The evaluator uses the mirror to position the puppy on the table giving the evaluator a full view of how the puppy is looking without having to step back from the puppy to view the puppy. The evaluator will also use gentle hands to go over the puppy entirely. The photo on the right is a mirror image.
We use the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel AKC and CKCSC breed standards during the process of evaluating the head, front, shoulders, rear, topline, eyes, etc. Each area of structure is given a number between 1 and 5 with 3 meaning that area meets show ring potential, 5 is very good and 1 is structurally incorrect. As a companion pet owner most structurally incorrect areas will not affect the quality of life for the puppy. It takes years to develop an eye towards correct structure so this method of evaluation is more for the breeder versus the companion pet owner. However, a family that is very active and searching for a very active dog or even an agility dog needs to score well in the structural evaluation, but the head type can be slightly off in this situation. Head "type" is very important to show breeders because in the end when all the dogs are lined up in a row the judge goes back over the head and expression of each dog to make their final decision.
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