Archive for September, 2008
The judges examine dogs of a specific breed or sometimes dogs of all breeds, to see if it fulfills the breed standards or not during a dog shows, breed shows or conformation shows. Such kinds of shows are being conducted regularly by kennel clubs and breed clubs. During specialty shows, only specific breeds are examined.
The judges of the show set the standards prior to the show. To execute subjective judgements is an extremely difficult task especially to choose dogs which match the set standards laid out for the show. Apart from comparing one dog with another, the dog must also match the judge’s image of an ideal dog which meet the breed standard almost perfectly. The objective of each dog show is to select a winner dog, which matches the breed standards.
Based on the long list of breed standards, judges get together to frame the conformation point. Conformation points can vary from one contest to another but certain general requirements still form the basis of the judging. Although the pet’s color, pattern, length, type and quality are observed, in the final analysis the fur is still the most important factor. The distribution, quality and number of the markings will be carefully scrutinized by the judges.
Among other things also considered are a healthy pigmentation free skin and the shape and color of the head. The general attitude and temperament are noted down for each breed of dogs. The judges will compare and take into consideration the mouth and structure of the teeth and how they align when the jaw is closed. The shape and color of the eyes and the shape and set of the ears, including the ratio of the length and height are also compared. Grooming the dog before a competition is necessary because observation will be made on the style of walking and gait and also on the shape of the tail and feet. Every participating dog should be registered with its name attached with the breeder’s kennel name.
Since every dog has a registered name and a call name, during the competition, the kennel club calls the dog by its registered name while the owner refers to it by its call name. Competitors from different parts of the country are attracted to participate in the many dog shows conducted at various levels: both local and national. Because of the hierarchical nature of the contests , only dogs that have won at each show at each level are given points and deemed eligible for the next show.
To fulfil the aim of choosing the best in the breed, these shows at the highest level only allow pets which have already won championship in other shows. As such shows boost the reputation of the dog, breeder and kennel, the price of the puppies of that particular dog fetch a surprisingly high price. This is because other people want to buy a pet, which resembles the champion so the popularity of the breed increases rapidly. Crufts in the United Kingdom and the Westminster Kennel Club Show in the United States are two prestigious shows available.
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