TERRIER JUDGES THE
1. Where do you live? How many years in dogs? How many as a judge? 2. Do you have any hobbies or interests apart from purebred dogs? 3. Can you talk about your introduction to Terriers? 4. Have you bred any influential Terriers? Have you shown any notable winners? 5. Can you speak a bit about breed-specific presentation in the Terrier breeds? Coat Conditioning? 6. What about breed character? Can you share your thoughts on sparring in the ring? 7. Many Terrier breeds are known for their singular expression. Can you offer a few examples? 8. How would you assess the overall quality of the “newer” Terrier breeds? 9. In your opinion, what makes a Terrier the ideal companion? 10. Why is “Montgomery” a significant show for so many breeders / exhibitors outside of Terriers? 11. Which Terriers from the past have had the greatest influence on the sport? 12. Is there a funny story you can share about your experiences judging the Terrier breeds? CAROLYN ALEXANDER
farm centered. However, I did tracking and guard/attack training with my male GSD when I lived in Germany. Forty-two years ago, I married into Bull Terriers and have loved the breed ever since. Through our work with canine rescue and local shelters, we were able to meet and talk with a number of rather well-known folk like Jane Fonda, Ted Turner, and Betty White (all dog lovers). Working with dogs in rescue, breeding, and judging has been enjoyable in so many ways. Do I have any hobbies or interests apart from purebred dogs? As for hobbies, I’m an avid reader and I love old movies. The son of a close friend from my years stationed on Guam was a senior TCM exec, and I was invited to the TCM festival in 2019. And without a lot of names and details… my friend and I got to walk the red carpet and attended a splendid private reception. We were seated in an exclusive elevated area, where a number of photographers were taking photos of me, wondering, it seemed, which old doll actress I was. I also used to horseback ride, but while I can ride an English saddle, I was more of the country cowgirl ilk. David and I also used to ski. I’ve skied almost every mountain in Europe. I especially loved going to Switzerland and France to ski; great slopes and great food. So, obviously another hobby is travel. Can I talk about my introduction to Terriers? In 1972, the Stars and Stripes carried a photo of the White Bull Terrier, Ch. Abraxas Audacity, when he won Crufts. I cut out the picture and kept it on my office desk for years and years (never sure why). I was fasci- nated by the look of the dog. As we were later able to visit and have conversations with Violet Drummond Dick, I was amazed by her knowledge and was delighted that my tiny glimpse of Audacity had been a peek into what was to become a significant part of my future. For over 25 years, I was the AKC Columnist for Bull Terriers. In that time, I wrote several columns about presentation, including some small grooming touches. One of the biggest issues was getting Bull Terrier people to train and present their dogs. Another was getting judges to understand that the Bull Terrier is not a statue and should show spirit. The first paragraph of the AKC standard is important. What about breed character? Can I share my thoughts on spar- ring in the ring? In regard to sparring, it is a singular thought… Bull Terriers, for the most part, would roll over shaking with laugh- ter if a judge tried to spar them… the ones that wouldn’t might get over their confusion and actually get themselves into a fight. The Bull Terrier truly is a party animal and a gentleman’s companion. He is not the barroom brawler (part of a shameful, macho, betting activity of an earlier century in England). Bull Terriers are thinking dogs and will solve problems their way. They fairly easily learn how to open doors, for example. They also want to please their people. If they think you want them to fight for you, something might start that can’t be undone. Do NOT spar a Bull Terrier! Many Terrier breeds are known for their singular expression. Can I offer a few examples? The Bull Terrier expression is intel- ligent (it’s in the standard). Those clever, triangular eyes are also quizzical and mischievous. They love to have fun! In my opinion, what makes a Terrier the ideal companion? Ter- riers strongly relate to people. In return, people relate to them. From the earliest days, most Terriers lived in the houses with people, pri- marily to kill vermin. The Staffy is known as the nursemaid… the nanny dog, and rightly so. They were often assigned to the children for play and observation/protection. Many Terriers relate especially to children, who have fun-loving, curious, and often mischievous
To the staff and readers of ShowSight, thank you for your invitation to include me in this issue. I’ll use the questions sent to me as a framework, but not exclusively, since David has responded to many of these questions already and his responses will cover a lot of ground for me too. Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many as a judge? David and I
have lived for 42 years in a home on a promontory overlooking the Salinas Valley. The area below us is what John Steinbeck (who was from nearby Salinas) called “the pastures of heaven.” We are across the Salinas River from Spreckels (a wonderful little community built by sugar). Driving into Spreckels reminds one of country roads in France). We are south of San Francisco and just a bit north of Monterey and Big Sur, with some of the most gorgeous coastline in the world. We are also close to Carmel (and yes, we used to see Clint Eastwood occasionally around town, and we ran into DougMcClure several times in the Hog’s Breath—Clint’s bar at that time—and at the Monterey airport). We never saw Kim Novak, who was married to a local veterinarian, though they have since moved to Oregon, I believe. Doris Day was also a local. We participated in one of her Carmel Valley charity croquet afternoons/matches, which David’s father won and we all drank a lot of very good champagne. We have the lovely crystal bowl trophy from the event. As for dogs, when I was about nine years old, my father bought a Fox Terrier for my brother and me. When I finished my undergrad- uate work, I bought a Pekingese, who was for many years the light of my life. As time moved on, I had several Afghans. All but one were rescues. Too many who love the look of that breed don’t under- stand the energy level and coat requirements (easier now than in the time I had them… thanks largely to much better grooming prod- ucts). I have also had German Shepherd Dogs. They were home/
174 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2021
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