Page 11 - K9 News Digital - Issue 11 May2020

book that is considered “the bible” a moderate length of neck, as this picture changes for the better and
for your own breed? These may is the most functional, yet we so becomes more balanced.
seem like silly questions if you are often see necks becoming longer Breed type will vary
someone who has owned, lived and longer which makes the geographically, due to the breeding
with, bred and shown a breed for outline unbalanced, both standing stock that is available in that
many years, and done so with and moving. Most breeds that are country or area. It will also depend
success, but sometimes we need fairly generic in their construction on the desires of the breeders as
to remind ourselves of the basics, require moderate angulation of it is they who produce the dogs
carefully thinking about what job the front and rear, showing a that appear in the show ring. It is
our breed was originally bred to well laid back shoulder and good generally accepted that we should
do, and analysing the Standard so length of upper arm so that the always look to the country of origin
that we remember why the physical forelegs can actually support the because this is where we find
construction of the breed is as the body, with rear angulation that correct type. However this may
Standard requires. I myself have shows moderate length of first not always be case. If you look
got out some favourite revered and second thighs and strong at Golden Retrievers in the UK,
breed books recently and re-read muscular development. In so for example, whilst you will still
them. It’s surprising what we may many breeds we now see upright find many beautiful and typical
have forgotten and what may have shoulders and short upper arms dogs you will also see a large
become embedded in our sub- so that the forelegs (when seen in number (often winning) that are
conscious. profile) are almost “tacked on” to short in leg and long in back, so
It is all too easy these days the front of the forechest and this they become totally unbalanced.
for breeds to change, sometimes is often coupled with excessively Golden Retrievers in the USA and
subtly, sometimes not so, as long second thighs. This creates elsewhere, on the other hand,
fashions alter and the emphasis on an imbalance and consequently tend to be much better balanced
the “show” dog becomes greater in a weakness. If a dog needs to although they might have slightly
the minds of some exhibitors and reach in front and drive behind, it different head type and darker
some judges. Many of our breeds cannot move correctly with such colour than the British specialists
were developed to work and were an upright front assembly coupled favour. However, you can still have
required to carry a protective coat with long, stringy hindquarters. unexpected surprises.
that would be to their advantage. There can be no scope and no As a judge, the priority should
As less dogs actually performed power in a dog that is constructed always be to select the dogs that
their original task the coats seen in this way and the movement will best represent typical and from
in the show ring became more lack strength and fluidity. these work out an order of placing
profuse and the breeds become How many breeds require a based on movement and carriage.
more “glamorous”. This is not straight, level topline? Many do, Judging purely on movement can
necessary and whilst we always yet in some of these breeds we result in untypical dogs winning
want to see dogs in the show ring now find that the construction of the high honours and this is never
clean and well groomed, we do dog has been changed to create good for a breed. At the same time,
not want them over-presented. an outline that slopes noticeably judging exclusively on type could
When a Terrier breed, for example, from the withers to the croup, and mean that some very unsound
requires a hardy and fairly profuse often the handlers will exaggerate dogs get on to the winning rostrum
coat with top and undercoat, it this even further when they stretch and again this can be disastrous.
betrays the Standard if dogs are out the hindquarters as they stack
Newer breeders with little
shown stripped out and shaped the dog. I often photograph dogs
experience tend to look to winning
as this detracts from the very and one of my biggest complaints dogs in the show ring when they
essence of Breed Type. Study of when handlers set their dog up
are selecting a stud dog. All too
photographs in these old books for a picture is that the rear is
often we see well known handlers
should cause us to question how pulled back too far so that the rear
showing flashy dogs that are
our breeds have changed and pastern (often mistakenly referred
glamorous with great attitude, but
what, if any, aspects of Type may to as the hock; the hock is actually they may not meet the Standard in
have become diluted over time. the joint) is at 45 degrees to the
several important respects and so
But it is not just coat that horizontal instead of being 90 they are not ideal stud dogs. When
changes as all too often we see degrees. When I ask for the hind these dogs get used regularly they
the physical shape of breeds feet to be placed more towards will obviously perpetuate their
altering to make them more the centre of the dog, and the faults and so can change the look
“dramatic”. Many breeds require rear pastern is correct, the whole

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