Many thanks to the exhibitors for giving me a quality entry to judge and for accepting the student judge in such a sporting manner, we both appreciated your willingness to allow her to go over your dogs. Type was very varied with relatively few being the correct height to length proportions, breeders and exhibitors need to ensure that they are not breeding over long dogs which lack ground clearance. There were several exhibits which had incredibly dirty teeth and this whilst being unpleasant to judge is a health and welfare concern and must be addressed. Temperaments on the whole were excellent.

As a judge I was there to judge the dogs put in front of me and for me personally correct construction and temperament is of a higher importance than what the scales say. It is down to breeders to try and breed dogs that fit the breed standard in all aspects including the desired maximum weight but when I am judging first and foremost I am looking for a correct Dachshund that is fit for function and is well covered. There were some exhibits above the desired maximum that I felt were of such quality that they shouldn’t be overlooked when compared with the others in their classes, weight is only 1 part of the breed standard and in my opinion correct construction and temperament is more important.

Minor Puppy Dog – 1 entry

1.       Hall & Osborne’s Dinkidax All Fired Up – 8 month cream baby with a lovely head of correct proportions. Adequate length of neck leading into well laid shoulders, a little out at elbow due to having a short upper arm. Well angulated rear which he used well on the move when he settled. Slightly too long in body for his height for me.

Puppy Dog – 1 entry

1.       Broad’s Dinkidax Dionysus – Red of 8 and a half months. Good head proportions but slightly round in eye. Adequate angulation in shoulder with prominent pro-sternum. Correct length of body for height. Very well angulated rear which he used well on the move showing good drive. Nice baby. BPD

Junior Dog – 7 entries

1.       Richardson & Butler’s Drymoor Dark Drifter – This 18 month old dog is so well made that he couldn’t be over looked. Masculine houndy head, lengthy neck leading into excellent shoulders with correct return of upper arm. He can sink into his shoulders a little on the stack which doesn’t do him any favours but when you get your hands on him he is hard to fault in front construction. Lengthy ribbing and short loin. Correctly angulated rear. On the move he is so true coming and going and has plenty of reach and drive in profile. Newer exhibitors should look at dogs like this to appreciate what correct Dachshund construction should be like. RCC

2.       Sainsbury’s Drymoor Moon Beam at Boscolla – similar type to 1 in a smaller frame, rather fine for a male. Good head, ok length of neck, good front construction with well laid shoulders. Correct height to length proportions. Could use a little more rear angulation but moved well showing good reach and drive in profile and true coming and going.

Post Graduate Dog – 4 entries

1.       Hall’s Cliffmere Folk Art – Red dog of excellent size, good head with correct dark pigment. Lengthy neck leading into well laid shoulders. Correct length of body, rear angulation ok. Moves well coming and going and has reach and drive in profile. Would like more width throughout.

2.       Le Page’s Willowheath Freddy Mercury with Thelepees – B/T dog of a lovely type, good head but eye is a little round. Lengthy ribbing and short loin. Well angulated rear. Moved well. Slightly narrow through. Handler needs to be more confident with him to make the most of him.

Limit Dog – 6 entries

1.       Wood’s Wildstar Wreward – 2yr elegant B/T dog with an excellent head and correct eye. Lengthy neck leading into very well laid shoulders. Very good feet which was nice to see. Good length of ribbing and neat rear angulation. Moves well coming and going but a little more confidence would allow him to stride out more in profile as he wasn’t flowing as much in profile as I’d like. Close up in the challenge.

2.       Hall’s Cliffmere Patrick Sway Zee – Red dog with an excellent head and neck. Adequate front construction, good length of ribbing, well angulated rear. Moved well showing good reach and drive. Would prefer more width throughout.

Open Dog – 6 entries, 1 absent

1.       Boyle’s CH Zarcrest Black Brewer – Smart B/T dog of an excellent size and the type I prefer. Lovely houndy head with good eye. Well laid shoulders and correct return of upper arm giving him tight elbows. Excellent length of ribbing and correct loin. Well angulated rear which he uses well on the move. True coming and going and shows good reach and drive in profile. Shown in excellent condition and he pulled out all the stops in the challenge to win the CC and later BOB in good company.

2.       Wood’s CH Wildstar Wrobinson JW – Red dog of excellent size and in superb coat and condition. Good head and adequate length of neck, well laid shoulders but could use slightly more upper arm. Good length of ribbing and short loin. Very well angulated rear which he uses very well on the move showing good drive from behind. Very exuberant on the move which at times causes him to flick his front legs up more than I prefer.

Veteran Dog – 4 entries

1.       Walter’s CH Ralines Just Ozzie – 7yr old cream dog who is a superb showman, his coat doesn’t do him any favours and you really need to get your hands on him to appreciate his qualities. Beautifully made shoulders and long ribbing. Good rear which he uses to power round the ring. He moves soundly with good reach and drive. BVIB

2.       McCarthy’s Nagshall Just Santana JW – Rangier 7yr old cream with a good head of correct proportions. Excellent length of neck. Good front assembly but could use tighter elbows. Rather over long in body for me. Well angulated rear. Moved true coming and going with enough reach and drive in profile.

Special Beginners Dog or Bitch – 1 entry

1.       Mason’s Tolberg Beez Kneez at Teckeltown – 2yr red bitch of a lovely type. Good head with lovely dark pigment. Well laid shoulder and correct pro-sternum. Good length of ribbing, roaches slightly more than I’d prefer over her loin. Neat rear which she uses to well on the move. Has good reach and drive. Best Special Beginners

Minor Puppy Bitch – 5 entries

1.       Boyle’s Zarcrest Black Ink – 7 month B/T baby of a lovely type. Excellent head and eye with lovely dark pigment. Excellent front construction with correct width throughout. Neat rear. Needs to tighten in topline and rear movement but this will come with age I am sure. Nice baby.

2.       Oddie’s Ralines Lemon Drizzle For Riowood – Pretty cream bitch with a lovely head. Good shoulders and lengthy ribbing. Excellent topline. Moves well showing good reach and drive but has a slightly high set tail which at times spoilt her outline. Would like better pigment.

Puppy Bitch – 5 entries

1.       Goddard’s Minard Darque Angel – Beautiful B/T bitch of quality. Delightful head and front construction with correct shoulders and return of upper arm. Good ribbing and length of loin. Excellent rear construction. Moves beautifully in profile, just needs to tighten behind as she matures and I’m certain this lovely baby will make a mark for herself. BPIB and delighted to see her win Hound Puppy Group 2. Close up in the challenge.

2.       Bennett’s Jadag Take A Chance On Me – B/T bitch with a lovely head and neck, good shoulders and pro-sternum. Excellent pigment. Correct top and underline. Correctly angulated rear. Would prefer better feet. Moved well but didn’t quite have the presence of 1.

Junior Bitch – 4 entries, 1 absent

1.       Edward’s Barok Exquisite Shady Lady – Shaded cream bitch with a glorious head, lengthy neck and correct shoulder angulation. Slightly short of upper arm. Well angulated rear. Excellent on the move when she settled. Would prefer slightly less length in body.

2.       Sainsbury’s Drymoor After Eight at Boscolla – B/T bitch of an excellent type with correct height to length proportions. Lovely head and shoulder angulation but needs a longer upper arm. Good length of ribbing and short loin. Adequate rear angulation. Moved true coming and going with good reach and drive in profile.

Post Graduate Bitch – 6 entries

1.       Butler’s Drymoor Dark N’Delicious – Lovely B/T bitch if the type I prefer. Excellent head and front construction. Super bone and feet. Correct width throughout. Excellent top and underline which she held at all times. Moved with reach and drive. Just needs to mature in body and coat. Close up in the challenge.

2.       Mason’s Tolberg Beez Kneez at Teckeltown

Limit Bitch – 5 entries

1.       Dare’s Larkhund Sofia – B/T bitch of super proportions and so correct in body. Excellent shoulders and upper arm. Correct ribbing and length of loin. Neat rear which she uses so well on the move.  Very sound on the move showing parallel front and rear action and plenty of reach and drive. Close decision in the challenge but preferred the head and elegance of the open winner. RCC in excellent company.

2.       Lockett-Walters Ralines Good Tidings – Red bitch of an excellent type. Good head and length of neck leading into very good shoulders. Good ribbing but slightly too long in body for me. Moves true coming and going with good reach and drive. Nice bitch.

Open Bitch – 5 entries

1.       Giura’s Swiss CH Rodel’s Magic Moonlight WW18 – Gorgeous dark shaded red bitch of a completely different type to the rest of the entry however she is so correctly built that she couldn’t be overlooked. Exquisite head with darkest of pigment and correct eye. Beautiful mouth with big strong pearly white teeth which were a rarity in this entry. Long neck leading into well angulated shoulders with good length of upper arm. Good ribbing and strong loin. Well angulated rear which she really used to power round the ring. Her profile movement is exceptional with superb reach and drive and she is true coming and going. Correct flat shiny coat that didn’t obscure her outline. CC, her first on her first trip to the UK, I hope we get to see more of her. In the challenge for BOB she decided that the cold and rain wasn’t to her liking and didn’t want to play ball.

2.       Cohen’s Ralines Red Bouquet For Hutzpah – Cream bitch of excellent type. Good head, moderate length of neck leading into well laid shoulders with good return of upper arm. Lengthy ribbing with correct top and underline which she held at all times. Moved soundly with good drive from behind.

Veteran Bitch – 5 entries, 1 absent

1.       Edwards Barok Blonde Bombshell – Lovely cream bitch of good type. Lovely heads and length of neck. Excellent shoulder angulation. Correct top and underline. Moved soundly with good reach and drive. Would prefer slightly better feet.

2.       Sainsbury’s Ridgegrove Chocolate Drop at Boscolla – Chocolate dapple bitch of good proportions. Well laid back shoulder and lengthy ribbing. Moderately angulated behind. Moved soundly with enough reach and drive.