THE DOG MAGAZINE
CONTENT 12
NON-INVASIVE RESPIRATORY FUNCTION ASSESSMENT HEALTH
22 35
THE FRENCH BULLDOG BREEDING
THE FRENCH BULLDOG STANDARD BREEDING
38
SOREN’S STORY SPORT
48 58
ANELIYA SHANKOVA
22
HANDLER
JOAN ASENSIO HANDLER
68
STELLA ZAWADZKA
78
DE LA PARURE
THE FRENCH BULLDOG BREEDING
HANDLER
BREEDERS
92
LA VIRREYNA
96
CUTENESS DOMAIN
BREEDERS
TRAINING
113
JUDGES AROUND THE GLOBE PART 1 INFO
117
JUDGING BULLDOGS IN FCI SHOWS
SOREN’S STORY SPORT
SHOWS
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EDITORIAL
HI, Our goal with this magazine is to promote responsible breeding and dog ownership and to encourage ethical conduct and responsible breeding of purebred dogs. Our vision is to help promote responsible pet ownership and improve the quality of life of every dog show dog or pet. We make it our goal to provide the most up to date and honest information every dog
owner should know. THE DOG MAGAZINE NO. 2
April 2015 路 EDITOR | GRAPHIC DESIGN Ewa Larsson, Natasja Rutters, Sne啪ka Kuralt
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THE TEAM EWALARSSON My name is Ewa Larsson, Britisher Show Bulldogs we are situated in Canterbury, England. My kennel was established in 1992. My bulldogs live with me inside my house and are raised in a loving environment as one of the family. I believe this approach is reflected in the behaviour of my dogs. Health, a correct temperament and dogs of the highest quality are my goal. Since Spring 2006, I am on the Bulldog Club Inc committee. The Bulldog Club Inc is the oldest Bulldog club in the world, and holds the prestigious Bulldog of the Year Show. I am a Bulldog Breed Specialist Judge currently on “ B” list. I am member of : The Bulldog Club Incorporated, The London Bulldog Society, The South of England Bulldog Society, The Junior Bulldog Club. My affix “ Britisher” is derived from a noun Brit·ish·er which stands for: “An Englishman- a subject or inhabitant of Great Britain”. Please feel free to visit our website. www.britisher.co.uk
NATASJARUTTERS “A little story about who I am and what I do” We live in a small town in southern Netherlands near the Belgium border. I always loved dogs and in particular the Bulldog. And when I got my own place … there was my first English bulldog. For many years I was surrounded by the love of these beautiful dogs. At the moment I share my house with 2 French Bulldogs, who also have a wonderful character only in a smaller body With my male Ch. Carte Truffé Kangaroo Kiss ‘Sydney’ (import Finland) I regularly take part of dog shows in the Netherlands and abroad. I am a member of the Hollandse Bulldog Club and the English Bulldog Club Netherlands. Beside designing and spending time with my dogs I love to be creative, like painting and photography. For more information about my dogs www.mybulldogs.nl and work www.mdgraphics.nl
I first started to be seriously involved in Cynology, when I bought my first Rhodesian ridgeback (Cubo) from breeder Mr. Andrej Fister – Kyala kennel. Since I had had a ridgeback, I wanted to spent some time and communicate with people who own the same breed. So I became involved and was one of the founding members of Club of Rhodesian ridgeback Slovenia. I was chief of organization of our first special show for Rhodesian ridgebacks in Slovenia. The show entered more than 50 dogs, which was a very nice number for such a small country. We even got Mr. Hans Mueller as a judge, for our first club show, even though the show was not CAC awarded. Soon after, I began my apprenticeship for a Cynology judge, and in January 2011 I acquired a license to judge Rhodesian ridgebacks.
I was born and raised in Southern Slovenia, in a small town called Senovo. By education I am a graphic designer and landscape architect. Currently I am employed in Landscape and GIS Company, where I am a head of marketing and education department.
I currently own two Rhodesian ridgebacks Cubo and Cana. Cubo, his pedigree name is Myollnir Kyala, is one of the most successful show ridgebacks in Slovenia and has always makes me proud. He is 8 years old now and he is calm and mostly a gentleman. Cana (Dikeledi Ayaba) is our female ridgeback, five years old; she brings joy to my life with her silly stunts and happy nature. Cana was imported from Croatia, from Ayaba kennel.
I always felt a great love toward animals, especially dogs. Dogs and cats were always around when I was little and I guess it was meant that that part of my love in life stays with me even in my adulthood.
In my free time I make small products for dog owners, mostly for Rhodesian ridgeback lovers and do different graphic designs for all breeds.
SNEŽKAKURALT
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AUTHOR Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Cambridge
HEALTH
NON-INVASIVE RESPIRATORY FUNCTION ASSESSMENT In Brachycephalic Dogs
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i
Used with permission of The Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital, Cambridge, UK
• Soft tape measurements: skull length, cranial length, muzzle length, cranial width, eye width, neck length, neck girth, chest girth, and body length 3. DNA sample collection • Two buccal swabs are taken from inside the mouth (cheek)
4. Respiratory function assessment
Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) Research
• The dog is placed in the WBBP chamber where it can move about
Jane Ladlow MA VetMB CertSAS CertVR DipECVS MRCVS Dr David Sargan MA PhD Dr Vicki Adams DVM MSc PhD MRCVS Nai-Chieh Liu DVM MPhil
• 5-10 minutes are allowed for the dog to acclimatize to the chamber
WHAT DOES THE STUDY INVOLVE? 1. Free veterinary examination
• Recording is started and the dog is monitored for 20 minutes whilst it is breathing spontaneously • The test ends and the dog is removed from the chamber
• Stethoscopic examination (throat and chest) • Assessment of the nostrils • Respiratory sign assessment • A 3-minute trotting exercise tolerance test 2. Head measurements • Photos are taken of the head: frontal view and lateral view T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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A r t i c l e | BOAS Test
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study targets both healthy brachycephalic dogs and BOAS-affected dogs, in order to establish a screening test for BOAS. The longterm aims of this study are to improve the health and welfare of brachycephalic breeds by reducing the incidence of severe BOAS and to give these dogs a better quality of life. WBBP flow trace of a healthy French bulldog
WBBP flow trace of a BOAS-affected French bulldog
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A r t i c l e | BOAS Test
STUDY BACKGROUND
HOW YOU CAN HELP
A number of dog breeds, including Bulldogs, French bulldogs, and Pugs, have a shortened skull and flattening of the muzzle, known as brachycephaly. Unfortunately these traits are sometimes accompanied by changes to the upper airway tract that result in Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS).
We would like to record Pugs, French bulldogs, and Bulldogs in the WBBP chamber and measure their respiratory function. We will be happy to arrange your visits to the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital in Cambridge, please contact:
Clinical features of BOAS may include snoring, heavy panting, exercise intolerance (inability to perform a short run), respiratory distress, regurgitation, acute overheating, cyanosis, and even interruption of sleeping. It is important to investigate the clinical condition of BOAS in order to plan and perform adequate treatments. However, the diagnosis of BOAS is currently a rather subjective process because of the wide range and severity of clinical signs. Over the past three years, we have been using a non-invasive method called whole-body barometric plethysmography (WBBP), to access the respiratory function of more than 510 dogs objectively. The preliminary results indicate that we now have the ability to quantify airway function and this method shows significant promise as a potential clinical diagnostic tool. We will be using the objective data to investigate possible associations between respiratory function, skull dimensions, and genetic markers for BOAS.
Nai-Chieh Liu (Vet & clinical PhD candidate) Email: ncl25@cam.ac.uk Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES Phone number: 01223 337621 Email: hospital@vet.cam.ac.uk Jane Ladlow (European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery) Email: jfl1001@cam.ac.uk Dr David Sargan (Geneticist) Email: drs20@cam.ac.uk
Thank you very much in anticipation!
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A r t i c l e | Dermoid Sinus in the Ridgeback
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AUTHOR Jakko Broersma
THE FRENCH BULLDOG The origins, weight & size and colour
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The French Bulldog - The origins, weight & size and colour
THE 1800’S Since their early days in the 1800’s, a lot has been written about Frenchies. Countless books and articles can be found about the origins and first development of the breed. And as some stories about the early origins are mainly speculative, from the 1880’s on a lot of historical and interesting facts can be found. It all starts in France, from about 1870, maybe even a bit earlier. Later a small group of French enthusiasts who were working with what they called ‘Toy Bulldogs’ formed a small fanciers club, later referred to as “la Réunion des Amateurs de Bouledogues Français” in 1880. These Toy Bulldogs already were around for a long time, most of them actually originating from England. A picture dating back as far as 1849 already shows a small type of Bulldog, very much resembling a French Bulldog of today.
At that time, some of them were already working with these small Bulldogs for 10 years. Several years later they held weekly meetings in a café in Paris, owned by a certain Mr. Albois. In 1885 the first dogs were registered to be able to take part in dog shows. And because of the exposure of these early Frenchies at dog shows, more and more people, mainly upper class, were interested in these so called ‘droll dogs’. A few years later, around 1888, the true type of these early Frenchies began to emerge in France. Mainly under the influence of one male, owned by Mr. Charles Petit. This male was described as a “Terrier Boule, a 12,5kg dark brindle male with erect ears, tucked up belly, knotted tail and short. A typical Bulldog”. His name was “Loupi” and he was bought by Charles Petit from Belgium and taken to Paris. It’s remarkable that this dog was referred to as a “Terrier Boule”, clearly a dog with at least some of its origins in terriers and probably therefore with the erect ears.
Small type Bulldog, England around 1849
Loupi France, mid 1880’s
Painting by Mr. Browne [picture: Trenkle, 1937]
[Picture: unknown origin]
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A r t i c l e | The French Bulldog
He was very popular as a stud, most fanciers loved him and so he sired many litters. Loupi and two of his descendants are to be considered as the progenitors of the breed today: “Rabot de Beaubourg” and his son “Dick de la Mare”.
line you follow. When tracing back on these lines you come across numerous well-known dogs and kennelnames. “Loupi: a terrier Boule male, 12,5kg dark brindle with erect ears, tucked up belly, knotted tail and short. A typical Bulldog“ (France, mid 1880’s)
Rabot de Beaubourg (Loupi x Coquette) [Picture: Waldner Comminges, 1933]
Probably most of our Frenchie pedigrees today go back to these three males. One of the world’s most wellknown modern day French Bulldogs: Multi Champion and World Winner Colonel Trusardi de la Parure (1989) can be traced back directly to Rabot de Beaubourg and his father Loupi over the course of approximately 20 to 24 generations depending on which 24 | THEDOGM AGAZ INE
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To name a few: from several generations of dogs from ‘de la Parure’ (Holland) in the 1980’s and 1970’s back to ‘von der Grimmelburg’ and ‘von Ratibor und Corvey’ in the 1970’s and 1960’s: ‘Zartan von der Grimmelsburg’ and ‘Voila Coco von Ratibor und Corvey’. From there the line can be traced back to England via several paths. You’ll come across famous names like ‘Bomblitz Edwardbear’ and ‘Quatt Tiger Tim’ in the 1950’s. Finally, going back in time, passing the 1940, 1930’s an 1920’s in England with names like ‘Bonham’s’, ‘Milhouse’ and ‘Elmsleigh’, the line goes back to the USA for about 8 generations during the first two decades of the 20th century. However, all of them eventually trace directly back to France and finally “Loupi’ in the 1880’s. With the early ongoing development in the 1880’s of an emerging consistent type of dog, the club members organized a meeting in Paris in order to make the first description of the French Bulldog. This description dates from 1888 and can be considered the first written standard of the French Bulldog. Generally it describes a French Bulldog as we know today, but the description is not as elaborate as most modern breed standards. This first standard describes 7 points; it’s general appearance, body type, head, folded ears,
A r t i c l e | The French Bulldog
erect ears, tail and weight. Most of it still stands today. However there are some remarkable differences from the modern standards. Some are subtle, however, the main difference is definition of the ears. These early Frenchies did not always have erect ears, in fact; one of the three progenitors of the breed: “Rabot de Beaubourg” had rose ears. For the next ten years this definition was not changed. But when the club of fanciers (la Réunion des Amateurs de Bouledogues Français) joined the French Kennelclub (Société Centrale Canine) in 1898 the first official standard, for what we consider FCI today, was written. The main difference was the definition of the ear; the erect ear was considered to be the only correct one. Already in 1896 the club members agreed on this as being one of the most important characteristics of the breed. The standard of 1898 has exactly the same definition of the ears as in most modern standards: • “Medium size, wide at the base and rounded at the top. Set high on the head, but not too close together, carried erect. The orifice is open towards the front. The skin must be fine and soft to the touch.”
THE FIRST BREEDCLUBS AND BREED STANDARDS From the origins in France in the late 1800’s the breed became widely appreciated by societies around the world. Toy Bulldogs and French Bulldogs were exported back to England as well as the USA and in the late 1890’s the French Bulldog was the most sought after society dog in the USA. The popularity of the breed kept growing throughout the years. Several breed clubs we still know today were founded around that time. The French Bulldog Club of America (FBDCA) was
founded during the Westminster in 1897. It is the oldest French Bulldog breed club we know today. At the same time the first FBDCA standard for the French Bulldog was written with again one important feature; the erect ear. The second breed club we still know today was founded in France: Club du Bouledogue Français (CBF); founded in 1898. However, we have to take into account the early origins of this club in the “Réunion des Amateurs de Bouledogues Français” which go back to the early 1880’s. Therefore the CBF can be considered to have to oldest origins of all the French Bulldog breed clubs. Another strong and influential club is the French Bulldog Club of England (FBCE), which was founded in 1902 and again the erect ear was accepted as the main distinguishing characteristic of the breed. Several additional breed clubs were founded in the early 1900’s; one also still known today is the Hollandse Bulldoggen Club (HBC). Founded in Holland in 1907 for three breeds -- Bulldog, Toy Bulldog and French Bulldog -- today the HBC represents only the French Bulldog. However, the ‘Toy Bulldog’ is still mentioned in the club’s constitution; an important reference to the origins of the breed. It’s extremely important to take into account the early breed standards which were written around 1888, 1897 and 1898, the early French Bulldogs themselves as well as their origins when looking at the breed today. First of all it gives insight into what the founders of the French Bulldog had in mind when ‘creating’ this wonderful breed. Second; it makes you aware of the global development of the breed in an era in which communication and interaction between fanciers was not as easy as it has been for the last 50 years. Therefore resulting in what can be referred to T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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as a global parallel development of the breed. This somewhat diverse development and also the development of different standards explains the differences we see in the breed around the world today.
Ch. Nellcote Polo, around 1910 Breeder: Goldenberg USA [Picture: Der Bully, U. Bratke-Jorns] This brief overview only gives some insight into the complex origins of the modern French Bulldog. It’s much more than just Toy Bulldogs from England, a founding stud with unknown origins from Belgium, devoted fanciers in France with a preference for erect ears and a growing global popularity in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Elaborate reading of old as well as new literature about Frenchies will reveal a rich history with many ups and downs throughout the last 100 years. After the first increasing popularity in Europe as well as the USA several periods of decline and reduced popularity went by. World War I, the Great Depression and World War II had a huge impact on the breed for obvious reasons. And although a few devoted French Bulldog fanciers kept the breed alive, only small numbers of 26 | THEDOGM AGAZ INE
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Frenchies were officially registered during that period worldwide. To give you an idea of early registrations in the USA: in 1900 the AKC registered 35 French Bulldogs. In 1910 that number was 48 and in 1920 the growing popularity resulted in 543 registration. However, from the 1930’s onwards registrations dropped to 275 and by 1940 these numbers dropped to just 100. The same rise and decline of popularity was visible worldwide only to change around the 1970’s an 1980’s. Since the first official standard in 1897, several official standards can be found throughout the world, but three of them dominate the breed. These are; FCI (90 countries, latest revision in 2015), AKC (USA, latest revision in 1991) and KC (Great Brittan, latest revision 2015 – not yet published). The latest revisions of the standard took place only recently in 2015, the FCI standard was changed on numerous topics, the KC standard only changed the coat colour description. Most importantly the FCI revision took place to control and minimize exaggerations of breed characteristics by more subtle descriptions and adding extra unwanted characteristics to the disqualifications. Therefore benefitting the health of the breed. When studying these standards you’ll find several differences which, at first, seem strange, maybe even confusing. However, the parallel global development is the main factor here. The first versions date back to the 1897 (AKC) 1888/1898 (FCI), and 1902 (KC), all of them not very elaborate yet, slightly different but with the same type in mind: a small muscular bulldog, drawn up belly, short tail, strong and short head, erect ears with a smooth short-
A r t i c l e | The French Bulldog
haired dark brindle or pied coat. In the years to follow, the mostly separate parallel evolution of these standards created the differences we see today. Various revisions of these standards took place, but it’s safe to say that around 1932, when the French revised their standard for the 3rd time, the biggest part of this standard-evolution had taken place. The main differences we see in the standards today, as well around the 1920’s and 1930’s are related to weight and colour. There are more differences, but most debates concern these two subjects. However, there is no right and wrong regarding these differences. They are part of the history of our breed and therefore we have to respect and use them in such a way that we can benefit from them.
FCI and +/- 12,5 for AKC and KC. However, some differences still remain, as can be found in the separate standards:
SIZE
* 28lbs or pounds is actually 12,7kg
Weight and size are important features of any breed. Especially for small breeds, as their size is an important breed characteristic. For French Bulldogs - until recently - there was no true guideline for size, which means there was not such a thing as a limitation for height at the withers or a fixed chest size as there is for some other breeds. Until recently the size of the dogs was only controlled by their weight. However; the latest revision of the FCI standard changed that drastically. A size-paragraph is added for the first time: • Males: 27-35 cm. Females 24-32 cm. A deviation of 1 cm above and below the standard is tolerated. And on top of that; sizes outside these limitations are ruled out by disqualification. Therefore the size of the dog is not only controlled by its weight and the harmony of the body anymore. And although the AKC and KC standards do not have a size paragraph, within the boundaries of the FCI, strict size limitations are in effect as of 2015.
WEIGHT Today roughly two main weight limits for the French Bulldog are known – up to 14kg for
FCI: Males: 9-14 kg. Females 8-13 kg. 500 g more than the standard weight is allowed when the subject is typical. Weight outside the standard limits is a disqualification. AKC: Weight not to exceed 28 pounds*; over 28 pounds is a disqualification KC: Ideal weight: dogs: 12.5 kgs* (28 lbs); bitches: 11 kgs (24 lbs). Soundness not to be sacrificed to smallness Apart from the weight itself and the fact that it is given in kg’s as well as in lbs, an important factor shows right away; it’s not just the weight that differs. It’s also the way the weight is regulated by the standard. The FCI standard gives an upper and a lower limit, one for males and one for females, and disqualifies any deviations with a margin of 0,5 kg. The AKC just gives an upper limit and disqualifies any dog that is heavier, also regardless of sex. And the KC gives an ideal weight for both dogs and bitches separately, without any upper or lower limits or disqualifications, except for the statement that soundness should not be sacrificed to smallness. What does this tell us? For that we have to go back in time once more. The first standards already came with a weight limit. However, within each standard the weight has been subject to change throughout the early years. To illustrate this; the succeeding standards from France (1888, 1898, 1911, 1933) changed the weight drastically each time. It started with a maximum of 15kg for males and 12,5kg for feT H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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males in 1888. Then in 1898 that was changed to a maximum weight of 11kg for males and 10kg for females. In 1911 a remarkable change was made; two weight classes were introduced; one for dogs up to 10kg and a second classification between 10kg and 13kg , both classes regardless of sex. Then in 1932 the standard was changed again on this matter. At that time, males should be between 8kg and 15kg, females should be between 7kg and 14kg. And also preferred weights are given; 11kg for males and 10kg for females. So, regardless of our modern breed standards for French Bulldogs; weight has been an issue from the start. And again; no right or wrong. The modern day FCI and AKC standards have the most strict paragraph on weight, even with a disqualification for dogs which are too light or too heavy. The FCI standard allows the widest range in weight and the KC standard solved this problem in the smartest way; preferred weights, without strict limits but with the remark that soundness is not to be sacrificed by smallness. It’s probably fair to say that the KC breed standard for French Bulldogs is the best to work with -- it’s the closest to the origins and gives the breeder the best handle to work with in the international field of FCI, KC and AKC without being ‘confined’ to one particular part of the world.
COLOUR The other often debated characteristic of our breed today is colour. For the last decade, coat colour has been one of the main subjects for heated discussions. The big difference here is that most agree on what is right and wrong, despite some differences between the FCI, AKC and KC standards. In this, 28 | THEDOGM AGAZ INE
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‘wrong’ is mostly seen as deliberately breeding towards undesirable or disqualifying coat colours. Often with the main purpose of making money, as French Bulldogs with disqualifying colours strangely enough sell for big money. However, discussions about coat colours in Frenchies are as old as the breed itself. Let’s have a look at the early days again. The French standard of 1898 already had a paragraph on colour. It said: • “Regarding colour; dark brindle is preferred; a small white spot or stripe is allowed. For the pied – white and black – there will be separate classes at exhibitions. Clear black, light-brown are to be qualified as well as coffee-coloureds. • “Sever faults: a dark coat which merges too much to black or a light coat”. • “Disqualification. Black or brown colour, or black and brown, coffee-coloured”. So already the first fanciers had a distinct colour for the breed in mind; dark brindle or pied. And already some colours were described as severe fault or disqualification. It is not surprising that the desired colours came very close to the coat colours of the first progenitors of the breed. On the other hand, there can only be one reason for describing certain colours as severe fault or even disqualification -- some of the early French Bulldogs had these colours. And again, that’s not surprising regarding the fact that they came from different, often unknown origin. To illustrate how difficult it is to describe the colours of the breed; in 1898 pied was described as “black and white” when they probably meant “brindle and white”. In 1911 this was corrected and mouse-grey (i.e. blue) was added,
A r t i c l e | The French Bulldog
the paragraph was changed to: • “Colour. Allowed are all brindles, dark brindles are preferred. Except for clear black (i.e. without any brindle), black and white, black and light brown, chocolate coloured, mouse-grey. Further; pied whose basic colour is white with brindle patches and finally clear white”.
logical decision to change this, based on the genetic background of the brindle coat, pied or not.
• “Disqualification. Colours: clear black, black and white, black and light-brown, chocolate coloured, and mouse-grey”. Later in 1932 the paragraph on colour was changed again. However, without an actual change it was simplified a bit, roughly to: “brindle, with small white markings allowed” and “pied, in which white predominates brindle. Clear white dogs are classified as pied”. Disqualifications: clear black or black and brown, coffee-coloured, mouse-grey, chestnut (maroon). All these classifications point towards two main colours: • brindle, in which small white markings are allowed • pied, i.e. white with brindle patches in which white predominates, clear whites allowed However, with the remark that dark brindles are preferred. It becomes clear now that this does not differ too much from the FCI standard of today. Except for one huge difference -- the coffee-coloured coat, nowadays referred to as: ‘fawn’. They have always been around and in fact genetically that’s almost inevitable. Genetically the fawn colour lies very close to the brindle and therefore it is remarkable that it took until 1995 for the FCI to erase the coffee-colour from the disqualifications. However, it was a
Ch. Only One Matuchowa Frajda, Black masked fawn 2006, owned by A. Broersma-v.d. Wei [Picture J.F. Broersma]
FCI AND COAT COLOURS Until the most recent revision of the FCI standard the big disadvantage of the FCI standard was that it defined the coat colours in a rather confusing manner. The AKC and the KC are much clearer at first sight. However, from the retrospect of genetics it was a logical and correct definition. But why was this confusing? Well; the brindle, fawn and pied colour were seemingly defined as two instead of the three colours most have in mind when referring to the colour of a French Bulldog; • “Uniformly fawn, brindled or not, or with limited patching” • “Fawn brindled or not, with medium or predominant patching” Still these two sentences covered all the brindle, fawn and pied dogs. The first sentence covered all fawn and T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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brindle dogs. Fawn dogs were referred to as uniformly fawn, brindle dogs are uniformly fawn with brindling. For the pied dogs the second sentence applied. Again fawn, with or without brindling but with a predominant white coat.
white subjects provided the edge of eyelids and nose are black – are admitted but not bred for, because of a risk of deafness.
The new FCI standard solved this in a simple manner; next to the general description, the separate colours are defined elaborately: • Colour: fawn, brindled or not, with or without patching. Coat without patching: • Brindle: Fawn coat moderately characterized by transversal dark brindling creating a ‘tiger-marked’ effect, strongly brindled coats must not cover out the fawn ground colour. A black mask may be present. Limited white patching is admissible. • Fawn: Solid coat, from light fawn to dark fawn, sometimes presenting a paler colouring of the inclined parts, with or without a black mask, although masked subjects are preferred. Sometimes accompanied by limited white patching. Coat with patching: • Brindled with moderate or predominant white patching: So-called ‘pied’, the patching being ideally distributed over the entire subject. Some blotches on the skin are admissible. • Fawn with moderate or predominant white patching: So-called ‘fawn and white’, the patching being ideally distributed over the entire dog. Some blotches of the skin are tolerated. The nose is always black, in all coat colours, never brown or blue. The all30 | THEDOGM AGAZ INE
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Carte Truffé Part-Time Lover Pied, White with brindle patches Owned by N. Rutters (picture N. Rutters 2015)
So, with this definition, all brindle dogs, all fawn dogs and all pied dogs are allowed within the FCI standard. With a few important remarks: 1) brindle and fawn dogs may have small white patch-
A r t i c l e | The French Bulldog
es 2) pied dogs can be white and brindle as well as white and fawn. On top of that, totally white dogs are allowed provided the edge of eyelids and nose are black. An important note; the FCI has an official document on coat colours which makes it clear how to interpret a colour description. For example: • In the fawn (sand) brindle coat, ….. “Brindle“ alone implies “black”. Otherwise it must be stated “blue”, “brown”… For example: coat “sand with heavy blue brindling,..”. One important feature remains at the background; the mask. Only the most recent standard (FCI, 2015) describes the mask. But despite that, the mask is often subject to debate. In Europe most breeders will tell you; a fawn should have a mask. But in the USA this is absolutely not the case. In the USA more often fawns are unofficially classified as; “black masked fawn” and “fawn” (i.e. without black mask). Probably the influence of the cream dogs, mostly without a mask is of big influence in the perception here. The FCI clarifies that for the first time now and describes that a black mask may be present in brindle dogs and is preferred in fawn dogs. And again; no right or wrong. It’s in the interpretation of the colour rather than the description in the different standards. Furthermore; a discussion about the mask in fawn French Bulldogs often is an incomplete discussion! As the latest FCI standard describes, brindled and pied dogs can have a mask as well, however; it’s not always visible because a lot of them are dark or on a pied it can be hidden by white. And most people who would like to have a mask on a fawn will not miss a mask on a brindle or a pied French Bulldog if it’s
not there. On top of that it’s important to notice that the mask is genetically separate from the fawn, brindle or pied colour. So a mask is evenly important for a brindle or a pied dog as it is for a fawn or for that matter a cream French Bulldog. The most recent FCI standard still disqualifies several colours, but the definition differs significantly from its description in the 1995 standard. The previous FCI standard disqualified: coat black and tan (earlier referred to as black and light-brown), mouse grey, brown (earlier referred to as chocolate coloured or maroon). The most recent standard disqualifies colours: • “not in accordance with what is prescribed in the standard, especially black, black with fawn markings and all dilutions of black with or without spotting”. Several important differences should be noted in this latest FCI revision; • considered to be disqualifying. • Black is added to the list of disqualifying colours • Black and tan is referred to as “black with fawn markings” • “not in accordance with what is prescribed in the standard” implies that all colours other than brindle, fawn, brindle-pied and fawn-pied are disqualifying • “all dilutions of black” is meant to replace the previous descriptions “mouse-grey” as well as “brown” and also all variations on those colours. Next to that, another significant difference regarding the description of the fawn coat colour can be noted: previously fawn was classified as: “all the T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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A r t i c l e | The French Bulldog
fawn shades are admitted, from the red to light brown (café au lait) colour”. This has changed to: “solid coat, from light fawn to dark fawn”. After the latest revision the red coat colour is not mentioned anymore and because of the fact that any deviation from the standard colours is considered to be a disqualification, the red coloured dogs should be disqualified as well. The same can be said for the cream dogs; cream is not mentioned and therefore, by being a deviation from the standard, disqualifying as well. Should there be any dispute about certain coat colours which sometimes are difficult to classify, one last remark within the disqualifications can be of help; “colour of nose other than black”. Coat colours like mouse-grey or brown and sometimes cream or any variations on them are responsible for nose colours which are not black and therefore disqualifying.
AKC, KC AND COAT COLOURS Also on the subject of coat colours, the AKC and KC standards differ from the FCI standard. First of all their definition is not as elaborate as the FCI standard. And second, although the fawn colour is allowed in both standards, white and fawn is only recently allowed in the KC standard (2015) and in the AKC standard the fawn and white colour is debatable. The AKC standard is straight forward: • Acceptable colors - All brindle, fawn, white, brindle and white, and any color except those which constitute disqualification. • All colors are acceptable with the exception of solid black, mouse, liver, black and tan, black and white, and white with black, which 32 | THEDOGM AGAZ INE
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are disqualifications. Black means black without a trace of brindle. So, at first it seems the only three colours acceptable are brindle, fawn and brindle and white. However, strangely enough, next to that all colours which are not listed as disqualifying are allowed. This opens up a whole different way of looking at the colours. Why; well, white and fawn is not directly listed as “acceptable”, However, it’s not listed as disqualifying as well. Therefore; white and fawn can be defined as “any other color”. The same goes for “cream”; not listed as disqualifying, so it can be defined as “any other color”. The KC standard is even more straight forward: • Brindle, pied or fawn. Tan, mouse and grey/blue highly undesirable And although the same colours are mentioned here; tan (brown, chocolate), mouse and grey/blue However, there is a big difference; there are no disqualifications and instead these colours are referred to as “undesirable”. And any departure from any paragraph of the standard should be considered a “fault” and its severity should be referred to the dogs health and wellbeing. This leaves a huge gap towards interpretation as health risks of (black and-) tan and mouse-grey colour never have been shown in French Bulldogs. It’s safe to come to the conclusion that, although there are some differences, at least the following colours are acceptable within all three standards: • brindle, fawn and pied, pied being white and brindle of white and fawn. With a remark for the AKC: white and fawn as well as cream are not specifically listed but not disqualifying.
A r t i c l e | The French Bulldog
Ch. Armani Enzo v. Moezel’s Oever, Dark brindle 2006, Bred and owned by A. Broersma-v.d. Wei [Picture: J.F. Broersma] What about the solid black French Bulldog? For the KC standard, it would be a fault. And for the FCI and AKC standard the solid black French Bulldog is ruled out by disqualification. With the remark that this is only recently changed within the FCI standard. But it’s not the almost black brindle dogs which should be disqualified, no it is about the totally black dogs. Therefore the definition in the AKC standard is: “Black means black without a trace of brindle”. Although it is a thin line between dark brindle and black, this actually makes sense. With this definition, the genetically black dogs (like Labradors), which are not fawn with black hairs, but are just black are ruled out. Unfortunately the KC standard lost the disqualification for black during several revisions, just like the classification of white and fawn, probably during revisions in the mid and late 1900’s. Luckily these anomalies can be restored in revisions of the standard as the KC has done so in 2015. This new revision of the KC standard has yet to be published.
Yet; this may not lead to the conclusion that ‘new’ colours will be accepted within the breed over time and with revisions of the standards. From the start the preferred colour has been dark brindle, the first fanciers agreed on that very early. And although there have been differences worldwide, pied, cream and fawn have been accepted in the breed from the beginning. And despite the fact that it took a long time, the logical step within the FCI to strike the fawn colour as disqualifying in 1995 can be seen as a recovery of an imperfection of the standard. However, these ‘new’ colours are not as new as they appear to be. The first colour disqualifications were based on the fact that they were seen in some first French Bulldogs. Probably originating from the Toy Bulldogs, but also from the unknown terrier influences as well. And just as the first fanciers agreed on the fact that the upright ear was one of the main breed characteristics, they agreed on the preferred and disqualifying colours when forming the firsts outlines of the breed. Black, mouse-grey, brown and black and tan were already classified as colours which probably occurred but they did not want them in the breed. With the knowledge of the origins of the breed there is no need for a certain kind of “fear” for the disqualifying colours. Next to that, never has there been any evidence that these colours in itself are responsible for health issues in French Bulldogs. Case studies have been done on these colours and in some cases the mouse-grey colour has been linked to health issues, however; mostly in other breeds and the genetic makeup of the colour was never primarily responsible for health issues in French Bulldogs. Also the fact that other breeds do not have T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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A r t i c l e | The French Bulldog
any health issues related to mousegrey, black, brown, and black and tan makes it clear that if there are health issues with French Bulldog with disqualifying colours, the colour is most likely only secondarily related. With that it is fair to say that these colours, in a way, are part of our breed. However, there is an exception, and that is the colour “merle”. Sometimes merle French Bulldogs are seen and it’s important to point out that merle has never been part of the breed. Merle French Bulldogs always find their origins in cross-breeding. But in any case, when working with the breed the undesired and disqualifying colours should be avoided! Since the early days breeders controlled the appearance of the disqualifying colour just by smart breeding. Of course; puppies with undesired colours were born, but breeders just did not want them to reappear so they chose their combinations for breeding wisely. Therefore these colours were not seen as a problem, breeders worked “around” them. Problems only arise when breeders deliberately started to breed towards these colours. Breeding for colour instead of type with the sole purpose of money. And that’s probably also where the myth about health issues started. The disqualifying colours are genetically recessive and therefore when close inbreeding is done they emerge quickly. It is most likely that with this close inbreeding (brother/sister or parent/child) health issues occurred and emerged together with the so called “desired” but disqualifying colours. It’s evident that mouse-grey or blue French Bulldogs as well as chocolates and black and tans always have been emerging in the breed. Numerous examples throughout the 1900’s can be 34 | THEDOGM AGAZ INE
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Typical blue French Bulldog (picture: from “The French Bulldog”, by Muriel P. Lee (2007)
found, all of them pedigree dogs and a lot of them or their parents can be found in the pedigrees of modern-day French Bulldogs. And not just in the obscure breeding lines as a lot of people want us to believe. Again; breeders should not be afraid of it, they just should be aware of the genetics, breed smart and breed with knowledge. References: Die Franzosische Bulldogge by E. Trenkle (Grafelfing bei Munchen, December, 1937) Die Franzosische Bulldogge by Anita L. and Emmanuel P. Gay (Editions Rhodaniques AG, 1971) Der Bully by Ursula Bratke-Jorns (Vonderthann’s Buch-Offsetdruckerrei, 1993) Een eeuw HBC by Bas Bosch (BB Press, 2008) De Fransoos in Nederland by Bas Bosch (BB Press, 2007) The French Bulldog by Muriel P. Lee (Kennel Club Books, 2007) La genetique des Couleurs by Jacques Mulin and Martine Bendjemia Federation Cynologique International (FCI) American Kennel Club (AKC) The Kennel Club (KC)
A r t i c l e | The French Bulldog Standard
FRENCH BULLDOG (Bouledogue Français)
exaggerated compared to the others, which could spoil the dog’s general harmony, in appearance and in movement.
09.04.2015 /EN
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: The length of the body – between the point of the shoulder and the point of the buttock
FCI-Standard N° 101
– slightly surpasses the height at the withers.
TRANSLATION: Translator Ian Nicholson /FR/. Revised by Renée Sporre-Willes, Raymond Triquet and Claude Guintard.
The length of muzzle is about 1/6 of the total length of the head.
ORIGIN: France DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID STANDARD: 03.11.2014. UTILIZATION: Companion and Toy dog. FCI-CLASSIFICATION: Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs. Section 11 Small Molossian Dogs. Without working trial. BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: Probably decending, like all mastiffs, from the Epirus and the Roman Empire molossers, relative of the Bulldog of Great Britain, the Alaunts (tribe of the Middle Ages), the mastiffs and smalltype mastiffs of France. The bulldog we know is the product of different crossings done by enthusiastic breeders in the popular quarters of Paris in the 1880s. During that period, the Bulldog was a dog belonging to Parisian market porters, butchers and coachmen, it soon won over high society and the artistic world by its particular appearance and character. It rapidly became popular. The first breed club was founded in 1880 in Paris. The first registration dates from 1885 and the first standard was established in 1898, the year in which the French Kennel Club recognized the French Bulldog breed. The first dog of this breed was shown at an exhibition as early as 1887. The standard, modified in 1931, 1932 and 1948, was reformulated in 1986 by H.F. Reant with the collaboration of R. Triquet (F.C.I. publication 1987), then in 1994 by Violette Guillon (F.C.I. publication 1995) and in 2012 by the French Bulldog Club committee. GENERAL APPEARANCE: The type is of a small-sized molossian. A powerful dog for its small size, short, stocky, compact in all its proportions, smooth-coated, with a snub nose, erect ears and a naturally short tail. Must have the appearance of an active, intelligent, very muscular dog, of compact build with a solid bone structure. No point is
BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT: Sociable, lively, playful, possessive and keen companion dog. HEAD: The head must be strong, broad and square, covered by the skin of the head, which forms symmetrical folds and wrinkles, without excess. CRANIAL REGION: Skull: Broad, almost flat from ear to ear, domed forehead. Prominent superciliary arches, separated by a particularly developed furrow between the eyes. The furrow must not extend onto the skull. External occipital protuberance is barely developed. Stop:. Pronounced. FACIAL REGION: The head of the Bulldog is characterized by a shortening of the maxillarynasal part as well as a slight to moderate slope of the nose backwards. The nose is slightly upturned (“snub nose”). Nose: Black, broad, snubbed, nostrils wellopened and symmetrical, slanting towards the rear. The slope of the nostrils as well as the upturned nose must, however, allow normal nasal breathing. Muzzle: Very short, broad, with concentric symmetrical folds. Lips: Thick, a little loose and black. The upper lip meets the lower lip at its middle, completely covering the teeth. The profile of the upper lip is descending and rounded. The tongue must never show when the dog is not excited. Jaws/Teeth: Broad and powerful. The lower jaw projects in front of the upper jaw and turns up. The arch of the lower incisors is rounded. The jaw must not show lateral deviation, or torsion. The gap between the incisors of the upper and the lower jaw should not be strictly delimited, the essential condition being that the upper and the lower lips meet to completely cover the teeth. The lower incisors surpass the upper incisors. Sufficiently developed incisives and canines. Complete bite is desirable. Cheeks: Well developed.
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A r t i c l e | The French Bulldog Standard
Eyes: Clearly visible eyes, striking with lively expression, set low, quite far from the nose and the ears, dark coloured, big, rather large, rounded, , showing no trace of white (sclera) when the dog is looking straight forward. Rims of eyelids must be black.
HINDQUARTERS:
Ears: Medium size, wide at the base and rounded at the top. Set high on the head, but not too close together, carried erect. The ear is open towards the front. The skin must be fine and soft to the touch.
Thigh: Well muscled, firm.
NECK: Short, powerful, slightly arched, without dewlap, broadens towards the shoulder. BODY: Topline: Rising progressively, but not excessively, from the withers towards the loin. That conformation – also called roach-back – is typical for the breed. Back: Broad and muscular, firm without slackness. Loin: Short, broad and arched. Croup: Well sloping. Chest: Cylindrical and well let down (slightly under the elbows); very well sprung ribs, socalled “barrel shaped”. Fore chest, broad, and square-shaped, seen from the front. Underline and belly: Tucked up but not excessively.
General appearance: The hindlegs are strong and muscular, a little longer than the forelegs, thus raising the hindquarters. The legs are upright as seen both in profile and from behind. Hock joint: Quite well let down, neither too angulated nor too straight. Tarsus : solid. Metatarsus (Rear pastern): Short. Hind feet: Round, compact, turning neither inward nor outward. GAIT/MOVEMENT: The legs moving parallel to the median plane of the body, whether seen in front or in profile. Free, powerful and smooth movement. SKIN: Firm. COAT: Hair: Smooth coat, close, glossy and soft, without undercoat. Colour: fawn, brindled or not, with or without white spotting. Coat with colouring: Brindle: Fawn coat moderately characterized by transversal dark brindling creating a ‘tigermarked’ effect, strongly brindled coats must not cover out the fawn ground colour. A black mask may be present. Limited white spotting is admissible.
TAIL: Naturally short, ideally long enough to cover the anus, set low, rather straight, thick at the base and tapering at the tip. A kinked, knotted, broken or relatively long tail that does not reach beyond the point of the hocks, is admitted. It is carried low. Even in action, the tail must not rise above the horizontal.
Fawn: Solid coat, from light fawn to dark fawn, sometimes presenting a paler colouring of the inclined parts, with or without a black mask, although masked subjects are preferred. Sometimes accompanied by limited white spotting.
LIMBS:
Brindled with moderate or important white spotting: So-called ‘pied’, the spotting being ideally distributed over the entire subject. Some blotches on the skin are admissible.
FOREQUARTERS: General appearance: Forelegs upright (and straight) seen in profile and from the front. Shoulder: Must be well laid back. Upper arm: Short, thick, muscular, slightly curved. Elbow: Close and tight to the body. Forearm: Short, straight and muscular. Carpus (Wrist): Solid and short. Metacarpus (Pastern): Short and slightly oblique seen in profile. Forefeet: Round, compact, of small dimension, i.e. «cat feet», turning slightly outward. The toes are tight, nails short, thick and black.
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Coat with white spotting:
Fawn with moderate or important white spotting: So-called ‘fawn and white’, the spotting being ideally distributed over the entire dog. Some blotches of the skin are tolerated. The nose is always black, in all coat colours, never brown or blue. The all-white subjects provided the edge of eyelids and nose are black – are admitted but not bred for, because of a risk of deafness. SIZE AND WEIGHT: Height at the withers: Males: 27–35 cm. Females: 24–32 cm. A deviation of 1 cm
A r t i c l e | The French Bulldog Standard
above and below the standard is tolerated. Weight: Males: 9–14 kg. Females: 8–13 kg. 500 g more than the standard weight is allowed when the subject is typical. FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog. • Strongly flecked with black brindle with white coat. • Fawn and white coat strongly red speckled. • In fawn coats, deep black trace extending along the spine. • White stockings in brindles and fawns. • Light-coloured nails. SEVERE FAULTS: • Overtyped, exaggerated breed characteristics. • Muzzle too long or excessively short. • Tongue visible when mouth is closed. • Light eyes (hawk eye). • Horizontal topline from withers to loin. • Excessive depigmentation of the lips, nose, eyelids, the rim of which should never be entirely depigmented. • Pincer bite.
• • • • • • • • • •
Ears not carried erect. Taillessness or ingrown tail. Dewclaw on hindquarters. Reversed hock. Long, wired-haired or woolly coat. Coat colour : not in accordance with what is prescribed in the standard, namely black, black with fawn markings and all dilutions of black with or without spotting. Size and weight outside the standard limits. Respiratory distress. Deafness.
N.B.: • Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum. • Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation, should be used for breeding.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS: • Aggressive or overly shy dog. • Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified. • Lacks type: insufficient ethnic characteristics, which result in the dog not really resembling other subjects of the breed. • Completely closed nostrils. • Torsion or lateral deviation of the jaw, resulting in the tongue constantly being visible. • Dog with lower incisors articulating behind upper incisors. • Dog with permanently visible canines (fangs), mouth being closed. • Heterochrome eyes (wall eye). Colour of nose other than black.
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AUTHOR Suzanne Orban-Stagle
PHOTOS Suzanne Orban-Stagle Archive
SOREN’S STORY SPORT
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Suzanne Orban-Stagle AKC BREEDER OF MERIT, Just Us Dogs, www.justusdogs.com
“Soren flying to the Eukanuba show as a “special” dog (this is NOT as a therapy dog..it was a program for dogs of special note!) able to sit in the cabin!”
Sometimes your best laid plans take an unexpected turn and what you had dreamt of no longer exists, but what you have is incredible! So it has been with Soren! I bought Soren from Tove Rasmussen as an addition to my breeding program and to be shown in the confirmation ring. I have always admired Tove’s Frenchies and fell in love with her Daulokke Nordique Crouton (Rook). Soren’s dam is a litter sister to Rook and quite a winner in her own right! And so, Soren headed to America from Denmark. When I met him at the airport in Newark he greeted me as if we had known each other for years! I
bought him an order of French Fries as his first American meal… and he never looked back. We had our precious “Danish Pastry” and he was treated like all other JustUs puppies, he was socialized to all sorts of new places and new things. He played with mini agility equipment but we never pursued that as he was destined for the confirmation ring. In the US we have a weight limit and by the time Soren was six months old he had reached it. There would be no confirmation ring for him, there would be no AKC Championship for him. This little man had so much to offer, he was curious about so many things, he was T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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A r t i c l e | Soren’s Story
fast to learn and he wanted to work. Into the picture came Deb Stevenson, a friend of a friend. She is a force in agility, had run a Frenchie before and she was told over and over you must see this dog. Finally, we set up a meeting and Soren told her, I AM THE ONE! Soren moved from Maryland to New Jersey when he was 1 ½ years old. He adjusted quickly and he worked hard. Sometimes he and Deb would visit me but at the end of the day he wanted to get back with Deb and get to work! Again, he never looked back! Soren is a history making French Bulldog. He was the first AKC MACH Frenchie. He later added another MACH to his list and as he got older he went into the preferred ring, totaling up four PACHs MACH2 PACH4 Daulokke’s Une Valliant Grosse CD RAE2 MXB2 MJS2 MXP17 MXPG2 MJP12 MJPC PAX4 XF OFP T2BP These are merely his AKC titles! This little dog not only works hard in the performance ring but he has sired puppies who have done so too! His son, Sagan, is, in the AKC ring Ch JustUs Movin’ Out ,BN, CD,CDX, RN, RA, RE, RAE, NA, NAJ, OA, OAJ, AX, AXJ, NF His daughter, Audra, has totaled up a fine list of AKC titles as well: CH MACH Justus Uptown Girl RN MXG MJB NAP NJP NFP Because Audra was a confirmation Ch and achieved her MACH she is the FIRST French Bulldog AKC Dual Champion!! All of these dogs have titled in other arenas than AKC! 40 | THEDOGM AGAZ INE
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A r t i c l e | Soren’s Story
Soren retired from the performance ring late 2014. It was time to hang up the Agility collar and become a dog mentor for his friends! He attends lots of trials with Deb and his housemates and he is always up for a belly rub and a winner’s cake! Soren has given us so many gifts, the gift of wins, the gift of fabulous progeny but most of all Soren has given us
the gift of himself! He is utterly loved by everyone who meets him. Outside of the ring he is a welcome ambassador for his breed, making friends wherever he goes!
And he has never looked back!! T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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AUTHOR
HANDLING
Aneliya Shankova Professional Dog Show Handler
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Photo by Emilio Savov
Aneliya Shankova, Bulgaria
Photo by Emilio Savov
Photo by HOT DOG magazin
Aneliya Shankova, Bulgaria
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My name is Aneliya Shankova and I am from Bulgaria. My family and I have a kennel for Labradors and Whippets for almost 15 years now. I started handling at the age of 8 years old, I’ve been doing this for 18 years now. So far I have trained and presented dozens of breeds, together we have won first places all over the world. My biggest achievements are the world and European titles as well as first prices at Cruft’s, Eurasia, Amsterdam Winner, Luxembourg Winner. I made my first steps in the world of cynology thanks to a person who unfortunately is not with us any more – Anton Todorov. He was the one to show me what a dog show and a handler are. He was the first person to ensure everyone that “I have this in my heart”. Of course I learned a lot from many other people and I will never stop learning. My work with dog breeders allows me to learn new things every single day. I have worked with many breeds so far.
I am not sure I can list them all but I can mention the breeds I’ve been presenting the most often in the last few years: French Bulldog, Golden Retriever, Labrador, Samoyed, Pomeranian, Dalmatian, St. Bernard, Welsh corgi, Pharaoh Hound, Schnauzer, South Russian Ovcharka, Pyrenean Shepherd, Flat-coated Retriever and Basenji. I don’t really have a favorite breed. Still there are dogs you can work very easily and pleasantly with. These dogs love shows, want to present themselves and always do it extremely well! There are many examples but one of the most successful partners I’ve ever had was a French Bulldog named Maximo de la Virreyna. I cannot describe what I feel when I show this dog. He walks like a champion, acts like a champion and that is the reason why he is such a big champion. It won’t be a mistake to say that he was born to win but also that I am lucky to be his handler. The truth is that the life of a handler is not an ordinary life – your working T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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A r t i c l e | Aneliya Shankova
Photo by Emilio Savov
well paid. The other one was that you always have to present dogs of good qualities. You have to create the image that you only work with champions. The judges will remember this. It really is not easy for me to refuse an offer of a potential client but I sometimes have to.
day is not fixed, you cannot enjoy your weekends planning places to visit and people to meet. However, the possibility to travel around the world every week and to see places you’ve never seen before is incredible indeed. I think of this activity as of a hobby that brings me enormous pleasure. I can say of myself that I am really lucky for being able to turn the both activities I adore into a professional occupation. The first one I already mentioned is handling, the second one is sport. Apart from handling I work as a sports aerobics trainer for one of the leading sports clubs in the world. My days are full of dogs and children. Well, am I not really lucky! More than 15 years ago one of the main persons in the Russian Cynology Federation gave me two very important advices that I stick to even today. The one was that if you want to be respected by others, your efforts have to be 50 | THEDOGM AGAZ INE
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The profession of the handler is one of the few occupations that not only require lots of knowledge but also strong love. Love for dogs, love for the work with them, knowing when and how to motivate them, knowing their inner world and talking to them without words. I don’t think anyone can do this. Working with animals definitely is not a profession but a calling. I don’t agree with the widespread perception that the handler is the shadow of the dog. A handler and a dog as a team is the most beautiful sight. The dog cannot succeed without the handler but the handler can also not succeed without the dog. That’s why it is so important for them to fight for the victory together! The mail rule in my job is to do this with a smile. Technically, I must say that the task of the handler is to highlight the advantages of the own dog and to hide the shortcomings. I love every dog I work with. Dogs are pure creatures that would accept anyone who treats them with love. That’s why we achieve so impressive results with them – world and European awards, Best Of Breed as well as repeatedly Best In Show! The advice I would give to starting handlers is not to take their job too commercially! Yes, it is a profession but in order to be good at it you have to do it with much love and with positive attitude. Enjoy handling, love animals and show it to them! Be honest when competing; respect your rivals and the judges.
Photo by Aneliya Shankova
Photo by Iwona Kulig
Photo by Aneliya Shankova
Photo by Adi Stoicoviciu
Photo by Emilio Savov
Photo by HOT DOG magazin
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AUTHOR Joan Asensio
HANDLING
Joan Asensio Professional Dog Show Handler
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Joan Asensio, Spain
For all people who don’t know me, my name is Joan Asensio. I was born in Buenos Aires (Argentina), and started showing my first dog in 1996 and 1997 as a professional handler. I was lucky to live in a country where dog shows are very professional, around 80% of the people at the show are professional handlers and all compete against each other, this gives you the chance to learn a lot and work hard, do the best as possible every time you are in the ring. In Argentina we have a very high level of handling and all around the dog world are very professionals, it must be added that our Latin blood, that make us live more passionately. Two of my two favorite handlers at the moment are now working in USA with great success. Some others are still working in Argentina and other countries showing dogs as the best handlers. Apart from my job as a handler, I had my time as a breeder of Rottweilers and American Staffords. I bred and owned some champions and won the ranking of the year 2000 with my first American imported from Spain. During this time I worked as a trainer with some problematic dogs and trained my own dogs for Schutzhund. I arrived to Spain in 2002. On arrival in Spain I showed my American Stafford female and we won RBIS in a national show. At that show I met a man who would became very important to me. I’m talking about Francisco Calderón, owner and breeder of CH. Fox, Dogo Argentino, and he was the president of the Dogo Argentino club. A few months later I decided to go work with a handler in Italy, and I spent a few months with him. It was a very
good chance to learn about the way Dog shows are in Europe, because in Argentina it is very different. During the time in Italy I traveled from show to show. I lived in Rome but I traveled from Turin to Sicily. I showed some different breeds like Siberian Husky, Alaska Malamute, Oso de Carelia, American Cocker and Golden Retriever, I enjoyed all of it and gained some great successes, like the RBIS with the last one. When I returned to Spain I showed the Dogo Argentino Ch. Fox at the International Dog Show Barcelona, where we won Best in Show. It was an historical moment, because it was the first time that a Dogo Argentino won the group let alone Best in Show. We won the ranking of Catalunya during two successive years and the BIS in the National Specialty for the breed. I was very surprised about the little professionalism of handlers and judges, I was very upset to see beautiful dogs in bad condition and shown badly, they could win more than the best of breed but they normally loose the class because of this. Another thing that surprises me so much was that people were happy with an “Excellent” qualification... Even today I still can’t understand. For me not winning the class or the BOB is not a good result, but I think everyone has his own aspirations. Fortunately I could see how people are changing about the way they show their dogs, and try to do the best as possible. I also saw how people changed from tracksuit to suit, I don’t know if it was because of me (when I started showing American Stafford in Spain, I was the only handler with suit) or because of the competition. It is important that the image on dog shows T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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has been improved (still need the same for the Doberman, Boxer, Rottweiler....) I don’t want to be arrogant or say that they all changed because of me. When I arrived there were some very good handlers, but in most breeds there were no professional handlers, I talk about Dogo Argentino, Cane Corso, Jack Russel, Parson, American Stafford, Bull Terrier and Miniature Bullterrier. Fortunately the change came very fast, and people start to worry about presentation and the correct grooming of the breed. For me one the most important thing is the image we create with our dog. Every breed has to be shown different and we have to let them all see the possibilities, to show the best of the dog to the judge and the public (don’t forget so many people are looking at us). We can’t show a Chihuahua as an American Stafford, every breed has its characteristics, possibilities and limits, and we have to adapt to the breed we have on the leash at that moment. I 60 | THEDOGM AGAZ INE
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have to say that something that wondered about the handling was how easy a handler could change from a very different breeds in a second, in Argentina I saw professional handlers leaving a Doberman to Shih Tzu and then do their best with every one. Something very important in a good presentation is to make it an easy job for the judges. With no doubt they will be very grateful after a long day, if we know when and where we have to be in every moment, and this is not a difficult thing to know. It also is a better image for us, and it will help your nerves if you know exactly what to do. About judges... I think many of them are doing a really good job, and I don’t mean how they judge, I am referring about the way they treat people and the management in the ring. Being nice and friendly is very important, and because of that the exhibitor probably will be happy and eager to come again, apart from a good or bad result. Something I think is also very important, is the way they manage the ring, it is very important to the organi-
A r t i c l e | Joan Asensio
zation to receive information about how to organize and place the exhibitors in that way the judge and public can see it perfectly. A lot of times when I was in the rings the public could only see my behind... There are so many little details that will make the show easier and nice. My first time showing a French Bulldog was in 2006, before I showed some similar breeds like Pugs or Boston terrier, but for French Bulldog this was the first time. I think it’s a very funny and nice breed to handle, and it require a special feeling with the dog. In this years a lot of judges (special the English one) don’t allow you to kneel, to show the dog. So the work is more
difficult, it was necessary to show correctly without touching. Since then I always work to get their best attention on me and especially that they enjoy our time in the ring. It’s important to obtain the best stay with the closest attention without force, very important that the dog doesn’t loose the concentration and the face expression. I like to see a happy dog in the ring, especially with French bulldog, is very nice when you see a dog working friendly with the handler, and I like to make it as a playing time, not a duty for the dog, the difference makes the best expression on the face. I always understand my job as something very funny for dogs and not as T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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suffering, and I have fun with them, during training and when its show time … the best part of all. The best way to see the dogs, is on the floor, because its the only way you can see them naturally and not forced. We can conceal faults on the structure when we put the dog on the table, more or less tension can change the dog completely. Its our job to make the dog as beautiful as possible, so we always will show the best virtues and try to hide the defects. Of course we can use the grooming for this purpose, but remember that this grooming has to look as natural as possible. The eternal debate for me with all people of French Bulldogs and some similar breeds is the movement. Is true that some judges don’t consider it, and these days seems like the most fastest runner is the winner, but the French Bulldog is a Molosser and the movement should be as what it is. The correction on the movement is very important, on the straight line we should see a very clean and parallel movement on the front and the typical rolling on the back. On the lateral movement we should see the most cover space with the less effort, and all this with the typical movement for the breed.
I always say the same example, a boxer doesn’t have to move as a Bullmastiff and conversely, and we have to understand that all Molosser dogs have a different and less intense. About handling in Europe, I have to say that we have very good professionals but too little. On the bad time we live in right now we can find so many people that use the excuse of the professional handler to self-financed their trips for their own dogs. With all this only achieve the degradation of this beautiful profession because they can’t get what people expect from us. In this job we have a very bad education, and I think we need more training and help for all people who want to start on this beautiful job. In America, apart from seminars, people normally start to work as an assistant, and it is best to learn from a good professional and to learn the correct way. Our job is not only the funny moments in the ring, it takes from the cleaning of the water cube to the physical and psychological maintenance of every dog, and of course, the best grooming. I want to thank The Dog Magazine for the opportunity to write this lines and say how I see this little crazy world of dogs.
It’s very important to consider that a good movement is the result of a good structure. I think we need more commitment of the judges to stop this crazy thing about the running and to value the movement as it should, and of course more compromise from the breeders and exhibitors to show the dogs as they should. T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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AUTHOR Stella Zawadzka
HANDLING
Stella Zawadzka Professional Dog Show Handler
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Stella Zawadzka the owner of Stellanova Kennels and a professional dog handler. (Poland)
Cynology is my Life. The love of dogs and dog shows I inherited from my parents, who since 1984 are dog breeders. I started to show dogs at the age of 8, more than 21 years ago. At home we have over 750 dog show trophies are proudly displayed. My dogs have gained the highest titles, these include Interchampions, Champions, Youth Champions and as well as Champions of other countries. In the Junior Handler competition I have gained the European Championship, I have been Polish Champion twice, three times the Polish Vice Champion, three-times the Vice presenter & presenter of the Year. I started my first dog shows with a Scottish shepherd collie, and then I got from my beloved parents a mops
female , who accompanied me for many years to shows at home and abroad. She was my love in the home and in the show ring, winning with her countless BEST IN SHOW, BEST OF GROUP and BEST OF BREED. On my 18th birthday my parents kennel was transferred to my name and I have derived my affix from my name Stellanova. In my career as a dog handler I have exhibited over 40 different breeds, to mention a few, Afghan hounds, Shih tzu, Pointers, Whippets, Siberian husky, Basenji, Caucasians, Dachshunds and Chinese Crested. With time, in my house appeared a French bulldog female, which I brought from abroad, then I have purchased a French bulldog male. It has been successful and a great stud dog, who has sired great dogs and winners amongst others a World Champion. T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E 路 I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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Myself along with my parents have 2 breeds very close to our hearts these are Mops and French Bulldogs. These are the breed of dogs which in my opinion make an impact on humans, you will love them forever, or will dislike them, because they are unique in appearance. Our dogs are members of our home, they live with us inside of our home and are our love. Dog shows and dog handling are my passion, in my personal opinion each person must approach each dog individually to find your way. I believe that the presentation of the dog is a 50% success at the exhibition. In the ring, be sure to highlight the advantages of the dog and try to compensate for its shortcomings. Even the best dog in terms of exterior beauty improperly show and presented will not win victories such as an average looking dog who will be presented well and professionally. I think that many people forget that you should not blindly look at other exhibitors at the show, and every dog should be treated very individually. Since almost every breed of dog is shown and exhibited slightly differently to the other, for example, you present/ hold the tail of a fox terrier vertically, and Golden Retriever is an extension of the spine and in such a position should it be present, it is important to know the breed standard of the particular dog. In preparation for Handling, our dog should know his fate, traits and preferences in his race. We should remember that apart from the individual preferences of our dog, it is important how we work with him and the way he is rewarded. Always at the end of each exercise he should receive a good word and given a reward. Just as we create 70 | THEDOGM AGAZ INE
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A r t i c l e | Stella Zawadzka
good and relaxed friendship at home with a dog, we should be equally in the ring we should create a harmonious atmosphere in the ring. It is not always easy. Sometimes while teaching a dog it takes long time to find the dog’s way and the way he responds. Through trial and errors, I read the dog and understood what the dog wants to tell me, what he wants to communicate to me, what he is afraid off, and what I can motivate him and push him to continue to work and develop more and make him happy and find the process enjoyable for him. I think the secret of the success of the dog in the ring, is to find a mutual understanding between the dog and handler as well as proper preparation for the exhibition......and luck. I would like to thank THE DOG MAGAZINE team for the opportunity to write these few sentences about myself and my passion.
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AUTHOR Victor Alexander van Raamsdonk
PHOTOS
Victor Alexander van Raamsdonk Archive
BREEDERS
DE LA PARURE Since 1972
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De La Parure, Belgium
Prince Alexander von Ratibor und Corvey
Victor Alexander van Raamsdonk
In 1972 Riki and I started breeding French Bulldogs.
Later we bought from Mrs. van Klaveren from the Netherlands the beautiful Champion Pied Bitch:
The Frenchies of Holland were from a low quality and could not compete at international level in the seventies. The Frenchies we started with were from Kennel “van Adeltrots” from Marcel de Vries from Kaatsheuvel in The Netherlands.
“Une Boulette Blanche von Ratibor und Corvey”. These Frenchies from the above mentioned two kennels were our base dogs to start: “De La Parure”.
In the seventies the French Bulldogs of Prince Alexander von Ratibor und Corvey from Germany were at the absolute top in Europe.
The Ratibor Frenchies were very strong in head, fronts and elegance and we were lucky to combine this bloodline with Frenchies from another German Kennel: “von der Grimmelsburg.
We were lucky after we had waited 2 years that we could buy from him in 1975:
The Frenchies of this kennel had much bone and were sound, healthy, strong dogs.
“Voila Coco von Ratibor und Corvey” a very nice pied Frenchie who won in 1978 BIS at the International FCI Show in Venlo.
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Trusardi, Omar Sarif, Innovations Prince De La Parure
from Germany who were not only breeder but also judge and veterinary doctor.
In the pedigrees of most of the Top kennels in the world you will find the name: “De La Parure”.
We were lucky to meet these Icons of the breed in Germany who teaches us that breeding this difficult breed is only possible when you are able to make severe selections.
26 of our Frenchies became World champion and three of our Frenchies became Champion at the Greatest Show on Earth: CRUFTS in the United Kingdom.
Till their death we have been GREAT FRIENDS with these authorities in the breed and we still are with their family.
Many of our Frenchies have won BOG and BIS Victories worldwide but in Holland we only won three BIS at International FCI Shows.
Such relations in friendship are very seldom in our Kynological World because hate, jealousy and envy are very strong in our hobby. The cooperation with these two German Kennels has brought: “De La Parure” at the top of the world. You can find Champions of de la Parure in at least: 67 countries worldwide. 80 | THEDOGM AGAZ INE
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1978 Venlo: Champion Voila Coco von Ratibor und Corvey, 2002 Uden: Champion Ambrosius de la Parure, 2013 Wychen: Jarretelle de la Parure. We have had two great Ambassadors for the breed of Holland in the World; Wordchampion “Omar Sharif de la Parure” and his son Worldchampion
A r t i c l e | De La Parure
“Colonel Trusardi de la Parure”. These dogs have been showed in the USA and Canada and were an excellent PR for the quality of the Frenchies of Holland in the eighties and the nineties. The respect for the quality from the Frenchies od Holland had become worldwide very high. We were very proud that the French Bulldog of America used the head of “Colonel Trusardi de la Parure” as logo for their Centenary show in 1996. The American Kennel Club also used “Colonel Trusardi de la Parure” for their teaching-movie for judges. In 2007 with the centenary of the French Bulldog Club of Holland the logo was: Colonel Trusardi de la Parure”. We were very glad that also in our country they have given the respect to a real outstanding dog in the breed who is the father of the The Top Most Winning Bitch EVER: World champion “Obsession D’ell Akiris”. Since 1996 our son Dimitry Alexander and his wife Chantal have joined our team and since 2007 they both are alone responsible for the Frenchies of “de la Parure”. Since a short time they both are also official FCI-judges. Nowadays I enjoy judging all over the world and I like to organize every two years: The Greatest Bull breed Show of Europe “De Dogachtigen”. and The Outdoor Uden FCI Show. Further I am President of the Boston Terrier Club in Holland and President of the French Bulldog Club of Holland and President of the FCI Group 2A Molossers etc.
Trusardi De La Parure
This was in “short” the history of De La Parure, now 43 years old.
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AUTHOR David Rodriquez Garcia
PHOTOS David Rodriquez Garcia Archive
BREEDERS
LA VIRREYNA
Always enjoy the surroundings with your faithful partner, remember the breeder is the mentor.
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David Rodriquez Garcia La Virreyna, Spain
cope with different conditions and stress related to those situations. Over the years we realised how important it was to breed our own specimens correctly which involved us finding the balance between personality, character and physical structure against the purpose of each breed. With Boxers we developed techniques to find the correct genetic structure for the required qualities and continued updating these methods. We do not let a day pass without closely studying the behaviour of each dog relating to their own primitive instincts adapting to our environment. Understanding them in turn gave us better communication creating a special link between man and canine. In conjunction with showing our dogs in the show rings, we also aimed to obtain optimum performance in field Work, passing high complex performance tests (IPO and SchH). We first became involved with dogs 32 years ago, keeping Great Danes and Boxer breeds. At that time we had no thought of exhibiting or breeding them, only to have some beautiful and functional pets to take for walks and enjoy their company. We were always attracted to sporting breeds so that we could carry out activities and train with them. Our beginnings were focused on the preparation of dogs for tracking, obedience, guard and protection work. We aimed to get the most out of all of them and understand their psychological makeup. Every dog has its own personality; some are more sensitive, some stronger psychologically. Each one able to
The Boxers made us love their cheerful demeanour and great social behaviour. But because they are complex characters in sports work, we learned how to get the best out of them by achieving the best possible results. Nearly 15 years of work gave us great satisfaction from a sporting point of view (Beauty championships multiple countries, getting the IPO and SchH qualifications at different levels). Two dramatic events changed our approach to continuing with this breed that made us stop, at least for a while. We made this hard decision, we began to explore other breeds which would give us the happiness that comes with time. After much thought, we decided to T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E 路 I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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start working with and breeding French Bulldogs. Although we would lose the ability to participate with them in work tests, we would have a character we had fallen in love with.
always be the male, not female. Despite the opinion of many others, it is our experience. However, females must have a genetic mate that would maintain the level of these specimens.
After acquiring a specimen, we decided to contact the owners of the best modern French Bulldog Breeding, La Parure. They possessed a clearly marked genetics at a rate that is aesthetically closest to the standards defined by the FCI. From there, we imported two specimens that have marked our life, Gregorio de la Parure and Famous of Parure. We always give a very special thanks because they are the basis of our current breeding.
SEARCH, SELECT, DEBUG
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The choice of future dogs with which I will show, is a very important point. Dedication is needed to observe, understand their growth, physical and mental, and progress by knowing how their genes could work. Still, there are always changes and surprises. The breeding work is a long distance race where mistakes happen, of course, but learning, also with some luck, about getting the result that was devised.
A r t i c l e | La Virreyna
You must add a large amount of self-criticism of what you get against what you want.
next day when everything has finished when your faithful dog will be lying on the couch or running in the park.
It is essential breeding work, but equally or more is the work of development of these specimens. All this time has helped us to see examples of big promises (unless changed by poor attention) on developing individuals with a promising future. Our task in this process is fundamental. We often repeat continuously, our specimens always are first dogs, partners and the rest is circumstantial. Therefore our time after weaning is working on functional imprinting, creating the special link that allows us to understand and communicate with them to be perfect partners. If at any time our dogs have changed ownership or have had to move to other houses, the most important thing first was the special character that they had before looks were considered.
SHOWING‌ When we present our specimens, perhaps one of the most special moments is exhibiting the qualities of the specimen. It is an intense situation, where t is anthropologically something abnormal for them, but it is a time that can be very interesting. In addition to all this, we have the stress and strain of travel, almost around the world, where our dogs should behave as if at home and not affected by outside influences Every situation, every place is special and should be lived well, is one of our goals. Always enjoy the surroundings with your faithful partner, remember the breeder is the mentor. Knowing that the greatest happiness will happen the T H ED O G M A G AZ I N E ¡ I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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AUTHOR
Photo by Munays Kennel
Anna Denisova
TRAINING
CUTENESS DOMAIN “The French Bulldog is a wonderful companion. His vivacity, comic ways and quaint clown-like appearance give him a unique character”.
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Anna Denisova, CTC is a pet and show dog trainer and counselor from Italy. Training apart Anna owns French Bulldog Kennel Hellzapoppin. All of HellzaFrenchies are exclusively owner-trained and shown in conformation in Europe. Anna lives with her family and dogs on Varese Lake in Northern Italy.
Large round eyes, rounded forehead, large ears, shortened muzzle, curly tails and fewer or shortened vertebra are some of the most common neotenous physical traits in domesticated animals. All of them as well are the traits that turned Toy Bulldogs into our beloved French Bulldogs in the past century. Photo by Anna Denisova
The story of the breed says there were different types of Bullies back than. “The ancestral type was not our modern bulldog but the bulldog of 150-200 years ago: a strong, athletic dog, high on leg, and capable of being used in that barbarous activity called “bull-baiting.” Some breeders began to change the breed around this time to a bigger, heavier dog with exaggerated features. Others crossbred them with terriers resulting in the bull-and-terrier breeds used for dogfighting, ratting, etc. Another group of breeders developed a smaller, lighter toy bulldog, having either upright or rose ears, round foreheads and short under jaws—and perhaps a touch of terrier liveliness.”* So what are the reasons the “clownlike” features won over other types and turned into the French Bulldog we know today? My answer to this question is Neoteny. The word neoteny is borrowed from the German Neotenie, the latter constructed from the Greek νέος (neos, “young”) and τείνειν (teínein, “to extend”). Neoteny, also called juvenilization, is the retention by adults of traits previously seen only in the young. Most outstanding neoteny traits are cuteness and puppy-like behaviors, for example face-licking and play.
Photo by Anna Denisova
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Photo by Anna Denisova
A r t i c l e | Cuteness Domain
to an environment that favors those characteristics over the adult form, or the retention of juvenile characteristics leads to greater survival because those characteristics are less costly in terms of energy expenditure. From my point of view juvenilization of ancestral bulldogs occurred due to the evolution of the dogs role in society. In fact juvenilization reached it’s peak in companion breeds or those whose “work” is to keep his human company. Till not so long ago keeping companion (meant here as non-working) dog was a privilege of wealthy people. Today, when most of the dogs are companions at a first place, breeds with high level of neoteny may only prosper. So prospers the Frenchie.
concept and analytical model in ethology. Lorenz proposed the concept of baby schema (Kindchenschema), a set of facial and body features, that make a creature appear “cute” and activate (“release”) in others the motivation to care for it.** Konrad Lorenz argued in 1949 that infantile features triggered nurturing responses in adults and that this was an evolutionary adaptation which helped ensure that adults cared for their children, ultimately securing the survival of the species. That is why puppy traits of a Frenchie together with low aggression level, playfulness, great social skills, the “need to be with his human” and care seeking provoke in us unconditional, often parent-like feeling of love and strong bonding.
Cuteness of a Frenchman makes people fall in love with the breed from the first sight. “Cuteness” was first introduced by Konrad Lorenz as a scientific
Seems the statement “Frenchie remains puppy all of his life” is a point that will bring together opinions of
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Cuteness Domain
Photo by Hellzapoppin Frenchies
A r t i c l e | Cuteness Domain
both: breed fanciers and opponents. Of course, not only the physical traits contribute to puppy like looks. Big role here plays attitude. FCI standard calls for: “Sociable, lively, playful, sporty, keen. Particularly affectionate towards his masters and the children”. It’s hard to encounter these character traits in adult wolfs. If there is no need for competition, then there is no need for aggression. If the food and other resources are available, there is no need for physical traits that insure advantage over other competitors. And if there is no need to do much to survive, there is plenty of time to play. As simple as that. Just think, how proud we - French Bulldog “moms” & “dads” - are when our dogs play well with other people dogs, and children, and strangers, and cats, and turtles, and I do not know what... I highly doubt we could expect simi-
lar behavior from adult wolves or even from many breeds of dogs with medium to low neoteny level like all terriers, sight hounds or primitive breeds. With this I do not want to say those dogs are “bad”, but rather are more dogs in a classic meaning of the term. All of the examples above illustrate the role of neoteny in evolution of our breed. Thou, attention, not only genetics counts. The environment that domesticated animals are raised in determines whether or not neoteny is present in those animals. From my perspective as a breeder and a trainer, pet Frenchies remain much more juvenile than those living in kennels. All of my dogs are quite juvenile, because I like to play with them, and give kisses, and praise when they behave and look childish. I like them “mom-dependent”, it makes me feel loved and important. I believe this phenomenon is really imT H ED O G M A G AZ I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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A r t i c l e | Hug-O-Bull Bulldogs
portant and interesting for the breed study from both phenotype and character point of view. And many questions arise when we take it under consideration. For example, can dependence on people be the cause of separation anxiety? Or can the lack of maturity provoke other behavior disorders and communication clash with other more “normal” dogs? Could it be that neoteny is to blame when some of the Frenchies fail to be good mothers? Again observing dogs I happen to know personally, some look and behave much more mature than others. Is this the consequence of different lines bringing different genetic traits from the past? How these traits work together? May we consider some dominant and others recessive? To conclude this article I’d like to ask 100 | THEDOGM AGA Z INE
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some question to all of my readers. What is your opinion about neoteny? Do you as a breeder of fancier notice juvenile traits in your dogs? Are they important issues in your life and breeding programs and why? Do you believe that these traits are to be preserved in a breed? May be even enhanced during confirmation competitions? Just imagine Group 9 “working” trial to gain CCAC (Cuteness Certificat d’aptitude au Championnat ) I would be really happy to hear from you via email: a. goldentimes@gmail.com * “History of the French Bulldog Breed” by Jim Grebe, FBDCA Historian * * Glocker ML, Langleben DD, Ruparel K, Loughead JW, Valdez JN, Griffin MD, Sachser N, Gur RC. “Baby schema modulates the brain reward system in nulliparous women.”
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JUDGES
AROUND THE GLOBE
PART 1
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Dimitry Alexander van Raamsdonk Owner Admirer Breeder Judge
BELGIUM
www.delaparure.com
dimitry@delaparure.com
I have been in touch with French bulldogs since the day I was born and I was soon “infected” by the “Frenchie virus”. During my childhood years I have followed my parents during their travels and numerous dogs shows throughout the world. I was fortunate to spend much “quality time” with some of the greatest pioneers, breeders and owners of French bulldogs and other breeds. I spent many years of my childhood in Germany with Mr & Mrs Grimm (vet and judge) “Von der Grimmelsburg”, Royalty Prinz Alexander v Ratibor und Corvey (vet & judge) “Von Ratibor und Corvey. Since “junior handling” did not realy exist I “showed” dogs during the so called “Junior fancy dress show” where you had to “dress up” in a personality which had some kind of connection with the breed or its origin. Later during puberty I chose to stay at home and care for the dogs while my parents were away traveling, showing or judging. I loved to work with my four legged friends: taking care of them and simply be there for them and to play and train. They were always great company and good fun to be around with. A bit later I also started to show interest in showing dogs and I guess the rest is “history”. I travelled all over the globe and enjoyed every minute of it. I especially enjoy the tight bond with the dog(s) in question and I love the challenge to try and connect with a dog in order to try to achieve great results together. I showed and finished many Frenchies of which some are well known in the French bulldog scene: Egoiste, Don Camilo, Passion, Portobello, Karoline, Ulan, Xinblanche, Xcellence, Ambrosius, Anatole, Hublot, Fantasme, Jarretelle, Kokette just to name a few. Since I,and meanwhile my wife Chantal, were so involved with breeding, showing and taking care of the dogs I wanted to follow my parents footsteps and continue the kennel. Meanwhile we have completely taken over the daily care of the dogs for many years and eventualy I also wanted to become a judge of my beloved breed.
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In 2012 I officialy became an approved dog show judge under the Belgium Royal St Hubert Kennel Club regulations. Currently I have the FCI international judging license for: French bulldogs, Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terrier, Chihuahua Smooth & Long coat, Shih Tzu, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Griffon Bruxelois, Griffon Belge, Petit Brabancon. At National level I am currently able to judge: American Staffordshire Terrier. Soon I hope to add more breeds to my portfolio. Of course I also enjoy the dog show club life and currently I am in several positions: At the moment I fulfil these functions: • Vice president of the Belgium French Bulldog Club • Comittee member and webmaster of the Boston Terrier Club of the Netherlands • Event comittee member biggest biannual Bull Breed only Dog show in the Netherlands • Event comittee member of the biannual International Outdoor Uden Dog Show I am extremely proud of what I have achieved so far and look forward that I can keep developing myself as a breeder, handler, and judge in order to serve our/ these beloved breed(s) even better in the near future.
For as long as he can remember, Fred has had a passion for purebred dogs. This perhaps was manifested by his reading of “My Own Brucie” at which point he was determined to emulate the author and win Westminster. Since that point he as bred internationally award winning Chows having the Top Dog in three countries simultaneously. His most famous Chow was Can.Am. Ch. Mi-Tu’s Han Su Shang,a group winner at Westminster, winner of 2 US National Specialties, and the Top Dog All-Breeds in Canada. Many of Shang’s children went on to win international titles as well as many US & Canadian Specialty Shows. Moving from Chows, saw the introduction to French Bulldogs (early ‘80’s). Thanks to the assistance from De La Parure
kennels, he has had 4 World Winners, the top bulldog in Holland, and multiple specialty show wins in Europe. Omar Sharif de la Parure is his most notable, followed by Colonel Trussardi de la Parure and Zenith de la Parure, all world champions.
Fred Peddie Judge
Today his busy judging life has seen him officiate at shows around the world. He was honoured to have judged Frenchie Specialties in Canada, the United States,Austria and Taiwan, and this past year he had the prestigious honour of judging Frenchie Males and BOB at the WDS in Budapest. He has the honour of judging in Asia, Australia, New Zeland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Holland, Germany, Italy, Taiwan, Singapore as well as thoughout South and North America.
CANADA
Jens Bruse My name is Jens Bruse. I was born at 4.06.1968 in Greifswald (Germany).
In 2012 I have extended my license to judge for all dog of FCI Group IX.
From childhood on I´m associated with dogs. I have dogs with pedigree since 1985.
In all my time judging I went to many different countries for national and international shows. For example Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Netherland, Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Germany of course.
My first dog with pedigree was a Pekingese. Than followed by Papillon and Chihuahua, who I bred for many years. The last 7 years my wife and I only breeding Bichon Fris. Our kennel name is “vom Gartenpark“ (FCI). 1996 I got my license to judge many breeds of toy dogs of FCI Group IX and Schipperke.
Judge
And I´m looking forward to the show in Norway this year. It´s every interesting for me to see so many dogs in other countries and I think it is very important to exchange the experience with the breeder and judges.
GERMANY
www.bichonfrise-vom-gartenpark.de jensbruse@googlemail.com
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INFO Roberto Velez Pico photo : Angel Alvarado
INTERESTING
JUDGING FRENCH BULLDOGS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO SMILE It is impossible not to smile when you see those perky ears, the distinctive deep look of those eyes and that face that always seems to look happy. It is a joy every time you see a French Bulldog anywhere in the world, from a plaza in the busiest city in Europe or when I arrived to my office and Victor Hugo, my colleague’s “Frenchie” is there greeting everyone that comes in. Traveling around the world as judge I have witnessed how popular French Bulldogs have become, not only at Dog Shows but as a peoples favourite breed. It is not uncommon to see French Bulldogs everywhere, people and families enjoying this happy and wonderful breed at parks or at the beach. Even celebrities fell for this surprisingly energetic dogs. Have you seen Lady Gaga praise her French Bull Dog “Asia” on her social media accounts. Hollywood and blockbuster movies have included the tiny muscular dogs, as its popularity grew. The popularity of the breed has been both positive and negative to itself. The proliferation of puppy mills around the T H ED O G M AG A Z I N E · I SSU E 4 / 2 0 1 5
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world have, ignominy cases, damage the breed as we see many dogs with serious faults, not desired colours and even health issues, being the respiratory problems one of the biggest concerns among the breeders and judges in general. As a judge and a real lover of this marvellous breed, I want to write about the positive and great dogs that I have judged around the world. Of course I am not going to mention specific names, since I do not really know them, but instead recognised how this breed is being well bred by responsible dog breeders all around the world. Although we have not seen a French Bulldog as a major Best in Show Winner, it does not mean that this breed have become one of the biggest entries in Dog Shows around the World. 118 | THEDOGM AGA Z INE
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From shows in small countries to the biggest shows on Earth like the FCI World Dog Shows, French Bulldogs are definitely the ring to see, and one of the most exiting breeds to judge, since the competition is very fierce, for us the judges, our duty is to look for the best dog there. Even though you find different types within the breed it is easy to identify good quality and well bred French Bulldogs. When travelled around the World I have seen how this breed has been improving, but there are breeders is some countries that are constantly improving their breeding program and showing better and better dogs. European dog shows have the most consistent well bred French Bulldogs. The most notable well bred French Bulldogs can be found in Russia, France
A r t i c l e | Judging French Bulldogs
and Finland. With time I have learned that breeders from this countries have been responsible for the development of the breed in other parts of the World. In the Americas breeders from Colombia, Puerto Rico, Argentina and Brasil have seen a great improvement in the development of the breed, with breeding programs that have resulted in great dogs famous around the world and concurring championships and titles around the world including multiple World Winner. Although a little bit behind, French Bulldogs in Asia have been improving
and are becoming a mayor force there. Lead by Japan and Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines are seeing better dogs in the rings, a great news for the breed. It is obvious that French Bulldogs are here to be one of the most popular breeds in dog shows. It is our responsibility as judges to judge this breed with the best criteria and verticality possible, since the future of the breed as we know it is in our hands. But it is also important to enjoy the breed while we judge it, since it is the only way we will know who is the best French Bulldog in the ring.
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