Page 212 - ShowSight - February 2020

Timothy Reese continued
see the “correct” dog in the ring. Many times the dog that is “differ- ent” than many others in the ring are actually the correct example and the others fall outside the standard.
The biggest pitfall awaiting new/novice breeders? Pekingese are not an easy breed to breed and raise. The first two weeks can be very difficult. But after that they seem to thrive then turn into little monsters.
The funniest thing I’ve ever seen at a dog show? It is exasperat- ingly funny to see a Pekingese enter the ring and then decide that he or she is not going to take a step. Talk about stubborn!
MARISSA SCHMIDT
Marisa has been involved with the dog world for 25 years. She has been breeding Japanese Chin for 20 years and has bred, owned and handled multiple Chs, GChs, group winners, specialty win- ners and even a Master Agility Champion under the Dizzy prefix! She was in product development for 15 years, developing pet products and now enjoys being a real estate agent and handler. She lives in
New Jersey with her husband Shawn, two German Shepherds, two Shelties and all her Japanese Chin.
I live in Hazlet, New Jersey and have 25 years in dogs. I’m a Real Estate Agent, agility instructor, handler and Certified Canine Massage Therapist.
I have experienced the highs and lows of breeding, as all preser- vation breeders do, but I wouldn’t change a thing! I look at breeding as an art. The standard is the masterpiece and you are trying to replicate it.
My breed described in three words: regal, impish and sensitive.
How does my breed rank in popularity among other Toy breeds? I would say low to the average. This is actually a blessing in disguise as the breed is not popular in pet stores.
Does my breed get its fair share of attention in the Group? I would say yes and no. I feel breeds go through resurgences every few years where a breed gets more and more recognized as the ones showing are closer to the standard. We are in that resurgence now with Chin placing in groups fairly regularly. We are lucky that breeders are truly putting out their best to be specialed and those that are out are lovely representations of the breed.
Males vs. Females: how do bitches (coat, size, etc.) fare when it’s down to the wire? Bitches typically don’t carry the coat of the fully matured males. As far as size, our ideal size in our standard is 9-11 inches. Bitches and dogs both can be that size. There is no differ- ence in our standard and there is no disqualification either. You can show a 6 inch dog and a 12 inch bitch. When it comes to breeding I
evaluate to the standard. There is no “down to the wire” in my case. Because Chin typically have small litters, finding the “outstanding” one comes a little easier when you only have one or two. In the same sense, you don’t have many to choose from so each breeding should be carefully planned.
The largest health concern facing my breed today? Heart issues, by far. Heart disease seems to be claiming our lovely breed. Our lifespan is around 12 years or more but more Chins are being diag- nosed with heart disease by age eight. Breeders need to be checking for problems early on and keep checking each year. Unfortunately, by the time they are diagnosed is usually after breeding age. If we are diligent and share the results of those early tests, maybe we can start winning against this disease.
Any trends I see in my breed that I believe need to continue or like to see stopped? Our breed is a square breed and I am happy to see more and more square dogs in the ring. We “lost our legs” for a little while but as of late, we are showing more leg with a proper short body. The “eye trend” is a big one. Our standard states, “Set wide apart, large, round, dark in color and lustrous. A small amount of white showing in the inner corners of the eyes is a breed charac- teristic that gives the dog a look of astonishment.” The Japanese chin should NOT have pupils on the side of their heads with a huge amount of white showing. Small amount is just that, small amount. Of course, this leaves it open to interpretation. Judges need to look at the dog on the ground, not on the table as many Chin shut their eyes while being examined. White is white. If it is there, it is there. It seems this trend of huge amounts of white in the eye, resulting in the dog being wall-eyed, is happening. Not only is it wrong, it has huge health complications as well. Sari Teitjen, an expert in our breed and the unofficial “grand dame” of the Japanese Chin wrote, “...the eyes should never appear to be bulging or protruding.” Just as important is that the eye should be round, dark in color and lustrous.
What can my parent club do to increase awareness and popular- ity of my breed? Because we have a small club (approx. 100-125 members), we rarely do any kind of meet the breeds. We also only have a few specialties a year. Also, we have very few “young people” in the breed. I think the club tries very hard to participate in events but it all comes down to volunteers. I don’t think it is the club per se, it is more its members. If more members would step up and do the events, I think it would help with the awareness of the breed.
I am lucky that I have had many people help me. My first men- tor was Carla Jo Ryan. She helped me understand the breed and put into words what I was looking at. Other notable mentors are Nanette Wright and Lisa White. Sari Teitjen was a huge influence on me, taking me under her wing so to speak, with her mentoring. She used to tell me, “You are the youngest in this breed. I need to teach you right.” But most of all it is Maripi Wooldridge and Jennifer Stevens of Chindale. They have become family to me and I can always count on them to discuss breeding plans, pedigrees and puppy evaluations. My breeding program has gained so much because of them. I owe to so much to all of these people.
Toy Group Q & A
“I have experienced the highs and lows of breeding, as all preservation breeders do, but I wouldn’t change a thing! I look at breeding as an art. The standard is the master- piece and you are trying to replicate it.”
210 • ShowSight Magazine, February 2020