Straw, Sticks, and Bricks –
Understanding the blueprint to build a brick house, a foundation for better dogs, and how to breed history and the breed standard work together.
Conformation – principles of the ideal dog.
What is a dog supposed to BE?
History Matters – What was your dog designed to do and how does form follow function.
Understand that a breed’s innate quality and instincts matter. Happy and forever homes depend on an owner knowing that herding dogs herd.
As a Breeder:
- Memorize your breed standard and be able to apply it
- Learn the language of dog – vocabulary, and meaning of anatomy, movement, balance, and proportions.
Front Assembly – Function, construction, angulation.
Geometry and Angles
Balanced Angles
Mechanisms and Suspension
A race car is built differently than a truck. The suspension and wheel placement have to be in the appropriate place. A dog’s “suspension” is also well underneath in the appropriate place for its function.
Cement the Blueprint in your Mind
Fix the ideal image in your mind and work to evaluate and grade how your dog and other dogs match or lack against the breed standard image. Understanding why you are winning, or not, may be answered in your education of yourself.
Patricia V. Trotter (Craige)
Pat Trotter is an AKC All-Breed Judge and Breeder of Merit of Vin-Melca Norwegian Elkhounds. She is one the “greats” of our time!
Formerly Patricia Craige, Norwegian Elkhounds gained the nickname of “Craige-Hounds” from decades of the Vin-Melca breeding stamp on Norwegian Elkhounds.
Born To Win is a must-read over and over encyclopedia of Pat Trotter’s vast knowledge and insights of breeding, breed standards, showing, and just understanding dogs.
