Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Breed Magazine - Showsight

THE ESSENCE OF TYPE

spilling over onto the head. She goes on to say, “A white or pale coat must also be penalized.” (Ibid. page 153.) I would take exception to faulting a “pale” coat. If it has shine and is not white, I would call it acceptable—far more acceptable than a dull, oatmeal or grayish hue. Historically, trimming has been a point of contention both here and abroad, but presently, I don’t consider it a problem here. A general discussion of presentation is out- side the parameters of this article, but it can affect breed type when improper presenta- tion creates an uncharacteristic look. While the FCI standard still allows for untrimmed dogs (which is rarely seen abroad), the American standard only describes trimmed dogs, cautioning that “Dogs that are over- ly trimmed shall be severely penalized.” Wheatens’ coats should never be cut as close as our Kerry Blue cousins. But, most often, when dogs appear to be over-groomed, it is the byproduct of poor coat quality and not overworked scissors. As noted above, the ces- sation of blow-drying and ironing of coats has greatly contributed to the uniformity of proper wavy coats seen in the ring today. Can an otherwise excellent Soft Coated Wheaten with a bad coat be considered excel- lent? No! Can an excellent coat make an oth- erwise mediocre Soft Coated Wheaten excel- lent? No! Proper coat is only one important component and must never be championed above the whole dog. Accompanying photos depict ideal coat color and texture. *For an excellent in-depth discussion of coat, see Kickie Norrby’s Evaluating Coat in the Wheaten Terrier . Also, note color photos of Wheaten Terrier coat in Maureen Holmes’ book The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier , pages 155 & 156.

“Proper coat is only one important component and must never be championed above the whole dog.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Cindy Vogels

A native of Rockville Centre, New York, Cindy earned a Bachelor of Music (Flute) from New England Conservatory of Music and a Master Of Music (History) from the University of Colorado. Her interest in dogs began in high school, and she and her mother, Jackie Gottlieb, have bred over 100 “Andover” Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier champions; they have owned numerous top winners and producers, including Ch. Andover Song N Dance Man, most of whose 30-year-old breed records still stand. Cindy also bred champion Kerry Blue, Norfolk, and Welsh Terriers, Brittanys, and Greyhounds. Cindy is AKC approved to judge all Sporting, Hound, Terrier, and Toy breeds, eight Non-Sporting breeds, Best in Show, and Junior Showmanship. A busy judge, she has adjudicated at many prestigious shows worldwide, including judging Best in Show at both Westminster KC and Montgomery County KC all-Terrier show. Her participation in dog clubs include: former President and AKC Delegate, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America; presently, Show Chairman, Evergreen Colorado KC. Cindy also serves on the Board of Directors of Take the Lead and is Treasurer of the AKC Canine Health Foundation. Longtime Colorado residents, Cindy and her husband of 40-plus years, David, enjoy an eclectic mix of house dogs. When not indulging their granddaughter, the Vogels family enjoys sports and travel, and they are ardent “foodies.”

SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SPRING EDITION | 273

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