Page 170 - ShowSight - January 2020

Breeder Interview
BY ALLAN REZNIK
PHILIP MARTIN, PHILLMAR DOBERMAN PINSCHERS
Where did you grow up? Do you come from a doggy family and, if not, how did the interest in breeding and showing purebred dog begin?
I was raised in Greensboro, N.C., and Richmond, Va., where I have my fondest memo- ries of horses and horse showing. My family allowed me to have all kinds of animals that I rescued: cats, dogs, rab- bits, goats, and assorted
other creatures. If my parents tried to limit my growing menagerie, I found a way to hide the animals. I bred and showed Dutch Rab- bits and developed a rabbitry of more than 200 rabbits. Although my family did not show dogs, they were supportive of my interest in breeding and showing animals. At age 13 I received my first AKC- registered dog. This bitch helped form my interest in training and I attended obedience classes with her. At age 14 I was able to make an agreement to breed my dog. When I sold the puppies, I had to explain that checks were to be made out to me. My parents expected me to take full responsibility for my “business.” I worked for a vet- erinary hospital during high school. My mom was supportive in that she chauffeured me many places. My family was supportive, although they did not necessarily have the knowledge of what I had learned or what I was trying to accomplish. I made friends with older people who were involved with animals and who were willing to share a ride. My family realized that my love of animals moti- vated me to focus on the future and they had a bargaining chip to motivate better choices in my behavior.
"ALTHOUGH MY FAMILY DID NOT SHOW DOGS, THEY
WERE SUPPORTIVE OF MY INTEREST IN BREEDING AND SHOWING ANIMALS."
Who were your mentors in the sport? Please elaborate on their influence.
I have had many mentors in my years of breeding and raising dogs, starting with Becky Norton, Karmabeck Dobermans, who provided my first bitch, and the foundation of my breeding pro- gram. I chose a bitch from the litter and was told she was second pick. But she was exactly what I was looking for and she gave me 11 champions, two Best in Shows, and two Top 20 finalists. She remains the secret to my breeding program to this day. She was a linebred bitch and produced well from any dog to which I bred her. Another person I loved and learned from was Irene Bivin. I loved her knowledge and philosophies about dogs. If anyone pointed out a fault in a dog, she would say, “Don’t tell me how much you know by pointing out what’s wrong with them, tell me how much you really know by telling me what’s right with them. We are looking for vir- tues.” She enjoyed a smooth, one-piece Doberman that was poured into its skin. Like myself, she did not like overdone fronts, pro- truding forechests, and briskets too deep. It was all about balance. Overdone fronts get in the way of the rear-end drive and contribute to the loss of agility in a Doberman, a working dog. Irene felt one should never throw out the entire dog over one fault. She would say, “There are no perfect dogs.” This goes to some of the show judging of today. Some judges want to tell people what is wrong with their dog to validate their selections. They do not look at the whole dog when there is no perfect dog. One of the last things Irene said to me before her passing was, “Keep doing what we love to do and if
Me with the two things I love: dogs and horses.
162 • ShowSight Magazine, January 2020