RECENT BEST IN SHOWS (week ending July 8th, 2013) Bobcaygeon Kennel Club – Ontario Tuesday French Bulldog GCh. Foxmoor Petite Cherie Raison d’Etre Judge: Marilyn O’Neil Wednesday Standard Poodle Ch. VetSet Kate Winsit Judge: Manuel Queijeiro Thursday Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Ch. Roaneden’s Int’l Harvester Judge: Joe Lobb Kawartha Kennel Club Ontario Friday Standard Poodle Ch. Vetset Kate Winsit Judge: Norman Kenny Saturday Samoyed Ch. Echo’s Clearly Cabaka Judge: Patricia Laurans Sunday Beagle Ch. Tashtins Lookin For Trouble Judge: Robert Ennis Sarnia Kennel Club – Ontario Friday Standard Schnauzer Ch. Cortaillod Dexter Judge: Ed Wild Saturday Standard Schnauzer Ch. Cortaillod Dexter Judge: Wendy Paquette Sunday Borzoi Ch. Docteur Jivago Du Grand Fresnoy Judge: Michelle Scott Monday Flat Coated Retriever Ch. Butterblac Rider At FreeStyle Judge Denys Janssen Chateauguay Kennel Club - Quebec Friday Show 1 Tibetan Terrier Ch. Dscho Ultra Zer Thag Colledge Judge: Doug Windsor Friday Show 2 Bouvier Ch. Boyero Magnificent Gladiator Judge: Judith Byrne Saturday Miniature Poodle Ch. Bellefleet Don’t Pass Me By Judge: Carmen Haller Sunday Pointer Ch. Black Alder Sam Spade Judge: Janet Lobb Lakeland Kennel Club – Alberta Friday Show 1 Afghan Hound Ch. Polo’s Air Force One Judge: Everett Mincey Friday Show 2 Afghan Hound Ch. Polo’s Air Force One Judge: Marilyn Mincey Saturday Show 3 Pekingese Ch. Diaquiri’s Secret Finale Judge: Charles Cyopik Saturday Show 4 Keeshond Ch. Cinnakee’s Christian Louboutin Judge: David Eadie Sunday Show 5 Chinese Crested Ch. Taja Spumoni Judge: Avery Gaudin Sunday Show 6 Afghan Ch. Polo’s Air Force One Judge: Doug Gaudin Vernon Kennel Club – British Columbia Friday Doberman Pinscher Ch. Supernova Never Surrender Judge: Susan Quesnel Saturday French Bulldog Ch. Karendons Jagger at Timepieces Judge: Virginia Lyne Sunday Standard Poodle Ch. Crystalton Suspence Judge: Tim Doxtater Newfoundland (All Breed) Kennel Club Saturday Show 1 - Yorkshire Terrier Annsteff's Gotta Dream Judge: Sandra Lex
Saturday Show 2 - Yorkshire Terrier Annsteff's Gotta Dream Judge: Jim Reynolds Sunday Show 1 - Siberian Husky - Davik's Set Fire to the Rain Judge: Johann Becerra-Hernandez Sunday Show 2 - Papillon - Ch. Okkak's Magnus LaceLink Judge: Eugene Phoa
UPCOMING SHOWS this Weekend Evelyn Kenny Kennel Club – Alberta London Canine Association – Ontario Association Canine Charlevoisienne – Quebec Chaleur Kennel Club – New Brunswick
This Week's Top 10 Dogs (All Breeds) Rank
Dog Name
Points
1
Ch Whitebriar Jaw Dropper - West Highland White Terrier
10241
2 3
Ch Polo's Air Force One - Afghan Hound GCh Roaneden's Int'l Harvester - Nova Scotia Duck Toller
3355 2706
4
GCh NicNak's Second To None - Yorkshire Terrier
2684
5 6
Ch Champagne Charly V. Tani Kazari - Affenpinscher Ch Ahmahr Nahr's The Lost Angel Gabriel - Basenji
2533 2493
7
GCh Vetset Kate Winsit - Standard Poodle
2314
8 9
GChEx Goldgrove High Intensity - Doberman Pinscher Ch Hearthside Riveredge Sure Is Summum - Australian Shepherd
2294 2064
10
GChEx Mytuk's Technical Knock Out - Alaskan Malamute
1915
(TopDogWeekly does not verify these stats - they are supplied as a courtesy to our readers from our friends at www.canuckdogs.com)
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Meet our Judges of the WEEK... DIANNE & RON BESOFF
Ron Besoff (BA Dip. Educ.) Occupation: Retired Secondary High School Principal Dianne Besoff J.P. Occupation: Retired Community Nurse Our first involvement in the sport of dogs was with the purchase of an Afghan Hound in 1970, but it was to be the successful show career of a Dalmatian bitch purchased in 1973 that was to set the pattern for our future. Since then our dogs have not been outside the winning circle, having won over 500 Best in Shows at both All Breed and Specialty Level. The success of our breeding kennels is just as well known with over 100 Champions either owned or bred by us. Dogs from our Kennels have been sent to all Australian States and many exported to Europe, Asia and New Zealand that have had significant influences on the breed in those places. We have also owned, exhibited and bred two of the greatest winning Dalmatians in Australian breed history. “Champion Swiftgait MyLord Duke” who won 46 Best in Show awards at both Specialty & All Breeds level and a female “Grand Ch Swiftgait In The Fast Lane” who won 106 All Breeds Best in Shows. She also holds the world record for Best in Show wins by a Dalmatian and the record for the Greatest Australian All Breeds Best in Show Winner. Our current 2yr old Grand Champion winning Dalmatian has won 20 Best in Shows and is ranked as number 3 All Breeds in the country
Whilst our major involvement is in Dalmatians we have both owned and exhibited Best in Show winning English Pointers, Boston Terriers and Smooth Fox Terriers. We have also been involved in breeding and exhibiting Labrador Retrievers, British Bulldogs and Doberman that have all been Best in Show winners. Involvement in Club administration has been extensive having held most club positions at one time or another. Currently Ron is President and Dianne Secretary of Cessnock Dog Club, Ron President and Dianne Treasurer of Lake Macquarie All Breeds Kennel Club and Dianne is President and Ron is Secretary of The Lakes District Canine Club. The three Clubs each run three major championship dog shows a year with entries around the 1000 dogs. Ron has also been an executive officer of the Combined Northern Canine Committee, which manages the operation of a permanent Dog Show ground utilized by 32 Dog Clubs in the Newcastle area. We are also responsible for the organization of Championship Dog Shows for two local Agricultural Society each year. We have written extensively for local and international dog publications. Lectures, notes and seminars have been provided in Australia and overseas. Ron has been a correspondent for National Publications including Dog News and National Dog Magazine. We have also been involved in lecturing and examining at Judges Training Schemes and Ron was Chairman of the Hunter Region Committee of the Royal New South Wales Canine Council. First licensed to judge in 1980. We are both now licensed to judge All Breeds and Best in Show. We have judged extensively throughout Australia and have judged in New Zealand, Canada and America on a number of occasions. We judge regularly throughout Asia with prestigious assignments in French New Caledonia, Malaysia, The Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Korea, India, Japan, South Africa, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. We both enjoy judging, travelling and meeting new people. 1)Home city? Abermain NSW Australia 2) Years you have ben Judging? 33yrs 3) All time favourite assignment? We both enjoy judging, travelling and meeting new people, each assignment brings with it both joys and disappointments, it would be too hard to choose a favorite show. 4) Favourite dog or dogs Judged from the past? Too many outstanding specimens that we have had the privilege to award over a long judging career 5) Pet Peeve’s in your ring? Dogs that poop
6) How many shows a year do you Judge in Canada? We have enjoyed judging right across your wonderful country, we look forward to our 2013 assignments in Alberta and Ontario. 7) How many foreign assignments do you accept each year? Usually 4 to 5 depending upon the duration of the assignments 8) Favourite way to relax? Reading, watching TV and spending quality time with the kids and grandchildren and dogs. 9) How do you occupy your time in travel? Sleeping, reading and watching movies 10) Your thoughts on limit shows? There has to be shows which fit the needs of each area in all countries 11) What do you believe to be the biggest challenge facing PureBred Dogs? The anti dog lobby and the apathy of most dog exhibitors until they are directly affected
Thank you Mr. & Mrs. Besoff! Welcome back to Canada & to the TopDogWeekly family!
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QUESTION OF THE WEEK... Should CKC events have trained medical personnel, and or defibrillators at all events? Shelley Gerig
Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor
While it would be easy to argue that having trained personnel and medical equipment on site at CKC events is a wonderful idea, I don’t feel it is at all practical. When so many clubs are trying to do everything in their power to stay alive in light of the decline in entries, the rising venue costs, and CKC fees. The cost’s associated with having a trained EMS or 1st responder ... with life-saving equipment available on site would be totally cost prohibitive. So based only on the practicality in terms of availability and cost, I would vote NO. Pam McClintock
Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor
The answer to this question is easily yes on all counts. While I don't believe that defibrillators are yet mandatory across the province in public buildings, some towns have acted independently and passed laws to ensure that their arenas and other community places are equipped with such a valuable tool. Many dog shows are in arenas or similar large venue type auditoriums or agricultural fair buildings. Some of these buildings will have life saving equipment. Most will not. And further, the majority of the summer shows are outdoors without access to any sort of cover or up to date facilities where such equipment would be stored. This of course would and should prompt the need for trained medical personnel to be on site throughout the duration of the event. Premium lists should clearly state that St John ambulance or similar assistance will be available, and signs at the venue would plainly indicate their location. If an AED (automated external defibrillator) is in a building, its location should be plainly evidenced by strategic signs placed so that everyone at the show is aware and this information too could be contained in the premium list as well as on the judging schedule. Even with shows experiencing reduced entries, still the human factor in attendance is significant. And the age range for cardiac events is also considerable. The cost to supply such equipment by many clubs might be prohibitive. Which begs the question...what is a human life worth?? Megan Brown
Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor
As a primary care paramedic I have seen several heart stopping events in a dog show ring take place. From judges collapsing in outdoor rings in the heat of summer, to exhibitors who fall while running around rings, judges and exhibitors falling/stumbling from a trip on the mats. There seem to be several hazards when showing dogs I have personally never witnessed a Cardiac arrest in the ring but do know it has happened in the past at other shows. It may be the paramedic in me that feels that it's not that it hasn't happened at a show that I have attended‌. It just hasn't happened YET. I am a HUGE fan of the automatic defibrillators that are now a common addition in most
hockey, curling rinks, and sport venues. They are becoming an essential, where groups of people gather and the number of lives they are saving keeps growing. My personal opinion is if each club has a person that is trained in first aid and CPR and Is not afraid to throw on the automatic defibrillator pads in a cardiac arrest case (which FYI) are incredibly easy and safe. They won't shock people if they don't need it) then most can be handled until the EMS do arrive at the scene. In the event of a cardiac arrest, really doing anything to help the person, for example by doing chest compressions, (30 compressions to 2 breaths) is better then doing nothing at all. If in doubt that the person is in cardiac arrest check if they are breathing if they are not you can crack open the automatic defibrillator and put it on, it won't hurt and just maybe you will save a life. They do have step by step instructions and will not let you or the patient get hurt if you follow the instructions. If there is no automatic defibrillator let the 911 Operator guide you. As far as falls and the occasional broken limb or bump on the head common sense should prevail ice packs and call EMS if needed. This is where your trained responders can handle the treatments until help arrives or the person is transported to hospital. Being prepared is our best defense against chaos in medical emergencies. There are seldom the huge medical emergencies we see on TV, maybe a broken arm from fall into the boards or just some soft tissue injury, but if your ready for all heck to break loose you're one step ahead. So long answer short; I think all events should have one person that is first aid and CPR trained, and knowing if you have a portable defibrillator in your venue may just save a life. Doug McIntyre
Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor
The answer is YES YES YES !!!!!!!! All "Sporting" events do!!!!!!! Especially now that we are mostly showing outside in these hot & humid conditions I feel it is a no brainer that "TRAINED " not some idiot be present !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pamela Bruce
Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor/Judge
It would be ideal, but I cannot see it as being mandatory to have trained medical personnel at every CKC site (unless the buildings hire their own.) That is the purpose in part, of what dialing 911 is for. Saying that I have noticed many larger USA shows now have police officers on site. There happen to be many people involved in the sport who attend shows that are qualified in medical emergencies. Defibrillators on site without question!! Many of us are trained on the machines - and literally ANYONE could save a life as the verbal instructions, prompts, and diagrams are excellent. http://www.aed.com/ http://mikeynetwork.com/mikey-defibrillators Donna Roadhouse
Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor
That is quite the question, would we all like to have this machine available I am sure everyone would say yes. Clubs holding events in the same area could purchase this machine as a group. They are not expensive when you are talking about saving a life. Clubs could purchase a refurbished defibrillator unit for under $700.00 and some even have voice-activated instructions. Did you know that only 10 to 15% of heart problems occur in a public place? CPR is effective but with a defibrillator you can save lives. Do we need trained medical personnel at our shows one may be surprised to find out that we have individuals who are trained, but not at every show that is when a defibrillator and 911 could save lives. Something to think about.
Margaret Jones
Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor/Judge
An interesting question especially since I am aware of recent incidents at shows in the West. This is a difficult question to answer because as caring individuals we want to ensure that anyone with a medical emergency receives the best care possible. The question that arises though is - in an emergency what care should be provided and what is practical? I think most dog clubs have first aid kits on site to handle minor emergencies and in my opinion anything beyond that should be handled by calling 911. It would be terrific if all Clubs had someone as a member who is certified for First Aid and CPR. These qualifications would be enough to ensure that any individual with a medical emergency receives the most appropriate response and on-going treatment. Defibrillators are lifesaving for certain emergencies but they are not practical for all. If we want medical personnel and defibrillators on site there are many questions: who will pay for this? Should this be absorbed by the Club or become an addition to entry fees? Who pay for the additional liability insurance? Many Clubs today are struggling to find volunteers and funds to put on dog events. If it becomes the expectation to have medical personnel and expensive equipment on site for Shows and Trials then some clubs may not want the responsibility of organizing these events. Do we as individuals have any responsibility in this? In some situations we may need to be aware of what is available for health care and plan accordingly for ourselves. e.g. carry allergy kits, medications etc. If we have known health issues we may need to know the distance of a medical center from a CKC Event. Some medical emergencies occur without prior illness and these are difficult to predict. I have attended CKC events for more than 40 years and my personal experience is that while medical emergencies do occasionally happen they are minimal occurrences. A proactive approach may include: - Printing the name and telephone number of the local health care center in the catalogue - Encouraging every-one to take a first aid and CPR course - Encourage all Clubs to have an up to date first aid kit on site Dr. William W. Stoyka BSc.M.D. F.R.C.P (C)
Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor
To Save One Life Is As If To Save The World -The Talmud Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) occurs to 40,000 Canadians each year, one every 12 minutes. It is the cause of 22% of all deaths in Canada. These statistics have caused medical practitioners to develop a useful programme of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated electrical defibrillators (AED). It has been shown that the use of CPR and AED is 50% more effective in saving victims of SCA then the use of CPR alone. AED’s are the “new boy’s on the block”, which have dramatically improved the survival rate for SCA patients. Statistics show that victims of SCA cut a wide swath through the demographics of the population, including men over 40, post-menopausal women, hypertensive individuals, elevated cholesterol patients, diabetics, heart disease sufferers and those with a family history of heart disease. All of these groups are represented at the dog shows. The past history of SCA showed that successful resuscitation depends on a number of factors, including rapid treatment and attention by medical personnel. If treatment with CPR and AED was started within 5 minutes success and survival rates increase dramatically, after 5 minutes with no CPR or AED the morbidity and mortality increased. Initially CPR and AED required a medical doctor or a qualified medical person (nurse,
paramedic) and the original AED’s were large units with chest pads and electrical circuits that required medical knowledge, careful placement and maintenance. Governments in both Canada and the US have passed “Good Samaritan” laws and legislation to allow lay people to perform CPR and use AED’s without fear of prosecution for failed resuscitation. There are many community programs available to the public through St. John Ambulance and The Red Cross for learning to perform CPR and the use of AED’s, along with basic first aid. Now Philips technology has advanced the AED to a portable 3lb unit, with a battery lifespan of 5 years, and most amazing is that the automated unit enables virtually anyone to treat the most common cause of SCA, quickly and effectively, wherever it happens, work, play…the dog show. The on-site defibrillator easily carried to the victim’s side and using clear, calm voice instructions (emitted from the unit itself) guides the user through each step of defibrillation, or if defibrillation is even necessary. This unit will also do CPR coaching. The unit cost is around $1200 and is available without a prescription. Money to purchase the unit could be raised through donations, fund-raising, 50-50 draws and perhaps CKC involvement. I strongly recommend that each dog show should have a unit available on site (many hockey arenas, community centers, and other indoor venues already have them). With so many outdoor shows, or shows located far from towns or cities and with no on-site EMS services, it would be vital to have one of these units available at all times. It could save a life. Kerry Brangers
Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor
I think at the very least a portable defibrillator should be available at all CKC events. The indoor venues are usually equipped with one but during the summer outdoor shows maybe it should become mandatory as well. I heard about a gentleman in the U.S. who had a heart attack at an outdoor show where there was no defibrillator on hand. He was lucky that there was an off-duty firefighter in attendance to perform CPR and his life was saved, but what if there had been no one available trained in emergency first aid. Maybe the best idea would be to have somebody responsible for a portable defibrillator at each CKC event. The show secretary/superintendent might be a good choice since it would be a consistent place to go to when the device is needed. Required training for the individual(s) in charge in both CPR and the use of the defibrillator should also be a must.
Thank you to all of this week's responders! ! !
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Our 2nd Judge of the Week... Mr. Alan Bennett, Ontario Canada
1) Home city? Beachville, Ontario, Canada 2) Breed or Breed’s you have bred? Alaskan Malamutes & Cairn Terrier 3) Years you have been judging? 20 years this year. 4) Licensed for or, on Permit for? All Breeds. 5) Judged in what Countries? Canada, U.S.A., Columbia, Argentina, Germany, Lithuania, Ukraine, Norway, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and Spain. Many of these countries numerous times. 6) All time favourite assignment? Any time I judge in Hong Kong. 7) Favourite dog or dogs Judged from the past? The Sealy bred in Quebec who won the world show (only fault he had was I didn’t own him) and a
Leonberger from Russia shown at Dortmund in 2012 who I gave the group to that went on to B.I.S 8600 plus dogs. 8) Pet Peeve’s in your ring? Exhibitors who don’t listen, and Exhibitors who smell worse than their dogs. 9) How many shows a year do you Judge in Canada? Probably judge 3-5 times a year in Canada 10) How many foreign assignments do you accept each year? Ideally one per month 11) Favourite way to relax? Going on a cruise with my wife. 12) How do you occupy your time in travel? When travelling I like to take a good book with me to occupy my time. 13) Your thoughts on limit shows? Limit show serve their purpose in areas less populated. 14) What do you think is the biggest problem facing our Sport? The biggest problem facing our sport is and will be a lack of entries, poor sportsmanship. And an aging population. Clubs have to start giving back to the exhibitors if they want to increase their entries.
Thank you Mr. Bennett! Welcome to the TopDogWeekly family!
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BREEDER PROFILE... Fwaggle Toy Manchester Terriers Wendy & Amanda Kelly http://www.fwaggle.com TDW had a chance to 'sit down' with Wendy & Amanda Kelly to chat with them about FWAGGLE Toy Manchester Terriers. Here is what they had to share with us...
What attracted you to your breed? Our family stumbled on the Toy Manchester purely by accident. A neighbour of my grandparents (Wendy’s parents) bred them and when our family decided to get a dog, one arrived at the house quite unceremoniously. We had it for three days before we even knew what breed it was! Of course, one Toy Manchester is never enough and a second soon followed. It turned out that the local breeder was connected with and breeding for Elsie Puleo of the very famous Golden Scoops lines and we were therefore lucky enough to start with a good foundation. How many years have you been breeding and exhibiting? Our first show dog was a complete accident as well. When we determined we needed a
second dog, my sister, Tara, found an advertisement in the local newspaper for a 9-monthold male available for $250. She called the owner faithfully every night offering him $100 (the sum total of her savings). We’re pretty sure he finally caved just so she would stop calling him. A neighbour later convinced my parents to take him to a dog show and the rest is history. Billy (Ch Golden Scoops Annabilly) went on to win a Canadian Best in Show and was Best of Winners and Best of Opposite Sex at his first, last and only U.S National. He was a wonderful show dog, a very well and often used Juniors dog, and a fantastic companion. That was 1985, almost 30 years ago, and we still love the breed as much today as we did then. What are your accomplishments in your breed? It’s difficult to measure accomplishments because it all depends on your frame of reference. Personally, I think our greatest accomplishment is the many wonderful pets we have produced, all of whom bring great joy to their owners. We’re also particularly proud of the work we have done leading and supporting health research in our breed. From a showing and breeding perspective, we normally have only one or two litters a year and are proud to have produced almost 75 champions in multiple countries as well as 10 titled performance dogs. To-date, dogs we have owned or bred have been awarded over 40 Best in Shows or Specialties in three countries as well as 20 Best Puppy in Shows and more than 300 Group 1sts in Canada and the United States. We have also been honoured with many Best of Breed/Variety, Select, Award of Merit and Winners placements at American and Canadian National Specialty Shows; breed wins at the World Dog Show and the Progressive Toy Dog Specialty; and group placements at such prestigious events as the Westminster Kennel Club and Lower Mainland Dog Fanciers. While these numbers may not seem noteworthy in the context of some other breeds, having almost 15 individual Best in Show winners seems miraculous to us given Wendy can still clearly remember the early days when judges would often tell their ring stewards, “I’ve already judged the Min Pins.” It has really only been the last 10 years or so that the breed has begun receiving consistent recognition. Did you have a mentor in your Breed? One of the biggest strengths and challenges of our breeding program has always been our isolation. We are and have been for 25 years the only Toy Manchester breeders within a 13 hour radius, with our next closest breeders in Quebec and New York, respectively. The person we bought our original dogs from wasn’t a breeder in the truest sense of the word and that left a rather large hole as we were not close enough physically to anyone else to receive true counsel or advice. It wasn’t until the 1990s that we were lucky enough to meet Rodney Herner of Renreh Kennels in Pennsylvania. He not only allowed us to have Riley (Am/Can Ch Renreh Unrivaled, CHOF, CROM), who went on to be a very influential dog in our breeding program, but also provided great friendship and direction. Amanda was significantly luckier, having the benefit of learning from and alongside her
mother. There is something to be said for growing up in the dog world. Do you believe Judges have a good understanding of your breed? I know a lot of people tend to respond no to this question, but when it comes to Canadian judges, we actually believe we have some of the best educated in the world on our breed. More than judges from any other country, judges here seem to have a good grasp of breed characteristics and are very comfortable rewarding good dogs no matter where they are judging. It is wonderful to see! Now judges from other countries? not so much. U.S judges, with a handful of exceptions, largely discount the breed from word one and all but the best have very little specific knowledge of the breed. As for international judges, there are key differences between Toy Manchesters and their counterparts in the rest of the world – English Toy Terriers (ETT). They not only have a different breed standard calling for different characteristics but their history is different as well, so we don’t often enter under foreign judges as a correct Toy Manchester is not a correct ETT and vice versa. In as few words as possible describe the essence of your Breed? Whenever I do a breed seminar I always encapsulate breed type in these five easy to remember words: Strength. Elegance. Agility. Endurance. Devotion. If you have all 5, you have a good Manchester Terrier of either variety. We also believe these two phrases from the American breed standard are particularly important when considering the Toy variety specifically: “Except for size and ear options, there are no differences between the Standard and Toy varieties of the Manchester Terrier. The Toy is a diminutive version of the Standard variety”; and, Color and markings should never take precedence over soundness and type.”
What are the medical problems in your breed? The majority of problems seen in Toy Manchesters are relatively innocuous and/or common across all breeds or breeds in this size range. So, think thyroid, legges perthes, seasonal alopecia, also some allergies (to chicken or wheat, usually). The exception to that rule is a condition called Juvenile Cardiomyopathy, which while not rampant in the breed, is fatal in affected puppies that generally die before turning one year old. Research into this problem has been a particularly important project for us since we saw our first case in the early-1980s. Unfortunately, it is not something breeders wanted to talk about or acknowledge, but over time we have made a lot of headway. We are proud to say that our work with researchers at the University of Prince Edward Island in conducting a continent-wide study has recently resulted in publication of the very first paper characterizing this unique form of cardio in dogs. Our focus now is on organizing a holter monitoring study for the fall that will hopefully lead to development of a test allowing breeders to identify carriers in their breeding program. Fault wise, currently what needs the most improvement in your breed? Front assemblies!!! This is a particular challenge in our breed because, as the old saying goes, one can’t make something from nothing! The historical record seems to indicate that the breed has never been particularly well angulated in comparison to some other breeds, which is fine because we don’t want Golden Retrievers or Dobermans -- but we do need balance front to rear and even that is becoming difficult to find. In addition to angulation issues, we also see a lot of short upper arms. In recent decades, breeders have increased rear angulation, but without corresponding changes to shoulder construction the result is general unsoundness. It is something we have wrestled with ourselves and that we are cognizant of within our breeding program and the breed as a whole. When it seemed we were doomed forever, though, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon as judicious incorporation of English Toy Terrier bloodlines from abroad may offer some respite. Fingers crossed all around that we can retain that aspect of their conformation while maintaining some of the areas where the two are very different, such as heads. A challenge and a puzzle to be sure, but then that’s what breeding is all about. What do you believe to be the best dog you have bred? From the perspective of sheer accomplishments, the most winning dog we ever bred is Jake (MBIS BISS Am/BISS Can Ch. Fwaggles Tapman at Burmack, A/CHOF, AROM). During his career, Jake won 6 National Specialties (five American as well as the first Canadian specialty ever held), six U.S Best in Shows, and a very exciting Group 4th at Westminster in 2006 (where he remains the breed record-holder for most Best of Breed wins). Additionally, he was the #1 Toy Manchester in the US for seven years, including two among America’s Top 20 Toy Dogs. While this may not seem remarkable in the context of Canadian shows where the breed tends to do quite well, it was and remains a standout record on the American scene where the breed tends to struggle for recognition at the group and Best in Show level. Choosing wholly on conformation, however, we are in agreement that we believe the best dog we have bred to-date is Brita (MBIS, MBISS Ch. Fwaggle Burmack Clear As Mud). Brita, was shown by Amanda here in the East and then by Joy Henderson in British Columbia. She was the #1 Toy Manchester in Canada in 2007 and 2008, placing twice among Canada’s Top 10 Toys and was also Best of Breed at the 2008 Canadian National. Brita embodied, for us, all of the key elements of Toy Manchester breed type and is a wonderful dog to live as well. What dog of your breed would you have loved to own?
It would be a toss-up between the very beautiful bitch Am/Can Ch Salutaire I Do Declare (Claire) and Am/Fr Ch Pamelot’s Believe It Or Not (Ripley). Claire had the good movement the Salutaire Toys were known for at that time and was a beautifully feminine bitch. Ripley embodied modern breed type at a time when it just didn’t exist – his head was beautiful and set the bar for modern breeders to aspire to. How many dogs do you normally have in your kennel? Well, firstly – we don’t have a kennel. Our dogs are always pets first, show dogs last and they enjoy snuggling up on the couch or climbing into bed. The number we have kept has varied over the years. When I was young I remember Mom having as many as 12 here – add 4 teenage girls to the mix and our house was like Grand Central Station. Today, we try to stay at less than six and at the moment have the grand sum of four here at home. That is only possible, of course, because we have wonderful friends, owners and cobreeders who allow our dogs to have their own homes and families while still being accessible to our breeding program. Co-operation with other, like-minded breeders is really key when it comes to having successful, small breeding programs. How many litters do you have in a year and what is the average size of your litters? We average about two litters a year – some years three, some years one. Average litter size is four, although we have had litters of one and litters of seven, so anything is possible. Are you having trouble selling or placing your puppies? If you had asked me a year ago I would have said yes, but then the market for Toy Manchester Terrier pets has always been small because it isn’t a popular breed. In the past 6-8 months, however, we have seen an increase in interest. How many Canadian Shows do you attend in a year? The maximum number of shows we would do in a year would be 14 or 15 weekends. We live in the Maritimes and rarely travel to other parts of Canada for shows. Though we have had owners and co-owners who have done so, we don’t ever “special” dogs competitively ourselves. We do most of the local shows, but that is generally it. This is our hobby and it’s meant to be fun, any more than that and one tends to start losing perspective... How many American Shows do you attend in a year? We try to go to at least one U.S Show a year, usually the U.S National. We also try to make sure to hit Westminster or Eukanuba every couple of years. Do you attend your Canadian or American National Specialty Shows? The U.S National for sure whenever possible, there is no better place to study the breed, consider next steps in your breeding program, or guage how your breeding program stacks up. Unfortunately, our Canadian specialties tend to attract very small entries and it can be difficult to justify the expense. We’re just regular people, so have to consider where our dollars are best spent and, largely, if we’re going to travel to a show it will usually be somewhere where we can see the most Toy Manchesters possible.
Thank you Wendy & Amanda for sharing your love of TOY MANCHESTER' TERRIERS with the TopDogWeekly Family! !