What to Do

Judging from outside the ring is really a practiced art. Although you cannot put your hands on the dog, you have for the most part a very similar view of the dogs as does the judge. You should be able to order the dogs into what you feel is the correct order. It is actually good to sit and watch the judge. You will get to know what the judge is looking for and at.

When at small shows, you often have a hard time following even the best of judges. Any judge has particular features that he or she is looking for in a Scottie. Often, they look for defects that plagued their breeding lines or at issues that they found hard to correct. Or features like size or substance that they require to put up a dog. The judge needs to pick from what is put in front of him/her. With low numbers, the judge may “settle” on a particular dog rather than pick the dog he/she wants. Looking at the placement of any class may look like a mixture of types and styles. And it often is. Each class may present a new list of lessor evils to pick from.

When at a large show, there is the range and numbers of dogs to allow the judge to pick what he/she wants. You should be attentive to the first couple of classes. Look for consistency in what is being selected. A good judge will continue to pick with that same criteria through the day. If you have made the correct choice, you should be able to match the judge at least in which dogs should be 1-4 but maybe not the order.