Sparring
by Camille Partridge

Sparring is, at its most basic use, a technique seen most commonly in the Terrier ring whereby judges, in observing dogs' reactions to other dogs, make a decision on placements for awards. The most common form is where a judge will call two dogs to the center of the ring, or away from the other dogs in the lineup, and have them face each other, with handlers keeping control of the dogs. This is done, nominally, to see which dog will act more dominant. Depending on all other qualities that the judge has observed in each dog, this sparring behavior can help the judge make the final decision on placing those two dogs. I have seen it used most typically in choosing the dog or bitch who will be awarded points towards its championship, and in the Best of Breed decision process. Done properly, the information gathered can be very valuable indeed!

Sadly, what is most often seen in a spar is first one, then the other dog, totally lose control of its temper and flying at the sparring partner in a rage, with lips peeled back, fangs flashing, and nasty noises issuing from both throats. Even more sadly, many judges seem to be seeking, and will reward, such behavior!

Proper behavior is actually dominant behavior, and seems very low-key, even disinterested, in the dominant dog. The dominant dog will take an assessing glance or two at the other dog, and then turn partly away, essentially saying to the other dog that it is beneath notice. This can often provoke a fit of rage in the dog so spurned, and at that point the dominant dog should, of course, not ignore the challenge, but the dog initiating the fight is most often the less dominant of the pair. In male dogs, it is not uncommon to see *both* dogs turn away from each other. Fights to the death are not sound evolutionary practice in wild canids, neither are they in our modern dogs. In such instances judges will just have to rely on their feel in the ring, and other conformation assessments, to decide which dog they choose to reward.

Some common misreadings of spar behavior are due to the chosen pair being mis-matched. The worst examples are a puppy sparred with an adult, and a bitch sparred with a dog. In wild canids a pup that fights with an adult in the pack is often either dead or driven from the pack, another typically fatal situation! And a dog who fights with a bitch is not very likely to be welcomed with flagged tail when that same bitch goes into estrous, nor is a bitch who fights with a dog likely to be eagerly sought out by the dog when breeding time comes! It is up to judges to balance age and sex in sparring, and read the reactions according weight to all factors.

Given the very real possibility of dogs being injured if allowed to come in close physical contact, judges should make sure both they themselves and the handlers involved keep their eyes at all times trained on the sparring pair. If at any time a judge should feel that a fight is about to erupt, they should instruct the handlers to separate the dogs and take them back to the lineup. Assessment of spar reactions does not take minutes and minutes of time, allowing tension to escalate to the boiling point.

Done properly, with properly trained dogs, a pair of terriers sparring is a lovely sight indeed. Both dogs will march proudly towards each other, muscles taut, heads held high, eyes flashing at one another, clearly stating to each other that they are the top dog, they are the best of the best. Toplines will straighten and level, necks will arch, ears will nearly touch in the middle of the topskull. Tails held erect at other times may even begin to point towards those same ears! At this point in time the two dogs are showing themselves to their best advantage, trying to display beyond doubt that they are the superior specimen, and most worthy to pass on their genes to the next generation. It is up to the judge to properly read and balance this aspect of terrier temperament and make the human show placement that encourages breeders to follow through and make sure those genes get passed on!

Camille Partridge
cpartridge@proaxis.com