When we started showing Bolton (our first CzW), wolfdogs in Poland were a real rarity (Bolton was the third czechoslovakian wolfdog in Poland). No-one, neither audience, nor judges didn't have an idea what kind of dog breed it is and how to judge it in the ring. But they "knew" their characters.

One of the final competitions overstep the mark: it was "Best Junior Dog" competition. In the main ring appeared lots of young dogs from all groups. The judge, with long job seniority and experience, was judging very detailed. He was checking the character, was stroking all the dogs, looking at the head and depth of the chests, sometimes teeth - every dog was touched. He judged the "devilish" Terriers, arousing fear Bulls, self-confident Rottweilers, huge Mastiffs or having own opinion Caucasian Ovtscharkas.
Wolfdogs' turn came and then the judge went around us keeping us at a distance and said: "Aha! I know this breed already. I know that it's better not to touch these dogs!".

Three years passed. During this time in Polish rings we had seen substantial group of CzWs and the situation changed dramatically - for the better. Days of special treatments for aggressiv wolfdogs are over. The people stopped to believe that the dogs representing this breed have to be skittish. The group of judges who are not affraid to touch CzWs are getting bigger and bigger. Many of them put the character on the first place while they are establishing the winners (it can be only an example worth of copy when it comes to Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs - a working dog breed).

Why I write about it?

Last year (2001) in June representatives of Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen (VDH), Schweizerische Kynologische Gesellschaft (SKG), Österreichische Kynologenverband (ÖKV), Raad van Beheer op Kynologisch Gebied in Nederland, Union Cynologique Saint Hubert du Grand Duche de Luxembourg (UCHL) and Polish Kennel Club (Zwiazek Kynologiczny w Polsce) prepared a writing addressed to all judges, in which they ask them to change the method of judgement.

The fact that most judges already comply with the new regulations could be observed during the recent club dog show in Lüringsen, where all cowardly and aggressive dogs did not receive a note higher than "very good". And this point we should discuss a little bit further:

"Of course, You bear partially the responsibility only when, during the judgement, You are able to identify yourself the negative features. That's why we would like to ask You for extraordinary caution while judging because your opinion can have a crucial influence on the genetic base, when we speak about features that are not hidden, clearly visible and identificable for judge's eye, about which we know are hereditary features. The fact is that the titled dogs are being used for breeding purposes more frequently than other dogs. That's why You, as judges, should give your opinion with greatest caution and should not give the most important titles to such dogs which have mentioned, unwelcome features that have a negative influence on dogs."

The judges have to pay higher attention to (among other things):

• temperament
• angulation in hinquarters
• movement

"Any deviation in one of the above listed points should be treated as a serious defect."

In the end something "special" for us:
"In some of the breed standards we can find in the section which describes CHARACTER the following notice: "keeping reserve to strangers", which can be also described as "distance-keeping". But dogs that belong to these breeds must have a strong character. These dogs should let the judge touch them, as it's the case in all other dog breeds, as long as the judge approach them in natural matter, moves in natural position and speaks normally with the owner of the dog.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are convinced of the fact that You will support our initiative to protect our friends - dogs - against mental and health defects."

Margo