Page 168 - ShowSight - May 2020
P. 168

                STEVEN HAMBLIN
Steven Hamblin is a Peking- ese breeder and exhibitor based in southern California. Mr. Ham- blin breeds and shows under the kennel prefix, Dancing Lion. He is the AKC Delegate for the Pekingese Club of America, where he also serves on the board. He serves on the American Ken- nel Club Board of Directors, as well as the Board of Directors of the AKC Canine Health Founda- tion. Mr. Hamblin is also actively involved in the Pacific Coast
Pekingese Club, Los Encinos Kennel Club, Santa Barbara Kennel Club, and Morris & Essex Kennel Club. In addition to Peking- ese, Mr. Hamblin’s family shares their West Hollywood home with Bengal and Devon Rex cats.
I live in West Hollywood, California. I’m a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Realty in Beverly Hills, specializing in luxury residential properties.
Do I hope the breed’s popularity will change or am I comfort- able with the placement? As of the most recently released rankings from AKC for the year ending 2019, Pekingese have moved up to #83, so we’ve already found some positive movement! I would love to see Pekes continue to rise in popularity because they are such wonderful companions.
The upside to being in the midrange of breed rankings is that consumer demand is not pushing the breed to the extent that unscrupulous breeders are incentivized to capitalize on the finan- cial gain that we see in very popular breeds. The committed, dedi- cated breeders in the US are working very hard to maintain healthy, sound Pekingese for both the pet home and the show ring. The downside is that we’re not attracting younger enthusiasts and breed- ers faster than we’re losing the wisdom and insights of our aging pool of long-term breeders.
Can I characterize the distinctive rolling gait of the Pekingese?
To understand “the roll” you have to understand Pekingese structure. Specifically, you have to understand how that massive chest is slung between the bowed front legs. Once the correct struc- ture is clear, then the movement is the mechanical function of drive and reach. While the dog is propelled forward by those rear legs, the weight of that chest shifts from side to side with the reach of the short, bowed front legs. Sound movement in a Pekingese should not be abrupt or bouncy. If the front legs are weak or out at the elbows, you may see what appears to be a catch or a limp where one side drops slightly lower than the other with each step. And when seen from the front, those front feet—which are always slightly turned out—should remain turned out or potentially come almost parallel, but they should never pigeon-toe in. When you see a Peke’s front feet turn in when coming at you, you have to inspect the hind legs for a deficiency. Basically, the drive is lacking so the dog is pulling himself forward. When a sound Pekingese moves, you get the joy of seeing a smooth and gentle roll.
The most challenging colors to breed and show? We don’t “color breed” in Pekingese the same way that breeders can in other breeds. We can’t mate a black and tan and know that we will get only a litter of black and tan puppies. We all know our lines, and we all know what we’re inclined to get, but I could never guarantee some- one that a specific color will pop up in a litter. The one breeder in the country that really has mastered consistency in color breeding Pekingese is Joy Thoms in Oregon. For decades, she has produced
quality white Pekingese. That is not an easy feat, and I admire her dedication and product every time I “talk Pekes” with anyone.
As far as showing, I find the self-masked solid colors to be the most difficult. Blacks seem to be a challenge to judges that are not breeder-judges. Whites, creams, reds—anything with a self- mask (the face is fully the same color as the body while the pig- ment remains inky black)—tend to stymie many judges because the “expression” is not as easily discernible. The traditional black- masked dogs are what most judges are expecting to see in a ring, and those beautiful rich, black masks enhance the expressions of these regal dogs. They also help to frame and differentiate the face in a way that can enhance the perception of the desired envelope shape of the head. On a black Peke, the judge can struggle to find defini- tion and appreciate expression. On a white Peke, you get the pop of a black nose, lips, and eyes, and that can be equally distracting to some judges. Parties also prove to be a challenge whether they have masks or not. In my opinion, that is, again, because they fall out of the normal expectations that most judges have.
The biggest misconception about the Pekingese? Pekingese are very sturdy, loyal, gregarious, loving companions. They are not the “old lady curmudgeon of a dog” that many people expect. They are playful, mischievous, silly, intelligent, and spritely. Today’s Peking- ese are also generally quite healthy. The dedicated breeders in the US over the last 40 years have worked very hard to eliminate genet- ic predispositions so that we now have Pekes living very long and healthy lives. There are peculiarities particular to the breed—that have historically always been there—that require conscientious- ness on the part of the owner: I’m very alert to anything at “Peke level” that could impact their eyes (including the whereabouts of my cats!); I’m very aware of ambient temperature at all times; I don’t let them walk down staircases on their own (but I supervise them going up very short flights of stairs); and I mitigate their ability to jump onto and off of anything higher than themselves.
Does the average person on the street recognize the breed? Most common for me is that people recognize them, but haven’t seen them since their aunt had one when they were a child. Occasion- ally, I get stopped by very interested people who are not aware of them and want photos. I keep some Pekes shaved down, some in lion clips, and one in full show coat—so people in my neighbor- hood are exposed to them in many ways. Most people today don’t seem to know what a Peke looks like out of a show coat because that’s what they see on televised shows. Most people love the lion clip. Several years back, a member of my local Pekingese Club was staying at a hotel up on Sunset Boulevard (a block from my house). After dinner in the hotel, I accompanied her when she took her two show Pekes out for a walk. From the time the elevator doors opened at the lobby level, she was inundated with people who wanted to ask questions and take photos! Our brief walk down the world-famous Sunset Strip was, for me, one of the most memorable experiences with Pekingese.
What special challenges do breeders face in our current eco- nomic and social climate? I think the greatest threat to breeders right now is the current economic climate. That’s not just Peking- ese breeders—that’s all breeders. We learned from the recession of 2009 that the sheer costs of breeding healthy dogs can be prohibi- tive if there are no homes to put them in. And when people are out of work, or working for less pay, they simply struggle to jus- tify spending the money on adding a dog to their home. I hope that our economy finds its footing sooner than later for everyone’s sake, but certainly for the future of our dogs and our sports. We’re seeing a spike in homes seeking dogs—to foster, adopt, or buy— because they’re all sheltering at home, and seek the companionship. I hope that when they go back to work, those dogs won’t be forgot- ten or discarded. Beyond the immediate economic fears, we have to be very cautious and strategic (as Pekingese breeders) about our
PEKINGESE Q&A
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