Showsight - The Dog Show Magazine: October 2022 Edition, featuring articles, tips, and information provided with help from breeders, owners, handlers, club members, and judges who have agreed to share their expertise with us.
Panache Pic D’Arlee Panache AKC GCH PAN AMERICAN CH MEXICAN GCH
Panache Pic D’Arlee Panache AKC GCH PAN AMERICAN CH MEXICAN GCH
Houston Kennel Club Inc. 7/21/2022 | JUDGE MR. JOHN P. WADE
Houston Kennel Club Inc. 7/22/2022 | JUDGE MRS. POLLY (ROBERT) D. SMITH
Beaumont Kennel Club Inc. 7/23/2022 | JUDGE MRS. CARRIE A. CHASE
Beaumont Kennel Club Inc. 7/24/2022 | JUDGE MRS. JANET L. FINK
AMERICAN GRAND CHAMPION | PAN AMERICAN CHAMPION | MEXICAN GRAND CHAMPION | PARIS LATIN WINNER 2022 BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED BY MARTIN EGOZCUE | OWNED BY JACQUELINE FINKEL | BRED BY ANGELIQUE RICARD number 1 herding dog 2022 in mexico
BERGER PICARD
2021 GSPCA NATIONAL SPECIALTY CHAMPION
NBISS GCH CH SHOMBERG’S
ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN
GCH CH MI KARMA N SANDY CREEK ONE MAN BAND (BOWIE) CD BN RE JH DM DS CGC X CH SHOMBERG’S TOOMARVELOUS FOR WORDS (KEELY) RM SH GSPCA VC CGC
OWNERS: EVAN TZANIS & DR. NIA TATSIS BREEDERS: KAHLA ENNIS, SHARON DATTILIO, TINA M. CRAIG & BRENDA MAHONEY HANDLER: JOANNE THIBAULT
POINTER (GERMAN SHORTHAIRED)
Tzanis v2.indd 1
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Sporting Dog* Number One
#7 ALL
BREEDS * #1
IWS BREED & ALL BREED *
Talbot Kennel Club — Judge Mr. Nathaniel Horn
Thank you judges for recognizing Sloane
*AKC stats as of 8/31/22
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SPANIEL (IRISH WATER)
S loane
MBIS MRBIS NBISS MBISS GCHS CH POOLE’S IDE SARGEANT SLOANE CD RN MX MXJ MXF
“Quality Consistently Recognized and Rewarded”
Kanadasaga Kennel Club — Judge Mr. Robert E. Hutton
Owned by Stephanie O’Reilly and Gregory M. Siner Bred by Poole’s Ide - Gregory M. Siner and Samuel A. Jenio Presented by Joanne Thibault
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*
*AKC STATS AS OF 8/31/22
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ROTTWEILER
*
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Wisely
THANK YOU JUDGES Mr. John Booth Mr. Michael Canalizo Mrs. Betty Pollock Mr. Allen Odom
Owner/Breeder: iLove Maltese Cynthia Chan Lee www.facebook.com/iLovemaltesecr/ www.ilovemaltese.com
Professionally Presented by: Rhapsody Legados Kennel
Tonia Holibaugh Cruz Edgar Cruz Guevara www.rhapsodylegadosshowdogs.com
*AKC GCH stats as of 8/31/22
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MALTESE
#1 Maltese *
GCHS iLove Rhapsody Always Full of Wisdom
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*
*AKC STATS AS OF 8.31.22
*
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BRIARD
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Reserve Best In Show Winning, Multiple Group Winning & Multiple MBISS Winning
OUR APPRECIATION TO JUDGE MR. TOM DAVIES
Handled by Candy Carswell, Bred by Judith L. Tuck Owned by Claudia Orlandi, Guillermo Gonzalez (4706 Monkton Road, New Haven, VT | 802-238-2370) & Judy Tuck (28 Preble Road, Bowdoinham, ME | 207-522-6358)
*AKC Breed Stats as of 8/31/2022
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BASSET HOUND
Basset Bitch *
OUR APPRECIATION TO JUDGE MR. ROBERT E. HUTTON
l
GCHP Topsfield-Sanchu Poppycock x GCH Coverhill-Topsfield All In The Family of Sanchu
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022 | 15
BEST IN SHOW | RESERVE BEST IN SHOW MULTIPLE GROUP WINNING
OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE TO JUDGES MR. THOMAS NESBITT, MS. F. SUSAN GODEK AND MR. DAVID B. SWARTWOOD FOR THESE SPECIAL WINS. DOBERMAN PINSCHER
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GCHG SHIRA YURI AMYTHEST IRIS
# 1 BICHON BITCH *AKC STATS AS OF 8/31/22 BREED & ALL BREED *
Bred & Owned by JANET HARTMANN jyhartmann@hotmail.com
Handled by OSCAR QUIROS
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BICHON FRISE
Thank you Mrs. Cindy Meyer & Lake Mathews Kennel Club
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Duper
GCH BARK BARK N MARINO’S ROUTE RUNNER
HANDLER KAREN BRUNEAU
Blaze
BIS BISS GCHS BARK BARK’S SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE
HANDLER KAREN BRUNEAU
Highway
BARK BARK N SARGE’S HEARTBREAK RIDGE
HANDLER KAREN BRUNEAU JUDGE JOHN RAMIREZ
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SAMOYED
Samoyeds BARK BARK JOHN & CLAIRE O’NEILL
Duper & Highway
HANDLERS KAREN BRUNEAU & JENNIFER RUFF
JUDGE REMI SMITH-LEWIS
Blaze & Lil Bit
HANDLERS BENJI MARCUS & LAUREN HAY-LAVITT
JUDGE EVALYN GREGORY
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22 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022
BOXER
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FROM THE STANDARD
“IDEALLY, HEIGHT AT WITHERS IS 9 TO 10-1/2 INCHES; BUT, NOT LESS THAN 8 INCHES NOR MORE THAN 11 INCHES. IDEALLY, WEIGHT OF MATURE DOGS, 9 TO 16 POUNDS.”
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SHIH TZU
INTERNATIONAL & AMERICAN CH HEARTY’S WONDER BOY
AWARD OF MERIT FROM THE FEBRUARY 2020 METROPOLITAN NY SHIH TZU FANCIERS SPECIALTY UNDER JUDGE JOHNNY SHOEMAKER. OWNERS: LESLIE LEFAVE & L SARAH LAWRENCE BREEDER: PAPITCHAYA SUKONOI
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BONZO GCHB AKUABA N ELDORADO MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
Bonzo is a BISOH Winning & Multi-Group Placing sweet boy with a superstar pedigree. Bonzo is sired by the Multi-BIS producing GCHG Akuaba N Eldorado Bungle in the Jungle, “Jethro.” Jethro is the sire of Bazinga and grandpa to Juggy. Group 4 under Ann Roth and BISOH under Mr. John Boozer III
OWNED BY KIM BROWN, PAMELA A. GEOFFROY & SUSAN COE BRED BY PAMELA A. GEOFFROY & SHEILA LUND & SUSAN COE
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BASENJI
THE TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE CONTINUES... JUGGY GCH DAGOBA’S UNSTOPPABLE MOMENTUM
Earned his GCH and a Group 4 under Nat Horn at the Lebanon County Kennel Club show. Puppy Group 2 under Carol Comerford and Owner-Handled Group 2 under Sylvie McGhee.
OWNED & BRED BY KIM BROWN
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setting the gold standard
THANK YOU JUDGE MR. WILLIAM G. DAUGHERTY
BRED BY NANCY LOVELADY
OWNED & LOVED BY KIM BROWN AND NANCY LOVELADY
*AKC STATS AS OF 8/31/22
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SLOUGHI
#3 ALL BREED * #4 BREED * CURRENTLY
AAFIQ CHAMPION ALMABOUBIN AAFIQ INT. CH AND AM. CH QALB ELASSAD BAGIR EL QAMAR X CH KAMEA MAHANAJIM
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Owner Jacqueline Finkel
Breeders Elizabeth G. Richards, Jacqueline Finkel & Carol Root
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BERGER PICARD
Novelli Design Am Ch Bwk’s
Amethyst
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1st Berger Picard to win Best in Show in Mexico
American Gold Grand Champion Mexican Champion Panamerican Champion
Costa Rican Champion San Jose Champion Grand Champion Costricense
Breeder Valeria Black
Owners Jacqueline Finkel Amber Finkel
Handler Martin Egozcue
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BERGER PICARD
Montague De La Vie En Rose V Bwk Montague
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Am Ch Allstarts I’m Keanu Reeves At Bwk
Ch Gribouille Des Falaises D'fort Les Bans X Ch Allstars I'm Kate Hudson At Bwk
Breeders Elizabeth G. Richards Jacqueline Finkel Carol Root
Owner Jacqueline Finkel
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BERGER PICARD
Keanu
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022 | 35
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Houston Kennel Club Inc. 7/21/2022 | JUDGE MR. JOHN P. WADE
Beaumont Kennel Club Inc. 7/23/2022 | JUDGE MRS. CARRIE A. CHASE
Panache Pic D’Arlee Panache AKC GCH PAN AMERICAN CH MEXICAN GCH
AMERICAN GRAND CHAMPION | PAN AMERICAN CHAMPION BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED BY MARTIN EGOZCUE | OWNED number 1 herding do
BERGER P
Finkel Panache FC.indd 1
SHOWSIGHT Magazine is published monthly by Aramedia Group, Inc., 501 Congress Ave, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78701. Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and are not necessar- ily those of the Publisher, which makes reasonable efforts to verify content. SHOWSIGHT articles are selected for their general inter- est and educational value. Some of the articles in SHOWSIGHT are adapted from articles originally appearing as part of another organization’s content. Authors’ views do not necessarily represent the policies of Aramedia Group, Inc., nor does their publication con- stitute an endorsement by Aramedia. All contents of SHOWSIGHT Magazine are the intellectual prop- erty of Aramedia Group Inc. (“Publisher”) and/or the respective photographers, writers, artists, advertisers, and advertising agencies and are protected by intellectual property laws; and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, broadcast or oth- erwise exploited in whole or in part in any manner without express written permission of the intellectual property owners. For permis- sions and reprint requests, please contact us at 512-686-3466 or hello@showsightmagazine.com. SHOWSIGHT Magazine takes no responsibility for statements or claims made in advertisements and reserves the right to edit and/or refuse all copy. Publisher expressly disclaims and does not assume responsibility for the validity of any claims or statements made, including rating systems, content errors, omissions, or infringing content. Any reliance placed on such content is strictly at reader’s own risk. Commercial advertisements and offers are the responsibility of the individual advertising entities, and do not constitute an offer by the Publisher. Publisher is not responsible for retail price fluctuations. Prices are based on those accurate at press time. Please consult with all commercial advertisers for current prices. SHOWSIGHT Magazine is the property of Aramedia Group, Inc. SHOWSIGHT is a registered trademark used under license. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2022 Aramedia Group, Inc., SHOWSIGHT Magazine, SHOWSIGHT Express, and RING-READY. All rights reserved.
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Introducing the NEW DIVA ON THE BLOCK
GCH. REVELATION ADIVA AVIVA OF SAMARA
Estee Adiva *
Ms. Eva E. Berg awarding GCH. REVELATION ADIVA AVIVA OF SAMARA her most recent Group Placement at the Magic Valley KC DS.
Thanks to judges Mrs. Nancy J. Eilks, Mr. Brian Meyer, Mr. James J. Mitchell, Dr. Steven E. Keating, Mr. John Wade, Ms. Amanda Pough and many others for helping Estee in her meteoric show career.
MULTIPLE GROUP PLACEMENTS # 1 BREEDERS: David Golden and Cynthia Dodson OWNERS: Pamela Rosman and Richard Vulliet, DVM
canaan dog ALL BREED **
GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP
CHAMPIONSHIP
TWO “FIVE-POINT” MAJOR IN ONE WEEK
*Adiva—ancient Hebrew name meaning gracious, pleasant, polite and considerate. Estee is all of these and much, much more. **AKC all breed stats as of 8/31/22
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022 | 37
CANAAN DOG
contents CONTRIBUTORS
45 78 84
Interview with Rhonda Cornum ALLAN REZNIK
Form Follows Function STEPHANIE SEABROOK HEDGEPATH
Penn Ridge, New Clubs and Insight From a GOAT WALTER SOMMERFELT
100 124 130 134 142
Lines from Linda LINDA AYERS TURNER KNORR
Are You Only Here to Hand Out Ribbons? CELESTE M. GONZALEZ
USDA Breeder Licensing SHEILA GOFFE
In Pursuit of a Better Process MICHAEL J. NELINSON
Doing It All SANDY MCMILLAN
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*
* AKC breed stats as of 8/31/22
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022 | 39
CHIHUAHUA (SMOOTH COAT)
contents
RING-READY
190 192 195 197
Layers of Genuine Learning That Can Happen at a Dog Show LEE WHITTIER
FEATURES
199 226 256
Showing a Low Entry Breed DAN SAYERS
The National Specialty Section VARIOUS GUESTS
The Owner Handler DANIELLA BRUHWILER
The Coonhound VARIOUS GUESTS
The Breeder Owner Handler GREG & PHYLLIS RODGERS
The FSS Section VARIOUS GUESTS
303 304
Index to Advertisers
Upcoming Features
40 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022
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RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK
#1 RIDGEBACK 2022 (BREED) *
*AKC STATS AS OF 8/31/22
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OUR FUTURE...
Bred By Nancy Faville, Lori Mattley & Rebecca Boese Owned by Sandy Kirsch & Nancy Faville
CECE
CH DIABLO’S CALIFORNIA CLASSIC W. 2020 SIRE: CH DIABLO’S APOCALYPSE ALLIANCE DAM: GCH DIABLO’S BABY DID A BAD BAD THING
FLYNN AND GYPSY PUPPIES MAKE A STRIKING DEBUT:
TACO
CINCO
DIABLO’S MOONLIT KNIGHT W. 2021 3pt Major first time in the ring at 15 months MURPHY
DIABLO’S MOONLIGHT MARIACHI W. 2021 Finished at 10 months with 3 majors and 3 single points in two weekends
DIABLO’S MOONLIGHT MISCHIEF W. 2021
Best of Breed and Group 2 in first weekend out at 14 months
NANCY FAVILLE AND CHARLES STORKE PLEASANTON, CALIF.
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RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK
RHONDA CORNUM
BREEDER INTERVIEW BY ALLAN REZNIK MUNROC FARM GORDON SETTERS
Where did you grow up? I grew up mostly in East Aurora, New York, about 30 minutes from Buffalo. My big loves were horses, dogs, and being out- doors. Luckily for me, I found it easy to do well in school despite spending most hours at the barn riding and walking my dog in the woods. Do you come from a doggy family? And if not, how did the interest in breeding and showing purebred dogs begin? I did not at all come from a doggy fam- ily. My dad loved dogs, but had mutts grow- ing up; my mother was a cat person. I had certainly never been to a dog show. I think my love for, and attraction to, purebred dogs came from reading the books by James Kjel- gaard ( Big Red, Irish Red, Outlaw Red, etc ). After reading those as a pre-teen, I went to the library and started researching dogs. I loved the pictures and description of Gor- don Setters, and just had to have one. So, immediately before my 13th birthday, my
parents bought me “Reba” (Ch. Sangerfield Cameo). She was my constant compan- ion through high school, college, graduate school, and first two years in the Army, and she has been the mental standard by which I judge every other Gordon Setter. Who were your mentors in the sport? Please elaborate on their influence. When I was in junior high school and starting with my first Gordon Setter, there were three owners of Sangerfield Kennels: Peg Sanger, Jean Look, and Fred Itzenplitz. They were so important that, just this month as I drove up to Buffalo, I took the backway so that I could go past their old place in East Randolph, New York. Beyond these three, there have been some important people from whom I have learned a lot in the 55 years of my dog evolution. When I started showing seriously in the 2000s, I learned a huge amount about grooming, handling, and even the politics of dog shows from Cheryl Mika.
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022 | 45
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BELGIAN TERVUREN
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MULTIPLE BEST IN SPECIALTY SHOW WINNER MULTIPLE GROUP WINNING • MULTIPLE GROUP PLACING NUMBER ONE German Shorthaired Pointer *
THANK YOU JUDGES MS. ALANA FERGUSON AND MRS. JULIE FYNMORE FOR THESE SPECIAL WINS!
BREEDERS: CHRISTY HALE JESSICA KALUPA
OWNER: CHRISTY HALE
HANDLER: LUCRETIA COONROD
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*AKC BREED STATS AS OF 8/31/22
POINTER (GERMAN SHORTHAIRED)
“THE GREATER YOUR STORM,
THE BRIGHTER YOUR RAINBOW”
GOLD GRAND CHAMPION HALESTORM-SUMA CGC FDC ATT CA BCAT TKN This Is Unbelievable
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022 | 49
STANDARD MANCHESTER Top Winning GCHB JETCITY WALKING ON THE MOON BCAT
HANDLERS NICOLE TORRE & ADRIAN GHIONE BREEDER LISA NONOG OWNERS Nicole Torre ALL BREED HANDLING
SCOTT & JAMIE CASHO BECKER & LISA NONOG
THANK YOU JUDGES MR. JON COLE, MR. FRED C. BASSETT & MR. DUFF HARRIS
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MANCHESTER TERRIER (STANDARD)
Creating a Healthier Tomorrow
for dogs
The AKC Canine Health Foundation is the largest nonprofit funder of health research focused solely on dogs. We address the health needs of all dogs across their entire lifetime by focusing on all aspects of their physical, mental, and social well-being.
Support canine health research today! akcchf.org/donate
Helping dogs live longer, healthier lives. akcchf.org 888-682-9696 chf@akcchf.org
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022 | 53
INTERVIEW: RHONDA CORNUM, MUNROC FARM GORDON SETTERS
a family and do whatever task that family wants to undertake. Philosophically, with setters specifically, I firmly believe that the dogs should look like what the stan- dard describes, and must also demonstrate their ability to work in the hunt field as recorded in their history. A dog that enters the Munroc breeding program must have “talent,” that innate ability to find and point game birds for their handler, using terrain, vegetation, and wind to their best advantage. Of course, that dog must also conform as closely as possible to the stan- dard in terms of structure and movement. Realizing that NO dog is perfect, there is always a balance. We look at the pedigree first, and eliminate from consideration even outstanding individuals if there are genes that we just don’t want to infuse into our program due to health or tempera- ment issues. If the pedigree is acceptable, we proceed to step two. And here, breeding dogs is like breed- ing racehorses, cows, or any other animal that has both conformational and func- tional ideals. I take the bitch I am consid- ering, examine her critically, then look for potential stud dogs that complement her faults; structural as well as performance faults. So, let’s look at “Pixie.” She defi- nitely has talent; she has a beautiful point, always finds birds, runs well in front but listens to her handler (won a 3-point major in her first field trial as an adult). Her pedi- gree has good looks and talent on both sides. But, she is on the small side, even for a girl, and though she has attractive angles both in front and rear, and plenty of sternum, she definitely has wide shoulders that result in a less pleasing line from neck to back. So, I am looking for a dog that is: a. Not related, which will help with size; b. Is in the upper half of the standard; c. Has really good shoulders. I have found him, he is our “Marlon.” Marlon was a stud fee puppy from Keith Whiting, using our Vito on his bitch in the UK. Originally, I was not too excited about this puppy because, despite his good looks, there isn’t a significant hunting title anywhere in that pedigree. But, following Crufts 2020 where Marlon won his class of eight in stiff competition, I brought him back to the US in March to earn his
Cheryl is a professional handler who had shown Irish Setters since childhood, and is now big into breeding and showing Brit- tanys. I am slowly getting her into working in the field with a few. In terms of field work, it was similar. I started going to field trials in 2006 with- out any dogs, and because of my riding experience, I started planting birds and scouting for other handlers. I learned a lot just by watching large numbers of judges, handlers, and dogs. The people who have trained my dogs have taught me an incred- ible amount. These include Jesse Chap- man, who recognized talent and took my “Libby” to Derby Dog of the Year in 2014. At the same time, Jean Webb comes to mind. Jean is a long-term Gordon Setter owner and breeder, and in recent decades a field trial and hunt test trainer. She was particularly instrumental in teaching me patience when trying to breed, train, and campaign dual dogs; patience in the field because they often come along slower than the dogs bred exclusively to field trial, and patience in the ring as they are generally more moderate in both size and coat than dogs bred for conformation alone. They are less likely to be big winners, but represent the Gordons that most people read about and want. Jean and I co-own and co-breed dogs, and share the philosophy of dual dogs. Most recently, I have worked a lot with Janie Bristow; we now co-own three dogs. Janie started as an accomplished obedience trainer, then migrated to hunt test trainer, and more recently, has become active in field trials. Her insight and con- sistency make it possible to plan my dogs’ careers realistically and accurately. In terms of breeding, however, I can’t really say I have had mentors. Breeding dogs is like parenting; you learn a lot from both a negative example and a positive one—often from the same people. They may do some things really well, but at the same time they do things you would not want to emulate. Your Gordon Setters are widely known, highly successful in multiple disciplines, and well respected. What breeding philosophies do you adhere to? First and foremost, of course, the dogs I breed must be healthy and long-lived, with temperaments that allow them to fit into
‘Hunter’ and Girls
‘Amber,’ Crufts 2012
‘Libby’ at 9, 2nd in Open Gun and Amateur Gun Dog.
54 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022
GCHG CH Palmridge’s Signature In Blue
2022 A Wonderful Year YTCA NATIONAL SPECIALTY WINNER # 1 NOHS YORKSHIRE TERRIER * # 2 YORKSHIRE TERRIER BREED ** # 3 YORKSHIRE TERRIER ALL BREED ** MBISS WINNER MBISOH WINNER MULTIPLE GROUP PLACING SELECT DOG AT WESTMINSTER
Thank you to all the judges who have recognized Blue’s qualities! BREEDER – OWNER – HANDLER PEGGY GREGSON, PALMRIDGE SHOW DOGS – SPARKS, NV *AKC NOHS stats 2022 **AKC stats as of 8/31/22
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022 | 55
YORKSHIRE TERRIER
INTERVIEW: RHONDA CORNUM, MUNROC FARM GORDON SETTERS
‘Marlon’ on Point 2021
Am. Ch. Bournefield Quest For Munroc, finishing.
‘Seymour,’ Field Trials December 2017
How many Gordons do you typically house? Tell us about your current facilities and how the dogs are maintained. I have a 700-acre farm in central Ken- tucky, so I have room for dogs. But obvi- ously, nobody can give a large number of dogs all the attention they want and deserve. Our secret, which enables us to keep dogs to sufficient maturity to truly evaluate, has been to find really good custodial co-owners for some of our most promising puppies. We make sure that the people know how to raise and train young dogs, but we may place them in families that might just want to love them. We keep track of them every six months or so. Depending on how they are maturing, we agree on when it is time to show. I don’t care whether the family does it or I do it as long as it gets done. When it comes time for training and competing in the field, we have already agreed on who’s going to do it (them or a professional), and who’s going to pay for it. And when it comes to breed- ing, we have already agreed on the goals,
this sort of analysis and decision-making with every breeding. And I am fortunate to have my breeding partner Silvia Timmer- man living in Europe. We both travel back and forth several times a year, and have the opportunity to watch and compete against dogs in the US, UK, and continental Europe. We are not constrained by borders when selecting dogs that we think will be advantageous, and we do not have to rely on websites and online photos when mak- ing the selections. There are, to my mind, two significant mistakes made in breeding dogs. The first is breeding to the “dog of the day.” Peo- ple will breed to a top-winning dog (in the field or the ring) with seemingly no regard to whether his pedigree, tempera- ment, conformation, and talent actually complement their bitch’s faults. The other mistake I see is being so kennel blind that they refuse to breed to any dog that is not related to what they already have. No mat- ter how good your dogs are, there is always a way to make them better.
‘Marlon’ CH
American championship. He is really handsome, so this should have been quick. Our plan was to return him to Europe in October, but the advent of the COVID frenzy prevented him from showing for a long time, as shows were cancelled. Even after getting his title, overseas travel was very restricted; he was essentially “stuck” here. So, though I did not have great hope, I sent him to train with Janie Bristow, mostly to give him something to do. Well, sometimes dogs surprise me! Janie report- ed he was a natural, got his Senior Hunter title very quickly and needs two more pass- es for his Master. And her report is that he has enough run and style to run field trials. So, we are going to try this. We go through
56 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2022
Multiple Specialty Winning & Multiple Group Winning GCH CH TESSIER WYNTUK RED-E TO REIGN
Silky Breed *
Flash BACK-TO-BACK GROUP 1’S MONROE KENNEL CLUB
Reddi SILKY TERRIER
Owned by MARILYN SOLVASON, SANDY MESMER ANGELA SMITH-TILOT
Handled by ANGELA SMITH, Saginaw Michigan
Bred by SANDY MESMER & KAREN HUEY
*AKC STATS AS OF 8/31/22
CHIC #164841
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*
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IRISH TERRIER
*AKC STATS AS OF 8/31/22
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INTERVIEW: RHONDA CORNUM, MUNROC FARM GORDON SETTERS
big field every day, and if getting in shape for field trials, we put a lot of miles on the ATV. Who were/are some of your most signifi- cant dogs, both in the whelping box and in the show ring? The most significant dog that I have been involved with was “Hunter,” Sil- via’s first Gordon Setter. I bred to this dog, I showed this dog, and I loved this dog. Hunter was the epitome of what I believe a Gordon Setter should be. Since meeting him in 2004, we are on our seventh generation. Perhaps the most significant one since then is “Seymour” (GCH Munroc the Black Watch, MH). Born in 2013, Seymour again epitomizes what a Gor- don Setter should be: Grand Champion, Master Hunter, nine points in Gun Dogs stakes, including a major in an Amateur stake and a win at a retrieving stake. Had I been more experienced and entered him more strategically, he would no doubt have earned his FC. He was bred 10 times over four years to a wide spectrum of bitches; some dual dogs, some “show only” dogs, and three times to people who wanted purely hunting dogs. He has produced very successful puppies regardless of the own- ers’ goals (seven show champions and eight more on the way, eight field pointed with two Derby Dogs of the Year, one Master Hunter, and many great family pets and personal hunting companions). From each litter, reports on the puppies are that they have great dispositions, are easily trained, they all point, and they look like Gordon Setters! Seymour retired to a wonderful pet home where he can be the only dog, and his new “mom” says he is the smartest Gordon Setter she has ever met while he sleeps on the couch with his box of toys. Seymour is proof that they can do it all. His grandmother “Amber” was clearly the matriarch of Munroc. She was the product of “Hunter” and “Grey.” Initially sold as a puppy to an owner in Austria, she earned every hunting title available. Like her father, she found and pointed game birds, searched for and retrieved ducks in the water, and followed a trail and retrieved furred game in the woods. I was able to show her at the World Show in Poland at two years of age, and was so impressed I
tried to buy her back. I failed at that time, but circumstances allowed us to get her back at age four. We immediately bred her to a very fine Australian dog that had been imported into Germany. I flew over and brought her to America to whelp; I believe all the dogs we have bred since then have her somewhere in the pedigree. Other significant dogs? I imported “Allard” (Ch. Allard Aristokrat SH) in 2007. With Cheryl Mika and Jean & Rob Webb as co-owners, Allard was the first Irish Red and White Setter to earn a Senior Hunter, and had multiple Gun Dog placements in all-breed field trials. His puppies are demonstrating that same dual potential. He just recently died at the age of 15, but will be an important influ- ence on this breed for years to come. With Cheryl and Brooke Burlingame, I “dabble” in Brittanys. We did have the winner of the Brittany National Specialty in 2017 with GCH Dogwood Hollow Bengal Zero Zero, at the ripe old age of 11 and a half. And lastly, because I believe so strongly that dual dogs are essential to support in all the setter breeds, I got involved when the 13th-ever dual champion English Set- ter arrived on the scene. I told Frank Luksa when he finished “Tessa” (DC AFC Wind- sors Field Harvester) that if she ever has a litter I want one of those puppies. I prom- ised him that the puppy would get every opportunity to be successful. About a year later he did call me with a litter. I immedi- ately drove to New Jersey from Kentucky to see those puppies, and picked out “Tes- la” (FC Windsor’s Lightning over Mun- roc). Tesla has been everything I thought she could become. Although clearly not bred from “field type” English Setters, she finished her field championship at 18 months. She is a bird-finding machine, and runs like the wind; you definitely do need a horse to keep up with her. She has not quite finished her show championship, but she’s well on the way. Please comment positively on your breed’s present condition and what trends might bear watching. Overall, Gordon Setters have changed for the better since I started in the late 1960s. Their temperaments are more reli- ably good, and definitely the rears are stronger, with better angulation and sweep
‘Brando’ and Ludo at the World Show
which are always to produce healthy dogs, with good temperaments, that have poten- tial to be successful in the show ring and in the field. If we decide not to breed, they are already in a forever home where they are loved and valued. But to your question of “how many.” How many I house at any given time is def- initely a moving target. There are five Gor- don Setters that live with me full-time, and will never leave. But even “never leave” is a relative term. They all leave for field train- ing with Jean or Jesse or Janie for months at a time. Then, depending upon their per- formance, they either compete with me or with one of them handling, so they can be gone for a lot of the year. Additionally, I often have someone else whelp our pup- pies. My farm has an extremely virulent strain of parvovirus on it, and we don’t know where they might be able to pick it up. Having puppies that are unprotected at my house means they and their mother have to live in virtual isolation. Much bet- ter for the puppies to live somewhere where they can just tumble out of the kitchen door into the yard as they mature. In addi- tion to the “full-time” Gordons, there is one “full-time” Irish Red and White Set- ter, and three “full-time” Miniature Pin- schers. The rest of the group comes and goes, either from Europe or from their American co-owners. They come for vari- ous numbers of weeks or months and they leave for various lengths of time. How do I keep them? Some dogs live in the house, some dogs live in a log cabin in my backyard, and some in the actual ken- nel about a quarter mile from the house. But every dog gets at least two runs in a
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SILVER GRAND CHAMPION PLAYING THE STANDARDS GAME BCAT, IT LORIEN THE PORTRAIT
COAT TEXTURE
SQUARE BODY
THICK SET
TOPLINE
CAPACIOUS SKULL
EFFORTLESS MOVEMENT
No matter the tic- tac- toe... Ralph wins the game! Thank you Garry Newton for the recent BOB and Group 4 recognition of Ralph
OWNERS LINDA BARCHENGER & RONALD RANDALL
SHOWN BY BREEDER LITA LONG
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OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG
MRBIS & MBISS • BEST IN SHOW • RESERVE BEST IN SHOW • BEST IN SPECIALTY SHOW
(Ch Cairncross Skyline In Sync x Ch Jadestar Riata) OFA CHIC # 152556
Pictured winning BISS at the Irish Setter Club of Colorado under Judge Ms. Deborah Verdon
Pictured winning Group 4 at Greeley KC under Group Judge Diane Kepley, BOB Judge was Sulie Greendale-Paveza
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SETTER (IRISH)
CISCO &Carlos GCHG JADESTAR N CAIRNCROSS WILD WILD WEST Our sincerest appreciation and gratitude to all the judges who have recognized and awarded Cisco
Pictured winning Group 1 under Judge Carol Jean Nelson
Exclusively Presented by Carlos Carrizo
Assisted by Sonoho Yamada
Owned by Kathleen Crocker
Bred by Kathleen Crocker & Janet Smith (Jadestar)
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WE EXPRESS OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO THE JUDGES WHO HAVE APPRECIATED EINAS IN THE HOUND GROUP AND SPECIALTY RINGS: MR. THOMAS KIRSTEIN, MRS. SHEILA PASKE (NOT PICTURED), MRS. CHRISTIE MARTINEZ, DR. ANDREA BRADFORD & MR. DAVID MILLER
EINAS IS ALWAYS OWNER-HANDLED OWNED & HANDLED BY DANIELA & ANDREAS BRUHWILER
CO-OWNED BY ERMINE MOREAU-SIPIERE
BRED BY ERIKA & ANDREW WYATT, OCERICO SLOUGHIS
*AKC STATS AS OF 8/31/22
THE FIRST
SLOUGHI IN HISTORY GRAND CHAMPION BRONZE
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SLOUGHI
AKC FASTED DOGS USA 2022 TOP 10 ALL BREED * SLOUGHI #2
MULTI BISS • MULTI GROUP PLACING • BIF • OH BIS BCAT CGC TKN GCHB OCERICO EINAS
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© JEFFREY HANLIN
“A WINNER IS A DREAMER WHO NEVER GIVES UP.”
-NELSON MANDELA
PROUDLY AND EXCLUSIVELY BREEDER, OWNER, HANDLED BY MICHELLE BAKER
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BOXER
• BISS GOLD GRAND CHAMPION • CHARRON’S I WANNA SEE YOU BE BRAVE
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BOSTON TERRIER
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INTERVIEW: RHONDA CORNUM, MUNROC FARM GORDON SETTERS
The American Kennel Club could offer an amateur conformation championship, just like it does an amateur field cham- pionship. The dog would not need to be owned by the person showing, it would just need to be an amateur, like field tri- als. This is essentially how dog showing is done in Europe and, there is no doubt, amateur owners are the vast major- ity of participants, and definitely more young people are showing. I would sug- gest every kennel club that participates in a cluster should be required to hold a weekend “Amateur Show” for each cluster the AKC approves. It could be much less expensive than “Open” shows; there could be more outdoor shows and we could elim- inate the requirement for electricity. When I started showing dogs, we brought them clean and groomed; we did not require acres of air-conditioned grooming space with outlets for blow dryers. I truly believe we could fill these shows with younger, amateur participants. And these people would be the basis for the breeders of the future. I think the limited registration con- cept has decreased participation in the sport of purebred dogs. I feel sure it has contributed to the profusion of “design- er” dogs because people are actually able to buy a “something-poo” without strings attached. I know some purebred breeders who are selling all of their pup- pies with limited registration. They sup- posedly don’t want “unworthy” dogs to be bred. But I don’t know anyone who started off their lives in purebred dogs with the best dog in America, unless their parents were already into dogs. I am sure I did not, but I had a wonderful dog, had a wonderful time, and strived to improve upon where I started. I believe breeders should actually sell the puppies. Breed- ers can then help the few buyers who later want to breed to have one “just like her.” We can help those owners evaluate the dogs, and remind them that the most important things about having a litter of puppies are: a. Improving upon what you have, and; b. Finding appropriate homes for all these little dogs. This is how I have gotten new people into the sport.
‘Seymour,’ March 2020
your thoughts on the state of the fancy and the declining number of breeders? How do we encourage newcomers to join us and remain in the sport? There are many things that could be done to attract more people to the sport of purebred dogs, and these could be done at the individual level as well as at the level of the American Kennel Club. We must admit that huge clusters dis- courage everyone except retired people and professional participants. This is a big problem when what we need is young people to participate. But young people with children have jobs, and kids go to school; they can only show on weekends. So, they start off at a big disadvantage, as they can only show two out of four or five days. In addition, the scarcity of local shows (kennel clubs in different cities, and often in different states, now join clusters) means hotels and long-distance driving, making an already expensive sport even more expensive.
of stifle. Otherwise the dogs are similar, although they seem to be bigger (at least the ones you see at dog shows) and have more coat. I believe that this has to do with our judging, which tends to reward extremes. So, if “most substantial of the setters” is the standard, then the theory must be that bigger is better. Unfortu- nately, I see a bigger split between the dogs that are at the top of the game at field trials and the dogs that are the big winners at dog shows. I try very hard not to say “field dogs” versus “show dogs.” I think that’s an important distinction because I think that what we really are seeing is people inter- ested solely in dog shows versus people interested solely in field trials. And while I believe individual dog owners don’t need to do both sports, I believe breeders have the responsibility to future generations to produce dogs that are able to participate successfully in both sports. The sport has changed greatly since you first began as a breeder-exhibitor. What are
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RETRIEVER (CURLY-COATED)
INTERVIEW: RHONDA CORNUM, MUNROC FARM GORDON SETTERS
Rhonda, ‘Grey’ and ‘Mikele’
1. Never waste an opportunity (because you may not have another chance); 2. If you wait until you “have time” to do it, you’ll never do it; 3. You can sleep when you are dead. These principles explain, for exam- ple, how I became a steeplechase jockey while in medical school. I had thought about it when exercising young horses in New York while growing up. So, when I found myself in Maryland for med school, I was in the prime of hunt country. I found a guy who was the owner, trainer, and rider of his horses, and worked for him on weekends. I learned a lot, got my apprentice and then full license. I never made much money, but I had a lot of fun and made good memories. It also explains how I found time to write research grants and pursue science (my real passion) while a surgery resident. I will never forget a staff guy telling me that I could not do both. I tried to be respectful, but finally said that the fact that he didn’t think he could do it was not going to limit my expectations of myself. And it explains how, though I was very busy as the Commander of the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany during the height of the War on Terror (2003-2005) and we had 26,000 evacu- ations through the facility, I found time to show my Gordon Setter “Grey” (Ch. Celtic Arlyss Scott’s Grey) to her Ger- man championship. I bred that first lit- ter of puppies with Silvia, and Munroc was launched.
Harbour Kennel in Germany, and sent them a beautiful young bitch (Am. Ch. Munroc American Beauty for Old Crud- sand Harbour) that earned two BOBs and a Group 3 at her first weekend showing in Belgium. We have also brought in some girls. “Quest” was a stud fee puppy from Bel- gium, and “Belle” was a stud fee puppy from France. Finally, tell us a little about Rhonda out- side of dogs... your profession, your hobbies. The short version is that I got out of high school at 16, college at 20, and gradu- ate school at 23. I joined the Army and did biomedical research for four years. Then the Army sent me to medical school and, as a physician, I did more research and then deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990. I was shot down and captured by the Iraqi forces while attempting a search and rescue mis- sion. Despite some very serious injuries, I was fortunate to survive and be repatriated after the war was over. Following multiple surgeries, I went on to a five-year residency in Urology. After graduating from that, I went on to command two hospitals, and traveled widely while serving in Bosnia and Germany. My Army career culmi- nated in promotion to Brigadier General and assignment to the Pentagon. Follow- ing my retirement from the Army in 2012, I moved to Kentucky to run a beef farm, and developed a psychological fitness consulting business. My life is based on three principles:
Where do you see your breeding program in the next decade or two? Well, I hope to continue what we are doing. Again, I think what Munroc can contribute is the emphasis on dual dogs and the opportunity to bring excellent genes into the US gene pool from over- seas and vice versa. While preparing for this interview, I reviewed the stud dogs we have used: Hunter - Bred in England and Lived in Germany; Skipper - Bred in Australia, Lived in Germany; Shadow - Bred in Scotland, Lived in Germany; Arnie - Bred in Scotland, Lived in Scotland; Linel - Bred in France, Lives in France; Truman - Bred in Scotland, Lives in Germany; Duncan - Bred in Scotland, Lives in US; Vito - Bred in Italy, Lived in Germany; Skye - Bred in US, Lived in US; Rowdy - Bred in US, Lived in US; Cruiser - Bred in US, Lives in US; Koenig - Bred in US, Lives in US; Reno - Bred in US, Lives in US. Although not used at stud yet, Silvia and I (and James Newton in the UK) recently imported “Stevie G” from the Carnustie Kennel in Australia. We are very pleased with him, and will bring him to America to show and hunt test when he is fully mature. Just in March, I imported two dual-potential Irish Red and White puppies from Old Crudsand
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AZAWAKH
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BRACCO ITALIANO
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ST. BERNARD
*
*AKC STATS AS OF 9.15.22
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Form Follows FUNCTION BY STEPHANIE SEABROOK HEDGEPATH
BALANCE IN THE CANINE
W hat is meant by “balance” in the dog? The AKC Glossary defines balance as “BALANCE: When all the parts of the dog, moving or standing, produce a harmonious image.” As a self-taught artist, I became aware of the Golden Ratio (or golden or divine proportion), a ratio between two numbers equal to approximately 1.618 (most often written as the Greek letter “phi”). This ratio was published in Euclid’s Elements , the Classical Greek work on math- ematics and geometry. Two hundred years later, the proportion was paired with illustrations by Leonardo da Vinci, which established the ideal balance in the human form and praised the ratio as repre- senting divinely inspired simplicity and orderliness. Artists reference da Vinci’s illustrations to this day, and the Golden Ratio is still used in art and graphic design. Da Vinci determined the two forms of balance in the human— horizontal and vertical. Da Vinci determined that all terrestrial ani- mals resemble each other in this manner, and the same rules apply to the four-legged animals as they do the two-legged man. Vertical Balance is the relationship of the areas that make up the dog’s height: the head and neck, the body, and the leg. A balanced dog of any size will show the same relative proportions of these three areas: roughly one-third head and neck, one-third body (thorax or chest), and one-third length of leg. These proportions apply to any breed (obviously, short-legged and dwarf breeds are the exceptions). Should a dog fail to conform to the “one-third rule,” it either lacks in length of neck or is short in length of leg.
Figure 1. Vertical Balance
In an earlier article, I pointed out that all dogs (all mam- mals—even the giraffe!) have the same number of cervical (neck) vertebrae; seven. They only differ in size and length among the various species of animal. A “short neck” in a dog is always caused by an upright shoulder, not a difference in the actual length of the neck. An upright shoulder covers up much of the neck, giving the illusion of a dog with a short neck. Therefore, if the head and neck make up less than one- third of the height, the dog is out of balance.
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MINIATURE SCHNAUZER
FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION: BALANCE IN THE CANINE
the front! Each dog was straighter in front than in the rear, and the proof of the breakdown in the fore assembly was right in front of me. The front assembly of the dog is attached to the body only by muscles and ligaments. The dog’s rear is much more stable simply because the sacral vertebrae (croup) are fused to the hip. No won- der the front often fails in a dog that is out of balance horizontally. So many standards prize overall balance in the dog because it helps the dog move more efficiently, with less energy expenditure. Generally, a dog unbalanced in angulation takes more evasive actions with its legs and body to keep the feet from interfering with each other. By doing so, the dog expends a great deal of energy to overcome the problem. Many things influence the dog’s movement, but the angulation of the forequarters and hindquarters (plus the dog’s overall physical condition) are the significant factors. The dog’s “heart” or spirit/ desire is another factor, but it is one which cannot be measured with a tool or the eye of the beholder. A dog with “great heart” will often overcome his physical limitations because of his intense desire to hunt, herd, track game, etc. Dogs with such spirit and good confor- mation are the super dogs that excel in all they attempt to do. On the other hand, dogs lacking in areas of conformation with great hearts can get the job done, but it is sometimes at even greater expense to their body. A balanced dog, whether balanced in good angulation or lack of angulation, may be tired at the end of the day, but with rest it will be up to work another day. A dog with great heart, but lacking in balance, may perform brilliantly at its work, but will have a shortened career when the lesser part (usually the front assembly) begins to break down. Most breeds tend to single track, especially those from the Sporting, Hound, Working, and Herding Groups. To observe side gait, you not only watch the action of the feet and legs, but the motion of the body—both laterally (side to side) and vertically. Movement over the topline (especially at the with- ers) can indicate several faults. When there is vertical movement (up and down) over the withers, this is usually caused by steep shoulder blades (blades that point upwards rather than toward the rear of the dog). Upright shoulders cause either short, choppy steps or cause the dog’s rearing muscles in the hindquarters to lift the front off of the ground to lengthen the stride. An up-and-down motion over the withers is also a sign of a faulty front. In coated dogs, such faulty movement is pointed out to the observer; canine movement should always be forward, not up and down along the backline. When watching the topline, ask yourself, “Does the dog’s back at the withers glide forward or bounce up and down?” Often, a dog with steep shoulders also has a topline that slopes toward the rear. Even if the standard calls for a sloping topline, this should not be attained due to a loss of shoulder layback. Some dogs that are balanced front to rear, but lack angulation, can be likened to watching a child’s rocking horse in motion. The rocking move- ment of the dog belies a spine that is not flexible enough to allow correct movement. The rolling motion of the front from side to side is one form of lateral instability and is most often seen in a dog with a short- ened upper arm. This dog cannot get its legs underneath its body. A dog with a wide front, and a rear that correctly reaches under- neath the body toward the centerline, causes the front to roll back
Figure 2. Horizontal Balance
Horizontal Balance is much easier to comprehend. It speaks to the balance in the angulation of the dog, fore and aft. In a hori- zontally balanced dog, the angle of the articulation of the shoul- der blade (scapula) to the upper arm (humerus) at the point of the shoulder equals the angle of the articulation of the pelvis (hip) to the upper thigh (femur) at the hip joint. (See Figure 2.) These angles oppose each other (example: < ---- > not < ---- <). Unfor- tunately, many breeders, and even worse, many standards, think that the forequarter angulation matches the angle formed at the dog’s stifle. This is NOT correct! The stifle should oppose the elbow (example: > ---- <). A dog with a well-laid-back shoulder and cor- rect length of upper arm has an angulation of approximately 90 degrees. (*Please refer to the notation at the end of this article.) The same angle should be found at the junction of the hip and thigh, to balance with the angulation of the forequarters. Both Rachel Elliott and Curtis Brown state in their books that the moderately angulated dog (Retrievers and Herding Breeds) have a shoulder placement of approximately 120 degrees, and dogs built for speed have a more upright shoulder placement of approx- imately 130 degrees. As with the well-angled dog, those with a moderate and more upright shoulder blade should have approx- imately the same angulation in the hindquarters at the hip and upper thigh junction. A dog can have a lack of angulation fore and aft and still be balanced—as long as the rear mirrors the front. Think of a herding dog that has an upright shoulder and a steep pelvis; they move with a balanced trot but take far too many steps to cover the same amount of ground as a dog that is well-angled at both ends. It is far better to have a dog with a balanced lack of angulation than one that is straight in front with a well-angled rear. The first dog will be exhausted at the end of the day, but will be able to work the next day. Unfortunately, the dog that is out of balance will eventually break down in the front and will no longer be able to fulfill the work he was bred to do. While observing a class of veteran dogs at a national specialty, I was rather astonished at how many of the dogs seemed to be high in the rear. Think about this for a moment: Several were top-winning dogs in their prime. As I continued to observe the class, it dawned on me that they were not running up behind but were sagging in
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