Page 182 - ShowSight - October 2020

TOY GROUP Q&A
IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO FIND A GREAT DOG IN ANY BREED; THE ONES THAT GIVE YOU CHILLS AND YOU JUST CAN’T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THEM.
Conditioning? Again, it’s important, but conditioning alone can’t make an ordinary dog great. Expression? If these breeds are meant to “delight the eye” it’s obvious that proper expression is important.
Is it acceptable to reward a Toy dog with a bad bite? That can’t be answered by a yes or no. It depends on the severity of the fault as well as what else is in the ring.
Can I speak to the current overall quality of the Group? It’s amazing. No matter where I judge, I always find depth of quality.
Why do I think so many Toy breeds are popular today? Some of it is fashion. I remember only a few years back when Shih Tzu entries were huge; same with Cavaliers. Breed popularity ebbs and wanes.
Are there specific challenges presented when judging the low entry breeds? I don’t believe so.
Do I have any advice to impart to new Toy judges re: the table exam? Yes. Be patient and light handed.
Any comments regarding judging Toys outdoors versus indoors? It depends on the specific show site.
What have I found to be the greatest challenges and rewards as a judge of this Group? The greatest challenge is understanding indi- vidual breed type. Once you do, your reward is finding an exhibit that really gets you excited!
Can I name one or two of my all-time favorite Toys? Hands down, the Papillon Ch. Loteki Supernatural Being; he was not only a beautiful specimen, he was probably the most intelligent Toy dog I’ve ever seen.
Would I encourage exhibitors to enter their Toy dogs in Com- panion events? Of course! Toys are phenomenal companions after all!
Is there a funny story I’d like to share about my experiences judging Toys? I had an exhibitor who brought a carload of Chi- huahuas to a show where I was judging. I did not know who the exhibitor was, but he kept bringing in the wrong dog. He entered the Puppy Dog Class with a bitch. In the Open Class, he brought his special. When bitches were due in the ring, I’d stop him and ask, “Are you sure it’s the right one to bring in?” The spectators started to roar with laughter, especially when he had to exit the ring and get the right one. To this day, I have no idea why he was so confused.
DARRYL VICE
I started in dogs in the late seven- ties. I started breeding Miniature Pin- schers and Brussels Griffons. I am now owed by a Kerry Blue bitch. Along the way, I also had some Working breeds, but never bred them. I stared judging in 1993 with the two breeds I bred. I now judge four Groups and a couple other breeds.
I was introduced to Toys when I tried to have a Shih Tzu bred that I bought in a pet shop. When I met the person who had the stud dog, she talked me into going to a show. I started going every weekend with her and realized why she wouldn’t breed my little pet shop Shih Tzu. That’s when I fell in love with the Miniature Pinschers. She helped me find one and that
was the start of my dog showing career.
Apart from size, how would I define the Toy Group? If I was to
define the Toy Group, I would separate them into two groups: the lap/companion dogs and the ratters. The lap dogs at one time were owned by royalty. These were the Pekinese, Shih Tzu, Maltese, Pug, etc. All they needed to be was pretty and love their owners, thus the
[many] long-flowing coats. Then we have the ratters. These would be the Affenpinscher, Brussels Griffon, Toy Manchester, etc. These breeds were mostly brought up in the barns to keep the mice and rats cleared out. Of course, they were in the homes also, but were expected to do their jobs—and they did.
How important are presentation conditioning and expression in the Toy breeds? I do feel conditioning and expression are very important in the Toy Group. Expressions and conditioning are what attracted royalty to them. If the ratters weren’t conditioned with good muscling and body structure they might not have been able to keep up with the barn creatures.
Can I speak to the current overall quality of the Group? I do believe the Group is in pretty good shape in most breeds. Judg- ing across the states, the Toy Group is usually one of the strongest Groups. But as in any breed in any of the Groups, this depends on the breeders and how much they pay attention to their stan- dard when breeding. I believe that’s why some of the Toy breeds are very popular, because they are small and you can have more in your home, if breeding. With all the new regulations—even having intact animals—it is very difficult having large breeds in some cities and counties.
Why do I think so many Toy breeds are popular today? As for more popular breeds to breed, people seem to be staying away from the longer coated breeds because of the care of the coats. The larger numbers seem to be in smooth-coated dogs, i.e., Pugs, Miniature Pinschers, etc. A lot of times there are only one or two of the coated breeds in the ring.
Advice I would give a new exhibitor? When putting a Toy breed on the table, PLEASE train them. This is something you can prac- tice at home on the kitchen table, having a child or someone prac- tice going over them. The second thing is when putting them on the table, place their feet close to the edge of the table. Most new exhibi- tors will put them in the middle of the table. This makes the judge lean over and toward the dog, which makes the dog back up. Most dogs do not like you to lean and hover over them; this is especially true with Toy breeds. By putting them towards the edge, the judge can just walk up to the dog without leaning into them.
Any comments regarding judging Toys outdoors versus indoors? Judging the Toys outside is similar to any breed. If the grass is lon- ger, all dogs seem to look shorter in leg. However, the Toys can really look short; coated breeds look even worse. So I have always said examine on the table, but judge them on the ground. However, outdoors you must pay more attention to the balance of the dog; the height, the length of leg, etc. while on the table. This is when a trained dog on the table is an advantage to the dog and exhibitor. Toy breeds, in my opinion, should be indoors as much as possible. If not, the grass should be cut fresh and as short as possible. Of course, this would be up to the show committee.
Can I name one or two of my all-time favorite Toys? It is always great to find a great dog in any breed; the ones that give you chills and you just can’t take your eyes off them. It is a wonderful feel- ing, going over any breed, when every angle and every muscle just flows together. These exceptional dogs don’t come to every show, but when they do it’s a prize for all. There have been great ones in many of the Toy breeds, but I will stick to my breeds. To name a few that stand out in my mind; two Griffons, “Zorro” (Rough) and “Lincoln” (Smooth), and a Min Pin, “Ivan.” These dogs were well balanced and very typical of their breed, and they fit their standard as close as possible.
Toy breeds are so loving and easy to live with. Like all breeds, they want to make us happy. I’ve lived with many different Toy breeds for over close to 40 years, and I’ve enjoyed them all.
180 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2020