ADVICE FOR NEW SHIH TZU JUDGES AND PROSPECTIVE JUDGES by Sally Vilas
balance of the dogs; they should be rectangular rather than square, and color patterns may be deceptive. For example, a dog with a wide white ‘shawl’ over the shoulders will look shorter in overall length than one that is a solid color, or with a smaller amount of white over the shoulders. You need to train your eye to these variances and use your hands to con- firm visual evaluations made while the class is moving around the ring. “BE PREPARED TO EVALUATE THE BALANCE OF THE DOGS; THEY SHOULD BE RECTANGU- LAR RATHER THAN SQUARE, AND COLOR PATTERNS MAY be deceptive.”
adjudicate the breed. That may be where our preparation begins, but should not be where it ends. BE PREPARED to use parent club material about the breed. I urge new or experienced judges of Shih Tzu to include in their preparation The Illus- trated Guide to the Shih Tzu Standard published by the American Shih Tzu Club. This attractive 64 page book- let contains the standard, of course, with clarifications and wonderful drawings by Stephen Hubbell to help understand what is under the some- what glamorous looking coat on dogs in the show ring. To further that un- derstanding, there are also colored photos of Shih Tzu in full show coat and then ‘cut down’ (actually, ‘shaved down’ is the appropriate description). The accompanying honest evalua- tions of good and less desirable fea- tures of these dogs is invaluable to anyone learning the breed. We are always told, when studying a new breed, to learn and remember ‘the es- sence of the breed type’; it is pictured and summarized on page 27. Before any assignment to judge Shih Tzu, it is worthwhile to take this booklet off of the shelf and review what the par- ent club is telling you about the breed. To order a copy of the Illustrated Guide or find out when and where ASTC-approved Judges Educa- tion Seminars are bing held, contact ASTC Judges Education Chair Kristi Mann, 202.612.6558 BE PREPARED to evaluate the
M any of us, when writing about ‘how to judge’ a breed, have de- scribed general or specific ring procedures for that breed. I’ve done that myself but was asked to offer advice for newer judges of the Shih Tzu. This sounds obvious, but I start with that borrowed slogan: BE PREPARED! Of course the judge, new or experi- enced, has already studied the breed by attending seminars, finding men- tors, attending specialties, and tak- ing advantage of any opportunity to put hands on actual Shih Tzu! He/ she has been interviewed to deter- mine depth of knowledge of the breed, and AKC has granted approval to
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