The American Beagler Forum

I like to watch a dog in motion from the side when I judge. Many bench show judges at trials don't look at motion from the side. Just down and back without any time for free-stacking. Can a confident decision be made without that aspect of judging? What is your answer and why?

I definately pay attention to sidegait when judging but, its not "everything" for me thats for sure like for some of the all breed judges that think "TRAD" (tremendous reach and drive) is the be all to end all. I like to watch from the side and the down and back. Dogs that have a lot of wasted motion (egg beater fronts) etc are not moving efficiently. A dog moving on the side should effortlessly cover ground with the proper amount of reach and drive without it being overdone.

Leah

I have to agree with Leah on this one, I love to watch a dog that can glide effortlessly and should be considered during any conformation judging atmosphere whether it be bench show or in the show ring, how ever there is no criteria for judges to actually judge the gait, but it does give you indicators as to what you might look at when the dog is on the bench or the table which ever the case maybe. However I think that the down and back should be before the table and bench so that the judge can then identify the reason for it when they do their hands on.

Actually I would say yes and no to the pole question.
When a good judge puts their hands on a dog they should walk away knowing what there is to know about that dog before it is gated at all.
Where the problem lies is that as a judge I will want to be verifying what I felt by watching the dog move. So I might want to see one dog from the side and another from the front or rear. At a normal show after the dog has done a down and back the handler will be asked to take the dog around. Watch a good judge closely and you will notice that they will watch one dog all the way around and yet another just part of the way.
In other words that judge will already know what they are looking for with that particular dog.

I like to view gait on a dog from the side, but I come from a breed that the standard stresses side gait..(Brittanys). a lot of faulty movement can be hidden by handler tricks on the down and back but side movement can not be as easily minipulated..but with that said it takes a judge who can recognise correct side movement not excessive speed passed off as efficient ground covering gait or hackney front movement pased off as true reach

You get a better look at the topline and tailset from the side...I say that you have got to see them move from the side too.