The Whole is Greater/Less Than The Sum Of Its Parts

It is always interesting to see how dogs “appear” in the ring on different days. I was recently involved with the TOP 20 at the National and had a chance to see our top ranked dogs up close. Some of them I had previously judged and others I had personally not seen before. Those I had judged I remembered pretty well and it was, as always, educational to see them on a different day and in a different venue. If they had “appeared” in my ring the way they did at the National I would have made some different decisions. Don’t infer that I think that the dogs went from good to bad or vice-versa but they just made a different impression than when I had seen them before.

There is no other breed like the Great Dane when it comes to a person’s reaction on seeing a truly good example. Without trying to sound too prejudicial, our breed is magnificent. Their tremendous size, elegance and noble bearing is evidence of the well-deserved moniker The Apollo of Dogs. But what is it that seems to separate one structurally good dog from another?

I have been questioned (as is the fate of judges) by owners of dogs that I did not put up as to why I “didn’t like their dog”. I always cringe when I hear that question. It is seldom that I do not appreciate or recognize the positive qualities of any exhibit. However, given but one purple or purple-and-gold ribbon on the day, it is going to happen that a good dog may not win. Usually accompanying an owner’s somewhat restrained question (hopefully it is restrained) comes a brief resume’ of the dog’s wins. Once we get past that point I will tell them what I liked about their dog as well as where I think some improvement is needed. In truth the losing dog may have had very similar qualities to the one that I put up but the whole of the losing exhibit was less than the sum of the parts. It is like the age old story of how a committee was established to create a horse and they came up with a camel. Often a deciding factor is the dog’s demeanor or presence in the ring. A beautiful dog that you have to check for a pulse is not doing itself any favors when matched with other good dogs that show like stallions. I have had this situation a number of times and have been told by owners that I put up the showier dog but missed the best dog. I appreciate their feelings but I have always subscribed to the fact that dog shows are for show dogs. Part and parcel of our breed is their nobility, character and demeanor and, when a well structured animal exhibits these qualities, they should be considered and oft times rewarded. My own personal description that I use is STYLE. I have seen certain breeding programs bring stylish dogs into the ring on a consistent basis for years. I have also seen individuals that have well structured animals that usually have little or no ring presence. If you have good dogs but they do not show too well, find out what others are doing to get the most out of their dogs. I honestly don’t think it is a hereditary factor. I do show training classes every week and see very good breeders in many different breeds wait until their dogs are 9-12 months old before introducing them to other dogs (sometimes introducing them to a lead). GET THEM OUT OF THE HOUSE AND SOCIALIZED IN AS MANY DIFFERENT VENUES AS POSSIBLE INCLUDING SHOW TRAINING CLASSES!!!
If this is not done you may easily wind up stuck in the world of good dogs that are less than the sum of their parts.

Bill