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Originally Posted by Sugar's Mom  you are so very wrong in your assumption that ONLY show breeders know the standard and are the ONLY ones that should be breeding. i won't even qualify( because i would surely get suspended if I wrote what I am thinking about your statement) your statement with anything else except to say that the first thing any ethical, serious breeder show or not should do is learn the standard. Read it and study it over and over until you can quote it without even looking and till you know just by looking that a dog is 'in standard" or not. |
I'm finding that one thing that sets a show breeder apart from someone who just knows the standard is that you have to develp an eye for a dog as well. I have been studying non stop and learning from other exhibitors and judges to have an eye for a good dog. Reading the standard is not going to help you to judge a good front or rear, it's not going to help you understand and identify balance and proportion. How much forechest should a yorkie have? How much step under the tail? How deep should the brisket be and where should it fall in comparison to the elbow? These are things that you must learn to improve the breed and the best place to learn them is by working with exhibitors and judges who know and have mastered these skills as well as watching correct yorkies gaiting and stacked in the ring. Showing is an educational experience and a necessary hands on one because you can only learn so much from a book. I stood by Mr. Wolpert a couple of Sundays ago and tryed to see what he was seeing as he critiqued a dog in the ring. The man has been showing and breeding since 1965 and has an incredible eye, I was so honored just to be standing there. Bev Sheridan watched Danali for just a few moments and pointed out things that I hadn't noticed before though I have watched her with a critical eye since she was born. Now I know what to look for when evaluating a stud for her someday. Just staying at home and reading books isn't going to get me the education that I need to breed the quality dogs that I want to breed, I have to get my butt out there and work hard for my education. The difference in a BYB and a show breeder for me is that a show breeder just doesn't sit home and do it they get out there and persue it!