Showing Questionaire

[Karen]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

I thought it may be a good idea whilst there are a few of us looking at results to see what we consider to be the most important points when judging or showing Whippets.

I would like you all to just put your chosen numbers first at the top of your post. You can of course justify any placings underneath.

The questions is. Place in order of importance to you personally what you look for in an adult Whippet when judging or showing

1, Breed type

2, Head shape, ears, feet and tails

3, Movement

4, Temperament (visable not assumed, shy, aggresive in public etc)

5, Conformation

6, Presentation (Turn out and handling)

7, Colour.

The above list is not in any particular order at the moment

I know some of you will want to put, 'Oh I judge the dog as a whole' most of us know that but if you had to list an order for YOU what would it be.

REMEMBER NUMBERS FIRST AT THE TOP OF YOUR POST. Thanks

 

[Millie]

5

3

1

2

4

6

7

Confomation first as this usually goes along with good movement, movement to me is important in a running dog. Then breed type! :thumbsup:

Forgot to add my pet hate is dirty teeth !

 

[Juley]

1

5

3

2

4

6

7

I think breed type is most important as, IMO, if it isn't recognisably a Whippet, then we have a big problem! I agree that good confirmation should, hopefully, mean good movement and I have gone for head, feet etc next as I HATE bad feet on a running dog. The old saying " No foot, no horse" was drummed in at an early age when I learnt to ride. <G>.

 

[TC]

Oooh excellent thread, I shall look forward to reading the replies. This one should be called "come on, be brave" (w00t)

 

[fable]

1

5

3

2

4

6

7

I've never judged dogs so this is purely hypothetical, but being invoved in native ponies where you are looking at pure breeds, I think type is crucial as it does give you the overall picture of what you're looking for.

Although I think temperament is really the most important thing in a dog, I'm not sure how accurately it can be assessed in the ring.

Correct conformation should give good movement, and I would have thought that head, feet etc. are part of conformation - but maybe they are always considered seperately.

It's good manners for dog and handler to be well turned out - I ve been quite surprised at how scruffy some people are (not necessarily in whippets ).

These are just my views as a newbie, will be fascinated to see other opinions.

 

[Grumpy]

1,

5,

3,

2,

4,

6,

7,

Breed Type. Characteristics which differentiate one breed from another. Does a whippet look like a whippet, a greyhound or an italian. Got to be No 1 !

Conforming to the breed standard has to be next.

Movement is next. Soundness coming and going, side profile to show reach and drive. Dogs run on their legs - not on their heads.

Details, head, ears, feet, tails, are the quality differentials in judging.

Temperament is important for many reasons. A sociable companion is first.

Presentation is the skill in showmanship.

Any colour is acceptable, so it has to come last.

 

[JAX]

Good one Karen

1

5

3

2

4

6

7

Breed type is a must , anything can have correct conformation and move soundly , but unless it has breed type you dont have a whippet ( or whatever breed you are accessing )

I hate bad feet too ,and long nails (w00t) Presentation should be high up in your own personnel preferances when you are exhibiting . that goes without saying ,

I think its bad manners to show a dog with dirty teeth, coat or long nails ( I know some are hard to let you do them , my Mollee is terrible )

What the exhibitors wear is up to them , but if they are looking like a bag lady they dont have much pride in themselves nor their dogs , Judges too shouldnt look like bag ladies :- " esp ,if they are men (w00t) :lol: ( or wear short skirts :- " :teehee: :wacko:

FAT whippets are also something I hate , you lose the shape and eligance (sp) of the breed

 

[dessie]

4

If a dog was blatantly aggressive or so frightened there is no way I would give it consideration. That apart

5

3

2

1

6

7

I have breed type quite low down on my list because I would have already looked round the ring and seen that they were all Whippets!! Whether they are my interpretation of the standard, i.e. type, is another matter entirely. I think type comes far more into the equation when you are judging variety classes.

 

[aslan]

5,1,3

4

2

6

7

Sorry but I can't separate out conformation, breed type and movement. I believe that they all go hand in hand.

It can be that stacked up, a dog is correctly conformed, is clearly a whippet, but when it moves away from you swings a hock or moves with the "pooey nappy syndrome". I would find it difficult to give such a dog a major award. I might place it amongst others but for the top honours it would have to have all three of 5,1, & 3.

Temperament is important because if you can't get your hands on the dog or it is too freaked out to move comfortably then you can't really see what you've got. If there was obvious aggression in the ring I would not be considering the dog for a placement, no matter how nice he was.

Head ears tail etc come next as the finer points of breed type. Although I couldn't give a major award to a dog with erect ears or a gay tail as that ruins the first impression of breed type.

Presentation of handler and dog is important but not so that I would put it at the top of my list.

Colour is immaterial. Naturally I have my favourite colours but when choosing a pup from a litter I've bred I go for 5,1,3,4 first. When I was judging whippets, colour was immaterial - I never saw it.

 

[beaker]

this is a great thread really gets you thinking :thumbsup:

i'm not a judge so 7 first colour....kiddin :- "

3

5

1

2

4

6

7

i struggled with the first two as they really should go hand in hand but in the end plumped for movement first and foremost, whippets are a moving breed and this should be paramount.

much can be hidden with a bit of carefull placing of feet, turning the foot in or out to hide some failure or a gentle placing of the hand on the back to get the desired topline or appearance of depth by encoraging a bit of a lean here and there,

A lot of this comes undone when the dog takes it's first steps round the ring.

but like i said i'm no judge and i've got wonkey whippets :lol:

 

[~JO~]

1

3&5

4

2

6

7

Breed type first again for me as if it immediately doesn't look like a whippet then... it doesn't really matter how good anything else ( although even with this I can see points from the other side of the argument)

Confirmation & movement second - these go hand in hand in my book

I've put temprament here - however it could also easily go first as if it was agressive for example it would immediately be disregarded - regardless of anything else.

Tails, feet etc etc are obviosuly more imprtant than turn-out or though, good presentation would count here if otherwise 2 dogs were pretty equal.

Of course colour last :thumbsup: except I personally wouldn't place anything other than a fawn

:lol: :lol: THAT WAS A JOKE!!!

 

[Morgan]

Very intresting thred :thumbsup:

1, Breed type + 4, Temperament in my opinion that's the two 1st details you see when you watch a dog in his class and come a bit closer to him before starting the individual judgings

5, Conformation (which for me includes that as well: 2, Head shape, ears, feet and tails) + 3, Movement,

conformation and mouvement beeing in my opinion the most important parts of judging

6, Presentation this can be a bonus but nothing more

7, Colour. immaterial

 

[05whippet]

Very intresting thred :thumbsup:
1, Breed type + 4, Temperament in my opinion that's the two 1st details you see when you watch a dog in his class and come a bit closer to him before starting the individual judgings

5, Conformation (which for me includes that as well: 2, Head shape, ears, feet and tails) + 3, Movement,

conformation and mouvement beeing in my opinion the most important parts of judging

6, Presentation this can be a bonus but nothing more

7, Colour. immaterial

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I actually totally agree with the above,and after Moss experience at the week-end just have to put 4, Temperament top of the list.

 

[Karen]

Very interesting results so far. I thought presentation may be higher as I hear a lot of people say, ' that dog is really nice he would have won if he had been handled better'

 

[dawn]

[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]

1 = conformation

1 = breed type

 

2 movement

 

3 = Head shape etc

3 = Temperament

 

4 = Colour

4 = Presentation

reasons:-

If one is to answer correctly AS FAR AS JUDGING THE BREED is concerned:-

Conformation must be number 1 as this is how the dog matches-up to the breed standard.

QUOTE:-

In dog breeding and conformation shows, the conformation is how well the dog conforms in appearance to standards published for a specific breed. This is a set standard, usually written, which is used to judge a given dog against the hypothetical ideal specimen of that breed.

As conformation is how the dog matches the breed standard – (how can Breed Type be defined differently)? So this is either irrelevant or should be considered =first.

 

As colour is irrelevant it must be last with ‘presentation’ being the other viable option for ‘null points’

2, Head shape, ears, feet and tails is already a point of consideration for overall Conformation and cannot be thought any more (or less) important than 4, Temperament. A dog with a good head and poor temperament is no better (or worse) than a dog with a poor head and good temperament.

 

3, Movement must be more important than points 2, 4, 6 & 7.

Having said all I agree with Karen that handling can make a good dog look poor and a poor dog look OK. An example would particualrly being in respect of moving the dog. If the dog looks better when it moved slowly and the handler moves it quickly (sorry Jan F) it may look to have poor movement and vice versa.

 

[Seraphina]

I could not place them in order, as others said; conformation and soundness go hand in hand. And if dog does not have the conformation of a Whippet, then it is not a Whippet, so TYPE is also closely connected. And Last; ears, feet, tails... well it depends how bad the faults are comparing to the rest.

Really bad, agressive temperament and as far as i am concern, the dog should be sent out of the ring and not bred from. Shy, it depends how bad but should definitely be penelized.

I consider the main reason for showing is to prove that individual dog is good enough to produce the next generation. I think that an excellent but dirty dog with long nails should be placed above well manicured and squeeky clean but unsound one. At least at breed level.

Dog show should not be a fashion parade. :b

1,2,3,5

4

6- if the dog is not standing or moving I cannot apraise it

7 immaterial

 

[bardmand]

Sorry but I can't separate out conformation, breed type and movement.  I believe that they all go hand in hand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

And so they should. However, it is perfectly possible for a whippet to have stunning movement without having the desired balance between power and elegance.

I have witnessed judging that has seemed to prefer a shallow, underdeveloped dog with spectacular movement over a sound, well-developed dog with slightly less enthusiasm in the ring - and that is not how I would prioritize. So as not to appear as a sore loser, I must rush to add that neither of these were my dogs.

 

[bardmand]

I consider the main reason for showing is to prove that individual dog is good enough to produce the next generation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

This is an interesting take on dog showing, and slightly different from the stated goal of dog showing in Norway (perhaps even Scandinavia?). Here, you are supposed to judge the breeding result - i.e. it is not assumed that a good show dog is necessarily a good producer, although it is perhaps an indication that his sire and/or dam are (at least when it comes to conformation).

That does not mean that people do not rush to the latest show star to breed their bitches to him...

Also, there are many things that cannot be assessed in a show ring (especially with regards to health and temperament), so I would not take show ring success as a definite proof of a dog's worth as a producer.

Edited to add: Of course, that still does not mean that a dog show should be a fashion parade - a dog's worth as a producer has little to do with how well his offspring are groomed...

 

[Karen]

You may find one day that conformation and movement do not go hand in hand.

I have seen stunning looking dogs move really badly, toeing in all round going very close behind or worse wide, and flicking pasterns.

I have also seen what I considered a fairly poor looking dog, construction wise, upright front set too far forward, shallow and with no bend of stifle really cover the ground low and steady.

So I think these two can be miles apart.

 

[Angela Bayley]

3

5

1

2

6

4

7

Difficult because I rate 2 6 4 about the same.