Fault (dog)
Encyclopedia
The term fault is used in animal breed standard
s to describe an aspect of appearance or temperament that is considered detrimental to the breed type
of the animal's breed. In dog
s, faults have to do with the externally observable qualities of the dog such as appearance, movement, and temperament. Qualities separately tested such as tests for ability in specific work or sports, tests for genetic health, tests for general health or specific inherited disease, or any other specific tests for characteristics that cannot be directly observed are not described with the term fault. Minor faults may or may not have anything to do with the individual dog's ability to work or suitability as a pet
.
, and, due to the extreme variability of the dog ("Phenotypic variation among dog breeds, whether it be in size, shape, or behavior, is greater than for any other animal"), a single set of faults cannot be generically described for all dog breeds. Wikipedia articles for individual breeds should describe what are considered faults in that particular breed.
s. As the purpose of conformation shows is to assist breeders in the selection of breeding stock by rewarding with championships
the dogs which, through external observation only, are the best representatives of the breed, major faults or an excess of minor faults would prevent a dog from completing a championship and being bred. Faults may or may not interfere with the individual dog's working ability, or its qualities as a pet. Current advances in genetic testing
are also used by responsible breeders in selecting breeding stock, in addition to visual evaluations by a judge
in the conformation ring, although genetic testing and other tests are outside the scope of the written breed standard.
ring or being bred by responsible breeders) or minor faults, such as coat texture, that can easily be corrected by careful breeding of the next generation. A major fault would be a breed type
fault "which diminishes the overall look of the breed." Another major fault would be visible structural problems of the dog that prevent the animal from doing the type of work for which it was bred. Dogs that run with great speed use the flexibility of their back; a back that is too arched or too flat will restrict the dog's speed, and would be seen as a fault. Other major faults may involve temperament; "Aggressive behaviour is a serious temperament fault in a Lab
."
for their breed, decide which aspects of appearance and temperament that breeders should work towards eliminating in the breed. Those undesirable aspects of appearance and temperament are called faults. What constitutes a fault may differ from breed to breed. For example, an aloof and somewhat aggressive temperament might be suitable for a livestock guardian dog, but would be a completely unacceptable fault in a lap dog
. Faults may be serious enough to require disqualification in a conformation show, eliminating the dog from winning a championship
in conformation, or they may be minor, to be measured by the judge against the dog's good qualities.
Some breed standards are punctilious in the extreme, spelling out exactly what constitutes a fault in every part of the animal, and the degree to which each fault must be penalized. Some are more loosely written, leaving more open to interpretation by the judge, or not describing an attribute at all, which leaves the matter up to the individual judge’s opinion. Some breed standards states that a particular fault is to be penalized to the degree of the severity of the fault, leaving the exact determination up to the judge. Definitions which are open to human interpretation cause much ill-will at conformation shows when exhibitors disagree with the decision of the judge, despite the fact that the fanciers hire the judges and pay entry fees for the judge's opinion of their breeding stock.
For example, most breed standards list a ‘scissor bite’ as the correct one. A level bite, an under-bite or an overbite may be considered faults, depending on the breed standard description. In a conformation show, the judge must decide the degree of severity of the faulty bite, and therefore how much the dog must be marked down in relation to other dogs. However, some breed standards describe only a level bite as acceptable; other breed standards accept the scissor bite. The all-breed judge must know which bite is or is not a fault for each breed that he or she judges.
A given coat colour
may be acceptable, it may be preferred, it may be the only acceptable colour, or it may be a fault. Sometimes these colours change over time, often after much in-fighting and bitterness. For many years, the only acceptable coat pattern in a Dalmatian
was white with black spots, very recently liver spots have been accepted as a variant, but black still appears to be the preference of most. A black German Shepherd Dog
is penalized; a white GSD is disqualified, as the color is believed to be linked to deafness and other serious health problems. Many GSD fanciers like the white colour and continue to breed for the white coat; some lobby for its acceptance into the breed standard, others argue for the creation of a new breed. In the future, genetic testing may show which of these variants in color are actually linked to health problems and which are not, which may lead to modification of the breed standards.
s usually specify that scars, broken teeth or other damage that evidence injuries sustained during a working career (often termed ‘honourable scars and injuries') are not to be penalized in conformation showing
. The Australian Cattle Dog
is an example of this as are some terrier
s, where the breed standards specifically state that scars are not to be penalized as faults in conformation
.
Details of breed standards and precise definition of faults are decided upon by breed clubs and are often hotly debated. Sometimes even minute details are argued over by fanciers and breeders to a degree that would astound the average pet owner who never plans on breeding his or her pet. Fanciers note that such irrelevant seeming qualities have the capacity to change the breed over time.
Often it is the breeders of working dogs who are the most vehement, pointing out that changes in fashion and fancy have led to what they see as a loss in working dog qualities of many breed that have show lines, through rewarding of external appearance without requirements for work. In some breed clubs, such as the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America, working ability and health are valued over conformation to the breed standard. However, even in the JRTCA breed standard only externally observed aspects of the dog are described, as working tests and genetic tests are beyond the scope of a breed standard, which exists as a description of the dog, not its DNA.
Breed standard
A breed standard in animal fancy and animal husbandry is a set of guidelines which is used to ensure that the animals produced by a breeder or breeding facility conform to the specifics of the breed....
s to describe an aspect of appearance or temperament that is considered detrimental to the breed type
Breed type
Breed type is the whole of the characteristics that are typical of a breed of domesticated animals. Breed type may include details of form or color that are not directly related to the economic value of the animal, and are usually defined in breed standards....
of the animal's breed. In dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s, faults have to do with the externally observable qualities of the dog such as appearance, movement, and temperament. Qualities separately tested such as tests for ability in specific work or sports, tests for genetic health, tests for general health or specific inherited disease, or any other specific tests for characteristics that cannot be directly observed are not described with the term fault. Minor faults may or may not have anything to do with the individual dog's ability to work or suitability as a pet
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
.
Defining specific faults
Faults are formally defined in reference to the breed standard of the specific dog breedDog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
, and, due to the extreme variability of the dog ("Phenotypic variation among dog breeds, whether it be in size, shape, or behavior, is greater than for any other animal"), a single set of faults cannot be generically described for all dog breeds. Wikipedia articles for individual breeds should describe what are considered faults in that particular breed.
Purpose and use
Faults are evaluated as part of the judging process in conformation showConformation show
Conformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.A...
s. As the purpose of conformation shows is to assist breeders in the selection of breeding stock by rewarding with championships
Championship (dog)
Championships are awarded to dogs who have passed through a process of selection at dog shows. Traditionally, a championship was received at a conformation show, but championships are now offered for dogs who have attained a high degree of perfection in other dog sports as well.-The conformation...
the dogs which, through external observation only, are the best representatives of the breed, major faults or an excess of minor faults would prevent a dog from completing a championship and being bred. Faults may or may not interfere with the individual dog's working ability, or its qualities as a pet. Current advances in genetic testing
Genetic testing
Genetic testing is among the newest and most sophisticated of techniques used to test for genetic disorders which involves direct examination of the DNA molecule itself. Other genetic tests include biochemical tests for such gene products as enzymes and other proteins and for microscopic...
are also used by responsible breeders in selecting breeding stock, in addition to visual evaluations by a judge
Dog-show judge
A dog show judge, sometimes dog judge, is a person that is qualified to evaluate dogs at a conformation show. At small shows, there might be only one judge for all breeds and classes...
in the conformation ring, although genetic testing and other tests are outside the scope of the written breed standard.
Major and minor faults
Faults may be either major faults (preventing the dog from being shown in the conformationConformation (dog)
Conformation in dogs refers solely to the externally visible details of a dog's structure and appearance, as defined in detail by each dog breed's written breed standard. A dog that conforms to most of the items of description in its individual breed standard is said to have good conformation...
ring or being bred by responsible breeders) or minor faults, such as coat texture, that can easily be corrected by careful breeding of the next generation. A major fault would be a breed type
Breed type
Breed type is the whole of the characteristics that are typical of a breed of domesticated animals. Breed type may include details of form or color that are not directly related to the economic value of the animal, and are usually defined in breed standards....
fault "which diminishes the overall look of the breed." Another major fault would be visible structural problems of the dog that prevent the animal from doing the type of work for which it was bred. Dogs that run with great speed use the flexibility of their back; a back that is too arched or too flat will restrict the dog's speed, and would be seen as a fault. Other major faults may involve temperament; "Aggressive behaviour is a serious temperament fault in a Lab
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United...
."
Whose fault is it? Interpretation of the standards
Since dogs have enormous variation in their appearance, what is or is not considered desirable or undesirable depends on the individual breed's appearance and historical background (what kind of work it was bred to do). Individual breed clubs, whose members write the breed standardBreed standard (dogs)
A breed standard in the dog fancy is a set of guidelines covering specific externally observable qualities such as appearance, movement, and temperament for that dog breed...
for their breed, decide which aspects of appearance and temperament that breeders should work towards eliminating in the breed. Those undesirable aspects of appearance and temperament are called faults. What constitutes a fault may differ from breed to breed. For example, an aloof and somewhat aggressive temperament might be suitable for a livestock guardian dog, but would be a completely unacceptable fault in a lap dog
Lap dog
A lapdog or lap dog is a dog that is small enough to be held in the arms or lie comfortably on a person's lap. Lapdogs are not a specific breed, but is a generic term for a type of dog of small size and friendly disposition....
. Faults may be serious enough to require disqualification in a conformation show, eliminating the dog from winning a championship
Championship (dog)
Championships are awarded to dogs who have passed through a process of selection at dog shows. Traditionally, a championship was received at a conformation show, but championships are now offered for dogs who have attained a high degree of perfection in other dog sports as well.-The conformation...
in conformation, or they may be minor, to be measured by the judge against the dog's good qualities.
Some breed standards are punctilious in the extreme, spelling out exactly what constitutes a fault in every part of the animal, and the degree to which each fault must be penalized. Some are more loosely written, leaving more open to interpretation by the judge, or not describing an attribute at all, which leaves the matter up to the individual judge’s opinion. Some breed standards states that a particular fault is to be penalized to the degree of the severity of the fault, leaving the exact determination up to the judge. Definitions which are open to human interpretation cause much ill-will at conformation shows when exhibitors disagree with the decision of the judge, despite the fact that the fanciers hire the judges and pay entry fees for the judge's opinion of their breeding stock.
For example, most breed standards list a ‘scissor bite’ as the correct one. A level bite, an under-bite or an overbite may be considered faults, depending on the breed standard description. In a conformation show, the judge must decide the degree of severity of the faulty bite, and therefore how much the dog must be marked down in relation to other dogs. However, some breed standards describe only a level bite as acceptable; other breed standards accept the scissor bite. The all-breed judge must know which bite is or is not a fault for each breed that he or she judges.
A given coat colour
Coat (dog)
The coat of the domestic dog refers to the hair that covers its body. A dog's coat may be a double coat, made up of a soft undercoat and a coarser topcoat, or a single coat, which lacks an undercoat...
may be acceptable, it may be preferred, it may be the only acceptable colour, or it may be a fault. Sometimes these colours change over time, often after much in-fighting and bitterness. For many years, the only acceptable coat pattern in a Dalmatian
Dalmatian (dog)
The Dalmatian is a breed of dog whose roots are often said to trace back to Dalmatia, a region of Croatia where the first illustrations of the dog have been found. The Dalmatian is noted for its unique black- or brown-spotted coat and was mainly used as a carriage dog in its early days...
was white with black spots, very recently liver spots have been accepted as a variant, but black still appears to be the preference of most. A black German Shepherd Dog
German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog...
is penalized; a white GSD is disqualified, as the color is believed to be linked to deafness and other serious health problems. Many GSD fanciers like the white colour and continue to breed for the white coat; some lobby for its acceptance into the breed standard, others argue for the creation of a new breed. In the future, genetic testing may show which of these variants in color are actually linked to health problems and which are not, which may lead to modification of the breed standards.
Working dogs
The breed standards for working dogWorking dog
A working dog refers to a canine working animal, i.e., a type of dog that is not merely a pet but learns and performs tasks to assist and/or entertain its human companions, or a breed of such origin...
s usually specify that scars, broken teeth or other damage that evidence injuries sustained during a working career (often termed ‘honourable scars and injuries') are not to be penalized in conformation showing
Conformation show
Conformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.A...
. The Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Cattle Dog
The Australian Cattle Dog is a breed of herding dog originally developed in Australia for droving cattle over long distances across rough terrain. In the 19th century, New South Wales cattle farmer Thomas Hall crossed the dogs used by drovers in his parents' home county, Northumberland, with...
is an example of this as are some terrier
Terrier
A terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, very active and fearless dogs. Terrier breeds vary greatly in size from just a couple of pounds to over 70 pounds and are usually categorized by size or function...
s, where the breed standards specifically state that scars are not to be penalized as faults in conformation
Conformation (dog)
Conformation in dogs refers solely to the externally visible details of a dog's structure and appearance, as defined in detail by each dog breed's written breed standard. A dog that conforms to most of the items of description in its individual breed standard is said to have good conformation...
.
Details of breed standards and precise definition of faults are decided upon by breed clubs and are often hotly debated. Sometimes even minute details are argued over by fanciers and breeders to a degree that would astound the average pet owner who never plans on breeding his or her pet. Fanciers note that such irrelevant seeming qualities have the capacity to change the breed over time.
Often it is the breeders of working dogs who are the most vehement, pointing out that changes in fashion and fancy have led to what they see as a loss in working dog qualities of many breed that have show lines, through rewarding of external appearance without requirements for work. In some breed clubs, such as the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America, working ability and health are valued over conformation to the breed standard. However, even in the JRTCA breed standard only externally observed aspects of the dog are described, as working tests and genetic tests are beyond the scope of a breed standard, which exists as a description of the dog, not its DNA.
See also
- Breed standard (dogs)Breed standard (dogs)A breed standard in the dog fancy is a set of guidelines covering specific externally observable qualities such as appearance, movement, and temperament for that dog breed...
- Conformation (dog)Conformation (dog)Conformation in dogs refers solely to the externally visible details of a dog's structure and appearance, as defined in detail by each dog breed's written breed standard. A dog that conforms to most of the items of description in its individual breed standard is said to have good conformation...
- Championship (dog)Championship (dog)Championships are awarded to dogs who have passed through a process of selection at dog shows. Traditionally, a championship was received at a conformation show, but championships are now offered for dogs who have attained a high degree of perfection in other dog sports as well.-The conformation...
- Dog breedingDog breedingDog breeding is the practice of mating selected specimens with the intent to maintain or produce specific qualities and characteristics.Dogs reproduce without human interference, so their offsprings' characteristics are determined by natural selection. Domestic dogs may be intentionally bred by...
- Dog anatomyDog anatomyDog anatomy includes the same internal structures that are in humans. Details of structures vary tremendously from breed to breed, more than in any other animal species, wild or domesticated, as dogs vary from the tiny Chihuahua to the giant Irish Wolfhound....