Retro but of topicality

We reproduce, below, an item of the Count of Sainte Croix, appeared in the newspaper "the BREEDER” of June 1, 1948. It is still of great topicality

THE EDUCATIONAL JUDGE

The judgments and the classifications were communicated where and like it is appropriate. The organizing society had to display the judgements and received from the judge all the documents which  one awaited from him. Although perfectly in rule, can this judge consequently leave the place of the exhibition with the conscience to have achieved all his duties and to have brought its share to the efforts tending to the improvement of the canine breed? Thus, if he disappears from the exhibition where there are a lot of visitor now, he had to give to the exponents a carton, i.e. the quite proof of a qualifier, accompanied or not by an indication of reward.

When they'll leave, the exponents will not have learned a lot about what made the value or the mediocrity of their subject;

each one will keep of his dog the same flattering opinion which he had of him just before he was entered to the show. Some of them will show to every one their 1st price or even their "C.A.C”, but they are often totally incompetent to justify this reward;

The others, unfortunately more numerous, will be disappointed. They will say themselves victims of an error of appreciation when they do not go until to shout that the judgement was an injustice. To finish, some people,  who are beginners, have brought their dog only to know if he's or is not well typified, without any concern of rewards.

These do not show their reward nor do claim, but, noting that their dog was just "Good” and that he deserved a "simple” mention, when they will be far from the place, they'll tell themself:"It was really useless that I get out to this show! ”.

To summarize, when they leave, the exponents crosses the gate without knowing anymore about the exhibitions than the previous morning.
However this shouldn't be.

The complete judge of a dogs show must be not only ajudge but also a teacher.

We have examined how he must discharge himself of the first part of his mission, we'll see now how he has to achieve the second part.

After taking a bit of rest, because a judgments is always made very tiring by the constant attention which the examinations require, the judge returns towards the span where the subjects are held which concerned by its jurisdiction. There the exponents had time to recover from the impressions felt during the handing-over of cartons, the moment of the sharp reactions is finished. While coming to renew contact with the exponents, the judge knows by experiment that he can, even before speaking to them, classify them in three categories: the satisfied ones, the dissatisfied ones and the curious ones.

To the first ones, the judge has to explain for which reasons they have been the winners, often too, he has to calm this people by proving to them that their dog isn't perfect and indicate what they have to do for approaching the perfection

            To the second ones, if the first words of the conversation have a little rude turn, it is enough to show a perfect serenity so that they become correctly at once. We can say that, generally, the exponent always ends up understanding and all ends in a agreement.

But for this, it is necessary to show all the noted defects on the subject, to define them and to explain all the annoying repercussions.  
Sometimes among the satisfied ones and the dissatisfied ones, we can meet the exponent who made his trade of buying and of selling dogs: the merchant.

Is it necessary to specify with which energy the judge will refuse to listen, with telling or doing anything which touches closely or by far with the commercial question? If stockbreeders and amateurs can benefit from a canine exhibition to consider divestments or exchanges, the tendency to let make this demonstration, a market with the dogs would contribute to divert the not involved end which the exhibition works towards and to compromise the character of nobility of which it must remain proud.

Remain the curious ones. If the satisfied and the dissatisfied know little or not the dog and are in general accustomed to the canine exhibitions, the category of curious is very different.

The curious one is the exponent to which we can implement this term because, not having never attended the canine exhibitions differently than as a visitor, he is brought today there just by curiosity, to know what a judge would think of his dog, and that without the least claim of reward. Among the curious ones, there are some who raise dogs since a long time, have and use their dogs, but which, not having never been tempted to produce them in a demonstration, were determined, one fine day, with the reading of a poster or within sight of an insertion in a newspaper.

Others, have a dog only recently, either that they acquired it, allured by the form or the pleasant character of the animal, or even that they received it from a friend in the form of a gift which they did not believe to be able to refuse. These curious are totally unaware of all the canine breed and would be ready to admit, like a lot of others, that the only fact of patiently preserving a piece of sugar on the end of the nose and to grab it only with the command, classifie a dog in a perfect row. It is to one of them that a expert friend made many compliments of the companion that he has recently bought, and he encourages him to forward the dog in exhibition, and he was let himself influenced.

It may be that, with the handing-over of a flattering carton to which he was far from expecting, the curious one develops a certain interest for the canine demonstrations; and we would not have to be astonished if, in a few times we find him among the satisfied ones or the dissatisfied ones. For the moment, the curious ones only require to inform and collect, of an authorized mouth, an reasoned opinion on the value of their dog. This state of mind singularly facilitates the task of the judge with them. A task more important for this judge whom he can deal with people able to become if they are well directed and engaged on the good way, the disciples and even apostles, defenders of the good doctrines. Such will be the audience. What will be the judge?

In the second part of his mission, the judge will not be any more the dumb character who forwarded himself at us in the ring.

It will be with a great kindness resulting in various forms inspired by his temperament, that he will agree to answer all the questions, that he will lend itself to re-examine the subjects that one would forward to him for better doing to see and understand with their owners the value of qualities and the importance of the defects to which his judgment will have concluded

. All that will constitute a true teaching. Its value will be in the precision and the clearness with which the reasons will be defined which make of such thing a quality and such other a defect.

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