Page 306 - ShowSight - September 2019

Everyone judging terriers has a breed stan- dard to which he or she can refer. Some- times, however, in a group that is so diverse beyond “essential terrier characteristics”, a
judge might wonder how to fairly evaluate the indi- vidual members of this unique group. As a part of this diverse collection, the Cesky Terrier is perhaps even less easily critiqued. Why?
It could be the Cesky’s relatively recent entry into the group that makes it largely unknown. Its small population in the US may also make it less recogniz- able. Maybe more tradition-bound judges rely exclu- sively on more general terrier characteristics. For example, a terrier must spar or must be hand stripped. Neither is true of the Cesky. Conceivably it could be a lack of formal classroom education. Whatever the reason, it’s easy to understand why a judge may have concerns about the Cesky ranging from it varia- tion in size, color and temperament to its gait, tail carriage, etc.
What is a Cesky Terrier supposed to be? Simply, it was created to be a pack friendly hunting dog that worked the watershed area about the Danube River in the Czech Republic. This is an environment of bogs, thickets, thick forests, fields and burrows. Here the Cesky stalked rabbit, fox, other burrow dwelling crea- tures as well as deer, wild pig and boar.
The new Cesky Terrier Standard approved by AKC on July 11, 2017 was refined from its original version to approximate its European counterpart and the orig- inal design of the Cesky creator Frantisek Horak. For those who understand this new Standard, appreciate the hunting terrain, as well as the dog’s mission as a hunter, questions about its design and nature give way to genuine education.
Eager to the hunt the Cesky races to contain a wild pig.
above: It took over 2 decades for the Cesky’s creator, Frantisek Horak, to realize his dream of a pack-friendly hunting dog.
Size matters. Dimensions specifically stated in the Standard should be followed. Those dimensions in conjunction with how they fit together in the dog (proportionality) are crucial. It is understandable why a muscular, 25 to 28 pound male Cesky would catch a Terrier judge’s attention. However, that Cesky should weigh 22 pounds which is the top of the ideal weight range in the Standard. A lighter-weight dog would fare far better navigating the terrain of his native country. Some judges in the Czech Republic think American Ceskeys are “too big” and/or “too fat”. A Cesky Ter- rier, dog or bitch, must be lean, solid and compact to do the job for which the breed was developed.
JUDGING THE
cesky terrier
BY BOB COMER
304 • ShowSight Magazine, SepteMber 2019