Page 202 - ShowSight - February 2020

Toy Group Q & A
Cathy Couture continued
One of the funniest thing to me, but not at the time, was when in the ring my skirt (the pull on type) started sliding down to my knees.
TERRIE COWAN
I retired with AT&T after 41 years of service. I have been in dogs since 1982 and have met so many wonderful peo- ple in many breeds. I recently married and my husband (Ed) has become interested in the sport and we travel to dog shows throughout the coun- try. Life is good!
My husband and I live in Columbia, Tennessee, about 45 minutes south of Nash-
ville. I have 37 years in dogs. What do I do “outside” of dogs? Not too much time outside of dogs, but we love country music and go to concerts often. We live in the right area for that! I love to read and travel, even outside of dog show travel! Going on an Alaskan cruise this year, can’t wait!
My original breed in 1982 was Miniature Pinschers and have bred many top winning champions. I got my first Toy Fox Terrier from Dana Plonkey in 2007, and have co-bred many litters with Dana. I am definitely not a “big” breeder, usually have one or two litters each year. Quality of the breed is very important to me, as well as health testing. I have been fortunate to have had quality puppies that have brought joy and winners to their new homes.
My breed described in three words: fun, loyal and active!
How does my breed rank in popularity among other Toy breeds? Toy Fox Terriers are not high in the total breed ranking, overall according to the 2018 ranking they are 111 out of 192 with only a couple of toy breeds lower. The American Toy Fox Terrier Club is focused on breed awareness to make sure everyone understands what a wonderful little dog they are!
Does my breed get its fair share of attention in the Group? The toy group is a tough group, a lot of great dogs out there. But I also think if you have an outstanding dog that has that “look at me” attitude the judges will reward that.
Males vs. Females: how do bitches (coat, size, etc.) fare when it’s down to the wire? I do not feel a male has any advantages over a good bitch, some of the best show dogs in the past have been bitches!
The largest health concern facing my breed today? Fortunately, we do not have a lot of health issues, and good breeders test before breeding to insure problems are not passed on to puppies. As with most toy dogs, patellas can be a concern.
Any trends I see in my breed that I believe need to continue or like to see stopped? Our breed is getting better and we are see- ing more great dogs from different parts of the country. We need to continue to study pedigrees and breed to improve our existing stock. Don’t just breed to your friends dog because it is convenient, breed to the dog that will improve your line.
What can my parent club do to increase awareness and popular- ity of my breed? The club is participating in Meet The Breeds when- ever possible, utilizing social media to make sure folks understand how wonderful the TFT is! The club needs to continue education. I hear a lot of people say, I had a dog like that when I was a kid....did not know they were still around!
I owe the most to Dana Plonkey, I would not be successful today without his mentoring.
The biggest pitfall awaiting new/novice judges? Judges need to judge the standard, we have a good illustrated standard that every judge should have. Judges need to remember balance is very important in our breed. We have a height variation of three inch- es,(81⁄2-111⁄2) if the judge is unsure go ahead and measure!
ROSANNE FETT
I live in the DFW region of North Texas on an acreage. We decided to move to a rural unincorporated area of Texas when my husband agreed that my dogs could compete with the best in the country and to do this right, I needed the space and privacy that a rural environment provides. Although I have been in Yorkies for 30 years, our move to the county 16 years ago allowed me to pursue my dream and really build my bloodline.
Dogs are my passion, but it takes a real job to support my dream. I am a mortgage loan officer, which allows me the flexibility to be home when my dog needs dictate my presence is required. I had been an underwriter and operations manage in my field for many years, but I needed to make the change to do this right. I love cook- ing and baking as I love to eat good food. I enjoy gardening as digging in the dirt is a huge stress reliever for me. Reading helps me relax as well, as those who know me well know I can be pretty wound up at times.
I started with a beautiful Yorkie who was not a show dog. I thought I had done my homework and bought from a show home but was sold a dog that did not have the temperament to be in the ring. Fortunately for me, Carl Trehus explained to me that I should breed this pretty little thing to the best possible male and if none of the pups turned out, sell all of them and buy something worth- while. At that time Lee Grunewald had a lovely dog I bred to and with her guidance, my first litter produced my first champion. I was hooked! Lee and I butted heads over the years, but my goal was the produce my own bloodline, not merely reproduce hers. When I was a teenager, I never belonged to a clique and was not about to start as an adult. Bill Hinds stressed to me the importance of pro- ducing healthy, large litters, and to listen and learn, as sometimes the things that are not said are the clues worth listening to. I’ve had some health challenges with hip dysplasia and Leggs-Calves- Perthes, but that’s been 15 years ago and I’ve brought in a lot of other lines to rectify that problem.
I am proud to be able to say every bitch in my kennel is a cham- pion. I have owned a top 5 dog in five of the last six years, three of those years were bitches I bred.
My breed described in three words: breathtaking, intelligent and challenging.
How does my breed rank in popularity among other Toy breeds? Yorkies are currently ranked number ten among all breeds, and is the top ranked toy breed.
Does my breed get its fair share of attention in the Group? I am so proud to see multiple Yorkies regularly winning group place- ments and there have been best in show winners as well. This has really changed over the last ten years. I think we have been fortu- nate to have some good backers responsible for campaigning our breed using top handlers to increase our visibility.
Males vs. Females: how do bitches (coat, size, etc.) fare when it’s down to the wire? As far as class dogs, I don’t see a lot of difference. You usually need a bitch to be in more coat to get them finished. When it comes to specials, males have a definite advantage, as many females lose color when they come in season and unlike a short- haired breed, you cannot easily bring a brood bitch in and out of the specials ring, as a litter of puppies will wreak havoc on that lovely coat, and they must be in top condition to win. My best Yorkies have been my bitches, and I won’t breed them and take away their puppies just to keep them in the ring, as I feel that is unbelievably
200 • ShowSight Magazine, February 2020