As a judge, on many occasions I have been asked if I
might share my insights on how I came to a decision on my placements
for the day. On one such day a group of women exhibiting whippets
posed this question to me, “ How did I think the dogs I had chosen
for the day could run in a field trial or lure coursing event?” I
found this to be a very interesting question, however, I didn’t
believe my job as a conformation events judge necessarily afforded
me either the knowledge or to bear the burden of providing an
explanation. It was a surprisingly informative exchange, perhaps
more so for these women than they had expected. After some brief and
rapid consideration, I asked these women to stand in my shoes for a
moment and explain to me how they as judges, with only a standard in
hand, could assess the running abilities of a sight hound within the
somewhat strict limitations of the conformation event? I asked them
what physical attributes cause a running hound to excel? What faults
may cause them handicap? Can dogs with lesser conformation qualities
actually be better running hounds than those with perfect
conformation? How does one go about assessing those qualities in a
galloping hound in a ring that only facilitates observation at a
trot? After exchanging ideas and information they were surprised
that they had truly not only asked a question that was impossible to
answer, but also not a question, within my range of knowledge,
that I should be required to answer. To that end, one must take a
serious look at the role of “function” or perhaps it’s definition as
it applies to our dogs in conformation.
Automatically, when we refer to function most would
imagine an action, referring to moving parts and how they allow a
dog to perform some particular task? I say that function in many
cases, especially so in Great Danes refers to nothing of the sort.
We all toss words around such as soundness and type, what do they
really mean, can we really define soundness and if so what are we
referring to? Are we referring to mind, body or both? How important
is it to be “sound”? Is soundness as we know it more important than
type? Does a dog's soundness play a role in defining it as an
individual or does a dogs type define it? In many, many cases I
believe that a dogs function is directly related if not entirely
dependent upon it’s physical beauty and artistic value.
Let’s just say for example, you were asked to
assemble a team of animals to compete in a varied number of skilled
competitions. These competitions would involve the exact skills
required in all the events I have mentioned in a previous paragraph.
If you were truly serious as a competitor how many Great Danes would
you include on your obedience team? How many on your agility team,
your field trial events team, your weight pulling team and so on?
Now, if you were asked to assemble a selection of animals to compete
solely based on their physical beauty and artistic contributions,
how many Great Danes might you choose? I think it’s pretty easy to
see, those other events are not designed for, nor do Great Danes
often excel at skilled events, however, when you call upon a breed
for their artistic balance and symmetry, you would call upon a Great
Dane.
I would like to make it very clear that I feel
everyone, including myself, aspires to breed healthy, good moving
dogs; we all appreciate them. When it comes to conformation events,
can we really assess the ability for any breed aside from perhaps
toy dogs, to do the job they were originally meant to do? If we
truly believe that the Great Dane was originally a boar hunter, what
virtue makes him so? Why would he be better suited for that then a
German Shepherd or a Rottweiler? Would any of us who love the sweet
and gentle giant feel secure with an animal displaying this
tendency, to share space with your family or children? What do we
see in a conformation event that so clearly separates a superb
herder or guardian? I believe that there are more specific events to
test any individuals ability to perform it’s task, whatever it may
be, but it is not the conformation event that accomplishes this.
Conformation events, in my opinion, are tests to
evaluate primarily beauty and certainly agility of motion. It has
never been proven that a dog who can run in a straighter line or
“fly” from the side makes a more functional hunter or guardian.
Movement as it is observed in a conformation event, has merely minor
differences based on the same theme. It only assesses a dog’s degree
of agility or lack of clumsiness, all directly attributing to his
overall poise and physical attractiveness. I think it is truly a
sight to behold when a dog, especially a Great Dane is fluid in his
movement and beautiful in his stature. Most of us who have ever
lived with a beautiful Great Dane would more than likely never trade
that experience for anything, yes including good movement. What
makes a Great Dane excel beyond his beauty in those other events, is
called presence of heart and nothing else. It is the exception to
the rule that the Great Dane should ever excel at those events, it
has little or nothing to do with his physical stature. If anyone
would disagree, consider the victory of Sea Biscuit over the great
War Admiral, a horse short and crooked at the leg defeating the
great and undeniable warrior!
In closing, I might ask that illusive question, one
that we may never truly ever agree upon ”What is the true function
of the Great Dane”? As our breed has evolved over the last century
or so, I believe the true function of the Great Dane is as an estate
dog and a dog of pleasure. The true function of the Dane is found in
his physical beauty and artistic value, which stimulates our visual
senses. His breed type and only that defines him and separates him
as an individual among other members of his species. His refinement
and beauty are so unique and remarkable that he can never be
confused with another.
We are truly fortunate to belong to such an elite class among dog
owners!
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