Judgment Day
Most judges have been involved in our community for many years, starting as a breeder, exhibitor or handler — or all three — before being approved as an AKC judge. So it is almost impossible for judges not to know many of the exhibitors and/or professional handlers who enter the ring with a dog to show. In fact, many of these people may be good friends with the judge. How the judge — and the exhibitor — handles this relationship says a lot about each of them.
I remember my first assignment as a judge more than 50 years ago. When I arrived at the show, I had to walk through the grooming tent to get to the rings. I was nervous, and kept my head down, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. Halfway through the tent I heard a familiar voice say, “So, now that you are a judge that means you’re too good to say hello to us peons?”
I looked up and saw Laddie Carswell with a smile on his face. I had travelled to many shows with Laddie, and truth be told I learned a lot from him. Here I was going to walk past him without even saying hello.
Embarrassed, I shook his hand and thanked him for bringing me back to earth, and I went on to complete my first assignment with a few less butterflies flying around inside me.
Too often we forget that (a) judges are human and (b) we are standing in the middle of the ring to judge the DOGS, not the people. Too many people take it personally if their dog does not win. The judge is not saying your dog is not good, or “I don’t like you,” or even “Your kids are ugly, too.” All we are (or should be) saying is, “On this day, based on my understanding of the breed and the standard, I think this other dog is closer to the standard than your dog.” Although some decisions are pretty obvious, often there are subtle differences or nuances among dogs that make the decision for the judge.
Many times, I have called my wife and told her, “It looks like I am going to have a number of dogs in the group (or Best in Show) that I have put up before and I really like. It’s going to be tough.” Her answer is always the same: “The dogs will decide for you.” And, of course, she is right. When everything is left out except for the dogs in front of me, the decisions are made by the dogs.
So since many of the handlers (professional and amateur) are known to the judge, each has a responsibility. The judge’s job is simple: Just judge dogs. The exhibitor’s responsibility is actually more difficult: Accept the judge’s decision and remove it from any personal feelings held about the dog.
In many cases, the handler/exhibitor has a strong relationship and feelings for the dog being shown, but the handler has to remember that if your dog is not chosen, it is not personal nor a reflection of your friendship with the judge. If the handler cannot be objective and remove these feelings, it is best that the handler not show a dog to that judge. I have told that to friends of mine: “Show to me if you wish, but if you cannot accept my decision objectively, do not show to me. Our friendship is important to me, but so is my integrity and what I see as my responsibility to the breeds I am judging.”
And, just to set the record straight, I have heard all the talk about POLITICS! Exactly what the hell is that? I have been judging for more than 50 years and have NEVER had someone offer me an assignment — or anything else — for a win. Never! I have also never swapped assignments by getting a judge an assignment at my show. Actually, I don’t control any show, and could not guarantee anyone an assignment if I wanted to do so. Are there judges who do this? Maybe. But it certainly is not as prevalent as the people looking for excuses for not winning would have you believe.
Are there professional handlers who think THEY should be put up because of who they are? Yes, there are probably a few of these, but they do not represent the true professionals. The true professional presents his or her dog to its best, accepts the decision, and moves on. If these professionals truly believe the judge is awful, they simply will not show to that judge again. By the way, when I get a feeling that the handler in front of me has that entitlement attitude, the handler starts off with a demerit! Smile. By the way, real handlers truly know if their dogs should win or not.
Half a lifetime ago, I was a moderately successful professional handler, and spent a lot of time with the true pros: Bill Trainor, the Forsyths, Laddie Carswell, George Alston and others. Honestly, I almost never heard any of them complain about the judging if they lost. They tried to understand what the judge was looking for, and might show a different dog to them next time. If they really believed the judge had no clue, they just would boycott that judge.
So what should a judge notice about a handler? Basically, the best handlers call attention to their dog and not to themselves. A good handler has soft hands, and moves slowly to keep the dog from feeling tension and stress. A handler/exhibitor who has a good relationship with his or her dog is easily seen and appreciated. A good handler does not groom or show every dog the same way.
What of those few breeders who seemingly win all the time? Well, they don’t win ALL the time, but they certainly do win on a consistent basis. Why? Is it because of who they are? Nahh! Maybe they are just really good breeders who know what they are doing, so they consistently produce and show high-quality breed representatives. Instead of wasting your breath talking behind their backs, why not pay attention to what they are doing in an attempt to learn? Some of them are even very approachable if you ask to have them help or mentor you. That’s what a real community does.
As long as we are debunking some of these myths about judges, what about judges who still breed and show dogs? My answer to that is good for them. No judge ever started as a member of this community without ever owning, showing or breeding dogs. We weren’t born as judges. And judges who continue to breed and show are continuing to pass on their experience and knowledge, and others should take notice. I will tell you that when Shelly and I showed dogs, we were very aware that people would look at our dogs and think so that is what they think this breed should be, and we made damn sure that whatever we showed was real quality — win or lose.
Do judges who show get preferential treatment from other judges? I think you need to reread the paragraphs before this, and understand that a real judge will only judge dogs! As a matter of fact, sometimes it is more difficult to win. I remember when we were still showing dogs, I had a judge tell me that she did not think a judge should still show — and we lost under that judge. Needless to say, we lost respect for that judge and never showed to her again.
Instead of flexing internet muscles and demeaning all judges by asking questions like “Does he know the standard?” or “What end of the lead does he look at?” try to honestly look at the competition, and understand why another dog won. Do I think all judges are great? Of course not. Do I think all judges are political or only put up professionals? Of course not. There are some very good judges, and some who are better at some breeds than others. Do your homework and pay attention to how they run their rings, interact with the dogs, and their decisions.
Finally, remember if you enter the ring with a dog you love, you have already won.
What do you think?