ARE WE HONORING OUR BREED STANDARDS?
I believe that there are two distinct ways that breeders and judg- es ignore the standards. The first is the acceptance of exaggeration of traits required in a standard and the second is the deliberate changing of the structure of a breed to create a bigger gait or, in some instances, a different silhouette that is sought after for the show ring, but would often actually hamper a dog in the field. Let’s explore some breeds where exaggerations that are in oppo- sition to their breed standard have become so common that they are all too often considered correct. The Weimaraner standard is a good place to begin. The stan- dard states “the chest should be well developed and deep,” “the brisket should extend to the elbow,” and there should be a “moder- ately tucked-up flank.” There is no mention in this standard about extreme forechest with exaggerated keel, yet a number of years ago I watched many dogs of this breed go from being the “balanced” dog required in the opening paragraph of the standard to a caricature with very exaggerated forechest and an extreme tuck-up that made the dog look totally front heavy and wasp-waisted. Dogs built in this man- ner do not appear balanced or efficient, yet, as a judge, I have been chastised for awarding a somewhat more moderate animal over those that I felt were so exaggerated they no longer fit the standard. The chastisement came from a well-known handler of the breed who informed me that “they can never have too much forechest.” Seriously? I don’t see this anywhere in the standard. I am happy to have noted—over the past ten years or so—a trend by some breed- ers to take a step back and remove some of the exaggeration in this breed. I sincerely hope this trend continues. On to the English Cocker Spaniel, whose standard states “a solidly built dog with as much bone and substance as is possible without becoming cloddy or coarse.” In my mind, this is a clear statement of substance, and the standard goes on to describe body properties that support this statement. It also describes a croup that is gently rounded, a tail set that conforms to the croup, and tail carriage that is horizontal or somewhat higher when the dog is excited, but “not cocked up.” The length of neck required is “mod- erate.” Yet we often see English Cocker Spaniels winning in the ring that conform more closely to some of the requirements in the English Setter breed standard, such as “croup nearly flat,” “neck long and graceful,” and “tail a smooth continuation of the topline.” English Cockers that carry these English Setter traits show exag- geration of elegance and outline that is in distinct opposition to their own breed standard. Perhaps, no Sporting breed has been exaggerated so far away from its breed standard moreso than the Golden Retriever. Dur- ing my lifetime, Goldens have been changed from an attractive, functional, just off-square, close-coated, firm-moving breed into a glamor breed with excesses everywhere. Excesses of coat (both incorrect in quantity and quality) and proportion (much longer than tall rather than just off-square) and grooming abound in the breed, while many critical features required in the breed standard are completely ignored by both breeders and judges. It has become more about hair and big, flying side gait and sharp showmanship than it is about correct heads, front assemblies, and body proper- ties. Breeders ignore the standard (or have no idea what it says) when making breeding combinations, and many judges are totally confused by the dogs that face them in the ring. Large entries with few dogs that resemble one another make for a difficult judging experience by even those who have a great deal of history in the breed. Nowhere is the statement, “the one that looks different is
probably the one that fits the standard,” more true than in the Golden Retriever ring. In other breeds, changes in the structure of the breed have been deliberately created by breeders selecting for traits that are distinct faults under the breed standard. The English Springer Spaniel standard calls for shoulder blades and upper arms that are long and sloping, forming an angle of nearly 90-degrees. It also requires “hips that are nicely rounded” and a croup that slopes gently to the set of the tail. “The tail is carried horizontally or slightly elevated.” These statements describe a dog that is well-angulated at the shoul- der and the hip, placing the legs on both ends under the body for support. In an attempt to create dogs with side gait that displays exaggerated lift and kick—as well as to make dogs with extreme sloping toplines that are unnaturally rigid—breeders have selected dogs with shoulder blades that have shortened and migrated for- ward, and croups that are far too flat with pelvic slope of only 10-15 degrees instead of the correct 30 degrees off the horizontal. This construction opens the angles at the shoulder and hip, and places the dogs’ front legs forward under their ears, and their hind feet far out behind a line drawn from the back of the buttocks to the ground, creating a lack of support for the body. And, as pelvic slope decreases and croups get flatter, tail sets get higher and tail carriage gets much higher, completely destroying the proper angles, gently rounded croups, and broad, muscular thighs that should be seen I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE TWO DISTINCT WAYS THAT BREEDERS AND JUDGES IGNORE THE STANDARDS. THE FIRST IS THE ACCEPTANCE OF EXAGGERATION OF TRAITS REQUIRED IN A STANDARD AND THE SECOND IS THE DELIBERATE CHANGING OF THE STRUCTURE OF A BREED TO CREATE A BIGGER GAIT OR, IN SOME INSTANCES, A DIFFERENT SILHOUETTE THAT IS SOUGHT AFTER FOR THE SHOW RING, BUT WOULD OFTEN ACTUALLY HAMPER A DOG IN THE FIELD.
178 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2021
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