would you if judging always ask the age of a dog placed in front of you in the first few classes when you had dogs in
minor puppy,
puppy etc or would you just not bother
carolann

I got into the habit of asking ages years ago so I do so in every class.  Even in a minor puppy class with only a three month age difference, puppies can alter so much during that time.  A puppy at six months old would be far more loose in movement than a nine month old and this is something that a judge should make allowances for.

Debs

Yes! always in the lower classes so that they can be assessed against each other.

I have always asked the age of any dog I've judged, whatever class they are entered in.  Apart from age affecting a dog's development, I think it makes a dog more comfortable if you (the judge) speak to the owner/handler and they then reply to you.   I'll be interested to read other people's views on this.

I agree, I think it makes the dog more comfortable if a few words are exchanged , you wouldn,t aproach someones dog in the street without speaking to it so why not in the show ring?
I also think it helps a handler to relax as well.

I think up to Post Graduate it can be relevant, but in Limit and Open I don't think it should be asked.

I hate having to say in Open that my dog is a veteran as some judges don't take them seriously once over a certain age, and I feel that in Open they should be judged against each other without considering age.

I would personally and do for all classes, one to relax handler and therefore dog but also puppies and juniors vary so much and in open if you have a sound 7/8 year old dog against a 4/5 year old dog (talking in terms of my setters) then you might allow for a loose front in an older dog more so then with a younger dog in it's peak :)

BUT (bearing in mind im not a judge) if you have got an older dog with a loose front and a younger dog who doesnt have a loose front then you would have to go for the better dog even if the only reason that dog is better is because its younger.  I thought that was the reason why after puppy classes judges dont tend to ask for age - because it shouldnt be about age (and I suppose it shouldnt in puppy classes too), it should be the dog closest to the breed standard no matter how old or young it is - am I making sense

In age classes you should be judging the dog as correct for the stage of development and not how it should be at maturity.

Sorry Didn't make myself clear....With the younger dog also having a loose front or an equal fault :)

Makes mental note to try and be clearer in future to avoide confusion!

:D

I always ask the age in every class, in part to put handler at ease, otherwise there is a dreadful silence, and also to put dog at ease - the question and answer is a form of 'introduction' so dog knows that the judge is a 'friend'

I often immediately forget the reply, it can have relevance for a young dog, whilst you might penalise an adult for being 'bum high' a puppy that is like that you would not knock as hard. I also dont expect puppies to show as well as adults, they can be silly whilst being gone over, they do bounce when moving, and wriggle a lot - none of which I mind, however would expect the open class to be more settled.

You judge a dog on the day not how it could/did look going into/coming out of it's prime.   Saying that if I judged a dog with a loose front but superb drive behind to one that was ok in front but pitter pattered or overreached behind (And I'm going by your breed of Setters Rox) the one with the loose front would get it.   It does say in the breed standard the elbows can be freely moving does it not???  ;)

I would ask in puppy - post graduate classes, after that no.

Elbows moving freely and a loose front are two different matters! ;)  I have a nearly 8 year old bitch who had a nice front while younger but has recently gone loose.  Which means her front movement is not as straight as it was!

The reason I mentioned I was using setters was because a toy breed would be mature by the time it's 12/15 months but a setter is not till 2 years +

Definitely in the younger classes and Veteran, and probably in all clases. My boy was bumped up to Limit at 14 months old and I think that didn't help him, having to compete against all the 3 and 4 year olds so young. :-)

I have only judged twice but i asked in every class, as there could be a junior in open, (owner's mistake, entering wrong class maybe or two juniors so put 1 into open, at open shows) so i always ask!! jmo!!