An Eye For a Dog: Illustrated Guide to Judging Purebred Dogs

I tend to be highly critical of books I read, but I can't criticize this book! It has made a huge difference in my ability to see details and critique dogs.I have a much better understanding of proper gait and a crystal clear understanding of "type". I can quickly see balance and actually pinpoint areas that make a dog off-balance, instead of just feeling that "there's something off about this dog..." I can also find tiny flaws in dogs I previously thought were perfect-This book is an invaluable aid for any breeder/exhibitor to prevent kennel blindness, aid in selection of mates, understand judge's decisions, etc.In the process of learning about structure and gait, I also gained many, many little tid bits of information about a lot of different breeds and now I can watch a dog show like westminster and actually know what to look for in most of the breeds.This book is fun to read, since you compare two sketches of dogs that look almost identical and pick which one you like more, which flaws they have, etc. Then you get to read the author's pick and explanation and see if you did a good job critiquing the dogs. I got more and more accurate as I went through the book, so I know that it definitely helped me develop an "eye for a dog".I love this book, will definitely read it again and highly recommend it!

This book has made me a better judge of what a “winning” or even healthy and properly put together dog look like. Form follow function and I wish all conformation judges would read and absorb the knowledge in this book and we might not have the issues we have today with the roached-backed GSD,the extreme wrinkling of some of the mastiffs and the poor Pekingese might still been able to move without placed on a cooling device every 10 minutes.Great for everyone who enjoy watching dog shows live or on TV,for exhibitors and breeders as well as anyone in the market for a puppy or dog (of any breed - or mix..)Great illustrations and easy to understand text make this a great purchase.

I bought this by recommendation of Rachel from Senza Tempo Cane Corso.I love the book. The book is a must for any breeder or just puredog enthusiast. It goes into great detail about each individual feature of a dog and about each breed.I can now recognize when something about a dog looks "off" and tell what it is. This has helped me so much in my search for a German shepherd puppy.

I’ve really enjoyed this book - and really don’t think I’ll ever be completely finished with it. It provides great examples, giving the reader some opportunity to learn by looking at the same dog that’s being discussed, an invaluable help. My only criticism is that the writer assumes readers have a solid understanding of canine anatomy (which I didn’t). As long as you have an anatomy reference available if you need it, you’ll find this book wonderful!

I can't argue with everyone who gave this book the glowing reviews it's received. I bought it hoping it could help me understand exactly what it is that dog show judges are looking at when they watch the dogs trot around them in a show ring. Even as a breed enthusiast, I mainly tend to notice whether the dog is the right color and generally looks like the breed it is supposed to be. Those qualities in place, a collie is a collie as far as I could tell, so what set one apart from the rest was beyond me.I will say that the book was excellent for taking my understanding of conformation beyond that point. I was able to understand the subtle differences in form and structure that the author describes, and by the end of the book I could pick out specific faults in the illustrations.But... the book is not written with the everyday person in mind. It is full of lofty dog terminology, for one thing, and while an effort is made to explain the terminology somewhat, the definitions given are rather lofty and vague as well. A big example is the concept of 'balance', which is the concept upon which the whole judging schtick is based. The author tries to explain what he considers 'balance' to mean, but the explanation did not leave me with a very concrete understanding of what, exactly, I should be looking for.Moreover, all of the illustrations given are line drawings similar to what is shown on the cover. They are excellent for the purpose they serve, but I found it difficult to move from the crisp, static lines of a sketch to the fluid dynamic lines of a real dog. If feel this would be easier if I'd pictures of actual dogs to look at as well as the line drawings.Overall, though, I feel the book was worth reading and worth having. Hopefully as I get more involved with dog shows, it will become even more useful to me.

One of my favorite books for developing a sense of what's important in a breed, and weighing the inevitable faults against assets. I used to love the Dog World "You Be the Judge" columns every month. Growing up, they taught me how to appraise a dog standing and make accurate sense of how the static dog will move, as well as deciding how each dog in the class measures up against competitors. I knew this book existed and it took a bit of searching. I'm an artist now and use it to educate both artists and dog people. This, along with Rachel Page Elliott's "Dogsteps" are a necessarily foundation for anyone who wants to really understand judging by breed standards and structure over just what they "like".

Always enjoyed these “you be the judge” articles. Now they are in an easy to read and easy to access book. You won’t be disappointed.

Speedy delivery. Exactly as ordered.

Un gran libro per uno chi vorrebbe capire come si guarda un cane da punto di vista del giudice, tutto in inglese!

Un Gran libro, te enseña a evaluar los perros según el standar, a fijarte en detalles y a elegir el mejor del ejemplo propuesto.

Loved this book. I am a conformation judge and wanted to improve my judging skills so purchased this book in the hopes of getting some more insight into judging and I think it is a great book. It has given me some new techniques on viewing the dogs when they come into the ring and I have learnt things I didnt know. Highly recommend it.