Page 278 - ShowSight - September 2019
P. 278

                Terrier Q & A
 “The stud dog has to be complimentary to the bitch in type, reinforcing the desired traits on both sides and not doubling up on the same faults.”
Nancy Nykamp continued
Barbara Strebeigh, Tuck Dell and Harold Florsheim (former Presi- dent, Airedale Terrier Club of America). In the first two years of his campaign he won Best of Breed at 103 of 108 shows, 28 groups, eight specialties and seven Best In Shows. In total he won the Aire- dale Bowl five times. He also set a new top producer record siring 31 AKC champions.
The most humorous thing I have ever seen at a dog show involved a breeder/exhibitor, who is now a judge so no true names will be provided. This lovely woman, “Mrs. Smith” drove from New England to New Jersey for the big Bucks/Trenton shows. Upon arrival, and aware that she had little time to prepare her Aire- dales for the ring, Mrs. Smith quickly recruited the Foley Brothers who helped unload and set up for tips. She implored them with her New England charm to swiftly offload her two crates being careful not to disturb her Airedales. The gentlemen set about the task. Dropping the tailgate to her station wagon, they looked inside the crates and scratched their heads. Puzzled by the situation, the more senior Foley Brother timidly piped up “Mrs. Smith, where are your Airedales?” Needless to say, there were two Airedales reported absent that day!
CHERYL PURCELL NCMG
I live in Hanover, Massachusetts and I have over 30 years in dogs.
At what age do I pick a show prospect? I like to look at them at eight, 12 and 16 weeks. Have I ever made a mistake? We all have.
How do I choose a Stud Dog? For me it’s mostly instinct. I’ll start looking for a Stud as soon as a bitch is old enough to show. I’ll be thinking or looking for a certain type then I’ll see a dog and just know that’s what I want for my breeding program. I don’t breed often usually only when I’m looking to keep something for myself so it is extra important to me to feel that it’s what I like.
How do I place my pups? I have a list that I place people on, when I have a litter I contact them and we discuss if a pup I have will be a good fit for them.
Is finding good homes easy or difficult? It’s getting harder and harder, there is a trend towards designer dogs and not well bred purebred dogs. There is a lot of breeder shaming nowadays.
Is a win at a Specialty more important to me than a win at an all- breed show? For me it means so much more. I have a limited breed and we only get big entries at specialties. My favorite wins are alway out of BEE or even better a BOB from the Veterans class.
Are there any overall trends in my breed that should be addressed before they get out of hand? Bad coats and poor movement.
Who was my mentor? I don’t have what I would think of as a true mentor, I have learned so much from the people who have been in the breed for 30-40 years. I cherish their knowledge of the breed and dogs in general. The most important thing I’ve gotten is not to breed for trends but to breed to the standard.
What terriers of the past have impressed you the most? Oh, Mick, of course.
I have such a great love for a good terrier no matter the breed, this group of dogs is so extra in everything they do. Whether is play
or work, they do it with their all. What more could you ask for from a companion.
VALERIA RICKARD
We live in Leesburg, Vir- ginia and have over 30 years in dogs. We purchased our first show dog in 1985. Later, in 1999, we got more “serious” with breeding and focusing on our own program.
At what age do we pick a show prospect? Our first selection(s) are done between eight and nine weeks. The second “elimination round” occurs around 12 weeks. Then,
we run the top one or two prospects until about six to eight months old for the final decision.
Have we ever made a mistake? Yes of course. You “can’t con- trol Mother Nature” to that degree of certainty—that’s why we call them show prospects, as too many things can change along the way. For the most part, I know our bloodline very well, and if we do a line-breeding, there are usually not that many surprises.
How do we choose a Stud Dog? Primarily phenotype and geno- type. The stud dog has to be complimentary to the bitch in type, reinforcing the desired traits on both sides and not doubling up on the same faults. Personally, if available, I prefer to select a line-bred dog with strong mother’s side.
How do we place our pups? Other than what we keep for our- selves as show prospects, 95% of Joval pups leave to loving compan- ion homes. Securing a great life for our pups is the most important thing for us. If an occasional “show home” comes along, that’s great and “the icing on the cake” but an arrangement such as that is never a priority nor something we seek out or require.
Is a win at a Specialty more important to us than a win at an all-breed show? At a Specialty, there is usually a larger entry and more dogs of higher quality. So, winning against great competition is always more meaningful than winning at an all-breed show with a smaller entry.
Are there any overall trends in our breed that should be addressed before they get out of hand? Breeders need to focus on breeding good “breed type”, without creating new styles, and without lots of exaggeration or ordinality. Focus should also be on preserving and improving good health and temperament.
Who was my mentor? Honestly, I can’t contribute my current knowledge to one particular person nor could I call any specific person my mentor. I consider myself a truly self-taught person when it comes to dogs. Through lots of research (books, old magazines, yearbooks, studying successful pedigree combinations), asking questions, visiting kennels and watching shows all over the world— I have been able to learn from those “bits and pieces” what appeals to me the most and develop my breeding program.
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