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Fancy Talk
Interview with Roxanne Hilsman Hilsman French Bulldogs
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The Healthy Fancy
Vomit, Regurge, Gag‌ Oh My! by Lori Hunt DVM
Fancy Judging
Norway Specialty 2014 by Revaz Khomasuridze
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Fancy Coverage
FBDCA National Specialty 2014 - Boxborough - USA
Fancy Judging
Eukanuba Dog Show 2014 French Bulldogs
The Frenchie Fancy 2015 - 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.
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frenchiefancy.com
post WESTMINSTER ISSUE!
f ancy beginnings
Hi there, and welcome to our eigth issue! We are happy to wrap up another magazine year with all our French Bulldog friends and enthusiasts from all over the world. We hope you are enjoying the ride as much as we are! This is the post FBDCA National Specialty issue, where we feature many of the great wins at the show week. Our cover girl, the wonderful Escada owned by Ms. Diane Burvee is a great beginning for this issue. We also have a picture coverage of Frenchies judged at the 2014 Eukanuba Dog Show and some accurate words from Mr. Revaz Khomasuridze, who judged a Norwegian specialty last year.
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 the post Westminster Dog Show one, so get ready to see some amazing Frenchies! Sit back, relax and enjoy some of the very best French Bulldogs of the world! Look for us at the Garden and the French Bulldog specialties for hard copies and subscriptions, as well as great pictures. Until next time,
This issue we interviewed the long time breeder Roxanne Hilsman, who gives some detailed info on how she started out in Frenchies. We also have an informative article by Lori Hunt, DVM which you should not miss. Connecting breeders, handlers, judges and enthusiasts from all parts of the world, the Frenchie Fancy is a worldwide publication dedicated to all things French Bulldogs. We believe that there are no borders nowadays. Breeders are able to find ways to combine their efforts no matter the distance, and we encourage this collaboration. You can order your Frenchie Fancy magazine hard copy online,
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 ads@frenchiefancy.com
Marketing Director Matthew Dover mkt@frenchiefancy.com
Photography Bitten Oldereide Fernanda Barlow Lena Salmina Olga Nikolaeva
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 BRAZIL / SOUTH AMERICA
Vivianne Mello Contributors Allen Weinberg Beverly Capstick Lori Hunt, DVM Revaz Khomasuridze Roxanne Hilsman
UNITED STATES
Matthew Dover (East) Fernanda Barlow (West)
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FANCY advertisers ARGENTINA CICCALE, Romina (cimabull) ................................. 18, 19
RUSSIA KOZHEVNIKOVA, Elena (iz palevyh buldogov) .... 32, 33 NIKOLAEVA, Olga (le nain adorable) ............... 94, 95
UNITED STATES BELOCK, LuAnn ..................................................... 47, 48 BERREY, Dave (homewood) .......... 102, 103, Back Cover BERRY, Pat (petite cherie) ........................ Back Cover BROTT, Karen (chambord) ................................ 30, 31 BURVEE, Diane (QAZARA) ................................ Cover, 2, 3 BUTTERFIELD, Shannon (fantasia) .................... 38, 39 CICUTA, Marcelo (tuunrats) ............................. 96, 97 COSTA, Kathy ..................................................... 46, 47 COVALUCCI, Billy (campcovo) ......................... 84, 98, 99 CRON, Donna (matisse) ....................................... 46, 47 DALTON, James (fabelhaft) .............................. 58, 59 DENNY, Nicole (pinnacle) ................................... 46, 48 DOVER, Matthew (bella luna) ...................... 84, 98, 99 FAGIN, Teddy ............................................................. 29 GLEYSTEEN, Ingrid (idylls) ...................................... 67 HAMMAN, Blake (la bête) .................................... 14, 15 HEDGE, Cheryl ......................................................... 47 HILSMAN, Roxanne (hilsman) ................................. 25 HOLMES, Gabriel & Kamila (holmes pride) ...... 80, 81 HUELSEMANN, Andrea (prairie gem) .............. 76, 77 HUNT, Lori (assisi) ............................................. 44, 45 JOHNSON, Carol (imagine) ...................................... 75 MANTYCH, Kathy ........................................................ 47 MCCARTHY, Barbara (banyan) ............................. 64, 65 MILLER, Stephen (péché mignon) ....................... 78, 79 NEMET, Fran (my shadow) .................................. 88, 89 NOWICKI, S.John (adore) ......................................... 52 PARSCHAUER, Ken & Lucy ..................................... 59 PATTON, Kevin (damari) .................................... 84, 85 PHOTOS, Peter (la bête) .................................... 14, 15 RAMOS, Jennifer (dolce) ................................... 92, 93 ridderikhoff, Cretia (mon ange) ............................. 34 SCHOTT, Monica (hotschott) .............................. 56, 57 SHAW, Patricia Hearst (DIVA) ............................. 12-15 SHAW, Nancy (txstars) ....................................... 26, 27 SIEGMAN, Elena (rockydell) ......................... 102, 103 SMITH, Robert (péché mignon) .......................... 78, 79 STEPHENSON, Shirley (monet) ............................... 46 WHITON, D’Ann (carousel) ......................................... 49 WOLFINGER, Linda (lwolfranch) ........................... 40 WORKMAN, Greg (adore) ........................................... 52
SWEDEN HALL, Håkan (marikarlos) ....................................... 50 ULLMAN, Anneli .......................................................... 50
VENEZUELA ARRAEZ, Luis Armando (de combray) ...................... 65 CELIS, Diego (mokaodc) .......................................... 7-9
BRASIL BORGES, Monik & Sérgio (cherokee) ............. 82, 83 MELLO, Vivianne (VIXbull) .................................. 100, 101 MENEZES, Claudia & Alexandre (dicar) .................. 16, 17 ROCHA, Alex & Ronny (novizala) ........................ 28 CANADA BREWER, Carey (atalaya) ................................ 56, 57 MCINTYRE, Anne (foxmoor) ......................... Back Cover STJOHN, Shelley (robobull) .................................. 58 STOYKA, Dr. William (foxmoor) .................. Back Cover CHINA LUO, Viva (overtop) .............................................. 86, 87 DENMARK RASMUSSEN, Tove (dauløkke) .................................. 60 ECUADOR SOTOMAYOR, Juan Carlos (secutor) .................. 36, 37 ENGLAND FRIEND, Natalie & Darren (kingfriend) .................. 61 HUNGARY AKOS, Jakab (hard black jack) ....................... 62, 63 IRELAND CROARKIN, Kevin & Lisa (kesasonas) ..................... 35 NORWAY OLDEREIDE, Bitten (convivials) ............................... 51 PERU BEHR, Isabel (tresor b. boule) ............................... 53
THAILAND Phrukwatthanakul, Viruch (NAPACHAI) ........... 10, 11
this issue’s stats - 16 countries. 104 pages.
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the ancy talk interview with roxanne hilsman from hilsman french bulldogs - usa The Frenchie Fancy had the opportunity to hear from Roxanne Hilsman about her breeding program, how she started out in the breed and some of her preferences. Read the result on the following pages. 20 frenchiefancy.com
When and how did you get started in French Bulldogs? Was that your first breed? I got my first French Bulldogs in 1998 from Patty and Luis Sosa. We got a Gambit daughter and then six months later a Gambit son. I grew up with Scottish Terriers. ...not my breed!
Back then, what was the Frenchie type like? Were there many people willing to help you start out? At that time the “Cox look” was the preferred type... A very sweet, soft expression. I was fortunate to have both the Sosas (Bandog) and Jayne Palmer (Fourstar) in my area... They were all very helpful. Nancy Pincus and Frank Gargallo showed my dogs back then and they also were great mentors.
How was importing from other continents seen by American breeders back then? Did you communicate with anyone overseas about our breed? I imported a dog from the de la Parure Kennel in 2001. I have to admit that importing was frowned upon by US breeders back then. My touch of de la Parure was a very good decision for me... That little mixture helped produce 2 of my first all breed BIS winners.
Ever since you started out until today, what dog has been the most influential in your breeding program and why? This is a tough question. Right now my home bred dog Ch Hilsman Bandog Holy Moses! is my most consistent
producer of outstanding dogs, but this is more recent. BIS Ch Bandog’s One in a Million had a tremendous impact as he was behind my foundation dogs. Ch Kobi’s Queen of the Nile gave me a very strong bitch line that continues to this day... I love what she gave me. And Arrogance de la Parure gave me great substance and attitude. I also have to say that most of us owe the Cox’s for what they contributed to this breed... I wish we still had Polar Bear, Boss, Charlie, Barnstormer, etc...
What is your process to choose a show prospect puppy? How old are they when you start looking and what do you look for? This is very difficult with this breed. I try to evaluate from day one, but that seldom has anything to do with who I ultimately keep. Until they’re about 8 weeks old you can basically only pet for obvious faults like a gay tail, a health issue or other very obvious undesirable traits. I take a good look often with Jayne Palmer (who has an incredible eye and ability to pick when they’re young). We like to look for the shortest back, the broadest muzzle, front movement, shortest nose, short back, strong rear and overall balance. Hiram also looks at them for me (it’s good to have the help of a knowledgable handler). It’s always nice to have friends whose eye you trust take a look for you... Allen Weinberg and the Sosas Jan / Feb 2015
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have also been very helpful over the years. You can also tell a lot about personality at this age. We then start with the vet visits. Obviously you want a sound pup... I’m a stickler for solid patellas. We check the heart and do preliminary x-rays. You need to look at the bite, but an off bite won’t normally show until they’re a few months older.
Would you change anything about the current French Bulldog AKC standard? Why? I’m fine with the current standard, but I’d love to help Judges learn how to properly interpret it!
It is said that there are varying “types” out being shown in today’s breed ring. Do you feel this is true? What do you feel is the contributor to this? When dealing with aesthetics there is always room for personal interpretation. We all see things differently. What scares me is some of the very unsound dogs I see winning in the ring today. Also this is a beauty contest and some of the dogs I see judges using are just plain unattractive... Sorry but this is true. I’ve sat ringside and watched breeders walk in with dogs and have honestly felt sorry for them... Like they’d been misguided or “taken”... Then the dog wins!! I’m also seeing lots of bad patellas out there. Its very easy to have your vet palpate a patella.... We all know when we see a dog with this problem.
If you had to say that Hilsman French Bulldogs were known for a specific trait, what would it be? Sweet expression and temperament, balance and soundness.
CH Bandog’s jump for joy (top pictures) CH Bandog’s Gardien Angel (left - top) CH Bandog’s A Million Wishes (left - bottom)
Do you believe there are Frenchies worthy of being part of a breeding program but cannot be shown or are not able to finish their Championships? Or should all dogs used in a breeding program be proven in the ring as well? A good breeder knows his/her deficits and what can be improved upon. So yes, a bitch with an amazing pedigree who doesn’t like to show should not be discarded as long as she has quality traits. I do prefer that the stud is a champion, but if I had a dog with amazing qualities that I was looking for who was 29 lbs, I wouldn’t hesitate to breed to him. Obviously our prefered goal is to title our dogs.
In all your years in the breed, could you name some of your favorite Frenchies from any part of the world? This is tough as there are so many... Here are a few off the top of my head... Gambit, Rumble, Moses, Trusardi, Carson, Sebastian, Polar Bear, Charlie Brown, Jacques, Ernie, Boss, Zed, Cleo and her sister Dumplin, Beetlejuice, Fargo, Dante, Marc, etc... And many more!
What has been your favorite breeding so far that you’ve done? My most succesful breeding was a co-breeding with Viruch Phrukwattanakul and it was actually his idea. GCh Hilsman Bandog Holy Moses! X Ch Hilsman Sands Chloe’ This produced an amazingly consistent litter of Champions, Grand Champions, International Champions, BIS winners and BISS winners!
Do you think that our breed “breeds true”, in other words, do you feel like consistency is usually achieved? I don’t think consistency is achieved without linebreeding. Claudia Orlandi does an amazing breeding seminar which I would highly recommend for anybody interested in producing consistency.
In your experience, what is a fault or area of opportunity that you feel is the most difficult one to correct or get rid of when breeding? I think everybody would agree that a bad bite, breathing difficulties and bad patellas are very tough to breed out. Jan / Feb 2015
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Don’t expect perfection. There are no perfect dogs. An old time breeder always told me that “you have to give to get”. It took me a while to understand the true meaning of this statement and to truly embrace it. I petted out lots of amazing pups because they had 3 hemis or some other minor issue. Frenchies are a tough breed and you will see issues. Decide what you can and cannot live with. Be sure you know what’s in any pedigree you choose to introduce into your lines. Know the dogs.. Their pluses and their minuses. Most breeders will be honest about the dogs in their pedigrees if you ask them. If a breeder tells you they’ve never had a bad back, a bad bite, a loose patella or anything, don’t deal with them... They’re lying!
What has been the biggest honor or achievement in your breeding life so far? I was awarded the AKC Outstanding Sportsmanship Award by the Mississippi State Kennel Club this year. Winning BISS at the pre Westminster Specialty with Sebastian was pretty amazing. In 2004 Tess was Winners Bitch at the Dallas Nationals, then went on to get an all breed BIS at 7 months of age (the youngest frenchie to do so at that point) and then got another BIS before she was a year old... That was fun.
Do you have any litters planned or youngsters coming up that you are excited about and that you could share with us? I have two litters I’m growing up. One is out of Group Winning Ch Hilsman’s Livia of LWolfranch (Jacques daughter) X Ch Napachai Hilsman’s Magic Mike... I’ve kept two boys and one girl and love them all. The other is Multi Group Winning GCh Hilsman Bandog Holy Moses! X Hilsman’s Bayou Ridge Abbey... I am growing up a girl and two lovely boys. Both these breedings take me back to some of my most important older dogs.
For those starting out now in Frenchies, what would be the best advice you could give them? Find the best bitch with the best pedigree that a good breeder is willing to let you have. Listen to this person. If you have to give a puppy back as part of the price don’t hesitate (chances are that if they want one it’ll be a nice breeding). Find a good mentor who isn’t kennel blind and is willing to see the good in dogs that they don’t own or didn’t breed.
Test your dogs. You can do it privately and don’t have to share the results, but you need the information. And remember that there are plenty of dogs who have passed lots of tests and registries and look great on paper, but they might not be able to breathe, or may move poorly or could have a bad bite. These tests only let you know what they don’t have. You have to know the dogs you breed to and what they’ve produced. Always look at what a dog has produced before you use him. Many top winning dogs have been horrible producers. Look for a line bred dog... Chances are better that they’ll produce their type. Always keep your best bitch... This is how you develop your line. She doesn’t have to be perfect.. Just be sure she’s sound and has a great pedigree. Then line breed, line breed, line breed and then outcross. This will help develop type while minimizing the negatives with an outcross. And if you want to succeed in dogs keep your opinions about others to yourself. And don’t’ fight other people’s battles. “Taking sides” in dogs only limits your options. Don’t blame the stud dog!!! Dog people tend to be fairly competitive, so stay out of other breeder’s battles. If you like someone’s dogs and another breeder tells you to avoid them, follow your gut. A handler once told me you sometimes have to “deal with the devil to get to the best dog”. Do what you want to do... Don’t try to please others.
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PICTURE - LENA SALMINA
FANCY TALK - Roxanne Hilsman “HILSMAN’S “
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the healthy ancy Vomit, Regurge, Gag… Oh My!
What is normal for a Frenchie, and when should you seek help? by Lori Hunt, DVM & French Bulldog Breeder Anyone who lives with Frenchies, knows they are prone to some strange gastrointestinal issues, besides the room-clearing gas, that is. They vomit, regurgitate and gag more often than most dogs, and frenchie fanciers just get used to it. They give the actions all sorts of names, like “urp”, “spew”, “gagging foam”, etc. They even come to think of it as normal. But is it? Even veterinarians can be stumped by these strange symptoms and what could be causing them, because quite honestly, it could be any one of numerous underlying causes for most of these issues. And in the case of some dogs, it may be “normal”. This article will provide some basic information about vomiting/regurgitation along with a description of the brachycephalic issues that may cause or worsen this problem. In addition, I’ll give you some guidelines about when you should consult a veterinarian. Here are a couple of definitions to help you decipher between vomiting and regurgitation. Regurgitation is a rather passive and apparently effortless process in which food or liquid is expelled from the throat and/or esophagus, without ever having made it as far as the stomach. Whatever comes up appears unchanged from what went in, and the dog doesn’t appear to feel ill at all (and may re-consume whatever was just regurgitated). Vomiting refers to the forcible expulsion of food in variable stages of digestion from the stomach, and is accompanied by retching and usually by other signs that the dog knows that something is about to come up (salivation, pacing, swallowing). So when a dog tosses its kibble, observe not just the process, but also the product carefully so as to determine which has occurred. Jan/Feb 2015
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THE HEALTHY FANCY - Vomit, Regurge, Gag… Oh My!
There is a phenomenon in Frenchies that I have heard referred to as “urping” or “spewing,” and generally is applied to a Frenchie’s shooting warm clear liquid up via its mouth and/or nose. Afterward, the dog will often look shocked and scared, and may gag. If this occurs in your Frenchie with any regularity (one isolated event is not necessarily a reason to run to your vet, but no one would blame you), I believe you should seek veterinary advice. Other Frenchies gag and will spit up a frothy foam and/or bile; I have even seen this ringside. Again, if this happens with any regularity, seek help. Some Frenchies develop a “rattling” sound in the back of their throat or nose, as if they need to cough up phlegm. If this is a chronic or intermittent situation with your Frenchie, seek help. Certainly if any of these conditions occur daily, weekly or even biweekly, alone or in conjunction with another, please see your veterinarian. One piece of advice: when you do see your vet, don’t try to give a name to what your frenchie is doing… and don’t call it vomiting or regurgitation unless you are sure it is exactly that. These are 2 very different things and can lead to very different diagnoses. Just try to give your vet the best description of the event and answer their questions honestly and he/she will try to determine which one is occurring. If you ever have any doubts as to what is “normal”, take your dog to the vet; at least you will have peace of mind. If you have a digital camera that takes video clips, you might try to film one of these episodes to show your vet. Here are a handful of possible causes for the above symptoms, and some basic definitions and information. You may want to discuss any or all of these with your vet if your Frenchie is having these issues.
when a dog tosses its kibble, observe not just the process, but also the product carefully so as to determine which has occurred: vomiting or regurgitation.
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don’t call it vomiting or regurgitation unless you are sure it is exactly that. these are 2 very different things and can lead to very different diagnoses. BRACHYCEPHALIC SYNDROME Obviously, with the breed of dog we choose to own, this MUST be at the TOP of our list. This is a condition (which I am sure most of you are extremely familiar with) where flat-faced dogs can have one or any combination of the following: elongated soft palate, stenotic nares, everted laryngeal saccules, hypoplastic trachea, and/ or laryngeal/tracheal collapse. The stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, and hypoplastic trachea are congenital (present at birth), and if they are allowed to go uncorrected will cause the secondary changes of everted laryngeal saccules and, finally, tracheal and/or laryngeal collapse. Brachycephalic syndrome can cause vomiting, regurgitation and gagging. In my personal experience, this seems to be characterized most often by ‘spitting up’ of a frothy foam.
ESOPHAGEAL DISORDERS There are several esophageal disorders that can cause regurgitation, and even vomiting or gagging. I will attempt to highlight just a few that may be more common in our Frenchies. 1) Megaesophagus is generalized dilation of the esophagus due to lack of peristaltic activity. It can be congenital or acquired; acquired is generally later onset and may be either idiopathic (i.e., having no known cause) or as a secondary side effect of another disease, such as myasthenia gravis. It is thought to have hereditary components. The most common sign of this is regurgitation (of undigested food). Your veterinarian will diagnose this with radiographs and barium swallows and other tests.
by Lori Hunt, DVM
2) Hiatal Hernia. The esophageal hiatus is the opening in the diaphragm through which the esophagus passes before it enters the stomach. A hernia in this site occurs when there is a protrusion of the esophagus, lower esophageal sphincter, and/or part of stomach through the esophageal hiatus into thoracic cavity. Sliding hiatal hernias are most common, which means the herniation is intermittent. The most common form is congenital with a breed predisposition for brachycephalic dogs. Diagnostics are again similar to other esophageal diseases and they may be managed by surgical or medical means. Your veterinarian will decide what is best for your dog. 3) Vascular Ring Anomalies are likely to have a hereditary basis. They are a congenital defect most often due to the persistence of an artery (the right aortic arch) that normally is lost during fetal development. The PRAA (persistent right aortic arch) forms a ring around the esophagus, entrapping it and causing it to be narrowed so that food cannot easily pass through the constricted area. Symptoms are usually exhibited early in life (less than 6 months or so) and the diagnostic road is similar to that of megaesophagus. 4) Esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophagus and is usually secondary to gastroesophageal or gastrointestinal acid reflux. Endoscopy, biopsy and/or radiography can be useful to help diagnose this disease. It can be mild to severe, but is often able to be medically managed.
bowel disease. This is a condition where your dog is actually allergic to some ingredient(s) in its daily diet or treats. This can result in continual or intermittent vomiting of food or bile. Usually this would be in conjunction with abnormal bowel movements as well, but not always. This would certainly be something to consider when ruling out reasons why your frenchie is having trouble. Many of the described issues can be medically managed with a combination of acid reflux drugs (i.e. Pepcid, Prevacid, Tagamet) and drugs which coat the stomach and esophageal lining (Carafate, etc). This is the reason why so many Frenchie owners will see and improvement if they blindly place their dog on these medications. But I would urge you to try and find out why your dog is doing this, especially if you are entertaining thoughts of breeding this dog. Certainly these represent only a handful of the reasons why a dog could exhibit vomiting, regurgitation or gagging, but they do seem to be among the more common reasons. I do hope this has given you some food for thought and perhaps you may even have a Frenchie now who can benefit from this information. Remember, if you think your frenchie exhibits any of these signs more often than you think they ought to, please take them to your vet, as it may not just be “normal�.
-- Lori Hunt, DVM
food allergies
PICTURE - LENA SALMINA
The last topic I will address in relation to a chronic vomiting or gagging frenchie is food allergies and/or inflammatory
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f ancy judging
french bulldog specialty - norway September 13, 2014 - Norsk Bulldog Klubb
pictures courtesy of revaz khomasuridzE & bitten oldereide
Best of Breed, Male Best in Specialty Show
Best Puppy & Best Puppy Female
Best of Opposite Sex & Female
Best Puppy Male
DAULOKKE’S CLAUDE MONET
LIA TALABRA V.MARVER’S FORTUNA
Best Veteran Female & BISS Veteran BABYBULL’S OSTA
Best Junior & Best Junior Male
DAULOKKE’S DIAH D’AMOUR
ZECUDAS VIKING
Best Minor Puppy Male
NORHEIMTUNETS I AM THE ICEMAN
Best Minor Puppy Female
DAULOKKE’S CLAUDE MONET
NORHEIMTUNETS HAVANA HEDDA
Best Junior Female
Best Breeders Group
BABYBULL’S FABRI FOREVER
BABYBULL’S
FANCY JUDGING
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n 13 September 2014, I had a big honor to judge the French Bulldog Specialty Show which was organized and held by the Norsk Bulldog Klubb. First of all, I would like to thank the Show Chair and all those people who contributed to organizing this Specialty Show at such a high professional level and with true affection and love for the French Bulldog Breed. The general atmosphere at the show ground was very warm and the competition between the exhibitors was very positive. There were a lot of beautiful and useful presents for exhibitors, the Club organized an exciting lottery game and created a comfortable environment for all those people who came there to show their beloved dogs. 77 dogs were shown in the ring and the overall quality was really good. Especially I liked both baby and puppy classes where dogs of a desirable and correct type were shown. I would particularly note my best baby male, best baby female and two cuties from the puppy female classes – all these dogs are classy and I believe they will contribute a lot to further successful development of the breed. Junior bitches were also very good, and I can say that two junior males were absolutely amazing and their quality was at the top. Talking about adults, I would say 2 males from the champion class were nice, the quality of adult bitches was very high and my best bitch is the female of an excellent type and conformation, she has a pleasing sweet expression and moves with balance and power. The male to whom I gave the title of the BOB Winner is a perfect dog with very noble and proud expression, very good anatomy, structure and movements. I would also need to mention the perfect Veteran Bitch, a 11 year old beauty! As a breeder and judge I can now say that the dogs I have seen in my ring represent our beloved breed at a very high level and the achievements of breeders in Norway are obvious and deserve true recognition.
-- Revaz Khomasuridze
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f ancy coverage
French bulldog club of america NATIONAL SPECIALTY september 22-26 2014, boxborough - ma - usa
pictures by FERNANDA BARLOW - FRENCHIE FANCY MAGAZINE
INDEPENDENT SPECIALTY RESULTS Judged by Mrs. Barbara Dempsey Alderman Best of Breed & Best in Specialty Show
GCH LIONHEART’S FORTUNE FIVE HUNDRED
Best of Opposite Sex
GCH EVERGREEN’S GIRLS IN WHITE DRESSES
Winners Dog & Best of Winners MAPTI’S VINYL CAFE
Best Veterans
CH SHORE TRES BON CHIEN BETTYBOOP
Winners Bitch & Best Bred By matisse look at me
Reserve Winners Dog
FABELHAFT ROBOBULL TRESOR NOIR
Reserve Winners Bitch
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Best Puppy
JUSTUS I’M NOT SAYIN’
Select Dog
gCH BANYAN BANDOG’S BIG SHOT
Select Bitch
CH FRENCHKISSES ROBOBULL FIREFLY
Award of Merit
CH MYSHADOW’S SILK N’ WHITE SUEDE CH SHORE TRES BON CHIEN BETTYBOOP CH STERLING SHORE IS SOMETHING GOOD GCH FULLA BULL SOULJA BOY
Best Stud Dog
GCH LUCIDA’S INNOCENT MAN OF KOBI
Best Brood Bitch
CHARLOTTE DU FIACRE DE MONTPARNASSE
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TOP 20 INVITATIONAL RESULT Judged by Mrs. karen cram, Mr. paul pearce AND MR. james dalton Best of Breed
GCH O’s n X’s Shady Harbor Champagne Diamond at Prairie Gem
Sire - CH Shady Harbor’s Capo dei Capi Dam - O’s n X’s Shake Your Groove Thing
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SWEEPSTAKES
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Judged by Mr. allen weinberg - USA
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t was a great pleasure to judge the puppy and veteran sweepstakes at the French Bull Dog Club of America’s 2014 National Specialty. Thank you to the members of the FBDCAfor putting your trust in me. I am writing this article on my experience judging your sweepstakes entrants with the thought in mind that we would all be better off if our breeder judges gave more feedback and insight than “thank you, that was great, what an honor...” Critiques by breeder judges that focus on what needs improving are most useful to me as abreeder, so I may appear to focus this short article on the negatives for that reason; however, I want to state at the outset that I was very pleased with the overall quality of the entry, andthat having attended every FBDCA National since 2004, overall, I believe the quality of thebreed is improving. Many glaring faults that were prevalent years ago are now seldom seen, at least at the national specialty level.
Use And Defend The Standard
As I hope a fair number of breeders will read this and since I do not know when Imight get the chance to have the “bully pulpit” again, I want to go on record in my belief thatour breed Standard, as presently written, should be referred to often and defended vigilantlyby all with greater frequency. The Standard is well-written, needs no changes or amendments,and is far too often overlooked by judges at all-breed AKC shows who
award the most “average” looking dog in the ring. I will refer to the Standard a bit here, and when quoting it directly, I have put that text in bold. All of us can forget the Standard or choose to pay closer attention to those aspects thatbetter fit what is good about our own dogs, but all of us should go back to it and study it againand again. I did this before judging, and I would be lying if I wrote that it did not cause meto remember important aspects that I had forgotten or stopped paying attention to over theyears. Not only does going back to the Standard remind you of what is in it, it may also surprise you that things you believe are included in the Standard are actually not there at all. The day will come when people will try to alter our Standard, and those of us who arebreeding to it must be there to protect it. We can and should be protecting the Standard now, before there is an open call for change, whether it be to add disqualified colors, increase theweight limit, or, in accord with the “animal rights” activists, take away anything that speaksto an “extreme” in type. The danger of letting the likes of PETA members encroach on ourbreed Standard, as it appears to have already been done, in some other countries, might be abetter topic for another article, but suffice to say, I believe there are extreme aspects to ourbreed, and, in my opinion, this is very much what
makes a French Bulldog a French Bulldog. We should all be vigilant in protecting those aspects of our breed lest they be lost.
Veterans Rule And Speak Loud Volumes About Their Owners I have only good things to say about the 2014 Veterans Sweepstakes entry. This seemed to be a rather large entry, particularly in the 11 years and older bitch class. An exceptional group of veterans was presented in impeccable condition. It was difficult to believe these veterans were as old as they were and excruciating to not be able to give each one of them a top prize. I would like to note that several of the veterans could easily compete with today’s top specials, and that the best reach and drive I saw all day came from an exhibit from the veterans’ classes. There are no words of praise high enough for those of you who live with our oldest dogs and keep them in such fine condition. I know first-hand your job is not easy.
Puppies: The Good, The Bad, And The Not Quite Extremely Short-Nosed Moving to Puppy Sweepstakes, the faults I did not see or saw very little of were bad mouths, fiddle fronts, and weak / crippled rears. I feel there were many of these faults being shown at our nationals years ago and breeders are to be commended for improvement in these areas. Nothing takes away from the requisite “alert, curious” expression than a wry mouth. Congratulations to our breeders for improvement in this area.
I felt the overall quality of the females was far greater than the young males on this day. I went into Sweepstakes looking for something to fall in love with. I felt I found that in several bitch classes, while to a lesser degree in the male classes. This is certainly due, in part, to there being a larger entry of females. I was pleased in general with correct toplines in both sexes. This is an aspect of our breed that our breeders seem to understand. It can be disappointing to go to an all-breed show with a small entry where correct toplines are few or non-existent. I looked for a moderate rise over the loins on your entrants, and was pleased to find it on most exhibits. You will notice I have not quoted the Standard here. One must look at many French Bulldogs and read multiple areas of the Standard to understand what all-breed judges seem to most misunderstand about our breed, but a correct topline is critical. A French Bulldog should look like a French Bulldog from across the street in the dark. That requires the correct outline. Breeders are to be commended for bringing sweepstakes entries with generally correct toplines. Turning to what I saw as lacking, among the male puppies, even taking into account their young ages, I felt there was an overall lack of bone, substance, and rib spring. I feel our bitches have been losing bone and substance over the years, and now it seems this is spreading to the males as well. Breeders must work to correct this trend. Our standard is very specific, it states “Substance - Muscular, heavy bone.” These few words leave no room for a “lighter style” of
dog in my opinion. While our Standard allows for awarding smaller and bigger dogs, all should have the appearance of a body that “is short and well rounded.” This does not allow for dogs that look long or like sausages. Both a bigger and smaller specimen should appear short and well-rounded. As to the well-rounded aspect, I looked for both depth of chest and outward rib spring so that when a dog was walking toward or away, it did not have a tubey appearance and, instead, had sufficient spring of rib. This, along with the correctly set front, also makes for the correct pear shape when looking down upon an exhibit. I feel that our males are especially losing the outward (side-to-side) well rounded appearance due to insufficient ribspring. I was pleased with the depth of chest in many of the female exhibits, but there is certainly room for improvement in overall substance and bone in our females as well. Our Standard uses the term “moderate” four times, mostly in modifying size. The Standard uses the terms “extreme” or “extremely” just once, “extremely short nose.” If I can give you one thing to remember or ponder from this article that is it: I saw too many exhibits of both sexes that walked into the ring with a lovely outline and looked very typey from afar. However, once they were on the table, and upon close examination, the lack of an extremely short nose revealed, to me, a major lack of breed type. When a French Bulldog’s face comes to a point at the nose, it is not correct. Far better writers than I, and scholars of dogs, have written many times that the easiest area of type to lose in a breed and the hardest to keep is that which is most extreme. A French Bulldog should have an “extremely short nose.” This is not just my opinion, it is in our standard. Defend it, breed to it, and don’t settle for less. Lack of an extremely short nose inevitably leads to an incorrect side profile. How can a French Bulldog have a “muzzle broad, deep and well laid back” with a nose that is sticking out from it? In my opinion, it cannot. Another note on muzzles and head profiles: While it is good we are seeing less teeth and less wry mouths, breeders should take note that some exhibits are barely undershot and have close to a scissor bite. Too little underbite leads to an exhibit that appears to lack a chin, and lacks the correct laid-back profile. This is not correct. Whether you call it frog-faced or too lippy, it is not ideal. It is not easy to get all the things that need to fit into the right place to all come together just right in a Frenchie mouth, but when that occurs, a stunning head piece can result. Breeding dogs with barely an underbite might seem a safer approach because
it creates an exhibit that does not show teeth; but the lack of a chin and lack of correct lay back is not correct and is not truly typey. I encourage you to continue to strive for the undershot well turned-up jaw that is a hallmark of our breed.
Bests In Sweeps I could say much about the positive attributes of all of my class winners. My Best Veteran, CH Maybes Denim Blue D’Assisi was statuesque. He moved like a dream. I could not help but wonder, as he moved effortlessly across the ring, “which top ranked special from the recent past am I not recognizing?” He had nothing to fault and was in superb condition. The Best of Opposite to Best Veteran, CH Shore Tres Bon Chien Bettyboop was, remarkably, over 11 years old. Kudos to her owner for taking such grand care of this lovely bitch. She had charisma to spare, a sparkle in her eye, and that certain je ne sais quoi that can only be carried by a French woman of a certain age. She truly had the best reach and drive I saw all day. Turning to the puppies, my Best of Opposite Sex, Mokaodc Xanbenito, was another statuesque brindle dog, and he has much to offer the breed. Gorgeous head type and plenty of bone and rib, all without being overdone or lumbering. He too was presented in fine condition. It will be fun to watch him grow up. Finally, Best in Sweepstakes went to the lovely Demitasse De Cotoure, at just over nine months of age. She was the proverbial total package and a standout among a lineup of several lovely female class winners. This is a head breed, and what a head she has: an expression that was flawless, a perfect “upside down horseshoe” lipline, leading down to an exquisite jaw, with totally correct layback leading up to that extremely short nose, and beautiful dark round eyes that draw you closer in. All of this was then topped off by wonderful bat ears of just the right size and proportion. “Demi” held a near perfect outline both on the move and self-stacked, and she moved effortlessly around the ring. Finally, this was a dog show, and as a great show dog should, she stopped each time without a foot out of place, cocking her head just a bit as if to say, “Isn’t it time for you to point at me again?” I hope I am proved right in my expectation that this lovely girl’s star will shine bright for years to come. Thank you again for the opportunity and for reading my comments. I wish a healthy and successful year to you and your dogs. Support Rescue.
- Allen Weinberg - Hollywood French Bulldogs
NATIONAL SPECIALTY Judged by Ms. Beverly Capstick - usa & Mr. Luis F. Sosa - USA (bitches) Best of Breed & Best in Specialty Show CH ESCADA DEL VEINTISIETE AT QAZARA
Best of Opposite Sex
GCH LIONHEART’S FORTUNE FIVE HUNDRED
Winners Dog & Best of Winners MAXIMUS DU SOURIRE DOUX
Best Veterans
CH SHORE TRES BON CHIEN BETTYBOOP
Winners Bitch
IACTA ALEA EST DELA BETE
Reserve Winners Dog
FULLA BULL I’M A SOUL MAN
Reserve Winners Bitch
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FOXMOOR PETITE CHERIE REPOSER SUR SES LAURIERS
Best Puppy
FULLA BULL I’M A SOUL MAN
Select Dog
GCH HIGHWOOD’S BIG SHOT
Select Bitch
GCH FOXMOOR PETITE CHERIE JE-NE-SAIS-QUOIS
Award of Merit
GCH O’S N X’S SHADY HARBOR CHAMPAGNE DIAMOND AT PRAIRIE GEM GCH DIVA’S BASTILLE MY HEART CH FANTASIA’S HOT TO TROT OF PERFECT IDEA PRO GCH CHAMBORD’S I’LL NOT BE A GENTLEMAN
would like to thank all the members of the French Bulldog Club of America for the great honor of judging your National Specialty. Special thanks, to each exhibiter, for your entry in the dog classes and Best of Breed. The opportunity to judge so many quality animals will be a memory I will always cherish. Big thanks to my excellent steward! Barbara made everything run smoothly. It was a shame that so many 6 to 9 puppies were absent as I was looking forward to seeing all of them. It is hard on the youngsters with so many new experiences, sweepstakes and the shows during the week. The puppies that were present show great promise for the breed. The results of each class is posted elsewhere in this magazine, but I would like to make a few comments about my observations in the dog classes. Good upturn of underjaw was evident on a number of exhibits but lacking in the majority. Lack of shoulder angulation is a common problem but there was great variance in rear angulation. This difference ranged from very straight to over angulated with long hocks. The range was very evident in the go around but I was pleased with the number of correct topline on the move! This is such a unique feature of the French Bulldog and very hard to maintain in a breeding Jan / Feb 2015
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program, breeders are to be commended. Once the exhibit was on the table it was nice to see many with good body length, thick arched necks and nicely tucked up under carriage. Some necks appeared very short due to upright shoulders. Length of leg made the space between the front legs look rectangular as well as square. The head, which is the hallmark of the breed, showed many different styles. Eyes were dark and nicely shaped. Layback of the face varied with set of nose a problem, sitting below a line through the eyes. Upturn of underjaw seems to be lacking in many along with width of muzzle. I was surprised to see so many with longer muzzles and lack of the nice wrinkle over the nose and the wrinkle on each side of the muzzle. Bites were very nice with the exception of three wry mouths and a couple with extended under bites. Saw one exhibit with a scissors bite, which was a surprise! Temperaments were great, only a few showed shyness due to lack of experience. Most ear sets were nice with a good width between ears. Size of ear varied a lot and hopefully some of the youngsters will grow into those ears. My interpretation of ear set at 11 and 1 shows a slight outward tilt from the perpendicular. Some ears were sitting at 12 and 12 or extremely upright. Nice square heads were prominent. Depth of chest and rib spring was good. Please watch the feet, nicely cut up does not mean splayed. The down and back showed the most variety. Some converged too much in front, others moved wide in rear. My winner dog was a good moving dog with
nice topline and very pleasing head, which needed to be felt rather than seen, due to his color. (I was told later that he finished with this win, congratulations) Reserve winners dog was a beautiful puppy that shows lots of promise. Lots of bone, excellent head and topline. I must say the Best of Breed competition was a beautiful sight. So many quality animals did not make the cut, but when the final group stood before me it was very exciting. I moved individual dogs back and forth in the line to see how they moved, as their gait was limited when back in the group. My choice for Best of Breed was a beautiful headed bitch with excellent layback of face, heavy wrinkling, dark correctly placed eyes and nice bat ears. She carried her topline on the move and was impressive on the down and back. She caught my eye when she walked in the ring and continued to do so until the end. Best of opposite sex was a nicely boned dog with excellent layback, dark eyes, short muzzle, and a good topline. The select dog and bitch were definitely in the running for BB. I wish that there were many more AOM as so many were deserving. Observations in the BB competition mirrored the dog classes. The quality of the whole exhibit shows that the breed is moving forward and maintaining the characteristics that makes the French Bulldog such a wonderful breed. Thank you again for this opportunity.
- Beverly Capstick
FANCY JUDGING
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f ancy judging EUKANUBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
december 13-14 2014, orlando - fl, usa
judged by Mr. David Kirkland & pictures by FERNANDA BARLOW - FRENCHIE FANCY MAGAZINE
Best of Breed
GCH Diva’s bastille my heart
Best of Winners / Winners Dog fulla bull i’m a soul man
gch lebull’s el morocco at lecirque
Best of Opposite Sex
Winners bitch safari diamonds make me tipsy
Select Dog
AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
gch bandog’s major league homerun at tx star
Select Bitch
gch solo-funs awesome blossom
Best Bred By
gch lionheart’s fortune five hundred
gch highwood’s big shot
gch lionheart’s fortune five hundred ch jcrv-klasse warrior raising the banner gch crown’s famous amos gch banyan bandog’s big shot
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