KERRY BLUE TERRIER Question & Answer
CONNIE CLARK I live in Rio Del Mar, California located in Northern Cali- fornia by the Monterey Bay. My husband and I enjoy cruising in the Pacific Northwest, Canadian Gulf Islands and points north in British Columbia. I’ve had 39 years in dogs, 39 years showing and was approved to judge in 2007. JULIE FELTEN
work at Ricoh USA as a Solution Design Consultant. When I am not working or at a dog activity, I enjoy live music and dancing. I have always had dogs, various Terriers and Pugs. I have been showing Kerry Blues for 40 years. I started in Juniors, but enjoyed the breed ring better. I’ve been a Kerry Blue judge since 2010, and was recently approved to judge Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers. 1. Describe the breed in three words. CC: Upstanding, balanced, soft and wavy blue gray coat. JF: Upstanding (proper length of leg), well knit (compact) and in good balance. AK: Blue, balance and upstanding. Blue being the coat color; it is the name of the breed. Balance refers to the com- plete package. Upstanding meaning on its toes and ready for anything, showing keenness and fearlessness! DK: Not low slung (the standard is quite specific in that regard). GR: Curious, intense and versatile. 2. What are your “must have” traits in this breed? CC: Keen expression, powerfully built, free moving and soft, wavy coat. JF: The Kerry Blue must be moderate in every way: proper shoulder assembly (humerous is as long as the shoulder blade) with plenty of forechest, which brings the front legs back under the body allowing for a long free stride, a characteristic for the breed. I must also see small, dark, well-placed eyes with a keen Terrier expression. The coat must have soft, dense, rippling waves and of course, there should be plenty of dog behind the tail. AK: I have several must-have traits. Outline: does it look like a Kerry Blue Terrier? Definite Terrier style: Alert, intelligent, keen, proud, feisty and confident! Balance: indicates soundness and ability. Well-knit signifies a pulled together dog while well-developed shows health and fitness. Height: clearly defined in standard. One sen- tence makes way for the superior specimen and justifies its existence (of course, here is where one questions who makes that “superior specimen” decision). Most breeders try not to take advantage of the maximums and attempt to stay within the moderate size range. However, the size pendulum swings every few years. DK: To be a good one, a Kerry must have Terrier character: keen, on-his-toes, ever-ready, proper set and use of ears, good bite, dark eye, up-tailed attitude, plentiful, soft and wavy coat of varying shades of gray blue, compact body and the freedom of action that is distinctly Kerry. GR: A large bear-like nose is my favorite trait, though coat texture and movement are what make the breed for me.
I reside in Wauconda, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago. I am employed as an insur- ance agent specializing in home and auto prod- ucts. Outside of dogs I enjoy spending time with
my family and friends, music, traveling and shopping. I’ve had dogs since my early childhood and have been showing for about thirty years. I’ve been judging since 2000. ANNE KATONA
I live in wild horse country—Reno, Nevada. Outside of dogs, I love to read, snow show, bike, hike and spend as much time as possible with my daughter, Audra, my son-in-law, Scott and
my 14-year-old granddaughter, Ava. They live in San Fran- cisco, California. Family is everything! I purchased my first Kerry Blue Terrier in 1973, and bred my first litter four years later. The Kerry Blue will always be my heart breed. I started my judging career in 1985, with Kerry Blue Terriers. DAVID KIRKLAND home, friends and participating in church activities. I started in Obedience with a Miniature Schnauzer in 1973. A couple of years later, I acquired my first show quality Mini and it took off from there. Along the way, I have also owned and bred champions in Cavaliers, Japanese Chin and Tibetan Spaniels. I started to judge in 1995; over 40 years in the dog fancy and over 20 judging. I can hardly believe it—time has flown by! GIGI REILING I live in Sanford, North Carolina, which is located south of Raleigh. I am retired from Glaxo-SmithKline Pharmaceuticals and do some volunteer work locally. Steve and I enjoy our In 2012, I retired from Hewlett-Packard after 28 years, where I was an Implementation Project Manager. I currently
3. Are there any traits in this breed you fear are becoming exaggerated?
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