# In your opinion, what is the most glaring fault?



## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

frostfirestandards said:


> I watch shows on TV and then I also watch the local ones, but I really wonder how a dog can win win win (as a special) with horribly flat feet?
> I know you can disguise just about anything, but the feet are just hanging right out there.
> I also hate it when a dog has no chin
> 
> ...


I think if a Poodles tail is up,up,up in the ring, it totally changes the way they look. Down with the tail, down with the dog. If I were a judge, I would totally overlook a Poodle whose tail is not right up. People's impression of the Poodle is of a happy go lucky, joy filled dog, not of a dog who looks insecure or unsure of itself.

I have lately developed a foot fetish. Trillium and I go to various sites while on the phone looking at dogs we may want to buy or use as a stud, and we spend a lot of our time commenting on the feet. Nice tight feet that the dog is high up on is what we notice the most.


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## frostfirestandards (Jun 18, 2009)

ArreauStandardPoodle said:


> I think if a Poodles tail is up,up,up in the ring, it totally changes the way they look. Down with the tail, down with the dog. If I were a judge, I would totally overlook a Poodle whose tail is not right up. People's impression of the Poodle is of a happy go lucky, joy filled dog, not of a dog who looks insecure or unsure of itself.
> 
> I have lately developed a foot fetish. Trillium and I go to various sites while on the phone looking at dogs we may want to buy ir use as a stud, and we spend a lot of our time commenting on the feet. Nice tight feet that the dog is high up on is what we notice the most.


I forgot about the tail!!! 

I think every poodle owner or fan has a foot fetish LOL I know I do (poodle feet, not people's)


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## cbrand (Aug 9, 2009)

For me I guess the top three would be: poor pigment on a White/Cream, tear staining, and an ugly head.

I never thought of myself as a "head hunter" but there really is something special about a Poodle's head and expression and I hate to see it marred.


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

I'm with cbrand, bad pigment and tear stains grabs my attention immediately since you see it a lot in the salon.


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

I'm only learning what to look for in a poodle. But based on my possible puppy and chats with his breeder, top things in minis at least are:

- lacking chin/ missing teeth - she's been saying that one of the things she likes in the little guy is his full chin, and full mouth of teeth. Apparently missing teeth and weak chins are a problem in the smaller sizes.
- Poor heads/ necks

For me a killer in the ring is bad movement. I don't care how lovely the dog looks stacked, if he's a bad mover, then he goes to the bottom of the list. I picked up on that from my mom I guess, who can't stand poor moving dogs! She almost died when someone suggested she use a PWD stud who is gorgeous standing still but lumbers around the ring like an ox! Hehe.


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

cbrand said:


> I never thought of myself as a "head hunter" but there really is something special about a Poodle's head and expression and I hate to see it marred.


I love that term! My mom is a total head hunter, she always looks to the head first when assessing puppies and possible studs.


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## Rockporters (Jan 14, 2010)

For me if a Poodle doesn't have good movement, or has splayed feet, it stands out like a sore thumb. It completely detracts from the elegance and grace that you expect to see in a Poodle. Beyond that... Round or buggy eyes. Harshly angular or pointed features/face.


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## Harley_chik (Nov 7, 2008)

I'm far from being an expert but I don't like long bodied dogs at all.


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

Since we are talking about "show-dogs", and assuming that some basic things MUST be covered to even go to the ring and not look ridiculous (like correct pigmentation ) - the thing that drives me crazy are bad feet and bad movement - and any other bad thing about legs (like cowing or bowing or having short front ):wacko:

Expression is the second thing - round eyes or loose eyes make me "twitch". 

I would "forgive" tail not being extremely perky that particular day if a tail-set is correct (I know that around my "heat" I would not be perky lmao ) but "gay" tail would catch my attention - that is for sure *ugh...


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## Winnow (Jan 2, 2010)

well since we have so many natural tails here in europe I would say that a really bad curled tail is a total off for me.

I also hate when they are not groomed well, like if they look like they where bathed last week or something :S


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

I hate ewe necks and necks with loose excess skin. In toys, pet toys, I hate high bat flap ears....they usually have sparse hair to accentuate the poor ear set.


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

_splayed feet, roached back!, ugly head. I, too, am a head hunter. I think it all starts with the head and expression then goes down from there._ _I hate tear stains._
_
Tail down in the ring is definitely the kiss of death as Arreau pointed out. I watched a specialty at one show and the gorgeous white bitch that I liked never picked her tail up. I knew she was done for right then and there. Sure enough, the judge dismissed them from the ring._


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

spoospirit said:


> _splayed feet, roached back!, ugly head. I, too, am a head hunter. I think it all starts with the head and expression then goes down from there._ _I hate tear stains._
> _
> Tail down in the ring is definitely the kiss of death as Arreau pointed out. I watched a specialty at one show and the gorgeous white bitch that I liked never picked her tail up. I knew she was done for right then and there. Sure enough, the judge dismissed them from the ring._


Poor baby : ((( - did anybody consider that handler maybe decided to "shove" some Kleenex where the "light never shines":rolffleyes: Maybe he should try "tickling"her like those bulldog handlers LMAO 

JK JK - it really must be devastating to have a gorgeous dog and be sent away just because dog was maybe just exhausted that day or have a "tummy ache" or something of that sort going on :rolffleyes: *sigh 

Oh well - life of a show dog certainly is not an easy one ...


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## roxy25 (Dec 18, 2008)

wishpoo said:


> Poor baby : ((( - did anybody consider that handler maybe decided to "shove" some Kleenex where the "light never shines":rolffleyes: Maybe he should try "tickling"her like those bulldog handlers LMAO
> 
> JK JK - it really must be devastating to have a gorgeous dog and be sent away just because dog was maybe just exhausted that day or have a "tummy ache" or something of that sort going on :rolffleyes: *sigh
> 
> Oh well - life of a show dog certainly is not an easy one ...


IMO when I see tails down , it means the dog does not enjoy showing and this is probably why the judges hate tails down. 

When I watch shows live I see the judges really looking at heads ,movement and attitude. If you dog does not at least have attitude and movement prepare to just stop showing lol


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## frostfirestandards (Jun 18, 2009)

wishpoo said:


> Poor baby : ((( - did anybody consider that handler maybe decided to "shove" some Kleenex where the "light never shines":rolffleyes: Maybe he should try "tickling"her like those bulldog handlers LMAO
> 
> JK JK - it really must be devastating to have a gorgeous dog and be sent away just because dog was maybe just exhausted that day or have a "tummy ache" or something of that sort going on :rolffleyes: *sigh
> 
> Oh well - life of a show dog certainly is not an easy one ...


Explain the keenex thing to me Wishpoo, you lost me there. 

I was so shocked the first time I saw matches sticking out of a dogs bum 
LOL I thought it was some parasite :scared:


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## roxy25 (Dec 18, 2008)

frostfirestandards said:


> Explain the keenex thing to me Wishpoo, you lost me there.
> 
> I was so shocked the first time I saw matches sticking out of a dogs bum
> LOL I thought it was some parasite :scared:


They use Kleenex or toilet paper like a tampon for bitches in season ! They just roll it up and put it there , I saw one person almost go in the ring with the tissue sticking out LOL


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

Thanks Roxy for explaining LOL , I just found this post ...

BUT, now it made me think :rolffleyes:- how come nobody invented real dog tampons :rolffleyes: !!!! It would solve "messy" part as well as prevent accidental breeding !!!!!!!


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

wishpoo said:


> Poor baby : ((( - did anybody consider that handler maybe decided to "shove" some Kleenex where the "light never shines":rolffleyes: Maybe he should try "tickling"her like those bulldog handlers LMAO
> 
> JK JK - it really must be devastating to have a gorgeous dog and be sent away just because dog was maybe just exhausted that day or have a "tummy ache" or something of that sort going on :rolffleyes: *sigh
> 
> Oh well - life of a show dog certainly is not an easy one ...


_
Actually, when I said something about it while they were in the ring, my husband told me that the owner had been talking with him before she went in and admitted that the bitch had a habit of not picking her tail up and she was worried about it. Ergo, she probably does not enjoy the show ring! The handler was a woman and I believe she was also the owner too._


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## PolarBear (Mar 6, 2010)

partial2poodles said:


> I hate ewe necks and necks with loose excess skin. In toys, pet toys, I hate high bat flap ears....they usually have sparse hair to accentuate the poor ear set.


I have only been looking at poodles for the last couple of years. Just learning about confirmation. I was wondering if anyone new a website that showed ewe necks, splayed feet and the correct way of walking.


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## Harley_chik (Nov 7, 2008)

I really like this site and it shows some of the things you mentioned.
Poodle - Dog Breeds - Dog.com

(Thanks to Roxy, who posted it here the first time!)


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## Margret (Apr 25, 2010)

Winnow said:


> well since we have so many natural tails here in europe I would say that a really bad curled tail is a total off for me.
> 
> I also hate when they are not groomed well, like if they look like they where bathed last week or something :S


I have to agree with Disa Long curly tails is just awful to see, my poodle carries his tail a little bit to tight when he's happy but his tail is still a nice length so I can live with that problem but I wish we could dock tails...

poor pigment is something I really dislike in whites, flat feet as well and dogs that are poorly groomed. Those are the things that stand out for me


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## Winnow (Jan 2, 2010)

Margret said:


> I have to agree with Disa Long curly tails is just awful to see, my poodle carries his tail a little bit to tight when he's happy but his tail is still a nice length so I can live with that problem but I wish we could dock tails...
> 
> poor pigment is something I really dislike in whites, flat feet as well and dogs that are poorly groomed. Those are the things that stand out for me


Me too we would not even have to take that much of them.

Charly has a good tail but the last 3-5 cm start to bend. So just take the tip off would help a lot.

I know one kennel in scandinavia that has terrible tales in there lines but I think the dogs are very nice except from the tales.
But there tail make me not want a pup from these lines.


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## NOLA Standards (Apr 11, 2010)

*R.E.:*

Try this link

Illustrated Breed Standard


I studied it first, and then my Mentor has worked with me pointing out grooming camo and structure on dogs in the ring. Also, quick moves and tricks handlers have.

By the time I get it all figured out, they (whoever they are!) will be having my Memorial Service...:clock:


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## 4theLOVEofPOODLES (May 13, 2010)

Improper movement like paddling, poor rear drive etc is something I hate to see. I was in a ring once when a judge put up this dog over mine that very clearly was not built right. She looked like she was a doggie egg-beater and bounced all over the place! Needless to say it was also obviously the handler that was the reason she was put up. A lot of poodle people made comments about how that bitch should not have placed. Oh well at least I wasn't the only person that saw it.
Females with big cheeky doggy heads make me cringe too!


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