MALTESE THE
1. Where do you live? What do you do “outside” of dogs? 2. A Maltese floating around the ring is always a crowd pleaser. Is he as entertaining at home? 3. What’s your favorite characteristic in this charmer? 4. The Maltese is currently ranked by AKC as #37 out of 192. Has his popularity fluctuated during your involvement? Why do you think this is so? 5. We know image is important. What clothing color do you favor to complement his gorgeous white coat? 6. How do you place your pups? 7. At what age do you choose a show prospect? 8. What is your favorite dog show memory? 9. Is there anything else you’d like to share about the breed? Please elaborate. DARYL MARTIN
always replace them with another one. If you are talking about at the shows. I just read a letter from Aennchen to Frank Oberstar that she was complaining in the 60s there were no majors. That hasn’t changed. The show game has gone up and down, but the want for pets has always been there. What clothing color do I favor to complement the breed’s white coat? I wear a lot of black, but I do anyway. I also recently have worn a very deep electric blue with many compliments. Truthfully it is the dog that should stand out, not the handler. Many rich colors are worn. At specialties since everyone likes to wear black, I like to wear a different color to stand out! How do I place my pups? I do not advertise. The few litters I have are for my own desire to make better dogs or consistent good dogs. Generally word of mouth is where my dogs go if I don’t keep them. Many of my dogs are replacing generations of dogs that peo- ple have bought in the past. As I said earlier once a Maltese owner, always a Maltese owner. My dogs generally are not sold as puppies either as I like to see how they turn out. You have no idea as young puppies unless they have a terrible fault to begin with. At what age do I choose a show prospect? As I just said young puppies change. Show prospect is a funny description as anything can be shown. I am very critical of my dogs, and most of my pets that I sell are others show prospects. I do not sell to show homes, I keep my best and sell the others to pet homes. I have a couple people that I share with, who are very special. One I just lost this year. Probably the most favorite memory was at the national in hous- ton. Dorothy Nickles was judging. I had the great #1 Toy BIS BISS CH. Joanne-Chen’s Mino Maya Dancer, “Mino” entered as a vet- eran. I had not shown him all year, and I also had not trimmed him all year. He won the veterans class, but could not walk due to his long coat. I quickly yelled give me a scissors and cut his coat. In those days the amount of specials was triple or more what we have today, so I had a few minutes while the best of breed competi- tion was organizing and veterans go to the end. I won the national! Nobody could believe how I did that so quickly, neither could I! I also was so proud because the bitch that I was specialing that year (we had a pitch hitter handler show BIS CH. Gemmery’s Citrine Bean , and she went BOS. She was out of my Bean Puff, and was and probably still is top producing BIS bitch in history of the breed. I just would like the people to realize what our standard states and what Maltese are. Since I have been part of this breed probably almost longer than anyone else in the breed today, I have seen how our Maltese were years ago and where they have changed. It is only in the last five years or so that our breed is changing drastically, and I hope we go back to the middle. Granted grooming changes,
I live in the Chi- cago area, a northern suburb. I often go into our broadway area to see the new- est musicals Chicago has to offer. Our theatre group always does a nice dinner beforehand, and then we see a play. It is important to be able to do fun things. Is the breed as
entertaining at home as they are in the ring? Of course they are entertaining at home. They love to please and are very smart and loving too. What’s my favorite characteristic? I love the personality of a Maltese; they think they are big dogs. Has the breed’s popularity fluctuated during my involvement? Since I have been involved in the breed since the late 50s early 60s I have seen the popularity always go uphill. Since they have small litters they are not on top of the numbers game. Years ago there weren’t as many breeds to compare numbers with either. Many Mal- tese pet owners are Maltese owners for life . Once they own one they
“TRUTHFULLY IT IS THE DOG THAT SHOULD STAND OUT, NOT THE HANDLER. MANY RICH COLORS ARE WORN. At specialties since everyone likes to wear black, I like to wear a different color to stand out!”
S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , O CTOBER 2019 • 265
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