Page 59 - ShowSight Presents - The French Bulldog

“THEIR SIZE, APPEARANCE, TEMPERAMENT AND PERSONALITY MAKE THEM
ATTRACTIVE TO NEARLY EVERYONE.”
rounding at the croup. This is a more definitive descrip- tion than in the previous standard, but unfortunately,
the topline is one of the hardest Frenchie traits to breed correctly. This is why we see such a variety of toplines
in the ring. The Boston body is rather short and well-
knit with a length of leg in balance with the length of body to give its striking square appearance. Unlike the Boston, the Frenchie is not a square breed, but is in good proportion so that the animal appears compact and well balanced. The only time the word “square” is used in the Frenchie standard is in the head which is described as large and square. This refers to square when viewed from the front. Large means in comparison to the size of the dog; the dog with the biggest head should not necessar- ily win! It is unfortunate to see too many square-bodied, level-backed Frenchies rewarded in the show ring.
12. What advice would you give a newcomer to the sport? A newcomer to judging?
Newcomer: Purchase only from a breeder of ten plus years of experience in the breed or one with an estab- lished line. Make sure they are not breeding fad colors, and that they’ve checked for health issues. At a mini- mum, the parents should have been DNA tested and clear for Juvenile Cataracts and the backs, hips and patellas X-rayed. Although most Frenchies have some malformed vertebrae, several in a back can spell future trouble. In looking at puppies, most Frenchie puppies are really cute at eight weeks and then they change. Some change for the better, most won’t. Poorly moving puppies grow up to become poorly moving adults. Toplines could improve somewhat, but generally won’t. An ugly head is an ugly head regardless of age.
Judging: You can probably become a surgeon or rocket scientist quicker and more cheaply than a multiple group judge. That career choice may be more rewarding to you. When judging Frenchies, realize that often times, no two dogs will look alike in the show ring. The breed has an over 28 pound disqualification. Please weigh when in doubt and don’t discard a larger dog that is still within the standard solely because of it’s size. A correct sized dog in a ring with small of dogs which could look
over sized! Remember that we have no lower size limit, only the upper DQ. When in doubt, call for the scale.
ROBIN STANSELL
After being approved to judge Bulldogs in 1991, I decided I wanted to own a Frenchie to gain experi- ence with the breed before I applied to judge them. I acquired a beautiful bitch, CH Taurus Trail TNT from Abe and Suzi Segal who were wonderful breeders and mentors. After success- fully exhibiting this bitch for a year I felt comfortable to apply to judge
the breed. This wonderful bitch was the foundation of my very small breeding program. I first exhibited Bulldogs in 1976 and joined the Bulldog Club of Northern California. My military career stations permitted me to exhibit in both the United States and in Europe. I have exhibited and bred French Bulldogs since 1991. I was first approved to judge in 1990 and have judged throughout the United States, as well as, Mexico, Columbia, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, Swe- den, France, China, Korea, Canada and Japan. I have twice judged the French Bulldog Club of America National (FBDCA) National Specialty and has served as FBDCA National show chairman. I am an approved FBDCA Judges Education pre- senter and breed mentor. I am approved to judge the Non- Sporting Group, the Working Group and most Toy Breeds. I have primarily competed in conformation, but have also completed CD and CDX titles on Bulldogs. While employed at the American Kennel Club I served one year as an Execu- tive Field Representative and ten Years as Vice President of Event Operations and oversaw all conformation events. I am currently FBDCA Vice President and the chairman of the dis- ciplinary committee.
My wife, Cindy, and I currently share our lives with two Bulldogs, a French Bulldog, two Finnish Spitz and four Siberian Huskies.
1. Your opinion of the current quality of the breed?
Quality is mixed. Generally the overall show dog qual-
ity has improved. There have always been excellent examples in the ring but sometimes few and far between. Today we see many very large entries with numbers
of quality dogs. However, the quality in pet homes is poor. The uneducated public falls victim to unscrupu- lous breeders and particularly those breeding “rare and exotic” colors.
2. Any shift in the balance of popularity among breeds? Why do you think this happened?
I believe French Bulldog numbers are growing faster than any other breed. Their size, appearance, temperament and personality make them attractive to nearly everyone.
276 • SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MAY 2018
french bulldog Q&A
WITH LUIS & PATTY SOSA, ROBIN STANSELL & VIRGINA ROWLAND