Top Notch Toys April 2019

The dog show magazine celebrating the Toy Group of dog breeds - featuring articles, tips, and information provided with help from breeders, owners, handlers, club members, and judges.

Windy W E S T M I N S T E R B E S T O F B R E E D 2 0 1 9 P R E S E N T E D B Y : B A R B A R A B E I S S E L #1 * *TNT BREED STATS AS OF 2/28/19

H

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Harvey M A G I C A T A R R O W B I E N Scotlass Summer C H A M P I O N b r e e d e r N O R M A B L O I C E o w n e r C A T H Y C O U T U R E T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019 • 3

*TNT BREED STATS AS OF 2/28/19

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Chadwick

43 years devoted to breeding the highest quality Cavaliers

Guthrie MBISS CKCSC CH & AKC CH CHADWICK CODE BLACK (Australian CH Kahleyville Morse Code x Chadwick Patriotic)

Appreciation to Kim Pastella Calvacca who expertly exhibits the next generation.

DD

MBISS CKCSC CH & MBISS AKC GCHB CHADWICK SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY JW (Australian CH Cobbets Cockney Rebel x MBISS CKCSC CH & AKC GCH Chadwick Embrace JW) Chadwick Cavaliers | C. Anne Eckersley Hawleyville, CT chadwickcavaliers@comcast.net Ceilimor Cavaliers Breda McCarty Fall River, MA breda@ceilimorcavaliers.com

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Father, Daughters Like Like

Correct breed type, begets correct breed type Trip AKC GCHB & MBISS CKCSC CH CHADWICK

JET SETTER AT HUDSONVIEW, JW (Australian CH Cobbets Cockney Rebel x AKC GCH & CKCSC CH Chadwick Embrace, JW, ROM)

Trip is professionally presented in the AKC by Kim Pastella Calvecca. We are proud to share Flyer & Bliss with their breeder, C. Anne Eckersley.

Flyer CHADWICK FREQUENT FLYER AT HUDSONVIEW, JW (Trip x Chadwick No Accident) Bliss CHADWICK FLYING ON CLOUD NINE (Trip x Chadwick Spitfire)

Hudsonview Cavaliers | Laura & John Glynn Upper Nyack, NY

laura@hudsonviewcavaliers www.hudsonviewcavaliers.com

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m u l t i p l e g r o u p w i n n i n g c h a m p i o n

TIMEB MB PUFF

r a y f i l b u r n g r o u p 1 THANK YOU JUDGE

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t h e m a l t e s e

*TNT all breed stats as of 2/28/19

o w n e d b y

b r e d & o w n e d b y

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#3 Breed * & #7 all breed ** tony the red dog wins on the big clusters

INdy - Sandy Wheat Kansas City - Allen odom louisville - Lisa graser Manitowoc - Douglas Johnson

*TNT breed stats as of 2/28/19 **TNT all breed stats as of 2/28/19

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G C H s A L FA L AVA L AY R O N D O G

Owned by Roy & Joann Kusumoto | Presented and spoiled by Daryl Martin | Bred by Tanya Zhukovskaya

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TEAMWYATT THANK YOU TO OUR FRIEND Breeder/co-owner, Omar Gonzalez for sharing this lovely boy with us.

THANK YOU TO Co-owners Mark and Cathy Driggers and Gina Roidopoulos for all your support. SPECIAL THANKS TO Handlers, Curtis Smith and Celso Schneider for handling Wyatt to his best potential. 12 • T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019

GCHG CH, BEST IN SHOW WINNING (AKC & FCI ) EASY RIDER

Wyatt

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REIGNINGS BENDING IN THE WIND

WINNING WB AT THE APC NATIONALS THANK YOU JUDGE EDD BIVIN

BRED & OWNED BY Bill and Gail Bertrand, Reigning Poms

CO-OWNED BY Omar Gonzales, GNT Poms

HANDLED BY Christie Lisenbee

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BEST IN SHOW STOPPER.

At ROYAL CANIN ® , we obsess over purebred dogs—and the perfect nutrition for each of them. ROYAL CANIN ® formulas are developed with your breed’s unique needs in mind for superior muscle tone, coat health and digestion. As a breed expert, you know the right nutrition can unlock the magnificence inside your dogs, and so do we. A Major Win for Breeders Join the Crown Partners Rewards Program Today! my.royalcanin.com

© ROYAL CANIN ® SAS 2017. All Rights Reserved. Image used with permission.

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MBISS GCHS VICTORY FINE CHINA

BACK-TO-BACK GROUP PLACEMENTS IN GARDEN CITY

THANK YOU JUDGE MR. BART A. MILLER FOR THIS GROUP PLACEMENT

Owned/Bred by Kathryn V. Hulstein

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*TNT breed & all breed stats as of 2/28/19

TOP 10 LONG COAT CHIHUAHUA *

THANK YOU JUDGE MRS. MARY B. NAPPER FOR THIS GROUP PLACEMENT

Handled by Sharon Massad, sharonmassad@gmail.com

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KELLYWITH RACHEL AND MOUNTAIN VIEWTRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA (TRIS) Breeders: VICTOR MALZONI JR. AND CLAIRE WISCH ABRAHAM Owners: CLAIRE AND KELLY Handler: KELLY SHUPP, MOUNTAIN VIEW KENNEL

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Rachel CH HAMPTON COURT’S RACHEL DAWES Breeder: VICTOR MALZONI JR. Owners: CLAIRE WISCH ABRAHAM AND VICTOR MALZONI JR. Handler: KELLY SHUPP, MOUNTAIN VIEW KENNEL

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CONTENTS TABLE OF

ARAMEDIA

AJ ARAPOVIC President aj@aramediagroup.com Office 512-686-3466 ext. 102 Cell 512-541-8128 HANIFA ARAPOVIC Vice President hanifa@aramediagroup.com 512-686-3466 ext. 104 Cell 512-541-8687 MICHAEL R. VERAS Chief Operating Officer michael@aramediagroup.com 512-686-3466 ext. 101 SAMANTHA ADKINS Production Co-Ordinator Advertiser Relations samantha@aramediagroup.com 512-686-3466 ext. 103

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MAILING ADDRESS PO BOX 18567 TAMPA, FL 33679

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TNT

52 56 60 66 72 74

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20 This Month in Top Notch Toys

Memorial Post Prompts Surprising Replies Dan Sayers

TNT Top Twenty Toys

BONNIE GUGGENHEIM Editor/Advertising Director 512-971-3280 bonnie@aramediagrp.com DANIEL CARTIER Director, Social Media & Web Site daniel@aramediagrp.com JOSEPH NEIL McGINNIS III

24 From the 30 Toy Talk 32 Shih Tzu

Pensacola DFA Dog Show Candids photos by Tom Weigand 78 Celtic Classic Cluster Candids photos by Tom Weigand 79

TNT All-Breed System

Editor-in-Chief Joe McGinnis

TNT Breed System

Bonnie Guggenheim

Executive Editor Emeritus Chief Media Consultant editor@aramediagrp.com

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National Owner Handled System Top Toys

Then and Now — America Victor Joris

Toy Box

TOP NOTCH TOYS is published twelve times per year by AraMe- dia Group, Inc. PO Box 18567, Tampa, FL 33679. Postage paid at Omaha, Nebraska. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the express writ- ten permission of the editor. The opinions expressed in this publica- tion either editorially or in advertis- ing copy are those of the authors and do not necessarily constitute endorsement by the publishers. The editor reserves the right to reasonably edit all copy submitted. All articles become the property of the publishers. Subscription price for third class service in the United States: $75.00. Canadian and U.S. First Class: $110.00. Overseas rates upon request. Inquiries to: Michael R. Veras, COO, AraMedia Group Inc., PO Box 18567, Tampa FL 33678512 686 3466 ext 105 or michael@aramediagroup.com.

42 Advice for New Shih Tzu Judges and Prospective Judges Sally Vilas

Living with a Performance Min Pin Kathy Morris

Advertising and Subscription Rates

46 Living with a Shih Tzu Jo Ann White

Living with Min Pins Gretchen Hofheins- Wackerfuss

Index to Advertisers

50 ASTC Presents AKC Good Sportsmanship

Award to Sally Vilas 76

The Real Min Pin Shelley Erdman

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#1 Windy Silky * GCH LAMPLIGHTER BENDILL TAIL WIND WESTMINSTER - BEST OF BREED - 2019 Thank You Judge Cindy Vogels for this historic win! ON THE COVER

Owners: Jiri Halonen Janet Aslett Jody Roberts Barbara Beissel Mark Benson

Photographer:

Silky’s Crowning Glory ..the coat is a

*TNT breed stats as of 2/28/19

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We just lost one of the most respected and loved breeders of Maltese, one who will be sorely missed throughout the dog world. Always a lady, Vicki was a “class act,” in every respect as well as a wonderful Ambassador of Canada wherever she went, showing one of her splendid Maltese, or just travelling. The personification of “Old fashioned goodness,” she was known for her trustworthi- ness and generosity of heart. She was kind to friend and stranger alike. It is no exaggeration to say that Vicki was, for many years, Canada’s most outstanding and respected breeder of Maltese, boasting one hundred champions,

Goodbye Mom

twelve best in shows and countless group placements. Her grooming was legendary. Conscientious, she was consumed with bettering the health of the breed. I sent “Bryn” to her over a year ago and despite her struggle with cancer, she did marvels with him, that I could never have done. Superbly shown by her friend and partner, Daryl Martin, “Bryn” finished his American Championship with five majors and three group placements, in two weeks! On his return to Canada, Vicki, as ill as she was, took him into the ring and finished his Canadian Championship with a Group First. To “Bryn” though, all that mattered was that she “loved him to bits.” That was her secret. She adored her dogs. At the end, she would not leave this earth until all her “babies” were safely seen into their new homes. Then she departed in peace. Dear Vicki, it is as though I just made a friend and then lost her. You will be missed by more people than you could ever have imagined.

Love you always

March 24, 1959 - March 6, 2019

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FLASHFIRE SHAW’S CALLING DIBBS G O L D G R A N D C H A M P I O N Dreaming, Believing & Achieving

A L WAY S OWN E R H A N D L E D B Y P E G S H AW B R E D B Y K I M SW I L L I N G A N D R I C H I E L I M S I ACO

NUMBER ONE Best of Breed * *AKC stats as of 3/11/19

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Any time a Toy’s on top...we all win.

We know better than anyone that the Toys deserve their place in the top spots but some judges find them easy to over- look. Well, not at the world’s biggest dog show. With an entry of 21,000 (!!), this year’s CRUFTS saw the Papillon from Belgium, Planet Waves Forever Young Daydream—known at home as Dylan the Villain —emerge victorious over a stunning entry of top dogs from around the world. It's

the first time a Papillon has ever won at Crufts. Judge Dan Ericsson said: "I was spoilt for choice but my

eyes were drawn to this beautiful dog that has every- thing you look for in the breed, plus personality."

Crufts is held at Birm- ingham NEC, the UK’s number one event site. It’s home to the top entertainment

and competitive events in England—and us. That our sport can command these numbers is encouraging to say the least. And so we celebrate equally with his owner, Kathleen Roossens, his team, with Pap lovers worldwide, Toy lovers around the globe, and...well, I think everybody should applaud right along. This nutty photo taken during my 40th consecutive trip to Westminster ex- presses my love for the sport, for all dogs and for the people who love them. We’ll see you next month.

Joseph Neil McGinnis III Executive Editor Emeritus

Show photo courtesy Karl Donvil NY photo by AJ Arapovic

IF SOMEONE TOLD YOU THAT

OF THE TOP 100 * SHOW DOGS EAT THE SAME BRAND OF FOOD Would you ask what it is? S D

SUPPORTS IMMUNE SYSTEM DURING TRAVEL & COMPETITION

HELPS KEEP SKIN & COAT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION

HELPS OPTIMIZE OXYGEN METABOLISM FOR INCREASED STAMINA

proplansport.com EXCLUSIVELY AT PET SPECIALTY AND ONLINE RETAILERS

*Dog News Magazine Top 100 Dogs based on AKC All-Breed Competition and RBIS through 12/31/18. The handler or owner of these champions may have received Pro Plan dog food as Purina ambassadors. Purina trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.

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N U M B E R O N E

B R E E D *

*TNT breed stats as of 2/28/19

MANY THANKS TO ALL THE JUDGES WHO RECOGNIZED OUR CHIN

OWNERS: SHEILA FLEMING BALTER & DR. ANTHONY HEWITT • HANDLED BY: SUSANNE KING BEUTLER

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S I L V E R G R A N D C H A M P I O N KALOR KOCHOU ARROGANT “B” AT HUNYHILL T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019 • 27

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A B I S B I S S GC H B AZ T E X MA RC H - ON B UDDHA AND T H E C HOCO L AT E BOX

S I DD ’ S ON A ROL L 10 BOB & 7 GROU P P L AC EMEN T S

Larry and Sidd are pictured above winning a Group 1 from Dr. Gary L. Sparschu and a Group 4 from Ms. Donna Conod. Sincere thanks to Dr. Sparschu, Ms. Conod and all of the judges who have awarded him Group Placements.

OWNER/HANDLERS: LARRY & PENNY DEWEY BREEDER/OWNERS: CHRISTINE SMITH & DAN BAYLESS, GR8JOBS@AOL.COM

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TOY TALK ETCETERA by Bonnie Guggenheim, TNT Advertising Director & Associate Editor

CREATE THE AD YOU LOVE

E veryone wants mileage from their advertising dollar so to make ad- vertising easier here are a few tips that may help. Select the right photo or photos. Make sure it is a clear, well focused picture and not too dark or too light. A beautiful photo makes a beauti- ful ad! You have the option to use more than one outstanding picture. Email the photo or photos to me at: bonnie@aramediagroup.com. Cell phone photos will work depend- ing on the size and quality, but a digi- tal picture from your photographer is always excellent and the better choice. Sometimes they are just the right picture to tell your story. We are able to blur out backgrounds, change the colors of the backdrop or even the color of the handlers jacket, so tell our designers what you would like see on your very special ad.

Please email ad copy. We make every effort to avoid errors but handwritten ad copy can cause problems. Email with your photo if possible so both are ready for the design team to go to work creating your awesome ad. Design? If you know exactly how you want the ad to look, draw it out and we will try to be as close as possible. If you are not sure, leave it up to us. It helps to know a little about your pref- erences—if you hate particular colors please tell us. Highlight important facts. If some parts of your ad copy need special treatment, like bold letters or italics mark that on your ad copy. Be sure you check the copy! See ads you really like? Let me know so we can see the style but not duplicate. Remember, less is better. The more words the smaller the photo will be and let’s face it, a picture is definitely

worth 1000 words. Our award win- ning designers know what works best and appreciate it when you let them know you like the ad. It is very important to carefully re- view your proof and reply back to the proofs email with any changes you would like made. Please look at the proof as soon as possible. Our turn around is fast so 24 hours is the maxi- mum allowed for your review. Last...love your fabulous ad! Email or call me with your exciting wins, new champions, group placements and Best in Shows! Inquiring minds want to know. Bonnie bonnie@aramediagroup.com 863.738.8848

photo submitted by Aly Bell & Adrienne Wolfson

“A beautiful photo makes a beautiful ad!”

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Stryker

A VERY CORRECT YORKIE!

STRYKER IS PROVING THAT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, AN EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF OUR BREED WILL ALWAYS EXCEL.

Appreciation to Judge Joy Brewster for this great regular group 3 placement. Thank you to the judges who are consistently finding Stryker’s quality and adherence to our standard. YORKSHIRE TERRIER NOHS * number one *AKC NOHS STATS AS OF 3/11/19

MULTI GROUP PLACING/BISOH G C H B T YAVA’ S S U G A R F O OT ’ S S T R I K E F O R C E

BREEDER AVA TYREE | TYAVA’S YORKIES

OWNER / HANDLER VICKI EDWARDS | SUGARFOOT YORKIES

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SHIH TZU THEN AND NOW—AMERICA

by Victor Joris

T o the best of my knowledge and from extensive research all Shih Tzu in the U.S. trace their an- cestry to imports from either the United Kingdom, Germany, Austra- lia, Canada, the Netherlands or one of the Scandinavian countries. The original Shih Tzu imported into England by Lady Brownrigg, into Ire- land by Miss E. M. Hutchins and into Norway by Mme. Henrik Kauffman, although carefully chosen by each of these ladies, were not identical in size, structure, weight or type. In efforts to establish a new breed with a very limited gene pool the breeding policy is governed by the existing conditions and the available stock. The breeding of close relatives was unavoidable and even desirable in some instances in order to establish a uniform type. The entire gene pool for all existing Shih Tzu is derived from a combination of 14 dogs and bitches. One of these 14 was the Pekingese dog, Philadelphus Suti-T’sun of Elfann. One bitch Ishuh Tzu, whose dam, Hamilton Maru, was registered in the United States as a Lhasa and had won at Westminster, was imported into the U.K. in 1948 and declared suitable for registration as a Shih Tzu by Lady Brownrigg. One interesting note concerning this line in the Lhasa Apso Best in Show winner at Crufts in 1984 and the Best of Breed Shih Tzu winner at the same show descended from that line.

Each had illustrious descendants in the U.K. and the U.S. Most of the imports, both English and Scandi- navian, had come from China with “pedigree unknown,” or only one generation known. A great deal had to be learned about their descendants through the offspring of the early gen- erations. Before the death of the Dow- ager Empress in 1908 the Shih Tzu was very difficult to obtain and so far as we know after the death of the old Dowager Empress the Shih Tzu be- came extinct in China with only a few able to reach the Western world. At the time of her death there were three distinct toy dogs being bred in the Im- perial Palace, the Pug, Pekingese and Shih Tzu, all short nosed breeds with not much difference between them except coat. No one knows exactly what ingredients the palace eunuchs stirred together in their experiments with the palace dogs to create the Shih Tzu. It is interesting to note that prior to 1952 eight Shih Tzu from the UK were imported into the US and all were re-registered and bred as Lha- sa Apso as well as some of the Shih Tzu brought back by members of the armed forces which were also bred. We know that all breeds of dogs were created by interbreeding for a desired trait. We can only suppose what breeds were used in the creation of the Shih Tzu. It has long been my

belief that the Shih Tzu for the most part was a combination of the Tibetan Spaniel and the Pekingese rather than the Lhasa Apso and have seen this in litters which would indicate that the Tibbie breeds true while I think the Shih Tzu does not. That does not dis- count the introduction of Lhasa genes as we know they are also there. The differences between the Lhasa head and the Shih Tzu head are consider- able. The Shih Tzu head more closely resembles that of the Tibetan Spaniel. We can breed away from certain genes but once introduced they are carried from generation to generation in the genotype and may never resur- face again but could in future litters when least expected. Even with the utmost care when selecting a superior dog and bitch for breeding and with full knowledge of their ancestors, there is always the chance that the litter will not be up to specifications and could produce throwbacks to an earlier ancestor. As stated before very early in the de- velopment of the breed a great many Shih Tzu were imported into the U.S. and the two types were interbred whereas only one or two Shih Tzu were exported to England early on from Scandinavia. That established a more stable type for the English dogs as there was very little interbreeding between the two lines. The English lines had been introduced into the

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“Many of the early dedicated breeders struggled diligently to try and develop a healthy and stable type Shih Tzu from the assorted differences in sizes of the original imports.”

in the eyes of the Scandinavian ex- ports. Some of the imports that ar- rived from the Scandinavian coun- tries were smaller in overall size, daintier, with softer, straighter coats, straight front legs, better mouths, slightly smaller heads, a slightly lon- ger nose and beautiful soft eyes. I mention all the background as a basis for the comparison of the early imports and the Shih Tzu of today. Enormous problems faced the early breeders. Although countless im- ports flooded the U.S., the Shih Tzu were scattered from coast to coast and many of the “breeders” had never seen a Shih Tzu. The very size of the US made breeding even more difficult when many breeders were forced to use the only available studs in their immediate vicinity, good or bad. Ship- ping by air to breed was not a common practice at that time. At the time most of the imports were not closely line bred so a great many breedings were out crosses and locating a close rela- tive or a pre-potent stud was near im- possible. The fact that there were two different Shih Tzu registries and one independent breeder registry did not help either. The British Standard was used as a basis when the American Shih Tzu Club devised its Standard. One major change was that the “legs became straight” and in the 1989 revi- sion the word “short” when referring to the legs was omitted in the Ameri- can Standard. Another problem was

name of the breeder, country of ori- gin, kennel name, date exported and new owner. With countless imports flooding the country to would be “breeders,” many of whom had absolutely no knowledge of the breed, a frenzy of breeding took place. Many of the early dedicated breeders struggled diligently to try and develop a healthy and stable type Shih Tzu from the assorted differ- ences in sizes of the original imports. In the very early years prior to and af- ter AKC acceptance one could see 17 and 18 pound Shih Tzu in the show- ring alongside some weighing seven pounds. It was necessary to stabilize and try to correct the many variables in the breed. Many of the early fanci- ers of the breed were no longer breed- ing and the Shih Tzu future was left somewhat in the hands of anyone who could own a dog. However, thank- fully most of those would be breeders fell by the wayside and it was left up to the remaining dedicated breed- ers to try and correct some of the re- sults of the haphazard breedings that took place. It was those breeders who have continued to extol the virtues of the breed. Some of the early imports from the U.K. and the Continent, as stated, were large in size and weight with unruly coats, bad mouths and bowed fronts but with beautiful round heads, good bone and body. Missing, though not in all, was the warm Eastern look

Scandinavian imports very early in Many of the early dedicated breed- ers struggled diligently to try and de- velop a healthy and stable type Shih Tzu from the assorted differences in sizes of the original imports. the de- velopment of the breed as well as the Scandinavian line through ‘My Lord of Tibet’ into the English lines. The breed was established in the U.K. with Championship status granted in 1940, long before the Shih Tzu made an appearance in the U.S., with over 700 registered Shih Tzu between 1930 and 1955. Despite interest in the breed by American fanciers the American Kennel Club showed very limited, or no, interest in the breed. The Shih Tzu was eventually accept- ed into the AKCMiscellaneous Class in 1955 but had to wait another 14 years before being able to compete for championship status. One stumbling block for acceptance was the Peke cross done by Miss Evans in 1952 and the similarity to the already approved Lhasa Apso. The Shih Tzu was ap- proved for AKC conformation shows on the 1st of September 1969. Unfortunately the little Chinese Lion Dog captured the imagination of the public and almost overnight became the most sought after toy dog in the U.S. From 1957 through 1963 well over 100 Shih Tzu were exported to the US from around the world. This information comes from the late Rev. D. Allan Easton’s papers listing the

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# 12 Toy

THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE JUDGES WHO FOUND HIM IRRESTIBLE IN FEBRUARY & AWARDED

IRRE AN AMAZING 8 GROUP ONES IN A ROW & 2 RESERVE BEST IN SHOWS

I AM THRILLED ABOUT THE BREEDER JUDGES WHO HAVE RECOGNIZED HIM AT THE GROUP AND BEST IN SHOW LEVEL

BREEDER OWNER HANDLER • DAN L. HALEY • ZEPHYR SHIH TZU • ZEPHYR.SHIHTZU@GMAIL.COM

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Irre ZEPHYR IRRESISTIBLE B R O N Z E G R A N D C H A M P I O N R E S E R V E B E S T I N S HOW GROUP WINNING CH ZEPHYR MONOGRAM MAYBE MARCELLO X CH ZEPHYR THE LOOK

Irresistible T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019 • 35

HE’S SIMPLY

Truly Lagreyn Truly CaLee

owner Cara Lee Helfrich

breeder Nata Semenycheva

exclusive handler Angela Ruth Clare Cooke

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Junior Ch. Jolisse Special Design GCHB Tuff Stuff N Jolisse Special Repeat “Denny” x CH McKnights Treats White Rabbit “Georgia” ROM

Watch Junior with Angela Ruth Clare Cooke at the AmericanShih- TzuClubNational Specialty

breeder owner Jocelyn Fuertes, JOLISSE SHIH TZU, jolisse@email.com

T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019 • 37

“IF WE LOSE THE BROAD ROUND SHIH TZU HEAD IT WILL BE LOST FOREVER, NEVER TO BE REGAINED. It must be continually bred for.”

that the Shih Tzu would be shown in the Toy Group in the U.S. and shown in the Non-Sporting Group in Cana- da and the equivalent in the U.K., the Utility Group. With the differences in the imports many heated arguments took place between the breeders as to what the correct size and weight should be. Some stated that the larger and coarser dogs had lost their Oriental appearance, a major breed point at the time. What was more important in the correct “type” differed in each section of the country. Type is one of the most used and misused words when referring to dogs. The Hon. Mrs. Neville Lytton in her book “Toy Dogs and their Ancestors,” published in 1911, wrote when asked about type, “most people interpret it rather than define it.” I think this is still a very valid answer after nearly 100 years. According to Webster’s New Explorer Dictionary type is defined as “a class, kind or group set apart by common characteristics.” I am using a quote from the late Mr. Nigel Aubrey-Jones in an article writ- ten for Dog News . “One word the newcomer has to wres- tle with is to truly understand what it is to describe ‘type’. Yet they have no reason to be ashamed of this, as its intendedmeaning can also escape the established breeder and judge. It is a very vague termand not by anymeans alone when we refer to dogs. Yet this is a virtue in a dog or bitch that an ex- perienced breeder or judge can recog- nize instantly. It has been said quite often that the nearest to absolute per- fection of type in any breed lies at the recommended description in a breed Standard, not at its extremes.” During the early 1970’s the Shih Tzu in the American show ring were a

mixed bag so to speak, as the breed had not been stabilized to conform to the then standard. During that pe- riod one could see small, big, bigger, short legged, long legged, slab-sided, square but one consolation, thankful- ly, a rainbow of beautiful colors in the show-ring. It was later, in the 1980s, when every shade of gold and white with black tips became the “in” color combination and it was very nearly impossible to win with any other col- or. This was due to several studs being used on a great many bitches good and bad. It was during this latter period and into the 1980s that many of the newly approved judges had never seen solid blacks, silvers, black and white, black masked golds and brindles with many assuming that gold and white was the color of all Shih Tzu. This was when the “American Shih Tzu” began to emerge, a leggy, slab-sided, square dog with toomuch length of neck. The eyes were smaller due to the reduction in the size of head and the forehead became less prominent and flatter which I think was due to a throwback to the Lhasa. It appears the Shih Tzu head seems to be regressing to the normal structure of the dog. If we lose the broad round Shih Tzu head it will be lost forever, never to be regained. It must be continually bred for. Some of the imports had a great in- fluence on the American Shih Tzu while others had no direct influence at all. I know several dogs imported by the Rev. Easton and Mrs. Easton which arrived over an extended pe- riod. It was well known that Rev. Easton preferred a smaller Shih Tzu but imported several Shih Tzu from the U.K. They included, in addition to Si-Kiang’s Tashi from Ingrid Colwell, who was the sire of many champi- ons, Wei Honey Gold of Elfann from

Elfreda Evans, a ten pound solid gold bitch sired by Mister Wu x Elfann Gold Leaf of Tawnyridge; Jemima of Lhakang, a black and white grand- daughter of Wuffles and Mai-Ting from Mrs. Gay Widdrington; Ch. Katrina of Greenmoss; and Int. Ch. Tangra von Tschomo Lungma, in whelp to Int. Ch. Bjornholms Pif, from Erika Geusendam. One puppy from that breeding was to make his- tory for the Shih Tzu breed in the U.S. That puppy became Am/Can. Cham- pion Chumulari Ying Ying ROM. His influence has been tremendous and is still felt in the show-ring. Some of his accomplishments included win- ning Best in Show on the first day of AKC recognition. He sired 30 cham- pions, six all breed Best in Show dogs, each from a different dam; this was accomplished before shipping by air was in vogue. His name appears in an extended pedigree of countless champion Shih Tzu and would be impossible to list. His name appears seven times in the pedigree of the top producing American Shih Tzu of all time and in Am/Can Ch. Shente’s Brandy Alexander, winner of 58 BIS and 18 Specialties and Am/Can. Ch. Shente’s Christian Dior, winner of 94 BIS and eight Specialty awards. He was the sire of Ch. Dragonwyck The Great Gatsby, who became the top winning Shih Tzu in the US with 42 BIS. I doubt if there is any coun- try with Shih Tzu that in some of the dogs “Ying’s” name does not appear in an extended pedigree. The East- ons later imported from the Baroness Van Panthaeleon Int. Ch. Quang Te V.D. BlauweMammouth and Dhuti V. Tschomo Lungma fromMrs. Guesen- dam. An additional bitch exported to the U.S. was Int. Ch. Freya Shu V.D. Oranje Menage to theWest Coast.

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“Exaggeration has always been responsible in destroying type in almost every breed. WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT AMERICA, THROUGH ITS PROFESSIONAL HANDLERS, HAS TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS.”

article for Dog News has expressed my opinion on the current Shih Tzu in the ring with words far better than I. He wrote, “Exaggeration has always been responsible in destroying type in almost every breed. Whether we like it or not America, through its pro- fessional handlers, has to take some responsibility for this. There are al- ways those breeders and exhibitors who will try to beat other competitors by showing a dog with a bit more this or that. They make the mistake of be- lieving this to be a virtue not a fault. Very soon this picture can lead to very untypical and unbalanced dogs domi- nating a breed in the show-ring. Ex- aggeration in some features of a dog quite often turn what could have been a virtue into a serious fault.” Unfor- tunately in most cases what we see in the ring is the way the breed is headed. Over the past 25 years I have seen one of the most delightful, outgoing, happy, rugged and beautiful breeds turned into a pampered, powdered, painted, cosmetic cartoon character of its original self, with their giraffe like necks, square bodies, long legs, the exaggerated and incredibly teased and sprayed top-knots, done to make a small head appear larger and often times used to disguise a too long nose. Their dead straight coats achieved by hours of pressing with every conceiv- able type of pressing iron possible. The current AKC standard cautions about trimming. It does not include shaving the hair from the upper lip to the outer corners of the nose leather to achieve a square muzzle. That completely destroys the warm sweet

Additional influential imports were Elfann Fu Ling of Lhakang in the Midwest, silver and white dog; Ch- ing Yea of Lhakang, a small black and white dog, in the Pennsylvania area; Jungfaltets Jung-Wu on the east coast, a dark silver and white bitch; Bjornholms Pif, gold and white dog, in the Midwest; Int. Ch. Sophon Vom Tschomo Lungma, silver gold and white dog on the West coast; Chasmu Solo, clear gold and white dog, in the Northeast; Ahso Deska, silver and white bitch, and Yue Kaang of Ilder- ton, silver gold and white dog, in the Southwest. These are only a few of the original imports that produced the first generations of Shih Tzu in the U.S. who later served as founda- tion stock for many new breeders. Having seen some of the original dogs imported by the Eastons and photos of many of the other imports not only has the type changed drastically but the overall silhouette has changed as well, to the point that comparing the early Shih Tzu imports to those of to- day would be like comparing apples to oranges. In my opinion many of the original English imports were excep- tional with their broad, round heads, good bodies and bone along with the smaller Scandinavian dogs with their straight front legs and beauti- ful coats. The breeders in the U.S. created an American Shih Tzu from the combination of the two totally different lines. In a comparison by photos, it is quite evident that the cur- rent Shih Tzu in America bears little resemblance to its early ancestors. Mr. Nigel Aubrey-Jones in the same

expression and could be faulted as excessive trimming. I personally find the shaving of the top lip extremely offensive. If that were not enough the beautiful natural black eye stripes that were once genetically acquired are now painted on in black, the color stopping at the bowwhich sits square- ly in the middle of “that top-knot.” I find it amazing that the black color stops at the bow and does not extend to the ends of the hair. It would be dif- ficult to recognize a few of our present day winners without their “make up.” In many cases I feel that a great deal of the beauty of the original Shih Tzu has been bred out. The comments in this article are sim- plymy ownopinions andobservations of this incredible little dog for the last 36 years as an exhibitor, breeder and judge. I thank all the breeders then and now who have helped preserve one of God’s truly unique creatures. I thank the Shih Tzu Club and its mem- bers for this opportunity to express my views on the American Shih Tzu. It is fitting to share this article on the 50th anniversary of AKC recognition of the Shih Tzu. It was written about 15 years ago for the Shih Tzu Bulletin in England and permission to reprint it in the United States was granted by the late Victor Joris, noted breed historian, judge and the author of The Complete Shih Tzu (1984). If other old-timers who saw some of the first American Shih Tzu would like to share their thoughts on how the breed in America has changed over the past 50 years, for good and for ill, please contact Jo Ann White, joawhite@juno.com.

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We ’ ve only

just begun...

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champion N E WS O N G ’ S G R AT E F U L H E A R T

THANK YOU TO JUDGES Inge Semenschin, Darren Bowie, John Rami rez and El l iot Weiss

OWNED AND HANDLED BY Al icia Guzman of J in Lu Shih Tzu | BRED BY Tanda Shi rrod

T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019 • 41

ADVICE FOR NEW SHIH TZU JUDGES AND PROSPECTIVE JUDGES by Sally Vilas

balance of the dogs; they should be rectangular rather than square, and color patterns may be deceptive. For example, a dog with a wide white ‘shawl’ over the shoulders will look shorter in overall length than one that is a solid color, or with a smaller amount of white over the shoulders. You need to train your eye to these variances and use your hands to con- firm visual evaluations made while the class is moving around the ring. “BE PREPARED TO EVALUATE THE BALANCE OF THE DOGS; THEY SHOULD BE RECTANGU- LAR RATHER THAN SQUARE, AND COLOR PATTERNS MAY be deceptive.”

adjudicate the breed. That may be where our preparation begins, but should not be where it ends. BE PREPARED to use parent club material about the breed. I urge new or experienced judges of Shih Tzu to include in their preparation The Illus- trated Guide to the Shih Tzu Standard published by the American Shih Tzu Club. This attractive 64 page book- let contains the standard, of course, with clarifications and wonderful drawings by Stephen Hubbell to help understand what is under the some- what glamorous looking coat on dogs in the show ring. To further that un- derstanding, there are also colored photos of Shih Tzu in full show coat and then ‘cut down’ (actually, ‘shaved down’ is the appropriate description). The accompanying honest evalua- tions of good and less desirable fea- tures of these dogs is invaluable to anyone learning the breed. We are always told, when studying a new breed, to learn and remember ‘the es- sence of the breed type’; it is pictured and summarized on page 27. Before any assignment to judge Shih Tzu, it is worthwhile to take this booklet off of the shelf and review what the par- ent club is telling you about the breed. To order a copy of the Illustrated Guide or find out when and where ASTC-approved Judges Educa- tion Seminars are bing held, contact ASTC Judges Education Chair Kristi Mann, 202.612.6558 BE PREPARED to evaluate the

M any of us, when writing about ‘how to judge’ a breed, have de- scribed general or specific ring procedures for that breed. I’ve done that myself but was asked to offer advice for newer judges of the Shih Tzu. This sounds obvious, but I start with that borrowed slogan: BE PREPARED! Of course the judge, new or experi- enced, has already studied the breed by attending seminars, finding men- tors, attending specialties, and tak- ing advantage of any opportunity to put hands on actual Shih Tzu! He/ she has been interviewed to deter- mine depth of knowledge of the breed, and AKC has granted approval to

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Khloe CH Marja-Tu Chu Always Dreaming

Presenting,

Owned and Exclusively Handled by Dean Tagatac • Bred and Co-Owned by Mark and Jackie Stempel and Kathy Kwait GCHS Marja-Tu Chu Dream Catcher “Dreamer” x CH Marja-Tu Chu Torch of Justice Thank you to all the wonderful judges that have recognized Khloe in her 1st year of showing. A special thank you to Judge Ms. Evalyn Gregory for the Westminster Select Win and to Judge Ms. Patricia W. Laurans for the AKC National Championship Select Win.

candid ©Nor Cal Bulldogger 2019

T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019 • 43

BE MENTALLY PREPARED to deal with the parts of the Shih Tzu that might be most challenging to judge: do not fear getting into and under the coat to find the structure. Getting under the coat is especially important when examining the head. Round is the first word to remember as you examine the head; it should be broad, and rounded from side to side as well as from stop to occiput. The head should be in balance with the overall size of the dog. There may be a ‘bubble’ of hair over the forehead; it is your job to use your hand in that area to learn whether it is rounded, as desired. Check whether that bubble is obscuring the fact that the dog does not have enough ‘stop’. Theremay be a towering topknot, but you should put your fingers through it at the base and determine the shape and size of the head. We are losing the nice big head that should be a hallmark of the breed. Remember that narrow heads are a fault, so find and reward the proper heads when possible. Round is also a key word for Shih Tzu eyes, which are additionally supposed to be large but not prominent, very dark, and placed well apart. The cor- rect eyes are vital to the warm, sweet,

friendly expression that is a part of the essence of the breed. Almost always when I see a Shih Tzu expression that is not instantly ‘warm and sweet’, it is because of the placement of the eyes or because there is too much white showing in the eye. BE PREPARED to use your hands to feel for straight front legs, tight elbows and depth of chest, angles of shoulders. Move back to spring of rib, length of loin, set of tail, angulation of rear legs, etc. Remember that the Shih Tzu should not have a ‘waist’; it is a sturdy, compact dog with good sub- stance and little tuck-up. BE PREPARED to evaluate the topline when the dog is moving. A good handler may be able to show a level topline when the dog is on the exam table but the true test is whether that smooth, level topline is seen when the dog is moving. I see too many Shih Tzu with a sloping croup and resulting low tail set; these affect the topline and the overall balance of the dog. BEPREPARED to reward a ShihTzu with the proper head and expression even if it does not have the currently faddish towering topknot. Higher is not better! The topknot should help

to frame the face and enhance the expression; it should not resemble a palm tree or a show-girl headdress. In fact, the too-tall topknot can actually distort the profile and thereby hide some of the virtues of the dog. There should be enough length of neck to “permit natural head carriage...in balance with the height and length of the dog”, but not so much that the dog resembles a giraffe rather than the ‘overall well-balanced dog with no exaggerated features” that our standard describes. BE PREPARED to consider equally dogs that fall within our size range; do not fall into the pattern of reward- ing only small Shih Tzu. Any dog within the 9 to 10 1/2 inches and 9 to 16 pounds must be evaluated equally; overall balanceandproportion iswhat is important. BE PREPARED to enjoy your time with Shih Tzu. Temperament is im- portant. Do not reward a dog that is shy or aggressive. When you ap- proach a friendly Shih Tzu puppy and see that wagging tail, it will make you smile. Enjoy your experiences in the ring with this lovely breed!

“BE PREPARED to enjoy your time with Shih Tzu. TEMPERAMENT IS IMPORTANT. DO NOT REWARD A DOG THAT IS SHY OR AGGRESSIVE. WHEN YOU APPROACH A FRIENDLY SHIH TZU PUPPY AND SEE THAT

WAGGING TAIL, IT WILL MAKE YOU SMILE. Enjoy your experiences in the ring with this lovely breed!”

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MULTIPLE BEST IN SHOW MULTIPLE RESERVE BEST IN SHOW MULTIPLE BEST IN SPECIALTY SHOW WINNING GCHG WENRICK’S N’ PALAQUINS THEY CALL ME MR. BATES

Back-to-Back BEST IN SHOWS THANK YOU DONNA BUXTON & DANA CLINE

*TNT Breed & All Breed stats as of 2/28/19 **TNT All Breed stats as of 2/28/19 America’s #1 SHIH TZU BREED & ALL BREED * #3 TOY **

Professionally Handled by: Michelle M. Jones | Assisted by: Mackenzie S. Jones Owned by: Robert and Lisa Thomaier and Wendy Paquette

T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019 • 45

by Jo Ann White LIVING WITH A SHIH TZU

I t is hard tobelieve that I acquiredmy first Shih Tzu more than 50 years ago, before the breed first gained full AKC recognition in 1969. Since that time, I have never been without one or more of these delightful crea- tures sleeping on my bed and sharing my life—through several jobs, seven moves and two marriages. And I have never regretted a moment of it! This is a wonderful breed. Shih Tzu love children and other dogs—and, most of all, people in general. Your Shih Tzu is always interested in what you are doing and is likely to follow you from room to room, but usually does not insist on your immediate attention. If you are otherwise occu- pied, he will sleep (probably on your feet) or amuse himself (toy freaks are common). A Shih Tzu can be very cat-like, using its paws to juggle its toys and keeping itself clean. Of course, he would prefer to train you rather than have you train him! Just don’t let the charm lead to an over- weight, spoiled dog that refuses to be groomed. Praise for doing the right thing is the best training method for this eager-to-please breed, while an- noying attention-seeking behaviors are best ignored. When I got my first Shih Tzu, I had never even been to a dog show.

Shih Tzu Club National. We will be at the Pier Sixty-Six Hotel and Ma- rina in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from April 23-27 with two regionals, the national specialty, and two obedience and rally obedience competitions, plus seminars on grooming and han- dling and breed history and the breed standard. There will also be ASTC- sponsored agility trials at the Bratty Paws complex in Punta Gorda, Flor- ida, April 20-22. And if you are al- ready planning to attend any of these events, please welcome and mentor newcomers. The complete schedule of events—and a lot more information about our breed for pet owners, ex- hibitors, and judges—can be found on the ASTC website, www.shihtzu.org . We invite you to Flamingle with us! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jo Ann White, a director of the ASTC and the Shih Tzu Fanciers of Central Florida, is show chair for the 2019 ASTC National, breed columnist for the AKC Gazette, and manager of the ASTC website. She has bred and/ or owned more than 20 champions, including the winner of the 2010 Na- tional, and has writtenmany books and articles on the breed.

His breeders encouraged me to try showing, and the atmosphere around the miscellaneous class ring was wel- coming. Other exhibitors were help- ful. We were trying to promote our breed and gain full AKC recognition, so we could compete for group and best in show honors instead of hav- ing competition end after winning, at most, a pink ribbon. At that time, grooming (especially topknots) was rudimentary, the atmosphere less competitive, and everyone wanted to learn everything they could about this old but new-to-us breed. It fos- tered a ringside camaraderie that is often missing today. Like many of the Shih Tzu breed- ers who got their start in the 1960s and 1970s, we volunteered and we studied. A lot. I don’t know whether it is because dog shows have become more expensive and competitive, or because modern life is more hectic, or because breeders are under pres- sure from the animal rights people, or because people want instant grati- fication, or because show grooming requires so much effort, but the dog show world’s cadre of knowledgeable and willing workers is dwindling. Let’s all try to change that. Shih Tzu lovers of all stripes are wel- come to join us at the 2019 American

“A SHIH TZU CAN BE VERY CAT-LIKE, USING ITS PAWS TO JUGGLE ITS TOYS AND KEEPING ITSELF CLEAN.”

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BIG WIN

SILVER GRAND CHAMPION A N G E L I N A R U B Y ’ S H E A V E N L Y D R E A M Best in Specialty Show Winning • Group Placing • Owner Handled Reserve Best in Show Winning

H A N D L E D B Y J E N N I F E R M I L L E R - F A R I A S A N D B R E E D E R - O W N E R D I A N E L Y N N H O R N B E C K E R

T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019 • 47

48 • T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019

#1 CH I HUAHUA *

Thank you Judges Randy Garren & Ted Eubank

Owner: Sheila Weisman Walker

Handler: Paula Murray

Breeders: Lynn & Jeff Hurd

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*all systems breed stats as of 2/28/19

Boots G C H S B L O O M S B U R Y B I G F O R M Y B O O T S MULT I P L E GROUP P LAC I NG T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019 • 49

ASTC PRESENTS AKC GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD TO SALLY VILAS

they were recognized, and decided a Shih Tzu would make a wonderful family pet. They acquired their first Shih Tzu from Barbara Pennington. They had only small number of show dogs who lived in their home and en- joyed life with their two sons and their friends—these included Best in Show Shih Tzu, Ch. Vilenzo Red Rover Red Rover ROM. Sally’s first mentor in dogs taught her that a commitment to the sport should include service in appropriate organi- zations and she became active in the Poodle Club of Central California in the 1960s, serving as its president and show chair for several years. She joined the ASTC in 1976, serving as ASTC President from 1996 to 2006, then as the ASTC’s Recording Secre- tary, AKC Delegate, Bulletin Editor, and a member of the Judges’ Edu- cation Committee. For her service, she was honored with an ASTC Life Membership. She was also a mem- ber of the Poodle Club of America, the Golden Gate Shih Tzu Fanciers, and the Nor-Cal Toy Dog Fanciers. She served as an officer and/or com- mittee member for all of them, in- cluding president of Golden Gate and longtime show chair for the toy club.

She was also Managing Director of the ASTC Charitable Trust, oversee- ing its contributions to disaster relief, health research, education, and other initiatives that benefit our breed and the world of purebred dogs. For many people in our breed and in our sport, Sally was always the “go to” person. If you had a question or need- ed help, she was always there with a prompt and knowledgeable response. Licensed to judge all toy and non- sporting breeds and groups, junior handling, and best in show, she was also at the forefront of efforts to pre- vent the passage of a breeding ban in the state of California and ensure the continuation of the Hemopet blood bank that benefits dogs throughout the country. Clearly, it would have been easier to list what Sally has NOT done than all that she contributed until forced to retire due to ill health in 2019. Her re- tirement leaves a huge gap that it will take many people to fill! As a tribute to Sally, we would like to mark the 50th anniversary of AKC recognition by republishing her advice to new and prospective judges of Shih Tzu, which first appeared in Top Notch Toys in November 2007.

O n January 22, 2019, the Ameri- can Shih Tzu Club Board of Di- rectors voted to award the AKC Good Sportsmanship Award to Sally Vilas in recognition of her decades of extraordinary service to our club, our breed, and the world of purebred dogs. Sally’s first show dog, more than 50 years ago, was a Minia- ture Poodle. Her husband, Bob, dis- covered Shih Tzu at about the time

“Clearly, it would have been easier to list what Sally has NOT done...” 50 • T op N otch T oys , A pril 2019

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