Page 292 - ShowSight, March 2020

Tail carriage is not a clear indication of the dog’s state of mind. Down, straight or sabre-like are typical carriages.
Other aspects of the animal require scrutiny. The ratio of the height of the dog at the withers to its length (sternum to buttocks) is 1:1.5. Specific ideal dimensions are in the Standard. Questions to be asked are: Does the top line rise slightly from the withers (lowest point) to the loin and rump (highest point)?
When critiquing this, determine whether the rise ends prematurely giving the dog an arched back with the highest point in the middle of the spine or is the top line flat. Sometimes positioning gives either effect and is the fault of the handler. Does the tail begin at the distal most aspect of the spine in the descent to the rump? If not, the dog presents a tail set either too high or too low. Is the body lean and proportioned? Judges should not see rolls to the skin or a tummy that isn’t tucked up. From above, is the dog shaped like an artillery shell? The distal outline of the lungs and the hips forming the case of the shell. Does the dog move effortlessly? Given these attributes it is readily understandable why the Cesky is a creature of the burrow as well as the thicket.
When checking dimensions, again the questions a judge should ask are: Is the head 7-8" from the notch at the back of the head to the tip of the nose and is there a 3-4" space between the ears? Conse- quently, when viewing the Cesky’s head from above and applying the standard’s criteria defining the head and muzzle does this portion of the dog’s anat- omy look like a long blunt wedge? And, is this not an ideal tool for hitting prey? Are the ears dropped forming a triangle, the bend of which does not rise over the crown of the skull? Do the forward edges of the ears lay close to the cheek? It stands to reason that having these traits, a Cesky pursuing prey in the burrow would have these body parts tight to its frame? The Cesky fall, of course, protects the eyes.
Full dentition is required in the Cesky Standard. In any hunting dog this is critical. When examining the Cesky, don’t just look at the teeth from canines forward. Most importantly, do those lower canines fit easily and smoothly into the notches either side of the mouth in the upper set of teeth? This is the “locking” mechanism to hold prey.
THE CESKY TERRIER
The Cesky topline rises slightly from the withers (lowest point) to the loin and rump (highest point). The tail set begins at the distal most aspect of the spine in the descent to the rump.
290 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MARCH 2020