At the 150th anniversary of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, judges meticulously evaluate dogs for ideal conformation and movement. Handlers highlight details like open nares, toplines, and gaits to showcase the best specimens matching breed standards. The process combines visual and tactile assessments, reflecting the historical roots of purebred dogs.
At the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, every dog is considered perfect, yet owners and handlers point to specific traits that distinguish their entrants. Melissa Stehler praises River, a 3-year-old Pembroke Welsh corgi, for his "really, really nice topline, and he does a nice free stack." Perry Payson notes Cliquot, the French bulldog, for her "open nares" and "nice and tight feet." Erin Karst describes Tater Tot, a dachshund, as having an "even gait that isn’t choppy," with legs that "don’t interfere with each other."
Topline refers to the dog's spinal posture, nares to nostrils, and free stack to correct standing pose. Judge Denise Flaim confirms observations by touch, running hands over the head, spine, tail, gums, and undercarriage. "I’m just confirming with my hands what my eyes are telling me," she says, checking neck musculature and shoulder blades to avoid "mutton withers," a term for poorly attached shoulders. She pays close attention to loin length, noting that in Rhodesian ridgebacks, a longer loin can lead to clumsiness. For males, she verifies two testicles, as one results in disqualification.
Conformation judging follows American Kennel Club breed standards, assessing traits like leg-to-spine ratios, eye shapes, and toe counts. In group competitions, dogs are evaluated against their breed's ideal, not rivals. "I carry in my mind’s eye the best dog of every breed that I’ve judged," Flaim explains. Movement and flaw carriage are key; a near-perfect eye might be forgiven if lined properly, with gait as a tiebreaker.
The 150th anniversary prompts reflection on breeding. A PETA billboard criticizes flat-faced breeds like bulldogs and pugs for breathing issues, though handlers note genetic testing for pugs. Echoing Jean Baudrillard's "Simulacra and Simulation," modern pug Spud has shorter legs and flatter snouts than ancestors. "The legs need to be proportional to their body size," says owner Elizabeth Russell, deeming long legs a fault. Flaim views purebreds as "little remnants of history," tied to cultures and places, like the pharaoh hound's journey from Egypt to Malta.