Do you have something to say? If so, feel free to write us with your thoughts and opinions on any recent article. If we find it of interest to our readers, we'll print it. Be sure that you include your name, address and a phone number or email address so that we may contact you. You may make your submission by mail, fax or email.

Differing Emphasis :; Sept article

Hi Dr. Morgan-Jones,

I read with interest your article in the September on-line Canine Chronicle. The question you pose - "would you give preference to a well-made dog with average breed type or to an unsound, poorly-constructed dog excelling in one type characteristic or other?" - is one I have been debating with my friends in both my breeds - Rottweilers and Scottish Terriers - for years!
  
I think part of the quandry comes from the fact that many of our judges - all arounders and breeder judges - are coming from the ranks of handlers. While not totally a bad thing, very, very few of them have done anything with their dogs besides go around the show ring. How many of them have seen a great terrier go to ground and take out a nasty varmint or seen a powerful Rottweiler take down a "bad guy" in the protection work of Schutzhund or effortlessly be able to work 80 or 90 sheep quietly and efficiently all day then go home, get a bath and go pull the kids' cart in the town's parade? To me, "pretty is as pretty does"!
   
My current Scottie is a champion but one of the things he is criticized for is a "coarse" jaw. I put my hands on some of the show Scotties today and wonder, with that narrow, narrow head, how in the world they would kill a varmint with no bone for the muscle in their jaw to attach to much less get down a 9" hole due to their size!
   
In Rotties, the current fad for the sloping rear and corresponding rear weakness makes me shudder to think of them trying to do any work at all!
   
Fortunately, there are still enough judges that appreciate a "working" structure but how do we educate those that have never actually needed a dog to do the work it was developed to do and found out first hand when the mind is willing but the body weak? 
   
You will see one of my "all arounder" dogs in the next issue of Canine Chronicle in an article that is going to be about Dual Champions!

Janet Noble
Buster, Bandit, Abby and Bugs
McGruff, Abbo, Usco, Toby and Bryce (RB)
Tacoma, WA USA

 
Good morning,
 
I just read the article “Lessons To Be Learned” by Gay Dunlap on your website and it is fabulous. I just hope it was published elsewhere for as many people as possible to see. Did you send a copy to the Jockey Club? Or perhaps to racing publications? They all need a wake up call too!
 
I have been a dog breeder for 25+ years and am also an avid dressage rider. I am vehemently opposed to horse racing as it is now with racing horses at such a young age when their bones cannot take the strain. We don’t start pushing our dressage horses until they are five or six years old and they don’t reach their peak until several years later and we can still show a dressage horse into its late teens to early twenties! It always amazed me that anyone would breed to a stallion that had broken down at a young age and was put out to stud. What are these people thinking?
 
But to your point in breeders owning the responsibility…it to our credit when good dogs/horses are bred and our entire fault when bad dogs/horses are bred. When breeders blame ‘too many dog shows or horse races’ they are just unwilling to look in the mirror and accept the responsibility of their own bad decisions. Breeding must always be an objective, researched decision and never an emotional one. We must breed to meet our bitch’s or mare’s needs not necessarily to the winning animal of the times. I have personally ‘flushed’ stored frozen semen of a beautifully structured dog when we realized there was most likely a genetic heart problem. I have chosen not to breed other structurally beautiful dogs when their temperaments weren’t as they should be…they were not aggressive or ill mannered by any means, but not the outgoing, happy, secure personality that should be typical of the breed. We as breeders MUST accept the sole responsibility of breeding quality dogs/horses and not put the blame on bad judges or too many dog shows or horse races.
 
Thanks again for the wonderful article. Cackie Vroom
 
Cackie Vroom
Classic Sighthounds

Article by Gay Dunlap

This article was written beautifully....I would love to see drug testing allowed in our Fancy of Dog Showing...specifically to growth enhancement and in particular steroids , mood enhancers and female testosterone CHEQUE drops given to bitches being specialed to maintain coat and build muscle....this has been done for decades in bitches and is disgusting and I was glad to listen to some very ethical professional handlers remark that ....if their client wanted this for their specials bitch...the bitch would not be shown by them period...how refreshing and how sad that it is blatantly done in the fancy....and will continue to be done with no control...bad for the fancy of dog showing and bad for the dogs overall...but the fancy has become SPORT....not the original intention of showing dogs....Thanks for printing the article....now if only something would be done about it.

Michele Mckinney
Churchil Bloodhounds since 1979

Tread Lightly

I have a male frenchie, he isn't a show dog but he is the light of my life!  I read you wonderful summation after it had been posted on the frogdoggers site.  I just wanted to tell you that your gift with words is astounding!  I am so glad you shared your history and wish I  could have known any of the dogs you mention.  My Bodacious shares many of the characteristics you brought up and you painted a glorious picture of Frenchie love.
 
Thank you again for sharing.
 
Cheri

The Sonlit dogs...

I saw your article on the Sonlit dogs, and I could not help but comment.  I lost my 13 year old Hammer (Bullmarket Sumolebull Pelshire, CD), a son of Pelshire's Sonlit Mario and grandson of Sonlit's Daring Esprit, this March.  His dam was LeBull's Achey Breaky Heart, and Carol Gravestock of Bullmarket still owns and adores his litter sister Tessa.  Hammer was a dazzling combination of physical strength and exquisite mental sensitivity that I had never before experienced in a dog, and I have had dogs all my life.  He was very particular about the other dogs in his life, hating most of them, but the ones he loved, he loved with a fierce devotion.  He loved me with that same fierce devotion, and his passing has left a huge hole in my heart.  I have been told that I will never find that particular combination of strength, ferocity, and sensitivity again, because it was from the Sonlit side of the family tree, and all of those dogs are gone.  So many of the Frenchies that I have met since Hammer, and I have met hundreds of them, are lumps of uninspired canine pudding, sweet but rather dull minded.

I want to thank you for breeding the dogs that made a dog like my Hammer possible... 

Charlotte Creeley, Esq.

Canine Chronicle

Hiya,
 
I have just read your article on the internet and I have to say that you are an extremely passionate and articulate writer who epitomises the way I believe all breeders should [naturally] feel about their dogs.
 
I know of your kennel name from doing Frenchie research on the net and your dogs are truly fabulous. But the most compelling thing I picked up on is the respect and admiration you have for your canine family.
 
Thankyou so much for sharing and may God bless the show world with more loyal 'doggie people' like yourself in future.
 
With a smile,
 
Caroline :~)

Caroline Roberts
Secretary Auckland Bulldog Club

Tread Lightly

I want to compliment you on this article, but my words would seem so inadequate in comparison to what you have written.  Let me just say - stunning - to the point and a dagger in the heart.
 
Bravo, etc.
 
Helene Neer
www.petitmotiffrenchies.com