Having attended hundreds of shows, I wish to recognize Robert Vos . To me, the most important factors that unify great judges - they love this breed and are always capable of explaining their decisions in an objective manner. In 2005 in Russia, there were 10 dogs in the Young Intermediate Male class and he REMOVED 9 dogs from the ring because of insurmountable defects that he explained and left only one dog in the ring and explained that although it is a great dog, it is not show-ready and the lone dog received a mark of *Excellent* but without a place. The attendees were not upset despite having been removed from the ring BECAUSE they had a clear understanding of the reasons and it was educational for everyone. A judge's ability to intelligently explain his decisions and provide thorough feedback, whether positive or negative, is critical in my view. Through the years, the American Bulldog breed has improved drastically in Russia because of this kind of direct and honest feedback.
