What Makes Judges Important
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When I started showing back in 1976, I was still new in presenting Dachshunds and knew that I had better decide how I liked them to be shown and what was important to Judges and myself. My first decision was, as usual, to watch the Dachshund Judges and see what they were looking for and how they liked them stacked. I wanted to find the Judges that made good Dachshunds great and I wanted to eventually have my line of dogs become the great Dachshunds that were wanted by other exhibitors and judges.
At that point in time (the mid 70s), the big Dachshund Specialties were all judged by that big round of breeder-judges that were all available to judge the bigger shows and Specialties and, to my mind, they all wanted the same things in their winning dogs and that was an outline that covered a lot of ground with a great head, lots of neck, well set back on the body which gave tons of forechest. They wanted a body that was deepest when the withers were right under that neckset, level topline and ribs that went well back on the body. They wanted a gorgeous rear and one that was correctly set on that long body and they wanted that dog to move effortlessly and freely around the ring, covering that area in the most efficient manner. These things were there and everyone could see that these long time breeders and other great Dachshund judges (breeders and non-breeders alike) were taught those things for a reason and that, by finding these aspects in a dog meant you were finding the best Dachshund. After all, wasn’t that the point of having these shows? Wasn’t that what these exhibitions were there for?
Then, I started watching Dachshund handlers and seeing how the most successful presented their charges and also how successful they were in the ring. While that didn’t make me a winner, it did show me what the judges were really on the lookout for and what all these respected Judges thought were the important things in the Dachshund Breed and that they wanted a dog with that outline and that movement which made it valuable in the Show Ring and in the Field. Seeing the dogs presented well by these handlers made me want to learn from them as well and so I learned how they managed to make them look that way. I also learned that, after showing to these Judges, they never argued about how much better their dogs were than the ones the Judges put up that day, but instead they were respectful (although a little bit disdainful when they said they would not show to that Judge ever again), because you never knew when they would show up again as a Judge at a big show. Looking ahead was what they were doing and again that was why these handlers were so important to the Dog Game. Needless to say, finding out these things made me a very happy exhibitor as I tried to get all the important things in my first few show dogs.
Those first judges that looked for what I liked were the very popular ones that got lots of assignments in the area and I went to all their assignments, trying hard to be one of the winners and also helping my handler (Hannelore Heller) get all her dogs shown. That was quite an education and I did a lot of thinking while learning what I had to do to be in that Winners Circle. Remember, I was not trying to change these Judges minds, but rather to get the knowledge that they had and use it to improve my dogs. These were my first visits to these Judges and it was not to get wins by some of the lesser known Judges and use that to promote my dogs, but rather as a means of improving my Dachshunds and getting them to really earn their prizes when my line got better. At this time (the late 70s and early 80s), I started winning nationally quite a bit, but never became what I wanted to be in Dachshunds until later.
During this period, I knew that there were two Judges that I desperately wanted to win under with my Longhairs, but that I was not winning with them as they did not quite fill the bill to have what these Judges were looking for. These Judges were John Cook and Ann Gordon and, while I could win with my Smooths, I could never get the boost that they could give me inside the Longhair ring. Instead of making them my enemy, I just decided to get what they wanted as their version of what a Longhair should look and move like would actually make me a better Dachshund breeder as well. To be honest, this idea of working with Judges (by changing our look and not just talking to them) is not often put into practice and, if it was used, the Breed would be in such better shape. I knew they wanted more coat, more head and neck and a longer shapelier body and, if I were honest, so did I. I soon got busy and added these things to my list of attributes while I was still showing to them and went on from there. First, John Cook started putting up my Longhairs nationally and, at the Pennsylvania DCA in 1984, he gave me WD, WB and BOSV and so that made me very happy indeed. Then, the ground changer occurred and I produced PJ who Ann Gordon gave BV and BB from the classes back in 1985 and so she and John were then putting up my Longhairs because I changed my look to satisfy them (and at the same time, to make me a better breeder). Their choices made my dogs better and so their judging changed how and what I showed in the Ring.
After that, I still showed to the great Dachshund Judges and they kept me honest during this time and, by showing to them and seeing what they put up, I soon learned why they picked as they did and what I always should have have on my lead to be a top contender as a Dachshund breeder. I also started adding AKC Judges from other breeds as well as soon as I saw that they indeed judged the breed from the view of a Dachshund Breeder and those were Joan Urban (Bassets), Thelma Brown (Beagles), Don Martin (Bassets), Ned Kaufman (Afghan Hounds), Doris Wear (Whippets). Peg Walton (Bassets), Sandy Schwatrz (Afghans), Jim Clark (Poodles) and, most importantly, Frank Sabella (Poodles). I showed a lot through these years and was always wanting to add good All Rounders to my list of Judges. I just had to watch a few classes to see if they liked the same things that I did. If they did, they became one of the good judges!
Most of this time was spent reinforcing what I knew I liked and making sure I did not lose my most important attributes in my next litter. Most of these things you cannot lose and become the breeder that you want to be. I realize that many things we did were fun and that was our most important aspect of showing the dogs, but, as we went along, learning what is great about a Dachshund was always first on my agenda.
Anyway, as I went on, I soon realized that I knew a little more than most Judges but, since we all used these Judges to get points to finish our Champions, I always knew the ones who put that information up to pick the best Dachshunds and made that good Dachshund a great one. I still watched Judges use their ability in the Show Ring and, as people who know me realize, I always kept track of what Judges did with their knowledge and if they used it to get to the ones who should be Top Winners. As breeders started doing Sweeps and applying for their Dachshund license, I watched them judge and, if you have been around as long as me, you wanted them to have the knowledge of what it takes to understand what it takes to have that top quality which, in all honesty, is the reason we stand in the middle and point at the ones that look and move correctly.
Several times along the way, new breeders had Dachshunds that were really built correctly and moved with style and I often asked myself if they knew what was important in their show stock and what they really had to have to maintain that in the next generation. Mostly I have to say I was a little disappointed in what they thought was essential and what they had to have to go on with their line. Often, the quality of their dogs went down the same hole as their next few litters appeared and their lack of knowledge about what a Dachshund had to have became very apparent.
Many breeders think that Judges, when judging their own breed, put special attention on what they could not conquer in their whelping boxes and give those faults a heavy place in their placements. To be honest, I doubt this as most breeders like what they are producing and give credit to their own dogs for having quality that really just isn’t there when they breed them for that next generation. I could, of course, be wrong, but, when I talk to these breeders about their dogs, I have to basically just shake my head when they talk about all the great things their dogs have and, in my opinion anyway, pretty much love whatever they are producing and think that is what is correct.
Another problem that exhibitors complain about in current Judges is that they are not good with puppies and are too hard on them. This to me seems very odd and, when I read the critiques about Judges on the Internet, they all appear to be too quick in judging the ability of the dogs shown to them even though they were puppies and with many people vowing never to show to them again. First of all, getting puppies trained to be judged should be the exhibitor’s point and, if they are having trouble accomplishing it, take them to matches or take them to shows until they are used to it. That is what we did back in the day and, to be honest, I never wrote off anyone who was rough on puppies as that job was mine and I got that taken care of. If the temperament wasn’t there, I placed the puppy as a pet and got the next one ready to start showing as that first dog’s attitude was part of my problem, not the Judges. Again, the Judges ability is never questioned, but his working with youngsters is what he is judged on. That seems to me to be the problem with those websites is that they do not look at how Judges pick the winners, but instead decide at how they run their ring. Trust me, I would always show to tough Judges that knew what they were doing, even though they were a little tough on puppies (even though that was the exhibitor’s fault for not having them trained and ready to show). My thoughts were always on the Judges abilities and not on their behavior, but then I was actually trying to find out what I needed to know to start my line of dogs.
Another group are the breeder-judges who are always looking for the little things that are not really that important but seem to be their focus in looking at new dogs when they show up in their Ring. As a Judge, you can certainly look anywhere for things that you think are needed by dogs showing to you and, in actuality, there always are bigger and more outstanding objects that really change the look of the Breed. Many people go for smaller things that you really have to study to find and most of these should be looked at during the next breeding to keep from changing that dog in some lesser ways. All changes are important and none should be changed without really thinking how that outline and movement would be different, but, in my mind, there are some items that we as Dachshund people should never lose when looking at them stacked and moving. When I look at the breed, some things should always be there and that is that big front, well set neck and lots of forechest. When we lose that, we have lost the Dachshund as we have known since after the 40s and, changing that to fix some little aspect in the rear or topline or being unsound, makes me wonder why we look for these smaller things and not see when we lose the things that make a Dachshund a Dachshund. Remember in judging that we always have to make it look like a great little dog, full of himself as a true Dachshund and that can use that body to get around the Ring and underground to be what he has to be. That should be what we are looking for.
In looking back at our Judging history, one thing seems different now and that is in the early days there were a lot of Breeder-Judges who worked hard to share their knowledge of Dachshunds and to teach aspiring Judges what was important and how to be strict with that outline and movement. That should be what is important in making sure that new breeders and exhibitors knew why we are set in our ways and how badly we want them all the exhibitors to get this idea as well. Personally, those knowledgeable Judges made me realize what didn’t get by their eye and why those things were important. Watching them judge the entries and always go for that outline, build and motion is the reason that some of us could watch and learn what is needed in the Breed even now.
Fred and Rose Heying, George Spradling, Thirza Hibner, Grace Hirschmann, Phil and Eleanor Bishop, Peter Monks, John Cook, Dorothy Picket, Nancy Onthank, Helen Monroe, Larry Krebs, Gordon Carvill, Tommie Stewart and Katay Burg all judged Dachshunds and loved to teach others about their Breed and the ones that they considered the Best being shown. In fact, having these old time breeders judging and picking out the best was the reason that we all came to shows. We wanted to learn and these long time breeders who picked out the best that were in the Ring always showed why they were the best and what exactly we wanted to see stacked and on the move. That was the reason that we were having these shows and that was also why we should all have been paying attention to the successful breeder’s choices. Again, making these choices and picking out the best was always the reason to have these events. The whole point was having these long time breeders show the spectators the best of what was shown to them and so you could watch their choices and soon understand why they were made.
Back in the day, the Judges all seemed to pick the same dogs for basically the same reason as the great Judges all wanted the correct profile and movement from the entries shown to them. This was not something that changed from one show to the next one and it did not mean that the good points changed either. They wanted that outline and they wanted the dog to move that way as well. Nowadays, one wonders where they look and whether they like what they see. Sometimes you wonder whether they even know what is good or bad in their own dogs and wonder if they even realize that all dogs are not the same. At many of the larger Specialties, Judges are picking winners for the prizes their dogs were not able to ever win for themselves and that was sort of a problem for me, but I guess that part is soon forgotten by the ones who choose the Judges. Anyway, the part of knowledgeable people picking the best dogs and teaching the ones watching is something we seem to have gone past and now we have people complaining about the judging because of how hard they were on their puppies or whether everyone won something, To be honest, I wanted my Judges to always pick out the best dogs for the right reasons and for people who do not know anything to see why those dogs won. Sharing our knowledge is what is missing now at the shows and, in my opinion, is what is needed to come back and help us decide what makes a good Dachshund a great Dachshund.