Page 31 - ShowSight Presents The Pekingese
P. 31
A shaved down Pekingese bitch displaying an ideal loset front. road chest correctl slng eteen oed forelegs and tight elo.
moving. An over-bowed front that is out at the elbows is as incorrect as the straighter front. The hindquarters are only moderate- ly angulated, and slighter in construction, but should be well-muscled. The topline is level. Do not mistake thinner dogs with skeletal ‘spiney’ topline as roached back. A nervous Peke can also sometimes ‘hunch’ on the table. An ideal back should be strong, well-padded over the vertebrae and level. The tail should be preferably straight (free of kinks and curls), high set, and car- ried well over its back, with long and pro- fuse fringing falling to either side.
MOVEMENT – The Poetry In Motion
A beautiful Pekingese with the desired shape and correct make, topped with its effortless rolling gait is truly a piece of fine poetry in motion. Many people, includ- ing long-time judges and breeders, have a difficult time grasping correct movement. The quintessential Pekingese roll is multi- driven by the broad heavy front assembly, correct shoulder layback, bowed front legs, and slighter narrow rear. The Pekingese “waist” serves basically as a neutral zone and the rolling action should not continue past the waist to the rear of the dog. This very aristocratic dignified gait should be SMOOTH, and EFFORTLESS, but nev- er laborious. A dog that exhibits rocking, prancing, bouncing, lurching, or jarring
movement is incorrect. The rear action should be sound, clean, free from the roll- ing action of the front and narrower. Rear action should also be free from exagger- ated swishing (fondly termed as goldfish- tailing), weakness or skipping. You may also find common “flat” trotting gait with- out of the above mentioned characteristics, but the coveted ideal movement to strive for is the rolling gait that is SMOOTH, FLUID and EFFORTLESS.
MAGISTRATING IN THE IMPERIAL COURT
When you are judging the Pekingese, your first impression should be that of a well-balanced, low-to-the-ground dog with a massive envelope-shaped shal- low head, short neck, compact body, and high set tail. The wide mane, tail plume and skirts/trousers should add to its dra- matic appearance. The outer coat should be harsh, straight and stand-offish, sup- ported by an abundance of thick softer undercoat. A long and profuse coat of correct texture is desirable, but it should never obscure the true shape of the dog. Excessive coat, especially of cottony and wooly feel, does not make a better dog! In some cases, it only obscures the true leo- nine appearance, or hides a multitude of sins! Rewarding dogs solely on the basis of the most coat is ignorant judging; there is so much more to the Pekingese than its coat, which should just be the icing.
Approach a Pekingese confidently, and when you go over the exhibit, there is no need to dishevel the coat in order to effec- tively examine the dog. Look for a big rect- angular headpiece (framed by profuse ear fringes) that houses well-set round dark eyes, well-placed nose, correct wrinkle, well-cushioned broad cheeks, wide under- jaw, good pigmentation, and mouth finish that all contribute to open features that form a pleasing expression. We are los- ing head size in the breed, and it is also imperative to look for a thick short neck that fits nicely into the shoulder. Save the long necks for the Manchurian mummy.
The correct front construction defines an important part of type, and because the Pekingese front is somewhat complicated, dogs with less than ideal fronts have man-
aged to get away with flaws in front assem- bly in the ring. It is a shame. I urge all judges to become familiar with the correct Pekingese front structure, which should be a broad chest with tight elbows that supports a deep and substantial body with a deep barrel chest that is slung between its bowed front legs that are wide set apart. When you place your hands on the front assembly, feel if the elbows are tight against the ribcage, check for the bow of the forelegs, examine the shoulder layback, return of upperarm, and feel for width of underbody of chest (at least 2 to 3 fingers). The Pekingese front should never be narrow, and its front feet should be slightly turned out, not point- ing forward, or toeing in. To ascertain the body is truly slung between its front legs, the elbow should be fitted above the bot- tom of the ribcage. The Pekingese front is not a Dachshund front, as it does not have a protruding prosternum. Checking for good spring of ribs, a level topline, high set tail, and sound muscular hindquarters should complete your examination.
When looking at gait, always allow the Pekingese to move at its own comfortable and unhurried speed, even in the Group and BIS rings. All Pekingese should be shown on a loose lead, and never on a tight strung-up lead! Balance and carriage can be also assessed when the dog is moving round the ring. Stubbornness, with a mind of its own, is part of the Pekingese charm, so do not penalize a dog for not trotting along readily. It may just need some per- suasive coaxing. A dog that skips, or limps, should not be rewarded.
One of the delights of the breed is the occasional sleeve Pekingese that are not intentionally bred for. In this country, Sleeve Pekingese are considered to be those weighing less than 6 lbs., while Minia- ture Pekingese weigh between 6 and 8 lbs. When you encounter a sleeve or miniature, you should judge it, as you would dogs of a larger size. It should have exactly the same attributes as its larger relatives, but in a diminutive package.
There are no defined specific second- ary sexual characteristics or preferences, though the old British Standard preferred a larger and heavier bitch comparative- ly, assuming that the larger size would
