Thoughts from the shower...

A recent email exchange on a kerry list reminded me of many things including the subject above. Many views have been expressed over the 35+ years that I have been involved in the dog fancy.

The first opinion usually heard by new exhibitors is that professional handlers have an unfair advantage over the rest of the contestants in the ring. It is usually identified as "political" influence. Unfortunately that may occasionally be the case. I was once told by a judge who had just given me BOB that I won because he was angry with the other exhibitor who was showing a special. (The "other exhibitor" was not a professional handler but this is the only time that a judge has been open about being biased about his or her judging that I recall.) He has since gone into my "never hire as a judge" list. Of course I don't always have the deciding vote so it might happen anyway.

We humans often use extraneous information to help with our decisions. This is why we instruct new exhibitors how they should dress. I don't think anyone ever suggests that a person should dress like Lady GaGa but in a style that blends with all the rest of the exhibitors and yet is eye catching. Blending in with your dog may work in the obedience ring, or other performance events, but in the confirmation ring your dog should stand out so you need to be a good background for the dog. Men are lucky since they have very few choices. The right color slacks is almost always kaki. A jacket in almost any color or pattern will work. A neck tie could be almost any color or style (long, bow, string, etc.) Beyond that men have no decisions. However women have a larger scope of choices. Slacks, skirts, jackets, sweaters, blouse, dress, etc., etc., etc. The only real decision we women need to make is to wear something with pockets.

Finally I believe that the one thing to do to negate the effect that a professional handler might have on a judge is to perfect your handling skills. There are all kinds of things one can do to improve: take a class or two; observe at shows for a long time; practice with your dog every day at home if only for a few minutes; focus on your dog while in the ring; never chat with others while in the ring; have someone record you in the ring so that you can critique your own performance.

Remember that there are people that, for one reason or another, are not able to exhibit their own animals and so must hire someone to do so. This is the only sport I know of that has both beginners and professionals competing in the same class at the same time. I raises the bar for all of us.

Just spent a couple of hours working on the code for my web site. I'm still not happy with the ONE page I was working on. Looks like I should start from scratch. Since my site is just a vanity thing I don't think that I should waste the time it would take to start over but editing it is a real challenge. If I could charge someone for the time I would not feel like I'm wasting my time.

Anyone out there want a person with time or her hands to develop a web site from scratch? I'd charge a minimum rate but getting something ready for a paying customer would make it seem worth while and give a time line to push me on.

So now I have spent two days trying to add pictures to my gallery section. I can add an album but not put any photos into it. I guess I'll have to get my computer tech (son Tim) to tackle the problem. I also have family photos that I would like to post. These I'll put in the password protected area (after I replace the ones that were there.)

Well, I really must post more than once a year or so.

I helped judge the Kerry Blue Terrier Futurity October 2009. Since movement is my first choice as a feature of the breed (or any breed) I have to say that for the most part I was pleased with the movement I saw. Since I've seen very bad movement in recent years. This improvement bodes well for the future of the breed.

I have discussed movement versus type as the "first" consideration in judging with various individuals I am glad to report that, as I thought, type follows movement. I continue to argue that movement in all dog breeds clearly displays correct structure which can also display correct type. I have yet to see in the ring (except for one odd colored exhibit) a dog exhibited as a kerry blue that did not look like a kerry blue. Beyond the notion that a kerry needs to be a dog with specific type that includes ideas that are limiting such as a certain color range that is different than the standard. If the kerry is not able to do the job for which it was developed then type also is not matched.

The puppies (junior dogs also) that we (the judges) saw that day were for the most part above average. Some were better than others and only one had a serious fault that the audience was not able to see. That was a wry bite. I hope that that one puppy was able to out grow that fault since it was an other wise lovely individual.

It was a very exciting and useful experience. I was delighted to find that the three judges agreed on almost all the classes.

Good heavens its been a long time since I posted to this blog. Of course there are all kinds of reasons including that my web site was moved to another location, I couldn't seem to get my password to work and I had nothing to say.

Of course the last one is not as true as the first two. I always have something to say but since my mother always accused me of speaking before thinking I tend to keep my comments to myself or mutter them under my breath.

mmmmmmmm.....

O well, today is the day to VOTE and finally we are done with the political nonsense for a week or two. The money spent on this campaign would alleviate hunger in some small country. No one commented on that!

Well, off to the polls.