Page 256 - ShowSight - September 2019

Terrier Q & A
“Choosing a stud for your bitch takes time and research, and is anything but an exact science.”
Peter Holson continued
when I saw him, I thought, “Wow, that is a special dog!” “Mick” the Kerry Blue, what more can be said about him?
As a breeder, it seems one of the hardest things is to stay focused on what you’re trying to achieve with your breed—there are so many distractions in terms of type, styles and what judges put up. Know what you have, have an image of what your ideal is and breed towards that. As an owner handler, watch the winners and learn from them, ask them questions. Don’t sit around with your friends and bash judges—take a look at what you might be struggling with and ask for guidance either from your breeder or from a profes- sional. I have found that if your willing to listen and learn, people at dog shows are incredibly generous with their knowledge—just don’t ask them as they’re walking in the ring!!
The most humorous thing I’ve ever witnessed) at a dog show? Hmm, not sure it’s suitable for print. Ask Glen Lejeski!
LINDA HONEY
I live in San Pedro, California. I have been in dogs for 60 years. I competed in Junior Showmanship when I was 16 years old at the Westminster Dog Show.
I picked my first show prospect at about age 26. I bought a house so I could have the dog. It was my mother’s breeding.
How do I choose a Stud Dog? I learned line breeding from my mother so I am always looking at pedigrees. I have had to go out of our line but when I do, I need to like the dog and the breeding behind the dog. It is always exciting when you can find a match that is both Genotype and Phenotype. I never use Phenotype alone.
How do I place my pups? It is usually fairly easy to find good homes. When you charge a decent price, the new owners take good care of them. We have a good referral service with the Irish Terrier world. I never give a dog away.
Is a win at a Specialty more important to me than a win at an all- breed show? Yes, a win at a Specialty is always something to cherish. I still like winning at an all-breed show.
Are there any overall trends in my breed that should be addressed before they get out of hand? Yes, and I think it affects more than just Irish Terriers. Some judges seem to be looking for a generic ter- rier. There is no such thing. They are not judging to the Standard as they should. For instance, the Irish Terrier Standard says that “The body should be moderately long. The short back is not characteris- tic of the Irish Terrier and is extremely objectionable.” They should not be a red Fox Terrier.
My mother was my mentor and her mentor was Martha Hall. She taught us pedigree, pedigree and pedigree. I learned pedigrees at the age of 15. It is difficult for me to talk about a dog without the pedigree. I am so blessed that I learned this at such a young age.
What terriers of the past have impressed me the most? When I first started going to dog shows, Ric Chashoudian had a Lakeland Terrier called CH Jo-Ni’s Red Baron of Crofton. We called him a wind up toy. [Best in Show by Bo Bengtson pg. 377] My favorite Irish Terrier is Rockledge’s Mick Michael. [Best in Show pg. 522]
I’d also like to share that the judges need to be judging to the standard. This applies to the more seasoned judges as well as the newer ones.
One of the funniest things I have heard about is the port-a-pot- ties being picked up with someone in it.
MARILYN LANDE
to another. Whether there are show mined by this assessment. Yes, I have the best pup in that litter.
I am originally from Minnesota and moved to Mesa, Arizona 25 years ago. I’ve been involved in breed- ing and showing Miniature Schnauzers for 40 years.
My critique of a litter begins at eight weeks of age. They get stacked on a table and I measure height, length, muzzle, skull width. Also look at angulation, tail set and have a complete sheet on each pup for comparison one prospects can often be deter- made a few mistakes and sold
Choosing a stud for your bitch takes time and research, and is anything but an exact science. Look at conformation of the pro- spective stud and choose the one that will most compliment your bitch. One needs to research pedigrees, look at ancestors and check the coefficient of inbreeding. Knowledge of genetics are helpful and known health issues and whether it would be a natural breeding or AI are necessary.
Miniature Schnauzers are not difficult to place. Usually have requests for puppies before a breeding and the demand is mostly greater than the supply.
A Specialty win means more to me because the dogs I’ve beaten are usually the top winning dogs in the breed at that time.
My mentor was Alice Gough, from whom I bought my first Miniature Schnauzer as a pet. She told me about showing dogs and said she would show me how to strip. Strip? What’s that? How could you do that to your puppy? Well, it happened and my baby finally made it to the show ring. She taught me all aspects of grooming and showing. We traveled to shows almost every weekend and are still close friends. Her advice, keep learning and pursuing your goals. I did and after 20 years made it to BOB at Westminster.
In 40 years there have many outstanding winners but the first one in my career was CH. Rampages Repre- sentative. I was thrilled when Carol (Garmak- er) let me put my hands on him and I’ll never forget her kindness to me, a real novice.
DANA LAWRENCE & PAT PETERS
We live in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Together, Patricia Peters and I have over 50 years in breeding and showing dogs.
254 • ShowSight Magazine, SepteMber 2019