Page 279 - Showsight March 2013

international competition each year, Pyr
Sheps have taken countless gold medals in
the past dozen or so years, including over-
all Champion four times by three differ-
ent dogs—one of them bred and owned in
America. In 2011, all four top spots overall
went to Pyr Sheps. Here, their prowess has
earned them countless gold medals in the
16" category at the Eukanuba Invitational,
the AKC National Agility Championships
and the counterpart agility organization’s
USDAA World Cynosport Champion-
ships. Running a Pyr Shep is, however,
not an easy undertaking. Their blazing
speed and quicksilver intelligence make
them extremely challenging for even well-
seasoned handlers! And the high need for
socialization to people and places goes far
beyond the usual herding breed.
Their work as the daily herders of
sheep, and to some extent cattle and oth-
er livestock when called upon, required
them to be a jack of all trades, rather than
a highly stylized master of one like the
Border Collie. Beginning in the 1920s,
they have competed at the top levels in
French herding competitions, with one
little bitch earning the coveted national
championship 3 years in a row! They are
also outstanding search and rescue dogs
as their small size and keen drive allows
them to search areas where larger dogs
simply can’t go.
All these shapes and activities make
the breed very challenging for the non-
specialist to judge. Here follows a dozen
of the questions most commonly asked
by judges.
The Questions
Q: What are the 3 most important cri-
teria in judging the Pyr Shep?
A: Head type, body proportions and
side gait.
Q: What constitutes correct head type?
A: The head should be triangular
with a pointed muzzle sweeping back to
the zygomatic arches in a well-filled-in
wedge. The eyes are almond-shaped but
somewhat open—more the shape of an
almond in the shell. Their dark-brown
color accentuates the intense, alert, some-
what suspicious expression so crucial to
breed type. The skull is nearly flat on
top with the ears set high. The muzzle
is shorter than in other herding breeds –
slightly shorter than the backskull.
Q: What is the correct movement?
A: The dog has a flying trot and a dou-
ble-suspension gallop. They should have a
big, ground-covering side gait—more pro-
nounced in the Rough-Faced variety. They
are highly athletic and will often jump
effortlessly onto the table.
Pyr Sheps quickly singletrack coming
and going. Their dewclaws make them
look even closer in the rear. Side gait is to
be prized much more highly than perfec-
tion on the down and back.
Q : How do I tell the varieties and coat
types apart at a glance?
A: 1) The Smooth-Faced has short hair
on the face and the fronts of the legs, rather
like a Sheltie except the body coat is not
more than 3" long and with less undercoat
than a Sheltie or Aussie. Rough-Faced dogs
have long hair on the face, but not so long
as to hide the eyes, and longer leg hair of
equal length on both front and back of
the legs.
2) Proportions of the Smooth-Faced
variety are nearly square; the Rough-Faced
variety is a horizontal rectangle. Both coat
types within the RF have strikingly rect-
angular proportions.
Q: What are the two coat types within
the Rough-Faced variety?
A: The Rough-Faced variety has two
coat types: long and demi-long. The body
coat of the demi is not as long and has a
crisp texture and little undercoat. Fur-
nishings can be very pronounced on the
longhaired dogs, more rudimentary on
the demi-long. Longhaired dogs may be
corded on the legs and even over the sides
and loin but not on the head or over the
withers.
Q: Are they always examined on
the table?
A: Yes. In the US they are always
examined on the table. This is optional
in Canada. In Europe they are gener-
ally examined on the ground. In the
US, they should never be touched in the
ground but put back on the table if the
judge desires further hands-on—this is
standard AKC policy.
Q: What should the judge look for on
the table versus on the ground?
A: The temperament of the breed encour-
ages them to be very alert and in constant
motion. In this low-entry breed, class dogs
are generally inexperienced, as are their own-
ers (whom for the sake of the future of our
sport should be encouraged!). So the judge
should not prolong the table exam. The class
dog will only get more fidgety.
The judge should look for 3 main things
in the table exam: A) Head shape: flat on top
with small ears set on high. Muzzle shorter
than back skull, but not exaggeratedly so.
B) Scissors bite: level or reverse scissors is
acceptable as long as the teeth are touching.
But a gap over or under is a DQ. C) Long
scapula and humerus. D) Rough-Faced
dogs have a complex topline with a crested
neck knitting well into the back with the
long scapula tips making a bump over the
withers. The back is level over the ribs but
has a pronounced rise over the loin. This rise
is accentuated strongly by the coat, especial-
ly on heavily-coated dogs. Rear should be
well angulated with good let-down of hock.
Smooth-Faced dogs should be more
square, more moderate in angulation,
length of scapulae and rise over the loin
and are higher on hock.
Q: Should I wicket dogs that appear
small or large?
A: The breed has a very large size range
and most dogs fall within it. And because
they tend to be fidgety it can be difficult
to get a fair measurement. Judges might
be especially tempted to wicket dogs who
look very large. Remember that although
being over standard is a fault, a judge should
S howS ight Magazine, M arch 2013 • 279