Kennel Club Academy Adds New Conformation and Movement Resource for Dog Show Judges

The Kennel Club has added a new resource outlining the principles of canine conformation and movement to its online education resource, the Kennel Club Academy.

Divided into seven easy-to-follow chapters, this latest resource follows on from previous formats which proved very useful to both Kennel Club Accredited Trainers delivering the conformation and movement seminars and those attending them. This online version, made up entirely of brand new content, will prove even more instructional and accessible, being available to view by Academy users at their convenience and as many times as they wish.

The Kennel Club Academy, launched at Crufts in 2016 and led by the Kennel Club’s Training Board, is an online learning resource for judges, breeders and KCAI members. It will aim to provide consistent and high quality standards of education and training in every area of Kennel Club activity.

The information provided in the Judges Education section of the Academy aims to support and encourage both aspiring and established judges to undertake the pre-course learning before attending seminars and assessments delivered by Kennel Club Accredited Trainers and to keep up to date. This new film explains the importance of conformation and movement in the overall judging process. It is aimed at everyone who has an interest in the dog but especially those who aspire to judge and established judges.

The seven chapters are as follows:

Introduction

  • General overview of what is covered in the series
  • Find out what pre-learning you should take prior to attending a seminar delivered by an Accredited Trainer
  • The importance of breed standards and understanding them

Application of the points of the dog and anatomy

  • Builds upon the Points of the Dog learning resource and Points of the Dog Assessments conducted by an Accredited Trainer
  • Looks at how we use the Points of the Dog to assess Conformation and Movement
  • Introduces variations in Conformation and Movement
  • Forehand
  • Body
  • Couplings
  • Hindquarters

Conformation

Looks at the overall appearance of a dog discussing;

  • Balance both standing and moving
  • Angulation (shown using skeleton painted on live model)
  • Faults in conformation
  • Importance of Conformation and Movement and Breed Type

Form and function, and purpose of the breed

  • Variation in functions from breed to breed
  • Conformational differences from breed to breed

Movement

  • Movement as it relates to conformation
  • Hind, front and side movement
  • Faults in movement

Judging

  • Going over a dog
  • The assessment of Conformation and Movement
  • Looking at the overall picture
  • What you’re looking for
  • Handy tips

Reflection

  • Summary of all the chapters
  • Emphasis on the salient points covered
  • Provides a ‘class’ of dogs for assessment, intended for discussion at the seminar, delivered by an Accredited Trainer  

Kathy Gorman, Kennel Club Accredited Trainer, said: “A lot of hard work has gone into creating this revised version of the Conformation and Movement series, which will be an important online resource for all judges and my fellow Kennel Club Accredited Trainers. It is there to complement and support the seminars delivered by Accredited Trainers. The film is divided into seven chapters and provides pre-learning ahead of the mandatory conformation and movement seminars, and further acts as a refresher.”

This latest addition to the Judges Education section of the Kennel Club Academy supports the other resources which are already available, including the Points of the Dog drag and drop exercise, and films on the ’Requirements of a Dog Show Judge’, ‘Ring Stewarding’ and breed health monitoring forms. The Kennel Club Academy also has a developing library of breed-specific lectures, with the long term aim to cover every breed recognised by the Kennel Club. Currently there are eight breed films online, with more due to be added in the coming weeks.

Other learning resources hosted on the Academy, which are free of charge, include the Ring Procedures at Licenced Shows (German Shepherd Dog Education Programme), Breeder Education and Brachycephalic Breed Health and Research Learning Resource.

Gerald King, Chairman of the Kennel Club Training Board, said: “This resource is an exciting development which will be a valuable learning aid going forward. It should be viewed in conjunction with the current Kennel Club seminar on conformation and movement, providing pre-course learning for people interested in judging. We want to thank everyone involved from our experts and Training Board members who have been invaluable in producing this film – also not forgetting the people who provided dogs for filming, of course.”

The Kennel Club Academy costs just £26 for one year's access to all of the Judges Education resources, including new resources which the Kennel Club will continue to add over the next 12 months. Please visit the Kennel Club Academy Shop.