Information on working terriers, dogs, natural history, hunting, and the environment, with occasional political commentary as I see fit. This web log is associated with the Terrierman.com web site.
Why isn't the breed standard set by a dog who looks like her? She is literally perfect in every way but small. In the lower picture you can see exactly how a JRT should look ideally. Where does the high end (sizewise) come from?
Different courses for different courses. Some people in the UK and mainland Europe are mostly digging in old badger settes. That said, I know what I want and why I want it.
Good-looking larger dogs are easier to breed. Not sure why, but they are. Add in the fact that shows give a lot of points to the head (because that's what differentiates so many breeds) and a big head is deemed good, and a big head ties to a big chest to support it, and you can see how even the slightest drift in attention will get you a larger dog.
There are a lot of very good looking dogs at around 12 inches. I want a dog smaller than that if I can, but 12 inches is fine if it's built right. Moxie is about 10.75, so very small. She's pretty tough though. :)
I believe she's tough. I can see from the shape of her head that she probably has a pretty good set of choppers. I have one guy who's about 11" but he's built like a little pit bull and weighs 16 lbs. Still he's a great JRT in all respects- and around here we don't have woodchuck holes- just dangerous and scary rock holes up in the hills. Still- I want to get a little dog some day.
3 comments:
Why isn't the breed standard set by a dog who looks like her? She is literally perfect in every way but small. In the lower picture you can see exactly how a JRT should look ideally. Where does the high end (sizewise) come from?
Different courses for different courses. Some people in the UK and mainland Europe are mostly digging in old badger settes. That said, I know what I want and why I want it.
Good-looking larger dogs are easier to breed. Not sure why, but they are. Add in the fact that shows give a lot of points to the head (because that's what differentiates so many breeds) and a big head is deemed good, and a big head ties to a big chest to support it, and you can see how even the slightest drift in attention will get you a larger dog.
There are a lot of very good looking dogs at around 12 inches. I want a dog smaller than that if I can, but 12 inches is fine if it's built right. Moxie is about 10.75, so very small. She's pretty tough though. :)
I believe she's tough. I can see from the shape of her head that she probably has a pretty good set of choppers. I have one guy who's about 11" but he's built like a little pit bull and weighs 16 lbs. Still he's a great JRT in all respects- and around here we don't have woodchuck holes- just dangerous and scary rock holes up in the hills. Still- I want to get a little dog some day.
Post a Comment