Page 47 - ShowSight Presents The Miniature Schnauzer

THE
MINIATURE SCHNAUZER
CARMA EWER
We live in the Intermountain West Utah—which is really not the West Coast—actually one time zone from the West. Outside of dogs, I love to snow ski, hike in the mountains, spend time with family and travel.
JEAN HEATH
I live about 40 miles southeast of San Francisco. Outside of dogs, I play golf and spend time trying to figure out what to do with all of the “stuff” I have accumulated throughout the years.
KURT GARMAKER
I live in Georgia. Outside of dogs I am a music nut, specifically opera.
TERRIE HOUCK
I live in Mount Holly, North Carolina (just outside of Char- lotte). I am retired from UNC Charlotte, where I was the Director of Recreational Services. Outside of dogs, I enjoy going to the movies, and traveling with my partner of 20 years, Catherine Pendleton.
GALE SCHNETZER
I live in the Cincinnati area a suburb called Loveland and that is what it is beautiful landscape. I enjoy cooking, gardening, real estate, decorating, updating homes and always horses.
KATE MCMILLAN
I live in Saskatchewan, Canada (1,000 miles north of Denver, Colorado). I’m a commercial and fine artist, with a client base that covers everything from canine portraits to race cars.
290 • SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MAY 2018
1. What do you feel is the number one problem facing the breed today?
CE: I believe sportsmanship and the internet are probably our biggest problem. It is so easy to post something negative on the internet and have all your friends pile on with additional comments. Although we have always had gossip and complaining FB and the internet make it so much easier to bash or bad mouth a competitor or judge. We don’t seem to be able to appreciate the different dogs that are being shown without criticizing the winner to make us feel as if our dogs are just as good or superier.
JH: The endangerment not only Miniature Schnauzers but of all purebred dogs due to many factors—the mercuric rise in public preference for rescue/mixed breed dogs, the lack of breed knowledge by so many exhibitors due in part to failure of parent and regional clubs’ to offer con- tinual educational events, the cost of breeding and exhib- iting , the influx of poor quality judges being approved by the AKC, the continued passage of anti-dog legislation influenced and funded by animal rights organization
and, the failure of the AKC to take aggressive action to
promote and protect purebred dogs.
KG: The lack of correct type. This breed should be a slightly
fancier version of the Standard Schnauzer. It should have leg, neck and head, and angles. Instead we are seeing many low legged, stuffy neck. no head Miniature Schnau- zers. They are starting to overrun the breed ring.
TH: I think our number one problem is proper transitions. We have forward neck sets (stove pipe), upright shoul- ders, straight upper arms, no forechests...all of which contribute to this problem. With cosmetic stripping, and/or moussing the hair above the withers and blow- ing it opposite the direction the hair grows...it is easily disguised by talented groomers.
GS: I feel soundness in our breed is a concern especially the fronts.
KM: Structurally—improper rib shape and front assembly attachment: with narrow, empty chests and too-forward fronts at one end of the spectrum, and at the other, barrel ribs that force the forelegs wide and out at elbow. The former signals a lack of breed type, and the latter a functional unsoundness.
2. What is the biggest change in the breed since you started?
CE: Movement—and the idea that we are a working dog and not a Terrier. Miniature Schnauzers should not move like a Boxer or even a Standard Schnauzer. There is so much wasted motion in the flying kick (or big side gait) that so