Page 220 - ShowSight - February 2020

Australian Terrier Q & A
“The rarity of the breed makes it more difficult to sell, since no one really knows the good qualities of this breed until they have had one.”
Mary Freeman continued
in the future. The rarity of the breed makes it more difficult to sell, since no one really knows the good qualities of this breed until they have had one.
The average person usually does not recognize the breed. I have been told that I am wrong about what breed I have. That what I have are Yorkshire Terriers. This happened when I live in Miles City, Montana. These people were from out of state and told me I did not know what I was talking about.
I would have to say that the qualities that make him a special companion are as follows: loyalty, patience, sturdy, empathy, intui- tive, intelligent, and the ability to solve problems.
The drawback is some can get so close to their owners, that they have withdrawals, being so smart can get you into trouble since you manipulate your owners, and your problem solving sills can get you into trouble if you are an escape artist. Loving to play with one’s owner can be difficult if it is time for the owner to go to work.
Are there any misconceptions about the breed I’d like to dispel? Some people don’t always realize that the breed can be quite ener- getic. Some buyers of the breed need to realize that if their dog has a behavior concern that they don’t rid of the dog, but that they work with the dog to solve the problem. Also I find that many owners seem to have their Australian Terrier jump to excess when they find out that this breed loves to jump but this in turn can cause weak- ened patellas and surgery in the future. The size of the dog warrants restriction of jumping due to the stress on ligaments as veterinarians state at the seminars I have attended. So when problems arise in the breed the new owners don’t want the dog anymore.
What special challenges do breeders face in our current econom- ic and social climate? Our society appears to have become a society where people expect instant gratification. If the animal has a prob- lem they don’t want to take time and work through the problem. They often don’t want the animal anymore. They appear not to want to make an investment in working through the problems. So as a breeder you take the animal back rather than have it get in the pound or abused. The designer breeds seem to be very popular and they have been sold that this “new breed” will not have any health problems and the owner now ends up with the animal having a liver problem at a very young age which becomes very costly—not to mention the high price for this “designer breed”.
At what age do I start to see definite signs of show-worthiness? At 10-12 weeks I can see show worthiness but even with feedback from unbiased dog owners what you thought was going to mate- rialize into a “good” head may not happen. Things can definitely change like picking the puppy with outstanding movement but not being able to breed it since structurally there is a high probability that you would end up having c-sections for a successful delivery of the puppies.
The most important thing about the breed for a new judge to keep in mind? I have more than just one thing to comment on for new judges. One is: Can you find the truly good dog in the ring that has not been groomed in the fashion cut of the day. The fashionable style may not be the best dog in the ring. I realize that your time is limited. I see I value movement since the dog will not be able to do its job if it cannot move. The second point is I have seen judges choose dogs that have temperament concerns. They believe they are choosing the right dog but they are choosing the dog that has an aggressive temperament. I see this when the judge wants our breed to “spar” and in the process they are choosing the dog with the bad temperament and if this dog is used extensively in the breeding pro- gram it can take many generations to rectify this problem. So the
judge may believe they are choosing the right dog in the sparring set up but inadvertently they pick the dog with the poor temperament. The best way to attract newcomers to the breed is kindness. Too often I have seen very hard criticism of new people showing their dogs. Owners can be nervous and this goes down the lead to their beautiful dog which can often alter movement and behavior. I had seen a judge withhold ribbons from a newcomer in the breed and the dog was a good representation of the breed, and this newcomer to the breed never ever showed again. Also I believe that the show- ing of dogs gets so serious that people don’t want to continue in the sport. Are we getting so competitive that we don’t want to help
anyone to the detriment of entries in our breed?
My ultimate goal for the breed is to have a dog that can compete
in conformation as well as performance exercises. There is no sense in having a dog who cannot work through problems. A dog that can bounce back from adversity because of good temperament is my goal for the breed. Like my Herald, who was attacked by a dog who was loose in the neighborhood and if it had not been for Herald keeping close to me, he would have been killed, and two months later he competed in obedience and I was more nervous for him that he was around the other dogs. He did not become aggressive to any of the dogs even though he had been attacked two months prior and had medical attention that day of the attack. So to speak I want a dog with a brain to be able to do the work he was bred to do.
My favorite dog show memory? I would have to say the the ATCA national Show in 1991 in California where Heartbeat went Best Of Opposite Sex under an Australian Judge. This Australian Terrier was in sync with me and flowed with ease when I showed her. She was always a special dog; she got her CDX and this was the dog who if you tried to reward her with treats she would stop working for you. She will always be fondly remembered since she was such a special dog. She would talk to you, which made her extra special.
I’d like to say that like with most breeds it appears that our breed has gotten oversized. Too often the correct size dog is not awarded for their quality and what I have found that it is often a judge from another country other than the United Sates that awards the correct size over the oversized dog in the ring.
THERESA GOIFFON
Theresa A. Goiffon and two of her daugh- ters, Lydia and Ellie Goiffon began Dunham Lake Australian Terri- ers in 2007. They breed and have shown multiple #1 and top ranked, Best in Show, Best of Breed at Westminster, Best of Breed at Montgomery County among some of their top awards they have achieved with their Australian Terriers. They currently live with 11 Australian Terriers, of
which most sleep in their beds, but all live among them. According to Theresa, they need a bigger bed.
218 • ShowSight Magazine, February 2020