Kennel Gazette March 2019

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The confident and delightful Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier is this month’s judges’ choice

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The confident and delightful Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier is this month’s judges’ choice

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Contents

Contents

March 2019

Opinion

Personality profile

4 On my mind

8 Ben’s Scots Guards

Four days, 27,000 dogs, welcome to Crufts 2019!

6

Viewpoint

The Scottish Terriers who’ve played a huge role in the recovery of a British soldier

Health matters

Simon Parsons reflects on the advantages of having dogs from overseas competing at Crufts

12

7 Letters & news

Special features

On German Wirehaired Pointers, plus a competition to win a children’s book on understanding dogs

18

Ch Cha Chatsworth h tswort

Hopping lame — but why?

Understanding more about the most common cause of hind limb lameness in dogs

14

Listen up!

Why being a hearing dog trainer is such a great career choice

and modern, 18 Ancient dogs are centre stage

The ‘must-visit’ art exhibition of 2019 at Chatsworth

Judges’ choice Soft-Coated 24The Wheaten Terrier

The breed standard, all about the lively, inquisitive SCWT and breed experts pick their three favourite dogs

24

Judges’ choice

would we be without the 16 Where Young Kennel Club?

For dog-loving youngsters across the country the YKC has been an important influence

The Kennel Club, Clarges Street, London W1J 8AB www.thekennelclub.org.uk Chairman: Steve Croxford Vice Chairman: Tony Allcock MBE Chief Executive: Rosemary Smart Secretary: Caroline Kisko Customer services: 01296 318540 Petlog Main Number: 01296 336579 Petlog Lost & Found: 01296 737600 Library/Gallery: 020 7518 1009 Insurance Enquiries: 0800 369 9445 Editor: Carrie Thomas Editorial Manager: Sara Wilde Editorial Panel: Bill Moores (Chairman), Terrie Cousins-Brown, Ian Gabriel, Philippa Gilbert, Robert Greaves, Revd. Bill King, Gay Robertson Editorial enquiries: kennel.gazette@thekennelclub.org.uk The Kennel Club, Clarges Street, London W1J 8AB Subscriptions: 020 7518 1016 subs@kennelgazette.org.uk

Kennel Gazette is published monthly on behalf of the Kennel Club by Warners Group Publications Plc www.warnersgroup.co.uk To advertise contact Andrea Walters andrea.walters@warnersgroup.co.uk Printed by Warners Midlands Plc Next month’s judges’ choice is the Portuguese Water Dog Kennel Gazette is the monthly publication of the Kennel Club. Views and opinions expressed within the Kennel Gazette are the personal opinions of the original authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kennel Club.

Cover photo: Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Ch Janeyjimjams Jenson JW ShCM, born July, 4th 2010. Bred by Mrs J Charleton and owned by Mr M & Mrs A Fallon.

Sired by Ch Lilwaukee Rock N Roll Star ex Snowmeadow Janey Jim Jams with Showadiwady.

The UK breed CC record-holder with 38 CCs. Championship shows - 4 x Group 1,

/The KennelClubUK

@thekennelclubuk

2 x Group 2, 1 x Group 3, 4 x Group 4 and RBIS at the National Terrier Club in 2014.

In 2015 he was the first British bred Wheaten dog to win a championship show in Terrier Group 1.

Michael and Alison are first time dog owners, and Jenson was their first dog that they had ever owned. When deciding on which breed of dog to own they visited Discover Dogs at Crufts, but they had no idea or interest in dog showing and were only ever looking at owning a pet. When it came to choosing a puppy, Jane Charleton advised that this one would have to go to a show home. Alison began ringcraft training and dog showing became a new hobby.

They purchased a motorhome and travelled around the UK enjoying the anticipation and excitement of various shows. By becoming part of the dog showing world it has been one of the most wonderful experiences and they are grateful to all those who have awarded, supported, celebrated and showed good sportsmanship towards Jenson on his magnificent journey.

Photo: ©Lisa Croft-Elliott @TheKennelClubUK

The paper used for this publication is a recyclable and renewable product. It has been produced using wood sourced from sustainably managed forests and elemental or total chlorine-free bleached pulp. This magazine can be recycled either through your kerbside collection, or at a local recycling point. Log on to www.Recyclenow.com and enter your postcode to find the nearest sites.

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Photo: ©Flick.digital/The Kennel Club

On my mind

Four days, 27,000 dogs, over 550 trade stands It’s finally here! Crufts — where every dog has its day

C

rufts has a place in the hearts of the nation like no other dog show.

It ranks with the Grand National, Wimbledon and the Derby as a national institution. Some will know of the show only by reputation and from glimpses they may have seen on television, while for others it is THE event of the year and one that is eagerly awaited. The legions of people who work around the year to make this a ‘must do’ event strive to combine tradition with innovation and each year we hope to bring something fresh to the show. I know that this year we are colour coding the halls to help visitors find their way around the vast expanse that is the NEC and there are some exciting surprises in store for those visiting the main ring in the Resorts World Arena particularly on Sunday evening.

This year, we are delighted to be hosting three Eukanuba competitions; the World Challenge Finals on Thursday, the Champion Stakes on Friday and Pup of the Year on Sunday. On Saturday, we welcome the international junior handlers, young

people from all around the globe all hoping to win the prestigious title of International Junior Handler of the Year. The spectacular Breeders’ Competition takes place on Friday, while the Kennel Club Vulnerable British and Irish Breeds competition graces the main ring in the Resorts World Arena on Thursday.

The show is much more than just breed competitions though; every discipline has its own showcase, from obedience, agility, heelwork to music, flyball to gundog demonstrations. The assistance dog charities are all represented, as well as the Kennel Club’s own Bark & Read project.

And just in case you need a reminder of how life-changing dog ownership can be, keep a watch out for the Friends for Life finalists who will compete on Sunday evening prior to Best in Show. Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson MBE will announce the winner.

Discover Dogs continues to go from strength to strength and from experience I know that visiting each booth can be a full day’s work. The people who man the booths here do a fantastic PR job for their breeds

and for all purebred dog breeders.

Representatives from some of the many marvellous breed rescues can be found in Hall 3.

The Young Kennel Club in Hall 3 is always worth a visit. Young people, aged from six to 24, can learn and participate in a variety of activities, ranging from basic obedience, agility, grooming to rally. There are competitions for both pedigree and

Photo: ©Georgia Drury/The Kennel Club

By Tom Mather

Come meet and greet over 200 breeds of pedigree dog in the Discover Dogs area

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Photo: ©Martin Hill/The Kennel Club

A royal visit: in 1969 Her Majesty The Queen visited Crufts at Olympia to the surprise of many surrounding her

Photo: ©The Kennel Club

Representatives from some of the many marvellous breed rescues can be found in Hall 3, with Kennel Club staff happy to answer any questions

TOM MATHER

The Kennel Club Vulnerable British and Irish Breeds competition takes place on Thursday, 7th March. Last year it was won

by Gordon, an Irish Wolfhound, owned by Louise Pinkney with judge Tom Mather and Paul Keevil

T

Photo: ©Yulia Titovets/The Kennel Club

A celebration of our love for the dog

crossbreeds and the expertise and sportsmanship of the youngsters is to be commended.

The trade stands contribute so much to the atmosphere of the show. I know a number of people who make a special effort to come to the show for an extra day purely to shop!

My first visit to Crufts (and London!) was in 1967. I can still remember how excited my sister and I were to be visiting both the capital city and the most famous dog show in the world. We travelled on a coach with other dog people from the north west of England.

In those days, the show was a two-day event with Poodles, Hounds, Terriers and Toys on Friday, 10th February and Utility, Working and Gundog breeds on the Saturday. The overall entry for the show was 12,302 — to an 11-year-old schoolboy it seemed like a huge event with a special magic all of its own.

Despite having attended every Crufts show since that date, in a wide variety of capacities: visitor, exhibitor, judge, journalist and committee member, I still feel the excitement as the show draws near and nothing would induce me to miss it.

I had the pleasure of visiting Olympia for the London International Horse Show before Christmas. The last time I visited Olympia was in 1978 when Crufts held its final show there before moving to Earls Court, which was to become its home until 1990. Then in 1991 we saw the move to the now familiar NEC. Crufts continues to change and the number of breeds and different competitions has grown, but in essence Crufts is what it always has been — a celebration of man’s best friend. Come along and see for yourself, you’ll be very welcome. ●

Photo: ©Flick.digital/The Kennel Club

Photo: ©The Kennel Club

On my mind

om started showing dogs as a schoolboy when he joined the Roby and District Alsatian Training Club. He quickly became a regular exhibitor at every local dog show with his Cocker Spaniel and carried on working in competitive obedience.

Tom and his sister were one of the very first exhibitors of Bichon Frise in the UK. Their dogs won many awards in the days before the breed was granted championship status by the Kennel Club. His first Japanese Chin, bought as a puppy, won 16 Challenge Certificates and in her only litter bred the tiny red and white Ch Barklots Tiger Lily. Tom’s friendship with Pamela Cross Stern and Brian Conn led to him showing many of the Sternroc Japanese Chins and Bouvier des Flandres with some degree of success.

Tom judged at his first championship show in 1978 and has previously been approved to award Challenge Certificates to over 60 breeds across all seven groups.

In 1999, he accepted an invitation from Miss Sybil Churchill to join the Crufts Committee and was honoured to be elected Chairman of the Committee upon Gerald King’s retirement in 2018.

Co-author with Pamela Cross Stern, of ‘The Complete Japanese Chin’, Tom is the honorary secretary of the United Kingdom Toydog Society and a Board member of the Kennel Club.

Professionally, Tom is employed by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

The spectacular Breeders’ Competition takes place on Friday 8th March

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Viewpoint

By Simon Parsons

C

Photo: Phot Pho Ph P hot ho h oto o: © ©The The T he Ke h K Kennel enn een nn n nel el C Club lub lu lub b

rufts entries closed shortly after I wrote this article and obviously we are all hoping for a substantial total matching the excellent figures of the last few years.

One thing is for sure; thank goodness the show dates, 7th March to 10th, are just ahead of the date scheduled for Brexit, 29th March. I’m also writing the day before the ‘meaningful vote’ in parliament but whatever happens that day, the whole situation is likely to be fluid, to put it mildly, for some time to come.

Both Defra and the Kennel Club have drawn everyone’s attention to what might happen regarding pet travel in the event of ‘no deal’. There isn’t likely to be any change to the regulations for pets entering the UK, but would British pet passports still be valid if ‘no deal’ comes to pass? The answer seems to be no, and Defra advice is that Britons who wish to take their pets abroad consult their vet at least four months in advance to fulfil the correct requirements.

6 Viewpoint_V3.indd 6

Viewpoint One hopes, then, that whatever happens there should be no significant difference for people travelling from Europe with dogs but things could get a lot more difficult for British people wanting to take their dog to the EU for whatever purpose — holiday, showing or breeding. But there are so many imponderables and everything moves so fast that who knows?

However things pan out, it’s a good time to remind ourselves of the benefits, and sadly the disadvantages, that freedom of movement of dogs from not just Europe but many other countries around the world has brought us during the twenty-first century.

To my mind, as far as the show dog world is concerned, the effects have been virtually entirely positive. Britain may have been the leading country in purebred dog breeding for many decades of the twentieth century, and the source of quality stock for other countries to benefit from, but the isolation imposed by our quarantine system led us, in my view, to a certain complacency, and by 2000 a lot of other countries had at least equalled us in depth of quality in some or many breeds.

The difficulty and expense of accessing overseas lines did us no favours.

All changed with the advent of the pet passport and our breeders became much more part of the worldwide dog breeding and showing community. You only have to look at pedigrees of current British winning dogs, in the vast majority of breeds, to see how our breeders have made effective use of their new-found easier opportunities to import or make use of top-class dogs from around the world.

For exhibitors too, at home and from abroad, there have been new opportunities to extend their showing horizons. This has been particularly evident at Crufts where, thanks to the show’s unique brand and prestige, so far the entry from beyond the Channel has grown (until now at least) year on year. Indeed this increase has so far compensated for the general decline in UK entries and has ensured that the great show’s entry figures have remained stable at a far higher level than any other UK show.

It has also made the four days at the NEC far more exciting for serious observers of the show scene, with the open classes in a great many breeds becoming a real galaxy of canine stars, from Europe and Russia in particular, and to a lesser extent from more distant countries, competing, often successfully, against the ‘best of British’.

The disadvantage of free movement for the canine world is, of course, the advent of mass imports of often poorly bred puppies, in some cases brought in illegally thanks to poor enforcement of the rules.

Whether recent tweaks to the regulations have made any difference remains to be seen but I for one worry that if recent legislation on breeding in Britain makes life too bureaucratic for prospective small-time UK breeders, the demand for these unfortunate imports will get even greater. But it would seem unlikely that Brexit, in any form, will make any difference.

That aside, as far as the show world is concerned any return to the isolation of past years would be very much regrettable in my view. Long live the truly global world of show dogs! ●

SIMON PARSONS Simon Parsons has owned a variety of breeds but his first loves are the Corgis.

He worked for Dog World newspaper for 39 years and awards Challenge Certificates in 13 breeds. In 2014 he instigated the revival of the Kennel Gazette

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Letters & news

W Letter

COMPETITION

The next day brought big smiles to everyone’s faces as Matt found the original SGWC, which was written out and awarded on the day, duly signed by the two FT judges and the FT secretary. This had been an oversight by the FT secretary as that certificate should have been posted to the KC, but in fact had been posted back to his owner. This certificate has now been received by the KC gundog department and Finn’s record has been successfully amended to his full champion status, which is a huge relief for everyone involved with Finn as he is no longer with us and we have just the memories of a wonderful dual-purpose family dog, owned and loved by the Lomasney family.

Sharon Pinkerton

Coming up in health matters

Following our theme of children reading to dogs in schools and libraries (Bark & Read article, January edition), the author of ‘Hey Dog! Let’s Talk!’, Wendy Keefer, and the kind people at the Book Guild have provided a few copies as a competition giveaway. If you would like to receive a free copy for a young person interested in dog training, please send a postcard to Sara Wilde, London W1J 8AB or email: sara.wilde@thekennelclub.org.uk @ g

Alison Skipper writes about canine health and its history. Alison is a vet with many years’ experience of canine practice and a lifelong involvement with dogs, who is currently studying for a PhD in the history of pedigree dog health and disease. The Kennel Gazette is delighted to welcome Alison and her first column in a new occasional series, starting with the April edition.

Offici al photo Crufts availa graphy ble onlin to order e toda y!

Photos: © The Kennel Club

The deadline h d dli ffor the h competition i i iis Tuesday, 30th April. This book can also be seen on the Bark & Read stand at Crufts.

Ch Bareve Bohergaul

Photo by Matt Lomasney

hat a good job dog owners keep special mementos of their dogs’ achievements! Thank you to Peter and Matt Lomasney for doing just that and helping to correct a breed record oversight. On compiling information to be included in the German Wirehaired Pointer feature in the February edition of the Kennel Gazette, it was brought to my attention that the Lomasneys’ dog Ch Bareve Bohergaul was missing from the list of full champions held at the Kennel Club.

Bearing in mind that I was actually running a dog in the German Wirehaired Pointer Club Novice Field Trial at Sandhall Farm, Goole, on 30th January, 2008, where Finn gained his Show Gundog Working Certificate (SGWC), so I knew that he had completed his required SGWC and had successfully done his water retrieve, thereby qualifying to drop the show part and become a full champion.

I also checked my records and found the actual field trial running list, which had also shown that he had ‘qualified’ on the day, but I had been unable to find the KC breeders’ diploma for his champion status whereas I had got one for his show champion.

I telephoned Peter to see if he could help in trying to find out what had happened and to see if he had got anything from the KC in respect of Finn qualifying. To my relief, Peter said that his son, Matt, had kept all the dog certificates and he would look it up once he got home from work. In the meantime, I had been corresponding with Carrie Thomas and the KC gundog department who confirmed that there was nothing showing on Finn’s records other than him being a show champion.

Beautiful image prints and gifts, made to order for pixel-perfect quality

www.dogimages.org.uk March 2019 - Kennel Gazette 7

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Personality profile

Archie

Rory

The Scottish Terriers that played a huge part in the recovery of a serving soldier

By Revd. Bill King

O

n the Sunday evening of Crufts 2019, Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson MBE, will announce the winner of the Friends for Life 2019 competition sponsored by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust.

This is his story: Ben was about four years old when he knew he wanted to be a soldier and he wanted to be the best; the Parachute Regiment. Aged 16, he enrolled at the Junior Leaders College Harrogate for a year and then joined 7 Para RHA. At 18 (2003), he fought in the Iraq war and was in the first British vehicle to cross the border into Iraq. Further tours of duty included seven months in Kosovo (2004), hunting war criminals, and Afghanistan

(2006). It was there one week from the end of a seven month tour that he was injured. He was 22 years old.

“I was caught in an explosion on 12th September, 2006”, Ben explained. “I was in an open top Land Rover that went over a 30-year-old Russian anti-tank mine. It seems impossible but the other two lads walked away with very few injuries but I was caught in the Cupola where the machine gun was mounted.

“I can’t remember anything at all from a long time before and I only really know what the lads have told me. I was unconscious for about six months. I don’t remember anybody telling me that I had lost both my legs but I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know.

My mum and everybody were really worried about how I would take it, but I’ve always thought: ‘There’s absolutely nothing that I can do to make this not have happened so I’ll just crack on with it. I can either let it ruin

the rest of my life or I can just make the best of it.’

“My mum was told that I couldn’t possibly survive and that they were going to try to get me back to the UK to be with my family when I died. About a week after I got back to Selly Oak they turned off the anaesthetic but I didn’t wake up. I did start to do the odd breath for myself though when everybody thought that I would just fade away.”

Diane (Ben’s mother) said: “Ben was totally unconscious for months. The prognosis was terrible. We were told that we could expect very little change, that he was blind, that he had had a stroke in addition to all his other injuries.

“Nothing but bad news. But we kept telling them he was a Para, and that they had no idea what they were dealing with.

Apart from starting to breathe by himself occasionally, there were no signs of any consciousness for about three months. After that it was an incredibly slow progression until he moved to Putney in what was called ‘low awareness after six months’.”

Ben is still a Para and during his active service he travelled all over the world.

Back home in Doncaster, Scottish Terriers are an important part of the family.

Ben said: “My Mum had a Scottie when she was tiny and always wanted one. We couldn’t have a dog until we were a bit older because of Mum and Andy being at work, but as soon as they thought we could have one we got Archie on Christmas Eve in 2000 and Rory 18 months later.

Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

Photos courtesy of Diane Parkinson

Ben’s Scots Guards

Ben before his injury at Helmand Province

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Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

Personality profile

Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

Ben and Scottie Nog, during the puppy’s first day with his family

“I made my first visit home about 18 months after I was injured and by that time Mum had bought a bungalow for me.

Scotties don’t like change but they coped with everything, wheelchairs, therapists and doctors coming in and out, me banging about on false legs as if they were in total charge.”

When the time came for Ben to come home permanently, the family were very worried how people would react to him and his very obvious injuries and speech problems. But they needn’t have worried; the people of Doncaster accepted Ben as if he was their own son. It soon became obvious that everything Ben did local people would be supporting 100 per cent.

Ben started collecting for military charities at various events, and it was a meeting with Jeremy Clarkson and Bryn Parry, that led to the formation of Help for Heroes.

Ben’s mother said: “Ben’s great love is the charity Pilgrim Bandits (www.pilgrimbandits.org). A small military charity created by former members of the Special Forces. Their motto is ‘Always a little further,’ and ‘No sympathy.’ At a time when no other charity felt able to help Ben establish an active life, their attitude was that Ben was unchanged from the person he was before injury and they were going to do everything to give him that life back.”

Steve Beard, CEO for Pilgrim Bandits said: “When we first met Ben he was in an electric wheelchair. He could hardly talk, but Ben’s a real special bloke you could see that there was still something there wanting to get out. All we have done is provide

Being invited to carry the Olympic torch for 300 metres in his home town of Doncaster in 2012, surrounded by his regiment friends

Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

“When I was injured and flown back to Selly Oak hospital, Birmingham, I was in a coma for nearly six months. My mum never left me. The army put her in a little flat and the Scotties came to stay with her.” Ben’s mother said Archie and Rory were “the only bright spot in a very dark time.”

Ben continued, “Later on I was moved to the Royal Hospital for neuro-disability in Putney, for six months, and then to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court for nearly two years. Again the Scotties came with her. At Putney and Headley they were allowed to visit me and they became known to everybody as my Scots Guards.

Ben receiving his MBE in 2013 for services to military charities

Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

Ben and Steve Beard, CEO for Pilgrim Bandits

In 2017, Ben was awarded the Freedom of Doncaster, of which he said: “As honours go, this is about as good as it gets”

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Personality profile

Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

“If someone says to you ‘you’ll never walk or talk’, would you say ‘I’ll take it’?”

— Ben Parkinson MBE

Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

Pilgrim Bandits black tie ball

RHA flag behind me. It couldn’t have been better.” Ben’s physiotherapist told the BBC covering the story: “Little by little, step by step, Ben was carrying the equivalent of three times his own weight on his back without knees.”

His proud mother said the torch day was special. The summer had been appalling, with rain virtually every day, but for Ben the sun came out and it was the most marvellous day. She said: “Ben visits schools and colleges as part of his new life, and the

Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

Ben taking part in a Remembrance Day parade

The first one was receiving an invitation to carry the Olympic torch for 300 metres in his home town of Doncaster in 2012. Ben tells the story: “Apparently lots of people nominated me to carry the Olympic torch. I didn’t know anything about it. When it actually happened, it was the most amazing day ever. The organisers said that I had to carry the torch in my wheelchair because there wasn’t time for me to walk. I told them if that was the case I wasn’t going to do it. Busloads of lads had come from my regiment and there were thousands and thousands of people there. My commanding officer spoke to the police and said that if they didn’t let me carry the torch there would probably be a riot!

“The organisers had said there couldn’t be any uniforms or military emblems or flags round me when I carried the torch. But no one had dreamt of how many people would be there crowding round, so the organisers asked my regiment to surround me, and the first thing they did was hold up the 7 Para

Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

Ben is patron of Pilgrim Bandits, taken here at Poole, kayak training

opportunities for that to happen.”

Ben is now patron of Pilgrim Bandits. He works tirelessly for the charity and when I asked how much money he had raised, I was told he never talks about the money he has raised because, as he says, the money is not his, its money that has been donated by people who support him and injured soldiers. Ben is also happy to represent other charities both local and military — he sees this as his new role in life.

Three stand-out events in Ben’s new life have had a profound impact on him.

Ben and the Pilgrim Bandits fundraising team with Shar Pei’s Skye and Sacha in their Para harnesses

torch must have been passed around by over 10,000 children.”

In 2013, Ben was awarded the MBE for services to military charities. As Ben said: “It’s an amazing honour. I was determined to

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Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

walk on my big legs to collect the award and I practised for ages to say ‘Your Majesty the Queen’.

“When it happened it was actually Prince Charles. Everything I’d practised went out of the window and when he gave me my MBE I just said ‘cheers mate.’ Fortunately he thought it was funny too.”

In 2017, Ben was awarded the Freedom of Doncaster, about which he was over the

and looking after the dogs back at the flat.

I would arrive home and my beautiful boys always used to know. Typical Scotties, they were not fussy dogs, but Archie in particular always used to know when it was essential to put that big Scottie head in my lap. It’s not an exaggeration to say I don’t know how we would’ve got through those days if it hadn’t been for the Scots Guards. STECS was an obvious way to say thank you to these wonderful Scottie boys.”

In describing Ben’s character, Diane told me the army made him determined, driven and ready to adapt and make the best of his life. With brain injury, quite often the person changes but in Ben’s case his character was totally unchanged, particularly his wicked sense of humour.

Ben loved the army and he loved his comrades. He always says that they risked their lives to save him and that it’s important he makes the best of his life to thank them.

The last word goes to Ben: “People often

Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

Personality profile

The Scottish Terrier Emergency Care Scheme garden party. The dogs with Ben won the Best Dressed Scottie class

ask me if I’m angry about what happened.

And I tell them this, if it hadn’t been me it would have been one of my friends and they might not have survived, so it’s a small price to pay really and I wouldn’t have things any other way.” ●

moon. “As honours go, this is about as good as it gets. Yorkshire is of course the finest place on the planet and Doncaster is the finest place in Yorkshire. There is something very special about getting an honour from your home town. I had a massive party in Doncaster Mansion House in town with friends, family, lots of veterans from the Parachute regiment and people who supported me from Doncaster.”

Ben is patron of the Scottish Terrier Emergency Care Scheme (STECS) and here’s why: “Everybody knows I love Scotties, although in fact I love all dogs. But we will never forget how Archie and Rory looked after my mum and Andy when I was injured.

“They lived to a good age. We lost them quite close together aged 16 and nearly 13.

Mum was absolutely heartbroken and a good friend who used to be a representative for STECS got in touch and said that they had a little Scottie boy just six months old who would be just right for us. And so we got our Scottie Nog. I don’t think anything has ever made Mum so happy.”

Diane recalls the early days at the hospital when she would visit from eight in the morning until eight at night, when there was no good news, nothing to smile about. As she said: “There were days when things were so bad that I couldn’t even cry. Andy used to spend his time split between the hospital

Photo: Flick.digital/The Kennel Club©

Photo courtesy of Diane Parkinson

Norway in 2018

Ben meets HRH Prince Michael of Kent at Crufts in 2018 and talks to him about being patron of the Scottish Terrier Emergency Care Scheme

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Health matters

Photo: ©Willows Referral Centre

Hopping lame — but why?

The most common cause of hind limb lameness in dogs can be treated very successfully, but is not entirely understood

By Toby Gemmill and Erika Villedieu

T

he cranial cruciate ligament is one of the main ligaments of the dog’s stifle (knee joint). It functions to stabilise the stifle joint and to prevent the tibia (shin bone) from moving forwards and twisting inwards in relation to the femur (thigh bone).

Cranial cruciate ligament deficiency or rupture is the most common cause of hind limb lameness in dogs, affecting a variety of different breeds. Large and giant breed dogs are more commonly at risk, but while some breeds are predisposed to the disease, any breed or crossbreed can be affected.

Rarely due to injury In dogs, cranial cruciate ligament deficiency usually results from a progressive degeneration of the ligament rather than an injury. Genuinely traumatic rupture of the ligament can be seen, but this is rare and is typically a result of a major injury rather than normal exercise or sporting activities. The reasons behind the ligament degeneration are unclear; there is a genetic predisposition in some breeds, although the precise genetics are complex and poorly understood.

Essentially, in affected dogs there is an imbalance between the forces being applied to the ligament during normal weight bearing and the ligament’s ability to remodel and withstand these forces. This leads to progressive degeneration and ultimately total or partial rupture of the ligament. It is thought that, in some dogs, the forces on the ligament are excessive, possibly due to anatomic abnormalities affecting the stifle joint, whereas in other breeds the forces applied to the ligament are normal but the ligament is inherently weak for the size of the dog. Ligament rupture is more common in obese dogs, most likely as a result of hormonal changes in the body weakening the ligament rather than mechanical overloading of the ligament. Among dogs affected by cranial cruciate ligament rupture

in one knee, around 50 per cent will develop the same disease in the other knee within two to three years.

The menisci are two crescent-shaped ‘cushions’ of fibrocartilage within the knee joint. They can get damaged (called meniscal injury) in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament deficiency; this happens in about a third of cases, and can contribute to discomfort and lameness.

Diagnosis Typically, dogs affected by cranial cruciate ligament deficiency have a history of longterm lameness that is worse after exercise or after periods of rest. The lameness may be subtle in some cases (for example in cases of a partial tear of the ligament) but can be severe in other dogs (in cases of complete rupture). In some dogs long-term lameness may suddenly worsen, without an apparent traumatic episode, as a degenerative ligament finally ruptures.

Cranial cruciate ligament deficiency is diagnosed by a combination of orthopaedic examination, diagnostic imaging (usually radiographs), joint fluid analysis, and sometimes observations during surgery.

On orthopaedic examination, typical findings include pain on flexion and extension of the knee joint, swelling of the joint, and thickening of soft tissues on the inner aspect of the knee. The mainstay of the diagnostic process is the ‘cranial drawer’ test, which is used to detect instability of the joint. The joint is manipulated in a certain way, allowing the vet to palpate the presence of the torn ligament. It can be difficult to perform in awake dogs and is usually repeated under sedation or general anaesthesia.

Radiographs, or X-rays, of the stifle joint are always performed in cases of suspected cranial cruciate ligament deficiency. They are useful to confirm the presence of joint swelling, to rule out other diseases such as

fractures and tumours, and to assess the degree of osteoarthritis in the affected joint.

They also allow planning of any potential surgery. Joint fluid can be obtained by inserting a small needle into the joint; analysis of this allows conditions such as infection or rheumatoid disease to be ruled out.

Stifle joint arthroscopy (keyhole examination of the joint using a camera) is sometimes performed in certain cases where a diagnosis cannot be made using palpation and examination of radiographs and joint fluid. Converse to popular opinion, and unlike in human medicine, MRI scanning of the knee is almost never needed.

Treatment options Although non-surgical treatment with rest, painkillers and physiotherapy can be successful in some dogs, especially some small breeds, in most cases surgery is by far the best option. There are many options for surgical treatment, including intra-capsular ligament replacement, extra-capsular stabilisation, tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) procedures, and tibial plateau levelling (TPLO) procedures. Total knee replacement can be very successful in chronic, severe cases. With all surgical procedures, a thorough inspection of the joint is usually performed to assess the cranial cruciate ligament and the menisci.

If a meniscal tear is diagnosed, the damaged portion of the meniscus is removed.

Intra-capsular repair involves placement of a prosthetic ligament inside the joint, so as to recreate the torn cruciate ligament. This is the technique of choice in people but is rarely used in dogs as the results are inferior to other techniques.

Extra-capsular stabilisation involves placement of a prosthetic implant under the skin but outside the joint, placed in the same orientation as the original ligament. The implant stabilises the knee

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Photos: ©Willows Referral Centre

Photo: ©Willows Referral Centre

Post-operative radiograph of a tibial plateau levelling osteotomy procedure (TPLO).

A circular cut is made and the top of the tibia rotated to make the top of the bone flatter

Post-operative radiograph of a cranial closing wedge osteotomy procedure (CCWO). A wedge shaped piece of bone is removed from the tibia and the top of the bone then rotated forwards

joint until fibrosis of the joint occurs for definitive stabilisation. This technique is sometimes performed in small patients but the outcome is not usually as satisfactory as with other techniques, such as TTA and TBLO. Complications can include infection, recurrence of joint instability and postoperative meniscal tears.

Tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) is a procedure in which the front part of the tibia (shin bone), to which the ligament of the kneecap is attached, is advanced forward.

It is then fixed with a metal cage and plate.

This procedure modifies the mechanics of the joint so that the tibia does not move forward during weight bearing, even without a competent cranial cruciate ligament. Most dogs do well after surgery, but the outcomes have been shown to be inferior to TPLO procedures. Complications include woundhealing problems, fractures of the tibia, infection and post-operative meniscal injury.

Tibial plateau levelling osteotomies (named TPLO or CCWO; cranial closing wedge osteotomy) are procedures in which the top of the tibia (shin bone) is cut, rotated and fixed in place with a plate and screws.

This changes the orientation of the knee joint so that forces applied to the joint during weight-bearing are directed downwards rather than forwards. As a result, the tibia is not pushed forward during weight-bearing and the joint is stabilised despite the ligament being torn. This type of procedure is performed very commonly and results in a good to excellent outcome in 90 – 95 per cent cases. Complications can include wound-healing, infection and postoperative meniscal injury.

Post-operative meniscal injury refers to damage to one of the shock-absorbing menisci that occurs weeks to months after the initial surgery. This injury is seen in a small proportion of dogs, but usually

requires a second procedure to remove the damaged portion of the meniscus. Late meniscal injury is more frequent with TTA procedures than with TPLO or CCWO. Total knee replacement (TKR) is reserved for dogs with severe osteoarthritis of the knee joint, most commonly secondary to long-term cranial cruciate ligament disease. Although TKR is a big operation dogs can do extremely well and regain normal function.

Aftercare Dogs who have undergone surgery for cranial cruciate ligament deficiency need to be strictly rested for a period of four weeks. After this, lead walks of increasing duration are slowly reintroduced over the next four weeks (provided the patient is recovering as expected). Re-examination and post-operative radiographs (X-rays) are usually performed at six – eight weeks after surgery. Provided these are satisfactory, unrestricted exercise can then be reintroduced gradually; most dogs can resume normal activity by around three months after the operation.

Patients usually receive painkiller medication for a few days at home.

Adjunctive treatment, such as physiotherapy or hydrotherapy, can also be helpful.

Post-operative radiograph of a tibial tuberosity advancement procedure (TTA). The front of the tibia is moved forwards to change the direction of pull of the patellar tendon at the front of the joint

osteoarthritis is very variable from patient to patient, but can usually be managed by weight control and regular exercise.

If osteoarthritis is very severe, total knee replacement can be performed, but this is rarely required.

Conclusion Cranial cruciate ligament deficiency is a common disease and is seen more frequently in certain breeds. While some dogs can be managed non-surgically with medications, surgery is the preferred treatment for most dogs. TPLO or CCWO are usually the most appropriate techniques, and good to excellent outcome can be expected in around 90-95 per cent of dogs. ●

TOBY GEMMILL Toby is a specialist veterinary orthopaedic and spinal surgeon. He has published numerous scientific papers and given presentations around the world. He is the current chairman of the AOVET European board. He has worked at Willows Referral Centre for many years, and is now the clinical director of the hospital

Prognosis The outlook depends on the type of surgical procedure performed, but is usually very good in 90 – 95 per cent of dogs undergoing osteotomy procedures. TPLO and CCWO have been shown to give the best results.

Complication rates vary from five – twenty per cent depending on the procedure and the experience of the surgeon.

In most dogs, degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) will progress in the affected knee over time. The severity of the

ERIKA VILLEDIEU Erika graduated from Toulouse, France and has worked in the UK for a number of years, both in general practice and referral centres. Erika is now undergoing a residency at Willows to achieve specialist status in small animal surgery

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Special feature

Listen up!

Being a hearing dog trainer is a great career choice

A

career within a dog rehoming centre, her efforts concentrated on the development of puppies, ensuring they were fully equipped to start their new lives in loving homes. For the last 11 years Sally has been employed at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, working her way through to her current position of senior trainer and team leader.

Planning her and her team’s week in advance is essential if the numerous training modules are to be covered. The centre works Monday to Friday but occasionally weekend input may be required. This can be when the deaf partner is a child, or if tuition, such as obedience, grooming, or first aid for the volunteer workforce is required or even one of the ‘event’ days which the Charity holds throughout the year.

Once a puppy has been accepted by the assessment team, which is normally between

Olivia with Hal, when they were first paired taken at the Charity’s centre in Saunderton

Photo: ©Philippa Gilbert

Sally with Archer, a six-year-old hearing dog Labrador who has just successfully completed his reassessment after leaving his last assignee after their personal circumstances changed; he awaits his new deaf partner

Photo: ©Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

t some point in dog ownership the majority of us have trained a puppy in even the most basic of tasks. However, for a small number of dog owners, this teaching develops in to a career and for some a vocation that changes the lives of others.

The staff at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People are passionate about their mission to create life-changing partnerships between hearing dogs and their deaf partners, employing a wide range of staff to help them succeed.

Working within a professional and fun environment, shared ideas and team work is vital and the one position that draws most interest is that of a hearing dog trainer.

This post is hugely diverse and includes working with deaf partners, members of the public, other charity staff, as well as the dogs themselves. The trainer needs to be self-motivated, organised, a good communicator, able to work under pressure and a team player.

One such person is Sally Taylor, a petite young lady who has dedicated the last two decades to training dogs. She started her

Photo: ©Philippa Gilbert

By Philippa Gilbert

Sally Taylor — senior trainer and team leader preparing the training schedules

six to eight weeks, it will progress to Sally and her team. They will work with the pup, taking it through various tasks and monitoring the progress, as he or she develops. A normal day will consist of four training areas, such as role play or in-depth obedience training and then there’s always ‘rest and relaxation’ (playtime to a puppy).

At approximately 10 months-plus, there will be sufficient documentation on the pup for Sally to make the decision whether to continue hearing dog training and if appropriate for an adult or child recipient.

“If a dog isn’t ideally suited to becoming a fully accredited hearing dog they might be perfect for one of our other types of partnership — sound support dogs and confidence and companion dogs” says Sally.

Very occasionally it may be deemed that a puppy be found a ‘pet’ home. “This is always difficult when you’ve put so much work in but it’s best for all concerned” Sally adds.

Nowadays Hearing Dogs only work with Labradors, Cocker Spaniels, Miniature Poodles and Cocker/Poodle crossbreeds, as in their experience those are the breeds that make the best hearing dogs. Sally has mostly worked with Labradors, such as six-year-old Archer, who has just successfully completed

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his reassessment after leaving his last assignee after their personal circumstances changed and he is awaiting his new deaf partner. Small dogs, like Miniature Poodles, are especially practical when it comes to children. “The youngest a child would start being paired with a hearing dog is seven years-old” explains Sally. Together with the family, Sally will go through their current and known future requirements. “It takes between four – six weeks to fine tune the pairing and would include a week’s stay at the centre within the purposely designed house with a dedicated trainer.”

One such child, whose life Sally has helped change is Olivia Brewster from Dartford, Kent. Olivia’s mother, Karen, remembers when Olivia was three, she started to lose her hearing and over the next 18 months it steadily deteriorated. “Nobody knew why but she went from moderate to significant hearing loss and started to hide herself away, while I, my husband, Olivia and her brother all got louder and louder without realising it. We didn’t know that shouting was the worst thing you can do to a deaf person. It was a very stressful time and I honestly thought we might not cope as a family and felt we were reaching breaking point.”

Enter Hal — a gorgeous black and tan Cocker Spaniel who was one of the dogs the Charity and Sally were able to train as a direct result of being left a gift in a will.

Sally recalls that Hal was a very intelligent, inquisitive puppy, who loved being introduced to the range of everyday sights, sounds and smells that any dog is likely to experience in their lives. “Although one thing he did not like much was the hairdryer, so we needed to address this by familiarising him to it very slowly and in stages: “rewarding him for being calm, we were able to modify his reaction to the sound, until he was completely comfortable around it, as he associated it with being rewarded.” It’s the Charity’s belief that reward-based training is most effective, and it is the only type of training they ever use.

In order to get puppies used to being around children, Sally incorporates interaction with children into their training journey. Getting children as volunteers actively involved in their reward-based training enables the pups to associate children with good behaviour and positive experiences. Another training inclusion for the pup is being on a dual lead; being handled by the child and their parent/guardian is crucial.

Karen says “When the incredible hearing dog Hal came along everything changed. The more Hal alerted Olivia to everyday sounds,

Hal and Olivia now, Hal alerting Olivia to a sound

Photos: ©Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

Photo: ©Philippa Gilbert

Special feature

Hal leads Olivia to the source of the sound

the more confident and independent she became. When out together, people would notice his jacket and want to talk to her about him. Suddenly, instead of hiding away, she wanted to tell everyone about Hal.” Five years on, the now 15-year-old Olivia reveals how her life has changed with Sally’s training of Hal. “Hal helps me every day.

He is my ears, telling me about important sounds, like my mobile phone, so I can keep in touch with my friends.” she says.

“When the alarm clock goes in the morning, he wakes me up with his paws on the bed. When it rings to tell me I can finish my homework, he gives me a gentle nudge with his nose. We’re a team. Hal looks after me, and I look after him. I groom him every morning before we go for a walk and if I’m feeling tired, I can give him a cuddle and I feel immediately better and energised.

He’s not just my hearing dog. He’s my best friend.”

Karen concludes by saying: “I’m so proud of how far Olivia has come, talking in front of 180 children and six staff members in school assembly, telling them why she wore hearing aids and how Hal helped her, to winning Player of the Year within nine months of taking up netball, all of which she would never have done before Hal. I could not believe that one animal could have such a significant effect on a family. It was like taking the top off a pressure cooker — a sudden, collective sigh of relief. Today, we are a happy, healthy family. It’s a life that I thought I would never experience again. Hal has brought calmness to the madness. I can’t thank Sally Taylor and Hearing Dogs enough.”

For Sally it’s all in a day’s work, helping people become an integrated part of society with a dog she has trained makes her feel fulfilled, plus she is surrounded by dogs, which can’t be bad.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People does not accept speculative applications, only replies to advertised jobs from the Charity’s website. To become a member of the dog training team, a degree qualification in animal behaviour or other animal-related courses is essential and, although training of the hearing dogs is given, previous experiences of dog training (obedience, agility or puppy/dog training classes) or as a volunteer working in rescue centres or kennels would be advantageous.

Some experience of working with people with disabilities, particularly deafness, would be beneficial and being able to instruct or teach. Successful candidates will have ongoing training in Hearing Dogs’ in-house development programme, where they progress from entrant, to advanced hearing dog trainer. However, you can always volunteer, which could lead on to a salaried position. For further information about careers within Hearing Dogs for Deaf People visit them at their stand at Crufts or www.hearingdogs.org.uk ● If you have a career in dogs and would like to share it with our readers please contact the editor, details on page three

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Special feature

T

Georgia Brown

and the UK at the World Dog Show in both Germany and Amsterdam. These are the kinds of awards every young handler aims for and to have reached them is a complete dream come true. I am looking forward to continuing handling in YKC competitions as well as regular breed showing, mainly the Gundog Group. There are so many people who have played a role in my success as a young handler; far too many to mention but the people who have been the most instrumental know exactly who they are. Of course, as any young handler, I have always aspired to be like some of the top handlers,

“The YKC has played a big part in my handling career. I have attended many of its training days, weekends and camps and I feel honoured and grateful to have been part of the YKC. I am extremely grateful that the YKC has been a part of my journey in the dog world. It provides something very special for young people in our sport.

I have been honoured to be awarded YKC Handler of the Year in both 2017 and 2018.

This is the sort of achievement you only dream of. These awards have also opened up opportunities to represent the YKC

Photo: Flick.digital/The Kennel Club©

Photo: Flick.digital/The Kennel Club©

he Young Kennel Club (YKC) has been supporting and challenging young people to become the best they can be for over 30 years.

All across the country, young people want opportunities outside school/college or work to take part in a hobby or sport that makes a positive change in their lives. Four YKC members who have been involved with various aspects of the Club told us why the YKC is so important to them and many other young people, what in the future they would like to be involved with, and what inspires them to take part in the dog world.

Photo: ©The Kennel Club

Where would we be today without the Young Kennel Club?

Young Kennel Club Handler of the Year 2018 winner Georgia Brown with Toby

Lucas Irwin-Burns with Kaos, his Border Collie, winning the under 18 jumping final at Crufts in 2018

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Special feature

aiming to form the best rapport and achieve the best out of each dog I handle, just as they do.”

Photo courtesy of Lauren Ashby

Photo: ©The Kennel Club

“I currently run two dogs, Sam an eight-year-old crossbreed and Kaos, a four-year-old Border Collie from Many Tears Rescue. For me, I see the YKC as a very useful introduction for the younger generation to the world of agility, and it’s nice to have the opportunity as a junior to compete on a level playing field against others within the same age range. If it wasn’t for the YKC, and all the experience it has given me, I wouldn’t be where I am now. At this year’s Junior European Open event, held in the Netherlands, Sam and I managed to get an overall bronze medal, which was a great achievement for both of us, and had given us an insight as to what it is like to compete at national level, potentially preparing us for future events.

In the future, I would like to start up my own hydrotherapy business, and link it with my sister’s dog training business, as this could be beneficial to the health and well-being of dogs. The aim is to work as hard as possible in the hope that we can get back on the podium again this year!”

Photo: OnEdition/The Kennel Club©

Lucas Irwin-Burns

Dominique (Min) Witheyman, winner of the YKC Handling 12 – 16 category at Crufts in 2017 with Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Ch Silkcroft Crests of Waves. Turn to page 27 to read more about Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of GB member Min and her journey in dogs so far

Dominique (Min) Witheyman “The YKC has given me so many different opportunities and the confidence to try many activities. It has also allowed me to make new friends from all over the country.

Lauren Ashby and Percy

I won the UK Junior Handler of the Year in 2018 and this means that I will represent the UK at Crufts this year in the International Junior Handling Competition. I was really happy to have won this competition as I have been working towards winning it since I was eight, and it was my last year being able to compete. In the future, I would like to go to the United States of America and handle dogs professionally. In the world of dogs, there are many people I look up to and aspire to be like. I think my main inspiration is probably Jason Lynn. He shows lots of different breeds but always makes sure that the dog is the focus and that it looks its best.”

Lauren Ashby

Photo: Flick.digital/The Kennel Club©

“Last year was an amazing year for me and my dog, Percy. We won grade one to grade five in agility, qualified for Crufts in two classes, and won 17 classes. One of our highlights in 2018 was winning the YKC Outstanding Young Person Award at Crufts.

I couldn’t believe that I had won it because all the other nominees were so amazing!

Being in the YKC ring at Crufts has always been a dream of mine. I love the YKC because it gives so many opportunities and I have met some amazing friends through the Club. In agility I look up to all the amazing people that have helped and taught me and Percy, including Sian Illingworth and Dave Munnings and I aspire to compete internationally one day. In the future I want to be either a dog physio, hydrotherapist, agility trainer or a dog behaviourist.” ●

Join the UK’s #1 kids club for dogs!

What every young person aspires to be; YKC finalists taken in the main ring at Crufts in 2018

For more information on how to become a Young Kennel Club member please visit www.ykc.org.uk

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©Chatsworth House Trust

Ancient and modern, dogs are centre stage Chatsworth prepares the ‘must-visit’ art exhibition of 2019

By Gay Robertson

K

there are many portraits of family members with their dogs — but there are many more that the public has never seen, including modern paintings of family dogs from the Duke and Duchess’ private collection that will be on view. “We are not trying to tell the whole history of dogs in art,” explains Alex. “It’s about the connection of dogs to the family, this place, the stories here, plus

add the Duke’s Blenheim Spaniel, Boney, to the existing painting, set the scene. However, within minutes of meeting Alex Hodby, curator of exhibitions and engagements, Chatsworth, I realised I had seriously underestimated the event and what was being prepared was a major art exhibition of international interest.

Previous visitors to the house will know

The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire with Max

Portrait of Max and Suzie, 2017 by Jemma Phipps. The Cavendish family has a long tradition of commissioning portraits of their dogs

©Simon Broadhead

©Chatsworth House Trust

nowing that the Kennel Club was lending a significant part of its art collection to Chatsworth for an exhibition celebrating ‘The Dog’, I paid a visit in early January to see what might be on offer. A couple of Landseers in the entrance hall, one of them the well-known ‘Trial by Jury’, acquired by the 6th Duke of Devonshire, who had the painter

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bringing pieces from private collections that won’t be seen readily again.” The Devonshire Collection, assembled over hundreds of years by generations of the Cavendish family, generous patrons of the arts, is an important private collection and Chatsworth has a team of several curators looking after it.

“I am curator of exhibitions but this exhibition is not curated by me,” Alex told me. “It is very much curated by the Duchess.

The choice of works, the feeling and atmosphere of this exhibition is because of her passion and her interest in dogs.”

Guest curator Tessa Wild was brought in to advise on the content and themes of the exhibition. Her work includes identifying and arranging the loan of those pieces from public and private collections that would complement and contrast with the huge amount of pictures, sculpture, books and archive material in the Devonshire Collection, which feature dogs as either the primary focus or alongside family members.

“Chatsworth has a strong tradition of lending works to exhibitions and is recognised for the high-calibre exhibitions it mounts,” she says. “Both public and private lenders have been very generous and have responded enthusiastically to dogs as a subject for a major exhibition, recognising that they have been part of the everyday life of humans since the first rock paintings and, through their depictions in works of art, have myriad stories to tell.”

These lenders include the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Collection, the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, the National Science and Media Museum, the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry and, of course, the Kennel Club.

“There is no doubt that the Cavendish family has always had a close relationship with their dogs” Already knowledgeable in sporting art and dog portraiture, Tessa undertook further research within the Devonshire Collection and there she found the 6th Duke’s handbook with his account of how he hung his dog pictures together in one room, and the vivid pen and ink sketches he made of the pictures. “He was a great dog lover and a discerning patron of the arts and one

©Devonshire Collection, Chatsworth.

Reproduced by permission of Chatsworth Settlement Trustees

©Chatsworth House Trust

Special feature

A Spaniel, a Whippet and two black Pugs with dead game in a landscape, 1698, oil on canvas.

A painting by Leonard Knyff (1650 – 1722) who was one of the first to paint portraits of Pugs.

Originally owned by the Earl of Burlington, then by the 6th Duke of Devonshire, it hung with other dog portraits in a sitting room that is being recreated for the exhibition

gains a great sense of how much he admired the pictures of dogs commissioned by his forbears and depictions of his own favourite pets,” says Tessa. One of the highlights of the exhibition will undoubtedly be a recreated ‘room’ of these pictures, together with the display of the 6th Duke’s written account and sketches of them. Included in this group is a painting by the Dutch artist, known in England where he lived most of his life, as Leonard Knyff 1650 – 1722. He was one of the first to paint Pugs in animal portraits.

This painting was recorded by the 6th Duke as being of ‘lapdogs’ and previously owned in 1698 by Charles, Earl of Burlington, so it seems possible that they are also Cavendish family dogs. Interestingly, the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography records the painting as “Pugs, Greyhound and Spaniel

with Dead Game” but it is currently recorded in the Devonshire Collection as “A Spaniel, a Whippet and two black Pugs with dead game in a landscape, 1698.”

There is no doubt that the Cavendish family has always had a close relationship with its dogs, and many family members loved to see their dogs in the paintings they commissioned. One of the strengths of this exhibition is the way it shows the development of portraiture as children and animals began to be included; how dogs progressed from being symbolic in their presentation, to being an integral part of the sitter’s prestige and power, until, finally, they were painted as subjects in their own right.

This will be clearly seen in the grouping of paintings relating to the Cavendish family and their dogs, not just formal portraits, but

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©Devonshire Collection, Chatsworth.

Reproduced by permission of Chatsworth Settlement Trustees

Special feature

©David Vintiner

Laying Down the Law (or Trial by Jury) by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (1802 – 1873). Trial by Jury exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1840 and was recognised as a satire on the legal profession. After the 6th Duke of Devonshire acquired it, his Spaniel, Boney, was painted into the picture as a cub reporter

©The Kennel Club

The sumptuous state bedchamber with its dramatic ceiling paintings of mythical scenes of Diana with dogs will be the setting for Antony Gormley’s sculpture, ‘Lost Dog II’

The American senate is also lampooned as dogs in ‘Our National Dog Show’, by cartoonist Bernhard Gillam in the 9th May, 1883 edition of ‘Puck Periodical’

dogs, familiar to most members, and also the fairly recent acquisition of George Earl’s portrait of Caesar, His Majesty King Edward VII’s dog, who became famous throughout the land when he followed the gun carriage bearing the King’s coffin at the state funeral, ahead of all the crowned heads of Europe.

The four framed porcelain plaques of Queen Victoria’s dogs, made by the Royal Porcelain Factory of Berlin are also being loaned.

A significant part of the Kennel Club loan is a selection of cartoons, some of them overtly political but also reflecting how pet, and even show dogs were a common feature of 19th century life, not only in England but in America, too. ‘Puck Periodical’ was

©Devonshire Collection

showing them in their sporting and working contexts and as pets. The chapel corridor has been cleared for the purpose. “This is where we will bring ‘Trial by Jury’ and the other Landseer in the entrance hall,” explained Alex. The 6th Duke commissioned several works by Landseer, including a portrait of the Hon Richard Cavendish with the Duke’s favourite Italian Greyhound Spot, with a falcon. Other rooms in the house will offer an opportunity to see half a dozen contemporary commissions of family dogs not normally on display.

Queen Victoria was also a patron of Landseer and in the section referencing the Cavendish family’s royal connections, there is a self-portrait of him on loan from the Royal Collection. Called ‘The Connoisseurs’, it shows him with his own dog, Lassie, a Collie, and a Retriever, thought to be Myrtle, belonging to another patron. There are loans from the Kennel Club in this section, too — notably Terence Cuneo’s portrait of Her Majesty at Frogmore with her

© The Kennel Club Arts Foundation

‘No XLVI Laying Down the Law’ by unknown artist c1860. An amusing link to the Devonshire Collection’s celebrated Landseer, ‘Trial by Jury’, is the Kennel Club’s cartoon, with politicians’ heads, rather than jurors’, added to various breeds of dogs

A William IV silver-mounted leather dog collar 1832, by Robert Garrard

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©David Vintiner

Special feature

The five bronze Greyhounds by Nicola Hicks, Rocket 6-1, 1987, normally in the grounds, inhabit the Great Chamber during the exhibition

Jan Brueghel the Elder, ‘Studies of Dogs’ which is being lent by the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, and a silver gilt table centrepiece designed by Prince Albert featuring the family dogs, from the Royal Collection, are displayed against a backdrop of large tapestries showing hunting dogs and a huge portrait of a gamekeeper (an unusual subject for such a large painting) accentuating their relative size. Another notable contrast is ‘Lost Dog II’, a contemporary sculpture by Antony Gormley, forlorn on the floor under a dramatically lit painted ceiling of mythical beasts and dogs.

Contemporary sculpture is a recurring theme. The five bronze Greyhounds by Nicola Hicks, normally in the grounds, frolic through the Great Chamber; there is an Elisabeth Frink dog; while the polychromed wood Poodle, by American sculptor Jeff Koons, from a private collection, dominates the grand staircase. In the garden, the

Duke and Duchess have commissioned the artist Ben Long to create an eight-metre high scaffolding sculpture of a dog. Using the most ubiquitous of materials, this site-specific piece has a monumental scale and grace not normally associated with its construction material, and is an eye-catching addition to the landscape.

Chatsworth has a strong ceramic collection but an outstanding addition for this exhibition is Carolein Smit’s heartbreaking ‘Rascal with Golden Tears’, loaned by the V&A, and backed up by nine ceramic Poodles and five Pugs from the Kennel Club.

The Russian commemorative flask, in the shape of a rocket with the heads of Belka and Strelka emerging, normally found in the Kennel Club library, adds to the pathos.

There are treasures in every room and corridor. Also from the V&A, a small panel thought to have been stitched by the imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots of her dog,

©The Kennel Club

a satirical magazine, founded in 1871 by Joseph Kellner in St Louis, originally in German but published in English in 1877.

Its witty cartoons soon made it popular.

‘Our National Dog Show’ belongs to the Kennel Club Arts Foundation and shows the American senators as different breeds of dogs at a show. The artist is American cartoonist Bernhard Gillam. More directly connected to this exhibition is the Kennel Club’s ‘No XLVI Laying Down the Law’, a satirical version of Landseer’s ‘Trial by Jury’ with politicians’ heads superimposed on the dogs. It is thought to be by ‘HB’, (1797 – 1868), pen name of John Doyle, grandfather of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

A feature of this wide-ranging exhibition will be the many dogs already embedded in the fabric of the house: painted on ceilings, let into panelling or in wall hangings. A display of smaller treasures including several exquisite miniatures, a superb painting by

The Kennel Club has loaned a number of ceramic Pugs and Poodles

Upcoming talk and tour by Ciara Farrell – 27th June The Kennel Club’s Library and Collections Manager Ciara Farrell will be speaking on the historical development of dogs as workers and companions, in particular the rise in pet culture and decline in the use of dogs in a working context and the emphasis in the rise of pedigree dog breeding, dog showing and gun sports in the 19th century.

To book tickets please, visit www.chatsworth.org/events/kennel-club-talk-and-tour/

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©The Kennel Club

Special feature

Kennel Club members are entitled to a 20 per cent discount off the Chatsworth House and Garden ticket during ‘The Dog’ exhibition (23rd March – 6th October, 2019), when presenting a valid Kennel Club ID badge.

The discount is available for the member, plus one guest, and applies to both adult and child tickets. The discount is not available for online ticket purchases, and is not valid in conjunction with any other offer or discount

The 6th Duke commissioned an entire gallery of contemporary sculpture in the 19th century, now one of the glories of the Devonshire Collection. Notable among the works is Sleeping Endymion and his dog 1819-1822 by Antonia Canova

©Devonshire Collection

Jupiter, once part of a larger wall hanging is particularly evocative. George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, was responsible for confining her; his wife, commonly known as Bess of Hardwick, is an ancestor of the present Duke. There will be more of this story on the interactive handsets issued to each visitor, and many others, besides. There are Meissen Greyhounds, Fabergé dogs carved in agate for the Royal family, silver collars and statues. The two oldest exhibits are both symbolic of dogs as faithful companions and guardians, in death as in life. From the British Museum comes a wooden figure of Anubis, guardian of deceased souls and venerated by ancient Egyptians. This example is believed to have been a coffin figure, placed in an outer coffin to protect the mummified person in the inner coffin. Its date is given as late period/25th dynasty (ca. 746 BC to 653 BC). The other is the Kennel Club’s ceramic recumbent dog, thought to be from the Tang dynasty (618 – 907), also believed to be placed in a grave to accompany his owner to the afterlife.

It is hard to convey the wealth and breadth of this extraordinary exhibition.

As well as the superb works of art, there are letters detailing the idiosyncratic nature and misdemeanours of various family dogs and depictions of a variety of different breeds at critical points in their evolution. Visitors will meet a whole range of quirky characters and much-loved friends. The exhibition opens on 23rd March and runs through to 6th October, 2019. I can’t wait! ●

©David Vintiner

Pottery Tomb Guardian in the form of a dog, thought to be Tang dynasty (618-907)

This Elisabeth Frink sculpture of a dog is among the many contemporary dog sculptures in the Devonshire Collection which will be on show for the exhibition

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Special feature

A place in history The Queens Head in Soho played a significant role in the development of dog showing

By Robert Greaves

T

©The Kennel Club

he Queens Head is an independent pub on Denman Street, Soho, London, W1D 7HN, a short walk from Piccadilly Circus. It dates back to the 1730s and was, at that time, on Queen’s Street, which is where the pub got its name. In 1862, Queen’s Street was renamed Denman Street after a lord chief justice who was born there. It consequently became the Queens Head on Denman Street.

The Queens Head has a rich history and, by chance, I have worked with the landlord’s sister for over 20 years! Back to the history, it was known as the Courier’s Club in the 1840s and traded in coal, brandy and wine. Since then it’s reduced in size. Today there’s a compact restaurant upstairs which can accommodate 30 diners and the pub itself is ground level with a few seats in the bar area. As it’s an independent pub it’s able to offer a good range of drinks. It has traditional wooden panelling, some art deco style mirrors and lighting, complemented by a large number of old paintings. And, it is here that visitors will find a copy of one of the most historic of all dog paintings, ‘An Early Canine Meeting’ hanging on the wall.

It depicts a scene at this very pub, Jemmy (or Jimmy) Shaw’s Queens Head Tavern, in 1855. These gatherings were known as ‘Leads’ and bridged the gap between the early baiting and fighting sports, and dog shows, as we now know them. The picture shows Shaw and many of his regulars, all men, (the ladies at that time had their own shows held in more genteel surroundings). A number of early breeds are represented — Bulldogs, Bull Terriers, Black and Tan Terriers and Toy Spaniels. The walls are covered with prints depicting aspects of sporting life, including boxing, for Shaw was a skilful lightweight of his day.

Landlord Robert Swift said: “The pub’s heritage is very important to us and we try to maintain the décor, giving the pub a traditional feel.” He continued: “Being in Piccadilly Circus we don’t get many pets through our doors, though all are welcome. We love to hear people’s stories who come in to look at the image.” Robert is clearly very proud of the pub’s rich heritage and its place in canine history and the heritage has led to famous dog-lovers visiting the pub, including Vince Cable, Hugh Grant and author Todd Noy, who have all shared their own personal stories with Robert. Dogs are allowed in the pub area and water is provided free of charge for any dogs who call in for a drink!

Robert added: “All the food served is made onsite and the restaurant is ranked as number 231 of 18,012 restaurants in London on Tripadvisor, serving delicious fish and chips and the pub’s own Piccadilly Pies. The pub was chosen to host the first anniversary party of Trooper, a premium British beer inspired by the heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which lead singer Bruce Dickinson attended.

I am sure that with this reminder of its place in canine history, there will be more canine visitors to the Queens Head to enjoy the surroundings. ●

Photo courtesy of Robert Swift

Photo courtesy of Robert Swift

An Early Canine Meeting by R Marshall, oil on canvas, signed and dated 1855. The original painting hangs in the Kennel Club Art Gallery, however it is on loan to Chatsworth for their exhibition celebrating ‘The Dog’

It is here that visitors will find a copy of one of the most historic of all dog paintings

A traditional pub that has reduced in size since the 1840s when it was known as the Courier’s Club trading in coal, brandy and wine

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Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier breed standard

Photo: ©Charles Patrick

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier breed standard

Breed standard

C

olour and texture of coat, two of the breed's main features, are described in its name. Some claim the Soft-Coated Wheaten to be an ancestor of the Irish Terrier and the Kerry Blue. The Wheaten was used for hunting badger and otter.

The breed was recognised by the Irish Kennel Club in 1937 and by the Kennel Club in 1943.

● GENERAL APPEARANCE Medium-sized, compact, upstanding terrier well covered with a soft, wheaten-coloured, natural coat that falls in loose curls or waves. An active, short-coupled dog, strong and well built; well balanced in structure and movement, not exaggerated in any way.

Standing four square with head and tail up, giving the appearance of a happy dog, full of character.

● CHARACTERISTICS A natural terrier with strong sporting instincts, hardy and of strong constitution.

● TEMPERAMENT Good-tempered, spirited and game. Full of confidence and humour; a delightful, affectionate, intelligent companion.

● HEAD AND SKULL Flat, moderately long and profusely covered with coat which falls forward over the eyes.

Skull of medium width but not coarse. Stop well defined, cheek bones not prominent.

Distance from eye to nose not longer, and preferably shorter, than the distance from the eyes to occiput. Jaws strong and punishing, muzzle square with no

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Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier breed standard

suggestion of snipiness. Topline of muzzle absolutely straight and parallel with skull.

Nose black and large for size of dog. Head in general powerful, without being coarse.

● EYES Clear, bright dark hazel. Medium size set under strong brow. Eye rims black.

● EARS V-shaped and folded at level of skull.

Forward edge drops down slightly forward to lie closely along cheek, back edge standing slightly away from side of head.

Leathers thin, small to medium in size, covered with coat and fringe.

● MOUTH Lips tight and black. Teeth large. Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

● NECK Moderately long, strong, muscular and slightly arched. Without throatiness.

Gradually widening toward, and running cleanly into shoulders.

● FOREQUARTERS

out. Good depth of pad. Toenails black.

until about 24 months and should be given some latitude in young dogs.

● TAIL Previously customarily docked.

Docked: Set on high, carried gaily but never over back. Not curled and not too thick.

Undocked: Set on high, carried gaily but never over back, not curled and not too thick. Tip may curve forward in a gentle arc. Length in overall balance with the rest of dog.

● GAIT/MOVEMENT Free, graceful and lively. Well coordinated with long, low strides. Reach in front and good drive behind; straight action fore and aft. Head and tail carried high, the backline remaining level.

● COAT Soft and silky. Neither woolly nor wiry.

Loosely waved or curly, but if curly, curls large, light and loose. The coat should not stand off but flow and fall naturally. Coat abundant all over body and especially profuse on head and legs. Length of leg coat sufficient to give good balance to the length of coat on head and body. There is no seasonal change in the length or texture of the mature coat. Over-trimming or stylising should be penalised. For show purposes the coat may be tidied to present a neat outline.

Coat colour and texture do not stabilise

● COLOUR A good clear wheaten. A shade of ripening wheat. A white coat and red coat equally objectionable. Dark shading on ears not untypical. Often a slight fluctuation in the intensity of colour in mature coat, but overall effect should be light wheaten. Dark overall colour and the even darker markings often present in the immature coat, should clear by about 18 – 24 months.

● SIZE Height: dogs: approximately 46 – 49cm (18 – 19 1/2in) measured at the withers; bitches slightly less. Weight: dogs approximately 16 – 20.5kg (35 – 45lb); bitches somewhat less.

● 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 and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Shoulders long, well laid back, and sloping inwards from points to withers. Not loose, fine, but muscular. Viewed from any angle, the forelegs perfectly straight. Good bone and muscle. Pasterns strong and springy.

Chest moderately wide.

● BODY Compact, with powerful short loins. Back strong and level. Ribs well sprung without roundness, providing deep chest with relatively short coupling. Length of back from point of withers to base of tail should measure about the same as, or slightly less than, from point of withers to ground.

Photo: ©Ian Raper (Photocall North East)

● HINDQUARTERS Thighs strong and muscular. Hindlegs well developed with powerful muscle and well bent stifles. Hocks well let down and turning neither in nor out.

● FEET Strong, and compact, turned neither in nor

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Photo courtesy of Sally Grace Photography

Breed information

It is important to rear a Wheaten with love and understanding, plus clear and consistent leadership

Game for anything!

The lively, inquisitive Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier

T

he origins of the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier can be traced back at least 200 years in Ireland.

At one time there was hardly a farm or smallholding in Ireland without its attendant Wheaten Terrier, a generalpurpose farm dog used to herd cattle, catch vermin and guard the farm.

The breed was first introduced to the UK in 1942 and recognised by the Kennel Club in 1943. Numbers slowly grew, and in 1955 the Kennel Club registered the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain.

The Wheaten is a lively, inquisitive and game-spirited terrier with an exuberant personality. They are great family dogs, who love being with people generally. Wheatens are not kennel dogs. They thrive on human companionship; if left for long periods, they may become noisy, destructive, or display other undesirable characteristics.

Their distinctive feature is their soft, flowing coat of loose waves or curls — the mature coat should be the colour of ripening wheat. The coat is non-shedding, but as a result it does require regular and frequent grooming, daily combing and regular trimming, to maintain its condition.

It is important to rear a Wheaten with love and understanding plus clear and consistent leadership. Care must be taken

to train good behaviour, and ensure this includes respect from the dog to children and children to the dog.

They are sociable with other dogs, but the correct training must be developed as their very gregarious nature can get them into trouble with less tolerant dogs.

An adult Wheaten requires a moderate amount of exercise. A walk, with some off-lead running, is ideal, but recall training should be in place first as Wheatens are adept at chasing rabbits and squirrels, as their terrier status suggests.

This is generally considered to be a healthy dog. The average lifespan is 13 – 14 years with some reaching 16 plus. They are hardy, healthy and stoic terriers. As with many breeds they can have health issues.

More information on these can be found on our Club website.

The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain recommends that breeding stock is tested for hip dysplasia and has regular eye tests conducted by a BVA panellist. Eye tests are recommended to ensure that conditions such as PRA, retinal folds, and persistent pupillary membranes are neither prevalent or becoming apparent.

The Club also recommends that breeding stock are blood-tested annually for liver and kidney function and further urinalysis tests

Photographer unknown

By Denise Pascoe, Secretary of the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain

The Wheaten’s distinctive feature is its soft, flowing coat of loose waves or curls

are recommended if blood tests show results outside the normal range.

Compared to some other breeds, only a small number of Wheatens need to be rehomed. This low number is partly due to the Club’s Area Representatives Scheme.

Area representatives are experienced Wheaten owners who prospective puppy purchasers are encouraged to visit to meet a Wheaten in a home environment. These visits help to ensure potential owners make an informed decision on whether a Wheaten is the right breed to join their family.

Prospective owners, who are considering having a Wheaten, should contact the Club who can put them in touch with an area representative close to where they live.

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Breed information

In addition, the Club also holds seminars on health matters and general care concerning the breed. More information about the SoftCoated Wheaten Terrier can be found on the Club’s website at www.wheaten.org.uk or by contacting enquiries@wheaten.org.uk ●

which take place around the UK each year.

In terms of care and responsibility of Wheatens, the Club holds regular grooming workshops where owners, and groomers, can be guided on the best ways of caring for, and grooming the wonderful Wheaten coat.

W

semi-finals of the handling competition.

October though will always be etched in her memory as exceptional. At the beginning of the month, she handled at the Montgomery County Kennel Club dog show in the USA. Then she judged the SCWTCGB Junior Handling finals at its championship show, which her mother, Lynne, thinks Min has won five, maybe six, times! The next day, in her final year of eligibility at 17, Min triumphantly took the top title of UK JHA Top Handler 2018, handling a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen.

Min was now at the top of the tree.

She has been a committed SCWTCGB member all her life, and was presented with a specially created Junior Janeyjimjams Award for Unsung Heroes for all her voluntary work at fun days and Club events. Min has always had a willing heart and can be relied upon to handle your dog, provide handling tips or mentoring novices.

The SCWTCGB committee congratulates Min on becoming the UK Top Junior Handler and wishes her every success representing the UK in the international finals being held at Crufts in 2019.

hen the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain (SCWTCGB) member little Min Witheyman won the ‘best six legs’ at the Wheaten fun day, aged just three years old, who could possibly predict this was the catalyst that would launch her on a meteoric journey to become the UK Number 1 Junior Handler just 15 years later.

Photo: ©Charles Patrick

Most Wheatens in need of rehoming, originate from breeders who aren’t Club members and who don’t utilise the Club’s Area Representative Scheme. Rehoming is mainly due to a change in the owner’s circumstances, for example health or working hours. A register of people who would like to adopt a Wheaten is kept by the Club’s rehome co-ordinator, who tries to match the needs of the dog, as best as possible, to the prospective new owner’s circumstances. Once a dog has been successfully rehomed, the Club provides new owners with an information pack, Club membership, and ongoing help and advice.

Before anyone makes the final decision to introduce a Wheaten Terrier to their home, careful consideration must be given to the amount of effort, commitment and dedication that is needed by owners to properly care for this breed.

However, it is fair to say that the SoftCoated Wheaten Terrier makes a wonderful family dog — for the right family, of course!

The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain is proactive in supporting Wheaten owners with the care and training of the breed. We encourage owners to use positive training methods with their dogs, and fully endorse the Kennel Club’s Good Citizen Dog Scheme. We hold bronze level assessments at several of the Club’s fun days,

They are lively, inquisitive and game-spirited terriers with an exuberant personality

Min began entering handling competitions in 2006, aged six. She borrowed obliging owners’ well-behaved Wheatens until she finally owned her own in 2009. Since then Min qualified annually for YKC Handling at Crufts, winning the 2012 Crufts Terrier/Hound Group for 6 – 11 year-olds. In 2017 she won the 12 – 16 category.

In the Junior Handling Association (JHA) semi-finals, handling a Wheaten, Min has never come lower than second, winning outright in 2013 and 2015. Min then began handling breeds in other groups and in 2017 she won the Working JHA with a Rottweiler. In the JHA Junior Handler of the Year final Min continued to triumph being successfully placed; fourth in 2013 and sixth in 2015 with a Wheaten, and in 2017 she came fourth with a Rottweiler.

Last year was a remarkable year for Min. She was nominated for a Pawscars Award then attended the World Dog Show in Amsterdam, where she reached the

Jane Charleton, Chairwoman of the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain

Photo: ©Tess Newson/The Kennel Club

Photographer unknown

Min judged the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain Junior Handling finals at its championship show, the day before she won UK Junior Handler of the Year 2018, presenting the award for Best Junior Handler to Alice Hill

Min with her Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, winner of the UK Junior Handler of the Year 2018 with judge Jonathan Daltrey and Liz Cartledge at Discover Dogs

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Soft-Coated Soft-CoatedWheaten WheatenTerrier Terrierjudges’ judges’choice choice The Kennel Gazette asked a number of breed specialist and all-rounder judges to pick their three favourite Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers which they have judged in the ring.

The dogs could be from the past or the present and from anywhere in the world Graham Dowdy ■ Denzilly

Stevelyn evel elyn yn 2Ch Clondaw Jill From Up the HiHillll aatt StStev

Bred by the late Peter Dawson, I judged d her at Driffield in 1986. She was moderatee in type and deserved all the awards she got at the time. She, too, was a nice colourr though I seem to remember her pigment was not as good as Smackwater Jack.

She was feminine and had a pleasing, soft expression. She was well made and consequently strode out really well. She contributed much to the breed, being the foundation for the Stevelyn kennel and producing the foundation for the Eridanus kennel.

1Ch Celtannia Atlantic Gold

3Ch Loofahsa Teenage Dirtbagg

I judged this dog at Bournemouth Championship Show in 2018 and was very impressed by him. I had no hesitation in awarding him his first CC at the age of 11 months. I liked his breed d type immensely; he has masculinity all through, h, and scores on overall balance and sound movement. At the age of 14 months he became one of the breed’s youngest champions. I have followed his progress since and he continues to o improve and impress.

2Ch Daisymaes Enforcer

I judged this dog at Blackpool Championship Show in 2016 and awarded him his third CC. He has great showmanship and, for me, fits the breed standard to a T. He has excellent head properties and excels in movement, having both reach and drive. Not only is he a great show dog, he was also the breed’s top stud dog for 2017 and 2018.

3Ch Chloeanco Hunni Dream Photo: ©Johnson

I judged him at Three Counties in 2009. He was a nice size, not too big, with h a lovely masculine head and expression.

His coat was a good wheaten colour with excellent texture and he had good pigment to go with it. He was all in proportion and much like his father Ch Starcadia Razzle Dazzle, to whom I had previously awarded a CC. He moved out well and displayed a typical happy Wheaten temperament. He started off the Saffini kennel.

I have owned Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers since 1994. I first judged at open show level during 1999 and was appointed by the West of England Ladies Kennel Society to award my first set of CCs in 2010. I have to date awarded CCs five times. My next appointment to award CCs will be in 2020, and following this 2022, when I will judge the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain Championship Show, which is a great honour.

Although I have been requested to select from the dogs I have judged, I have also been given the opportunity to mention three quality overseas dogs whose conformation and showmanship I admire greatly. In my opinion each one has made a positive impact on UK Wheatens over the past 10 years. These dogs are Int Ch Wheatstone Flashdance (bred by Karin Bergbom, Finland), Multi Ch Wheaten Rebels Nelson For Navy (bred by Margret MollerSieber, Germany) and Am GCh/Can GCh Greentree Moonstruck Mombo Man Rom (bred by Beverly and Kevin McDonald, USA). Not only have all three assisted in widening the UK gene pool, which is a benefit to breed health, they have also produced top winning progeny and their names can be found in the pedigrees of many current top winners here in the UK. Photo: ©Braemuelin SCWT Photography

I judged this dog at Bath in 1995 and gave him his title. I also gave him BIS at the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of GB (SCWTCGB) Championship Show in 1997. He was masculine without being too big or coarse. Had a lovely big black nose — typical of the breed in earlier days — and good pigment. He had a good head of correct proportions and neat, smallish ears and perfect bite.

His coat was a lovely rich wheaten colour, was not too thick and hung in loose waves. He strode out like a Wheaten should with long, low strides. Unfortunately, he wasn’t used at stud as far as I know.

Photo courtesy of the SCWTCGB

1Ch Montgomery Smackwaterer Jack

Photo courtesy of the SCWTCGB

I had my first Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier from Betty Burgess in 1973. This was Ch Finchwood Fancy Free of Bacanti who went on to win 12 CCs including three times BOB at Crufts. She and her sister were the foundations for my Bacanti kennels, that produced many champions and provided popular stud dogs which helped others on their way. I first gave CCs to the breed in 1986. The dogs I have chosen were from different eras so very difficult to say how they would stand up to each other, but I liked them very much at the time. For this brief I have only considered dogs to whom I awarded BOB.

Photo: ©Rob Jones Photography

Eileen Boak ■ Bacanti

I judged this dog at Midland Counties in 2012 and awarded him his fourth CC. Another who scores greatly for breed type and masculinity, he is all male without coarseness. He oozes overall balance without exaggeration. His coat is his crowning glory and totally in accordance with the standard, being soft and silky, wavy, and clear wheaten in colour.

Please note that judges are asked to make sure that all information supplied is factually correct. This information is again checked when submitted, but please note that unfortunately errors may still occur.

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Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier judges’ choice

Steve Howe ■ Stevelyn and Sunnidayze I was acquired by my first Wheaten in 1983, and first awarded CCs in 1993. It has been a pleasure to be part of this wonderful breed. I have had the experience of competing against, and judging nearly all of the top contenders of the last three and a bit decades. The breed has changed, and, although the breed standard remains the same, interpretation of it has moved on enormously, especially in the area of trimming and presentation; I think for the better. There was a time when Wheatens would not even be considered for group places. Now it’s almost commonplace. To try and pin down the best is, of course, a matter of personal taste and comparing past with present is difficult. When judging, I always start with an open mind; top dogs can have an off day and others may rise to the occasion, the surprise of finding the best dog on the day is part of the joy of judging.

There have been many fabulous dogs that could be considered as favourites and the conclusion of this exercise has been challenging. I have narrowed my choice in no order of preference, just those I feel were not only spectacular show dogs but made a significant contribution to the breed as a whole. I therefore offer, in order of judging.

Sue and Stan Munn came into the breed about the same time as me.

Over the years, Snowmeadow Wheatens have fared exceptionally well in the show ring, producing many excellent top winning dogs and becoming one of the foremost breeders of Wheatens in the history of the breed. I have had the pleasure of judging and awarding CCs to several of them down the years and could have easily chosen any one of two or three for my favourite. In the end, I opted for Feebee Friday as the epitome of a great example of the breed. Snowmeadow coats have always been beautiful in terms of texture, colour, and the beautiful wave as required by the breed standard. This particular lady had all of these qualities, a lovely head and expression and superb movement. I gave her BOB at Crufts in 2000 and can still picture the way she covered the ring in the final challenge, even at the end of a very long day.

Photo by S Munn

2Ch/Ir Ch Snowmeadow Feebee Friday JW

Coming up to date, I am choosing a dog and a bitch. I discovered them together and their careers havee run parallel. I cannot separate them so I am taking the liberty of including both. oth.

When judging at Richmond in 2016, I W came across two spectacular youngsters ters who not only impressed me on the day, w ay, but have gone on to dominate the breed b eed in the past two years and look likely to become future record breakers.

The dog is Ch Greentree Gold Mombo bo Ch Greentree Gold Mombo to Denzilly to Denzilly. This little fellow had justt been brought over from the USA by Jo and Graham Dowdy and, at just seven months old, I believe that this was his first show. The ground in the show ring was horrible: rough and rutted; he took it all in his stride, his balance and movement a joy to behold. I was so taken with his obvious qualities that, despite his age, I awarded CC and BOB. What a stunner, and I am so pleased to see his Ch Flaxela Weaver of Dreams JW ShCM progress since. In the bitch classes, my eye was taken by another puppy, somewhat older at 11 months: Pam Clarke’s Ch Flaxela Weaver of Dreams JW ShCM. On the day I compared her outline to the ‘perfect Wheaten’, which the Club had spent a long time creating for its Club logo. I awarded her RCC, only losing out on maturity to a champion with 20 CCs. Since then she has become top Wheaten, won groups and, by the time this is published, may well be close to the all-time bitch CC record held by my Jill.

I know we have a lot more CCs on offer these days but it took Jill nine years; to do it in three is remarkable.

The breed has certainly moved on and I look forward to being involved for many years to come.

Photo by Graham Dowdy

Greentree Gold Mombo to Denzilly 3Ch & Ch Flaxela Weaver of Dreams reeam amss JW ShCM

Photo by John Clarke

The first CC I ever awarded in 1993.

Back in the 1980s, the breed was a minority nority and the gene pool was becoming very congested and breeding was becomingg difficult. We also had six months quarantine in those days. Luckily, we had a few imports which came in to help elp the situation. Margaret House brought ht Travis over from Sweden in 1992. Backk then the breed was still largely docked, Travis was not and this seemed ed to be a stumbling block with many judges at the time. He was, however, a quality dog and became our first undocked champion. His movement was the very ideal of the free flowing easy gait called for in the breed standard and is still used now to demonstrate how a Wheaten should move. He became a very important stud dog and his bloodlines have given a very solid foundation to later generations, his quality coming through in several generations of his progeny.

Photo by David Dalton

ller tto ll o Gl Glen Glendowan end dowan dowa n 1Ch Brosings PS I’m a Traveller

Assured Breeder Scheme Further information can be obtained from the Kennel Club Health and Breeder Services Department abs@thekennelclub.org.uk or call 01296 318540 Breed-specific requirements and recommendations, including health screening for the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier under the Assured Breeder Scheme: Breed

Requirements for Health Screening of Breeding Stock Last updated September 2018

Recommendations for Health Screening of Breeding Stock Last updated September 2018

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier

None

1) 2) 3) 4)

Hip scoring Breed club – Kidney function test Eye Testing – Annual Bitches under two years not to be mated

March 2019 - Kennel Gazette 29

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12/02/2019 10:02

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier judges’ choice

Margaret House ■ Glendowan Coincidentally, this year at Glendowan we are celebrating 50 Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier years. My first Wheaten was born 1st January, 1969. I have bred, shown and judged the breed and, over the years have been secretary, president of the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain and chairman of the Club’s judges’ sub-committee. Health and temperament has always been a priority.

Originating from Ireland, the Wheaten has changed considerably over the years in the UK and, more so, in the USA. The basic conformation should remain but unfortunately when it comes to assessing type and coat, many breeders and judges appear to be ‘counting hairs’. The coat is an important feature of the breed but conformation and type are equally so and must be assessed accordingly. In my opinion, coat should and can be, correct texture and colour however thick or dense. I am pleased to see that there are some signs of the two extremes coming closer to the centre. I am hoping the attached photos will illustrate this.

I judged him as a young dog, and I loved his type, overall balance and free movement; his reach in front and drive behind, all finished with a lovely coat of correct texture. He sired a number of litters and the pups proved to be very successful in helping to widen the gene pool.

Photographer unknown

ange an g li ge list st 1Ch Ellora the Evangelist

Ch Kanjuley 3Ch/Ir Kygwenethan ShCM Another example of a correct coat, good conformation and excellent movement. He was the first Irish type born in the UK to become a UK champion.

I awarded him the RCC as a veteran at the Kennel Club special al Crufts qualifying show for Irish Native breeds, Dublin in 2009. Hee sired many pups, both here and in n Sweden where he lived for a year, again contributing to widening the gene pool.

Photographer unknown

I awarded him the dog CC at Crufts centenary show in 1991.

He later sired a litter with one of my bitches, which resulted in some ‘Irish’ and some ‘heavy’ coats. It can be very difficult to tell the difference in young pups.

Photographer unknown

2Ch Stevelyn US Male

30 March 2019 - Kennel Gazette

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Flaxela TOP SCWT UK DUAL WINNER SCWT club of GB and OUR DOGS 2017 and 2018

PUP OF THE YEAR FINALIST 2016

‘DIVA’ CH FLAXELA WEAVER of DREAMS JW ShCM d.o.b 27/10/2015 21 CCs - 2 RCCs -18 BOBs Best of Breed CRUFTS 2018 Bred, loved and cared for by John and Pamela Clarke

Photo kindly taken by Jo Dowdy

Terrier Group 1-2-3-4 Winner at Championship Shows

Our sincere gratitude to all judges who have recognised and awarded her qualities and breed points so highly.

A huge thank you for the help and advice from our supporters.

Email: flaxela@outlook.com Tel: 01623 822625 March 2019 - Kennel Gazette 31

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12/02/2019 10:04

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier judges’ choice

Did you know?

Championship Show Judges

Crufts BOB Winners Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier 2003-2018 CH KERIDOWN WILD CHILD

2004 CH ABIQUA WILD KISS AT MIDNIGHT 2005

CH STARCADIA BARDOLINO

2006 CH KARISKIYE KYANITE KIZMET 2007 KINAELAN GONERBY GREAT FOR PETENEIRA 2008 CARAWAY CELEBRATE LIFE 2009 CH KINAELAN CUCHYLAENE 2010

CH FEANARO NIALLAN NAOMHAN (IMP NLD)

2011

CH PIPPAJAM GOLD LEAF

2012

CH FANTASA BLONDE KAOS

2013

GREENTREE STORM CATCHER

2014

CH ABIQUA WILD CASINOROYALE

2015

MODNY STYLE EURO STANDART

2016

CH SILKCROFT SKY FULL OF STARS

2017

GREBNELLO SUZY

2018

CH FLAXELA WEAVER OF DREAMS

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier This information is correct at the time of going to print, however appointments may change due to unforeseen circumstances

2003

This year’s Crufts Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier judge is Mr Tom H Johnston MPhil with an entry of 123 in Hall 1, Ring 2

2019 Crufts

Mr Tom H Johnston MPhil M

National Terrier Club

Mr RE Blackley

M

West of England Ladies Kennel Society

Mrs Z Thorn-Andrews

M

Birmingham Dog Show Society Ltd

Mrs Carole Barnes-Davies

M

Scottish Kennel Club

Mrs EP Hollings

M

Bath Canine Society

Mr S Plane

M

Southern Counties Canine Association

Mr Shaun Watson

M

Three Counties Agricultural Society

Mr C Powell

M

Border Union Agricultural Society

Mrs M Moller-Sieber

M

Blackpool & District Canine Society

Mr FJ Gadd

M

Windsor Dog Show Society

Mr D Guy

M

East of England Agricultural Society

Mrs Denise Bott

M

Leeds City & District Canine Association

Mrs M House

M

Paignton & District Fanciers’ Association

Mrs GA Ford

M

Bournemouth Canine Association

Mr N Straw

M

Killeshin Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Killeshin Wheatens consistently producing true-to-type show winning and home winning puppies.

Temperament is our objective.

All our dogs are fully health tested.

Puppies pie es available to carefully selected hhomes

Tel 0044 7778 119012

32 March 2019 - Kennel Gazette

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Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier judges’ choice

Breed clubs and societies take the welfare of their breeds very seriously and work tirelessly to provide help, support, and homes for dogs in need.

aten Terrier

Find a Soft-Coated Whe at Crufts

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain Mrs Denise Pascoe

Tel: 01913 845679 secretary@wheaten.org.uk www.wheaten.org.uk SoftCoatedWheatenTerrierClubOfGB

There will be a Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier breed booth stand at Crufts situated in the Discover Dogs area where you can speak to the experts about what it is like to own this inquisitive breed.

For further information on buying a dog responsibly visit www.findapuppy.org.uk

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club Rehome Co-ordinator Mr Rob Watkins

Tel: 01543 684864 rehome@wheaten.org.uk

Breed Education Co-ordinator jcf@thekennelclub.org.uk

The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain also carries out Good Citizen Dog Scheme bronze assessments regularly at Club fun days held around the UK; see www.wheaten.org.uk for further details.

For further information on rescuing a dog and list of breed rescue contacts in your area, please visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/findarescuedog or contact Anita Tabrett, welfare relationship manager on 020 7518 1048 or email: anita.tabrett@thekennelclub.org.uk

March 2019 - Kennel Gazette 33

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12/02/2019 10:06

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier judges’ choice

JENSON CH JANEYJIMJAMS JENSON JW SHCM

BREED CC RECORD HOLDER TOP SCWT 2016, 2015, 2014 & 2013 OWNERS: MIKE AND ALISON FALLON HANDLED BY: ALISON FALLON BREEDER: JANE CHARLETON

ENQUIRIES WELCOME EEMAIL MAIL:: janeyjimjams@aol.com JANEYJIMJAMS@AOL.COM

www.janeyjimjams.com The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of GB Established 1955

‘Guardians of the Breed’ Our Club Code of Ethics promotes well-reared, health tested puppies from health tested parents.

Join our Club and enjoy the benefits of: ● Owner advice and information ● Wheaten Fundays held at locations around the UK ● Grooming Workshops ● 3 Bulletins per annum ● Seminars on Health and Judging ● 3 Club Shows held annually

For more information please visit our website at wheaten.org.uk or email us at enquiries@wheaten.org.uk We look forward to hearing from you!

34 March 2019 - Kennel Gazette

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17/10/2018 13:25

How can I take my pet on holiday when the UK leaves the EU? Visit gov.uk and search pet travel for more information

When the UK leaves the EU on 29th March 2019, you’ll still be able to take your pet with you when travelling there, but you may need to allow more time to prepare.

Pet Travel.indd 1

14/02/2019 12:16