Miniature BullTerrier
Judging The Miniature Bull Terrier
By Michael E. Flaugh, PhD
carriage should be horizontal. Incorrect tail carriage is very common. The Mini should move with jaunty air that reflects supreme confidence. And why not? Pound for pound, the Mini is one of the most pow- erfully built canines in dogdom. He (or she) can take care of himself (or herself) and knows it. When a Mini approaches a judge, it is customary for the judge to look for the ears to come erect thus providing an opportunity to take note of ear set. All too often the Mini will fail to cooperate, much to the consternation of the exhibitor. A reluctance to bring the ears up is not nec- essarily an indication of shyness. It might simply be a gesture of deference. Such sub- missiveness shouldn’t be judged too harsh- ly. After all, submissiveness has an impor- tant place in the canine social order. Baiting a submissive dog is likely to make matters worse. The judge or the exhibitor
stands a better chance of getting the ears up by making an unexpected sound or ges- ture. Should that fail, the judge can always try again later. From the diversity of tail lengths and types seen in the Mini ring it is painfully evident that this feature is suffering from neglect. Most Mini breeders have not made the tail a high priority. In view of the significant improvement that has been made in the other features of the breed, it is questionable whether this atti- tude can still be justified. Continued dis- regard of the tail could see the Mini’s characteristic short, carrot-shaped tail lost to the breed entirely. Finally, a lighter topic: The Bull Terrier has a reputation for being a clown in the ring. This characterization is something of an exaggeration. It would be fairer to sim- ply say they are light hearted. They seem to radiate a cheerfulness that tends to lighten
the spirits of the humans in the ring as well. Because exhibitors have come to expect a degree of informality in the Mini ring, they usually do not devote a great deal of time to training. This lack of train- ing often becomes evident when the Mini is placed on the table. Failing to cooperate on the table is harmless unless it actually inter- feres with examination. Judges have ceased to be surprised by such behavior in the Mini and usually show commendable patience. When it comes to the Best of Breed competition, a judge can normally
expect a more sedate demeanor in the dogs, which is as it should be. No judge wants to send a dodo to the group ring. ■ Drawings by Stephen J. Hubbell
Life With A Miniature Bull Terrier By Julie C. McLaughlin
I tell everyone that calls about or pur- chases a puppy from us that this breed is like no other. They get into your very soul. Once you own one you will always want one. They are the clowns of the dog world, if you laugh at them you are doomed. For example Mike was showing our late Bree
mands. Jessie plays deaf and she is very good at it. You can yell and yell for her to come. She will not even flinch not even a tiny twitch of an ear,yet can hear the refrigerator open from four rooms away or a whisper of want to go bye bye? They would rather ask for forgiveness than per- mission. They enjoy walks and activity, yet also like to curl up on the sofa or bed with you. Although they enjoy the water they do not swim well. They have so much muscle they tend to sink. Never let your MBT near water unsupervised. If you’re looking for a big dog in a small package, that will own you and train you then the MBT may be the breed for you. ■ Julie C. McLaughlin ~ President of the Miniature Bull Terrier Club of America Envision/Registan Miniature Bull Terriers
and will crash into anything that is in their way. I was picking up toys in the living room and Bree started hucklebutting around the room, jumped up and hit me in the mouth, busted my mouth open and chipped my front tooth, she kept right on going. She didn't have a clue she busted my lip and chipped my tooth. They are very loving dogs, I wouldn't say they are very loyal dogs. They will go with who ever, in their opinion has the best treats, food, toys etc... They are highly intelligent yet not very obe- dient. Bree knew basic obedience; when asked to sit she would down and vice versa. I would go get treats and all of a sudden she knew the commands perfectly. I feel it takes a highly intelligent animal to reverse com-
and she was acting up in the ring. Kathy and I started laughing at ringside, Bree saw us and the behaviour exulted. Needless to say Mike was not pleased with us, yet we couldn't help it. They like children, but they can pack a powerful punch and not even know they did it. They do a behaviour we call hucklebutting. That is where they will take off running for no reason at full speed
158 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE • J UNE 2011
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