Page 176 - ShowSight - August, 2020

Lhasa Apso, to name some of the brachyce- phalic breeds in this Group? Head, a spe- cific proponent of breed type, is evidenced in all members of this Group, notably with French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers and Bull- dogs. Coat, of course, an important element of breed type, adorns the members of this Group. A Lhasa whose coat is not heavy, straight and hard, which does not fall back into place when lifted, robs from type. Pat- terning of the coat in the Lowchen in any trim other than the specified trim is a dis- qualification and would deny it the type the standard specifies. With the examples cited above, we see the complexity of this Group and the vast playing field this Group has to offer. It is not an easy Group upon which to judge. You must understand and be aware of the intrinsic particularities of this diverse Group. Also, please, if I have omitted a breed in this discussion, it was not inten- tionally done. Constraints of time to get this article done are the sole culprits.
There are gender differences written in specific standards in this Group. Bitches will not hold these differences to the degree that males will. We all must be cognizant of the cited differences we see, such as in the Bulldog and Frenchie standards.
There is some movement away from type occurring in the Non-Sporting breeds, which concern me. I will only reference two breeds here.
First, we need to pay attention to the sil- houette of the French Bulldog. A Frenchie with a flat topline suffers from a lack of type. I am witnessing this in some specimens. I am also witnessing this in specimens that are placing in the Group. My opinion is that the specimen lacks type in regards to the wording of the standard.
Secondly, I am worried about the length of the Dalmatian as of late. The standard specifically states: “The overall length of the body from the forechest to the buttocks is approximately equal to the height at the withers.” I am experiencing specimens in the ring which are long in loin, not in the ribcage. Please allow me an exaggeration. If it takes me an hour to walk from the head to the tail, something is wrong. The estab- lished fact is that the length of many breeds should be in the ribcage, not the loin. Years ago when I handled Dalmatians, breeders would boast that you could place a glass of water on the topline. The longer in body, the more a topline will either sag, or not retain a modicum of being level.
On the whole, I believe breeders need to pay attention to feet. There seems to be a con- cern for feet being either splayed or spread out to the point of not following the stan- dard in a decisive way. Feet are important
THE NON-SPORTING GROUP
in any breed, being a significant form of support. Bad feet will effect movement to a large degree. Breeders need to place a little more emphasis on this fact.
My advice to a new exhibitor in this Group as well as others is this; if you have a good dog, show it yourself. It will usually, and hopefully, win. You need to be persis- tent and determined. Yes, there are days you will lose for whatever reason. That is life. However, if you are showing a good representative of the breed, the chances of winning are heightened. The day I witness that this is not the case is the day I will be discouraged from the sport as a whole. Know the standard, inside and out, of the breed you are showing. This is the only way to know the attributes and shortcomings of the breed you are breeding. Talk to the established people in your breed, not just the ones who are winning, but the breed- ers who have had a consistent string of good to great dogs. Their knowledge will be invaluable.
My advice to all in relation to this Group or any other Group is this, “Know the standard.” I believe it was Percy Roberts who stated; “The standard is the blueprint,
shows. In addition, he has owned Afghans, Dalmatians and Italian Greyhounds.
In the mid-seventies and throughout the eighties, Mr. Miller showed not only his Salukis, but dogs in several breeds for clients. In 1988, he applied to the American Kennel Club and was approved to judge Salukis. Since then, he is approved for the American Kennel Club Hound Group, Non-Sporting Group, Sporting Group, Toy Group, Doberman, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Glen of Amaal, Norfolk Terriers, Norwich Terriers, Briards, Pyrenean Shepherds, and Cardigan Welsh Corgis. He has held many offices in the Grand River Kennel Club, currently President, and is the show chairperson for their cluster weekend—The Regatta Classic. Moreover, he is the President of the Cuyahoga Valley Hound Association and Assistant Show Chairperson for the Ashtabula Kennel Club.
Mr. Miller has officiated in the United States, Canada, Columbia, Brazil, Peru, Costa Rica, Mexico, Bolivia, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Australia, China, India, Taiwan, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and South Africa. He is published in both English and French in professional educational periodicals as well as dog publications. Moreover, he has given seminars internationally on the Afghan, Azawakh, Saluki, Whippet, Solving the Mysteries of Breed Type, Back To Basics, and Judging Procedure. He travels frequently to North Africa due to his association with sighthounds and conducts tours of Marrakech, Morocco and its surroundings. As an avid traveler, he has visited many kennels around the world.
Professionally, Mr. Miller, retired, was the department coordinator of World Languages for
a school system in the Cleveland, Ohio, metropolitan area. He has also instructed on the university undergraduate and graduate levels. He holds a Masters Degree in Education with
a specialization in French as well as a Certificat Du Premier Degré from the Université De Strasbourg, France. He is a translator and has conferred on projects for officials at the United Nations in relation to indigenous canine breeds of the Sahara.ographer whose work has been published internationally. Mr. Miller speaks French, German, Italian, and English.
the breeder is the builder, and the judge is the building inspector.” There is so much to know, so much to consider in the show ring. Especially in this rich, rewarding Group designated as the Non-Sporting Group.
BIO
Mr. Miller (aka Jean-David Laplanche)
has been a dog enthusiast all his life. From an early age, his parents raised various terriers. In the early seventies while residing in France, he fixed his sights upon the dogs that he has raised for over forty years, Salukis. Under the prefix of Shandell, and coupled with the French Saluki kennel, Arab Bahari, he still occasionally breeds and
174 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2020