Agreed she is so down to earth too. And willing to help out a a "newbie"

I think that it's great to hone your discerning/critical eye. I find I do it with all dogs actually. When I'm driving and passing someone walking their dog, I can't help but look at the movement. And I tell you there are a lot of sickle hocks out there. Mostly on the street I see cross-breeds, but movement is movement.

I also think that over time you will start to put your own dogs faults in perspective. And over time what you weigh as the most desirable traits might change or switch order.

Like all those posted I do keep my opinions to myself, and do mark up my catalogue when I'm just a spectator and not showing.

To me there is nothing more amazing than watching a National Specialty and seeing all those beautiful dogs out there at once. Takes your breath away.





I started a chart on my breed as to placing in order of importance the various components of structure, size, color, movement, coat, temperament etc, and have changed my weighting at least a dozen times over the seven years. :p

Rumor in the show world is Betty Anne is getting to retire from the ring.

Awh have not heard this yet. Hopefully not from breeding!.

When I say kennel blind is when you think everything you breed is show worthy. Kennel blindness you forget about what the breed is about and keeping it to breed standard. You have blinders on concerning the structure and movement ect....I've seen so many say they have a silk coat when it's a modified silk ect...aka kennel blindness...

What I think is a pretty head you may not. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think Radar has a pretty head, the little bitch I showed last year had a pretty head, you may think differently, the bitch I specialed in 05 had an UGLY head but she was put together so nicely and was the #1 yorkie bitch in breed but what I considered an ugly head. So again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder

I hear she's retiring from everything basically. But hey she's been very successful and she deserves to retire knowing she's done good with this breed :) What a legacy to leave :)

Donna

I wish her good luck in her new life if this is all true, she deserves it all :)

Terrier people must think they're beautiful heads. They are terrier heads.

I don't know if she is retiring but I do know she mentioned she was downsizing quite abit due to moving to smaller accomodations.

Again, in the eye of the beholder. But take the silky terrier, they won't have all the same head either. You find a head that is pleasing to you. All dogs are pretty in their own way but again, what I think is pretty, you may not.

Just like in people what you might find attractive in a man I may not find him that way and visa versa :)

OH boy we going to talk about - attractive men now:D Give me a swimmers body any ole day

Thanks to you Gail, I was obsessed with checking out hocks on our walk today, lol. As a mere pet owner, I have always had a thing for the hind legs and rear end on terriers. Loved my Airedale's and now my Yorkies'.

I love a pretty head too.

I hope you didn't tell your bitch she had an ugly head. :eek:;););)

I can accept a not so pretty head, even though I love them. What I can't accept is a bad topline.

I've watched so many shown with bad fronts, rears, laybacks and u necks....

Another thing I can't accept is a dog that single tracks, front gait crossing over....ah heck I just want a well put together dog.

I agree. You can't have it all, but I must have a solid looking well put together dog, this of course includes great movement/structure. Love a solid topline - like a cup and saucer could balance on top of its back and even in movement could keep that cup/saucer in place. Yummmmmy! :tongue:

A do love a pretty head too, but not the priority. It is human nature to admire those pretty heads.

I have never seen a single tracker Yorkie, but I know that would irritate me.

I was reading an old thread discussing "fatal" faults and someone mentioned something about broken rear ends. What does that mean?

Geez, that's a new one on me....maybe I know it by another phrase.....

I'll go back and see if I can find the thread again -- maybe I'm mistaking the phrase.

I am thinking it means - a bad rear.

Let's try to guess.. I've not heard that term be4. but would be fun to try to umm see... Let's see obviously the dog is in the showring so "broken rear end". Probably more than too much sway across rear end. Maybe low tail set and sacruum contributing to a weak rear and lack of drive and extension through hind legs.


My guesss

While I do understand all of the comments in this thread, I just want to say that there is a world full of *imperfect* yorkies; and I find it sad in a way that some do not recognize them.

I have met many breeders at the dog show in Houston the past few years and not one has ever even paid an ounce of attention to my little *imperfects*. Not saying that as a complaint, just an observation that perhaps it does get carried a bit far? I realize why they are there and that many are busy. Just a simple observation.

I totally admire and love looking at the show yorkies; but I don't have one and so love the looks and personalities of each of my babies. It is not their fault that they were not bred for the show ring.

I am positive that it was not meant against you little one. We are just so busy and focused. We have enough of a hard time keeping ourself aware of when our class is called, as not to miss it. You never know about our little guys, sometimes what to expect from them. I know I had two showing in our last show and one being a teenager. I had no way of being sure how she would perform once in the ring. Luckily she did okay for her 2nd show, but refused to let the judge see her bite. I was just glad that she actually walked around the ring and stayed when asked. We are getting there, but have a ways to go. I will also be glad once her hormones have settled down. She was not so happy with the great dane that walked by our table just before ring time. :eek: Yorkies are not afraid of anything, no matter the size!

I do realize that you all are busy.....it is just that some have taken time to speak with us with our dogs right there and I am telling you they don't even look at them.

I am not talking about any of the yorkie breeders. I have met a couple but they were running busy and I knew that.

It is just weird when it happens. I had one come to our booth last year who stood there for about 30 minutes asking about a pup we had on our website. She said she was interested in adopting her. She was not a yorkie breeder. Anyway....we never heard from her again. I actually sent her a nice email after the show and she never bothered to respond to that. Perhaps she was just looking to see what we do...I don't know. BUT, I had my pups in a stroller sitting right there under her nose and she did not even glance at them. hahah I swear it was ODD.

I sat with one during the show one night....and even during breaks she really did not even seem to know there were two yorkies on my lap. She reeked of alcohol so maybe that explains it. I also do not know if she really was a breeder or just someone thinking she was impressing? Who knows. haha

Guess I just wanted to speak for my imperfects today. :D

I know I can't pass up petting a yorkie and saying hi to their owner. I love all yorkies. I remember a few years ago at the Houston shows I did meet a lady that does Yorkie rescue and we talked for awhile and she gave me her card. Even though her yorkie was not real pretty I could tell she was happy and well loved. And I did pet her sweet yorkie.

Ah! But, Linda I have some of those little imperfects right here in my home.
My first two are strickly pet, I knew nothing....yep! One with bad knees from birth, but the sweet, fiesty thing, with a skin ailment. My other Anna; wooly, teddy bear, totally out of standard and the Alpha bitch in my house. I also have a three that because no one wanted them I took in. A mixed breed, honorary yorkie/maltipoo, of course my 35 cup coffee maker and then my mother's (now deseased) dog that has aggression problems, bad coat, bad structure. With all their imperfections they aren't loved any less than my Champions...

But, because it's because those little imperfects, that when I got involved in showing and then breeding, I knew that I would breed the best of the best.

Most of us show exhibitors have our pets too. I have two, that are now very old and of course neutered. I got them over the years when my kids were young. And I do know quite a few show exhibitors that do rescue as well.

If I am there watching at a show and not showing, I am so engrossed on which dogs are in the ring and observing them and mine, I usually do not pay attention to the others around me by ringside. I am also a bit shy and will not just start up a conversation. They could have a strobe light and neon sign over their head and I would not even ask what is with all that. Just me. I am sure no one was meaning to be mean.

At my last show - wow, what nice people. My generator died and we had people coming over to help get it started and people offered to go on errands for me, and finally they relocated us and got us all plugged into electricity. They did not have to help, but did. Another thing was a good gust of wind came up while we were in the main show area and someone put our awning down and another came to get us. When we got there to our camper one was still holding on to our awning and helped us get it back into place. It saved us having to buy a 1,000 + awning. Show people are the best! :D

Just wanted to share my own views and experiences. We are people just like everyone else, with families, and just really care deeply for our dogs and the breed.:D

Can't forget Jilli Dog either! She was found on the streets and adopted by Rick. They now perform for others around the world and is involved with Yorkshire Terrier National Rescue. The Rick and Jilli Story
http://www.jillidog.com/index.html

I think it is correct we love all yorkies!! :thumbup:

Awwww Linda I'm sorry! Please don't think I don't think they are all pretty in their own way! I have several pet yorkies that are far from perfect and I love them just as much as the show dogs if not more! My Brookie is cotton coated, ears to the side of her head and a bugger to groom LOL...but she is my heart dog and my baby!!! She's actually my favorite and my darling!!!
But when I am in the ring or watching the show yorkies I'm very critical. And to the other poster...I would have never told Cammie she had a ugly head she was a joy to show and probably the best traveler I ever took on the road nothing beat that yorkie when it came to traveling. Radar drives me insane in the car LOL.
I have a critical eye for the yorkies in the ring not pet yorkies as that is what they are and are just as loveable as the show yorkies!

Linda, wish I were going to be in Houston this year but I'll just be coming back from Maryland to see my BFF Natalie!

Donna

Maybe a dog with no rear angulation, throwing off the gait and making the rear appear to be fractured??????????

This website explains some of the things that cause bad movement. Of course it has to also be based on your breed. I think some breeds are suppose to 'roll' when they move. Anyway, it is interesting. I love watching dog show videos of yorkies moving.

http://phantomd.phantomdach.com/inde...s/ShowRing.pdf

Now don't look at Andy . Oh go ahead but I love him just the way he is

It makes me think of slipped hocks. Major structural weakness but all too common.

While I may critique dogs to myself - I don't think I'm being a snob about it - it's more of a comparison of them against the breed standard. :)