George Spradling on Conformation, Faults and Virtues in the Dachshund Breed
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CH Hainheim’s Lance who finished with a BIS and several Group Ones from the classes
After Mr Spradling judged the 1966 KC of Beverly Hills Show, a dinner was held for George and Rachel Spradling of the Hainheim Kennel and Mr Spradling spoke to the crowd on Conformation, Faults and Virtues. Dinner guests had an opportunity to learn some facts about our breed that they seldom have the chance to hear, for the speaker is a student of Dachshund conformation and genetics. When Mr Spradling finished enumerating and evaluating the 47 faults listed in the Dachshund standard, it was easier to understand just what he had been looking for in the entry judged a few days before.
CH Hainheim’s Falconette winning WB,BW and BOSV and BOSB under Rose Heying
Emphasizing that he primarily searched for virtues rather than faults, he said a fault was a defect in a virtue. He explained that he rewarded virtues and penalized faults for good height on the basis of how much a virtue helped or the fault prevented the dog from doing the work it was designed to do. He pointed out that all serious faults enumerated in the standard, except bites and glass eyes, pertain to function;, they are defects that obstruct or hinder movement and stamina. On the other hand, all minor faults enumerated pertain to nonfunctional characters, viz., heads, shape of eyes, short necks, etc.
CH Hainheim’s Lance winning with Mrs Ramona Van Court holding the Mrs Miriam Van Court Memorial Trophy
Since the standard merely lists the faults in each group, excepting the three that are, in effect, disqualifications, without specifying their relative seriousness, a judge must determine how they are to be evaluated. Thus is a steep scapula paddling a more serious fault than cowhocks?
CH Falcon of Heying-Teckel, Judge Mr Spradling and handler/owner Rose Heying
Mr Spradling thinks it is, because the front quarters must absorb the jars and punishment of overcoming gravity, which is a more difficult and wearying task than is performed by the rear quarters; consequently the forequarters of all four-footed animals break down more often than rear quarters. Near perfection in the forequarters is therefore more essential than it is in the rear quarters, if the dog is to perform work over a period of time.
CH Carbon of Heying-Teckel winning Best in DCC Futurity
Mr Spradling went over the important specifications for characters and explained their functions. Thus he pointed out the necessity for good height at the withers, assuring ample space for the attachment of the scapula and additional heart space; the reasons why a long, oval thorax and rib cage is necessary for added lung and heart room; the reasons for the length of scapula, upper arm and correct angulation; the reasons why a fiddle front or wide rear result in poor movement. He said he had very few dogs in the show that moved well, and that many were barrel-chested. He also mentioned that too tight elbows cause a stilted instead of a free-moving front movement.
Lance of Heying-Teckel winning WD and BW under Judge George Spradling for owner Rose Heying
Lotus of Heying-Teckel winning WB and BOS under George Spradling at the 1951 DCC
Feet he found better here that in some of the shows he has recently attended, but there were a number of soft pads. Front stance was better than average, but wide rears were more prevalent.
CH Brentwald Copyright for owner Marge Dorward (Woodie’s first wife) winning BV under George Spradling at the 1951 DCC Show
Red Locket Hexe winning WB and BW and BOS under George Spradling at the 1951 DCC Show, shown by owner Woodie Dorward
Since wide, “square” rears seem to be admired by many exhibitors, Mr Spradling explained his objection to them. He said that because the center of gravity is located in the front part of the dog, instead of in the center of the body, when power is alternately applied by the back legs of the body on opposite sides of the body, the center of gravity swings back and forth in proportion to the lateral distance of the back legs to the center of gravity. In other words, the dog wobbles. He said the back legs should be located straight down from the hip joint, and that, from a functional standpoint, closeness behind is preferable to wideness.
Starkrest Royal Jesture, owned by Starkrest Kennel, swhon by Wm Stark who won WD at St Louis DC
In judging the Beverly Hills show, Mr Spradling did not permit posing of the dogs or the feeding of tidbits. He said any experienced exhibitor is familiar with the tricks employed to hide faults, such as straightening the back line by spreading the back legs or pulling them back so far the dog stands on its toes, or offering tidbits so the dog leans forward, or even pushing the dog into a squatting position.
CH Willomar’s Night and Day winning BV andd BB at DCA under George Spradling for owner Marcia Wheeler
Casper’s Dagmar winning WB abd BW under George Spradling for owner Al Casper
He advocated judging back lines and most other features as the dog is gaited or standing on a loose lead in a natural stance, that is to say, while the dog is standing with all four feet on the ground. All dogs sometimes stop off-balance, but balance can be restored by having him take a step or two forward. The natural stance of a Dachshund with correct angulation is the so-called German Shepherd stance, since both breeds have the same angulation front and rear.
He advised exhibitors to have others lead their dogs and stand back and objectively look at them in motion and standing naturally, instead of appraising them posed on a table. Many dogs that are in fact culls make beautiful outlines when posed and pushed into position on the table or floor.
Villanol’s Lorelei winning under Mr Spradling for owner Gordon Carvill
CH Bergmanor Rumpelstiltskin winning BV at Beverly Hills KC for owner Grace Hirschman
In response to questions asked, Mr Spradling said type had not changed in the 35 years he was familiar with the breed; that there was no relationship between size and type; that 20 or more years ago smaller dogs were preferred by most breeders; and that size should have no influence upon judging. He pointed out, however, that large dogs are more easily seen, hence have an advantage in the ring, especially in interbreed competition. He also pointed out that red dogs can be seen in the ring much better than black and tans; that in some lights it is impossible to see the topline of black and tan unless there is a light background.
CH Noah of Heying-Teckel W winning BV for owner Rose Heying
CH Fleming’s Jolly Julie winning BV at Midwest DC for handler Hannelore Heller and owner Dr Fred Lawrence
Mr Spradling remarked he had never seen a Dachshund that did not have a number of faults, with at least one serious fault, and that most show specimens had several faults; that judging was hard work, especially when dogs were of inferior quality; that the Dachshund Club of California Specialty he judged in 1951 had the highest percentage of top quality dogs he had ever seen in a show.
CH Westphal’s Donnybrook winningBV under George Spradling foir owner Peggy Westphal and handler Howard Nygood
Moffett’s Starine winning for owner Russ and Thelma Moffett
By Barbara Nichols
August 1966 issue of The American Dachshund