Breed Notes Here we are, a year since any proper shows or contact with all our friends and we must wonder, even with the published “Road Map”, how much longer this will continue. On a personal level, I do wonder how many of our existing exhibitors will return to the show ring? Maybe, with the time spent at home, the thought of leaving a warm bed at “Silly O’clock”, expending money on entry fees, fuel, food and overnight stops may not be as enticing as it was. How has it been for you? One outcome of the lack of socialization is the use of media to keep in contact. I notice more and more “On-Line Seminars” and having attended a few, I can honestly say maybe this is the way forward. With a knowledgeable speaker or speakers, sensible content and specific subjects the future is interesting. One major disadvantage is being unable to gets Hands On your favourite breed but enterprising clubs are finding ways around this issue. Now for a different subject for you to ponder?
What makes an outstanding breed specimen and deserving of the accolade for being a Top Dog? Is it the number of CC’s won, the number of litters produced, the number of winning offspring or? Many of our top winners are not actually top producers and by the same token, maybe an un-shown bitch or one with limited show success can become a top producer. Two bitches from the same litter can be both but it is a rarity to find both in one bitch. If one takes time to study a pedigree, sadly an art which appears to be lost on many of our newer exhibitors, one can find top producing sires that may hold a Ch title (or multiple CC’s) and also come across a dog, maybe a litter brother to a Ch who produces winners. Just because a dog has a fantastic show career, does not make him a top producer. Maybe he is being used at stud because because he is seen winning in the show ring. Used extensively by one and all, he is bound to get a percentage of winners – but do they breed on? Clever breeders can produce families of winners, you only have to look at some kennels to see that with careful line breeding, the occasional outcross and winners emerge. To found a “line”, try and get yourself the best bitch you can, hopefully from a reputable breeder and once mature, assess her. By which I mean look at her with regard to the Breed Standard and list her faults, or where you think certain aspects could be improved. Don’t tell me your bitch has no faults as the perfect dog has yet to be born. With the help of a friend/mentor, go through the standard. Has she dark or light eyes, what is the eye placement like. What is the ear set, low/high/wide etc? Knowing where your bitch needs improvements is one of the first steps to producing good stock. Again, with your choice of stud dog, please don’t use the dog living nearest to you, maybe you will have to travel some distance and just because your bitch may have 7-8 Champions in its pedigree it is no criteria that she will reproduce to the same standard. It takes time and effort However, there is nothing more satisfying than standing at the top of a class, or winning that 3rd CC with your own home-bred winner and to be able to repeat this over many generations, I have been fortunate as my last Champion can trace her female line back 23 generations to my mother’s first rough collie born in 1953. There are always heartbreaks along the way. I recall waiting in anticipation for a litter, on paper it looked perfect but when born, they did not turn out as expected. Then you have to re-think and try again. Our breed deserves good breeders, sadly there appears to be shortage of these compared to even 10-15 years ago and I do have concerns that Covid may well cause more folk to leave the breed. Carole Smedley |
