Breed Priorities – The Kerry Blue Terrier

BY NIKKI RIGGSBEE

This article is not intended to promote fault or part judging. Nor is it to imply that any characteristic called for in the standard is unimportant. Judging, and breeding, is about prioritizing and about what the judge or breeder will forgive. Discussing priorities can help in learning how to better evaluate a breed. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS? Contact AKC Judge Ms. Nikki Riggsbee at Email: nriggsbee@aol.com

The Kerry Blue Terrier originated in Ireland and was used for many jobs, including hunting birds and small game and for retrieving from land and water. There are nine native breeds from Ireland, with some suggesting that the Kerry Blue is the country’s national dog rather than the Irish Wolfhound. There are two Irelands, so perhaps there can be two national dog breeds. The Kerry Blues ranked 129th based on registration in 2017 among AKC’s recognized breeds. The majority of Terrier breeds are on the most recent Low Entry Breeds List, including the Kerry Blues.

Born black, Kerry Blue Terriers must be blue (any shade of blue gray or gray blue) by 18 months, or they are disqualified. The color is so important that it is in the name of the dog. I expected the breed experts to consider color very important; I wondered what other features they would consider critical to breed type. Seventy-one breed experts were identified to invite to a survey of their breed’s priorities. We were able to reach many of them (that is, the emails didn’t bounce), and thirty-nine agreed to participate. By the deadline and after two reminders, we received thirteen com- pleted surveys. Not a good percentage, but it could be sufficient.

Those who did contribute have been in the breed from fifteen to sixty years, over thirty-eight years on average. Several were approved judges who have been judging the breed for more than twenty years on average. Most of the judges have judged the national, and all have judged other Kerry specialties.

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Posted by Alex on Aug 23 2018. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.