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Published on:

18th Nov 2024

660 – Peacock Feet and Finding Breed Type in Toy Dogs

Peacock Feet and Finding Breed Type in Toy Dogs

Dale Martenson, breeder of Touche Japanese Chin, joins host Laura Reeves for an enlightening discussion of breed type in toy dogs. He encourages judges, exhibitors and breeders to focus on the critical details of beauty and not get hung up in fault judging. “I hear people talking about either how they judged a group of dogs or breeders when they're evaluating their puppies and all they’re talking about is the faults,” Martenson said, “and (all I can think is they’re looking at a) beautiful flock of Peacocks and all they see is a bunch of ugly feet and crooked toes running at them. They’re missing the point of this breed and all of the work that goes into the details that make these breeds so hard to raise and so intricate and so desirable. “I think the biggest insult somebody can give you is that you were generic because there's nothing about the toy dogs that's generic. And we have a whole lot of very breed specific type that you have to get into and start pulling apart. “If you're cute enough, somebody will bring you food … they do not need to get their own food. “These toy breeds have very specific things in each of them that you can't get away from. If you don't have those, you don't have a show quality specimen. You have a dog that's irrelevant to the people who like the breed. “We become a little bit like axe murderers when you miss our type because we're trying to get markings, we're trying to get size, we're trying to get breed specific things in tiny litters with a lot of mortality. In Japanese Chin, we don't have the good fortune of the Pointer where it says a good Pointer can’t be a bad color. “The Japanese Chin, for example, their job was to be really pretty. Hang out with the geisha, you know, very quietly sit with their friends and say, ‘ohh, my gosh, she's gotten fat.’ You know, I mean, just being that little best friend and not really liking anybody else.”  
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Pure Dog Talk
The VOICE of Purebred Dogs|Learn How to Show Your Dog|Dog Sports, Agility, Barn Hunt|AKC Dog Breeds and Dog Breeders|
Pure Dog Talk is the VOICE of Purebred Dogs. We talk to the legends of the sports and give you tips and tools to create an awesome life with your purebred dog. From dog shows to preservation breeding, from competitive obedience to field work, from agility to therapy dogs and all the fun in between; your passion is our purpose. Pure Dog Talk supports the American Kennel Club, our Parent, Specialty and All-Breed Clubs, Dog Sports, Therapy, Service and Preservation of our Canine Companions.
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About your host

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Laura Reeves

Laura is an AKC Breeder of Merit and retired member of the Pro-fessional Handlers Association. Laura is a second-generation breeder of German Wirehaired Pointers, under the Scotia Kennel banner.

Scotia dogs have earned well over 100 titles, in the show ring, field and performance events. Her dedication to breeding dual purpose dogs reflects a stated goal of preserving the all-weather, rugged, sound-minded gun dog the breed’s founders envisioned.

Laura served the GWPCA as AKC Gazette columnist, Judges Education Committee member and chair, Vice President, Presi-dent, National Events Coordinator and Wire~News Editor.

Her background as a newspaper reporter, marketing rep and re-searcher/writer for audio driving tours has served her well in her side projects. Her current adventure as host of PureDogTalk podcast lends her particular combination of skills to an outstanding breeder and exhibitor education channel.