MY MENTOR

In most of life's endeavors there is an absolute necessity for education. Whether a nuclear physicist or janitor, everyone has to learn what to do and how to do it.  The world of dogs is no different.  All of us have had individuals who have assisted us when we were first getting started or when situations arose with which we were not familiar.

I few years ago I had the opportunity to judge a Dane Specialty in the Southwest. At the club's dinner that evening, I was asked to say a few words.  (Note:  "few" and "words" are seldom used when I am part of the topic).  Anyway, as part of my unscripted and far too long time at the dais, I happened to mention the name of the person that was so instrumental to my wife and I when we first began our relationship with this wonderful breed. Later a high profile individual in our breed and former president of the GDCA came over to our table and to my surprise began telling me how my mentor was also hers. Those few minutes that we spoke were very special since I thought that my mentor's name was not exactly on the lips of too many individuals in today's world of the Great Dane. I really appreciated her conversation and was taken back to many great memories of a very great man.

My mentor was Don Gauthier. I know that most of you have probably never heard that name, but let me assure you, it should be part of your knowledge of Dane history.  The last time I saw Don (before I relocated from Florida to Michigan) we celebrated his 90th birthday.  His life was, if nothing else, full.  An accomplished dancer (he gave lessons), musician, cook (he studied at the Sorbonne in Paris), a clasically trained artist, teacher, and, for our purposes, a primary cog in the wheel of Great Dane developement.

Don knew Lina Basquette when she was in silent films, long before her days with Danes.  As would be expected, Don had numerous stories about Lina (then again, who doesnt). His were quite interesting to say the least. Don shared knowledge of the Dane that was far more than understanding the written word in our standard (although his knowledge of that document was second to none). He was the chairman of the first standard's committee set up by the GDCA and did all of the original illustrations. When I started in Danes, we were still using that original version.  I believe our first revision was in 1976, but there are readers of this piece that can verify that date better than I. Give Don a piece of chalk and a slide projector and the game was on.  His formal presentations were very educational and frequent. I attended dozens of these and I will go to my grave thinking that I had an opportunity that should be available to everyone, but, unfortunately, is not. As much as I learned in these formal venues, the times I remember the most were his explanations of the essence of the breed. There are aspects we all learn through experience not necessarily because they are defined in the standard. Our standard is the most comprehensive of any in the AKC. I'm certain that many of you have friends that judge breeds other than Danes.  Ask them how their standard compares to most others. You sometimes go into a ring with the only certainty at your disposal is that your next breed has four legs.  But as detailed and educational that our standard may be, each of us develops an understanding of type, style and flow that is difficult, if not impossible to articulate on the printed page. It is this part of my education from Don that I cherish the most. We would often attend a show, and at ringside, he would mentor me on what he saw in the ring. Often these were large entries and good overall quality, especially on the January circuit where people literally came from all four corners of the country to participate in major shows and escape the winter weather. However, many people found that Florida can get a bit nippy as well. In those days, the entries were such that the Open Fawn class by itself had enough entries to make a major.

This was where I developed a deeper understanding of what our breed should be. Over the years, I have conducted seminars on the Great Dane. Although I go over the standard and try to answer questions of the attendees, I do not read the Standard to them. These people are already judges and know about shoulders, topline, movement, etc. The basics of dog anatomy should be relatively easy to evaluate in a non-coated breed where any problems are magnified by their great size. The areas I try to stress are those that would give someone the most questions or problems. In our breed, it doesnt take long (usually the first question) for someone to ask about color/markings.  And off we go. . .

I want people to learn at my seminars or at ringside in the manner that I was able to learn. I want people to understand the essence of our magnificent breed. Don was my mentor and I have attempted to do so with many people over the years. I'm not recreating any facts, I'm passing on the baton for another generation.

For those of you that mentor others in our breed, keep up the good work. For those of you that have benefited from the knowledge of others, tell them thanks and look toward the time that you will do the same for someone else.

BILL