ASK A USKBTC BREEDER
here” look in their eyes. The teeth should be a scissors bite, with sufficient underjaw to be a powerful mouth. [The Kerry should have] good length of neck, with nice clean shoulder layback with the forearm and elbow set well under. The rear should have nice angulation with a powerful action to match the front when the dog moves. Coming and going, the feet should be forward with no turning in or out. From the side, they should be a free-moving dog with a level topline, feet coming off the ground effortlessly; not high stepping. Their coat should be soft, dense and wavy, not kinky or harsh. The coat of an adult Kerry can be anywhere from a deep slate blue to a lighter silver gray—all are correct and should be judged that way. Judge on the merits of the Kerries, not the faults. Please ask, if you have questions about our breed. Nancy Westbrook: I have just one thing that I would want the judges to keep in mind: the standard. Moderate, balanced, with good substance. I would love for judges to remember, “Pretty is nice… pretty and dead sound is the ticket!!” What do you enjoy most about breeding/exhibiting/judging Kerries? What do you like the least? Carl Ashby: We love the breed. Kerry Blues are people dogs. They are clowns; loving, and devoted. They may not always play nice with other dogs, but they always play nice with their humans. Watching pups develop, determining the special one or two, and taking them through to their championship against the best com- petition, it just doesn’t get any better. What we like the least is to see judges do the breed a disservice by not respecting it through a lack of understanding. Nancy Han: I love the art of grooming a beautiful Kerry and then watching him move around the ring. I love that energetic atti- tude and beautiful movement. Kerries have such style and presence in the ring. I love watching them, especially in large numbers. Reita Nicholson: I love the excitement that still comes from knowing that a new litter will soon be on the ground, and to interact and watch them develop and grow, knowing that when they go to
dog’s profile. We like a typey, pretty dog that makes the most out of what nature gave them. We don’t keep any dog as a show pros- pect that won’t show. Our standards are high, and there are very few Blujac dogs in show homes other than our own. Our puppy people get some pretty nice dogs, but only because they don’t meet our standards. Nancy Han: Balance, type, movement and attitude. Reita Nicholson: As a breeder selecting a show prospect, I look at a variety of things. I want a Kerry that I intend on using in my breeding program, not just the flashiest one in the litter. I look for a well-balanced dog in structure that has a lot of presence and atti- tude, one that is outgoing and very friendly. I want a dog as close to the standard as they can be. A Kerry should have an air of con- fidence and a presence about them. They should own the ground they stand on; Kerries are truly a beautiful breed. Nancy Westbrook: When looking at a litter, I am always drawn to that upstanding and independent personality, the one that is the trail blazer, so to speak. Of course, I look for conformation, bites, etc. I want to see a shiny, wavy coat, and bright, dark eyes. If I have been correct in my assessment of the puppy’s conformation, then the movement will be there. I don’t think I will ever forget my breeder’s comment about show dogs: “You can have the most beautiful Kerry in the world, but if it shows like a piece of dead dog meat, then it will look like a piece of dead dog meat.” This was from Bernie Kusch. So for showing, there must be that little something special; that spark. As you watch Kerries being judged today, what one or two things would you like judges to keep in mind? Carl Ashby: Judges need to understand type. There is no more beautiful dog than a Kerry Blue Terrier. It is a special breed. They must show, be proud, and demand a look. Judges need to under- stand this; they must also understand movement. A poor moving dog isn’t going to be effective at farm work and this breed is a natural on the farm. Coat…what makes Kerry Blues special is their coat, and rewarding poor coat and/or coat improperly presented is simply wrong. Nancy Han: Balance, movement and type—the whole picture. I hate to see insecure judging; judges who need to see who the handler is to choose the winner, or those who remember only one aspect of the standard that they read the night before the show. Reita Nicholson: Remember, this is a working Terrier. It should be able to move. The dog should be square or nearly square, with a nice short back, short loin, and a high tail set. The Kerry’s head should be moderately long, and clean from cheekiness. The back- skull and muzzle should be of equal lengths. Ears should be nicely shaped and placed. Eyes should be small and dark with an “I am
186 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2020
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