A dog show judge, sometimes dog judge, is a person that is qualified to evaluate

dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...

s at a

conformation show A dog show is an event where dogs are exhibited. A conformation show, also referred to as a ''breed show'', is a kind of dog show in which a judge, familiar with a specific dog breed, evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs ''c ...

. At small shows, there might be only one judge for all breeds and classes. At larger shows, there might be several judges, with each responsible for only certain breeds or classes.

Qualifications

Because dogs are judged based on how well they conform to their breed's

breed standard In animal husbandry or animal fancy, a breed standard is a description of the characteristics of a hypothetical or ideal example of a breed. The description may include physical or morphological detail, genetic criteria, or criteria of athletic ...

, a judge must be intimately familiar with the particular

breed A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...

's standard and must be able to analyze the qualities of the dog to determine its relative quality. Usually a license as a dog judge is granted by either a

breed association Breed clubs are associations or clubs with activities centered on a single, specific breed of a particular species of domesticated animal. The purpose of the association will vary with the species of animal and the goals and needs of the members o ...

or a kennel club. The license specifies the different breeds over which the judge is qualified to officiate. Judges may study and, over time, apply for a license to judge a single breed, multiple breeds, or all recognized breeds. A judge who has successfully completed the requirements for judging all of the dog groups is known as a group judge. A judge who is licensed to judge all breeds is often referred to as an "all-rounder". In some cases the qualification and membership of a National-based organisation is the criteria as to how a judge might operate. A few international groups and accreditation also exist

Travelling judges

Judges are most commonly licensed specifically to the registry with which they are affiliated (for example,

American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kenn ...

judges judge AKC shows). However, some registries choose to recognize licensed judges from other registries and organizations. Judging outside of one's country or registry is often an indication of a particular appreciation of that judge's skills and knowledge.

Famous judges

Some judges who are regulars at the larger English or American dog shows become well known among dog show participants and

breeder A breeder is a person who selectively breeds carefully selected mates, normally of the same breed to sexually reproduce offspring with specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics. This might be as a farmer, agriculturalist, or ...

s and gain respect from large audiences for their ability to recognise good examples of the breeds that they judge. The reputations of the founder of Our Dogs, Theo Marples and his son J.W. Marples are examples of a family of well known judges

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dog Show Judge Dog-related professions and professionals Dog shows and showing Dog judges