Page 210 - ShowSight - February 2020

Toy Group Q & A
RAUL PERALTA
Rhonda and I live in Trin- ity, North Carolina. I have a daughter living in Greenwich, Connecticut. Professionally, I am an engineer by education, turned to businessman in the later stages of my career. I serve on several boards including the Southern Eco- nomic Development Coun- cil and the NC Community College Foundation.
Personally, I am a Master Gardener, avid sailor and fly fisherman. I currently serve as the President of the American Brus- sels Griffon Association (ABGA), and have shown Brussels Griffons
in conformation for over 20 years.
The most rewarding part of being owned by this breed is the
friendships we have developed. Best of Breed Rosettes eventually are stored in the attic—good friends last a lifetime.
Our hobbies include pleasure boating, fishing, traveling and vis- iting as many wonderful restaurants as possible.
Breeding Brussels Griffons, while a lot of fun, can also be heart- breaking. These little creatures can be difficult to breed and even more so to whelp successfully. It is not for the faint of heart.
My breed described in three words: inquisitive, velcro and loving.
How does my breed rank in popularity among other Toy breeds? Brussels Griffons remain fairly rare.
Does my breed get its fair share of attention in the Group? Yes, when it is deserved.
The quality of Brussels Griffons has come a long way since I began showing and breeding them. Judges are recognizing them in the Toy Group Ring when it is deserved.
Males vs. Females: how do bitches (coat, size, etc.) fare when it’s down to the wire? Gender and coat type do not seem to be reasons for winning or losing. Overall type, movement, soundness and atti- tude remain important.
The largest health concern facing my breed today? Although we enjoy a fairly healthy breed, health testing is recommended.
Any trends I see in my breed that I believe need to continue or like to see stopped? We are seeing more dogs from Europe being shown in the US; which means more natural tails and ears. We are also seeing more quality Smooths being shown and recognized.
What can my parent club do to increase awareness and popular- ity of my breed? As President of our Parent Club (ABGA) one of our primary missions is to educate judges and the general public. Responsible breeding and ensuring the health and welfare of every Brussels Griffon is the most important mission.
My experience as a breeder begins with a great foundation bitch from Kay Braukman (K-Dee-Bees Brussels Griffons). Without Kay, there would be nothing to talk about.
The biggest pitfall awaiting new/novice judges is not having access to good quality dogs to learn the standard.
The biggest pitfall awaiting new/novice breeders? The difficulty in successfully whelping a litter and establishing a good quality foundation line. New/Novice Breeders should be ready to be patient as they begin the journey of breeding Brussels Griffons. Established breeders will not place good breeding stock with a novice person until they feel secure in their purpose.
In 2020 The American Brussels Griffon Association (ABGA) is observing our 75 Anniversary. Our National Specialty will be held in Louisville, Kentucky on March 9th through March 11th.
The year-long celebration will continue with various Supported Entries throughout the year and culminating with our Roving Nation- al Specialty at the prestigious Morris & Essex Kennel Club show in October.
TIMOTHY REESE
I began my life in dogs in 1968, having attended my first dog show and fell in love with my first love—a Minia- ture Poodle. That led to a 20 year love affair, breeding and exhibiting over 100+ Poodles in both the miniature and toy varieties. Then in 1989 we got our first Pekingese and went on from there. To date we have bred 117 American Champions, including nine Best in Show winners. I was
one of the founding members of the Pocatello Kennel Club AND the Eagle Rock Kennel Club. My life outside of dogs was in educa- tion, retiring in 2011 after serving as a college dean for 18 years.
I live in southeast Idaho near Shelley, Idaho. I am a retired col- lege dean and currently my life “outside of dogs” is gardening.
I began my ‘life” in dogs in 1967 after I went with a friend to a dog show in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was smitten with the Min- iature Poodles that were being shown. In 1989, I fell in love with the Pekingese.
My breed described in three words: regal, arrogant and stubborn.
How does my breed rank in popularity among other Toy breeds? Unfortunately the Pekingese’s popularity has declined dramatically, with registration dropping more than 90% in the last ten years.
Does my breed get its fair share of attention in the Group? The Pekingese is the top winning toy in the group, winning more group firsts than any other toy breed.
Males vs. Females: how do bitches (coat, size, etc.) fare when it’s down to the wire? In Pekingese, the males get a lot more atten- tion than the girls, mostly because the bitches don’t carry the huge glamorous coats that the boys do. However, when I have had a bitch that carried the huge coat (most don’t), they have held their own against the boys.
The largest health concern facing my breed today? Overall the Pekingese is a fairly healthy breed. Heart issues is probably the larg- est health concern. As breeders, we need to recognize that and work to rid our lines of those that tend to have more heart issues than other lines.
Any trends I see in my breed that I believe need to continue or like to see stopped? My biggest concern is the lack of true under- standing of our breed by people who are currently “breeding”. Many dogs being shown today are too long and so many people exhibiting today do not understand the correct movement.
What can my parent club do to increase awareness and popular- ity of my breed? A lot and they are doing very little to let the pub- lic know about this amazing little breed. Having a booth at meet the breeds during the AKC National Championship show is not helping very much to stem the decline in the once most popular toy breed.
I owe the most to my mentor in Pekingese, the late Nigel Aubrey Jones.
The biggest pitfall awaiting new/novice judges? Not too many. If they have studied this breed well, they shouldn’t have too many pitfalls. But I always caution new judges that they need to be able to
208 • ShowSight Magazine, February 2020