At a meeting in Helsinki more than ten years ago the FCI approved a set of

regulations for show judges that remind them of the need to focus on dogs’ health

and wellbeing when they officiate. In its introduction it states “The task of a show

judge is to help preserve the inner and outer characteristics of each breed within the

approved breed standard. In other words, the judge’s main task is to judge and

evaluate dogs, according to the breed standard and to consider them as potential

breeding dogs for future generations. This must never be done at the detriment of

the welfare and wellbeing of the dogs. Dogs must always be fit for the function for

which they were originally meant, developed and bred for.

It is therefore the responsibility of the judge to be acquainted with the breed

standard as well as the health and behaviour problems which can occur in each

breed. A judge must particularly pay attention to the breed-specific characteristics

which have a tendency towards exaggeration, which can creep into a breed and

have a negative effect on the health of the individual dog. In addition, in order to

contribute to the preservation and the development of a breed, the judges are asked

to take into account, in the best possible way, the health and welfare aspects of the

breed and to express this clearly in the written critique of the dog. Dogs have to be fit

for their original function at all times.

While judging at shows, all the severe deviations regarding the breed-specific

behaviour should not be tolerated and should result in the disqualification of the dog.

The judge must be aware of the fact that a pedigree dog with exaggerated

breed characteristics which can lead to and result in health, behaviour or movement

problems, should be excluded from breeding and therefore never be awarded a

qualification “Excellent.”

When a judge notices problems in the breed he is judging, he can ask for a

form on which he can make a brief list of the breed-specific problems that he found

during his judging. The list will be used by the national canine organisation where the

dog is registered to adjust breeding and to enhance the health of the breed

concerned.”

The document is a detailed and logical one and certainly encourages judges

to monitor the health aspects of breeds and produces a far more acceptable method

of dealing with any noted problems than the dreaded vet checks which the British

Kennel Club introduced as a knee-jerk reaction to the BBC Television documentary,

“Pedigree Dogs Exposed” which rocked the purebred dog world globally.

Of particular interest is the section that deals with handling and presentation

and at the time this was rather pertinent as there had been a lot of negative reaction

to some of the handling of exhibits as seen in the video coverage of the recent

Westminster Kennel Club show in the USA, when several dogs were seen to be

lifted from the ground to the table by the head and tail … and not just Terriers. This

sparked a heated debate on Facebook and brought to the fore again various points

which have been raised in the past by a variety of judges, myself included.

I have mentioned on various occasion the apparent increase of the

unacceptable practice of lifting dogs by the lead and the tail (alarmingly in Toy

breeds in particular), effectively “hanging” dogs when they are suspended in mid-air

during the transfer from ground to table and vice versa. It is also increasingly

apparent that sheer laziness encourages some handlers, rather than manually

adjusting feet, to lift their dogs’ fronts off the ground with the lead. This inhumane

manner of handling is purely down to handlers not wishing to disturb impeccably

groomed coats, which immediately questions their priorities.

The FCI regulations point out “It is increasingly common that breeds, standing

as well as moving, are presented in the ring on an up-straight and neck-tight leash.

This does not promote the welfare of the dog, and moreover it inhibits correct

movement and makes natural and breed specific movement impossible to be

achieved.

A dog should be shown on a loose leash in a natural way with a correct and

breed specific movement. Pulling the dog up at the neck and/or tail is prohibited.”

This was music to my ears, as someone who has for years advocated that all

dogs should be shown on loose leads as, apart from being more comfortable for the

dog, it enables the judge to get a far better idea of how the dog moves and stands

naturally. Note that “pulling the dog up at the neck and/or tail is prohibited.” That is

fairly clear … PROHIBITED.

In the past I have taken a very firm line with exhibitors who “hang” their dogs

and excused them from the ring. Any form of cruelty in the show ring should not in

my opinion be tolerated and the most effective way of getting the message across is

by excluding offending handlers. This kind of behaviour in the ring is what the critics

of pure-bred dog showing thrive on, and it is assumed that all who show dogs should

be tarred with the same brush.

The document continues, “It is forbidden to prepare a dog with any substance

that will alter the structure, colour or form of the coat, skin or nose. Only trimming,

clipping, combing and brushing are allowed.

An exhibitor, who does not follow the usual rules for presenting a dog, should

leave the ring.

Although this does not affect the dog's health or behaviour directly, the judge

has the possibility not to judge the dog or award it with a lower qualification.”

This again is very clear but still many dogs are shown that clearly have been

prepared in a manner that contravenes these regulations. Unfortunately some

exhibitors lack common sense and whilst the majority of judges would I suspect turn

a blind eye to a little chalking to clean a dog, or a misting of hairspray to finish a

topknot, it gets taken to extremes.

Poodles that have Mohican topknots that are solid with lacquer, and so many

rubber bands that their eyes can barely open not only look grotesque, they are

clearly uncomfortable. Even more extreme than the presentation of some Poodles is

the manner in which Shih Tzu are being turned out, with ridiculously high topknots

that are sprayed solid to create a “fan”. Oftentimes the stop is accentuated by

placing cotton wool underneath the hair – the Shih Tzu equivalent of the Poodle

“switches” - and the whole creation resembles scaffolding that sways from side to

side when the dog walks. Apart from looking ridiculous, this shows a scant disregard

for the Breed Standard (which clearly states that the tail should be: “heavily plumed,

carried gaily well over back. Set on high. Height approximately level with that of skull

to give a balanced outline”) by the handlers who prepare their dogs in this way and

the judges who overlook it. Why, when the turning point of the tail should be

approximately level with the top of the skull, would you want to create a huge

differential between the two levels, especially when so many Shih Tzu have rather

tight, low tails to begin with?

Whilst I was at the time delighted to see that FCI had empowered their judges

to exclude dogs that contravene the regulations, I was not altogether happy with the

suggestion that dogs should receive a lower grading because of their presentation or

handling. Surely the grading is designed to indicate the level of merit present in each

dog in the context of its Breed Standard, and has nothing to do with how it is turned

out. In most of the FCI countries gradings are taken very seriously. Indeed, in many

countries it is imperative that dogs receive at least a Very Good grading before they

can be bred from. It seems illogical that a dog’s breeding potential could be lost

purely because of the stupidity of the person who has groomed it.

I did wonder how judges would deal with the directive on temperament as the

regulations clearly state that “Aggressive or overly shy behaviour must never be

tolerated during breed/dog judging and must result in the disqualification of this/these

dog(s).”

In some of the guarding breeds in many countries dogs display very

aggressive character in the show ring and it seems that some judges and exhibitors

actually encourage this. Over a decade have they revised their thinking?

We are living in a time when the entire dog world is under scrutiny. Those

outside are constantly monitoring how we exhibit our dogs and the temperament of

dogs that breeders pass on as companions. It is more important than ever that

judges and handlers alike treat their dogs with respect and compassion, both in the

ring and outside.

FCI was to be applauded for issuing these regulations but, ten years on, has it

done its utmost to ensure they are adhered to? When I first drew attention to this

subject in 2014 I wrote, “Just how much effect they will have remains to be seen, but

if judges take their job seriously we should see many breeds looking remarkably

different in the future, and that can only be a change for the better.”

© ANDREW H. BRACE

(This article may not be reproduced in any form without the author’s

permission)