Page 26 - ShowSight Presents The Flat Coated Retriever

THE FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER:
THE “UN-GENERIC” BLACK DOG
(YES, THEY COME IN LIVER COLORED, TOO)
When I was asked the ques- tion why I wanted to become a licensed AKC conformation judge, I
would have liked to say that it was because I wanted to make a difference in the breeds I love. That would be a lie. The difference that I will make in those breeds over my lifetime will be small. No matter how many champions I produce, or how many
accomplishments I have with a particu- lar dog, the difference in the breed will be barely perceivable. My hopes are that through many years of dedication and breed mentoring that I will help some see the very special uniqueness of the Flat- Coated Retriever.
Throughout this article, I would like to put an emphasis on what makes this breed different from other breeds and what
by MARLA J. DOHENY
the well-trained eye, be it judge or fel- low breeder, should be keen to observe. A departure from generic dog judging is what is needed in the AKC conformation world, and hopefully this short article can shed a small glimmer of light on this, finding the “un-generic” dog—this is your challenge.
In recent months, I have done a fair amount of observing judging of this breed. Some judging has been surprisingly good,
“A DEPARTURE FROM GENERIC DOG JUDGING IS WHAT IS
NEEDED IN THE AKC CONFORMATION WORLD...”
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2014 • 227