kerry blue terrier Q&A WITH CONNIE CLARK, JULIE FELTEN, ANN KATONA, DAVID KIRKLAND AND GIGI REILING
“‘THE KERRY IS A POWERFUL DOG AND MUST BE CONTROLLED. TOO QUIET AND WELL TRAINED IS NOT TYPICAL; TOO SENSITIVE IS NOT TOUGH ENOUGH; TOO CONFORMING IS LACKING IN VITALITY AND ENERGY. THE KERRY STANDS ITS GROUND, ALERT AND READY BUT DOES NOT JUMP FIRST. ONCE JUMPED THOUGH, IT DEFENDS ITSELF TO THE END!’ THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW— THE TRUE KERRY BLUE TERRIER DOES NOT JUMP FIRST.”
DK: Entries in this breed are not near as large as in the past. There have been some nice ones over the years, but the best Kerry I ever judged was the famous “Mick”. He is my template of perfection in this breed. GR: No, what I see today reminds me of dogs from the past and that shows consistency. 5. What do you think new judges misunderstand about the breed? CC: In the few instances I observed, there was misunderstanding the proper coat, movement and a low-slung Kerry. JF: I don’t think it’s really a misunderstanding about the breed, but more so we all have our own opinions and understanding about breed specific priorities. AK: New judges misunderstand mainly the Kerry Blue’s coat. Please be aware that curly is not correct! Cottony is not correct! Wiry or bristly is not correct! The coat should be soft, dense and wavy (Marcel waves) and molded to the body like a well-fitting garment! The coat should sparkle and shine in the sun. Do remember the Kerry coat should be so dense it should shed water. In addition, I am quoting from a breeder/mentor from the 1970s, but this still factors into judging this breed today. “The Kerry is a powerful dog and must be controlled. Too quiet and well trained is not typical; too sensitive is not tough enough; too conforming is lacking in vitality and energy. The Kerry stands its ground, alert and ready but does NOT jump first. Once jumped though, it defends itself to the end!” This is important to know—the true Kerry Blue Terrier does not jump first.
DK: Terrier entries are often quite low so I would imagine it must be very difficult for students without a solid Terrier background to truly understand breed type. I would not advocate that anyone apply to judge Terriers without experiencing them at either Great Western and/or Mont- gomery County. These two shows are most likely to have the numbers and the quality. GR: New judges must try to familiarize themselves with the phases of maturity, coat texture and color changes and muscle development. 6. Is there anything else you’d like to share about the breed? CC: I feel the breed is in good shape overall—hats off to the dedication of the breeders! JF: The Kerry is an aristocrat in the show ring. However, when the Resco® is removed, he makes a wonderful companion and is totally dedicated to his master, always looking forward to his next adventure. AK: I love judging, I love the dogs, the exhibitors and I com- pletely enjoy helping a newbie! I was mostly a breeder/ owner/handler and if I do not share what I have learned over the years, then shame on me. GR: They change and mature at different rates. I like to see them shown at all stages. In my experience, males are slower than females to mentally mature to a show attitude. It depends on how they are raised. Most are going to be pets longer than they are show dogs or brood bitches and that is a lifestyle they need to experience as they mature.
S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , J ANUARY 2019 • 333
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