I've been asked to write a bit about what ferret judges look for in a show.
I'll go with generalities that should apply to all show systems rather than
key in too much specifically on a single standard.  I'll also do it
installments rather than fill an entire FML.  Part of the AFA licensing
agreement with judges is to not teach judging to those not in the judging
program.  I will deal with what judges look for not how I as a judge do the
judging process and how it is scored in detail.
 
First I'll talk about the head.
 
There are often described two body shapes for ferrets; whippets and
bulldogs.  I personally don't buy into the two styles for body shape.  It is
more a matter of healthy mature for what is sometimes called bulldog and not
fully mature for the whippet.  Judges are not supposed to prefer one shape
over the other but that really applies to altered animals only.  Breeder
hobs should be fully matured in shape.
 
Now there is a bulldog head shape.  The two preferred main head shapes are
the bulldog and what is sometimes called a sculpted face.  The difference is
the snout.  A bulldog shape has no real snout.
 
What a judge looks for in any ferret head is left right symmetry.  All
features should be the same on both sides.  Also desired is balance.  The
eye should be midway between the nose and ears.  And further the eye should
be in line with the nostrils and the top edge of the ear where it attaches
to the head.  Another point in balance should be the width to length of the
head.  The most desired head should be equal in width and length.  If you
drew a 'T' connecting across the two ears and then down to the nose.  The
width and height of the 'T' should be the same.
 
On the underside you look at the alignment of the teeth.  Again it should be
symmetrical and balanced.
 
Left teeth should exactly match right teeth.  A judge however should not in
most systems take off for broken canines - way too common to break teeth on
wire cages.  The lengths of the jaws should match.  The lower canines should
fit into the gaps behind the upper lip.  The upper canines should protrude
just a bit.  The color of the teeth will depend upon the age of the ferret.
A young ferrets should have beautifully white teeth.  As a ferret ages the
white gives way to a translucent appearance.  It is possible to guess the
age of a ferret by the teeth.  There was one show that I was assisting a
judge (the job is calle steward) when a kit came through that did not appear
to be the right age by the teeth (and other factors) This was noted on the
judging sheet.  Later when the scores were being recorded into Vickie
McKimmey's database the age of this ferret was checked against previous
entries.  When they were seen to vary by each show entered the owner was
notified and suspended from enterring shows for a while.  Its a shame some
folks have to try to ruin it for others.
 
The left-right axis of symmetry of the teeth should match the left-right
axis of symmetry of the rest of the head.
 
The head shows signs of disease and quality of care.  I'll return to the
mouth and ears when I discuss maintenance.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1432]