Breeders’ Briefcase by Amy & Bonnie Insights Into Breed Standards Written by Dr Al Grossman and reprinted with permission We have all heard a variety of finish its championship. references to soundness. It may be, “I It is practically impossible to divorce don’t care for so and so’s dog but he type from soundness completely, is sound”, or “isn’t so and so lovely, for it might be said that soundness and so sound too.” Various words have is the cause and type the effect. I been used to define “sound.” Some have always used the analogy from of them are (1) free from flaw, defect home building that soundness is or decay, undamaged or unimpaired, the basement and framework of (2) healthy, not weak or diseased, the building. Type is the goodies robust of body and mind. Continuing, added on to make it a livable house. there are flawless, perfect, sturdy, Expression, coat, etc. define your dependable, reliable, etc. Are you final impression of the dog. beginning to get the picture? It should be pointed out that a sound Most breeds have been bred for a dog is not necessarily championship purpose, and as such, is required to material, since the word “show” have the stamina and traits necessary itself connotes that a little more is to perform its function, coupled required. with the necessary instincts. Thus, soundness should mean that the Generally speaking, when a breeder animal is able to carry out the job for describes a sound specimen, he which it is intended. It should mean means a dog without a major fault. the animal is free from flaw, healthy Using the standard as a guide, (both mentally and physically), however, even the best dogs have capable of lasting endurance traits that should not be perpetuated if required, and dependable. actively. It is wrong to conclude that Theoretically, the basic purpose because a top specimen possesses behind breeding dogs for the show an undesirable trait, that trait can ring is to produce specimens that suddenly become good and desirable. most nearly approach this ideal. Thus Unfortunately, there are those who type and style are also prerequisites completely ignore and bypass the for the title. However, type and style breed standard in frenzied attempts alone do not (and should not) make a to secure winners or create a “novel” champion. color to enhance puppy sales. Standards have often been criticized I hear voices in the background saying as being too vague, as being obsolete “Oh yeah! I’ve seen some very typey, in sections, etc. However, it is one but basically unsound dogs attain thing to read a standard and quite their championship. Sadly that’s true another to discern what the standard but not the norm. With enough money actually means. to show a dog for a long time with an excellent handler, it has been proven It would be almost impossible for any that many a flashy but poor dog can one judge or breeder to render an PAGE 10 * THE WEIMARANER MAGAZINE * OCTOBER 2009 interpretation of a breed standard and is a pontifical posture, with regards say, “this is it!” However, there are to the breed standard as merely certain traits actively sought after by a primer for the novice. They, the breeders, even though the standard “experts,” know what an excellent plainly says those traits are not specimen should really look like. Too desirable. One that comes to mind is often the “ideal” characteristics can the excessively heavy coats on Cocker be seen only in one of their own dogs. Spaniels, although the standard Checking on the quality dogs they explicitly states excessive coat shall have produced one finds a paucity of be severely penalized. There are top-notch dogs and abundance to dogs also other prevailing ideas held by that have accumulated the necessary the fancy that has no basis in their 15 points. standard. These attitudes are unrealistic in Dr. E. H. Barnes, writing in Australia’ opposite ways. One displays a blind National Dog Magazine, pointed out and naïve worship of the breed that that it is common at dog shows standard. The other treats it in a to hear the winners’ criticized for cavalier fashion. Both err in being failure to meet the standard. The extremes, one falling in a ditch on one critics quite sincerely insist that the side of the road, and the other goes rear angulation was not in accordance off on the other side. One assumes the with the standard’s requirements, the breed standards are immutable and eye color was too light, and that the eternally correct. The other ignores ears did not break as required, etc. No the fact that all of the requirements mention is made of the ways in which for a breed about which there is the losing dogs failed to measure up formal consensus are incorporated to specifications of the standard. It is, in the standard. All other statements of course, unlikely that any specimen about the characteristics, which a meets the requirements of his breed’s breed “ought” to display or “should standard exactly. not” display, are not fact but opinion only. Such statements should be The judge has merely rendered an characterized clearly as such. Forming opinion that the merits of the winner or voicing such opinions on matters are more important than his demerits. not covered by the AKC standard is He has cast up a balance sheet and neither wrong nor undesirable. On has concluded the assets of one dog the contrary, forming or voicing such exceed his liabilities by the greatest opinions is a good thing to do if done margin. Although these critics stop constructively. short of actually asserting that ribbons should be withheld from any dog that There is objection, however, to those deviates from the standard in any who would modify the standards by respect that really is the implication. personal fiat, those who attempt to use their authority or position One also hears the “experts” criticize to subvert the legislative process dogs with respect to fine points which established for the creation of are desirable in the breed, but about standards. There is such a process, which the breed standard is either and it contains safeguards against non-specific or silent. These experts errors and excesses. are also found voicing their views in breed columns of various magazines Breed standards by their very but especially on the internet. Theirs nature (and AKC’s attitude toward OCTOBER 2009 * THE WEIMARANER MAGAZINE * PAGE 11 radical changes) tend toward the public. However, it should be clear conservative. Radical changes seldom that it is the dog, not the standard, appear, so stability of a breed is which leads the evolutionary process. promoted. Just read the proposed The standard is the ratchet that keeps changes in the AKC Gazette to us from slipping backwards. assure yourself of this fact. Although In interpreting the breed standard, provision is made for evolution and a breeder or judge must draw his improvement of breeds, revolution is first impression in the evaluation prevented. A dog that is acceptable of any specimen in his mind’s eye. today most likely will be acceptable However, to understand a written next year. breed standard completely, a true Breed Standards are necessarily student of the breed must first have retrospective. They can only describe a clear picture of what he considers the most desirable features of dogs “ideal.” This mental picture will vary that have previously existed. They from person to person of course, cannot anticipate the development of and will change considerably as a features that may occur and that may breeder and/or a judge becomes more be valued as improvements. Anyone experienced. who has seen pictures of great dogs of the past, and has compared them with pictures of current winning dogs References cannot doubt that such changes have • Beauchamp, Richard, Solving the occurred in the past. Mysteries of Breed Type, Doral Contrary to popular opinion, Publishing, 2002 improvements in the breeds have not • Grossman, Alvin, The Standard been the result of breeders working Book of Dog Breeding, Doral toward the realization of an absolute Publishing, 1992 vision of perfection described in • Grossman, Alvin, “Faults and the breed standards. Efforts to Double Faults”, The American breed to type have maintained past Cocker Review, March 1980 improvements. They have been conservative rather than progressive. Dr. Grossman judges all Sporting Dogs It has been the latitude provided by and BIS. He is the highly successful the breed standards, allowing the author of six books and over 100 exhibition of specimens with minor articles about Pure Bred Dogs. His deviations from the former ideal syndicated column” From the Skeptic that has resulted in the evolution of Tank” is carried in many magazines the breeds. If the breed standards in the U.S. and in Australia. He has allowed no deviation from past ideals judged and lectured in fourteen of perfection, no progress could be foreign countries. Dr. Grossman achieved. was a four term president of the American Spaniel Club and also served Although it has been argued that many two years as president of the U.S. of the changes that have occurred Lakeland Terrier Association He is should not be characterized as currently CEO of a website dedicated improvements, it is obvious that these to mentoring the new and and novice changes could not have come about breeder at www.winningsolutions.info without the approval of the judges, the breeders, and the dog-owning PAGE 12 * THE WEIMARANER MAGAZINE * OCTOBER 2009.