Accuracy, Precision and Standard

A while ago I read a post on one of the exhibitor group. The post was a complaint on a judge using measurement tool to measure dog’s height at an open show. According to the exhibitor they're not told that the judge was going to assess the height of the dog using a measuring tool during judging. This practice should be ‘announced in public’ (print in the show schedule etc) to avoid giving exhibitors surprise/shock they would be mentally better prepared to accept such practice and trained their dogs up for it. 

 Among feedback from fellow exhibitors, one particular comment stood out: ‘you ahould be able to judge without the need to use a ruler’. This reply triggered some exhibitors in the same group responded to the comment with ‘likes’ meaning they agreed that judge should be able to judge without the aid of any measuring tool.
 

On Wednesday 3/5 at the 147th Honbuten show in Japan, an assessor used a measuring tool on a dog.  (Note: There were a group of 7-8 assessors on that day each of them would assess a dog brought into the ring by its handler)

The measuring was done in split second causing no stress on the dog and its handler accepted the assessment done in this way like it was nothing in particularly unusual. After the show was done, there was no exhibitor or spectator ranted or filed a complaint on social media chat group.  At least I have not caught an ‘uproar or displeasure’ among the exhibitors discussing the assessment using a measuring tool. .

Going back to the aforementioned incident I mentioned at the start of this blog, why would it be an issue when a judge use a tool to measure dog's height? When you are not sure, you double check. Is that morally wrong or it breaches judge's best practice?

Human make mistakes and errors.

Since when human eyes are more reliable than a ruler? Do/can 100 judges have the same 'mental ruler' in their head when they assess dog’s height without making mistake? I doubt that.
 
What  I picked up from the post is that using a measuring tool on a dog during judging means the judge is possibly incompetant.

If the Japanese has had no problem in using a tool to assess dog’s heigh on a breed that doesnt have variation based on height of dog, why is there a huge resistance from exhibitors on a judge using measurement tool on their breeds which have height variation. 

At the Honbuten, i did not come across dogs of extreminiy. There was no male shorter than bitch in body length and heigh. There was not a single bitch taller than any dogs either.  

Overall dog’s height, size and oveall proportion are consistent and balance throughout. They have done it in the right way.

When in doubt, check, double check, triple check.  Dog and its handler deserve precise, consistent and informed judging at the show ring.