Bryan Martin: Read Your Standard and Dream BIS Line up

Bryan Martin, retired professional handler, former AKC executive field representative and newly minted Hound group judge joins host Laura Reeves for part two of his amazing stories and advice for exhibitors.

“My family would have dinner (and) during dessert, the book of standards came on the table. We had weekly discussions. ‘OK let's talk about heads tonight.’ We'd go round the table and everyone would say something and ‘OK who do you think has a good head? Who do you think has a bad head? Do you have a picture? Go get a picture.’ One night we’d talk about shoulders and why the shoulder needs to be a wrap-around, why the shoulder needs to be well laid back, why the shoulder blade and the upper arm have to be the same length, to make it a proper working hound, how the back end has to match the front end… How the pieces fit. It's form and function, which has stuck with me forever, and that's my basis is form and function judging.

“It's amazing how many people in AKC, UKC … have no understanding how to read a standard. How to interpret a standard and how to go to somebody and talk to somebody about the standard. The how’s why’s and wherefores of studying standards. At the International show where we had to write a critique, we had to know the standards. What I ended up doing was showing people what the standard says about their dog. And they say ‘oh, I didn't know that’ and it's a whole educational program that is missed.”

In the “Dream Best In Show Lineup” game, Martin’s choices were:

Sporting – English Springer Spaniel, Ch Salilyn's AristocratHound – Afghan Hound, Ch Triumph Of GrandeurWorking – Doberman Pinscher, Ch. Brunswig's CryptoniteTerrier – Scottish Terrier, Ch. Braeburn's Close EncounterToy – Japanese Chin, GCh. Pem We-Syng Lucky MINon-Sporting – Dalmatian, Ch. Spotlight’s SpectacularHerding – German Shepherd Dog, GCh. Altana's Mystique

Finally, Best in Show in this mythical lineup??

Shannon, the Scottish Terrier, shown by George Ward.

Listen above to hear all of this and more.