COMMENTS ON JUDGING THE KERRY BLUE TERRIER
“KERRY BLUES ARE SPIRITED, ENERGETIC DOGS— THEY OFTEN SHOW SUCH TEMPERAMENT IN THE SHOW RING. THEY SHOULD NOT BE VICIOUS OR SHOW BITING OR ATTACKING BEHAVIOR.”
SIZE The most common problem involving size in the breed are over- sized dogs; rarely do you see an undersize dog. Kerries the size of Airedales are atypical for the breed—the standard addresses this spe- cifically, even though there is not a size disqualification. Dogs over 20 inches or under 17½ inches and bitches over 19½ inches and under 17 inches are to be severely penalized—please read the standard for size descriptions. Legs should be moderately long with plenty of bone and muscle. TEMPERAMENT/SPARRING Kerry Blues are spirited, energetic dogs—they often show such temperament in the show ring. They should not be vicious or show biting or attacking behavior. Dogs that bite people in the ring should be dealt with in accordance with AKC rules and procedures. Vicious, uncontrollable dogs should be excused from the ring in accordance with AKC rules and procedures. When sparring Kerries, be sure to have plenty of space between dogs. Spar two at a time—bring the dogs from opposite sides towards each other, but keep four or more feet between dogs when sparring. Kerries are fast and will try to nab a beard (or more) if allowed to do so. It is recommended to spar males with males, bitches with bitches. Males may not want to spar with a bitch. Be weary of novice handlers that may not know how to spar Terriers. Do not let handlers get the dogs too close to each other. The Kerry Blue Terrier Illustrated Standard states the following: at a dog show, a judge should put to the side any exhibitor who allows a Kerry to lunge and snarl. This is not typical of good Kerry tem- perament—Kerry Blues should be sparred. “If they eye each other intently, throwing themselves forward on their front toes, arching their necks, raising their ears to proper Kerry position, stand taut and ready for anything, each waiting for the other to make the first move and when, neither does, if they wag their tails, turn slowly and return happily to their places, then they are truly Kerry Blue Terriers.” This is a quote by Dr. E. S. Montgomery, author of the original KBT book. In summary, remember that balance, correct movement, proper coat and color and correct temperament are very important factors in your judging. The Kerry Blue Terrier is a wonderful breed and a lot of fun to judge—an outstanding specimen can take your breath away. Your educated decisions will be well received by exhibitors.
In judging light-colored dogs, black marks may be present that have occurred due to previous injury to the skin—the hair at the healing area may come in darker or black, the dog should not be penalized. Puppies and juveniles that display an almost human-like hair textures will develop into the proper coat as an adult. The hair tends to lie a little flatter on the body and leg areas. Puppy and juvenile coats are transitional, or clearing, until they reach an age of about 18-24 months (some bloodlines are even slower). The transitional stage may display a tan or brown- ish color tinge—this clears out as they mature. They may also have color splotching, uneven coloring or unusual color-turning patterns as juveniles. There is no such thing as a parti-color in the breed. Kerries may have a small white spot on their chests. HEADS The head is long, but not exaggerated and is in good propor- tion to the rest of the body. Well-balanced, with no apparent difference between the length of skull and fore-face. A lack of back skull is a fault. Cheeks should be clean and level, free from bumpiness. The zygomatic arch should be flat, not protruding. The ears are V-shaped, small but in proportion to the size of the head. A small, flying ear and a high breaking set, as in the Fox Terrier, is foreign to the Kerry head and expression. Ears are carried close to the cheeks with the top of the folded ear slightly above the level of the skull. Ears that are not reaching the cheeks, but end above the eyes are incorrect. A dead, hound- like ear is very undesirable. Kerry ears are partially man-made; puppy ears are glued to create the correct ear set. Some forgive- ness may be needed if ears are not perfect. Avoid snipey muzzles. Correct bites are either scissors or level. Large, round, or light eyes are faulty. The silver, silver- grey, silver-blue, lighter gray dogs will usually have eye color- ing lighter than the darker-hued Kerries. When viewed from the front, the Kerry head should be rectangular (or brick) in shape, sitting on an arched neck .Heavy heads, short heads, cheekiness, bumpy domed top skull, short back skull, hound ears, flying ears, high-breaking ears, light eyes, too wide/breadth of skull, down face, snipey muzzle, lack of beard and eyebrows are all faults when looking for the “perfect” head.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Scott Kellogg DVM and Billie Kneale (son/mother) are third/second generation dog show exhibitors and have shown Kerry Blue Terriers since 1978 under the Camshron prefix. They have finished many champions, including three national specialty winners, BIS/Group/Specialty winners, the top-producing Kerry Blue Terrier dam of all-time and a #1 ranked bitch. Both are Terrier group judges and have judged Kerries at the Montgomery County National Specialty, Traveling National Specialties, Chapter Club specialties, Westminster and internationally (including its native country).
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MARCH 2022 | 241
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