Aussie Cattle Dogs never seem to place well in National dog shows. Why is this? What breeds also get left out?

Question

Poodles, certain terriers, and some pretty dogs do well in the group and best in show stages of dog shows, but I've noticed that Australian Cattle Dogs never do more than place in the group stage. Could it be true that if a dog isn't stylish or glamorous, it won't win? How can this be reconciled with the fact that a dog is judged against a breed standard, giving each dog the same statistical chance of victory?

What dogs have you noticed that get overlooked?

Answer 1

Boy you must have been reading my mind when I watched the last show. I am always hitting my husband in the arm complaining about the way the ACDs get completely ignored by the judges.
I have a few friends who say it is the fault of the ancient gods in control of the AKC who are too snooty to treat the ACD like the awesome breed it is. It took so many years to get this breed recognized. When it was first introduced here, everyone's reaction in the show world was "get that lousy mongrel out of here-it's got wild dog in it". The working world however, recognized a great working dog breed when they saw it.

I recently learned another possibility for them not winning in the ring, though. I posted a question in the cattle dog group I belong to about my ACDs weight, as she is not in the least chunky-rather skinny instead, and I wanted to know if something was wrong. The replies were interesting. Apparently the ACDs being bred in the US are much heavier and fleshier than the ones in the UK and Australia. I was told my girl looked more like the original ACD than the ones we have here now.
Just like us in the US-we grow everything bigger!

I have also noticed the Border Collies get overlooked, as well as many of the German Shepherds, and especially the Deerhounds and the Wolfhounds. Of course, these are all the breeds I cheer for! Sucker for the underdog!

Answer 2

Yep the flashy breeds have a better chance cause they just naturally catch the Judges eye. The flashy colors within the breed also often draw the judges eye and confer an advantage.
Happens in field events too I have a VERY competent lure courser in a plain wrapper who was often scored below flasher dogs she clearly outran- I made her a set of the biggest, brightest identification jackets that was safe to put on her back - her scores went up. Unfortunatally that exact tactic isn't advalable in the show ring - though handler dress, and for that matter the FAME of the handler can get an otherwise overlooked dog noticed.

Lets face it judges are human and there is just no advoiding that fact. They can do their best but well human tendency do happen regardless....

Answer 3

Border Collies don't do the greatest either. Fine by me tho, I am more partial to the working lines anyway. I'm not interested in some show only kennel bred BC that doesn't have proven herding dogs in the pedigree, and a lot of the big name BC breeders dishonor the breed by not "wasting time" proving their dogs can actually DO what the breed was originally bred and created for.

Answer 4

That's because they are WORKING dogs bred for WORK, not prancing around a ring like a brainless super model. As Max von Stephanitz (creator of the German shepherd dog, another dog that is disgraceful in the show ring) said, beauty is what serves a USEFUL purpose. Good riddance. They can have their shih tzus and Pomeranians. Keep the cattle dogs, Malinois, border collies, and other working dogs for their real purpose.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

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