WITH KIM AND TIM DELANEY AND ANNETTE DIDIER
tendency to look at the opposite end of the lead for guid- ance. Sometimes putting up a familiar face, one might reason, justifies that win. In doing so, not only are you doing a disservice to that breed (by perhaps choosing an incorrect dog), you are, in essence, stealing that win from the exhibit who deserved it on that day. 5. Anything else you’d like to share—something you’ve learned as a breeder, exhibitor or judge or a par- ticular point you’d like to make? K&TD: We would also like to say Beagles are a wonderful breed. They are quirky and do funny things and make you laugh everyday. They are smart and stubborn, and are a wonderful pet for children. While they’re low maintenance, they do bore easily, so they do benefit from obedience training. AD: One structural problem that keeps rearing it’s ugly head and becoming increasingly more prevalent in Beagles is the unilateral or bilateral hitching (skipping) action of the rear legs. It is my understanding from my veterinar- ian that this condition is genetic and any dog possessing this trait should not be used in a breeding program nor should he be recognized for any awards at any given recognized point show. The hindquarters provide the Beagle’s propelling power which, in coordination with the shoulders, should angle nicely at the stifle and hock, providing a smooth-flexing, powerful drive from behind not a hitching/skipping action. 6. And for a bit of humor, what’s the funniest thing that you ever experienced at a dog show? AD: A funny thing happened while at the National. We all, at some point, encounter that dreaded fear of falling while in the ring. Yes, it happened to me. Still green behind the ears, showing my first homebred Champion at an outdoor National held at Institute Farm in Virginia! It had rained earlier in the day making the grass (and red clay) rather slippery. Annie Clark, officiating the 15" BOV class, was using me as her dividing post since I was wearing a kelly green blazer. With the relief of being a ‘keeper’, Annie motioned for us to take a lap around the ring. In doing so, I caught my foot on the metal pole/ring marker and hit the ground. The exhibitor behind me was agile enough to jump over me, a spectator caught my dog outside the ring and while sitting on the wet ground Annie walks up to me with hands on her hips, looks down and asks, with her commanding voice, “Are you alright?” Looking up to her, whose image is larger than life anyway, I embarrass- ingly responded, “Yes”, even though I thought I broke my wrist (luckily I didn’t)! Once everyone regained their composure the judging commenced. We still didn’t win though I am thankful beyond words that this happened before the days of live streaming and social media!
Two beautiful head shots. Both a bit different in type, although both are pleasing and correct.
The overall appearance of the Beagle should be slightly more rectangle in shape rather than square.
“WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY BEAGLES ARE A WONDERFUL BREED. THEY ARE
QUIRKY AND DO FUNNY THINGS
AND MAKE YOU LAUGH EVERYDAY.”
222 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , O CTOBER 2017
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