TOY GROUP JUDGES Q&A
“Each Toy Breed is very unique and you must understand their function, temperament, and characteristics. For instance, if you are looking for a hiking buddy, a Peke may not be your best option, lol.”
belief, they are smart. They just choose to listen when it is impor- tant to THEM! Just for laughs, do I have a funny story that I can share about my experiences judging the Toy Group? Wow, there have been so many funny experiences judging Toy Breeds. Trying to find one story is tough, lol. But, I remember one of the first Best in Show assignments I ever judged. I’d reviewed all the standards of the breeds I was going to have in the BIS ring and, when I’d finally made my decision, I went to mark my book and the breed I’d picked was not listed in my book! Of course, I went into panic mode and thought, “Oh, sh*t.” Do I know which breed I just put up? How am I going to recover if I have the breed confused?” No matter how much research you do, there are times like this when you panic as a judge, and pray you aren’t making a fool of yourself, lol. Luckily, in this case, they’d put the wrong breed in my book! Please remember, judges are nervous too and we want to honor each breed when we judge—at least the judges who are passionate and dedicated to the betterment of each breed. BRADLEY JENKINS
dogs, there are several variables to keep in mind. While certain Toy Breeds may have ancestral underpinnings to larger breeds, they most certainly are not the same breed! Understanding the history of a particular Toy Breed is essential when handling, and it is the responsibility of the handler to not only understand the purpose of a Toy Breed but to appropriately represent and support the health, happiness, and longevity of each Toy Breed as specified by the Breed Standard and the subsequent focus of each breed’s parent club! Ask yourself, “What are the issues with the breed?” How will you sup- port the goals of health, happiness, and purpose of each breed. And above all things, how will you understand that a Toy Breed stands alone and is not as a bastardized larger breed! Toy Breeds can require special care. Do I have any advice to offer breeders, exhibitors, and judges? As stated above, gentle hands are of the utmost importance. Toy Breeds are companion dogs, and they need lots of emotional attention and consideration. Most Toy Breeds have evolved to be with you as a partner, your protector (I know, but I will fear a Chihuahua in a dark alley before a Dober- man or Rottweiler, lol), and your friend! Each Toy Breed is very unique and you must understand their function, temperament, and characteristics. For instance, if you are looking for a hiking buddy, a Peke may not be your best option, lol. When Toy Breeds are pup- pies, there are lots of concerns that need to be mitigated for safety and health. IGs, for example, can easily break a leg jumping from a couch, and a Shih Tzu can break its jaw if they jump off a grooming table and hit, head first. Be gentle, respectful, and cognizant of size, body type, and characteristics of each breed, as many Toy Breeds are fearless—which can get them into trouble at times! But, most importantly, never underestimate a Toy Breed because someone for- got to tell them they are not the size of a St. Bernard. In my opinion, how do today’s exhibits compare with the Toy Dogs of the past? Unfortunately, with many breeds, I am fearful that we have lost our purpose in showing our purebred dogs. It is never about the win, the number of ribbons, or the amount of money spent in advertising! It is about the LOVE of our breeds and preserving what makes each breed unique. Health and happiness always come first! I would encourage anyone who shows dogs to ask yourself, “Why?” Is it the love of the breed or the wins? One direc- tion is honorable and sustaining, while the other will ultimately result in the demise of our most treasured babies! Why do I think Toy Dogs can become outstanding Show Dogs? Well, I already think Toys are outstanding Show Dogs! But, as stated above, the true purpose of Toy Breeds is companionship, and that being said, a Toy Breed will go above and beyond any other breed to please its owner and handler, and therefore, this makes them the absolute best at being Show Dogs. (Again, I’m a little biased!) If I could share my life with only one Toy Breed, which would it be and why? Well, for me, it is the Shih Tzu. They are fantastic therapy dogs, calm and patient, and not very demanding. They love to sit on your lap for hours, but love to go for a hike or jog as well. They are not hyper and they do not bark a lot, and contrary to
Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a judge? I live in Northeast Arkansas. I have been showing dogs since 1975—47 years! I have been judging for 24 years. What is my original breed? What is/was my kennel name? My original breed is the Cockers Spaniel. What I am most known for are Chihuahuas and Japanese Chin, and for 17 years,
Manchester Terriers. My kennel name is Heartland for Chihua- huas, and Doubletree for Japanese Chin and Manchester Terriers. Can I list a few of the notable dogs I’ve bred? Any performance or parent club titles? The most notable dogs I have bred are Man- chesters. GCH Doubletree Touchstone Hot Toddy is probably my “last hurrah.” She is currently the No. 1 all-breed exhibit. She was No. 5 last year, with me showing her when I could. She is profes- sionally handled by David Williams. Bred by Brian Almojera MD and myself, her grandmother was a ranked bitch and was reserve WB at the National in 2014. I bred a multi-Group-winning sable Chin male. In the 1990s is when he was shown. I owned GCH Heaven Hi’s Cornerstone. He was ranked nationally for two years and he is a top-producer with 14 titled get. The majority were bred by me. In Chihuahuas, I have had several Specialty winners over the years. I have an eleven-year-old and a two-year-old right now. I don’t plan on exhibiting them or the Chin. What are some of the qualities I most admire in the Toy Breeds? I admire their sweetness and comical attitudes. They are easy to keep and fun to have around. They are like potato chips… you cannot have just one!
150 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, APRIL 2022
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