Page 27 - ShowSight Presents The Miniature Schnauzer
P. 27
WITH JOHN CONSTANTINE,
BETSY DALE, MARCIA FELD, MARGO KLINGLER, LINDA MORE, FRED STEPHENS & ELLIOTT B. WEISS
1. Describe the breed in three words.
JC: Robust, devoted and docked.
MF: Alert, loving and hard-coated.
MK: Tenacious, beautiful and smart!
LM: Square, robust and alert.
FS: Sturdily built, nearly square and under 14".
2. What are your “must have” traits in this breed?
JC: I must have the classic outline of arched neck, smooth transition and solid top line with highest tail. I must also have a docked tail (in the US).
BD: Must haves: solid topline—standing and moving, nearly square outline and sound moving.
MF: Proper size, correct coat color and no dye allowed! Strong muzzle—got to be able to hold that rat!
MK: Must haves are good type, good top line and tail set and good movement as outlined in the standard.
LM: Square outline, robust build, good strength of foreface, efficient movement and, hopefully, good coat.
FS: In addition to the first question, I want to see a nice head piece with the ears properly set, a good front with a proper shoulder lay back and when you get that proper front generally the rear will complement that good front and all this has to produce good quality movement. I can’t emphasize 14" strongly enough however.
EW: A must for me is a correct Schnauzer silhouette, not only in profile but also looking down at the exhibit.
3. Are there any traits in this breed you fear are becoming exaggerated?
JC: We do have a tendency towards exaggerating rear angu- lation. We can tend to be overly refined, we need tone a robust sturdy breed. We need to be careful we do lose length of leg.
BD: None.
MF: No, I think that the breed is in pretty good shape now.
We have dealt with over extended rears; and then also
with a long, snipey muzzle. Both are pretty much gone. MK: The breed has become too exaggerated and its
description as a small working dog has been lost to a more “Terrier type” of dog. It is sad, but good fronts
“TENACIOUS, BEAUTIFUL AND SMART!”
are hard to find now and straight shoulders are too prevalent. It seems exhibitors are so caught up in the outline (and they are very clever with hair) that nothing else is important.
LM: Rear angulation has been perhaps overemphasized, but in my opinion, we are seeing more balanced dogs now.
FS: Yes, big dogs!
EW: I am seeing too many exhibits that lack correct body
type. A Schnauzer is not shaped like a tube with a long loin. I am also seeing less parallel head planes.
4. Do you think the dogs you see in this breed are better now than they were when you first started judging? Why or why not?
JC: I think in general they are. I think breeders/exhibitors are focusing much more on the actual structure of the dogs and not how it looks all groomed and pretty. I think breeders are better educated now. Some of this may be because of social media. We can now see dogs from all over the world on a daily basis. I think we have (I certainly have) learned from seeing dogs in places where emphasis is placed on different traits.
BD: Definitely better! When I first started judging, their movement was terrible! Several breeders around the country took that on and improvements were and still are great. Also the black/silvers became much more competitive.
a sa Q&A
