Showsight February 2017

the working group Q&A

repro vets offer to us are tools to use to preserve and advance our breeds.

evolved into a much different dog than when I started. I believe the Bullmastiffs of today are essentially sounder and move better and type has changed from a more “Mastiffy” style to what the Bullmastiff Illustrated Stan- dard depicts. Dogs had sharper temperament than now, and with consistency of stable, sound, family-friendly dispositions make the Bullmastiff today an ideal family pet. Although we see far too many Bullmastiff that are hyper-typical, too big and with the breeds most serious faults of splayed feet and cow hocks, we have many seri- ous breeders who have concentrated on correct type and structural and mental soundness. 4. Have there been any shifts in the balance of popu- larity among breeds? Generation Y and millennials seem to have slightly shifted from designer dogs to the rescue dogs. Before that it seemed that the “pedigreed” dogs were in vogue. My hope is that the guardians of our breeds can thrive and leave fewer dogs in rescue and pounds. 5. Are there any particular challenges Working Dog breeders face in our current economic/ social climate? Most Working breeds are big dogs and with young couples in the work force leave less time to exercise a large breed. Also, there are dogs in the working group that have been unfairly criticized for temperament issues, when in fact it is the bad owners that make bad dogs. Our litigious society also has provided restrictions in breeds in many communities and in insurance companies, albeit unfairly. Again, the good breeders always have temperament on the top of their list of priorities. 6. What attributes make these breeds suitable as household companions despite their size and original breed purpose? Bullmastiffs were bred for protection against poachers. They combine tremendous physical strength and guard- ing instinct with an affectionate nature and devotion to their family. They are an intelligent, independent breed and need structure and rules. However, I always say that a Bullmastiff only needs enough space around your feet to lie around. They don’t require a lot of exercise, but enjoy the occasional walks and being around their family and do not make good kennel dogs. 7. And, for a bit of humor: What’s the funniest thing you’ve experienced at a dog show? Maybe not at a dog show, but I love telling this story about Anna Katherine Nicholas. When Anna became a resident of a nursing home, because she was just in the next town from me, I became acquainted with her

8. And, for a bit of humor: What’s the funniest thing you’ve experienced at a dog show? When “funny” and “dog shows” are mentioned in the same sentence I think of Lou Harris. Every time I judge some exhibitor considerately lets me know that their bitch is in season. I heard someone say this to Lou once. His reply, “Well, I wasn’t going to breed her!”

HELENE NIETSCH

I live in Newtown, Connecticut. I got my first Bullmas- tiff in 1969 and finished his championship in 1971. He was used at stud a few times, and I acquired two of his daugh- ters, a fawn and a brindle, and that was the beginning of my breeding program, Banstock Bullmastiffs. My first dog was sired by a BIS dog in Canada and #1 Bullmastiff handled by Jeffrey Brucker out of a very prominent English ken- nel (Oldwell). The dam’s side of my dog was also from a prominent English kennel (Bullstaff), so although the qual- ity was not exemplary, it was a great start to my bloodline. I am recently retired from GE Capital Business Develop- ment after 33 years. But now outside of dogs, I have three children, Helaina, Mathew and Julia and four granddaughters and spend as much time with them as possible, and several other hobbies to keep me busy in my free time. 1. Give an overview of the Working breeds. Coming from the Working Group in the early 1970s, which included the now Herding dogs, there has been an evolution of the Bullmastiff over the years. I imagine that most breeds in the working breeds have also made style changes, some for the better as in structure and sound- ness. Breeds go through phases of style, but overall, good breeders concentrate on the importance of preserving breed type. 2. What is the current overall quality of the Group? Most group dogs seems to be professionally handled, so does that make them better than the overall quality of the breeds? I’m not sure. But the quality in the working group is very strong, breeders raising the bar in their breeding programs to compete with the highly campaigned dogs. 3. What changes have you seen during your tenure as guardians of these breeds? Although the Bullmastiff standard has not essentially changed in all these years, the type of Bullmastiff has

190 • S how S ight M agazine , F ebruary 2017

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