sIlKY teRRIeR
BREEDER’S FORUM by Janet aslett
1. Tell us Three conformaTion characTerisTics you consider criTical in your breeding program. 1) Confident and easy going temperament. 2) Breed type that includes correct size and correct coat texture and color. 3) Correct and balanced conformation with an emphasis on movement and level topline. 2. WhaT dog ThaT you bred have you been mosT exciTed abouT? A male puppy from a litter I bred with my mentor, Kay Dunkerly Magnussen, whelped in the 1974. His name was BIS Can and Am Ch Aslett Kiku’s Blue Streaker ROMX and he sired 54 American Champions and 19 Canadian Champions. He can be found in the pedigrees of many Silkys. 3. WhaT are your ThoughTs on imporTing and exporTing? I have done some research for the past 3-4 years in hopes of importing new blood from Europe or Australia and found that for the most part, all of them go back to one American dog whose frozen semen is still available for use. I do own one girl that is sired by Ch. Curiosity Hot Like Mexico from Finland and I love her coat texture. Another puppy just start- ing out this spring is sired by a Norwegian boy being shown here in the US, GCh. Enga’s King Kompis. Both of these sires trace back to Roy, the dog I mentioned. 4. To daTe, WhaT has been your high poinT as a breeder? Mentoring new folks in the breed. I have been breeding and showing Silkys since I was 19 years old and Streaker won a Best in Show before I was 25. With that done, the win-a- Best-in-Show pressure was off early on. Nowadays it is the time I have taken to share some of the knowledge I have accu- mulated with others is my greatest enjoyment. The number of champions you breed or Best in Shows you win mean nothing if that knowledge and experience takes a breeder to that level and then dies with them. 5. WhaT is your peT peeve in The shoW/breeding World? When I started showing dogs, Silky fanciers were a close knit group and every winner was greeted with happy cheers from all who were present. The recent controversy over docked vs. natural tails has created animosity that has driven many away completely. Dog shows are supposed to be uti- lized for the selection of breeding stock. Tail length is not a genetic factor, so I feel that all of the “hoopla” is totally unnecessary. That said, selecting breeding stock is very diffi- cult lately. A few have really good blue color, but most of what
you see in the ring is not real. No one seems interested in breeding for a perfectly straight coat. They would rather iron it straight. I feel that shows are now more a venue to show off your grooming ability than your dog’s quality. Exhibitors and handlers fluff the coat a little to hide that dip at the withers and paste the head fall and part in place or leave too much coat over the feet to hide ugly flat feet. 6. is There a grooming secreT you Would like To share? Clean dogs are my secret. Coconut oil mixed with my creme rinse maintains a light oil and keeps tangles away, but only if they are washed and combed out at least weekly. If you let your dog go more than 7 days without a bath and comb out, then you are asking for trouble. I do not like to see dogs in the ring with head falls pasted down with gel or coats full of finish produce to the point they do not flow like a correct drop coat should. A tiny bit of anti static is all you should need. 7. do you inbreed, linebreed or ouTcross and Why? I linebreed. My most successful breedings have been grandfather to granddaughter. 8. Where do you house your dogs and Whelp your biTches? We keep a smaller number of dogs than most. They are house pets but do not sleep with us, so each sleeps has his own 2x3 pen in the heated and air conditioned garage. Whelping puppies happens in a roomy area in my master bathroom. Moms and babies are close enough for me to hear
Can/am Ch. aslett Kiku’s Blue streaker awarded BIs by J. Fields, handled by Jerry Moon at Whidbey Island KC with over 2000 entries (circa 1976).
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