JAPANESE CHIN STANDARD
THE ESSENCE OF THE
by SUE ANN PIETROS
W hen studying a standard the most important aspect is to figure out the priorities that make breed type. These qualities that make a Chin, a Chin and no other breed. Here is a quick summary of the breed. The general appearance section is a good start: “The Japanese Chin is a small, well balanced, lively aristo- cratic toy dog with distinctive Orien- tal expression. It is light and stylish in action. The plumed tail is carried over the back, curving to either side. The coat is profuse, silky, soft and straight. The dog’s outline presents a square.” Let’s take apart the general appear- ance section and what it means: small is “ideal size is 8 inches to 11 inches at the highest point of the withers.” Notice it says “ideal”, not must be, not a DQ if you are bigger or smaller. It is your job as a judge to determine if the rest of the dog goes along with the size. Remem- ber a 3 inch difference on a tiny dog is a lot! And that also goes to the mass that goes along with the height. So in reality, an 11 inch dog can look about a third larger than the 8 inch dog, not only in height but also weight and substance. The dog is equal in height to length; this importantly is a square dog as most of its similar Toy dog breeds are not. The dog is “solidly built, compact and yet refined. Carrying good weight in proportion to height and body build.” This doesn’t mean it is tiny with no body! The body is “square, moderately wide in the chest with rounded ribs. Depth of rib extends to the elbow.” This means while a Toy dog, it still has a body under the coat. Not just a tiny dog with a lot of hair! The Oriental expression is explained in the standard: “eyes set wide apart, large, round, dark in color and lustrous. A small amount of white showing in the inner corners of the eyes is a breed characteristic that gives the dog a look of astonishment.” I think this is very
clearly stated! The dog is to have white in the inner corners of the eyes. It is to have the “look of astonishment.” Having no white or very little white does not present the correct expression. As this one quality makes it different than all other breeds it is crucial to type. How much is small amount is up to you the judge; remember the larger dog has a larger eye and possibly more white by proportion. Since the head is one-third of the standard, it is imperative to understand its proportions. “The distinctive Orien- tal expression is characterized by the large broad head, large wide-set eyes, short broad muzzle, ear feathering and the evenly patterned facial markings. The ears are v shaped, wide apart, set slightly below the crown of the skull. The skull is large, broad and slightly rounded with a prominent forehead, rounding toward the nose. Wide across the level of the eyes.” In profile, it is shaped like a number three. “The muzzle and nose are very much an indication of type.” Well cushioned cheeks and rounded upper lips make a smile. The nose is “very short with wide, open nostrils. Set on a level with the middle of the eyes and upturned.”
The open nostrils are very important to the health of the breed. The bite is “slightly undershot.” And the standard specifically states how to examine the bite as the Chin is very sensitive to oral examination. If the dog doesn’t like a stranger looking in its mouth, ask the handler to present the bite. “Missing or misaligned teeth should not be severely penalized.” The dog is “light and stylish in action” and should be expected to be sound moving. The neck and tail are carried up proudly. A tentative or unhappy Chin drops their tail in action. They then lose the proud carriage. The foot is important as it is “hare shaped with feathering on the ends of the toes in a mature dog. Point straight ahead or very slightly outward.” These features seemed to be ignored in the show ring. Handlers trim feet, a big no- no according to the standard. Also the dog should never toe in, whether stand- ing or on the move. The coat is actually hair, as it is “abundant, straight, single and silky.” Notice single, that means no undercoat! This is important as it is called for in our standard. The dog has the profuse hair on the “mane or ruff.” The “tail is
“THE DOG IS EQUAL IN HEIGHT TO LENGTH...”
66 • T op N otch T oys , A pril 2017
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