Midland Counties Canine Society 2011

DACHSHUND - MINIATURE WIRE HAIRED

I had not judged the miniature wire haired variety since 2004 and have to say I was rather concerned about a few points. A lot of heads seems to have got rather small and toy like with round eyes and did not scream " Dachshund in Miniature" at me. There were some nice dogs who lacked enough keel (in my opinion an integral part of a Dachshund conformaton) and some were very short in ribbing. Coats on the whole were good but better presentation was needed on some exhibits. The hall was very echoey and I made allowances for this. Nowadays with the cost of showing at Championship Shows, if you are going to spend the money, then prepare your dog and tidy him up beforehand, especially if the coat tends to be wispy in any way. Having said this I was delighted with my principal winners all of whom oozed type and had lovely heads, construction and good parallel movement coming and going.

MPD (1) Howells'Fallowmill Roller Coaster.  A 6 month old red brindle with a pleasing head and eye, good front and sufficient keel. Good ribbing. Unsettled in topline to start with but nice outline when settled. Turns his feet slightly Good hindquarters. Good coat.. Moved well for a baby. Best Puppy dog.

PD (1) Hunt's His Terricle. Black and Tan of 11 months. Slightly over the weight. Pleasing head and eye, well ribbed and good topline. He has a good coat but it needs to come out now. Short upper arm, and turned feet stood and on the move and moved rather close behind.

JD (5) 1 Kugow and Holt's Waldmeister Johnson JW. Very nice brindle dog wth good cosnstruction throughout. Lovely head and good ribbing and topline Good feet and very strong hindquarters nice front, would prefer more keel.Moved out well. 2. Thorn Andrews' Drakesleat Noddy Doff. Lovely typical head on this youngster. Well made with good keel and ribbing. Excellent neck, front and feet and in good coat. A little unsteady behind today. 3 Fulton's Bothlyn Brigadoon.

PGD (5) 1 Bothlyn Brigadoon. Nice type dog with a pleasing head and super keel and front. Good back and hindquarters. In good coat, Slack in topline. Moved well. 2 Phillips' Curtisey Boogy Woogy. Was 4th in Junior Dog. Nice front and good feet, falls away behind and rather close in hock. 3 Baxter's Hotwire Didja Ever.

LD (3) Not an easy class this. 1. Punter's Welcumen Jeremy. Very nice shape overall on this dog, He has good keel and ribbing and a lovely head. Feet could be broader. Good length, topline and hindquarters in good coat, Good for type and size but not really showing off today. 2. Howell's Back and Fetch JW ShCM. Liked this dog a lot and it was a very close decision. Good head and eye. Plenty of keel and well ribbed with good neck and topline. Good tight feet Rather close behind on the move and stood. 3 Kugow and Holt's Waldmeister Samuel JW nice type, well made in good coat, not the keel of 1 and 2.

OD (7,2) 1 Black's Bassodon Bilbie this was an interesting class. My winner has a super head and eye with excellent neck, keel and shoulders. Good tight feet. Well ribbed with steady topline both stood and on the move. Parallel hocks and moves with super drive. Loved him. He is what I look for in a Dachshund. In super condition and well presented. CC ( his 2nd I understand) and BOB, his title must surely be round the corner. 2. Thorn Andrew's Drakesleat Ott Off the Press, another lovely headed dog of excellent type. Well made throughout good keel and ribbing and tight feet. Strong behind. Moved out well. Res. CC I understand they share a sire! 3. Blackburn Bennett and Kuranova Multi Ch Stargang Tigers Eye. Nice type dog with good head and excellent coat and construction. Little shorter in ribcage than 1 and 2. A very worthy champion though.

MPB. (8,2) 1 Howell's Fallowmill On the Button. Litter sister to minor puppy dog. Sweet baby of 6 months, still awaiting a few adult teeth! But they were there! Lovely head and eye, good neck and shoulders. Enough keel good coat, moved well. 2. Addoo's Reulemill Perfect Formular. Very much a baby and still very small, but sweetest of heads, and well made thoughout not as much keel as my winner, but good feet and shoulders.good topline and when her handler did not drag her around the ring, she moved rather well. 3 Oram's Fallowmill On the Spot at Rosswell. Nice headed bitch of good type and coat, not the movement of my winners.

PB (1) 1 Baxter 's Hotwire Magic Midge. Unplaced in minor puppy bitch sweet head and good feet, in good coat, but needs to tighten up in front and topline. Was bum high today.

JB. (11,1) 1 Thorn Andrews' Drakesleat Round N'Round. 10 month bitch of super type. Another lovely hound from this kennel. Headed a nice class in which the first two were the strongest in hindquarters. This young lady has a lovely head and fabulous reach of neck and good front and feet with a steady topline. Moved with drive.. In good coat. BP. Apparantly she is sired by my BOB. 2. Daykin's Ashridge Dun Danzin at Barratini a sweet bitch of excellent construction throughout. Less houndy than my winner, would prefer a stronger head and less round eye. Very good keel and excellent ribbing. Strong hindquarters, shown in very good condition and moved well. 3. Barney's Verrami Domestic Goddess lovely bitch not as strong in hindquarters as 1 and 2.

PGB. (9) Not a strong class, but loved my first three. 1 Price's Samlane Zaffiro. Lovely type bitch with a sweet but houndy head, good neck and construction throughout. Sufficient keel and good ribbing. In excellent coat. Strong topline and hindquarters, moved extremely well and won the class with style. Challenged strongly for res CC but packed in a little at the end. 2 Black's Bassadon Burlesque another lovely headed bitch with a good coat and well ribbed with a strong topline. A little narrower in front and not the hindquarters of my winner. 3 Chugg's Templestone Ophelia. Nicely made bitch, not as strong in head as the other two.

LB. (11,1) Some in this class were lacking in head and some had very little keel. 1 Blackburn's Stargang Moll Flanders. Nice type with a good head. Very well made bitch with a super coat in good condition plenty of keel, very good feet and ribbing. Moved well with strong hindquarters. Res CC. 2 Lewis' Trixhund Country Lover. Another lovely bitch of different type. Black and tan with a good head and neck. Well made throughout with good keel, feet and ribbing, well presented, moved well though not as muscled and as strong in hindquarters as my winner, but might swap places on another day. 3 Jones' Bimini Rhapsody in Blue. Small bitch but everything in the right place.Super coat and shape.

OB. 1 Thorn Andrews' Drakesleat Mass Wisteria. Lovely type bitch with a beautiful head, and loved her wonderful moustache!. Good neck and shoulders, excellent fore quarters and strong in topline. Very houndy. Very good hind movement. Shown in super coat. CC her second I understand. 2. Horswell's Drakesleat No Stone Unturned. Another lovely type bitch with a great head. Good neck and shoulders and plenty of keel. Good feet, topline and just a tad shorter in ribcage than my winner. Moved well but my winner was stronger behind. 3 Blackburn Bennett's Ch Stargang Lady Gaga. Lovely headed bitch, super outline, and good front and topline well presented in excellent harsh jacket, but too wide behind on the move.

Vivien Phillips