Page 130 - ShowSight - September 2019
P. 130

                Breeder Interview: Christine Nethery, Boxwood Poodles BY ALLAN REZNIK continued
  “I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT LINEBREEDING WAS THE WAY TO GO.
I DID IT IN THE BEGINNING BUT ENDED UP BRANCHING OUT WITH SOME OUTCROSSES.”
Who were your mentors in the sport? Please elaborate on their influence.
Houston and Toddie Clark, David Bolus, Barbara Alderman and Carroll James were my mentors as a child and teenager. They taught me so much about groom- ing, ring presentation and professionalism, things I still carry with me today. My sum- mers were spent working for the Clarks. The fun stories I can tell about being on the road, working and learning to show dogs with them. They are the reason I still show dogs today. I learned so much, did so much and always felt part of the family. I eventu- ally graduated high school early, and went to work full time for them. While working for the Clarks at Westminster, I met Carol Dean, who worked for Bob and Jane For- syth. I was interested in moving North, and she helped me find a job at a Pointer ken- nel where I could learn about breeding and still go to dog shows. Eventually the For- syths retired and Carol was going to Ohio to interview for a job at Dassin Farm, where Bud Dickey and Joseph Vergnetti raised their beautiful Poodles. Carol’s interview consisted of us spending the weekend with them at dog shows. She came home with a new job, and I came home with a Poodle! At the time I worked for Elliot and Linda More. When I had my Poodle entered at dog shows, I still didn’t know how to scis- sor him, so he got passed around at the dog shows getting trimmed by those who knew what they were doing! If I remember cor- rectly, it was usually his breeders or Bobby Fisher. So these people were my mentors early on, and now I continue to discuss dogs and learn whenever I am with my longtime friends: Joseph Vergnetti, Alan Waterman, Ann Rairigh and, last but not least, Carol Dean. I also include all the different veteri- narians I have used. They have all listened to my many crazy questions and answered them. They have all taught me a lot.
The Boxwood Poodles are widely known, highly successful and well respected. What breeding philosophies do you adhere to?
I have always thought that linebreeding was the way to go. I did it in the beginning but ended up branching out with some outcrosses. In my case I needed to. I have a small breeding program and I was get- ting too close too fast. My litter last year was again an outcross, breeding to a dog at Dassin Farm, owned by Ellen Charles of Hillwood fame.
How many dogs do you typically house? Tell us about your facilities and how the dogs are maintained.
The number of dogs I keep is constantly changing. I try not to keep too many. In my younger days I always kept two from each litter, and maybe bred two litters a year. The dogs are housed in a stand-alone, small hobby kennel a few feet from our house. They live in 4 x 4 stalls with walk-out runs that are 4 x 30 ft long. Since I work from my home, the dogs are outside a lot, weather permitting. I have a lovely grooming room where I am able to groom my dogs. I would say I bathe them weekly with re-banding and brushing in between as needed. I feed Purina Pro Plan and they are fed in the eve- ning unless they are puppies, or dogs that need to eat twice a day. They go to dog shows with me every weekend that I go. They learn the ropes this way. I have found this to work very well for me. It gets them out and about, learning about the world when you don’t always have time to social- ize them or go to handling class.
Please comment positively on your breed’s present condition and what trends might bear watching.
As far as trends, at this year’s National I was able to watch a little more than usual, and I noticed the tremendous number of squirrel tails. I remember Joseph Vergnetti sharing with me that Charles LeBoutier,
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