CHIHUAHUA QUESTIONS & ANSWERS with Sallie Buckman, Bradley Jenkins & Richard Miller
1. Describe the breed in three words. SB: Swift-moving, Terrier-like and graceful. BJ: Sweet, devoted and watch dogs! RM: Endearing, intelligent and badly misunderstood. 2. What are your “must have” traits in this breed? SB: Correct movement, level topline, neck and a balanced dog. BJ: Long body with short legs. RM: Must have proper Chihuahua type, which is much more for me than an apple-domed skull.
Chihuahuas have personal space and when a judge gets into this space, it is very offensive. Too many times the judge brings on a reaction that causes this breed to be considered a nasty little character. 6. Is there anything else you’d like to share about the breed? Please elaborate. SB: Sometimes we refuse to look at our dogs’ faults. To be conscious of a fault is a big step to overcoming it. Instead of hiding our dogs’ faults, we should share the knowl- edge of these faults with each other so we don’t double up on them when breeding. We should discuss them freely and work together to understand them. There is a lot of wisdom through common knowledge and common sense. The final outcome is better Chihuahuas and breeders. BJ: It is a wonderful breed. I am retired from breeding this breed. They are long lived, sweet and love their people. I love long-coats to live with. I have two longs and one smooth girl that are middle-aged so they should be around a while. They make wonderful pets, but can be a pain to show. They are not as easy to get them to show as it looks! RM: The Chihuahua is a big dog in a small package. A cor- rectly assembled Chihuahua is capable of leading the Toy group. Chihuahuas do not need to be at the end of the line if they are capable of reach and drive. There should be nothing flashy about a good Chihuahua as he/she moves around the ring. Our standard calls for swift move- ment. For me this means getting around the ring swiftly, not a front that is swift like a sewing machine. Fronts that are just up and down movements are disgusting. Reach for a Chihuahua should be much like a Working dog or a Sporting dog. This reach should be matched with a driving rear that propels the dog swiftly around the show ring. When I was actively showing dogs, I often got in line first. I have been asked by other exhibitor if I should consider a place further back in the lineup. I have had judges suggest that I move out of the front position. My reply was always, “I’ll move if my dog holds up the line.”
3. Are there any traits in this breed you fear are becoming exaggerated?
SB: Heavy bone causing coarseness (the standard calls for a muscular dog, but also a small, dainty foot indicating fine bone). RM: The muzzle can get so short as to take on an Asian expression/look. This is very offensive and wrong! 4. Do you think the dogs you see in this breed are better now than they were when you first started judging? SB: Yes, today’s dogs have better movement. Some of the dogs in the 1960s had obvious patella problems, toed in, had crooked front legs and toplines were often not level. BJ: Yes, the type is stronger than in the past. They are sounder, teeth problems are better and the size of the teeth have gotten bigger and stronger. We still have too many undershot and overshot mouths. RM: Overall dogs are better today than in the 1990s. Many breeders ignore the phase in our standard “front well under the dog.” Breeders need to concentrate on more than a typical head. 5. What do you think new judges misunderstand about the breed? SB: The Chihuahua is not a head breed. BJ: You want a good picture of the whole dog. Tempera- ment, head, body and soundness, not just the head. RM: New judges too often feel a need to get right in the face of a Chihuahua and talk simple baby talk to the dog.
66 • T op N otch T oys , O ctober 2018
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