They want dogs that judges will place which feeds the show extremes . . . let the standard be damned. If a dog baits, stands for examination and wins . . . let the breed function be damned. The sad part about it all is . . . these breeders become our future judges who are just like the judges they replace . . . and the beat goes on.
What is the solution . . . if there is one? Would written critiques at specialty shows expose the pretenders? How about before a judge can be approved to judge a breed he or she must judge a specialty show of the breed intended and pass some form of an approval rating from that particular breed club before he or she is approved to judge that breed. But there again politics would probably prevail.
-Arnold Jacobson"-end quote.
"This is the post that was made by Arnold Jacobson, husband of Mae, AKC Judge and former President of UDC (United Doberman Club) the Working Arm of the DPCA:
American Show Doberman Pinscher
Problems in Paradise
The dog show activity is an assembly of very comfortable owners and professional dog handlers. People like to compete to show that they have the most beautiful animal in a particular breed to collect breed wins and points toward a championship. Most of the handlers are professional and collect a substantial fee for exhibiting a dog for the owner. The owners will present their wins by placing ads and win pictures in a magazine. Hopefully they will be able to sell puppies or stud service for a substantial price to other show breeders and exhibitors also at a expensive price.
Most selected judges at the shows come from the same background as the handlers, breeders and exhibitors. Very little attention is placed on the function of why the breed was created in the first place by anyone of this group. They, in turn, breed to biggest winners within this group.
Health, breed temperament or longevity within most of the breeds is secondary to showmanship and big show wins. Producing and introducing big winning dogs becomes the major goal to be continued by the next generation.
More and more as I talk with dog people, the poor quality of judging seems to dominate the conversation. I'm not talking just about Doberman people, but many from other breeds, particularly those involved with herding,working and sporting breeds. What seems to be the bases of the concern and why is it happening?
First, there seems to be a complete breakdown as to the understanding of what constitutes a functional dog breed is all about. Secondly, there seems to be absolutely no understanding of the physicality or mentality needed as to the arrangement of parts that would enable the breed to function as it was intended.
For example lets look at a typical functional working Doberman. It should have medium to heavy bone and heavy muscling to withstand body impact at high speed . . . a powerful jaw to catch and hold prey . . . a powerful and well muscled neck . . . not too long that it would be subject to strains if spun too vigorously.
A working dog should be able to jump at least three feet carrying a medium sized dumb bell . . . the front assembly has to be set up properly so as to absorb the concussion of gait and the shock of the jump . . . the rear should not be over angulated and should be balanced with the front. A working dog must be able to accelerate but have the balance enabling it to turn corners quickly. I would add information agility, sure-footedness and the ability to hold soundness over time, which comes with moderate structure not an overdone one. A working dog must be able to accelerate but have the balance enabling it to turn corners quickly. I dare say that few aficionados of the working breeds would argue these points. But what are the "so called" judges putting up? Too long and refined necks . . . straight fronts and over angulated rears . . . refined bone . . . weak under jaws, narrow skulls and finally a lack of balance throughout the dog's entire makeup. A
dog out of balance may look ok trotting around a small show ring. A dog out of doors that does not move properly in a large area; that dog does not work properly, and won't hold to the stress of work over time.
Who is at fault? The judges? The breeders? The exhibitors or the handlers? Lets take the Judges first. How are they selected? In a lot of cases the number of champions they have bred or finished seems to carry a great deal of weight . . . followed by who they know. They don't have to have handled or trained in any venue and once chosen to judge their main concern is how to get more assignments and additional breeds and sadly, in many cases, their judging becomes corrupted in achieving those goals.
It would be interesting to know how those so called experts would answer the following questions: What is good bone? What is too much muscling or too little. When does show exaggerations become too little or too much? What is the effect of too much bone? Is the neck too long or too refined? If one has never trained a dog how can he tell the character by watching how well it eats the bait or by just watching gait how can he measure the acceleration or jumping ability of the dog? Is the dog willing to engage an aggressive attacker? Is the dog totally stable around people and children? Does the Doberman have drive and energy to work? Is the Doberman resilient and able to bounce back easily from adversity? That is not part of structure lack of mental toughness and resilience is one of the biggest faults in the breed.
Next and possibly equal in importance is how judges get their assignments. Many of the suggestions come from members of various breeds who most likely use professional handlers who in turn tell their clients who to suggest. So, unfortunately, if a judge wants an assignment he most likely will favor the professional handler or the owner who got him the assignment. You know it and I know it. it's just that no one wants to admit it. Assignments should be based upon the functional knowledge of the judge. A requirement for a conformation judge is to have trained or been associated with dogs in a performance venue.
Then there are the "quote" heavy hitters in the all breed clubs who bring in, or suggest, the judges that put up their dogs. When it's all said and done this procedure puts the owner handlers at a decided disadvantage. Unlike the owner-handlers, in a way, the professional handlers have it made. If they win. That's great . . . they cash a check. If they lose . . . that's okay . . . they still cash a check.
But the plot thickens: Handlers, who learned the game and played it well are a major pool from which AKC judges are selected. In many cases their knowledge based on breed presentation is second to none. However, their knowledge of breed standards is woefully inadequate which leads us to the old adage, "lack of knowledge makes cowards of us all" unfortunately that adage is reflected in their judging.
Show breeders and big time exhibitors are the sport's next problem, although not necessarily in that order. For the most part they are only interested in winning. If their dog has three eyes, four ears and five tails and the judges put them up . . . that's what they'll breed and exhibit. They want dogs that judges will place which feeds the show extremes . . . let the standard be damned. If a dog baits, stands for examination and wins . . . let the breed function be damned. The sad part about it all is . . . these breeders become our future judges who are just like the judges they replace . . . and the beat goes on.
What is the solution . . . if there is one? Would written critiques at specialty shows expose the pretenders? How about before a judge can be approved to judge a breed he or she must judge a specialty show of the breed intended and pass some form of an approval rating from that particular breed club before he or she is approved to judge that breed. But there again politics would probably prevail.
-Arnold Jacobson"-end quote.
