Champion Blood Lines Doesn't Guarentee A Champion Dog!!!

[Poofy]

Believe it or not hobbit, a judge is not supposed to look at any physical scars or damage, that a dog has taken...they are supposed to look at the overall dog. I find this more true with the International dog shows then any where else. International shows are also much more laid back and welcoming..the judge speaks to you, gives you critiques...etc... :)

[Hobbit]

Well Poof, I've never seen that. What I've seen, is mostly who knows who, who's sleeping the who, and who owes who --- is who wins.

I took my rose colored glasses off a long time ago while showing horses.
:wink:

[Poofy]

Well in an international show, because of the way the dogs are to be judged, it would be useless trying to get political. You are NOT in competition with any one...only the standard.

[Hobbit]

[quote name='Poofy']Well in an international show, because of the way the dogs are to be judged, it would be useless trying to get political. You are NOT in competition with any one...only the standard.[/quote]



I do not foresee showing my "Working" Kelpies in conformation classes or any other classes. If their conformation was lacking then they could not withstand the hard work of herding.

This is from the Working Kelpie Council (in Australia):


[b]INTRODUCTION[/b]
Historically, as soon as any new Breed is evolved its acceptance as such creates an association between the work it has been bred to perform and a certain overall appearance. Sooner or later a written standard or description is drawn up to present a word picture of a mythical super animal towards which the breeder strives to produce. Taken overall, certain disciplines in selection and rejection are set down which are, or should be, designed for the betterment of the breed in question.
[b]WRITTEN DESCRIPTIONS[/b]
The first standard for the Kelpie was drawn up just after the turn of the century setting down conformation requirements, which remain valid today. Over the years the original standard has been subject to amendment and addition by the Canine bodies responsible for the conduct of Dog Shows. Most of alterations have related to superficial qualities such as coat colour, texture, length etc. etc. The different appearance of Show Kelpies today has been caused, in my opinion, mainly by a lack correct interpretation of structural requirements and a practical knowledge of stock work and pastoral conditions The production of a written description of breed type requirements for working Kelpies stems from the need to place prime importance on the dog's ability to perform efficiently and to remove the emphasis on the unrelated and unsuitable qualities set down in the standard adopted by the Australian National Kennel Control and which is used as a guide by breeders of Show Kelpies.
The drawing up of guidelines to describe desirable working Kelpie conformation and breed characteristics is not designed to encourage selection of dogs which comply to a written interpretation to the exclusion of natural working ability which must always remain the most important aspect of consideration by genuine breeders of working Kelpies.
It must be stressed that the purpose behind this work is to generate interest in the production of dogs which are excellent workers, possess sound conformation and identifiable breed type, and not to suggest that any changes should be made unless the dog is "off type" and unable to perform as efficiently as one would expect.
Quite a number of factors, which cannot be adequately covered in a guide of this nature, are responsible for the efficiency or lack of it, and they are in many ways interacting. One can get the near perfectly made dog which has not got the stamina to perform his work as efficiently or as quickly as his conformation suggests. If, for instance, his heart is not sufficiently strong in its action to meet the demands of extended periods of exertion, or if there is restriction in the arteries, he will not be able to make the best of his inherited good "type". If the dog's diet is inadequate, or he is suffering from the effects of internal parasites, or is not in reasonable hard muscular condition, his performance will also be affected. For ultimate results the dog needs to possess a strongly inherited desire to work and basically sound conformation coupled with general good health and recognisable Kelpie breed type.
Breed type and conformation should not be confused or lumped together. It is easy to place too much importance on "type"; the word type in this case being used to describe general appearance. So you get an owner saying "Old so and so is not a good type but worth all the others put together". "Old so and so" may well be superior because his conformation or skeleton and natural working ability are closer to the ideal. The fact that his ears are half up, or he has a white streak on his face, white feet or that his coat is scraggy and so on, has nothing to do with his conformation. Such things are on the surface and whilst they may not please the eye they do not affect ability Conformation is the way the frame is proportioned and put together; what covers it will not affect efficiency to any real extent. No dog is truly perfect and no one fault could be exampled as the cause of inefficiency. A bad shoulder is not seen on an otherwise perfect dog; the fact that the shoulder is wrong will affect the other parts to varying degree.
The ability to move silently smoothly and without obvious effort is governed by conformation. The effects of the noise (and vibrations) caused by the pounding of a heavy running dog will not be noticed on quiet sheep well accustomed to men, dogs and noise. It is on the wild "western" sheep that this fault will be noticed. Similarly bad-footed dogs will not be handicapped working on soft improved areas where distance is strictly limited; it is on the hard dry holdings that this defect will quickly become obvious.
It is better from a Breed point of view that selection is made for qualities which suit the hardest conditions irrespective of what sort of environment the dogs are being used under. Selection for the best working qualities and a thorough understanding of proper conformation will contribute more to the future of the Breed than will ever be made by a selection for superficial things like size of ears, coat quality, colour and so on. For the very best of reasons, breeders of working dogs should concern themselves with the basic structural requirements fixed, over generations, by the physical demands of his work. If a breeder deviates more than slightly from these requirements he may find himself producing dogs which are physically unsuitable the job for which he bred them.
Once established as a distinct breed the animals automatically acquire 'breed type' and the drawing up of a set of guidelines to cover the overall appearance and characteristics is in many ways desirable, provided they are used as a guide secondary to the Kelpies' inherited ability to efficiently work stock.