BREEDERS Q&A
regard to strengths and weakness in the breed, would provide fur- ther insight. I would love to see AKC do more public outreach and promotion of purebred dogs. There is so much publicity for shelter dogs, and the purebred dog deserves equal time. MARY ANN LEONARD 1. Tell us a bit about yourself. What is your breed and how long have you been breeding? How many litters have you produced and how many champions? I have owned Great Danes, and then Gordon Setters, under my kennel name of Sastya for almost 45 years. I have bred quite a few litters over the years (Danes in the mid-1980s and the first Gordon litter in the early 1990s, the last co-bred with Mary Grill this sum- mer). I have often thought that I should try to count how many champions are to Sastya’s credit, but that would be very difficult for me to do over the long span of time that I have been involved in Gordons (and Great Danes, that I started with in 1978). I suspect that if I added the dogs I’ve bred, sired by my stud dogs, or pur- chased by me, the number of champions might be close to 80-100! That’s not an exact count, but a reasonable estimate. 2. In your opinion, what is the current condition of your breed overall? Has your breed changed in ways that you consider to be positive? Any negative changes? I have looked at the fluctuations in Gordons being exhibited right now. I think the biggest problem in our breed, in MY opinion, is toplines. Dips in the topline, falling-off at the croup, rise over the hipbones? I don’t like to see that and it is tough to breed out! ! ! Another issue that I think needs attention by breeders is fronts... I think we see a lot of shallow fronts, and not much between those front legs or forechest. We have improved the breed in so many oth- er areas (eye color, bites), but these two areas need to be addressed. AND a continued concern about health clearances! ! ! It is possible to breed a great specimen that is also a healthy specimen! ! ! 3. Do you think your breed is portrayed accurately online and on social media? How is it represented correctly? How is it misrepresented? I don’t think Gordon Setters are portrayed much on social media. Gordons are not one of the popular breeds with the public, so we have been able to avoid our gene pool being too damaged by backyard breeders. I still see them advertising puppies, but most buyers are pretty savvy now and are careful with who they buy from. 4. What advice would you offer SHOWSIGHT Magazine about providing breed-specific information about your breed? How can we help to educate the general public as well as inform breeders, exhibitors, and conformation judges? There are some pretty marked differences between lines in Gor- don Setters right now. Judges need to be aware that some head types are simply not correct, even if seen with increased frequency from different lines. A head like a Collie or Irish Setter is not correct. Nei- ther is the overdone head. Box on a box is what the Standard says and moderation should be the goal... not extreme in either way. And the dog advertised the most is not necessarily the best dog out there! BARBE LYNCH 1. Tell us a bit about yourself. What is your breed and how long have you been breeding? How many litters have you produced and how many champions? My breed is Briards. I got my first one in 1974, a rescue; first show Briard in 1976; first litter in 1978. I have bred more than 60 champions, a number of performance title holders, and about 40 litters. I believe that if one has taken
and Spain; all wonderful experiences. I was scheduled to judge Alaskan Malamutes at the World Show this year, but pandemic restrictions forced a cancellation. 2. In your opinion, what is the current condition of your breed overall? Has your breed changed in ways that you consider to be positive? Any negative changes? Although I have been involved with two breeds, I will focus on Malamutes, since they were my original breed. I judged the Nation- al Specialty in 2018, and observed many nice examples of the breed. Dogs are more consistent today than 40 years ago, but still pres- ent with some diversity. Since we have a preferred height, but no DQ, we still see many variations in size, with some being on the smaller end of the standard, while others are much larger. I should emphasize that bigger is not necessarily better! There are differences in head types as well, as breeders have varying interpretations as to what constitutes a “broad muzzle” and “a slight break down- ward from topline of skull to topline of muzzle.” I have observed dogs with higher ear sets, snipey muzzles, and a longer, softer coat, none of which are correct for our breed. It is not uncommon to see trimmed or sculpted coats, even though our standard says, except for feet, “trimming is not acceptable.” Perhaps something should be said with regard to judging pup- pies. Alaskan Malamute puppies can change dramatically from week to week and month to month. I once heard a judge say they would not consider a particular pup because it did not have enough bone, and the judge felt that bone would not get better with age. This statement is incorrect. I have seen young dogs with finer bone develop into a mature dog with good bone, and vice versa, some dogs with huge bone as pups lose that bone with age. Heads can be the last thing to develop in a Malamute pup, and often take a long time to catch up with their ears. I am not suggesting to forgive serious faults, but rather, asking judges to take puppy nuances into consideration when making their decisions. An overall balanced dog that moves soundly, with power and purpose, is what we should be looking for. Correct movement is critical for this Working Dog! We don’t want dogs with short necks and straight shoulders. We don’t want dogs that lack rear angula- tion. We don’t want dogs that are long and low. We don’t want dogs that are tall and rangy, or huge and ponderous. The Alaskan Malamute should be a moderate, sound, athletic Working dog with a correct, weather-resistant coat. 3. Do you think your breed is portrayed accurately online and on social media? How is it represented correctly? How is it misrepresented? People present their own dogs on social media for others to see, and also to brag about their accomplishments. Protectors of the breed have no control over what is posted. As with anything on social media, some of the Alaskan Malamutes are excellent exam- ples of the breed, and others are not so good. Some breeders can be blinded by love, which is not an asset when you are trying to preserve your Standard. 4. What advice would you offer SHOWSIGHT Magazine about providing breed-specific information about your breed? How can we help to educate the general public as well as inform breeders, exhibitors, and conformation judges? When SHOWSIGHT focuses on a specific breed, the Stan- dard for the breed should be included with the article. Photos of dogs from 10 years ago, or further back, could be used, so as not to promote dogs currently winning. We see these dogs advertised frequently, so repetition of that is not necessary. Utilizing positive critiques about these past dogs from longtime, established breeders, or the actual breeder of the dog, could be an interesting educational experience. Comments from judges who frequently judge our breed would be helpful. Their opinions as to what they are seeing, with
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2021 | 191
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