Showsight September 2020

ASK A USKBTC BREEDER

How have the Kerries you see in the ring changed over time? How would you assess the quality of the breed? Are there any overall strengths or weaknesses or any trends? Carl Ashby: In general, we believe that the Kerry Blue Terri- ers today are better than when we started; but they are so because of the generations before them. Movement is not as strong as we recall when we started, but temperament is more solid, and show- manship, without snarling, is better. Good dogs and bitches show equally well today; tail up and happy to be in the ring. Size has gone in cycles; our preference has always been for more elegant dogs that are within the standard in terms of height. That said, we don’t dismiss a dog out of hand because of size as long as the dog maintains type. Coats continue to be challenging to some because of improper preparation. Dogs shown by professionals often reflect improper coat conditioning, as packing makes it much easier to maintain over a cluster. Nancy Han: I think that the Kerries have improved from when I got started in the show world. I believe that Mick’s influence helped bring back better balance, type, and movement. However, I think that there is much confusion on the proper coat texture and color of the Kerry Blue Terrier coat. The proper Kerry coat is important. It seems that a lighter color is preferred by many judges, and that texture is overlooked. The coat texture in many of these lighter dogs is a dull, stand-away, Poodle-type coat, with no wave or softness. Not my idea of the proper Kerry coat. Reita Nicholson: The quality seems to be better and the owners are doing more with their Kerries, expanding into more areas that showcase how versatile our breed can be. One thing that hasn’t changed is that they are still the same intense, funny, beautiful breed that I fell I love with. I believe the quality overall is very nice. There has been improvement since I first began showing Kerries. Some of the strengths I see are well-balanced dogs—both physi- cally and mentally—Kerries that are up on leg and very striking in appearance that have freedom of movement and cover the ground. I see happy, healthy dogs that enjoy what they are doing and who they are with. With the health testing that is available, it opens up more breeding possibilities, helping us to produce an even health- ier Kerry. Some of the weaknesses, in my opinion, would be long backs, long loins, and the straight shoulder with short forearm that restricts the movement of the dog, and also coats that are blown- out and not properly prepared, which I believe comes from not understanding the proper care of a coat. Nancy Westbrook: To me, the inconsistency of type is a major concern. A quote from E.K. Gammil states, “The best dog you ever bred may be the hardest dog you ever finish.” This means that if you have a number of entries and your dog (though more to standard than the rest of the entry) is different, then it must be wrong. This statement hits the nail on the head with type and trends. Judges are afraid to put up the different dog, even IF it is the correct dog. This is how many a “style” or trend gets started. Type for me is the overall general conformation of a dog, and will dictate balance. Does it have Kerry type? We seem to have fallen into a fad of extremes. With this desire to produce a dog with that extra-long neck and extra-short back, we are seeing some dogs that are essentially caricatures of the breed; and the movement has suffered for these unbalanced extremes. The leaning toward a Kerry to have an ultra-short back, and extra-long neck and foreface has led to the shortening of the upper arm; and a short upper arm leads to things going so wrong in movement. In my mind, a Kerry should move with ease, with a low sweeping of their feet to the ground. I have seen way too much suspension and bounce in the Kerry ring. Many do what I call “climbing in the front.” This is not proper movement; it might look pretty, but I think this type of

182 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2020

Powered by