Another Judge's Viewpoint

by Muriel Freeman

(This article, originally appeared in The ARK. The author is an AKC-approved judgeof 55 recognized breeds and 9 miscellaneous breeds, as well as the former delegate of the American Rottweiler Club to the American Kennel Club. She has judged Rottweilers and has given symposia on five continents and Bermuda, Jamaica, New Zealand, and Trinidad.)

There seems to be an honest question in the minds of many Rottweiler exhibitors as to what thought processes motivate a judge to make the placements he does. Let me discuss my basic approach to judging and trace the steps I take which lead to my decisions,

Just prior to an assignment, I have reviewed my standard. In the case of multiple breed judging, I perform this chore a couple of days in advance.

My arrival at the show site is about hour before scheduled judging, This gives me ample time to report in, collect my badge, go to my ring, meet my steward(s), and comfortably arrange my judging tools, I then look at my book taking note of the size of the largest classes which will confront me, With those numbers in mind, I decide the gaiting pattern which will be the most advantageous and consider whether or not I will have to divide my class.

I then examine the terrain of my ring to be certain no holes, loose mats, or impediments of any kind will present a problem to handlers or dogs. I hope never to have an accident occur in my ring which could have been avoided by a little better planning on my part.

I always wear a jacket with a pocket sufficiently large to accommodate a small notebook which is among the tools previously mentioned. If I have classes of ten or more dogs, I will customarily make use of the notebook, so I place it in my pocket with a retractable point pen, ready for use when I need it.

In the meantime, my steward has arranged the ribbons and given out arm bands for the first classes, At this point I give instructions as to my preferences for catalogue order, where I want the dogs lined up upon entering the ring, and the gaiting pattern I will use throughout the judging, I ask that exhibitors be instructed to show me the dog's mouth and refrain from throwing bait in my ring.

All preparations are in place, the National Anthem has been played, and the Puppy Dog Class enters the ring. If time permits, I send the class once around. I place them mentally, just as an exercise and if I spot what looks to me to be a great one, I say a silent prayer-- "Dear God, please no missing teeth and nice dark brown eyes."

All dogs will be evaluated on breed type, temperament, soundness and balance, cosmetic faults and movement.

Breed type means to me the embodiment of those characteristics which in a given combination are unique to that breed. It is the stamp of quality without which no dog is fit for breeding.

Soundness addresses anatomically correct parts. Balance implies that the anatomically correct parts are in proper proportion to one another and to the whole dog. Final judgment on that score is settled when the dog is in motion. Soundness also encompasses the state of mind. A mentally unsound dog is worthless, regardless of what other assets he may have.

Cosmetic faults must also be assessed but inasmuch as they do not impede a dog from doing his job. They must never take precedence over working faults which render a dog unable to perform the task for which he was bred. The weight I give to a cosmetic fault is predicted upon my knowledge of just how hard that particular fault is to eliminate from a breeding program, i.e. light eyes come back to haunt a breeder for generations.

Temperament which is, of course, a vital assessment to make in a breeding animal, except under extreme circumstances, is rather difficult to assess in a show ring. Occasionally, situations arise which undeniably are a test. I will never forget the Puli who stood on the table awaiting my approach despite the deafening roar of ice sliding down the side of a glass-roofed building. He lived to get many Group I awards from me and at least one BIS.

The direct antithesis was a Rottweiler who stood for examination and just when I turned my back, made an unsuccessful dive for me. It was many years ago, but for his efforts, I lost no time excusing him from my ring. In my opinion, a sneak is the worst possible character.

Finally, I gait my dog. Proper movement reflects correct parts correctly assembled which are in balance. In combination with proper exercise (fitness) and presuming the handler is not interfering with the dog, the impression one gets when such a dog moves, is that of a well-oiled machine in motion. To achieve this image, in many instances I am forced to tell the handler to slow down, remove the hand holding the bait, take longer steps, loosen up on the lead, run the dog on the mat or stop the dog from pacing, etc.

I make all these corrections as I am seeking to find the best Rottweiler -- not the best handler.

When all details have been monitored and the results filed in my head, I am in a position to compare each dog to the standard and thereby make my evaluation of their relative merit.

Exhibitors must always bear in mind that judging of livestock is not a science. It is one person's opinion, Factored into that opinion is organizational ability, scientific knowledge, experience and personal prejudice. In the long run, judges win the respect of their peers and the exhibitors in direct relation to their ability to make plausible decisions based on the abovementioned criteria.