TOY GROUP JUDGES Q&A
on” should always be gentle and without resistance. As far as the exhibitors, as with any dog, your nerves travel down the lead! So, if you aren’t enjoying showing, neither will your dog! Do not pick up a Toy Breed by the neck and tail! I see this all the time and I will counsel exhibitors on not placing their hands on the dog’s throat or the tail, which is part of the dog’s spine! Our dogs’ happiness, health, joy, and companionship come before any competition or win. I was once asked what the most important characteristic is for a judge; I answered, “You must LOVE DOGS!” Some longtime exhibitors have “downsized” to Toys. In my opinion, has this had an impact on quality? This is a difficult question, as it is so subjective to the handler, the breeding programs, etc. I think the better question is, “What is the intent of ‘downsizing?’” If a handler chooses to incorporate Toy Breeds into their string of dogs, there are several variables to keep in mind. While certain Toy Breeds may have ancestral underpinnings to larger breeds, they most certainly are not the same breed! Understanding the history of a particular Toy Breed is essential when han- dling, and it is the responsibility of the handler to not only understand the purpose of a Toy Breed but to appropriately represent and support the health, happiness, and longev- ity of each Toy Breed as specified by the Breed Standard and the subsequent focus of each breed’s parent club! Ask yourself, “What are the issues with the breed?” How will you support the goals of health, happiness, and purpose of each breed. And above all things, how will you understand that a Toy Breed stands alone and is not as a bastardized larger breed! Toy Breeds can require special care. Do I have any advice to offer breeders, exhibitors, and judges? As stated above, gentle hands are of the utmost importance. Toy Breeds are companion dogs, and they need lots of emotional at- tention and consideration. Most Toy Breeds have evolved to be with you as a partner, your protector (I know, but I will fear a Chihuahua in a dark alley before a Doberman or Rottweiler, lol), and your friend! Each Toy Breed is very unique and you must understand their function, tempera- ment, and characteristics. For instance, if you are looking for a hiking buddy, a Peke may not be your best option, lol. When Toy Breeds are puppies, there are lots of concerns that need to be mitigated for safety and health. IGs, for ex- ample, can easily break a leg jumping from a couch, and a Shih Tzu can break its jaw if they jump off a grooming table and hit, head first. Be gentle, respectful, and cognizant of size, body type, and characteristics of each breed, as many Toy Breeds are fearless—which can get them into trouble at times! But, most importantly, never underestimate a Toy Breed because someone forgot to tell them they are not the size of a St. Bernard. In my opinion, how do today’s exhibits compare with the Toy Dogs of the past? Unfortunately, with many breeds, I am fearful that we have lost our purpose in showing our purebred dogs. It is never about the win, the number of
ribbons, or the amount of money spent in advertising! It is about the LOVE of our breeds and preserving what makes each breed unique. Health and happiness always come first! I would encourage anyone who shows dogs to ask yourself, “Why?” Is it the love of the breed or the wins? One direc- tion is honorable and sustaining, while the other will ulti- mately result in the demise of our most treasured babies! Why do I think Toy Dogs can become outstanding Show Dogs? Well, I already think Toys are outstanding Show Dogs! But, as stated above, the true purpose of Toy Breeds is companionship, and that being said, a Toy Breed will go above and beyond any other breed to please its owner and handler, and therefore, thismakes them the absolute best at being ShowDogs. (Again, I’m a little biased!) If I could share my life with only one Toy Breed, which would it be and why? Well, for me, it is the Shih Tzu. They are fantastic therapy dogs, calm and patient, and not very demanding. They love to sit on your lap for hours, but love to go for a hike or jog as well. They are not hyper and they do not bark a lot, and contrary to belief, they are smart. They just choose to listen when it is important to THEM! Just for laughs, do I have a funny story that I can share about my experiences judging the Toy Group? Wow, there have been so many funny experiences judging Toy Breeds. Trying to find one story is tough, lol. But, I remember one of the first Best in Show assignments I ever judged. I’d re- viewed all the standards of the breeds I was going to have in the BIS ring and, when I’d finally made my decision, I went to mark my book and the breed I’d picked was not listed in my book! Of course, I went into panic mode and thought, “Oh, sh*t.” Do I know which breed I just put up? How am I going to recover if I have the breed confused?” No matter how much research you do, there are times like this when you panic as a judge, and pray you aren’t making a fool of yourself, lol. Luckily, in this case, they’d put the wrong breed inmy book! Please remember, judges are nervous too and we want to honor each breed when we judge—at least the judges who are passionate and dedicated to the better- ment of each breed. “TOY BREEDS ARE COMPANION DOGS, and they need lots of emotional attention and consideration.”
34 • T op N otch T oys , M ay 2022
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