TERRIER JUDGE Q&A
Why is “Montgomery” a significant show for so many breeders/ exhibitors outside of Terriers? “Montgomery” is the very best place for someone who would like to learn about a specific Terrier breed (or all Terriers in general), to observe the entire day, watching dif- ferent breeds and observing judges sort out their entries, which have large numbers with the “Best of the Best” in each breed. The day is a special “seminar” about Terriers, and there are many dog owners, and handlers, to talk with… especially ringside. Which Terriers from the past have had the greatest influence on the sport? Unfortunately, I don’t retain names, but I do recall a magnificent Lakeland, a Scottie, a Bedlington, a Norwich, a Kerry Blue, a Bull Terrier, an AmStaff, a Smooth Fox Terrier, a Wire Fox Terrier, and a Welsh Terrier. Is there a funny story I can share about my experiences judging the Terrier breeds? When I was finishing my Terrier breeds, and had many entries to be observed, at one show I had a rather large entry of Border Terriers. The Open Dog Class had six exhibits. As they entered the ring, I said to myself, “Oh, my goodness, the puppies are going to win today!” Each of the Open Dogs had a glaring problem, and I was so worried about how the Field Rep was going to critique me once my decisions had been made. As I placed the Open Class, I quickly looked over to the Rep… and he was having a bit of a nap! At times, salvation comes in a strange form! After the dogs exited the ring, I walked over to the Rep, and said, “My goodness, what an Open Class I had. It was almost impossible to sort out!” To which he responded, “Yes, they all looked very nice, but I did like your puppy for Winners Dog.” Saved by Nap Time! ! BILL DEVILLENEUVE
stripping coats and getting dogs ready for shows. It took quite some time to learn from some of the best how to do this. What about breed character? Can I share my thoughts on spar- ring in the ring? Terriers are tenacious by nature. They like to assert themselves. Sparring, done properly with two or three dogs, allows a Terrier to show that personality; attentive, with tail and ears up. Sparring should only be done with certain Terriers, as many are not sparring breeds. Sparring with my own breed, Scotties, is essential to assess character. Many Terrier breeds are known for their singular expression. Can I offer a few examples? Many Terriers have a “harder” look to them as a result of that small, dark, almond or oval eye, as opposed to a softer Spaniel or Beagle eye. This is in keeping with the nature of the Terrier personality. Scotties, in particular, should have a hard, varminty, piercing look with small, dark, almond eyes and small, well-placed ears, which also contribute to this desired expression. How would I assess the overall quality of the “newer” Ter- rier breeds? There are not that many new Terrier breeds. Maybe Rat Terriers qualify. They have come a long way since their early years when quality was questionable. Today, the Rat Terriers are very competitive and doing well in Groups. I have placed many in Groups in the last few years. The American Hairless Terrier is also fairly new. Although not as popular as the Rat, there are many nice examples of the breed in the show ring. In my opinion, what makes a Terrier the ideal companion? I can speak for my Scotties. In general, they are intelligent, affectionate, wonderful companions—and very loyal. I have a young boy now, a little over a year old, who truly is my best friend. He wants to go everywhere with me, and I try to take him to as many places as I can. He loves the dog shows, and I take him when I have some available time. Why is “Montgomery” a significant show for so many breeders/ exhibitors outside of Terriers? Montgomery has always been such a beautifully presented show, with Terriers from across the country attending. To see all those Terriers together, in a great setting, is a wonderful experience, even for a non-Terrier person. Terriers are an exciting bunch. Which Terriers from the past have had the greatest influence on the sport? It would be hard to name all the influential Terriers from the past. Each breed would have its top-producing stud dogs and brood bitches. Mick, the Kerry Blue, might come to mind. In Smooth Fox Terriers, I think of Nornay Saddler. Bardene Bingo would be an influential Scottie sire from the mid-20th century. Is there a funny story I can share about my experiences judg- ing the Terrier breeds? Offhand, nothing stands out in my mind as “funny.” That said, it is always fun (and an adventure) to judge Terriers. DR. KARENM. ERICSON
Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many as a judge? I live on Long Island in Dix Hills, New York. I have owned and bred Scotties for 50 years. I started judging in 1983, getting AKC approval to judge one breed, the Scottish Terrier. Currently, I am approved to judge three Groups, Working, Terrier, and Toy, plus multiple breeds in the Hound and
Non-Sporting Groups. Do I have any hobbies or interests apart from purebred dogs? My dogs and judging keep me busy, but I am a gym member and try to spend several hours each week with various exercise programs. I also enjoy traveling and cruising, and have missed these during this COVID shutdown year. Can I talk about my introduction to Terriers? I grew up with a Cairn Terrier from the time I was five years old. My parents got him from a family friend who was an occasional hobby breeder. Although not a show dog (as I look back on him now), he was a nice-looking boy. He lived until I graduated from college—almost 17 years old. This started my interest in Terriers. After getting mar- ried, we started looking for a Cairn without success. We were intro- duced to an available Scottie bitch, and the rest is history. Have I bred any influential Terriers? Have I shown any notable winners? I had two of the top breeder/owner-handled Scotties in the 1980s and 1990s, CH Duff-De Pac Man and CH Duff-De Lord James. I also owned an STCA #1 Brood Bitch Award winner in the 1990s, CH Killisport Charisma of Scarista, a Scottish import and dam of seven champions. I also owned one of the top Scotties in 2006, multiple BIS winner CH Wychwood Wyndola of Duff-De, piloted by Bergit Kabel. She was #2 Scottie, a Top-Ten Terrier, and winner of the STCA BOS Award for the year. Can I speak a bit about breed-specific presentation and coat conditioning in the Terrier breeds? Many Terriers are labor inten- sive breeds. Coat conditioning is vital to correct presentation. I can speak from experience about the time spent on my own Scotties,
I was born in New Jersey and spent my first years on Long Island. We lived in the Hamptons, which were not at all glamorous then. There were duck and potato farms and an Indian Reservation. Our family moved to New York City, and I lived there until graduating from college. While in high school, I started working for a pair of professional handlers in Rye,
New York. In 1971, I moved to Northern California and took some time off from showing to begin my family and complete a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. When the kids were old enough, they showed in Juniors. We were the typical motorhome show fam- ily. My sister, Sandi Olsen, joined us, and we showed and bred mainly English Cockers. Sandi is also an active judge who started in Juniors along with our other sister, Pam. Professionally, I worked
184 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2021
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