Launch price $19.99 until 30 November, then $24.99.
Judith Pembroke in her armchair with her springer spaniel
From Judith Pembroke

Let me show you what I see when I look at your dog.

I spent my life judging dogs, love. I can't walk through a park without noticing the Labrador carrying a bit too much, or the old terrier taking his back legs carefully. Almost always, the owner hasn't noticed. Not because they don't care. Because they see their dog every day.

  • The ten-second check I give every dog, done at home
  • What to do in an emergency, before you reach the vet
  • How to read a dog-food label, and 20 breeds explained
  • 11 printable sheets, and every health fact sourced
$24.99$19.99 Launch price
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Small things don't stay small.

A dog who is a little too heavy. A stiffness that is really pain. A sore mouth. A lump. A change in how much she drinks. Every one of those is easier to deal with in its first month than in its first year.

The trouble is, change that happens slowly is very hard to see from close up. So I wrote down everything a judge's eye catches, and how you can catch it too.

Worried owner on the kitchen floor at night with her unwell dog

Waiting until it's obvious

  • The extra weight is only noticed when he struggles on walks
  • "He's just getting old" turns out to be pain
  • A lump is found months after it appeared
  • You panic in an emergency because you don't know what's normal
Calm owner doing a weekly check with her happy golden retriever

With a judge's eye

  • A ten-second look each day, and a ten-minute check each week
  • You spot the change in week one, not month six
  • You walk into the vet with notes, dates and a lump log
  • You know the red flags that mean "go today, not tomorrow"
$98

That's the national average for just the exam fee at an emergency vet. The full visit can run from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. This book costs less than walking through the door.Source: Rover, 2025 vet cost guide. The book doesn't replace your vet; it helps you get there sooner and better prepared.

What you'll learn

Fourteen chapters, written the way I talk: plainly, and without the jargon.

Beagle trotting along a garden path
Chapter 1Watch how they move
Hands feeling a Labrador's ribs
Chapter 2Feel the ribs
Lifting a Border Collie's lip to check the gums
Chapter 5Lift the lip

The Ten-Second Check

Tail, outline, movement, eyes, coat, mouth, mood. The same quick look I gave every dog in the ring.

Weight and the rib test

How to tell if your dog is carrying too much, by feel rather than by guess, and why it matters for how long they live.

Joints, eyes, ears, skin and mouth

The early signs of pain, dental trouble and skin problems that owners most often miss.

Reading your dog's mood

Lip-licks, whale eye and the "ladder" of stress signals, so you know when your dog is worried before it escalates.

NEW

First aid and emergencies

Poisons, heatstroke, bloat, choking and seizures: what to do, what not to do, and a home first-aid kit list.

NEW

Food and feeding

How to read the front and back of a dog-food bag, and what the words on it actually mean.

NEW

20-breed quick reference

Typical lifespan, common health issues and the exact questions to ask any breeder.

The later years

Eight checks for an older dog, and an honest, gentle chapter on saying goodbye.

Take a look inside

47 photos and labelled diagrams, so you can see exactly what to look for.

The Ten-Second Check checklist page
The Ten-Second Check
The rib check page
The rib check
Reading stress signals page
Reading your dog's mood
Home first-aid kit page
First aid and emergencies
Reading a dog food label page
Reading a food label
Breed quick reference page
20-breed quick reference

Everything that's inside

158 pages. Read it in order, or jump straight to what you need.

INTROTen Seconds in the Ring
CHAPTER 8Living With a Working Breed
CHAPTER 1The Ten-Second Check
CHAPTER 9The Later Years
CHAPTER 2Weight: The Two Years You Can Give Back
CHAPTER 10Show-Ring Habits at Home
CHAPTER 3Movement and Joints
CHAPTER 11First Aid and Emergencies
CHAPTER 4Eyes, Ears, Coat and Skin
CHAPTER 12Food and Feeding
CHAPTER 5The Mouth
CHAPTER 13Breed Quick Reference
CHAPTER 6Reading Your Dog's Mood
CHAPTER 14Saying Goodbye
CHAPTER 7Choosing the Right Dog
APPENDICES11 Check Sheets and Logs

Included bonuses: 11 printable sheets

Print them, stick them on the fridge, and take them to the vet. A vet who can see a month of notes has far more to go on than "I think she's been a bit off".

Printable check sheets held on a fridge with brass magnets
Bonus 1Same-Day Vet Red FlagsThe signs that mean call now, not tomorrow.
Bonus 2Emergency CardYour vet, the emergency vet and poison line, in one place.
Bonus 3Weekly and Monthly Health CheckThe full hands-on check, step by step.
Bonus 4Lump Log and Weight TrackerDates, sizes and numbers your vet will thank you for.
Bonus 5Water Bowl and Medication LogsSpot changes in drinking, and never double a dose.
Bonus 6Vet Visit PlannerWalk in with your questions written down.
Bonus 7Puppy and Breeder QuestionsWhat to ask before you bring a dog home.
Bonus 8First-Aid Kit and Seasonal Care ChecklistsReady before you need it, all year round.
Judith Pembroke with a springer spaniel
About me

"Ribbons are lovely. The bond is what matters."

When a dog walks into the ring, a judge has about ten seconds before her hands ever touch it. In those ten seconds you learn a remarkable amount. Do that tens of thousands of times and you can't switch it off.

I wrote this book to hand that habit to you. Not so you can win anything. So you can catch the small things early, while they're still small. Most of it takes ten seconds. You need your hands, your eyes, and a bit of honesty.

Judith

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The Judge's Eye

A Show Judge's Guide to a Longer, Happier Life for Your Dog

$24.99 $19.99
Launch price ends 30 November
  • 158-page PDF, readable on phone, tablet or computer
  • 14 chapters, 47 photos and labelled diagrams
  • First aid, food labels and a 20-breed reference
  • 11 printable bonus sheets and logs
  • Every health fact credited to its source
Get The Judge's Eye
Secure checkout by Gumroad
7-day money-back guarantee. Read it, try the checks on your own dog. If it isn't for you, ask for a refund within 7 days.
Same-Day Vet Red Flags fridge card
Free

Not ready yet? Take my Red Flags card, free.

The one page I'd want on every dog owner's fridge: the signs that mean see a vet today, not tomorrow. Free, just tell me where to send it.

Send me the free card

Questions

Is this a printed book?

No. It's a PDF you download straight after checkout. You can read it on any device, and print the check sheets as often as you like.

Is this veterinary advice?

No. It's general information to help you notice things early and have better conversations with your vet. It doesn't replace a vet. If something worries you, call yours.

Is it for puppies or older dogs?

Both. There's a chapter on choosing a puppy and asking a breeder the right questions, and a full chapter on the later years.

Where do the health facts come from?

Each one is credited in the book to the study, university or veterinary body it comes from, so you can look it up and take it to your vet.

Why is the price going up?

$19.99 is the launch price. From 1 December the book will be $24.99.

What if I don't like it?

Ask for a refund within 7 days of purchase.

Get The Judge's Eye