On friday 17^th, in Budapest, I had the honor to judge at the World Winner Show, 2013.

The FCI World Dog Show is the greatest and most prestigious show and it was my third time, for Leonbergers.

The show ring, at the beginning, was not the best for big dogs but soon we had the chance to double it, taking the one of my hungarian collegue that judged the junior females, the veterans and the minor classes.

The average quality was not what you can espect from a WDS. I had some truly excellent Leonberger but many were not at the right level. The difference between dogs is too wide and homogeneity still far away: I guess the breed is not in its best moment but I do not want to go into this discussion now, just to write a comment on my ring, especially the winners.

Many have told me that I was too strict. I do not think. I simply followed the instructions of my knowledge and my consciousness beyond those specifications given by the Hungarian Kennel Club that asked us to assign the qualification of excellent and world titles only to truly deserving dogs, distinct and without faults, being the “very good” a qualification that brings with it a great honor.

It has to be said that when there are type, construction or gait (walking) faults, a judge should, in all responsibility, assign qualifications which take this into account in full.

It ‘s so that I found myself in front of dogs with teeth problems, with eyes too bright, with insufficient bone structure. At least one had severe anatomical defects. Another one serious problems of shyness, making him unapproachable. Many showed faults in movement, especially at the rear.

I would now like to draw a brief review of the best subjects that I could see, starting from the two young winners.

The male ( Step By Step Iz Galkina Gnezda) I really liked: size, masculinity, presence. A dog with a lot of good quality and in kind, even if a bit “pale” but with nice mucosals, rich in pigment. The only problem with this young champion, who has rightly received the highest title, is that he still has some faults related to growth: a back that needs to be more solid and taut, stronger pasterns. A dog’s still impressive that has not had the chance to be nominated absolute best junior just because in the final laps of the ring limped slightly, or rather, has strangely misused the right hind limb of him pulling every two or three steps. In those few seconds everything is decided and the movement should be smooth and safe.

The female(La dolce Luna’s Dream Pretty for Me), designated by my Hungarian colleague, is impressive for the size and power: a framework extraordinary! And ‘this trait that I wanted to reward. However, not everything in this bitch was perfect: too poor the angle of the rear (but made up for it in motion) and a certain hardness in her eyes due to a non perfect mask.

The best dogs were in the open and champion classes. A few were just great! For type, substance and movement. I was a bit sad in giving three very good ratings in the Champion Class males but these dogs, that day, were not comparable to the excellent ones: not for type, nor – especially – for movement. Moreover, this class is a very difficult, competitive, really challenging in a world championship!

Let’s start the adults from veterans. I only saw the two winners, though.

The veteran bicth (Neverending Story v. Sissy-haus) was a still very well preserved “lady”; a bit too heavy, though. The top line was not strong enough and on the whole medium boned for her body size. The male (Berljon Opus Magnum) is a not very tall but still impressive male. Proud and well angulated, with a great type, long elegant neck and very nice, fluent, motion. He was far superior to the female.

In the females intermediate, open and champion classes the average quality was lower than in the males.

In intermediate only one bitch got the “excellent”.

In the open class two only had the “excellent”. The winner of the open class (Olivia Iz Poselka Sokol) is a very attractive bitch for her great type, strong and powerful body, great bone and rib cage. She is well angulated and showed a long fluent movement, very well used to properly cover ground. Her coat and color were lovely but one of her greatest points was the strong feminine and typical head (great muzzle!) with a nice mask, dark expressive eyes. The weak point is her top line that should be more solid. This bitch deserved her World Winner Title after the confrontation with the winner of the Champion Class (Fjalar vom Loewengarten). This bitch is lovely, very feminine and typical with a super motion even if a bit narrow at hocks. She has great qualities but was not in the best show conditions.

In the open class males only the top three have obtained the qualification “excellent”. Good size, very good type, very masculine. The winner of the class is a solid dog of good proportions and with a beautiful head. Expressive and strong he was the best in the movement.

The champion class stood out for at least the top two finishers. Two top dogs, both for magnificent structure, proportions and masculinity.

I was in doubt until the last because, despite their differences, these two dogs are the same for a number of exceptional qualities. It ‘was then the movement and energy of the unattainable first place to make a difference.

The second placed, WW reserve (Vallonbygdens Crazy in Beer) is an outstanding male: masculine, great size, bones and body. Well angulated both in front and rears. Lovely for his expression and head, well pigmented with a perfetc coat for color, lenght, structure. He is just a bit too heavy, though and still slightly low on the legs. An excellent mover but in the last laps showed a bit up his weight, loosing his orginal motion energy.

The World Winner and best of breed (Skjaergaardens Valentine Rua Soleil) is an outstanding male, as well: masculine, great size, bones and body. Excellent in conformation and construction, with desirable proportions and anatomy. He got great angulations both in front and rears, a super top-line, and a perfect relationship body-legs. The head is, even in its beauty, a bit too small for his size, with only slightly frontal eyes and a bit light upper-lips. The color could be warmer but it is totally into the requirements of the standard and the tail is still correct and well straight even if it tends to be on the side when the dog runs. What I wanted to reward are his proportions resulting in a super-soundness: a modern dog. When I say modern I mean a dog that meets all the standard requirements for type and, despite the size, is fully able to move freely, with a great push, resistance, energy, proudness. In effect was also his great temperament that brought me to the final choice. And it is evident that my choice was fully prized and confirmed in the most competitive group of the whole WDS, the second, where 62 World Winner Dogs were representing the breeds and almost 5000 dogs.

The group specialist and prominent danish Judge, Mr. Ole Staunskjaer, gave to this dog – and to the breed – the fisrt place in the ring of honor, putting him among the 10 best dogs of this 2013 World Dog Show.

Guido Perosino

SEE THE VIDEO!

The first thing that may come to some people’s minds when they think of conformation showing is a beauty pageant. Some people feel the Leonberger doesn’t belong in the show ring, not because they’re not beautiful, but because they are a working breed. What place does the Leonberger have in the conformation show ring? I asked owner/handlers, breeder/handlers, and judges to find out why they felt it was important to show, not only for themselves and their own companion, but most importantly for the advancement of the Leonberger breed.

It is true that the Leonberger is a working breed and some feel it’s more important to see them performing working tasks (i.e., obedience, agility, tracking, search and rescue, seeing eye dogs, water work, service dog work, therapy work, herding, drafting or just being a companion). However, of equal importance, a Leonberger should look like a Leonberger while still being capable of performing working tasks. A good gauge in determining the phenotype, or physical appearance, of the breed is within the conformation ring.

The Leonberger Club of America’s Code of Ethics state that the club aims to “encourage the development of high quality Leonbergers” and “encourage cooperation in the improvement and advancement” of the breed. Dr. Guido Perosino, Breeder and FCI Judge, Berljon Kennel, states, “To improve and maintain the typical features of a breed means to select reproducers with reference to the standard.” Without dog shows the advancement of the Leonberger breed would be mediocre at best. The BACL (Breeder’s Acceptability Checklist) is a useful tool for evaluating one dog at a time and to compare on paper. However, it cannot replace the value of attending dog shows and dog showing as an important means to assess and compare many dogs at one time. This comparison is an invaluable tool in maintaining and continually improving the quality and conformity of the dogs we are producing.

I know for myself, not being a breeder, I initially got involved in conformation showing for the fun of it. Over the years I have come to realize that dog showing is much more complex. Guido Perosino stated, “To show a dog is more responsibility than fun. To show a dog is a service to the breed.” He goes on to say that dog shows were “born not for competition but in order to compare the dogs and choose the best and to use the father and/or mother in the intuition of the possibility of fixing the characters of the parents. To choose means to select and the first intuition became a science and a technique commonly used for breeding. After the knowledge of genetics and the laws of Gregor Mendel have been stated it was then clear that the similarities among relatives and the breed’s improvement had a scientific basis: the phenotype is the external expression of the genotype, resident into chromosomes and DNA. Reading up on the phenotype and the conformation, we have the possibility of addressing the reproduction as soon as we have selected targets and a policy of improvement. Dog shows are the main way, still used, to select on a morphological basis. The importance of showing is strictly connected to the responsibility of participation at the selection process, in order to keep and improve the breed features.”

It is important to remember that the competition in the conformation ring is not against the other Leonbergers but against the FCI standard. The judge selects the dog which most closely resembles the ideal. Dr. Guido Perosino, states that “the breed standard is a description of the ideal specimen of the breed and it is used when the better dog, closer to the standard, is our target Of course a target can also be the health or temperament; both are in a sense considered into the breed standard as well”. Success in the ring can be especially rewarding for the breeder of that dog because it validates their breeding program and confirms that their dog possesses the structure, type and temperament closest to the standard. Alida Comtois, von Alpensee Kennel, states that, “Most judges are breeders themselves, so obviously are believers in exhibiting dogs to gain feedback on a breeding program.”

Judges have a tremendous impact on the welfare of a breed and should take their job very seriously, according to Waltraut Zieher of von Stutensee Kennel. Waltraut Zieher began the Health Committee and the Leonberger Health Foundation, she is currently a co-chair of the Health Committee as well as one of the founding members of the LCA, a LCA Judge and working on becoming an FCI Judge. “Even though I was already an approved LCA judge, I chose to train to become an FCI judge in Germany. I knew I would benefit from the vast knowledge of the judges in Europe, the larger number of dogs I would see and judge as well as from their rigorous training program. Judges are not only to judge “beauty” or type, but temperament, structural soundness and balance of the dogs. Within the show ring, judges have as much influence on a breeds development as breeders do.” As a judge, Waltraut conducts a thorough exam of each dog and watches it move. “A judge will evaluate the dogs “structure and soundness which are the cornerstones of good health in a breed. It’s not so important whether a dog wins the show but how the judge evaluates it. Dog owners should take the written critiques from experienced judges seriously. A “showy” dog might win the show but he or she might not be the best breeding dog. In the US, dog shows are considered a sport, they have moved away from the original purpose of breeding pool evaluation. Shows should be a way for owners to get an expert opinion on their dog and a way for people to evaluate different dogs for themselves. Most of all it should be fun and provide an opportunity to hang out with friends who love their dogs as much as I do.”

In the conformation ring at LCA Regional and National Specialties, the exhibitor is presented with a written evaluation and rating of their dog. From the evaluation, breeders and owners can gain valuable insight from judges where their breeding program is effective or determine areas needing improvement. Written critiques and feedback from judges can also be effective in discouraging kennel blindness to the quality of one’s dogs. Educating yourself as to the quality of your dogs is not done in one show but over a course of time. Ann Rogers, Cherrywood Kennel, feels you should get many different judges opinions and from more than one show. She states, “You start to see patterns on strengths and weaknesses of your dogs.” Ann didn’t feel you “should use only one show or one judge or one person’s opinion to make a decision on what you have. Dog show wins reflect a judge’s opinion. Different day, different judge, different opinion.” It’s also important to keep in mind that some dogs and lines will mature at different rates so age will have some bearing on results.

Through conformation showing at LCA National Specialties, European judges have given us valuable input on how our dogs measure up to the international Leonberger community and competition. Sarah Mahoney, ForeverGreen Kennel, finds that, “It is always interesting to show the same dog under a number of different judges (from different countries, particularly) to see the differences, opinions and priorities of not only that particular judge, but the country he/she represents.” The European Judges that have judged at our National Specialties have provided us with a window to the international Leonberger world. Since the U.S. is isolated from the European competition as a whole, showing under the European judges has provided us with a broader picture. In addition to the individual critiques provided on each dog, on the last day of the LCA National Specialty, the Specialty Judge always provides an overall assessment of the dogs he/she has judged. This overall assessment allows the LCA Breeders and community to determine what areas we should concentrate on.

Many breeding decisions are made around the conformation ring. Some breeders have referred to it as “window shopping”. Many breeders not only come to show their dogs but to specifically look at the male prospects in person. This can also be said for the stud owners to look at the females. Most breeders would prefer to see prospective mates in person, for firsthand knowledge of temperament, movement and structure. Manfred Kaufmann, LCA Judge and Sylvia Kaufmann, Editor of the LeoLetter, both of von der Heckenrose Kennel and two of the founding members of the Leonberger Club of America, commented that looking at a picture of a dog just can’t replace seeing a dog in person. “You see the temperament of the dog inside and outside of the show ring and therefore can determine which dog is a “couch potato” and which dog has “guts”. This is the most important fact why dogs should be seen in life – which, in this case, is in the show ring. Even if judges will rate a dog low, or high, the breeder and new puppy owners will have “hands on experience” with the dogs shown and are able to make their own decisions. All in all, showing dogs is an essential part of any breed. Pictures, even videos do not replace the life experience future puppy owners or breeders can gain by attending dog shows.” Waltraut Zieher, von Stutensee Kennel, emphasizes that temperament is one of the most important aspects to her. “A Leonberger has to be of sound temperament, and more often than not, that can be evaluated in the show ring. A shy or aggressive dog should never, ever be placed. Depending on the degree of the problem, the dog should be excused from the ring. Leonbergers are companion dogs and a shy or aggressive dog cannot be a pleasant companion in all situations.” Sandi Ling, Anchor Creek Kennel, said, “The only time we can physically see many dogs is at a show. Pictures are fine, but do not compare to watching a dog move and being able to put our hands on him. This works in reverse as we like to offer people the chance to see our dogs up close and personal too.”

Breeders will not only look at the prospective stud(s) they are considering but also look at the progeny, brothers, sisters or parents. Breeders may be looking for studs that are prepotent in passing along certain characteristics they would like to introduce into their line or to reinforce a trait that is already present within their breeding program. The conformation ring is an excellent place to see many dogs and many lines in one place, and by showing your Leonberger, the breeder, the judges and the public can see these traits firsthand.

Showing spayed or neutered Leos is as important as showing unaltered dogs. Despite the spayed/neutered Leos being unable to reproduce, if there is an excellent representative of the breed, the breeder can look to siblings of that dog.

It is of equal importance to show our veterans. The Veterans can give us insight to lines with longevity and good health. Years ago, an all breed judge said to me that all too often, once a Leo has a championship (which is usually at a young age), they are never shown again. In a slow maturing breed like the Leonberger (with some lines taking longer to develop than others), some of the most magnificent examples of our breed are our veterans. It’s also important for all-breed judges to see the beauty of a fully matured and coated Leonberger.

The more activities an owner shares with their Leo, the stronger the bond they can develop. You don’t need to be a professional handler to show. Even if you’re a novice handler, showing can be extremely beneficial for both you and your Leo. Teri Whalen, a new Leo owner and new to the conformation ring commented, “I put in a lot of time and effort into socializing and training my puppy. The show ring became our goal. Neither of us had ever shown before and so it was fun to learn together. I have been a spectator at many dog shows, mostly AKC shows. I always watched in awe. The whole process seemed so overwhelming! The venues currently available for the Leonberger are just not as intimidating as an AKC event. There has always been someone who was willing to give advice, critique our run, or just say “good job!” And, every time in the ring is a new learning experience. Most of all, as I have been told from the beginning by some very dear mentors, it has been fun. The relationship we choose to have with our dog is only enhanced by participating in events where performance depends on both dog and handler.” Diane Mulkerin, a Leo owner and novice handler said, “Being new at it is a great learning experience for me, not just about showing but really learning a lot about the breed. I love the evaluations that we get from the judges and like it even more when the judges make their comments out loud so that you can look at all the dogs in the show and know why one dog is chosen over another. I love meeting and talking to other Leo lovers and especially love meeting their dogs.”So even if you’re not showing, attending dog shows can be beneficial. A great deal of knowledge can be gained around the conformation ring just by listening and watching.

Many breeders and owner/handlers find that showing is deeply rewarding and satisfying. Sondra Boos, Sentez Kennel, says that “Showing is a great way to socialize dogs, as they are expected to handle themselves well with lots of distractions, other dogs of all ages at close quarters, people petting and jostling them, judges opening their mouth and placing hands on very private places. There is no better way to get a dog used to a huge variety of situations. I love the camaraderie of a dog show. The Leo breed produces good people as well as good dogs. We all clap and hoot and holler for our competition and that is a rare thing in this world of dog eat dog competition.” Alida Comtois, von Alpensee Kennel, said “the best part of showing is that it’s fun!! It’s a great way to meet other Leo lovers, socialize your dog, and learn more about the breed. It also can help build a stronger bond between you and your dog. If you work at it just a bit, you’ll find that you and your dog can be a great team together, and it is immensely satisfying. A dog show is a stressful environment, and if a breeder’s dogs are generally well-tempered at a show, this gives a good indication of overall temperament being produced by that kennel.” Sarah Mahoney, ForeverGreen Kennel states, “I suggest to my puppy buyers that they show their dog (even if spayed or neutered) for a couple of reasons. It promotes the owner/puppy working relationship, is a wonderful socialization tool for the puppy and helps introduce the owner to the Leonberger community at large.”

Some people just enjoy showing in general. This can be especially exciting when you have a dog that just loves to show, making the showing experience a joy in itself despite whether a ribbon is ever won. Judy Johnston, Dragonslair Kennel, reminds us that, “In the grand scheme of things, very few puppies go on to be stars in the show ring or well-known studs or brood bitches. Most are what the breed is best at – they are someone’s best friend and companion. So don’t worry about what your dogs are not – rejoice in what they are.”

Although the original intentions of dog showing was for breed selection, dog show aficionados also found that they enjoyed the competition, fun, camaraderie, and socialization of their dogs that came as a result. In the early days of the LCA when the breed was virtually unknown to the U.S. population, a conformation show was a place for gathering and bringing the breed to the public’s attention. It was important and necessary for the LCA breeders to promote and show their dogs. This was also a time when the breeders were able to see how the puppies they had bred were developing as well as just visiting the puppy owners. The breed has come a long way since then and is now more widely recognized within the United States. One thing that still has not changed to this day is that conformation shows are still a place for gathering, visiting with fellow Leo owners, promoting your dogs or kennel, bringing the Leonberger to the public and to participate in the breed selection process.

Cyd Erich

from “The Leonberger” by Guido Perosino

Fred’s life with dogs began with the German Shepherd dog, but in 1971 he began his research into Leonbergers.   Fred was fascinated by their other name “ The Children’s Dog,” and he admired their beauty, their size and especially their soft, gentle temperament.

At this time Leonbergers were almost unknown in England and German breeders were reluctant to sell a puppy to Fred because of the restrictive and isolating quarantine regulations at that time.

Eventually, in 1988 Fred purchased his first puppy bitch from Larry and Eileen Rahmer, “Jancarbi Moon Over Miami.”  She was called Sally and she became the foundation bitch for The Kinghern Leonbergers.

Fred was a founder member of The Leonberger Club of Great Britain and he served on the Committee from the beginning, holding the office of Vice Chairman, Chairman and President.

Over the years Fred imported Leonbergers from Germany, Sweden and Norway and friends from all over the world travelled to Kinghern to experience his passion and knowledge of the breed and to share his company.

In his book  “Kinghern, A Love Affair with Leonbergers”  Fred says it all.

Jenny Kennish Inwood

How to portray the important characters of one of the most charming large breed? Why this dog is so attractive? What are the characters that every Judge should constantly consider when approaching such a remarkable but still uncommon breed in the ring?

First of all the Leonberger is a large, massive and very well boned dog, yet elegant, with a visible difference between the two sexes, what is a clear dimorphic image.
Both females and males are massive though, and tall, giving all times an image of power and strength.  The size is not given by tallness only but the width of the body and bones are important as well. Elegance is a must, though.
The dimorphic status is given by the size that is smaller in the females and by a number of secondary traits: more gentle and smoother heads, lighter and longer bodies, normally lighter colors and less mane in the females. Overall bigger size and stronger bodies, more massive and marked heads, presence of a mane at the neck for males. This difference is well visible in the movement where the males show up a heavier but exceptionally powerful walk whilst females prove an elastic grace.
One of the greater elements of type is given by the head that is always good natured, with a sweet, lovely expression mostly given by a good shape and proportion muzzle/skull, that are wide and almost of the same length, both well rectangle in their geometrical basis, never pointed (triangular) when seen from all sides. Head is never stocky or too heavy, never too cheeky. Muzzle shows a well developed chin. A hallmark is a visible dark/black mask, running up to the eyes, eventually reaching the occipital crest and shading towards the neck. The good expression is enhanced by semi frontal and brown/dark brown almond shaped eyes. The lack of the mask is a disqualifying point. The carriage and set of the ears are really important! The set is high (over the eyes, just under the upper line of the skull) the carriage never backwards or in a rosette. The eras hang down close to the face, covering checks.
Neck is long as the head and should be elegant, especially in females. The withers are solid, wide and slightly prominent. The back is muscular, straight; loins are solid and wide; croup has to be long and wide, gently rounded. The tail set is not high.
Very important is the tallness/body length correlation: the Leonberger is slightly long in body (+/- 10%), never giving the idea to be square, even if the compactness, especially given by solid loins, is always appreciated. The body/legs relationship is important as well and should never be in favor of the legs; leggy dogs show a poor image of the breed. The ideal proportion is about half and half but the hair under the body can give the idea of a dog just somewhat closer to the ground.
Ribs are somewhat rounded and the breast should never be pinched or narrow. A good distance between shoulders is always required. The underline is not tucked up.
Fore and hindquarters should be well laid back; one of the common faults is the lack in rear angulations, often accompany by an overbuilt croup: both have to be penalized.
A well developed muscular outline is required. Tail should all times hang down . In motion or when alert can be carried up to the level of the back or slightly higher and curved; nevertheless tail should never be carried over the back because of the short and level croup nor be enrolled over the back!
The movement and gait have to be adequate to the massive body: sufficiently elastic and fluent with a normal to long step (the rear should reach front during motion) giving the impression of power and solid drive. The coat is double with a good presence of undercoat. The length is medium long straight, never parted or curly; the undercoat is more wooly and light in color. A well furnished tail, feathering, pants and mane are very appreciated. The outline of the body will never be hidden by coat, though.
The ideal colors are the dark gold, red-brown, lion till sand with black tips (especially in males). Disqualifying colors are the solid orange or brown, the silver-grey, the black, the black and tan, the white and the presence of a large white spot on the chest (bigger than an open hand, disturbing the whole) or white socks at the legs. Also the impression of a totally black dog, especially with black markings on the legs has to be penalized.
The Leonberger has to be shown alert and possibly proud. No alterations of the coat, no scissoring or trimming are admitted other than trim the feet that have to be in cat’s shape.
Mouth has a complete set of teeth. Missing M3 is admitted. The bite has to be level or, better, in scissors. No toleration for under or overshot, even if moderate.

Guido Perosino

from “THE LEONBERGER”

The scientific evidence is mixed as to whether companionship of a dog can enhance human physical health and psychological wellbeing.Studies suggesting that there are benefits to physical heath and psychological wellbeing have been criticised for being poorly controlled,and finding that “the health of elderly people is related to their health habits and social supports but not to their ownership of, or attachment to, a companion animal.” Earlier studies do show that dog and cat owners have been shown to have better mental and physical health than nonowners, making fewer visits to the doctor and being less likely to be on medication than non owners. However, “recent research has failed to support earlier findings that pet ownership is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, a reduced use of general practitioner services, or any psychological or physical benefits on health for community dwelling older people. Research has, however, pointed to significantly less absenteeism from school through sickness among children who live with pets.”In one study, new pet owners reported a highly significant reduction in minor health problems during the first month following pet acquisition, and this effect was sustained in dog owners through to the end of the study.
In addition, dog owners took considerably more physical exercise than cat owners and people without pets. The group without pets exhibited no statistically significant changes in health or behaviour. The results provide evidence that pet acquisition may have positive effects on human health and behaviour, and that for dog owners these effects are relatively long term. Pet ownership has also been associated with increased coronary artery disease survival, with dog owners being significantly less likely to die within one year of an acute myocardial infarction than those who did not own dogs.

The health benefits of dogs can result from contact with dogs, not just from dog ownership. For example, when in the presence of a pet dog, people show reductions in cardiovascular, behavioral, and psychological indicators of anxiety. Other health benefits are gained from exposure to immune-stimulating microorganisms, which, according to the hygiene hypothesis, can protect against allergies and autoimmune diseases. The benefits of contact with a dog also include social support, as dogs are able to not only provide companionship and social support themselves, but also to act as facilitators of social interactions between humans. One study indicated that wheelchair users experience more positive social interactions with strangers when they are accompanied by a dog than when they are not.
The practice of using dogs and other animals as a part of therapy dates back to the late 18th century, when animals were introduced into mental institutions to help socialize patients with mental disorders. Animal-assisted intervention research has shown that animal-assisted therapy with a dog can increase a person with Alzheimer’s disease’s social behaviours, such as smiling and laughing. One study demonstrated that children with ADHD and conduct disorders who participated in an education program with dogs and other animals showed increased attendance, increased knowledge and skill objectives, and decreased antisocial and violent behavior compared to those who were not in an animal-assisted program.

Guido Perosino