Understanding quality: learning to see what makes a good dog

At a show, a quality is a characteristic that meets the requirements of the standard. It may concern the outline, head, limbs, coat, temperament or movement.

To sharpen your eye, learn to explain what you appreciate. “He’s beautiful” then becomes: “These are the characteristics that match his breed.”

Beginner — Recognising strong points

1. Look for qualities in the standard

Qualities do not necessarily appear under a heading with that name. They are found in the descriptions of what is sought.

Your exercise: choose a section that is easy to observe, such as the ears or the coat. Pick out two expected characteristics, then look at how they appear in your dog.

Start by describing: you don’t need to pass judgement right away.

2. Tell your personal taste from the breed criterion

You may love a very expressive head or a profuse coat. To appreciate these features at a show, you also need to check that they match the standard.

Your exercise: complete two sentences:

“What I like about my dog is…”
“The standard calls for…”

When the two meet, you understand better why that characteristic may be valued in the ring.

3. Learn to explain a compliment

“Lovely head” is still fairly general. The remark may concern the proportions, the shape of the eyes, the ears or the overall expression.

Your exercise: after a show, choose a compliment from the critique and find the passages in the standard that may explain it.

If you’re unsure, ask: “What elements did you particularly like about his head?”

Intermediate — Understanding harmony

1. See how qualities complement each other

A head that is admired for itself must also be considered in relation to the body.

The Poodle standard, for example, describes a head in proportion to the body, neither heavy nor excessively fine. [1, p. 3]

Your exercise: look in turn at a detail, the area around it, then the whole outline. Ask yourself whether the detail fits into the overall picture sought for the breed.

2. Respect the nuances of the text

A quality is not an invitation to exaggerate a characteristic.

“Moderately developed”, “slightly sloping” or “of medium length” set limits to respect.

Your exercise: circle these nuances in your standard. For each strong point you note, check that your appreciation takes those words into account.

A more pronounced characteristic is not automatically a better one.

3. Observe qualities on the move

Some qualities reveal themselves when the dog moves: coordination, steadiness or ease, depending on what his breed calls for.

In the German Shepherd Dog, the standard links good proportions and angulation with a far-reaching gait that looks effortless. [2, p. 7]

Your exercise: film a run from the side and a down-and-back. Choose a single positive point to observe and describe it in precise words.

Advanced — Appreciating the value of the whole

1. Understand what “typey” means

Type is the set of characteristics that give the dog his breed identity.

A dog of good type shows the characteristics expected of his breed as a whole. This assessment is not reduced to a colour, a size or a trim.

Your exercise: pick out five important characteristics from the standard, spread across outline, head, construction, temperament and gaits. Explain how they contribute to the portrait of the breed.

2. Link the strong points to the overall assessment

The FCI regulations reserve the grade “Excellent” for a dog very close to the ideal of the standard, presented in excellent condition and giving a harmonious impression. They provide that the superiority of his qualities may allow a few minor imperfections to be overlooked. [3, section 6]

Your exercise: re-read a critique, separating the qualities recognised from the reservations expressed. Try to understand the assessment as a whole rather than counting the compliments.

It is not a sum in which each quality automatically cancels out a fault.

3. Prepare your dog to show his qualities

Skilled presentation lets the judge observe the dog more easily: steady position, regular movement and calm acceptance of the examination.

Your exercise: choose a strong point and an associated presentation goal. For example: “To let his gaits be appreciated, I’m going to work on a steady trot and light handling.”

Then compare several sessions. You will learn to recognise what belongs to the dog and what depends on the way you present him.

The habit to keep

For every quality, look for a precise criterion and a concrete observation.

“My dog has lovely gaits” becomes more informative when you can explain what you see and find what the standard asks for.

With practice, you will learn to appreciate strong points as precisely as faults — and to understand the judge’s comments better.