All About Judging Dog Shows So, what exactly is the role of the judge at a dog show? Why do they touch and feel each dog and why do they have the dog run around the ring? Well, we've got the inside scoop on what goes on inside the ring.
The Role of the Judge It is the judge's job to examine each dog in competition and then determine how closely the animal resembles his or her image of the "perfect" dog of that breed. Every breed’s parent club creates a standard, which describes the perfect size, shape, temperament, movement, and specific physical traits (such as the shape of the ears and tails of a breed). Some breed clubs are so specific in the description of the “perfect dog,” that it would, for example, disqualify a dog with more than four missing teeth. Other breed standards are more general and leave the interpretation of that description up to the judge, which makes the competition more subjective. In the Westminster Kennel Club Show, dog breeds are divided in seven groups: sporting, herding, terrier, working, toy, hound, and non-sporting dogs. Many of the dog’s descriptions relate form to function, i.e. working dogs need to be highly intelligent, and sporting dogs need to be athletic. Even though many dogs don’t have to do the work anymore they were initially bred for, it is still important that the dog fits the breed standard description. To get a good look at whether the dogs fit the standard the touchy-feely part comes in. The judge must feel, or "go over," each dog with their hands to see if the teeth, bones and coat texture match the breed standard. They observe each dog's profile, looking for balance. Then, they send the dog around the ring to watch its "gait" or movement so that they can observe the dog overall and see how all its features work together in motion. They test the dog's temperament by observing the dog closely. There are hundreds of people and other dogs, smells, sights and sounds that the dogs have to endure, and on top of that a stranger putting their hands all over them (even lifting up their cheeks to check their teeth). So even though a judge only spends a few minutes with a dog, he or she can get a good idea of the dog's temperament. Aggressive or excessively shy dogs are disqualified from the show. With all that done for each contestant, the judge in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show then decides which dog is the Best of its breed (BOB), the Best of the Opposite Sex (BOS) of that breed and finally the overall winner: the Best in Show (BIS). |
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