Showsight September 2020

TERRIER GROUP Q&A

JOHN RAMIREZ

saw more dogs around the world shown naturally. Now, I am not distracted by it. A cropped ear is pretty (and cosmetic), and by any means attractive. Natural or cropped, may the best dog win. How do I evaluate undocked tails in traditionally docked breeds? I normally look at the tail set and then the direction of the first two to three inches. That should give one the idea of where the docked tail would be: 11:00; 12:00; 1:00. The rest is extra append- age carrying extra weight, which might bring the tail too far over or too far off to the side. Can I offer advice to novice judges re: sparring in the ring? Sparring is a beautiful thing, but don’t do it if you are unsure. For the most part, there is little trouble if caution is taken. Keep them spaced. You are not looking for aggression. You want the narcissist, the one that wants the others to know he’s there. Too little sparring is done today. Are there specific challenges presented when judging the low entry breeds? Definitely. It’s unfortunate, but with so few entries in these breeds we find ourselves rather handicapped. Mentors and dogs are few, so education is greatly curtailed. Exposure is critical in judging; our learning and eyes are trained, but touch and seeing [is lacking] in low entry breeds. We have to work with what we have available to us—not just in Terriers, but in all breeds. Have I attended Earthdog Tests or Barn Hunts? A few Barn Hunts. It’s amazing to see the natural instincts kick in and how they find the rat. Would I advocate dividing the Terrier Group? No. I find it fine the way it is. Can I name one or two of my all-time favorite Terriers? The Smooth, The Brat, the Wire, King, and a Sealyham bitch owned by my friend, Fran Brown, Ch. Farday Glenby Royal Courtesan. All three made an impression on me; their carriage, style, their fire. Moving or standing, these three stood out for me. What can be done to promote Terriers as family companions? Education. It’s a shame that Terrier numbers have dropped so low. The Terrier is a special dog and deserves families that understand them. They can be great pets. I know a Skye certainly can be; loyal to the end and willing to take on the world if you were in harm’s way. LINDA REECE I was born and raised in Northwestern Pennsylvania; been liv- ing in Virginia since 1975. I have been “in dogs” for about 55 years having starting in the PA 4-H Dog Project with a mixed Golden Retriever and then with my first purebred dog, a Sheltie. I have judged in several venues since 2000 and AKC since 2009. Aside from purebred dogs, I enjoy our Koi as well as growing plants in the bogs associated with their ponds. Evenings are usu- ally spent researching various topics and, in particular, the history of cities and why they originally evolved. This came about when I started judging and was able to travel to many places I had never been to; old architecture fascinates me. Can I talk about my introduction to Terriers? My introduc- tion to Smooth Fox Terriers came about after the frustrations of health issues in the breeds we enjoyed; Gordon Setters, a few English Cockers, and my sister’s English Springer Spaniels. I saw Peter Green at a show trying to contain a very naughty Smooth Fox Terrier bitch in his arms at ringside—it was love at first sight for me. Soon after, I had my first Smooth! That was in 1975. What makes a Terrier a Terrier? A Terrier should be an indepen- dent thinker that holds its ground with whatever he is presented with. His size—or the size of his foe—usually doesn’t matter. He should be a no-nonsense kind of dog, yet still biddable enough to live with his family. I always say that you don’t really train a Terrier; it’s more like a negotiating process their entire life between master

I live in beautiful sunny South- ern California, two hours from the mountains, two hours from the desert, and 15-20 minutes from the ocean (depending on how fast I want to get there). How many years in dogs? All my life, some kind or the other, but I can’t remember ever not having one, two, three. How many years judg- ing? I’m uncertain of the number of years, but I would say about 46-47 years. I did take a few years

away from the sport for school, travel and family issues. Do I have any hobbies or interests apart from purebred dogs? I have always loved to travel so, when I can get away, I do. I also like kayaking; nothing adventurous, just calm peaceful waters. Can I talk about my introduction to Terriers? I guess growing up I had Terrier-type dogs and I always appreciated their indepen- dence. My parents often joked how I was so much like them. While my actual breed is the St. Bernard, I always enjoyed the Terriers and watching them. My fascination centered at the time on the Skye Terrier. That fascination sprung to life at a show in Santa Barbara and a dog owned by Chuck Brown named Ch. Jimmy de Richelene. This later lead to meeting Mr. Brown, Dolly Stoffer, Ruth Medici, and Eleanor Griffin. I wanted one, but at the time there were none to be had. That December, fate stepped in on a trip to visit a friend, Mrs. Marlene Anderson, at her famous Beau Cheval St. Bernard Kennels. Walking out to the carriage house I found a litter of Skye puppies. I had no idea Marlene had Skyes. To make this short, in the back of this puppy area was this shy silver male puppy; a loner. We bonded throughout the rest of that visit and he came home with me; Ch. Beau Chevals Wichita Lineman. Terriers were the first Group I had planned to apply for. Entries were slightly larger in the 1970s, but I was persuaded to wait and apply later. It’s a tough Group and, with low entries, assignments would be difficult to come by and the application process at the time was one for one. So, I waited. What makes a Terrier a Terrier? Their fearlessness, indepen- dence; their fire. Are there breed characteristics that are difficult for non-Terrier judges to understand? Personally, Terriers are probably one group of dogs that have not changed much both physically and mental- ly. They all demand respect and, like us, they can have bad days. Understanding their purpose and why they are put together the way they are is something they have not forgotten. I think their determination and the movement might be a little bit difficult to understand. All have something unique; for example, the stance of a Bedlington. How important is presentation, conditioning, and expression in the Terrier ring? Very important. The standards are very specific on the expression; verminty, keen, anxious and, yes, it is important that they be in tip-top physical condition, ready to go on the hunt or down a hole. They must have the bodies and stamina to follow through with their original purpose. What are my thoughts re: bites among the Terrier breeds? Over- all, I think the scissors bite—the most gripping—would be the most effective considering what these dogs were intended to do. While some do allow for missing teeth, complete dentition, scissors or level bites, I’m sure the originators and writers of the breed stan- dards knew what was best for the function of the breed. How important is ear carriage in the Terrier breeds? As a new- bie I was, at first, somewhat uncertain. My confidence grew as I

166 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2020

Powered by