Stalkers, Users and Intimidators
The Judge Marx the Spot
A good friend of mine wrote to me about being followed. No, not by a stalker — by a handler.
Wait! Maybe that is a stalker!
Judges are accused of many things — almost always by those who have not won when showing to those judges, so obviously if they didn’t win there must be something nefarious about the judge. There are situations that are difficult — not impossible — for a judge to handle. The problem is that in many situations the judge is considered guilty before proving her innocence. For too many, perception — their perception — is reality.
One of the worst things a judge can be accused of is “trading assignments.” Dog forbid if a judge puts up a dog shown by Handler A (professional or not), and later on in the year — or the next year — he judges at a show for a club in which Handler A is an officer/member. Rumors will fly. Since many judges have assignments scheduled for years in advance, it is possible that the judge is already scheduled to judge the show(s) for which Handler A has a say in hiring judges.
So, let me ask you — what’s a judge to do? If the dog shown by Handler A is the best in the ring, should that dog not win because the judge does not want people to think he is “trading assignments”? Should a lesser dog win? In fact, in most cases, the judge does not even remember that he is judging at Handler A’s shows in the future — nor should he care. What is my wife’s mantra? Let the dogs decide! And mine is: Just judge dogs!
The true definition of “trading assignments” is when Handler A is also a judge, and his dog wins under Judge B, and shortly thereafter, Judge B has an assignment at Handler A’s show and Handler A has a judging assignment at a show run by Judge B. It used to be called “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.” It is a terrible perception, but not necessarily what it seems. I am certainly not naive enough to think that this never happens, but it certainly isn’t as prevalent as the rumor-mongers would have you believe. Most of the time a judge gets an assignment because exhibitors like to show to him, he judges enough groups to be of value to the club, or he is available. Yes, sometimes an assignment exists because the judge has put up someone’s dog, and that someone is on the club’s judges committee. It happens, but that doesn’t mean the judge has done anything wrong.
Of course, this leads to another question: Should judges show dogs? As far as I am concerned, this is an unquestionable YES! None of us was born a judge, and most of us started out as an owner-handler. Many judges today were — and are — excellent breeders, and it would be plain stupid to not have them continue to improve our breeds — and set an example for others. If I were still physically able, you can bet that I would be in the ring every weekend with my dog in which I have so much pride.
Certainly, judges showing their own dogs (they cannot show for others) should not win because of who they are. Neither should they lose because of who they are. I will never forget when Shelly and I were still actively showing, there was a judge who told us that she did not believe in allowing judges to show and would never have one of our dogs win. Is that judging dogs?
What about the handler who consistently asks if a judge is interested in an assignment — either here or in another country? Of course, this question is asked on the same day that the handler will be showing dogs to the judge. Are we wearing signs that say “I Am Stupid”? Some have even gone so far as to have a person from this other country call the judge and say that Handler A suggested that she be hired to come judge in that country. How can the Stupid sign be seen through the telephone? I believe that the judge could report the handler (pro or not) to AKC for trying to persuade — or is it intimidate? Most judges would prefer to just brush it off and move on. It has only happened to me once in my more than 50 years of judging, and somehow that handler has not won very often when I judge. Of course, if he had the absolutely best dog, I would have no other choice.
One thing I have seen is when a handler or breeder tries to intimidate a judge. If anyone ever tried that on me, there would be an immediate bench committee called.
Many years ago, I witnessed a handler who showed a lot of a specific breed getting in the face of a woman judge who had just finished her first assignment in that breed — and his dog had not won. My wife and I got in the middle of them, and made him leave. What a truly little man this was — to intimidate a woman who was nervous about her assignment to begin with. We calmed her down, and made sure this little man did not bother her again. I consider my wife (and I) experts in that breed, and we told the judge she had done a good job. Is this about the dogs, or is it about us?
Judges are well aware when a handler is following them. If I give your dog a Best in Show – or a Group 1st — and then many times in the next few weeks you are showing that dog to me in widely disparate parts of the country, then you are following me — and it is no longer about the dog. Of course, that used to be more apparent years ago, but these days, it is absolutely not unusual for a handler to fly all over the country campaigning a dog — especially if it is a dog small enough to be allowed in the cabin of the plane. So, I just try to remember to just judge dogs!
What about friends? Like many other judges, I have been involved with this community for a great many years, and I have many friends who are still breeding and showing dogs. Consider this: All of a sudden you are a judge, and your best friend enters the ring with a dog you know he loves. What do you do? Many of us face that situation every time we judge. I have friends who are professional handlers. I have friends who are breeders. I have friends who are owner-handlers. As far as I am concerned, all are treated equally: If theirs is the best dog, it wins. If not, it doesn’t. All my friends know this, and I have never had to specifically tell them that. They just know how I am when I am in the ring.
Do they get upset or angry with me if they lose? Maybe sometimes. But I also know that if they are no longer my friends if they don’t win, then they weren’t my friends in the first place. A couple of times, I have discussed with my friends what I have seen when they have shown their dog to me, and what I think is correct and what I think needs improvement. Actually, I have also done this with exhibitors whom I do not know, who have asked me how to improve. It’s simple: If you are my friend only when your dog wins under me, then we are not really friends — you are using me!
What about the handler who had been very close friends with a judge for many years, but after not winning the breed at a specialty got in her face because his dog did not win? Is this a friend or is this a user?
One thing that is missing in today’s community is simple respect for the position of the judge. There are proper ways to discuss a judge’s decisions, but intimidation or arguing is not one of them. When I heard about this, I lost some respect for that handler, and I know the judge involved was deeply hurt.
Friendship goes both ways. Just because I am a judge does not necessarily mean that I am more of an expert on a specific breed than one of my friends who has been a successful breeder for years. I love and appreciate when I can sit and talk dogs, and when it is with friends whom I respect, that is even better. So, I learn from them also. Some have been my mentors in their breed, and I still speak with them at times after I have judged their breed in another area of the country. Shouldn’t we always want to learn more about breeds that we judge? And when I can learn from a friend, that makes it even more special.
By the way, real professionals, good owner-handlers, quality breeders don’t have to follow a judge, promise assignments or try to intimidate. They don’t have to. They do their job well, have a real passion and are credits to our community.
I saw something on Facebook that I believe to be true: “The color of your ribbons says very little about your capabilities as a dog handler, but the happiness of your dog says everything.”
What do you think?