WHOSE FAULT IS IT: THE BLAME GAME BREEDER HANDLER JUDGE
by Terence Farley, Judges Education Chair, The Havanese Club of America
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D og People” come in three main categories; breeders, exhibitors, and judges. All three seem to have opinions about the ailments of the breed. Each blames the other for the problems the breed is experiencing in the ring. It is the breeder’s fault for breeding this style; it is the exhibitor’s fault ( exhibi- tor being professional hander, breeder handler, or owner handler ) for showing this style, or for grooming the dog in this fashion; or it is the judge’s fault for rewarding these particular styles. I am using the term ‘style’ verses ‘type’ because I was told a long time ago there is only one type which is the Havanese, but styles may vary. So, whose fault is this controversy? Do we blame the breeder? This is the person who bred the dog for the ring in the first place. Obviously the breed- er has in her/his mind’s eye the ideal picture of what a Havanese should look like, move like, and in general be like. This person must have a love for the breed to have devoted the time and energy to have studied pedigrees, completed the necessary health test- ing, bred, socialized and trained this puppy. Breeding is not an easy process if it is done right, and I am assuming that a person devoting the time, en- ergy, and money to have a dog shown, is attempting to be an ethical breeder and to have the correct breed type in
mind. But is this enough? Will this particular style win? The bottom line is that if the other dogs in the ring are of a different style and winning, the breeder will eventually alter the style they produce in order to exit the ring with ribbons, rosettes, and points. Now we start to hear some blaming; blame the other exhibitors (handlers) or the judge. Should we blame the Professional Handler? According to Wikipedia “A professional handler, sometimes called a professional dog handler is a person that trains, conditions, and shows dogs in conformation shows for a fee. Handlers are hired by dog owners or breeders to finish their dogs championship, or if finished, to be shown in the Best of Breed class as a ‘special’.” This person is a paid pro- fessional. His/her job is to complete a dog’s conformation title or better yet receive breed placements and na- tional rankings. A handler has a win- ning reputation to maintain as well as keeping their clients contented and satisfied. A handler’s duty (profes- sional or owner) is to present the dog to its fullest potential. It must be well trained, well fed, bathed/dried and groomed to the specifications of the standard, and be ready to dazzle the judge in the ring. If winner’s dog, win- ner’s bitch, or best of breed are a dif- ferent style than the one the handler
is showing, then the handler might change the grooming or style of the dogs they are showing. Once again we start to hear blaming; blame the breeder or the judge. Or should we blame the Judge? According to Wikipedia, “A dog show judge, sometimes dog judge, is a per- son that is qualified to evaluate dogs at a conformation show.” Becoming a judge is not an easy task. A judge must have bred and exhibited dogs for several years, gained experience with show ring procedures includ- ing stewarding, completed training including but not limited to judges’ education seminars, ringside mentor- ing, attending national specialties, being mentored, as well as having to go through an interview process which includes written/oral evalua- tions, as well as ringside observations by AKC field reps. Prospective judges are highly trained to evaluate the dogs that will be presented to them. Outside the ring we often scratch our heads and ask how or why did the judge put up one dog versus another. From outside the ring the onlooker cannot see the dog’s bite, determine by feeling if the dog has the proper rise, shoulder lay back, correct front, and so on. Other times a ringside ob- server will feel that the dog receiving an award did not show the proper ele- ments of breed type. Judges might say
52 • T op N otch T oys , O ctober 2019
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