Irish Wolfhound Breed Magazine - Showsight

A BREEDER OR JUST BREEDING DOGS? BY JILL BREGY CONTINUED

eye color. The Deerhound Standard calls for the rims of the eyelids to be black. In our Standard, it states under Faults—“…lips or nose liver-colored or lacking in pigmentation.” On several occasions, I have heard people say that they saw a blue Wolf- hound. When questioned, they seemed to be referring to the coat color, not the eye color. On color, our standard says “The recognized colors are gray, brindle, red, black, pure white, fawn or any other color that appears in the Deerhound” The Deerhound standard states: “Color is a matter of fancy, but the dark blue-gray is most preferred. Next comes the darker and lighter grays and brindles, the darkest being generally preferred. Yellow or sandy red and red fawn, especially with black ears and muzzles, are equally high in estimation….” As we see, blue-gray appears here, so one should be careful in Irish Wolfhounds to condemn a blue- gray as a blue. While we may not see these or other problems directly in our own breed- ing program, this may only be due to making lucky choices of mates or pure dumb luck. The main point here is hav- ing some knowledge of what can and does happen in other breeds and know- ing that it can happen in ours as well. So, like everything else, as a “breeder” one should be aware of this as well as a myriad of other things in order to avoid the many pitfalls of a gene pool gone wild. It is interesting to note that in Deer- hounds, under Color, it says “White is condemned by all authorities but a white chest and white toes, occurring as they do in many of the darkest-col- ored dogs, are not objected to, although the less the better for the Deerhound is a self-colored dog. A white blaze on the head or a white collar, should entirely disqualify.” I bring this up as one might wonder if the early authors of this stan- dard might be telling us something about the effects of excessive white markings and the problems this might create if left unattended in a breed- ing program. In Rhodesians, excessive white is also addressed and this in a breed that calls for light wheaten to red wheaten in coat color. In Otter Hounds, the standard says that eyes are dark, but may vary with the color of the hound and additionally under color, any color or combination of colors is acceptable.

• AKC judge. Judged 24 Specialties around the world. • Former President IWANE; Former IWANE Newsletter Editor; Former Education Chair. • Show Chair IWCA 1980 and 81. Originated Boutique and Auction. • Education Chair of the IWCA from 2007-10. • Former President and Show Chair Longshore/Southport Kennel Club; developed School Education and Nursing Home programs. • Current Show Chairman of Trap Falls Kennel Club where she devel- oped the show as a venue for five Specialties and 17 Supported Entry Clubs. • Member IWAWC, IWCC, IWANE • Former Director and VP of IWCA; wrote original Code of Ethics. • Active in Connecticut Legisla- tion. Helped create legislation to prevent Inter and Intra-state sale of puppies under eight weeks of age. First State to do so. As Education Chair IWCA and election to Board in 2007, the committee: • Completed the Illustrated Standard with the Illustrated Standard Committee. • Original member. • Completed Power Point presenta- tion, combined with video for DVD. • Completed Judges Pocket Guide. • Developed the “100 years of Wolf- hounds”; submitted to web master articles by Dodds, Van Kruinin- gen; Coen; Trotter, etc; established “Visions of the Breed” series; etc. • Developed Education Fund Rais- ers, Historic Calendar, Tote bag and DVD raising $1700+ in 2009. • Began work on IW University. • Established mailing system to edu- cate new provisional judges. • Established Mentor list of 26 to conduct workshops for Regional IW Clubs and Judges Study Groups. • Provided Education programs at IWCA in 2008, 2009, 2010 and into 2011. • Coordinated booths at “Meet the Breeds” events in Raleigh, NYC and Chicago.

The nose should be darkly pigmented, black or liver, depending on the color of the hound. The late Brig. Gen A.W. DeQuoy who was a master historian in our breed and a man with a brilliant mind, discussed eye color by saying that while the “list of points in the order of merit” called for a dark eye as number 16, it did not say brown, arguing that a gold eye could still be dark. An interesting statement as this is exactly some Greyhound breed- ers have said—30 years later. A study of our standard, and other standards, can only enhance our ability to truly understand the dog in front of us. You must have a vision of the ulti- mate dog in your mind and this can only be done if you actually understand all of the parts and how they create form and function. A desire to learn and understand— not just to breed—is what is what sets the breeders and protectors of the breed apart from those just breeding dogs and calling themselves breeders. The issue of color dilution is just one of many issues that need to be addressed in a breeding program— every point of the dog from teeth to coat to head to eye to balance to feet to croup, topline, neck, tail, front and rear assembly—all encompassing the elu- sive type and soundness—and so many more, all need to be thought about and addressed in your search back through every pedigree that relates to yours. Are you a breeder or just breeding dogs? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jill Bregy, Wildisle, reg, est. 1966, is the breeder of multiple AKC champi- ons and one International Champion, including Multiple BIS and BISS Ch. Wildisle Warlock. This in addition to All-Breed Best in Show winners; mul- tiple BISS winners and trained the sev- enth IW to receive a CDX. Jill: • Wrote the Illustrated Study of the Irish Wolfhound, published 1988; now in its fifth edition. • Has written articles on color, gait, ethics, breeding programs, etc. • Lectured here and abroad to IW Clubs. • Completed video on “Understand- ing the Standard” used by IWCA. • Completed video on “Evaluating Irish Wolfhound Puppies.” • Former AKC Gazette Columnist.

252 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , F EBRUARY 2018

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