on sunday i went to Downlands Staffordshire Bull Terrier club's show. I fully realize that black and brindle predominates staffies but its so unfair that reds, fawns and whites never do particually well, my staffie is red, i didnt enter her but her dad was at the show and he was entered, he is also red and probably the best looking staff ive ever seen, everyone at the shows comments on him, his ring presence is second to none and his temp is outstanding but he didnt do well at the show because he's not brindle or black, i actually asked the judge why black always do well and she said its because they were the original colour and that reds were bred from brindles crossed with other dogs to get reds. its not fair that reds never get a second look, colour shouldnt play a part, it should be done on what the dog looks like and its temp.

If a dog is within the breed standard then the judge should judge to the standard, if when questioned they do not say because all the ??? colour dogs were best then they IMO should be reported.

I can understand your frustration .
There are a few differences of opinions at Staffy shows -
there are also judges who choose overly heavy set dogs when this isnt the breed standard either but just as there are judges that prefer blacks or blues or white or pied or whatever, there are also the judges we are told not to bother with as they only choose reds :rolleyes:
As you say it shouldnt mattter on the colour it should matter that the dog fits the standard exactly!!
There are judges out there though that do judge fairly
lel

With the Aussies (Australian Shepherds) we can have black tris, red tris, blue or red merles - and one accepts that on some days, some judges will prefer the solids over the merles and on another day, another judge - may be the opposite - but at the end of the day, it will be the dog that outshines the opposition on all counts that should win!

Margot

We all intemperate the standard in a different way, but IMO although we may like one colour bests, a dog of our favoured colour should not be placed ahead of a better dog of our least favoured colour, but human nature being what it is we may do so without realising that we are.

One time you would not see many black chows in the ring.Reds nearly always won.
Now more and more blacks are being shown.
I do prefer blacks myself.
Chow

I love the reds and have gone to a lot of trouble to try and find one.

Here's a great one - and there's obviously some judges out there who like them too as he's a champion :)

http://www.waters2001.fsnet.co.uk/jupiter.htm

There are quite a few red champs
Jackstaff Facination to name one :)

A lovely dog with a fine bloodline :D

Be proud to have the name an a pedigree paper, eh lel?

Definately :)
There are lots of nice reds that win - just harder to be placed I suppose because there are so many nice blacks or black/brindles too and they are in the majority.
I do disagree with placing purely for colour - it should be on the dogs attributes but humans do tend to be bias :rolleyes: ( sometimes)

Hello,

Just like to add I myself like and prefer brindles. Okay my Staff is Black but I prefer brindles, but I would always choose the better dog/puppy regardless of the colour. Which I hope is like judges, I suppose if I was a judge and had two identical dogs one red one brindle (unlikely I know) then it would be personal preference. But I could not say I would never own a red I would hope I would choose the puppy that appealed to me regardless of colour. But obviously colour is a great factor in your dog but not I hope the main factor.

Karen

Makes me glad I own elkies-they come in grey,grey or GREY!!
Archer

~~Makes me glad I own elkies-they come in grey,grey or GREY!!~~

Give them time Archer :D Someone will finds an angle on grey soon :P

Oh they do come in Black or White, but not the ones in this country (UK) are as Archer said just a beautiful Grey. But we still have those who prefer the light grey and those who like the darker. And yes, you do find that when you look down the line of hounds in the ring that you have to make a conscious effort not to look harder at those who are the sort of grey you prefer.

Lets face it, we all know it should not matter, but it does, we all have our own preferences in all things, not just dogs.

No Kazzstaff colour is Not a great factor when i choose a dog, yes i prefer reds to brindles but when i look at a pup i go for the one i like the best and it happened to be a red this time round, i was just stating that at all the shows ive been to Black always does well and the reds are often left in the dark which i think is wrong, in my post it says knowhere that colour plays a big role when I choose a pup.

Well just to let you know I don't like the look of the black brindle staffs, far prefering Red and Piebald ones, so I suppose it is a question of taste.

Once there ae top class dogs of a particular colour, then the colour starts to predominate (like fawn inWhippets) and pretty soon other colurs become less often seen.

I am glad that there is only one colour in my breed. Hard enough to breed good specimins without worrying about colour, other than it being clear and not mismarked.

I am not trying to cause an argument Bullboy or even a disagreement. Just saying that I prefer brindles but would choose a good dog regardless of the colour. But as you know although there are good reds about, they are in the minority and the "pool" to pick from in blacks/brindles is bigger therefore the choice greater. I admire and envy people with a good red Stafford but have never been in the right place at the right time to get a good one YET.

But I would not choose an average brindle/black over a good red or vice-versa.

As Brainless says it's hard enought to breed a "good" dog without worrying about colour.

Karen

i agree, i dont think colour should come into it, --in pei the red brush coat is more poular, ---we have many other colours and also a different coat, BUT!! i think the colour should be secondery to the "type" & "construction" in any breed, ---i started off in the breed with not only a black--but a black horsecoat, many told me id be wasting my time bothering. -but she ended up top puppy bitch in the breed, took best of breed at crufts and several other champshow best of breeds, --judges are often accused of only likeing one colour, or coat,-but if the best there is a red brush, then it should win--same as if its a black-cream-brown-apricot whatever.. --the best dog should win,

I realize your not making an arguement but when you said at the end of your reply 'obviously colour is a big thing to you' it annoyed me because i have never said colour is a big thing, just that it shouldnt play a big role in the showring, maybe you misunderstood what i was saying but i assure temp plays a much bigger role than colour in my opinion.

Hi Bullboy
I think when Karen said "in your dog" she meant in general - I dont think she meant you pesonally :)

HelloBullboy,

Lel is right I did not mean "your" dog I meant anyone's dog. You know your own dog.

Sorry for any misunderstanding :D

Karen

I'd aggree that colour is one of the least important factors when choosing a dog/pup but it is a consideration. I won't turn down a dog because of it's colour but when I'm paying what is a substantial amount of money (to me anyway) I'm going to try and get my 'ideal'. It's just a matter of preference - and I don't really want a white because my old dog is black and I've just got rugs that don't show the hair too bad ;)

:D

I have the same problem too with my sable GSD! Just have to put up with it:)

Hi Bullboy

Your lucky not have a breed with spots its a bit of a nite mare they have to be the right size no ticking broken ears and if you have a liver dally it has to be the right color liver. A lot of people dont like the livers black seems to be more prefrable.