Cathy was the GSMD's first breeder/judge. She was approved to judge GSMD in 2001.
She now judges seven working breeds and Bloodhounds. Cathy contributes a quarterly column to the GSMDCA's Senntinel.

Reflections on a Decade with the AKC The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog was granted full AKC recognition in July of 1995. A decade later I had a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the progress of the breed as I judged the National Specialty on Sept 29th in Leesburg, VA. This was a tremendous honor for me as the first breeder/judge to officiate at this event. I was in the unique position of evaluating these dogs from the quality now to back where we were quite a few years before AKC recognition. The breeders are to be commended. Great improvements have been made.

The area that I am most pleased about is temperament. Breeders seem to have made a concentrated effort to breed away from the hard, guardy, excessively dominant temperament that was fairly prevalent in the mid-nineties. Most dogs exhibited the correct calm, confident, stable and amiable temperament that is a hallmark of the breed. This temperament improvement has been made while maintaining working drive. The proof of this working ability was evident by the number of dogs that participated in the various working events. We had entries in obedience and for the first time Rally-O. There were also two weight pulls, a herding instinct test, a draft trial and a pack dog hike. We had many dogs succeed in all of these events.

The conformation of the breed has made great strides as well. Ten years ago cow-hocks and east-west fronts were almost the norm. Our headpieces were all over the place from St. Bernard and Rottweiler heads to Coonhound and Collie heads. We had to put dogs together in pieces. We did not have any dogs that were the whole package. Swissys very rarely placed in the group, nor did they deserve to. Though judicious decisions it appears that the breeders have been successful in putting these pieces together to produce dogs that more closely fit the standard. There are Swissys placing in the group throughout the country on almost a weekly basis. There have even been two BIS Swissys. My Best of Breed line up was beautiful. There were many deserving dogs that did not get a nod. My Best of Breed dog and his littermate both went on to group placements at the accompanying shows in a very tough working group. It is wonderful to see dogs of that caliber in our breed.

As a breeder I know what a tough road this has been. We have been hampered by the lack of long time mentors so most of us have had to find our way through trial and error. We have had to work with a very limited gene pool. Importing dogs has helped on occasions, but this has been costly and not always successful. The Swissys can be an extremely discouraging breed and many people give up after a litter or two. The breeders that have stuck with it have faced an uphill battle with many disappointments along the way. I am very proud to say that your hard work is showing. After our first decade with the AKC our breed is in much better shape. I would dare to say that the GSMD in the US is in as good a shape if not better than anywhere in the world. Our first decade with AKC has been very good to us. Let us keep up the good work.

Markings

I recently heard a breeder exclaim that their newborn litter was "all show quality" because they all had white tail tips. What am I missing? I have been breeding for a good number of years and I still struggle to guess who might be show/breeding quality at 8 weeks. I usually finally figure it out when the dog is two and I can see their adult conformation, temperament, and results of their health clearances. I may be a little slow, but what could possibly make a newborn litter "all show quality" other than markings? According to our breed standard markings are considered cosmetic and "should be considered of less importance than other aspects of type which directly affect working ability."

This being said, why is such a premium put on markings by breeders and judges alike? I believe that it is because markings are the easiest thing to learn. A 6 year old can tell you if they like the dog's markings. Everyone has their "favorite" markings. Some like a wide blaze, some like a narrow blaze…..both are correct. White patches or white collars are acceptable.

I know of nothing more disheartening than to have someone compliment your stunning GSMD and then make a comment like "I love the white stripe on her neck". Very shortly after the GSMD were AKC accepted I was showing to a judge whom I greatly admired. She proceeded to give my puppy winners dog, my open bitch winners bitch and my special BOS. I was bursting with pride and thinking "She sure knows nice type and movement and appreciates a good topline" as I was waiting for my win pictures. When she made the comment "Your dogs were the only ones with the correct Swiss cross on their chests" I was totally deflated. She was judging something purely cosmetic that I paid little to no attention to since it was not related to form or function. On another occasion I heard a judge threaten to DQ an exhibit because she did not have a white tail tip. The handler suggested that the judge review the standard before making that decision. The bitch remained in the ring but the judge ignored her good qualities for lack of a white tail tip.

Although this type of comment occurs much more frequently than it should in the breed ring and amongst breeders, serious students of the breed should heed the description of color in the standard. "The topcoat is black. The markings are rich rust and white. Symmetry of markings is desired. On the head, rust typically appears over each eye, on each cheek and on the underside of the ears. On the body, rust appears on both sides of the forechest, on all four legs and underneath the tail. White markings appear typically on the head (blaze) and muzzle. The blaze may vary in length and width. It may be a very thin stripe or wider blaze. The blaze may extend just barely to the stop or may extend over the top of the skull and may meet with white patch or collar on the neck. Typically, white appears on the chest, running unbroken from the throat to the chest, as well as on all four feet and on the tip of the tail. White patches or collar on the neck is acceptable." From this description it is obvious that the standard encompasses a large variety of correct markings. The standard also clearly states that markings are cosmetic and are less important than temperament, type and structure.

This is not to say that markings are of no importance at all. This is a "striking, tri-colored" breed. The black topcoat with rich rust and white markings is certainly one of the hallmarks of the breed and an essence of breed type. Without the typical markings a GSMD would become a fairly generic black or brown dog. The tri-color is recessive and that is why most Swissy mixes look like your generic mutt. There are certain markings that are not typical such as half or whole white heads and all white legs. It is easy for anyone to recognize that those puppies are pet quality.

It is more difficult to grade puppies that have a variety of acceptable, yet perhaps not perfect markings. Breeders must heed the standard and look at structure, temperament and type first. If you have a difficult time doing this it would be beneficial to find a mentor that comes from a breed that does not consider markings. The perfectly marked puppy with straight shoulders and hyper-extended hocks is not a show puppy. The best puppy may be one with asymmetrical facial markings or no white tail tip. It is up to breeders to find the best puppies first and look at markings after that.

The same is true for judging the GSMD in the show ring. Judges should learn to look at the whole dog first. If they find two dogs that are equal in type, structure, movement and temperament then the decision can be made on markings. In my short judging career I have yet to make a judgment based on markings. Perfect markings on a lovely specimen are icing on the cake, but they should never be mistaken for the cake.

'Til next time, that's how I see it through the Judge's Eye,

Cathy

Judging Juniors

I always wished that I had the opportunity to be a Junior handler, but in those days I showed horses and not dogs. I think that you can always spot an adult handler that started in Juniors. They always seem to be so much more poised and coordinated than the rest of us. It seems that learning to handle at that age comes easier than to those of us who don't start until we are adults. Junior handling is a wonderful sport for kids. It teaches them responsibility and sportsmanship. It also teaches them to compete at the highest level. I have always believed that the Junior Showmanship ring is the toughest ring at the dog show.

In the conformation ring we may show a dog that is barely leash broken and doesn't know how to stack. That is unheard of in the Juniors ring. The Juniors spend countless hours training and conditioning their dogs. They would never show a dog that is not trained or groomed to perfection. It is this commitment and rapport with their dog that makes the difference between winning and loosing in the Juniors ring.

AKC has recently changed the rules in order to have Juniors of similar age compete more competitively. AKC says "these revisions have been made to further encourage young people to participate in our sport by reducing the minimum age of nine and allowing more Juniors the opportunity to experience success as well as competing against other Juniors closer in age." The classes are now broken down into Junior, Intermediate and Senior. Junior includes ages 9 and under 12, Intermediate 12 and under 15 and Senior 15 and under 18. If there are entries in more than one of these classes then the club may offer a prize for Best Junior Handler.

There are several Junior handlers in our breed that are competing at the highest level with their Swissy. This is not always an easy job because Swissys are not what you would call a "flashy" Juniors breed. These talented young handlers have to work extra hard to get noticed in their classes. If you have never watched Junior Showmanship at a show make a point of sitting and watching at your next show. You will be amazed at the talent of these kids. Also take time to tell a Junior that they are doing a good job, or if you can offer some help in a positive way please do so.

Also remember that these children are very sensitive to what an adult may say to them so please do not make disparaging remarks about their dog or other people at ringside. Juniors are going to mimic the adults that they are around and if you teach them poor sportsmanship and ringside manners it will stick with them.

I love judging Juniors and encouraging them in their love for the sport. I hope the rest of you will as well.

'Til next time, that's how I see it through the judge's eye,
Cathy

Temperament: The Hallmark of the Breed

"Bold, faithful, willing worker. Alert and vigilant. Shyness or aggressiveness shall be severely penalized." Never have so few words meant so much too so many people. The only trait in the GSMD standard to be severely penalized is incorrect temperament. This is the one area where I cannot separate myself as a judge from myself as a breeder and owner of this breed. As a judge I am only allowed a couple of minutes to assess the temperament of the exhibits in my ring and any display of shyness or aggressiveness will send one to the end of my line. As a breeder and owner this is my first and foremost concern.

How do I define Swissys temperament? That is a great question. They are loyal and loving. They are silly and serious. They are boisterous at times and reserved at others. They are kind, sensitive and intuitive dogs. They sometimes display their feelings at inappropriate times, but this is a breed that wears their heart on their sleeve. Swissys have no hidden agenda.

We did not make the best impression when we came into AKC in 1995. I think a combination of factors contributed to that. Many owners had never shown anywhere but at rare breed shows so they were not used to managing their dogs in a situation where inappropriate behavior and lack of control is frowned upon. I also think we had some tougher temperaments than what most breeders feel is appropriate for the breed these days. It wasn't long before other breeds were giving the GSMD a wide berth. One of the most upsetting comments that I heard at a show came from a handler that has handled many GSMD. He was worried about missing another ring because the GSMD judge was moving so slowly, but he said he could not hand his GSMD off. When I asked why not he said "You, know how they are……really guardy." I told him that I did not consider that normal and was actually quite upset that he felt that was "normal" temperament. As a former Rottweiler breeder I know the damage that this perception of "guard dog" can do to destroy a breed's reputation. This was at a show where I had handed a young male off to a perfect stranger and he had behaved beautifully and even taken BOB over my special. That is what I consider "normal" GSMD temperament.

I think that breeders have made great strides in removing this excessively guardy temperament from their breeding programs. I have only seen a couple of instances in the past couple of years where a GSMD openly threatened or attacked a judge in the ring. I still see more displays of shyness than is typical of the breed, but it mostly occurs in puppies or under-socialized dogs. Even if your puppy isn't perfectly trained when you take him in the ring make sure that you have taken him to a couple of handling classes so he is not afraid of the situation. A happy although untrained puppy makes a much better impression than one that is afraid of the situation.

Some other things that can be done when you have your GSMD in public situations whether at a conformation show, obedience trial, pack dog hike, etc is make sure that you know what your dog is doing at all times. If you have an adolescent male that you are not sure about, keep him out of the main traffic pattern and on a short leash. Proper equipment is necessary at all times. A martingale on an 18 month old male is not proper equipment. Do not allow your adolescent male to make eye contact with other dogs. Children should never be allowed to hold a GSMD in a group without adult supervision. There is no way that a child can assure the dog's safety if the dog is attacked and there is not way a child can prevent a GSMD from lunging at another dog. Most of this is common sense, but bad behavior occurs most of the time because of improper equipment and lack of supervision.

If your GSMD is not well behaved in a crate cover the crate or make sure the crate is position where the dog will not be an annoyance to others. Soft crates are not the best choice for GSMD at a dog show. Never let your dog approach another dog unless you are away from the ring area and the contact is invited by the other dog's owner. Although you think it is cute that your dog wants to "play" with the Maltese I can assure you that the Maltese's owner does not share the sentiment.

I am a firm believer that temperament is every bit as inherited as any other trait. Good behavior can be taught, but good temperament is bred. If you have a GSMD that you find difficult to live with it is best not to pass your problems on to other people by way of that dog's puppies. I am always proud of the accomplishments of any GSMD, but the greatest tribute that I can hear is "this is the best dog that I have ever owned." I hear that over and over again from people coming back for their second, third or forth dog. As a judge I want the rest of the fancy to appreciate the wonderful temperament of this breed. As a breeder I am upheld to make sure this is the temperament that is promoted. In today's society there is no place for unpredictable or dangerous dogs.

We are on our way to repairing our negative first impression to AKC. It is up to all owners and breeders to make certain we continue on that path.

'Til next time that's how I see it through the breeder/judge's eye,
Cathy

Good Sports

The AKC has recently published the "AKC Code of Sportsmanship". I wonder if there were any particular events that prompted this move or if it is just a reminder in general as to what the sport of showing dogs should be about. Certainly some recent events, such as a judge and a handler being banned for life for setting up a Best in Show, have been a black eye on the sport. It also seems that more exhibitors are being suspended for inappropriate conduct at shows. I will confess that one of the first sections I read in the AKC Gazette is the list of suspensions. Most suspensions used to come from registration improprieties, but more and more I see conduct suspensions. It looks like AKC is trying to bring proper etiquette, good manners and fair play back into the sport.

I believe that the advent of the rankings system brought a new priority to the sport. Once the quest for # 1 began it brought in a whole new purpose. Instead of being a venue for exhibiting breeding stock it became a race for a top ranking. The top dogs in many breeds are not even available for breeding. It is just competition for a ranking. There is nothing we like in the US more than being # 1.

When you enter your dog in a conformation show you are paying for a judge's opinion on how well your dog conforms to the standard in comparison to the other entries of the breed on that particular day. If you are lucky enough to win Best of Breed you then get a judge's opinion on how well your dog fits the standard in comparison to other dogs in the Working Group. If you win the Working Group you then get a judge's opinion on how well your dog fits the standard against the winners of the other groups on that day. Whether you get a fourth out of four or a Best in Show you are going home with the same dog that you brought to the dog show. The judge's opinions did not change your dog. He still possesses the virtues and the faults that he did before judging began. A win is certainly worth more bragging rights than a loss, but it does nothing to change your dog.

If everyone would keep in mind that by entering under a certain judge you have asked for that persons opinion on that day, and accept the judge's opinion if not graciously at least civilly that would be a fresh breathe of air. A person whom I admire greatly as a handler and who is always polite and gracious is Michelle Ostermiller Scott. Michelle is one of the most talented and successful handlers in the country yet she is every bit as polite when you hand her a white ribbon as a Best of Breed. Unfortunately there are far more handlers and owner-handlers that do not display such good manners.

I find it in particularly bad taste when an owner or handler predicts a win under a certain judge. The same is true for exhibitors that put a judge in a comprising position by entering under them when it would appear to be favoritism if the exhibitor should win. These situations are both addresses in the "code" and a win under either condition is certainly a tarnished win.

I hope everyone will take a minute to read the "AKC Code of Sportsmanship" and put it into use at each show you attend. You are representing our breed. Keep in mind that the excitement that you feel when you win and the disappointment when you loose are felt by the other exhibitors as well. Make sure to congratulate other exhibitors on their wins and accept theirs on yours. Thank the judge for their decision. You do not have to agree with the judge's decision, but you asked for it so accept it graciously. Enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow Swissy enthusiasts. The greatest aspect of this sport is that whether we win or loose we still get to go home with our best buddy.

'Til next time, that's how I see it through the judge's eye, Cathy

Heads Up

There is always much discussion about GSMD heads and I will agree that this is not a "head breed". But, I also believe that a correct headpiece is an essential part of breed type for any breed so you cannot discount the head altogether. The head, face and expression are what you look at first and they must resemble what is correct for that breed. You may certainly have your own preference in "head-type" as long as you can reconcile your preference with the description in the standard.

The description of the head in the AKC standard is: Expression is animated and gentle. The eyes are almond shaped and brown, dark brown preferred, medium sized, neither deep set nor protruding. Blue eye or eyes is a disqualification. Eyelids are close fitting and eye rims are black. The ears are medium sized, set high, triangular in shape, gently rounded at the tip, and hang close to the head when in repose. When alert, the ears are brought forward and raised at the base. The top of the ear is level with the top of the skull. The skull is flat and broad with a slight stop. The backskull and muzzle are of approximately equal length. The backskull is approximately twice the width of the muzzle. The muzzle is large, blunt and straight, not pointed and most often with a slight rise before the end. In adult dogs the nose leather is always black. The lips are clean and as a dry-mouthed breed, flews are only slightly developed. The teeth meet in a scissors bite.

In order to understand what type of head was historically desired I think the article by Hans Raber from "Die Schweizer Hunderassen" gives us the best insight. Raber states "The first Grosse Schweizer Sennenhunde seem on the whole to have been stockier and rougher than the modern dogs; the skulls were wider than desirable today and showed a marked stop. But from the beginning, a dog was wanted with a "cow-dog" type of skull, with a flat forehead, in distinct contrast to the St. Bernard." Raber also discusses some cross-breeding that were considered in the mid 1900's. He states that "the Rottweiler might also give the square appearance and different head shape which are not wanted for the GSS." Raber also states "There is a relation between head and body. We do not wish the brachycephalic head of the St. Bernard, but want the original "cow-dog" skull. The Rottweiler head is also undesirable. Too heavy, round heads usually cause a crooked jaw, resulting in the unwanted overbite. We cannot tolerate overbite in the interest of maintaining the elongated head. Not desirable also are the open, so-called "St. Bernard eyes" and heavy hanging lips". From this description it is clear that from the beginning a long head with a slight stop was the desired "look". Cow-dog heads are smooth heads without prominent angles. The reason for this being that when the dog is kicked by a cow, the blow glances off the head.

When we study the FCI interpretation of the GSMD head it also states that the length of skull to length of muzzle is 1:1 and the width of skull to width of muzzle is 2:1. Some people seem to think that the broader the head is the better, but note the proper proportion is 2:1, not 3 or 4:1. The FCI standard also states the head is "strong in relation to the body, but not heavy". The cranial region is "Flat and Broad. The frontal furrow which begins at the stop gradually fades out towards the top. Stop: Shallow." "Muzzle: strong, longer than its depth. Must not be pointed either from above or in profile." "Lips: barely defined, close fitting, Color black." The FCI standard faults missing Premolars which are not addressed in the AKC Standard. The FCI Standard also describes the eye color from hazel to chestnut which differs from the dark brown preferred in the AKC standard. The description of the ears is similar except the FCI standard calls for them to be "well covered with hair, both inside and out." The faults listed in the FCI Standard are "too fine or heavy a head, pendant lips (flews), ears set on too high, too low, or too far back, over or undershot mouth, absence of more than one P-1 or P-2, entropion or ectropion and light eyes."

I think that a comparison with the description of the heads of some of the similar AKC breed is also useful. The Rottweiler standard calls for a head that is "of medium length, broad between the ears; forehead line seen in profile is moderately arched: zygomatic arch and stop well developed with strong broad upper and lower jaws. The desired ratio of backskull to muzzle is 3 to 2." The arched forehead, well developed stop and 3 to 2 ratio all differ from the description of the correct GSMD head. The Bernese Mountain Dog standard states "the skull is flat on top and broad, with a slight furrow and a well-defined, but not exaggerated stop." This is closer to the GSMD head, but with more stop. The Great Pyrenees standard states "there is no apparent stop", in contrast with the GSMD's slight stop.

To put this all together I believe that the ideal GSMD head is a comparatively long head with a flat back skull and slight stop. The muzzle should be of approximately equal length to the back skull, but should be blunt and not pointed. Unfortunately most muzzles that approach the correct length tend to be pointed or snipey. Retaining proper length and width of muzzle seems to be challenging. The lips and flews should be tight. Most of the dogs with correct width and depth of muzzle tend to be a little lippy, but we do not want a Great Dane look. We also want a soft and gentle expression. Incorrect eyes are very distracting from the correct headpiece. I believe that a good GSMD head should all flow together. There should be no sharp angles such as prominent brows and no domey skulls. The head should never appear too big or too little for the body. It is unfortunate that so many newcomers are attracted to a "big head" with no regard as to whether or not it fits the standard. Breeders must attempt to breed heads that fit the description in the standard. If we loose the look that was desired by our forefathers we will loose an important essence of breed type.

'Til next time, that's how I see it through the Judge's eye,
Cathy