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Fancy Talk
Interview with Viruch Napachai French Bulldogs
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Show coverage for NY Specialty and Frenchies at Westminster
The Frenchie Fancy 2016 - The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, images, photographs or other materials. By accepting and publishing advertising the publisher in no way recommends, guarantees or endorses the quality of the services of products within those advertisments. The information contained in this online and print magazine is for general information purpose only. The information is provided by us and our collaborators, and while every efford is made to provide information which is both current and correct, we make no representations on warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliavility, suitability or availability with respect to the online magazine or the information, products, services or related graphics contained within the online magazine for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will Frenchie Fancy be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loos or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising for loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this online and print magazine.
Fancy Judging Cystinuria - The 3 T’s by Dr Lori Hunt, DVM
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Fancy Details
Frenchies and Obedience by Michelle Hrnchar
Fancy Judging
Rose City Classic Specialty by Ms Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine
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Fancy Judging
Judging Frenchies in Taiwan by Liz Davidson, D’Accord 4
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Fancy Judging French Bulldogs at Crufts 2016
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f ancy beginnings
Dear fellow Fancier: Hi, and welcome to the 12th edition of the Frenchie Fancy, your online and print source for everything French Bulldog! This edition marks the end of our third year running, we are so proud of what we have accomplished and hope to always be a tool for breeders to use when they want to look back on their breeding programs and also remember who was winning a while back. As we enter this fourth year of our publication, we would like to remind everyone that although we are based in North America, we are a worldwide publication dedicated to our breed. We believe that there are no walls or borders when it comes to FRENCHIES, and nowadays the collaborations between kennels from different continents is getting stronger by the day. We welcome and encourage that. However, we are all breeders, exhibitors, and Frenchie lovers. We know what it takes to breed a litter, to raise well rounded puppies, we know of and have lived through the heartbreaks associated with having and breeding Frenchies, we health test our dogs and we put our hearts and souls into this crazy thing we call our lives’ passion. So our advice is to never just take someone’s word for it. If someone approaches you for a puppy, it does not hurt to look up their reputation, get to know them and where the puppy will be living, as well as their breeding practices. We are the guardians of our breed and what we do with it now can impact it for years to come. So choose your partners wisely. Now, for this awesome issue, we have loads of show coverage: NY Specialties, Westminster, Crufts and a few specialties around the world! We also had a great talk with Viruch from Napachai Frenchies, and our ladies Lori Hunt and Michelle Hrnchar have both prepared super articles for your reading pleasure! The much
anticipated Cystinuria article from Dr. Lori Hunt, DVM is here and it breaks it down for you and makes it super easy to understand what’s going on. And we talk a little about Obedience and Frenchies with Michelle’s great piece. Don’t forget that you can order your Frenchie Fancy magazine hard copy online, or purchase a full year subscription with a special price! For more details, please access our website: www.FrenchieFancy.com Our next issue will be our July edition, celebrating the World Dog Show, so don’t forget to book your pages! For now, just sit back, relax and enjoy some of the very best French Bulldogs of the world. Talk soon,
Fernanda Barlow, Matthew Dover, Vivianne Mello The Frenchie Fancy Team
Send us a message! info@frenchiefancy.com www.frenchiefancy.com | facebook.com/frenchiefancy
FRENCHIE FANCY Creative Director Vivianne Mello info@frenchiefancy.com
Advertising Director Fernanda Barlow
Contributors Elizabeth Davidson Lori Hunt, DVM Michelle Hrnchar Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine Victor v Raamsdonk
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Photography Bitten Oldereide Fernanda Barlow Roger Barlow
Distribution
EUROPE
AUSTRALIA
Ana Jagtiani (Spain) Anna Denisova (Italy) Bitten Oldereide (Norway) Magnus Berglin (Sweden) Sarah Ventham (UK) Jakko Broersma (NL) Toni Saira (Finland) Daniela Akkad (Austria) Tove Rasmussen (Denmark) Mourning Chang (Taiwan)
Kelly McClelland UNITED STATES
Matthew Dover (East) Fernanda Barlow (West) Vivianne Mello (South)
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FANCY advertisers ARGENTINA CICCALE, Romina (CIMABULL) ................................. 10,11 GONZALEZ, Jorgelina ................................................. 77 MONTERO, Adrián (SANG REEL) .................................. 77 BELGIUM Raamsdonk, Victor (DE LA PARURE) ........................ 56 BRAZIL BORGES, Monik (SM CHEROKEE) ......................... 44, 45 CANADA MCINTYRE, Anne (FOXMOOR) ................................. 35 MOISI, Kerrie (GERNADA) .......................................... 93 THORNE, Daniel (CORTLAND) ................................... 73 CHINA LUO, Viva (Overtop) ........................ COVER, 2, 3, 18, 19 COLOMBIA GALVIS, Jairo (VILLA GLORIA) ................................. 14-16 COSTA RICA ABARCA, Adrian (ADABAR & RAPENO) ........... 66, 67 PEREZ, Raul (ADABAR & RAPENO) ............... 66, 67 YIN, Siben (SAINT HONORE) ...................................... 71 ECUADOR SOTOMAYOR, Juan Carlos (SECUTOR) ...................... 31 ENGLAND CLUBLEY, Ben & Aisha (FRABULL) ...................... 50, 51 FRIEND, Darren & Natalie (KINGFRIEND) ................ 51 SMITH, Linda (bellicose) .......................................... 52 NETHERLANDS JONG, Corina De (BULLEN PARADIJS) .............. 54, 55 NORWAY OLDEREIDE, Bitten (CONVIVIALS) .............................. 82 PERU BEHR, Isabel (Trésor B Boule) ............................. 60 SANCHEZ, Miguel (SANSIMONBULLS) ..................... 72 POLAND KLUSEK, Agnieszka (SLICE OF LIFE) ..................... 83 RUSSIA KOZHEVNIKOVA, Elena (Iz Palevyh Buldogov) ..... 26, 27
Switzerland JORG, Sabine (SOLEURE) ................................. 62, 63 THAILAND PHRUKWATTANAKUL, Viruch (NAPACHAI) ................... 7 UNITED STATES BARLOW, Fernanda (CARAMURU) ........................ 94-97 BERRY, Pat (petite cherie) ..................................... 35 BELOCK, LuAnn ................................................ 64, 65 BROTT, Karen (CHAMBORD) ........................... 40, 41 DALTON, James (FABELHAFT) ................... 10-13, 42, 43 DENNY, Nicole (PINNACLE) .............................. 64, 65 DEVINE, Mary (DEVINE) ...................................... 86, 87 FAGIN, Teddy ............................................................ 53 GULAS, Lisa (VOILA!) ................................................. 85 HAMMAN, Blake (LA BETE) ............................. 8, 9 HILSMAN, Roxanne (HILSMAN) ................................... 17 HUNT, Lori (ASSISI) ....................................... 61, 88, 89 HRNCHAR, Michelle .................................................. 61 JACOBY, Kim ............................................................ 38 KOWATA, Derek (hollywood) .......................... 86, 87 MATTINGLY, Debra .................................. 94, 95, 98, 99 MCCARTHY, Barbara (BANYAN) ................................ 57 MELLO, Vivianne (VIXBULL) ................................. 94-97 MILAM, Elizabeth (DE LA RIVE GAUCHE) ........... 50 MILLER, Stephen (PECHE MIGNON) ........................ 24 NEWCOMB, Nancy & Bob (NEWCOMB) ....................... 39 NORRIS, Jane (FULLA BULL) .................................... 53 NORTON, Toni ........................................................... 25 PHOTOS, Pete (LA BETE) ............................................ 8,9 SCHETTINO, L, L & V (SHADY HARBOR) ................ 28, 29 SCHMIDTBAUER, James ..................................... 64, 65 SEDER, Richard ..................................................... 70 SHAW Patricia (DIVA) ............................................. 8, 9 SMITH, Robert (PECHE MIGNON) ............................ 24, 94 SOSA, Patricia & Luis (BANDOG) ............................ 30 STAGLE, Suzanne (JUSTUS) .................................... 25 STOFFER, Donna ...................................................... 57 STOYKA William ....................................................... 35 WALLER, Rhonda (PEACH HILL) ................................. 84 WEINBERG, Allen (HOLLYWOOD) .......................... 86, 87 WILSON, Theresa (kotur) ........................................... 76 WOLFINGER, Linda (LWOLFRANCH) ...................... 74, 75 WOLKOWSKY, Sherry & Richard ............................... 35 VENEZUELA CELIS, Diego (MOKAODC) ................................ 10-13, 42
this issue’s stats > Frenchies from 18 countries, in 100 pages.
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FANCY TALK - VIRUCH PHRUKWATTANAKUL “NAPACHAI�
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the ancy talk interview with Viruch Phrukwattanakul napachai french bulldogs - thailand For many years, Viruch has worked hard to improve the quality of French Bulldogs from Thailand. Investing in some of the best bloodlines in the world and having his Frenchies presented both in his country and abroad, Napachai Frenchies is quickly rising. In this chat, we learned a little more about Viruch and his amazing French Bulldogs. We hope you enjoy the read. 20 frenchiefancy.com
FANCY TALK - VIRUCH PHRUKWATTANAKUL “NAPACHAI”
How did you start with French Bulldogs, did you have another breed before Frenchies? Since I could recall, I always had Pekingeses by myself. That was my first breed. I was breeding Pekes for years. Until year 2000, I then had the chance to meet the most adorable breed in the world, French Bulldogs. A Frenchie bitch was given to my roommate by his friend who had to relocate to England. Later on, the bitch was given to me. I was so fortunate to be owned by her.
What was your first Frenchie like? My first Frenchie was a brindle with very nice pedigree. I only thought she was too long to show. Other than that, she was very sound with nice movement. Her name was Twinlakes Namtan. Later, I had a chance to breed her to Ch.Twinlakes Eazy Rider. And from my very first litter which I sneaked and raised in a no pets allowed apartment, I produced my very first bred by Am.Ch.Harley An American Legend, and two Thailand champions, Ch.Napachai To Be Not To Be and Ch.Napachai Ride With Me.
Did you have a mentor starting out? I was very young and at the beginning and I bred them because I just wanted to have some puppies around myself so in my early years I didn’t have any mentors. However, after some years I became more serious in breeding and showing them. So I got a chance to meet my first mentor and now my beloved friend, Roxanne Hilsman. I was trusted with one of her beloved dogs, Brewster, Int.Am.Th.Ch.Hilsman’s Big Boss Man, 4a son of Ch.C and D’s LaBoss Mon Buntin. Brewster had given so much to our breed in Thailand. He was behind many nice frenchies here.
What are your thoughts on line breeding? What about repeating breedings? From my years of experience, I believe this is the most successful way of breeding. I have tried both line breeding and outcross breeding. Yes, I definitely prefer linebreeding. It helps you keep what you want from those lines. We can predict what our puppies might look like. I would not mind repeating a breeding. I will not hesitate to do so if that breeding has produced exceptional puppies. I myself did some repeated breedings.
In your opinion, what makes a co-ownership work well? “Honesty”. I don’t think I need to explain more. This word speaks for itself.
What is your process to evaluate puppies as show prospects? When do you start looking at them and what do you look for? I am always there to see the arrival of my litters. I might guess which one would be my pick in the future. However, I will really look at them when they are about 6-8 weeks old. I usually have my handler Totrakul Chaiyah who has very sharp eyes go over their bodies to check their structures. He loves pups with very sound movement. I myself prefer pups with exceptional headpiece but with help from my handler we got to compromise and get our pick together.
Do you think our breed is a “head” breed? Yes, I do. The first thing that keep your eyes on them is their beautiful head pieces. I could just forget anything else if I see such a gorgeous face with good impression. It melts my heart. Many years ago, more focus was put on their heads. But recently, I think judges don’t focus much on the heads. They can put up dogs with nice movement and shows very well even they don’t have April 2016
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FANCY TALK - VIRUCH PHRUKWATTANAKUL “NAPACHAI” nice heads. Sometimes I thought if they were frenchies or other breeds. Definitely, I would prefer them to have both things together but if I had to judge between two dogs which one has nice head but can’t move well and the other one with just a somewhat good head but excellent movement, I would pick the one with the better head who I think can represent our breed type better.
What is one trait that you simply cannot stand when you see in a French Bulldog, no matter how nice the rest of them are? Down-faced and very nosey. It destroys the whole picture of that dog in my eyes. As said, head is the most important piece so I would love to see frenchies with short nose with nice upsweep and beautiful layback.
If you could breed to any dog, dead or alive, which one would you choose and why?
Sebastien, Bis.Biss.Am.Can.Ch.Hilsman Napachai’s Cruel Intentions
In your years of breeding, what has been your favorite litter that you have bred to date?
There are many litters that I love but if there is only one answer it is definitely the litter that produced my very first bredby BIS winner in USA, Bis.Biss.Am.Can. Ch.C and D’s Laboss Mon Buntin. Personally, he is my ideal type of what a french bulldog should look like. And Ch.Hilsman Napachai’s Cruel Intentions, aka Sebastien. What is more, this litter produced nowadays we are getting away from his picture. I want to my bred by ideal french bulldog, Carson, Biss. see his clone in show rings. I want that classic type back. Am.Can.Th.Ch.Napachai Hilsman’s Throw Caution To The Wind. The sire of this litter is Ch.Hilsman Bandog’s Holy Moses and the dam is Ch.Hilsman’s Sands Chloe. I co-bred this litter with Roxanne Hilsman.
When you choose a breeding, do you put more emphasis on type or on pedigree? I put more emphasis on pedigree. I am a person who believes and trusts in line breeding. Anyway, I would choose parents who are similar in type too. However, if there is a chance, I will not just limit myself with line breedings only. It could be so boring if you do line breedings again and again for a long time even you know your pups will look nice. It is very challenging to bring something new to your line no matters outcome will be good or bad. Carson, Ch.Napachai Hilsman’s Throw Caution To The Wind
What has been the French Bulldog bred by you that has been closest to your ideal of type? Carson, Ch.Napachai Hilsman’s Throw Caution To The Wind. He could have more neck, more length in front legs and yes more topline. But other than those, he is the one. Such a gorgeous face he has! 22 frenchiefancy.com
In your opinion, what should breeders from your country be working on to improve the breed? There are so many types of French Bulldogs here and they seem to have their own ideas about their dogs. Overall I think we are good at headpieces now but I saw many dogs with bad fronts. So I think that could be the thing we should improve first.
FANCY TALK - VIRUCH PHRUKWATTANAKUL “NAPACHAI”
Do you aspire to judge French Bulldogs? Whenever I have successfully accomplished in breedings and showings, I think judging will be the next thing. You can help set up the type that you believe is the best representative of the breed.
What has been your most treasured achievement or win so far? I values these 3 achievements of my 3 bred-by dogs equally. The first thing is really the dream come true, winning the very first all breed BIS in USA by Sebastien, Bis.Biss.Am.GCh.Cdn.Ch.Hilsman Napachai’s Cruel Intentions and he was no.7 in USA that year, my first frenchie ranking in the top 10! Moreover, he was my first to win BISS too and that happened at the specialty before the WKC show. Thank you Dave Berry and Alvin Beep Lee for making my dream come true. Secondly, my history maker in Asia, Mutil.Bis. Biss.Am.Ch.Th.Chn.Grand.Ch.Napachai Masterpiece, aka Harpo. He was the first frenchie to win the first all breed BIS in Thailand bred by a Thai. He was no.1 Frenchie in Thailand 2013. The following year, he became the first frenchie in history to win BIS in China and later he won BIS at the biggest show in China under a European judge and Harpo is a cream! He was no.1 Frenchie in China 2014. Thank you Roy Koon and Tortrakul Chaiyah for the amazing year. The third achievement is Carson’s Award of Merit at FBDCA National 2013, Award of Merit at Westminster Kennel club 2015 and 8 group 1’s in the USA. He was actually my first dog to win the group in the USA. That was from the puppy class! Thank you Hiram Stewart for the first group win and that was a decision making point to campaign him. He finished the year of 2014 by being no.12 USA. He also was the first Frenchie who won the first French Bulldog Specialty in Thailand. I am so proud of these achievements these dogs have done for me.
If you could give someone who is starting out in our breed today an advice, what would it be? Focus on the line you think is the best fit to the standard, but don’t be afraid to add something new to your breeding program.
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f ancy judging
FBDCA ny metro specialties & westminster
february 2016 - new york, usa
pictures by fernanda barlow - frenchie fancy magazine
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FBDCA NEW YORK METRO SPECIALTIES SATURDAY - FEBRUARY 13 RESULTS SWEEPS JUDGE: Mr. Alvin Samala BEST IN SWEEPSTAKES SUIRAC N EPIC’S HOMEWOOD B-52 BEST OF OPPOSITE SEX IN SWEEPSTAKES NEWCOMB’S WIND IN THE WILLOWS BEST VETERAN IN SWEEPSTAKES CH FANCIBUL’S CONQUISTADORA UD BN RAE CGCA
SPECIALTY JUDGE: Mr. Edd E. Bivin BEST OF BREED
CH SHADY HARBOR BELLA RIDGE IMPERIALE CONNIE
BEST OF WINNERS & WINNERS BITCH CRESTAGARD’S TATTLETAIL MAE BEST OF OPPOSITE SEX GCH JCRV-KLASSE WARRIOR RAISING THE BANNER
SELECT DOG
CH FOXMOOR PETITE CHERIE CREME FRAICHE
SELECT BITCH
GCH IACTA ALEA EST DE LA BETE
WINNERS DOG & BEST PUPPY
SUIRAC N EPIC’S HOMEWOOD B-52
AWARDS OF MERIT CH EVERGREEN BELLA RIDGE VERA GCH QAZARA TI AMO GCH COCO VIALATTE LAST SAMURAI CH LAMBORGHINI MIURA DE LA BETE CH LIONHEART’S THUMBS UP!
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FBDCA NEW YORK METRO SPECIALTIES SUNDAY - FEBRUARY 14 RESULTS SWEEPS JUDGE: Mr. Jay Serion BEST IN SWEEPSTAKES NEWCOMB’S WIND IN THE WILLOWS BEST OF OPPOSITE SEX IN SWEEPSTAKES ROCKYDELL HOMEWOOD MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
SPECIALTY JUDGE: Mrs. Anne M. Hier BEST OF BREED
GCH IACTA ALEA EST DE LA BETE
BEST OF WINNERS/WINNERS DOG/PUPPY ROCKYDELL HOMEWOOD MISSION IMPOSSIBLE BEST OF OPPOSITE SEX
GCH LE PETIT PRINCE DE LA BETE
SELECT DOG
GCH JCRV-KLASSE WARRIOR RAISING THE BANNER
SELECT BITCH
GCH QAZARA TI AMO
WINNERS BITCH
NEWCOMB’S WIND IN THE WILLOWS
AWARDS OF MERIT GCH LIONHEART’S THUMBS UP! KARENDON’S IT’S ALL ABOUT ME CH EVERGREEN BELLA RIDGE VERA GCH CHAMBORD’S I’LL NOT BE A GENTLEMAN
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2016 WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW FRENCH BULLDOG RESULTS JUDGE: Ms. Mary A. Miller
SELECT BITCH Karendon’s It’s All About Me
BEST OF BREED
WINNERS BITCH Crestagard’s Tattletail Mae
GCH JCRV-KLASSE WARRIOR RAISING THE BANNER
AWARDS OF MERIT BEST OF WINNERS & WINNERS DOG CH Shady Oak Shot Of Tryumphe
GCH Coco Vialatte Last Samurai GCH Highwood’s Guilty Pleasure
BEST OF OPPOSITE SEX
GCH Iacta Alea Est De La Bete
SELECT DOG
GCH Lebull’s New Hope Wooly Bully
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GCH Bella Ridge Imperiale Shady Harbor’s Fire Fly GCH Marno’s Follow The Dream GCH Qazara Ti Amo
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f ancy health
CYSTINURIA - The “3 Ts”: Testicles, Testosterone and Two genes written by LORI HUNT, DVM . photography by REDDOGFOTO.ru
C
ystinuria is one of those “new” diseases that has everyone talking! Well, it’s not NEW really, just new to us as French Bulldog breeders. Whenever anything new comes along, there is the usual fear, finger pointing, and denial – all three are detrimental to any breed. When a breed is in existence long enough, and people start discussing things, we start to hear of commonalities and issues that exist. Cystinuria is one of those… It starts something like this… Sally says, “My dog just had to have emergency surgery for bladder stones” and Suzie says, “Oh, he did? One of my friends’ dogs also had stones and had to have a Scrotal urethrostomy”… And then the conversation (hopefully) continues… And information is gained! I am hoping this article will dispel some myths and explain why so many of you have not seen it personally. Remember everyone, knowledge is power!
Let’s start with some basics of bladder stones. There are several kinds in dogs; the most common being Struvite, Oxalate, Urate and Cystine. Struvite stones are usually caused by pH variances and/ or chronic, often low grade, urinary infections. Oxalates can be caused by pH imbalance. Urates are inherited in certain breeds, like Dalmatians. And then there is cystine, which is a bit more complicated. Cystine stones have been known about and managed in many breeds for a while now, including Newfoundlands, Mastiffs, and Bulldogs. French Bulldogs are the newest breed discovered to be affected by them. Cystinuria is the name for the disease caused by cystine stones (cystin-) in the bladder and urine (-uria). In French Bulldogs, the ability to develop Cystinuria is inherited by a simple autosomal recessive gene and current information is that neutering is curative. As I type, I can hear many of you saying... “But I have been in frenchies forever, and I have NEVER seen it!” Well I am writing this article to tell you THAT IT IS OUT THERE! And dogs have DIED from it, due to lack of knowledge… I have at least 30 cases that I have consulted on and discussed with the owners’ of said dogs, either on the phone, via email or through my survey on my website (link at the end of the article). You see, Cystine stones are a bit tricky in Frenchies… In order for a dog to make cystine stones, three
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things MUST happen: 1) the dog is a male 2) the dog is NOT neutered, thus having testosterone in his system and 3) the dog has two copies of the gene. A quick way to remember it is the “3 Ts“: Testicles, Testosterone and Two Genes. In my humble opinion, one of the biggest reasons many people have not seen this disease is that MOST male puppies are neutered in pet homes. I will go one step further and say that I believe many male frenchies, even champion show dogs, are neutered by the age 3 – 4, and placed in a pet home. According to my survey results, the average age for Cystinuria to raise its ugly head is 3.58 years of age. Now hopefully you can see how many dogs may escape it by being neutered young. Also if you unknowingly breed a carrier to a carrier, your chances of getting an AFFECTED MALE puppy are only 12.5%. Even breeding a carrier to an affected, only gives you a 25% chance of producing an affected male. As you can see these are small percentages, which gets even smaller when you account for the small litter size we see in French Bulldogs, and so we don’t always see statistics working out as perfectly as Mendel intended them... In order to see these affected male dogs become clinical, they must grow up, not be neutered, be fertile (not sub fertile or infertile) and reach an age that allows significant cystine stone formation. Once a large amount of cystine stones are present, they can obstruct the urethra. When the urethra is obstructed, a dog cannot urinate; they become toxic and at risk for bladder rupture. What an owner may see is a dog who is lethargic, painful, and inappetant (symptoms often seen with other frenchie issues, including backs, which
in order for a dog to make cystine stones, they need to be an intact male and have two copies of the gene. begs the question how many have been misdiagnosed). If the stones are not found and treated, the dog can die… and quickly! At this point, I want to relate some information from my informal survey, so that you may be aware of what dogs suffering from this disease experience. My survey revealed an average diagnosis age of 3.6 years old, with a range of 1 – 7.5 years, and one dog who at 6.5 years was stone free, BUT sterile (Missing one of the 3 Ts = Testosterone). The following symptoms prompted owners to seek their veterinarian: blood in the urine, straining to urinate, frequent urination, housebroken dogs urinating in the house, blocked and could not urinate at all, not eating, pain and lethargy/depression. Most of these stones were diagnosed on ultrasound, a few by radiograph (likely involving a special procedure to inject air in the bladder to highlight stones, as they are not generally radio opaque), and some were not diagnosed until they were able to “unblock” the dog and see the stones. The most difficult part for me to read in these surveys was the procedures these dogs had performed on them, especially in light of the fact that we now know that Cystinuria can be CURED by removing stones and neutering the dog. But before I get into what these dogs endured, a few definitions are necessary. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. In the male dog, it passes along the backside of the dog and between the rear legs. Within the penis, the urethra lies within a trough of bone, the os penis, and becomes narrower. Stones that develop within the urinary tract will often become stuck within the urethra behind this bone, blocking the urethra and thus rendering the dog unable to urinate. If stones are stuck in the urethra, hydropulsion can be attempted. This is done with the animal anesthetized. A catheter is then passed through the urethra if possible or until blockage is felt and an infusion - most times with great force - of sterile saline is used to try to push the stones back into the bladder so a cystotomy can be performed. To remove stones from the bladder, a cystotomy is required. In this procedure, the dog is under general anesthesia. The bladder is accessed through a small abdominal incision. Then the bladder is opened, stones are removed, and the urinary tract is flushed thoroughly to make sure no stones are left behind. If stones in the urethra cannot be flushed into the bladder for removal, a scrotal urethrostomy (see below) may be necessary. Stones removed at surgery are submitted for
chemical analysis and in some cases, for culture as well. Biopsy of any abnormal bladder tissue may be collected as well. Dogs which have a urethral obstruction that cannot be unblocked or are recurrent stone formers may require surgery to form a new permanent opening to the urethra, called a scrotal urethrostomy. Scrotal urethrostomies may be required because stones in the urethra may become trapped and cannot be removed. An opening is created behind the os penis where the urethra is wider so that urine and small stones may pass through. For most dogs having a scrotal urethrostomy, the penis is left in place, so that a male dog will look the same when he is walking down the street. However, he will urinate from the new opening in the location where his scrotum used to be, similar to how a female dog urinates. Many dogs in my survey had MULTIPLE cystotomies, hydropulsion and more than half of the dogs ended up with scrotal urethrostomies after undergoing multiple surgeries. If only those owners and/or their veterinarians had known that neutering was curative!!!! Many were not neutered until after the urethrostomies were performed. If they had been, there would have been no need for further surgeries. If Cystinuria statuses of these dogs had been known, all but neutering could likely have been avoided, as careful monitoring of the urine could have been done with a nitroprusside test. We are lucky now… we can get our dogs’ status with a simple cheek swab DNA test! Due to research performed by Paula Henthorn, PhD at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School, we have learned a lot about Cystinuria in frenchies. Dr. Henthorn’s official paper will be published sometime soon. But as a synopsis, French bulldogs are either CLEAR (11), CARRIER (1-2) or AFFECTED (2-2). Cystine stones can often be difficult to diagnose on radiograph and/or ultrasound. Sometimes cystine crystals can be found in
FRENCHIES CAN BE EITHER: CLEAR (1-1), CARRIER (1-2) OR AFFECTED (2-2). a urine sample. There is now a urine nitroprusside test available for those who want to monitor urine status and their dog’s risk for stone formation. This can be especially helpful for people with 2-2 males. In Dr. Henthorn’s original study, there were close to 215 french bulldogs involved, approximately half male and half female. She had 10 stone formers (5%) who were ALL 2-2 intact males. Approximately 37% of the dogs in the study were Clear, approximately 41% carriers and approximately 22% affected. There was one 2-2 male who did not form stones, but he was later determined to be sterile, thus missing one of the 3 Ts – Testosterone!
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How do I get my dog tested for the Cystinuria gene? You will have to send a blood sample or cheek brushes. Cheek brushes can be obtained from: www.ezswabs.com A. Login the PennGen’s home page (http://research.vet.upenn.edu/) 1. As a new user, “Create an Account” 2. Animal Owner/Agent 3. Create a New Account 4. Request a New Test 5. Complete animal information 6. Test Type: Type3 Cystinuria-Associated Marker – DNA B. Follow the “Sample Collection & Shipping Instructions” C. Print off “Submission Form”, complete and sign. D. Mail Sample Collection & Submission Form to: Dr. Paula Henthorn per instructions E. You will be notified by email when the test is completed. F. Login to your PennGen account, pay for test via credit card, and receive the results. G. Turn around time is a few weeks. As a side note, there are multiple companies offering “Cystinuria” testing for Frenchies. They have offered it in the past for some of the other affected breeds, mentioned earlier in this article, but it is NOT the same as for French Bulldogs, who have Type 3 Cystinuria. To paraphrase Dr. Henthorn, a woman I consider as our breed’s Cystinuria authority, “These (other companies) may be using one marker that has been published with others as a part of polymorphism (multiple genes seen in animals with disease)…. It has been known about for years but is not believed to alone cause cystinuria. PennGen uses multiple markers, ... Including the 8 additional markers that we’ve identified in the research to actually cause disease”
2-2 BITCHES SHOULD JUST BE TREATED AS A “DOUBLE CARRIER” AS THEY WILL NEVER GET THE DISEASE. In summary, Cystinuria is definitely affecting our French bulldog males. I think we are seeing an increase in cases for a few reasons. One being the more natural approach
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the dog community is taking to neutering, as we now see benefits to delaying neutering. However with 2-2 males, this can be detrimental. I think we are also hearing about it more due to the internet and our shrinking world… more communication and knowledge. Cystinuria is a simple autosomal recessive and we can breed away from it with the help of a simple cheek swab DNA test. As of the writing of this article, there is only ONE proven place to do this test and it is at PennGen, (the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine). You can still confidentially submit surveys on my website.
WE CAN CONFIDENTLY BREED CARRIERS (AND EVEN AFFECTED) DOGS, SO LONG AS WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE MATCHING UP, AND WHAT MAY NEED TO BE NEUTERED AS A RESULT. Let’s not bury our heads in the sand… test and be aware. We can confidently breed carriers, and even affected dogs, so long as we know what we are matching up, and what may need to be neutered as a result of the cross. You can even breed two carriers or two affected and easily keep a bitch with no worry, as 2-2 bitches will never get disease and should just be treated as a double carrier. It’s imperative to know the status of males in particular from a health stand point for the dog, in order to lessen his chances of making stones. Be open and honest and share information… Test, share, don’t judge, and for goodness sake, don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Use it as a piece of the puzzle that is breeding! It’s the least we can do for the breed we all love and who gives us so much in return!
PennGen http://research.vet.upenn.edu/ Dr Lori Hunt’s Cystinuria Survey http://www.assisifrenchbulldogs.com/cystinuria Order cheek brushes online http://www.ezswabs.com/
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f ancy details FRENCH BULLDOGS AND OBEDIENCE
written by MICHELLE HRNCHAR
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f you and your French Bulldog are looking for a good introduction to performance dog sports, AKC obedience and rally are great places to start. Training for these sports doesn’t just make your Frenchie more likely to come when called or not jump on your guests. The time spent in training is a great way to strengthen the bond between your and your dog, which is priceless. It will also help get you ready for any other kind of competition or training, from the breed ring to the agility ring. In this article, I will try to explain the basics of AKC obedience, as well as shedding some light onto their titling systems and what it takes to earn those titles. Obedience is the original companion event in the American Kennel Club. It is the oldest performance venue, and obedience skills are the foundation for any kind of dog training, no matter what breed or event. Traditionally obedience belongs to the Shepherds, Collies & Retrievers – but any breed can be trained to compete in this mentally challenging sport. French Bulldogs may be in the minority, but when trained properly can be truly great partners. It may come as a surprising statistic that in 2015 alone, there were 16 AKC obedience titles earned by Frenchies, including an upper-level title (UDX2) earned by Vail Hanna and her 10-year old “Ikon” (Greenmont Hidden Agenda UDX2 VER RAE MXP MJP). Ikon also holds the honor of the only French Bulldog to have competed in the AKC National Obedience Invitational (NOI), an event where the top teams from each breed are invited to compete each year. Ikon & Vail placed 4th in the Nonsporting group at the 2010 NOI.
Photo Sheldon Smith
Obedience trials demonstrate the dog’s ability to follow specified routines which were developed to emphasize the usefulness of the dog as a human companion. The objective of obedience trials is to recognize dogs that have been trained to behave in the home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs. Dog and handler teams are scored on how closely they match the judge’s mental picture of a theoretically perfect performance as they execute a series of specified exercises. Accuracy and precision is vital, but the natural movement of the handler and the willingness and enjoyment of the dog are essential for a winning performance. Exercises are specified for each level, and do not vary from one event to the next. There is a single judge, who verbally directs the team through the exercises. Teams are scored out of a total of 200 points, with deductions taken for any deviation from the ideal. A minimum score of 170 is needed to qualify, and each level takes requires 3 qualifying scores to earn a title. Other than the obedience championships (OTCH, described later), all obedience titles are listed as suffixes after a dogs’ registered name. There are three titling tracks (regular, non-regular, and preferred) each of which are listed separately, with only the highest title earned being listed. The Novice class (Companion Dog title, abbreviated CD) demonstrates skills such as heeling (both with and without a leash), coming when called, standing for a simple physical examination, and staying for several minutes in both a sit and a down position with a group of dogs while their handler is across the ring. Currently there are over 200 French Bulldogs who have earned a CD since the first (CH Winnie of Laurelwood, owned by Grace & Vernon Taylor) one was awarded to the breed in 1947. The Open class (Companion Dog Excellent title, CDX) is more challenging as all exercises are done off-leash, plus retrieving and jumping challenges are added. Dogs are also required to stay in position for a lengthy period of time (3 minute sit, followed by a 5 minute down) while their handler is out of sight. More than 50 Frenchies have obtained the CDX title, the most recent being awarded to “Ike”
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(top) Ike (CH Sumfun’s Ican Do It GN CDX RE) retrieving a dumbbell in the Open class. (bottom) Ikon (Greenmont Hidden Agenda UDX2 VER RAE MXP MJP) working through the scent articles in the Utility class.
(CH Sumfun’s Ican Do It CDX GN RA, handled by Jill Faulmann, owned by Jill Faulmann & Danielle Silverstein). The Utility class (Utility Dog, the UD title) is the most challenging obedience class. At this level dogs are asked to retrieve several objects; gloves, leather atrticles and metal articles. The dog must independently sort though the articles and determine the correct one to retrieve purely by the use of scent. Dogs must work at a distance from their handler, performing a few exercises with only hand signals (no verbal commands from their handler allowed). More jumping and extended heeling patterns are required. There are 19 amazing Frenchies who have completed this advanced title.
(top) The long down. Dogs must remain quiet & still while handlers leave for 3-5 minutes as part of the group stay exercise. (left) (Greenmont Hidden Agenda UDX2 VER RAE MXP MJP). Ikon also holds the honor of the only FrenchBulldog to have competed in the AKC National Obedience Invitational (NOI), where he finished 4th in the Nonsporting Group. (right) Preparing for the group sit/stay. Handlers leave their dogs at the judges order & dogs must stay for 1-3 minutes depending on the level.
Upon completion of the UD title, dogs may continue on to earn the Utility Dog Excellent (UDX) title by qualifying in both the Open and Utility classes on the same day at 10 different trials – quite the accomplishment for any breed, and there are four French Bulldogs who have achieved this advanced title. The Obedience Trial Championship (OTCH) title - often referred to as the “PhD” for dogs - is the highest obedience honor a dog can receive. To obtain an OTCH title, a dog and handler team must receive 100 points by placing first, second, third or fourth in the Open B or Utility B classes,
as well as a first place in Utility B, and first place in Open B and an additional first place from either class. Only one French Bulldog has been able to achieve the their obedience championship; OTCH Marianette Joyese Cuvee Sylvain UDX2 RN, owned and handled by Hope Sylvain. In recent years AKC has added some optional new classes. These are not required in the progression of titles, but were added to give competitors a more gradual introduction to the discipline or transition between levels. This includes the “Optional” classes - BN (Beginner Novice), GN (Graduate Novice), and GO (Graduate Open). There is also now also Preferred/Alternative titling track, which feature lower jump heights and group stay exercises are not needed (Preferred Novice or PCD, Preferred Open or PCDX and Preferred Utility or PUD). There is also a Versatility title (VER) where exercises from the various level are combined at the discretion of the judge. For full description of these titles, visit AKC.org/events/obedience
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f ancy judging
Rose City Classic French Bulldog Specialty
january, 2016 - PORTLAND, OR
photography courtesy of Danielle Silverstein and HOW Pictures judged by Ms Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine
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Pacific Northwest French Bulldog Club and the exhibitors for a really terrific day. I knew right from the first class of puppy dogs I was going to have an enjoyable day judging one of my favorite breeds. If this breed doesn’t put a smile on your face you are not human or you certainly lack a sense of humor. hank you to the
My 6-9 puppy dog, who became my WD and BOW winner caught my eye right away. As dogs come in the ring and go around the ring I can see the outline and proportion, bone and substance and he didn’t disappoint. My mentor, Colette Secher, told me “a Frenchie without a topline isn’t a Frenchie”, she also told me to never award a Frenchie with its’ tongue sticking out. Well, I am very pleased to report that I didn’t see one tongue sticking out of any mouths on this day. He had the proper square head, lovely big bat ears and the desired upturn of underjaw. I had many quality dogs, but on this day this puppy could not be denied. I also went with a bitch puppy for winners bitch. Again she had the lovely topline, correct balance, bone and head properties. It was a very delightful day going through many top quality specimens. I had so many truly wonderful breed dogs and bitches.
My Best of Breed winner was a lovely compact bitch with good bone, topline, balance and had the “U” upturn that is sadly disappearing in the breed. She was in lovely condition and showed and moved very well. My select bitch was also a lovely bitch with the proper topline and it was very close between the two, but the upturn jaw gave the nod to my eventual winner. There were several male specials that had great quality too and the competition was very close and came down to just a few finer qualities. From where I stood I thought the sportsmanship was great and something I wish other breeds would take note of. I thought it seemed like everyone was having a nice time. Maybe it was my imagination because I was having such a great time. But, regardless it appeared to me that it was a delightful day for everyone. I’d like to thank the hard working members, their efforts are greatly appreciated. They did a terrific job. And, thank you to all who entered, it was a wonderful entry and such fun to sort through. Best of luck in the future and keep up the good work with this charming breed. Sincerely,
Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine
BEST OF BREED
GCH CH VERITAS’ SHOOTING STAR
BEST OF WINNERS/BEST PUPPY FOXGLOVE CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER BEST OF OPPOSITE SEX
CH LEBULL’S REVERIES SONG OF WAR
SELECT DOG
DE ZURBANO AGUACATE BYDEZYNE
SELECT BITCH
GCH CH QAZARA TI AMO
WINNERS BITCH
ARCTIC FOX’S BABYFACE BANDITS HOT AND SPICY PEPPE
SWEEPSTAKES - JUDGE: Ms Brenda Anwyll BEST IN SWEEPSTAKES FOXGLOVE CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGEr best of opposite in sweepstakes EDENGATE’S MAY BELL OF THE BALL
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f ancy judging french bulldogs at CRUFTS 2016
UNITED KINGDOM
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photography courtesy of BITTEN OLDEREIDE judged by mr victor VAN RAAMSDONK (de la parure kennel)
n my life I have already judged the French Bulldogs on several FCI World Shows and FCI European Shows and on all the continents of the World. In 2007 I had the honour to judge together with Bas Bosch in two days: The Centenary of the French Bulldog Club of Holland with a record entry of 406 Entries. But I had never expexted an invitation of The Greatest Show of The World: Crufts in the United Kingdom, because mostly English judges are judging on this great event in the Cynological world.
But to my surprise I received the official invitation for Crufts 2016 to judge The French Bulldogs in the traditional Green envelop. This was for me a great honour, I have visited in the last 44 years many Crufts Shows, first in London and later in Birmingham. I was always impressed by the organisation, the great entries and the traditional style in the Ring of Honour. Crufts with more than 22000 entries and 160.000 vidstors is still the Top Show of the world and I was very honoured to judge on thursday 10 march 2016, the new record of 245 French Bulldogs in Hall 4 in Ring 16. I would like to thank the Board of the kennel Club of the United Kingdom for inviting me tot judge at the Greatest Show of the World. My thanks to the exhibitors for making Crufts 2016 for me a really memorable appointment with a new record in the breed and for their sportmanship. My top winning Frenchies were really from World Class Level. The Best Puppy in Breed was from the UK: the brindle bitch XENTIQUE TOTAL ECLIPSE from Mr. R & Mrs C. Swateridge. My Reserve Dog came fro the MID LIMIT CLASS with 15 entries: the brindle Import from Portugal: KING ARTHUR DE CANIPALMA AT SANDYLAKE, from Mrs. J. Thomas. My Reserve Bitch was the Number One of the JUNIOR CLASS with 21 entries: the brindle bitch from Poland and bred in Brazil: NOVIZALA MACKENZIE from Miss A. Klusek from Poland. The Champion Bitch and BOS came from the MID LIMIT CLASS with 15 entries: the brindle Bitch from Holland: SPARKLING
PRIDE SIGOURNEY LYMEE, from breeder owner Mrs; E. Vonkvan der Linden. For me “THE QUEEN OF THE DAY: Very typical excellent bitch. Excellent square head, beautiful flat skull, excellent domed forehead, typical wrinkling, very nice dark eyes and excellent bat ears, typical feminin expression,excellent in front and feet with good bone, nice neck, very nice topline, excellent in ribs and typical “cut up”, good loins, very nice croup, excellent tail-set, enough angulation in the rear, sound mover. The Champion DOG and BOB was the WINNER of the OPEN CLASS (20 entries) : A brindle Frenchie with great outstanding qualities. For me he was : “THE KING OF THE DAY” and “ THE WALKING STANDARD” from the USA and bred in Venezuela: AM.CH. MOKAODC ROBOBOBULL CATATUMBO COL. JCH., from Celis & Dalton. A Beautiful Dog with an excellent typical square head with the desired flat skull, excellent stop and excellent width in muzzle and underjaw, very nice dark eyes and typical bat-ears, typical expression, excellent in front with small compact and good placed feet, excellent in bone, a powerful well arched and thick neck, a cobby body, muscular and well rounded with deep wide typical brisket, typical roached back, good “cut up” and angulation in rear, showed a free, flowing and very sound movement. From some of the Frenchies showed under me, I could not understand that they were qualified for Crufts. I had expected more Quality in the classes. My main concerns of the breed after my judging are: Ear placement (placed too much at the side),Underjaw and Chin (too less turn up) the topline (too flat and not showing the typical roach and not to forget: weak pasterns. I hope that the breeders will pay attentione to the above points. But also I have to say that there were all sound Frenchies in my ring and that is the most important for the future of our breed. CRUFTS 2016 was one of the most memorable days of my cynological life.
Victor Alexander van Raamsdonk
CHALLENGE CERTIFICATE - DOG (BEST OF BREED) & BITCH AM CH MOKAODC ROBOBULL CATATUMBO - Sparkling Pride Sigourney Lymee nei
RESERVE CHALLENGE CERTIFICATE - DOG & BITCH KING ARTHUR DE CANIPALMA AT SANDYLAKE - NOVIZALA MACKENZIE POLJCH POLJW
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TOP - (puppy dog 1) Xentique Pandamonium For Baclaudi / (YEARLING BITCH 1) Crashkon Audrey Hepurn MIDDLE - (Post gratuate dog 1) La Petite Amande Aurel vdh Jun / (limit dog 1) Renuar Financial Times Glenlee BOTTOM - (YEARLING DOG 1) Jafrak Much Obliged / (LIMIT BITCH 1) Amadors Gem Billie Jean
BEST OF BREED AM CH MOKAODC ROBOBULL CATATUMBO COLJCH BEST PUPPY XENTIQUE TOTAL ECLIPSE DOG CHALLENGE CERTIFICATE AM CH MOKAODC ROBOBULL CATATUMBO COLJCH BITCH CHALLENGE CERTIFICATE SPARKLING PRIDE SIGOURNEY LYMEE RESERVE DOG CHALLENGE CERTIFICATE KING ARTHUR DE CANIPALMA AT SANDYLAKE RESERVE BITCH CHALLENGE CERTIFICATE NOVIZALA MACKENZIE POL J CH POLJW
TOP - Best Puppy XENTIQUE TOTAL ECLIPSE LEFT - Best of Breed
About Victor A. v Raamsdonk Since 1972 we breed French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs and Bull Mastiffs under the “De la Parure” affix. During these four decades we have exported our French Bulldogs World wide and our kennel is now represented in 69 countries. With numerous national, international and 28 FCI World champions and 3 Crufts Winners as result. I am FCI Judge for Group 2 and I am qualified to Judge several breeds in Group 9 and Group 3. I have judged on all continents and judged at 5 FCI World dog shows and 3 European Dog Shows. I have been a commitee member and president of the Dutch French Bulldog Club for 20 years. Currently I am President of The French Bulldog Club of Holland and of the Dutch Boston Terrier Club, the Outdoor Uden FCI dog show, and the Molloser Show. Furthermore I am president of the Group 2 section and Delegate of the committee of the members of the Dutch Kennel Club. My wife and are I are decorated honoury member of the Dutch French Bulldog club and Austrian French Bulldog Club. Furthermore we are decorated with the “golden pin” for the membership of the German French Bulldog club. From the Dutch kennel club we received the “golden pin” as recognition and appreciation for our work as pioneers in the French Bulldog breed.
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f ancy judging JUDGING FRENCH BULLDOGS IN TAIWAN: A UNIQUE LIFE EXPERIENCE
article by liz davidson, d’accord french bulldogs
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ravelling to Taiwan to judge four breed specialty shows in December last year proved to be one of the most interesting and stimulating judging assignments I have undertaken. To be quite honest, it was amazing! Imagine being able to combine two of your passions - dogs and travel.
as “Taiwan” or “China” and what the exact nature of its identity is, relative to the Peoples Republic of China [PRC], is a great source of debate both domestically and politically. The PRC continues to assert that it represents the sole legal government of China and that Taiwan represents China’s 23rd province.
Well that’s what this trip proved to be. However, just prior to my invitation to judge, there was a lot of unrest and disappointment by northern hemisphere countries because of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale’s [FCI] decision to award China the 2019 World Show. Hot debate and criticism of China’s cultural practice of eating dog meat resulted in petitions against China hosting the World Show, threats of boycotts, and even one FCI mem b er country threatening to leave FCI. I had to ask myself that by accepting the judging app ointment would I be supporting this?
As far as dogs are concerned Taiwan is an independent and full member of the FCI, part of the Asia and Pacific region. Appointment accepted I went on to enjoy a most memorable four days in Taiwan.
Taiwan’s history is complicated. Officially the Republic of China [ROC] is a sovereign state in East Asia. ROC was originally based in mainland China and governs Taiwan (99% of its territory along with other minor islands). Its mainland China territory was lost in 1949 in the Chinese Civil War. Taiwan’s national identity remains unresolved and disputed to this day. Whether the ROC identifies more
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Alex Zee, General Secretary of the Kennel Club of Taiwan and All Breeds Judge met with me upon arrival in Taipei, the capital. Treated to several unforgettable meals, one thing I learned about Taiwanese culture is that you must eat! It is considered rude not to eat everything put before you. Alex was so kind during the four days, ordering some of the local cuis ine and treating me to dishes not normally eaten by westerners. Taiwanese cuisine is both delicious and healthy. Taipei is not on the usual tourist route for most westerners and I saw very few during my stay - most tourists come from mainland China and Japan. English is not widely spoken but you do get by. Things not to miss if you have a chance to visit - Taipei 101 Observatory, National Palace Museum, National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall, Longshan Temple.
Saturday afternoon, we travelled by car to Yuanlin City for the dog shows. We were headed to Changhua County, a good four hour journey south. Fascinating to visit Yanlin with its Taiwanese vibe of culture and history. After visiting the showgrounds, we were invited to the home of the club president Tsao Jing-Yao for tea. A lovely relaxed time was had in the family home, a typical Taiwanese home and an honour indeed to be made so welcome. There I met up with Yao’s family as well as visitors who had travelled all the way from Singapore and China, not to show dogs but to watch the judging. British Bulldogs were the first breed to be judged. Forty or so entered. Mixed quality, but I was pleased with the winners especially the puppy who was quite lovely. French Bulldogs attracted the highest entry - 120. Fascinating to judge so many quality dogs of different type, both European and American. The American creams are very popular and my BISS baby puppy was exquisite. The BISS French Bulldog was a beautiful brindle bitch, who excelled in breed type and movement. Pushed hard by the dog, who was also an excellent specimen, in the end it boiled down to a softer expression on the bitch. The system of judging in Taiwan is a clever mix of FCI and American. Dogs are graded and awarded a certificate if given a “very good”. You have to select a winners dog and bitch from the classes (similar to our challenge winners) who then compete against the winners of the champion class. Best dog and bitch compete for best of breed. Overall, I was impressed with the Frenchies. Good size, excellent fronts, ears, bodies and toplines. Mouths in some exhibits could have been better - nothing spoils a good Frenchie more than the showing of teeth. Grooming was excellent although I was concerned about the over zealous trimming of nails. Feet were a problem which was probably more an environmental issue. Living conditions in Taiwan are cramped and many people live in apartments. To my great surprise I did find a Frenchie who had rear dewclaws. All four dewclaws had been removed and with the dog being a lighter colour, the scars were obvious.
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In all my years in Frenchies this was the first time I had come across this - a disqualification under the FCI breed standard.
by the Toy Poodle. However I chose the lovely French Bulldog bitch much to the delight of her handler, owner and all the connections.
Unfortunately I am unable to give details of the winners. Even had the catalogue been translated for me, they do not include any other details apart from the exhibit name and number.
The day ended with a splendid banquet - yes, more delicious food - great company, much joy and laughter. Thank you to everyone involved in hosting these shows and in particular to Tsao Jing-Yao, club president and to Alex Zee for the wonderful hospitality and the Kennel Club of Taiwan for inviting me.
Once the four Specialty shows were completed (over 200 dogs) I had the immense pleasure of selecting the overall winner. The French Bulldog was pushed hard
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- Elizabeth Davidson - D’Accord French Bulldogs
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