SCENTHOUND Q&A
ROBERT SCHWALBE
Dog World and purchased my first English Foxhound from Donna Somers in Canada. I have also owned and shown Harriers and a Basenji in the Hound Group. Have I bred any influential Scenthounds or shown any notable winners? I have owned, bred, and/or shown numerous top winners and producers in Beagles, Harriers, and English Foxhounds. We quit counting champions here at Harnett with about 150 made up. Prominent winners include: Ch. Harnett’s Ringleader, a mul- tiple BIS-winning English Foxhound, co-owned and campaigned by Carol Tyte; in Beagles, Ch. Harnett’s Spectacular Bid and Ch. Harnett Lochnaw Aston Martin, BIS and specialty winners; and in Harriers, Ch. Glanbarr Falcon was a multiple Group winner, always owner-handled. Can I speak a bit about breed-specific presentation in Scen- thounds? Nothing special, except it is not necessary to race around the ring with any of them. What about breed character? How do I assess this in the Scen- thound breeds? Most Scenthounds aren’t stand-up show dogs. They would prefer to be hunting/tracking! They should always be approachable and even tempered, and willing to live and work with other hounds. Many Scenthound breeds have been popular in the US. What has made them American icons? Many vets recommend Beagles as ideal family pets, which they can be... in the RIGHT hands. They are extremely patient with children, but absolutely require a fenced yard or consistent leash walking. Can I speak to the value of hunting and performance titles among the Scenthounds? I personally have never had the oppor- tunity to become involved with hunting, but I really admire those who master those sports with hounds. Scenthounds are challenging in Obedience. I started out in Obedience and managed to earn a couple of CDs, a CDX, and a Tracking title before being totally won over by Conformation. Have I attended Field Trials for Beagles, Basset Hounds or Dachshunds? Coonhound Events? Ridden to Hounds? I have attended Master of Foxhound shows and hunts as a spectator, and I am currently approved to judge AKC Coonhound Bench Shows. In Beagles, I have been honored to judge the National Beagle Club of American Triple Challenge, evaluating the Hounds in Confor- mation and observing them hunt in multiple formats (as well as judging the National Specialty in Conformation). Currently, I am serving on a committee as part of the parent club initiative to intro- duce a Hunting Instinct Test. How would I assess the current overall condition of the more newly recognized Scenthound breeds? As breeds enter full AKC rec- ognition in the Conformation ring, I have noticed that it takes a few years for the structure and type to become consistent. Which Scenthounds from the past have had the greatest influ- ence on the sport? In Beagles, we can’t overlook our Westminster winners, Uno (Ch. K-Run’s Park Me In First) and Miss P (Ch. Tashtin’s Lookin Foor Trouble). The general public can relate to these hounds much more easily than some of the more “exotic” breeds. Certainly, the charismatic Winslow (Ch. Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Winslow) put the English Foxhound breed on the fancy’s radar. There have been some prominent Bloodhound winners, as well as some lovely Harriers that have made their mark. Is there a funny story that I can share about my experiences judging the Scenthound breeds? You absolutely must have a sense of humor to judge Scenthounds! They have NO desire to please anyone but themselves.
Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many as a judge? I live in Pendergrass, Georgia. I have been in dogs for 27 years; as a Conforma- tion judge for eight years; and as a Field Trial judge for 15 years. Do I have any hobbies or interests apart from purebred dogs? Golf. Can I talk about my introduction to Scenthounds? My first pet was a
Standard Dachshund bitch, and I have always loved Scenthounds. Growing up, I had many exotic pets such as an Ocelot, Skunk, Monkey, Flying Squirrel, Gerbils, Cockatiel, and a collection of exotic fish. However, my first love was the Dachshund, which has held a special place in my heart my entire life. Have I bred any influential Scenthounds or shown any notable winners? We bred a Smooth bitch that became the foundation of four generations (to date) of Dual Champion Dachshunds. Many of these offspring have gone Absolute (Best in Field Trial). We have also had a Field Champion Bitch winner at the Dachshund Club of America National Field Trial. In 2016, we had the #1 Owner-Han- dled Wirehaired Dachshund and #45 All-Breed Owner-Handled. She went on to win an Award of Merit at Westminster that same year. In 2017, she became a Dual Champion, and in 2019, she was Top Producer Wirehaired Bitch for Dachshund Club of America. Can I speak a bit about breed-specific presentation in Scen- thound? Years ago, I received the best advice when judging Scen- thounds: When the entry comes in the ring, quickly look for correct breed type according to the breed standard. This will determine your approach to examination and allow you to concentrate on the specimens that meet this; keeping in mind you only have an average of two minutes per dog. The best example was finding the correct breed type in an entry of 137 of the Longhaired variety at the Dachshund Club of America National. The bitch I ultimately selected went on to win Best of Breed at that National. Many Scenthound breeds have been popular in the US. What has made them American icons? Hunting is an extremely popular sport in the United States. Scenthounds have played a particularly important role in partnership with their owners. In addition, Scen- thounds have played a large role in search and rescue, cadaver dogs, and even termite detection. Not only are they working dogs, they are phenomenal family pets too. Can I speak to the value of hunting and performance titles among the Scenthound? Absolutely—form follows function. When evaluating dogs, you must determine if the dog can do what it was bred to do. This speaks to structure, conditioning, and temperament. Have I attended Field Trials for Beagles, Basset Hounds or Dachshunds? Coonhound Events? Ridden to Hounds? I am a licensed Field Trail Judge. I have judged the Dachshund Club of America National Field Trial on three occasions. How would I assess the current overall condition of the more newly recognized Scenthound breeds? Breeds that have been added in the past several years have been the Cirneco dell’Etna, Portu- guese Podengo Pequeno and, most recently, the Grand Basset Grif- fon Vendeen. I have been overly impressed with the specimens that have entered my ring. Which Scenthound from the past have had the greatest influ- ence on the sport? The 15” Beagle has won Westminster twice and
268 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JULY 2021
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