Nancy Manelski
WoTeH'sin ShihTzu
I began as an owner/handler in Shih Tzu ten years ago. While I still try to keep coat and drag around all those necessities of showing in the trunk of my car, these days I hire a handler more often, due to my own professional obligations and the "kids" I love at home. I am also blessed to have a wonderful mentor that works with me in showing my dogs in areas of the country more apt to draw major entries. These things combined keep my checkbook on low and my excitement on high as my dogs make their way around the circuit.
I have listened to the "arguments" brought forth by many a novice stating that the show ring is political. My experience tells me that many times when my owner-handled dog has not won, it was not always politically driven. Perhaps I didn't do the best job presenting my animal on a given day. Perhaps, had I been able to compare structure to structure, I would understand where my breeding had fallen short. But of course there were times when I felt my dog was blown out of the water unfairly, thinking they of course deserved the win. And thankfully there have been days when I walked away with a sweet victory over competition others would agree was tough and the points won were well earned AND deserved. Through it all I have tried to not only remember my humble beginnings but that the reason I do this is because I want to move ahead - to "pay it forward" to the Shih Tzu breed, as my mentor has taught me.
I recently contacted The Shih Tzu Reporter with an idea that has resulted in this forum. I will admit it was a purely selfish idea at first and I had not planned on being the one putting fingers to keyboard on this one. You see, I am no writer, however I have a great interest in where our breed is going and I also still manage to get a dog out there myself in the ring every now and again. My thought was to "interview" some of our judges out there to bring some perspective to the task they have at hand. It might also help someone new, OR old, understand the level of excellence actually putting their hands on our dogs - hopefully giving many of us a new respect for those under whom we enter. But more importantly, I hope this give us all some insight as to where we can improve, not merely in presentation, but in breeding better dogs.
Initially I will bring to you provisional judges, some of whom you may recognize. As this feature moves forward, I hope to bring to you breeder judges and all-arounders as well. I am excited to begin this new venture with The Shih Tzu Reporter! Let the games begin!
I am pleased to introduce to you, Ms. Gay Dunlap, AKC Judge #4623.
NM: How did you get involved in the sport of dogs?
GD: I have been involved in the sport since 1968 when I bought a Yorkshire Terrier and thought if might be fun to show her!
NM: What was your first breed owned? Shown? Bred? Licensed?
GD: My first breed was the Yorkshire Terrier, which I also showed and bred on a very limited basis. I "graduated" to a larger breed, the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, in 1970 prior to their recognition by the AKC, applied and became approved to judge them in 1984.
NM: Give us a brief synopsis of your dogs/kennel and show "career".
GD: I have bred Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers for 37 years under the Gleanngay prefix with over 135 champions, including BIS, Specialty and Group winners. I bred and owned the top-producing SCWT sire and number 2 top-producing Terrier sire of all time, Ch Gleanngay Holliday, ROM. My foundation bitch was the breed's first BIS winner in 1974 and remained to only Wheaten bitch to achieve that honor until the early 2000s.
NM: How did you get involved in the sport of dogs?
GD: I have been involved in the sport since 1968 when I bought a Yorkshire Terrier and thought if might be fun to show her!
NM: What was your first breed owned? Shown? Bred? Licensed?
GD: My first breed was the Yorkshire Terrier, which I also showed and bred on a very limited basis. I "graduated" to a larger breed, the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, in 1970 prior to their recognition by the AKC, applied and became approved to judge them in 1984.
NM: Give us a brief synopsis of your dogs/kennel and show "career".
GD: I have bred Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers for 37 years under the Gleanngay prefix with over 135 champions, including BIS, Specialty and Group winners. I bred and owned the top-producing SCWT sire and number 2 top-producing Terrier sire of all time, Ch Gleanngay Holliday, ROM. My foundation bitch was the breed's first BIS winner in 1974 and remained to only Wheaten bitch to achieve that honor until the early 2000s.
I am a regular contributor to numerous periodicals, including The AKC Gazette, Canine Chronicle and SCWTCA’s Quarterly, Benchmarks. I wrote the SCWT Standard Amplification and produced the SCWT Illustrated Breed Standard and Amplification. In 2005 I accepted the editorship of Benchmarks. The publication can be viewed on the web at http://www.scwtca.org/.
I was a member of the original SCWT standard committee and chairman of the standard revision committee that produced the SCWT standard currently in use by the AKC.
I am chairman of SCWTCA’s Judge’s Education Committee and have, for many years past, served on SCWTCA’s Board of Directors. During that time, I was both president and AKC delegate.
I am chairman of SCWTCA’s Judge’s Education Committee and have, for many years past, served on SCWTCA’s Board of Directors. During that time, I was both president and AKC delegate.
The SCWT Stud Register was designed and spearheaded by me and is featured on the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America’s website. I recently provided SCWTCA with a Judge’s Education Power Point Presentation available on CD.
I am a member of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America, Sun Country Terrier Club, American Dog Judges Association, Dog Judges Association of America, Rocky Mountain All Terrier Club, Greater Denver SCWTC and the AKC Canine Health Foundation.
NM: Why did you decide to pursue judging?
GD: It seemed a natural course of action at the time, although many years passed between applying to judge my first two breeds (Wheaten Terriers and Kerry Blues) and the decision to judge the remainder of the Terrier group as I felt I did not have sufficient time to devote to it. I am approved for the Terrier Group, eight Toy breeds and provisional for nine more. I am also approved to judge Junior Showmanship, Miscellaneous and Best In Show. A successful breeder is, first and foremost, a successful and astute judge of quality. Nothing thrills me more than to find a beautifully constructed, well-balanced dog of correct breed type no matter what the breed.
NM: Why have you decided to judge Shih Tzu?
GD: Since I actually got my start in a Toy breed, I have always found myself drawn to them. I love the elegance and grace inherent in the Shih Tzu. The dramatic and distinctive high head carriage and luxurious flowing coat are qualities I find particularly exciting. Coming from a coated breed myself I truly appreciate the work that goes into its proper presentation.
NM: When judging, what is the "must have" quality you look for in a Shih Tzu?
GD: I judge whole dogs and even in my own breed am hard pressed to place one trait above another in term of "must haves". I do, however, place great importance on correct silhouette in all breeds. I also cannot forgive poor temperament.
NM: Tell us your definition of breed type in a Shih Tzu.
GD: Breed type in the Shih Tzu must include the requisite silhouette with the proud, almost arrogant, head carriage and curved over-the- back tail. It must be solid and of good substance for a toy. Equally important is its luxurious long flowing coat.
NM: Type and structure - Are they the same? Why or why not?
GD: Any breed can display correct breed type and still have structural, or functional, irregularities. So, no, breed type and structure are not the same.
NM: What do you look for on the table?
GD: Examination on the table (hands on) is an important aspect of judging a coated breed. I want to make certain that the head I am seeing is actually correct and not simply created by clever grooming techniques. I want to feel the dog’s substance (or lack of it), that the top line is level, that the loin is short rather than the rib cage, that it is slightly longer than tall and that the neck actually does flow smoothly, and not abruptly, into the back. With a coated breed, my hands must tell me that what appears to be true actually is!
NM: What do you look for in movement?
GD: I do not want to see a Shih Tzu strung up, but rather moving of its own accord, with an effortless, fluid gait, and displaying sufficient reach and drive.
NM: Health, Conformation, Temperament - What do you feel is the order of importance and why?
GD: I cannot place emphasis on health over temperament over conformation. All three must co-exist! In my breed health has been placed foremost of late and consequently our breed is in serious trouble in terms of both breed type and temperament.
NM: In the US, the Shih Tzu is a Toy, in Canada, Non-Sporting. Where do you feel the Shih Tzu is a better fit and why?
GD: Based upon size and taking into account the size spread among the Toy Group generally, I feel the Shih Tzu belongs where it is here in the US.
NM: What is your feeling of the grooming techniques of today in comparison to those practiced when the Shih Tzu was first acknowledged by the AKC?
GD: By way of addressing Shih Tzu grooming techniques, I can only voice that I was shocked over what I learned at a breed seminar. The amount of artificial "enhancement" (coloring) to create a more dramatic appearance saddened me.
On behalf of The Shih Tzu Reporter, I would like to thank Ms. Dunlap for taking the time to respond to my inquiry. In our next issue I will be pleased to introduce to you Mr. Richard Beauchamp.
If you have comments and/or suggestions on interview questions, judges or this forum in general, please email me at wotehsinst@aol.com.
NM: Why did you decide to pursue judging?
GD: It seemed a natural course of action at the time, although many years passed between applying to judge my first two breeds (Wheaten Terriers and Kerry Blues) and the decision to judge the remainder of the Terrier group as I felt I did not have sufficient time to devote to it. I am approved for the Terrier Group, eight Toy breeds and provisional for nine more. I am also approved to judge Junior Showmanship, Miscellaneous and Best In Show. A successful breeder is, first and foremost, a successful and astute judge of quality. Nothing thrills me more than to find a beautifully constructed, well-balanced dog of correct breed type no matter what the breed.
NM: Why have you decided to judge Shih Tzu?
GD: Since I actually got my start in a Toy breed, I have always found myself drawn to them. I love the elegance and grace inherent in the Shih Tzu. The dramatic and distinctive high head carriage and luxurious flowing coat are qualities I find particularly exciting. Coming from a coated breed myself I truly appreciate the work that goes into its proper presentation.
NM: When judging, what is the "must have" quality you look for in a Shih Tzu?
GD: I judge whole dogs and even in my own breed am hard pressed to place one trait above another in term of "must haves". I do, however, place great importance on correct silhouette in all breeds. I also cannot forgive poor temperament.
NM: Tell us your definition of breed type in a Shih Tzu.
GD: Breed type in the Shih Tzu must include the requisite silhouette with the proud, almost arrogant, head carriage and curved over-the- back tail. It must be solid and of good substance for a toy. Equally important is its luxurious long flowing coat.
NM: Type and structure - Are they the same? Why or why not?
GD: Any breed can display correct breed type and still have structural, or functional, irregularities. So, no, breed type and structure are not the same.
NM: What do you look for on the table?
GD: Examination on the table (hands on) is an important aspect of judging a coated breed. I want to make certain that the head I am seeing is actually correct and not simply created by clever grooming techniques. I want to feel the dog’s substance (or lack of it), that the top line is level, that the loin is short rather than the rib cage, that it is slightly longer than tall and that the neck actually does flow smoothly, and not abruptly, into the back. With a coated breed, my hands must tell me that what appears to be true actually is!
NM: What do you look for in movement?
GD: I do not want to see a Shih Tzu strung up, but rather moving of its own accord, with an effortless, fluid gait, and displaying sufficient reach and drive.
NM: Health, Conformation, Temperament - What do you feel is the order of importance and why?
GD: I cannot place emphasis on health over temperament over conformation. All three must co-exist! In my breed health has been placed foremost of late and consequently our breed is in serious trouble in terms of both breed type and temperament.
NM: In the US, the Shih Tzu is a Toy, in Canada, Non-Sporting. Where do you feel the Shih Tzu is a better fit and why?
GD: Based upon size and taking into account the size spread among the Toy Group generally, I feel the Shih Tzu belongs where it is here in the US.
NM: What is your feeling of the grooming techniques of today in comparison to those practiced when the Shih Tzu was first acknowledged by the AKC?
GD: By way of addressing Shih Tzu grooming techniques, I can only voice that I was shocked over what I learned at a breed seminar. The amount of artificial "enhancement" (coloring) to create a more dramatic appearance saddened me.
On behalf of The Shih Tzu Reporter, I would like to thank Ms. Dunlap for taking the time to respond to my inquiry. In our next issue I will be pleased to introduce to you Mr. Richard Beauchamp.
If you have comments and/or suggestions on interview questions, judges or this forum in general, please email me at wotehsinst@aol.com.
Pictured above is Ms. Gay Dunlap
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