Top Notch Toys January 2024

Florida Yorkshire Terrier Club had amazing rosettes for the Juniors. All the clubs promoting their breeds to Juniors have worked hard to make it a great experience for them. We will continue to promote Toy breeds to Juniors, and as the youth spend time with our Toy dogs and have success with them, I believe we will encourage a whole new gen- eration of Toy dog lovers and help to assure the preservation of our won- derful Toy breeds. If you have the op- portunity to educate a Junior on your Toy breed, it is worth the effort. The Toy breeds are an excellent option for Susan Thibodeaux began showing dogs in 1978. Ten years ago, after decades in the Sporting Group showing primarily Vizslas, Cocker Spaniels, and English Cocker Spaniels, she made the decision to segue to the Toy Group and now has Toy Fox Terriers and Toy Manchester Terriers. She is President of the Ameri- can Toy Fox Terrier Club, on the Board of the Brevard Kennel Club, Secretary of the Florida Association of Kennel Clubs, and a member of the American Manchester Terrier Club. In addition to showing, Susan can be found hav- ing fun in various events such as Rally, Fast CAT and Barn Hunt, stewarding, teaching handling classes for BKC, and judging sweepstakes and matches. youth wanting to show dogs. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

about the Toy breeds and came to the specialties to show and to learn. One Junior, Hadrian Towell, compet- ed with a Toy Manchester both in the Manchester Specialty, where he won Best Junior, and in the AKC Junior Competition where he made the Fi- nals, and ultimately, 4th Place. Anoth- er Junior, Izzy Burg, showed her Toy Fox Terrier, winning Best Junior at the Toy Fox Specialty and then went to compete with adults and won 4th in the NOHS Finals Toy Group. These Juniors are just two of the talented youth who are showing Toy breeds in Juniors and Conformation, and dem- onstrating how the Toy breeds can be outstanding dogs for Juniors. Some clubs make a year-round ef- fort to support and promote Juniors in their events. An example is the American Manchester Terrier Club whose members have fundraisers for their Junior competitions and to assist their Junior Members. They mentor Juniors, have Junior events at their specialties, including activi- ties outside the ring for Juniors, and have earned an excellent reputa- tion for being a Junior-friendly club. The American Toy Fox Terrier Club doesn’t charge an entry fee for Ju- niors to enter Junior Showmanship at their Specialties. The Biewer Ter- rier Club of America had great prizes and reduced entry fees. The Central

for the first time with their annual Orlando Specialty that Friday. Other clubs, to increase interest in their breed, invited Juniors and offered the use of dogs for them to show. Some Toy breed clubs promoted Junior competition at their specialties with large rosettes and great prizes. The number of Juniors participating at the Toy breed specialties this year was quite impressive and very encour- aging. Italian Greyhounds (15), Biew- er Terriers (9), Yorkshire Terriers (4), Toy Fox Terriers (8), Papillons (7), Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (8), Chinese Crested (9), Pomeranians (10), and Toy Manchester Terriers (6) are some of the Toy breeds whose clubs chose to promote themselves to Juniors successfully this year. The AKC rule change allowing children to show in Junior Showmanship with a dog they don’t own is also helping the Toy breed clubs to promote their breeds. A number of Toy breeders, me included, brought dogs specifically for Juniors to show. I took three retired champions for Juniors to show at the ATFTC Specialty. One young lady from my hometown showed at her very first shows ever with my Toy Fox Terrier, “Flirt,” that she’d practiced with at handling class for a few weeks and then showed in Novice. Some Ju- niors normally show in other breeds but enjoyed the opportunity to learn

26 • T op N otch T oys , J anuary 2024