Welsh Kennel Club 2005

Dachshund (Wire Haired)

WIREHAIRED

 It probably did not take exhibitors long to realise that I was looking for a sound hound, that could move true and cover the ground, rather than pottering along. I was more concerned to judge the dogs on the move than nit-pick over points and appearance when posed. This highlighted the poor top-lines in many exhibits, as well as some bad back ends. There are too many exhibits that do not move parallel behind when moving away. Dogs, I felt, were much stronger in quality than bitches and there are some promising young males, who I hope will be able to make a positive contribution to the breed. I did find one dog with a bad mouth (level bite). I approached this, my first CC appointment in my own breed, with some trepidation, having been unimpressed from the ringside with some of the currently winning dogs. Breeders of Wires would do well to look at the conformation and movement of some of the winning Mini Wires and learn from them about what a well built hound should look like on the move.

MPD (3). 1-Pinkerton’s Bystock Skye Walker at Menigma. A promising young dark brindle dog with easily the best front construction in this class and the only one who held his top-line on the move. Elegant neck. Neat underline. Would prefer slightly more hind angulation. 2-Dible’s Liebling Walking On Water. Lost out to 1 with his top-line, where he had a tendency to sag. I did prefer his hind angulation to 1 which he also had over 3 (which was both straight in stifle and ran up in top-line). Good depth of body and length of ribbing. 3-Borman’s Sonic Pickpocket.

PD (1). 1-Derry’s Andlouis The Tempest. Very well balanced dog of just 12 months who presents a lovely profile both standing and on the move. Strong head and good carriage. Well constructed in front, with good forechest and tidy underline. Good feet. Well angulated behind and moved with purpose. Delighted to award him Reserve Dog CC and Best Puppy.

JD (2, 0 ab). 1-McCalmont’s Silvae Patriot. This young dog looks superb in profile both standing and on the move. I admired him when he first came out as a puppy. Liked his head, neck and front construction. Firm top-line. Good bone. Well angulated behind, which he uses to great effect in driving round the ring. It is a shame that his movement going away is so erratic. 2-Everington’s Caligari Magic Trick. This young dog was lighter all through than 1 and is softer in coat. Taller type than 1 and needs more bone. Held his top-line on the move and moved truer going away than 1. More crooked in front coming towards me than I prefer.

PGD (4, 1 ab). 1-Calcott’s Vineacre Batchelor Pad at Baffledown. This dog moved truest coming and going in this class; none of which really impressed me. Slightly more crook than I prefer. Good size. Adequate forechest. Would prefer more bone. Held his top-line better on the move than when posed. 2-Gibson’s Allfrey’s Seabiscuit. More upright in shoulder than 1 and runs up behind on the move and stacked. Preferred his head to 1. Good forechest. Reasonable length of ribbing. Appears well angulated behind, but erratic movement going away. 3-Clare’s Tendrow Willy Willys at Mabellene.

LD (5, 0 ab). 1-Derry’s Soneve Pharoah at Andlouis. Another handsome dog from this kennel and sire of my Dog RCC. A very tidy, honest little dog. Good size, little to fault on him. Good coat. Slightly lighter in eye than required. Good oval shape from the front and depth of body in profile. Moved true both coming and going away. 2-Davies’ Atahira Bags The Blues. Larger type than 1, and with good length and depth of body. Nice head. He looked good moving in profile and was true going away from me. Slightly wide coming towards me, as he felt a bit loose in elbow. His profile movement placed him ahead of 3. 3-Moore’s Romanchi Carrier.

OD (6, 1 ab). 1-Dible’s Liebling Here Comes The Boss. He has been made up since being listed without his "Ch." in the catalogue, and deservedly so. My star of the day in the Wires. A superbly made dog of just the right size and yet, with good bone. He just owned this ring and really steps out with drive, holding a good top-line at all times. Good coat. Excellent ribbing, compared with many. Dog CC, BOB and delighted to see him short-listed in the Group. 2- Rollinson’s Nosinllor Grenadier. Another very handsome dog who has been much overlooked in the breed and who I have admired from the ringside. An elegant dog, with a lovely top-line which he holds on the move (unlike so many). One of the best movers today and true going away, which put him ahead of others in this class. Good length and well ribbed up. Lost out to 1 by a small margin on front movement coming towards me. 3-McCalmont’s Ch. Silvae Pickwick.

MPB (5, 1 ab). 1-Patton’s Lieblings Ponderonme. A lovely shaped red bitch with super front, shoulder and upper arm construction. Correct size. Attractive head, held on elegant neck. Moves well and holds her top-line (better than when posed). True coming towards me. Lost out to the dog on maturity for Best Puppy. One to watch. The start of my red revolution bitch line-up! 2-Lewis & Hitchens’ Ashihna Hi Jean at Trixhound. Slightly larger type than 1, with good depth of body and overall substance. Nice front construction and elegant neck. Would prefer more hind angulation to improve her profile movement, although she did move slightly better going away from me than 1. When she behaved (!) she held her top-line on the move, which put her ahead of 3. 3- Dible’s Liebling Ponderawhile.

PB (3, 1 ab). 1-Patton’s Lieblings Ponderonme. 2- Kent’s Liebling Star Attraction. Another young red, but not quite the maturity of 1. Difficult to assess as she was a bit of a handful for her owner. Shorter in the body and not the quality of front construction of 1.

JB (3, 1 ab). 1-Clifford’s Ritterburg Rose Adagio with Ablebody. Compact brindle bitch with good depth of body, tidy underline and an excellent coat. Nice tight front construction and good forechest. Good length of ribbing. Could do with a larger head to balance her up more. Moved very true going away from me and held her top-line better on the move than 2. 2-Mortlock’s Hertsmerry Safe Keeping. Good overall length and good length of ribbing, but too narrow all through. More crooked coming towards me than I like. Good forechest. Straight in stifle and toes-in moving away.

PGB (9, 3 ab). 1-Rollinson’s Spitchwick By The Moor at Nosinllor. Good sized red bitch, although softer in coat than required. Good front, but a slight tendency to turn out her left foot, and good length, including length of ribbing. Would prefer more bone on her. Moved the truest coming and going in this class. Holds her top-line well. Like PGD, this was not a great class. 2-Gordon’s Cempsey Florin. Another red. Moved slightly wide when coming towards me, otherwise quite a nice little bitch, who appears very elegant. In some respects she is better angulated at both ends than 1, but was running up slightly behind on the move, which is why she lost out to 1. 3- Coverley’s Romanchi Tigua at Aventine.

LB (8, 2 ab). 1-Moore’s Silvae Fitzcherry at Cloudside. An extremely well made, elegant, red bitch who is unfortunately let down by her coat. She has really true movement in both directions. Nice size. Adequate forechest. Well angulated behind which she uses to good effect on the move, in profile. Holds a really firm top-line at all times. I liked her a lot when watching her move round the ring. 2-Rees’ Ermewood Arabella. Larger type than 1 and not quite the overall elegance, but with good body shape and bone. Another one that looks far better on the move than when posed. Nice front construction and reasonable forechest. Would prefer a bit more hind angulation, although she moved better behind than 3, going away. 3-Borman’s Sonic Sugar Babe.

OB (7, 1 ab). 1-Patton’s Ch. Lesandnic Like A Butterfly. Two very different types for 1 and 2 in this class; both good quality bitches. 1 has a super front and moved absolutely true when coming towards me. Elegant neck, good forechest. Held her top-line better than 2 and has a lovely sweeping underline. In the photograph I took, she looks more of a continental type (which I like) than 2 and I did like her ability to cover the ground so freely and effortlessly. Still young, and put in a great performance on the day. Bitch CC. 2-McCalmont’s Ch. Silvae Picnic. Lighter brindle bitch whose front construction I really liked, as she has super tight-fitting elbows. Felt she didn’t move as true going away from me as 1 and was not as firm in top-line as she could be when moving in profile. She has good length; probably longer than 1. Well angulated behind. Res. Bitch CC. 3-Davies’ Cempsey Centime by Atahira.

I J Seath