‍For me, there is no single answer to this. To answer I think it leads us to my belief that there are two types of judges: those who judge in parts and put these together as a whole and those who automatically see the whole. Let me try to explain.

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‍Every breed standard is presented in basically the same format: overview, head, front, rear, gait, etc. Some judges are better than others at memorizing standards, and they look at the dogs in their ring the way the standard is written – kind of looking at the dog in the pieces as described in the standard. For this type of judge, I guess it would be possible to pick out the most important characteristic. For some, that might be head, which is certainly a defining characteristic of the breed – but so are other parts and aspects of the dog. Subconsciously, this judge rates head, front, movement, etc. as he examines the dog.

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‍The other type of judge views the dog as a whole – taking in the complete picture in one view. Yes, the standard is in this judge’s mind, although he doesn’t separate it into parts. I believe I am this type of judge.

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‍Based on that understanding, if I were forced to say what the most important characteristic is I would have to say Balance. By Balance I mean the silhouette is in balance. The head fits the rest of the dog, The dog’s movement fits the standard and the dog’s purpose. The dog’s attitude is what it should be for this breed. But – and I cannot stress this enough – everything must be in balance with no one part standing out over another. I think it is interesting to note that I have been told there are people who think of me as a head-hunter, meaning the head is the most important thing to me. That is absolutely not true. To me, the dog’s head is a significant part of breed type, but although I could not put up a dog with a bad breed head, I also can’t put up a dog whose only positive characteristic is a good head. Everything has to fit.

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‍I cannot pick just one characteristic, but if pushed, I would pick two: Balance and Silhouette, For me this defines Breed Type. And that is my most important characteristic Breed Type!

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‍I hope this helps. Enjoy your dog.

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‍Whether you are an old-timer or new to the sport, or may be you're contemplating becoming a judge one day, Sid Marx's answers are both thought provoking and encouraging.  Thank you Mr. Marx.  I know I speak for most of our members who look forward to your column each week!

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‍For those of you who would like to hear more from Sid Marx, see his most current and past columns, The Judge Marx The Spot in Dog News Magazine and online at: https://www.dognews.com/sid-marx-0