50 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 



"ON JUDGING AT DOG SHOWS." 



" It is needless for us to return to the much- vexed questions relating to the 

 discrepancies between the decisions given on the merits of competing dogs at the 

 various exhibitions of those animals which are now so common as to occupy our 

 columns largely with their reports from week to week throughout the year. That 

 they exist is admitted by all who are in the slightest degree acquainted with 

 the facts, and that they are much to be lamented is equally to be taken for 

 granted. The subject for our present consideration is how this lamentable state 

 of things is to be avoided or. reduced within reasonable limits ; for no one 

 can expect absolute uniformity in any machinery composed of fallible human 

 beings. 



" In regard to this selection of prize winners, there are now five open questions 

 under general consideration : First, shall the judges be public or private ? secondly, 

 shall there be one, two, or three judges ? thirdly, shall the judge or judges select 

 the prize winner at random, or be guided by any written law? fourthly, shall he 

 or they be compelled to draw up a numerical estimate of each of the prize winners, 

 founded on a standard of points furnished for the purpose ; and if so, shall it 

 be published ? and fifthly, how shall the judges be elected ? Each of these 

 subjects we now propose to discuss seriatim. 



" In reference to public v. private judging, the general verdict is certainly in 

 favour of the former whenever it can be managed, and all the clubs devoted to 

 any particular breed have, we believe, adopted it. The only large show whose 

 managers hold out against it is that held at Birmingham, where the want of 

 space is a sufficient reason to forbid it ; and the choice lies between the 

 abandonment of Curzon Hall, with all its counterbalancing advantages, and the 

 continuance of the old system of judging in private. The Birmingham Show 

 being the oldest annual exhibition of dogs, and having always been well managed 

 on the whole, has obtained a strong hold on the public, and, in spite of the 

 abovementioned drawback, it seems likely to continue its career with success. 

 Nevertheless, it is quite clear that public- judging is now established, and will 

 be adopted at all other large shows. 



"The next question is not so easily settled, and it is only recently that it 

 has been fairly tried. One thing has, however, been fully shown by experience, 

 viz., that when more than one judge is appointed, they should possess equal 

 knowledge of the breed or breeds placed before them. Nothing is so liable to 

 lead to dissatisfaction as the importation of a judge specially acquainted with 

 a particular breed, and the coupling of him with a ' gentleman of position.' 

 Wherever this has been done some fiasco has occurred, and at length the plan 

 has been abandoned. Our own opinion, founded on a long experience in every 

 department of dog shows, is that ultimately single judging will be found to 

 act most beneficially ; but it requires some length of education to develop firm- 



