Birmingham National (Ch - 11/05/2006)

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Critique

KLEIN I haven’t been able to watch either of these breeds for some time and all the dogs presented were quite new to me. I was struck by certain colour connected characteristics, without exception, all blacks had exactly the sort of head I think they should have and breeders of other colours could do a lot worse than to study in particular the shape, set, size and colour of eyes in blacks. I found the chocolates invariably had significantly denser coats than other colours, though they also had a greater tendency to waviness. Movement overall was greatly improved with only two (both Kleins) flapping their front legs up and down in the way some described as ‘characteristic’ (Well, it was characteristic at the time, I suppose, but it was also wrong!) I was pleased to encounter no undershot mouths and only three level bites. I felt dogs were a lot stronger than bitches and there were, particularly in the latter, far too many ‘Pommy’ heads. The aim should be small Keeshond, not oversize Pom.

MPD. (3). 1. Hutcheson-Boyles’, Timberwolf Velvet Moon del Vocerdoe. 6 months old. Good overall proportions for age. Chest needs to fill and drop a little. Lovely coat with correct length and texture for age. Excellent tailset and carriage. Super shape and size of eye. 2. O’Rourke, Garbutt and Thomas’s, Dajelilne Charizard. 6 months old. A nicely put together, short coupled puppy with well placed high set ears but a very pronounced stop. Good body and tailset with good hind action but front movement affected by very straight shoulders and short upper arms (but to be fair I have seen worse).

PD. (4). 1. Metcalfe’s, Flactem Domino. BP. 9 months old. A lovely black and white with a compact body and sound movement coming and going. Excellent length and texture of coat and excellent tail set and carriage. Eyes just avoid being round and a smidgen less stop would be ideal. 2. Dajelilne Charizard. 6 months old. A nicely put together, short coupled puppy with well placed, high set ears but a very pronounced stop. Good body and tailset with good hind action but front movement affected by very straight shoulders and short upper arms (but to be fair I have seen worse).

JD. (4). 1. Hill’s, Enzo Z Temnych Nodi at Cyfelin (Imp). 12 months old. A perfect Keeshond in miniature. Well put together with a solid, firm, compact body and good movement. A very good head with lovely eye shape, set and colour and excellent ear placement. Confirms what I had been told in Austria, that the former Czechoslovakia breeds the best! 2. Parden’s, Desaria Sky Lark Mit Dunbrook. 15 months old red. Very close in quality to winner. Excellent coat, good body and movement. Good tail set and carriage. Correct eye shape and set but ears a tad wide and stop a tad steep.

PGD. (5). 1. Dickinson’s, Wychlea Pickle. Black. Absolutely lovely head with high set ears and quite perfect eye set, shape and colour. Nice short body well put together with good angulation and therefore good movement. Coat profuse but with just a hint of a wave. 2. Moles’, Molead Moon Beam. Red. Very close decision. Better coat (ie straighter) than winner but too much stop, though ears were well placed and small eyes, a nice shape and set. Excellent tailset and carriage.

LD. (4). 1. Pots’, Flactem Reflections Mit Rimazet. Compact, well put together wolf sable with excellent coat, long, harsh and dense. Nice shaped feet, tiny high set ears and nice almond shaped eyes of moderate size but too much stop. 2. Hawker’s, Chilite Smokin Joe. Cream with another lovely, absolutely correct coat. Correctly sized eyes that just avoid being round. Ears a nice size but a but too wide set. Hind movement ok but front less good.

OD. (7). 1. Highmoors’, Kartmel Legolas. CC and BOB. A black to die for. Perfect head with flat skull, small high set ears, excellent eye set, shape and colour. Plenty of body and bone. Well constructed with good movement at both ends. I was delighted to learn this CC makes him up. 2. Wright’s, Cha Orion Mirror Image. RCC. White with a stunning coat. Excellent tailset and carriage. Very good body. Nice head with lovely small, high set ears, though to nit-pick I’d have liked a little less stop. Hind movement excellent but front movement marginally less good than winner on the day.

MPB. (3). 1. Allison’s, Oberitz Fairy Magic. 8 months old. Fairly compact cream sable with a lovely quality coat and very good tail set and carriage. Nice shaped head for age which will grow to fit ears. Moved well. 2. Storm’s, Stormavon Shine On Me. 7 months old. Promising coat but less of it on the day than winner. Good tailset. A very nice head overall with especially good eyes, but a tad too much stop. A shade long in body but a very good mover.

PB. (3). 1. Cook’s, Goldritz Sleepflower. 10 months old. A really pure white with no hint of cream and excellent dark pigment. Solid body with a good coat and excellent tail carriage. Good eye shape, set and colour and good ear placement on a nice head despite a slightly round skull. 2. Stormavon Shine On Me.

JB. (4). 1. Kimber and Bridgen’s, Stonelight Octavia. 16 months old cream with a perfect tail set. A lovely coat and nice neat feet. Perfect ear size and set. Good eye size and shape. Good mover. Won on marginally more maturity. 2. Hayward’s, Don’t Look Back. 16 months old black and white with a stunning coat and nice tailset. Ideal eyes in a good head though ears a tad wide set. Very good mover.

PGB. (6). 1. Metcalfe’s, Flactem Four Pleasure. Very stunning red sable and white particolour. Very compact with a nice body and a good coat exceptionally harsh for a bitch. Super tailset and carriage. Nice head with small, close set ears and very good eyes. Good mover. 2. Salisbury’s, Teomakleins Lady Penelope. Black with a good length of coat though not as profuse as winner. Excellent shape, set and colour eyes with ears that are a shade large but high set. A very good mover.

LB. (6). 1. Bradbury’s, Wychlea Aimy Voom. CC. Black, compact, solid body with excellent tailset and carriage. The usual very good head associated with blacks and with small, high set ears. A very good harsh, dense coat. Nice feet. Moved well. I was delighted that she, too, is mow made up. 2. Hawker’s, Chilite Savannah. Chocolate. Not a happy bunny in the heat. A good dense coat, harsh but not long. Tailset rather low and loath to raise it. Very nice eye set, size and shape. Movement ok.

OB. (8). 1. Bunbrook Bedazzled. RCC. Cream sable with a heavy profuse, harsh coat. High set and well carried tail. Would ideally like less stop. Small, high set ears. A good solid body and sound movement. 2. Metcalfe’s, Rimazet Co Co Chanel of Flactem. Another chocolate who hated the heat. Very dense coat and lovely tail carriage. Solid body and moved well. Very small, high set ears and a correctly shaped eye.