Odd Man Out – When the Best Dog Looks “Different”
I’m ready to rant again. But then if I wasn’t carrying on about something, you’d have no idea who was writing this, would you?
This time it’s about our lack of intestinal fortitude–having the courage to go ahead and do the right thing in spite of what every Tom, Dick and Harriett might be doing. And it’s about putting at least some emphasis on selecting the best breeding stock in our litters and in the ring. We
already have enough dogs that look like “the rest.” How about at least once in a while giving the occasional one that can really do something for a breed an even break? I’m talking about that one really correct dog in the lineup that all too often gets tossed out with the trash because it doesn’t look like “the rest.”
At a show I was at recently, a veteran breeder-exhibitor of Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers entered the ring with a bitch of really exquisite type.
Now, mind you, this wasn’t just an any old someone who has hung around dog shows for a bunch of years without contributing a thing. This person has been a mainstay in the breed for over a quarter of a century, someone who knows what a good one is and has produced good dogs over the years.
Even for those totally unfamiliar with the Wheaten, you could guess from the two big clues in the breed’s name that coat and color are of major importance. The breed standard itself states very clearly, “Coat – is a distinguishing characteristic of the breed which sets the dog apart from all other terriers.” Regarding coat type the standard goes on to say, “soft and silky with a gentle wave.” And again further along, space is given to the fact that while the breed is presented “to show a terrier outline…sharp contrasts or stylization must be avoided.”
But back to said exhibitor’s young bitch. She was truly a standout in the class – a standout for a number of reasons: her conformation was outstanding, her coat was of the correct type, texture and color, and she was properly groomed. Because of all this, she looked like nothing else in her class.
Was she Best of Breed? Winners? Reserve?
None of the above. She was out of the ring quicker than you could shake a stick at!
Among the spectators at ringside was a “friend” who was standing with those who felt the bitch in question had been entirely missed. When this friend pointed out the difference in coat type and lack of tonsorial stylization, those who know the breed well assured him that both coat and presentation were exactly what was correct.
Friend’s response was, “Well, if they plan on ever winning with that bitch, they’d better get with the program and have her dog look like the rest.”
And you know what? Friend was probably right. If you want to get anywhere in the day-to-day dog game, your dog had better look like the rest, or if not like the rest, at least like the one that’s doing all the current big winning. And that’s irrespective of how right or wrong that
popular “look” might be!
At another show, the last of a four-day cluster, I was the judge in charge and the breed was American Cockers – a breed that has held my interest since before Hector even thought of being a pup.
A handler came into my ring with one of the loveliest young bitches I’ve seen in years. But it was immediately apparent that the two had not worked together for any length of time. The young bitch was sporadic in what she was more capable of doing well.
Nevertheless, her beautiful type and general conformation (one off the best fronts I’ve seen in ages!) was such that she could have nothing less than Best of Variety. (I must admit that her competition was less than formidable – far less!) But the bitch would have stood out like a sore thumb in any company.
Had she won all of the previous three days? Had she won any of the previous days?
None of the above!
She didn’t show to perfection, but her movement was completely correct. She didn’t fly around the ring as though her feathers were on fire, but what she did was correct. She hesitated now and then, but the tail was going and it was easy to see that her problem was stubbornness rather than timidity. The bottom line of it all is that her type was drop-dead gorgeous and because of it, she looked nothing like her competition.
I can name you half a dozen instances I’ve observed recently that the “odd man was out,” not because the dog was wrong but because the dog was entirely right, but the only dog in its class that was really correct.
The last word?
So, am I attempting to convey that I know everything there is to know about everything there is to know? Or that everyone should be putting up the same dog? Not by a long shot. But I do know that half a dozen wrongs in a class or in a breed do not make a right!
Being right is a lonely place in today’s dog game. It’s conforming that has obviously become more important. In truth, you’ll have scores of friends as a judge, and probably as many wins if you’re an exhibitor, if you learn to conform, but who of those who really know their breed want to conform to what they know in their heart is wrong?
I know that at times it takes great courage to acknowledge what is right, but especially in your own breed or breeds–who will if you don’t? You may think following the drifts and the trends will maintain your status as “one of the guys,” when in reality it just marks you as one of the herd.
None of us show our dogs to lose. Of course we want to win, but I think I can speak for most conscientious breeders and exhibitors in saying that winning with something you know isn’t worth the powder to blow it away is no win at all. We can go out and buy one of those ugly winged victories for a whole lot less than it takes to schlep 14 tons of grooming equipment to a dog show half way across the country.
However, in all fairness, I guess you can’t help but have a certain degree of empathy for breeders who eventually do conform and breed to “what wins.” but stop and think – will our young judges and new breeders and exhibitors ever have the opportunity to see a good one if everyone conforms to a popular but misguided trend? I mean, how much can you blame a judge for not recognizing a good one when it comes into the ring if he’s never seen a really top one before?
by Richard G. (“Rick”) Beauchamp
Dogs In Review Magazine, October 2001
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