Decoding a standard: understanding what the words really mean

Welcome to the second step! Reading a standard means taking in the text. Decoding it means understanding what you should be looking at in the dog.

At shows organised under the aegis of the FCI, this document is the judges' reference for assessing dogs. Here are nine tips to help you move from words to observation.

Beginner — Making sense of the vocabulary

1. Don't take every word literally

Canine terminology has its own codes. A "dry" build does not describe a dehydrated dog! The term describes an anatomical look without heaviness or excess soft tissue in the area concerned.

The tip: create your own little dictionary with two columns: "word from the standard" and "simple explanation". Add a drawing when words aren't enough.

Three terms properly understood will be more use than twenty definitions learned by heart.

2. Locate the part of the body concerned

Before interpreting a sentence, pinpoint exactly what it describes.

For example, the loin and the croup are two different regions. A remark about one therefore doesn't automatically describe the other.

The tip: use an anatomical diagram and point to the region concerned. If you are still unsure where it is, start there before assessing its shape.

3. Turn the sentence into a question

A description becomes easier to grasp when it is turned into something to observe.

"Ears of medium size" can become: "How much space do the ears take up in relation to the head as a whole?"

The tip: write a question next to each difficult sentence. Avoid adding a measurement or a rule that the standard does not give.

Intermediate — Understanding the nuances

1. Highlight the words that set a limit

"Slightly", "moderately", "sufficiently": these words give a direction and stop a characteristic being pushed to an extreme.

A chest described as moderately broad does not call for a search for maximum breadth.

The tip: circle these nuances in your copy. Then reread the sentence without them: you'll see how much its meaning can change!

2. Separate what is sought from what is tolerated

A tolerated characteristic can be accepted without being the ideal that is sought.

Concrete example: the German Shepherd standard tolerates certain small, discreet white markings, while considering them undesirable.

The tip: sort the wording into three columns: "sought", "tolerated", "fault explicitly mentioned". Rely on the words of the text, without filling the gaps with your own preferences.

3. Read sentences together with their neighbours

A word on its own can mislead. "Powerful" is not enough to describe a whole breed: the details on proportions, musculature or movement complete the picture.

The tip: when you highlight a characteristic, also read the two sentences around it. Then ask yourself: "What other requirements balance this one?"

Advanced — Interpreting with precision

1. Distinguish the ideal, the range and the exclusion threshold

An ideal value, a prescribed range and a limit leading to exclusion play different roles.

The German Shepherd standard gives height ranges and separately mentions a deviation leading to exclusion. The margin before this threshold does not become a new ideal range. The tip: copy each value with its exact wording. Don't turn a penalty threshold into a target to reach.

2. Look for links between sections

Construction and gaits are understood together.

In the German Shepherd, the text links the balance of the limbs to movement and states that over-angulation of the hindquarters impairs working ability.

The tip: choose a characteristic described when standing, then look for what the standard says about its role in movement. Then observe your dog in both situations.

3. Check your interpretation before passing it on

There can be a gap between an official sentence and something heard around the ring.

When a statement surprises you, find the exact passage. If a translation leaves an ambiguity, check the authoritative language stated in the document; the German Shepherd standard, for instance, specifies German.

The tip: ask a targeted question of a judge or a breed trainer: "How should this sentence be interpreted, and what parts of the text do you base that on?"

Your challenge for the next session

Choose a single sentence from the standard. Explain it in your own words, locate the region concerned and observe your dog.

If you can say clearly what you are looking at and why, you have already taken a step forward. Your eye sharpens with practice, one sentence at a time.