Page 271 - Showsight March 2013

Iwould like to give you an insight
into what goes through a judge’s
mind as you walk into the ring
with a Manchester Terrier. The
judge is required to compare
your exhibit to the description
of the Standard of Perfection that was put
together by the National club. The closer
the dog comes to this description, the bet-
ter the chance for winning.
The judge’s first view of your dog as it
enters the ring is the overall outline. All
breeds have a distinct outline, or silhou-
ette, which should be readily recognized as
an important breed characteristic. Judges’
first impressions are formed when that
outline is viewed. These impressions can
be lasting.
The outline of the Manchester Terrier
should appear to be sleek, but sturdily con-
structed, with adequate bone density that
is not overdone, so that an appearance of
elegance is portrayed.
The outline should not appear to be
that of a square breed, but rather one
that should measure a greater distance
from point of shoulder to ischium than
from the highest point of the withers to
the ground.
The head should be rather long, well
filled, and with a strong underjaw. Ears
should appear to be erect, cropped, or
button, depending on the variety of
the Manchester.
The chest should reach to the elbows
with a curving arch reaching to the abdo-
men, giving a graceful, elegant look to
the outline. The front legs, which should
appear to be the same length elbow to
ground as is the distance from elbow to
withers, should be set well under the dog
with adequate bone. The rear legs should
be carried well back with muscular upper
and lower thighs equal in length. The stifle
should appear well turned and hocks are
well let down. Feet should be examined on
the table.
The line from the neck to the tail should
also be graceful with the slightly arched
neck blending smoothly into sloping shoul-
ders. The topline, should show a slight rise
over the loin. The rise should be above the
lumbar vertebrae. If the rise is over the
thoracic vertebrae, it is too far forward and
would be considered a roached topline.
The topline ends with a slightly sloping
croup that flows into the tail set. The tail
should be carried in a slight upward curve,
but not over the back.
These are the features that go into cre-
ating that “Manchester Terrier Silhouette”
the judge is looking for, even before the
first step is taken. Once that first step is
taken, the dog’s movement will validate
the correct or incorrect angulation and
musculature of the entry.
What is needed to achieve correct Man-
chester Terrier gait? The standard calls
for gait that is free and effortless. Several
things are required to attain this.
First and foremost, gait your dog on a
loose lead. Don’t string the dog up, trying
to correct a gait fault. This never results in
free movement.
In order to get good reach of the fore-
quarters without an incorrect hackney or
goosestep gate, the shoulder blade (scap-
ula) and upper arm (humerus) must be
equal in length. With the shoulders well
laid back, ideal angulation of these bones
would put the elbow directly under the
withers. When the humerus is shorter
than the scapula, a condition that is pres-
ent in many breeds today, the front stride
is shortened and the swing of the upper
arm is restricted resulting in shorter steps.
Likewise, in the rear, inadequate angu-
lation (bend of stifle) would prevent the
strong driving power needed to match the
front reach.
During movement, the judge will
also look for head carriage that is up and
out, the slight rise over the loin must be
evident, and the tail should be carried
in a slight upward curve, but never over
the back.
So, before the dog even gets on the
table, all of the above have already been
noted. Some judges prefer to place the dog
on the table first thing. I feel it is much
better to let the dog loosen up a bit before
the table examination. A true outline of
the dog is not always apparent on the table.
I never judge toplines on the table.
Exactly what breed features are the
judge’s eyes and hands searching for dur-
ing the table examination?
As the dog is set up on the table, the
judge should be a distance away taking
a profile look. He/she will be looking for
a slightly longer than tall silhouette. The
judge will also check to see if the distance
from withers to elbow and elbow to ground
is equal. The table view of these points is
more accurate at an outdoor show, as grass
length can obscure the true proportions.
From this profile view, the judge can
determine whether or not the Toy or Stan-
dard is within the size range called for in
the standard. If any entry appears to be
oversized, the judge will call for a scale and
weigh the exhibit. If the Toy is over 12 lbs.,
the judge will excuse the exhibit and mark
his/her book weighed out/excused. This
is not a disqualification for the “oversized
Toy” could be entered as a Standard in the
future. If the Standard weighs over 22 lbs.,
the judge will mark his/her book disquali-
fied “weighed out”.
Next the judge will approach the dog
from the front and check to see that the
front is not too wide and that the shoulders
appear well laid back. A convex or bulging
line, seen from the front would indicate
loaded shoulders. The dog’s chest should
be well coated. Judges will fault a thin
or sparse coat on the chest. Bone density,
which should be adequate, but not coarse,
will be noted from this view. Straight front
legs with upright pasterns and a tight cat
foot, with the two middle toes being lon-
ger, can be checked next.
Examination of the head comes next.
The judge should approach the head with
an outstretched hand, palm up, offering
a gentle, non-menacing gesture. From a
frontal view, the judge is looking for dark
almond-shaped eyes, a flat skull that is not
too wide, and a well filled muzzle with
strong underjaw, giving a blunted wedge
appearance to the head.
The bite is checked next and, as the
standard states, either a level or scissor bite
is correct. Although our standard calls for
full dentition, I would advise all judges not
to pry open the jaw and count teeth, as you
JUDGING THE MANCHESTER TERRIER
By Rodney Herner
S howS ight Magazine, M arch 2013 • 271