Page 262 - ShowSight - January 2020

Diane Burvee continued
Standard Poodles, but the French Bulldog does get its fair share of attention in the group, but mainly the well-advertised profes- sionally-handled specials. The judges seem to focus only on two components when judging Frenchies: they must have a distinct roach back (often the rewarded toplines are too exaggerated) or showmanship. The French Bulldog is a head and silhouette breed, and with silhouette, it means the whole balance and outline which includes the three very important components of upsweep, layback and underline, etc. and not just the topline itself. And it pains me to see judges allowing handlers to run the Frenchies in the ring like a Sporting breed to create flash, when this is a pear-shaped breed that should not move in such a way, if they are correctly constructed. I am grateful the French Bulldog breed is getting the accolades at the group level frequently, but I am not so convinced if that’s due to the deep pocket for advertising or the true bona fide quality of the dogs being campaigned. The next time you watch or judge, check with discerning eyes if the Frenchie in the ring truly have a proper square head made only possible by broad well-padded muzzle, and wide underjaw with ample cushioning. The square head, and the quintessential tall round bat ears, are the hallmarks of the breed and not the apple or wedge-shaped headpieces with no fills under the eyes, narrower muzzles and ugly droopy flews we so commonly see these days.
The biggest misconception about the breed among the general public is that it is a miniature Bulldog. It isn’t and it is not a breed for everyone. Owners must be acutely aware of its limitation when it comes to hot weather and humidity tolerance, or rather, intolerance. It is not uncommon to hear about breeders, and even professional handlers, losing dogs to heat exhaustion so everyone should be very vigilant when it comes to the 24-hour care of the dogs.
As far as among the people who breed, we need to strongly uti- lize line or in breeding to set type and lock it in, or at least breed type to type to achieve some level of consistency, because French Bulldogs generally don’t breed true! And that is frustrating for both breeders as well as judges to see a smorgasbord of head styles, pro- portion, balance and size in the litter or show ring.
What can my parent club do to increase awareness and popular- ity of my breed? The parent club is doing their part to educate the public, but the reality is that there is only so much the patent club or even AKC can do. We really don’t need the breed to be anymore popular, but education to create awareness is always good so every- one who owns, breeds and judges French Bulldog know exactly what to do and expect. I wish we can also focus more on public education to help the general public understand the importance of acquiring dogs from reputable preservation breeders.
The largest health concern facing my breed today? In my opin- ion, definitely Brachycephalic Obstructive Airways Syndrome (BOAS), with pinched nares, elongated palate, exerted saccules and laryngeal collapses of different stages. Then, there are perhaps also the cardiac problems, and autoimmune issues that sometimes mani- fests in skin problems and allergies.
Any trends I see in my breed that I believe need to continue or stopped? Breed-specific health testings should be mandatory. Good education and workshops presented by qualified candidates so we can all continue to share and learn. Judges need to judge according to the Standard without personal bias, and bravo to the judges who call for scale as there are honky, big Frenchies being shown! I wish the fad colours breeders and puppy-millers would cease and desist.
I seriously owe thanks to everyone who has shared any French Bulldog related experience and knowledge with me, as we learn and grow from each interaction. I learned a lot about French Bulldog even before I own one as we have some top American breeders in the Midwest such as the late Herschel Cox, Ed Doherty, etc. In terms of mentors, I’m very grateful to have Collete Secor (Lefox) in
California share her knowledge as well as one of Europe’s Top Breeders, Tove Rasmussen of Daulokke fame in Denmark. I must also mention the late Elaine Rigden who was so generous with her knowledge not just in Pekingese but also Frenchies, as her husband, Jerry Rigen, showed Francine—the Top-Winning French Bull- dog Bitch in history. I made my mistakes as a breeder in Afghan Hounds, learned a great deal in Pekingese and applied plenty of those knowledge to French Bulldogs so my past mentors in other breeds play a big role in my success today as a Frenchie breeder as well.
The biggest pitfall awaiting new and novice judges? The French Bulldog is one of the hardest breeds to evaluate when it comes to judging them mainly because on any given day in a class, the breed is all over the place. However, in the initial lineup, it should be rather apparent how you will place the class as type should scream at you! Unfortunately, there are a lot of plain boring generic Frenchies being shown, including some top-ranked specials. Judges seem to fail to comprehend type, and just judge them in a generic way instead of the breed-specific manner it deserves. Most judges over-simplify this intricate breed by basing their placements on a single feature such as topline. And in most cases, they actually get it so wrong because they end up with those with too exaggerated a topline such as camel or wheel back that the breeders are actually trying to avoid as they are harder to fix than say a level back. It is also common to see judges award based strictly on showman- ship at the expense of type. Please do not allow any handlers to run with the exhibits to create flash! If a Frenchie is raced around the ring like a Sporting Dog, ask yourself if they can be truly be pear-shaped like they should be? French Bulldog is a head breed so please study the head from the front but also in profile from the side to ascertain upsweep and layback. It is also a silhouette breed so consider the whole outline including the very important under- line and not just zoom in on the topline while forgetting the other components. Head and silhouette should always come first, then movement, when it comes to prioritizing while judging. Go with type and quality, and not what’s being advertised at the detriment of the breed. And my best advise is to have an open mind even after you have your judging license, and continue to ask questions and never stop learning about the breed.
The funniest thing I’ve ever seen at a dog show? A streaker! And also a well-known professional handler tooting loudly in the ring but pretending that it was her Frenchie that was farting.
MAYNO BLANDING
I live in Ridgefield, Washington. I began showing my dog in obedience when I was a teenager and have always had at least one dog in my life.
Outside of dogs, I love classical music and sang with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus for 18 years before moving to Wash- ington state. I was a choir director for most of my adult life until I retired a few years ago. I have a large family and enjoy visiting my grandchildren and having them come to visit me.
How did I get involved in this sport? In 2000, I wanted a Bichon for Obedience but could only find a show prospect. I agreed to let the breeder show her and produce one litter. She was a beauty and won her championship easily over specials. I was hooked and have been breeding and showing ever since.
A brief overview of my experience as a breeder. I have bred every couple of years and have consistently produced champions in each litter. I take breeding and placing puppies very seriously, spend hours socializing them and place them in carefully-selected homes. Many of my puppy buyers have returned for another dog.
My breed in three words: beautiful, loving and playful.
254 • ShowSight Magazine, January 2020
Non-Sporting Q & A