WITH LINDY BARROW, SANDY CAMPBELL, BERGIT COADY KABEL, MELINDA LYON, GERRY MEISELS, LISA PACHECO, JAY RICHARDSON & MARJORIE UNDERWOOD
MU: A trend which seems to becoming a major problem is the front assembly is moving more and more forward. Thus, the neck is becoming shorter and shorter and the backline is becoming longer and somewhat weak. This results in adversely affecting the movement. Unfortu- nately and too frequently, the upper arm is no longer moderate but it appears to becoming too short and the angle is incorrect. This creates a front movement which is mincing, taking tiny steps, the back is too long and the hindquarters are attempting to adjust. Hocks are becom- ing too high which in turn is preventing a powerful push from the rear. In my opinion, in today’s world I would enjoy seeing the Westies with much improved balance and proportion which would create a more compact dog, including better bone and substance and improved heads which would not need excessive amount of product. 4. What five traits do you look for, in order, when judging West Highland Whites? What do you con- sider the ultimate hallmark of the breed? SC: Attitude—not aggression; expression—piercing, not challenging but ready on a moment’s notice to do something fun and exciting; hardiness—good bone and substance; posture—An aura, a Westie should exhibit no small amount of self-esteem; type—unique, white, compact, hardy and possessing all the right angles. BK: I consider the hallmark of our breed to be the unique strong, round shaped head. A hard, straight white coat a strong body with four sound legs, a thick, well-carried tail, a dog that carries himself well on the move. ML: I look for type, movement, substance, structure and coat. 1) When Westies enter my ring, the first impres- sion I look for is type. Type is comprised of a multitude of qualities that make up the whole picture. They should have a balanced structural appearance, plus an attitude displaying confidence and “no small amount of self-esteem”. Westies are frequently described as a big dog in a small package. 2) Movement is the next vitally important quality I look for because that is one of the best indicators of sound structure. In my opinion, the front assembly is an area of concern for our breed today. While we don’t see the fiddle fronts of old, we have, never the less, lost the pro-sternum and depth of chest that is called for in the standard. While we have better layback than we use to have, I find the upper arm in a majority of specimens is so shortened that it greatly restricts their movement. The upper arm should approx- imate the length of the scapula or shoulder blade. When you have the required laid back of shoulder and desired length of upper arm then you will have a Westie with the ability to reach out with strong forward movement. Some Westie exhibitors will run around the ring giving the impression that they have the required reach, but I’m not impressed by that. There is a big difference between one that is moved at an unnaturally fast pace
and one that demonstrates true reach and drive. Sadly, I see more Westies in the ring today that take short, minc- ing steps which means they take twice as many steps to get to their destination. 3) Once on the table, the bone can be evaluated. First impressions are not always what they seem. I want to put my hand on the head and feel a skull of substantial bone or is the perceived substance just an illusion created by masterful grooming. I am not the least bit intimidated by the beautifully groomed and teased up head. I tell all judges in my seminars to prop- erly determine if that dog actually has good substance, you must get in there to feel the skull. I also have found that if the base of the tail is nice and thick it usually is another indication of adequate bone. 4) Now moving on to the rest of the dog, the standard states that the body between the withers and root of tail is slightly shorter that the height at the withers. I think there is a tendency to think a Westie is supposed to be a square dog or that shorter is better but this is incorrect and to me, throws off the balanced appearance. Remember- ing the job Westies were originally meant to perform, they had to have the flexibility to turn around in a hole or tight spaces of the Scottish landscape, which means they cannot be too short coupled. I also want to see a level topline, one that is rock solid when moving. 5) The coat is next on my list for consideration. Here again, the coat is designed for the weather of Scotland, requir- ing a harsh outer coat to repel the rain and then with a soft undercoat designed for warmth. Ideally you want a hard, straight, white coat, with no tendency to curl, which is a serious fault as is a soft coat. I’m forgiving of a coat with some wheaten tipping down the back. That is usually an indication of a very hard coat plus, quoting John Marvin who was one of the authorities in our breed, it is better to have a hard coat with wheaten tipping that a soft, pure white coat. MU: 1) First and foremost when I judge any breed the first trait that I look for is type for that particular breed, keeping in mind the history of the breed and its form and function. The Westie is a strong, sturdy and hardy little Scotsman that has an attitude of “no small amount of self-esteem” and its own distinctive gait. Among other necessary qualities included in type, balance and propor- tion are a must in my opinion. 2 & 3) Second and third traits are balance, proportion and movement. Structurally all three of these qualities are inter-related. The forequar- ters and the hindquarters need to be in balance so they can work together. Otherwise you see a two-piece dog. To create this balance, proportion is vitally important. The standard states, “The shoulder blade should attach to an upper arm of moderate length and sufficient angle to allow for definite body overhang.” The hindquarter angles should match the forequarter angles. Merging these two factors together—the structural balance and the proper proportions—we now have a Westie with a
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