Another thread has set me thinking what do others judges do when faced with 2 or 3 smashing dogs all well within the standard and all moving well, do you do that dreaded thing fault judge or pick the one you would most like to own? No probably not, but what is it that makes you chose the number 1 from a great line up?

I have never judged, only from the 'ringside', but I think the winner would have that certain X factor, which can only be seen by the judges eye.  What appeals to one judge, won't necessarily appeal to the next.  Sometimes you see it in a certain dog at one show, for it to lose it at the next.  I suppose that is why the places change so often.

JMHO
Sandra

In my breed if everything else was equal and they were all moving equally well I would probably go for the one I considered had the best head - the breed is often described as a 'head breed'.  In another breed it might well be something else.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

I would go for ring presence and showmanship.
Dawn.

Hiya,
With showing tollers you find that a select few look very alike. The judges mainly go for the dog they like best. There has been many times when i've had write ups that say 'Both dogs Similar in movement and type, just preferd ones head' to me everydog has something different about them.

Think it is not at all difficult to chose the one you like best but you should be choosing the one nearest to the standard and given that they all have ring presence do you add up the number of points where they are not perfect and award the one with the least faults or points that are not spot on, or do you choose the feature of the breed you prefer and go for that one.

Being faced with three excellent dogs would be a delight! The real problem is when you are faced with a class where none are good and all have different problems. I remember once having to decide between one that was a very erratic mover but otherwise typy and one that moved beautifully but wasn't typy at all. In the end I chose the former - mainly because the movement was more due to youthful exuberance than constructional problems as far as I could tell. Still not sure if it was the right decision! It is the poor classes that I find most difficult. If you have three excellent examples you can't get it wrong - you are basically splitting hairs and going for preference. For me it would be head and expression all else being equal.

Janet

No dog is perfect, therefore normally something wrong with it somewhere, or something you personly don't like about that dog, so I would choose which I prefrer, or fault judge and not tell anyone!!!!!!

Rox

Hi Janet, agree it is more difficult when you have a class of donkey and you were right in my book, however awful the exhibit it must look like the breed it is supposed to be. The big joy of a class of nice exhibits is you just can't go wrong, so you can relax and enjoy the pleasure of judging them, but as your hand goes over yet another well constructed typy dog you start to think goodness how am I going to do them justice. Nice feeling though and with a bit of luck you can express it in your critique (as long as it is not cut) ;)

And Rox, well I think that is what I must do but try hard not to, when choosing between 2 very nice dogs I will move again and if that does not separate I pick the one I like best not an informed decision but a gut feeling one. :)