We use the Pat Hastings approach to structurally evaluating our puppies here at Cruisin Cavaliers.
Before we begin our structural evaluation we make sure we are in a new location away from our home and in an unfamiliar place for the puppies. Each puppy is evaluated by an experienced evaluator who is a stranger to the puppies. The evaluation takes place on a table like a grooming table with a mirror a few feet away. The evaluator uses the mirror to position the puppy on the table giving the evaluator a full view of how the puppy is looking without having to step back from the puppy to view the puppy. The evaluator will also use gentle hands to go over the puppy entirely.
We use the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel AKC and CKCSC breed standards during the process of evaluating the head, front, shoulders, rear, topline, eyes, and misc. Each area of structure is given a number between 1 and 5 with 3 meaning that area meets show ring potential, 5 is very good and 1 is structurally incorrect. As a companion pet owner most structurally incorrect areas will not affect the quality of life for the puppy. It takes years to develop an eye towards correct structure so this method of evaluation is more for the breeder versus the companion pet owner. However, a family that is very active and searching for a very active dog or even an agility dog needs to score well in the structural evaluation, but the head type can be slightly off in this situation. Head "type" is very important to show breeders because in the end when all the dogs are lined up in a row the judge goes back over the head and expression of each dog to make their final decision.
When we use this method of evaluation we often find that each puppy really does have slight differences in different structural areas. This is where a breeder will consider their current breeding stock to further help in the decision making process. For example, if a breeder has been focusing on improving the legth of their dogs hence the term long in the loin a breeder may want to choose a puppy that is cobbier in the body. However, the puppy that is the most cobbiest might have straighter stiffles. The breeder then considers the dominant and recessive genes and knows that stiffles is recessive versus dominant so it will be easier to breed away from the straight stiffles. Basically, I am trying to explain that when we do our structural evaluation we do not find a pick-of-the-litter so to speak because there are many factors that must be considered. The puppy that improves my breeding program as well as meeting a 3 or greater in all areas of structure for potential in the show ring is the puppy I should choose to keep. What if all the puppies are still a bit long in the loin and score 3's across the board? I then have to consider the pedigree situation as well. How many generations have I been trying to improve the loin area? If I continue to breed generation after generation with the same problem that problem will become very dominant in my lines. If all the puppies in this example are long in the loin then I probably should not keep a puppy from this breeding and try a different pairing with my female to another stud in the future.
Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Puppy |
