Miniature Smooth-haired Dachshunds – Bournemouth 2024
Thank you to the exhibitors for a lovely entry in the sunny South of England. My last CC appointment in this variety was in 2008 so I was interested to see what, if anything, had changed. By and large, temperaments were good. There were a few dogs that were nervous on the table and wouldn’t come up to me from moving and, while their conformation and movement might have been acceptable, I had to penalise them when deciding on my placings. Mouths were fine, with strong, well-developed teeth and correct scissor bites.
I was concerned about 3 things: heads, lack of ground clearance, and hindquarters. Some dogs’ heads lacked the houndy appearance that results from a correct conical shape when viewed from above. They are boxy, too short in the muzzle, and often also have large round eyes instead of the correct almond shape.
The Breed Standard is very clear about the expectation on ground clearance. Too many dogs still have an exaggerated depth of chest, legs that are too short, and a lack of ground clearance.
My worry with hindquarters is those dogs with too long a lower thigh. I want to be able to place my hand vertically on the hock joint and have about one hand’s width from the rump, not 2-3 widths. The result of this exaggeration is a sickle-hocked, tummy-tapping movement, with insufficient rear drive. This is a Breed Watch point of concern that judges should be aware of. The majority of my winners had more moderate hind angulation and were able to display adequate hind drive.
Minor Puppy Dog (3 Entries) Abs: 2
1st: SMALL, Miss Karis Jade Glynlythe’s Hot News. Shaded red who is better angulated in the front than behind. Slightly too long for my liking. Runs up behind in profile. Good reach of neck. Slightly wide moving away. Good amount of forechest. Strong head with dark pigment and correct eye shape.
Puppy Dog (7 Entries) Abs: 4
1st: HANNEY-MITCHELL, Mrs F Bronia Daimmen. Correctly proportioned black and tan who impresses immediately you see him on the move. Would prefer a slightly stronger head. Lovely tight-fitting elbows. Overall good amount of forechest and not overdone. Very well angulated behind and absolutely parallel going away from me. Held a firm topline on the move. He stood out in this entry and was an obvious choice for the Dog CC (his 2nd). Also, BOB and an amazing (well-deserved) 2nd place in the Hound Puppy Group. One to watch!
2nd: MAGRI, Mr J A Ardenrun Pinot Rouge Rozamie. Red brindle of similar compact type to 1. Slightly more forechest than the first one but a little bit shorter in the keel and ribbing. Moved parallel going away. Really good reach of neck and a good houndy head.
3rd: FAIRCHILD, Rev Andrew Restinim The Black Bishop
Junior Dog (3 Entries) Abs: 0
1st: MAGRI, Mr J A Rozamie Tiger Feet. Dark red brindle with a good amount of ground clearance. Correct proportions. Good tidy underline and a level topline on the move. Good amount of forechest. Lovely dark eye and correct eye shape. Moved parallel going away from me.
2nd: FORGE, Mrs Iona Normpug Roman Holiday. Another lovely type but just a bit too much depth of chest for my liking. Compact type with the correct length to height proportions. His underline slightly tucks up with the excessive depth of chest. Not quite the reach of neck of the first one but a nice overall type. Really moved with good front extension.
3rd: SPALL, Mr M & CLARK, MR MATTHEW Llapsttam Sebastian
Postgraduate Dog (1 Entries) Abs: 0
1st: 2479 STRANGE, Mrs & Mr C & P Bronia’s Armand At Cazdachs. Better in front than behind. Reasonable reach of neck. Lovely topline in profile. Could do with more bend of stifle. Slightly more depth of chest than I prefer which means his underline tucks up a little. Moves well coming towards me but slightly wide moving away. Lovely head and good dark pigment.
Limit Dog (6 Entries) Abs: 1
1st: 2431 BULLIS, Mrs A J Amaffrey Henry. Correct proportions. Compact with adequate amount of ground clearance. Not overangulated behind. Moved absolutely parallel going away. Really tight-fitting elbows. Good amount of forechest. Good houndy head on reachy neck. Reserve Dog CC.
2nd: 2463 O’CONNELL, Mr Richard & O’CONNELL, Mrs Aimee Rijobeau Rumours With Llennocor. Another absolutely lovely type with a super topline held at all times. A little bit more length of lower thigh than I prefer which means he was slightly tucked under when watching him in profile. Good forechest. Lovely reach of neck. Lovely tidy underline. A very elegant looking dog.
3rd: 2460 MAGRI, Mr J A Rozamie Red Corvette
Open Dog (6 Entries) Abs: 1
1st: BULLIS, Mrs A J Ch Amaffrey Jessie James JW. Super proportioned black and tan with a lovely topline. Really good reach in front movement and not overangulated behind. Good reach of neck. Lovely head.
2nd: GENTLE, Mr & Mrs D & D Dimogen Stargazer. Another lovely type with a little bit more forechest than the first one and more ground clearance. More over-angulated in the hindquarters and longer in the lower thigh. Lovely topline and good tidy underline.
3rd: ERGIS, Mrs S Ch Siouxline Jacob JW
Class 1136 VD (1 Entries) Abs: 0
1st: ERGIS, Mrs S Ch Siouxline Jacob JW. Red dog with good pigment who really struts his stuff as a veteran. Lovely type. Slightly more crook in front than I prefer. Super hind angulation. Really good reach in front movement and good drive behind. Super topline at all times. A worthy champion, still showing his qualities and enjoying his day out as a veteran.
Special Beginners D/B (7 Entries) Abs: 5
1st: 2487 WILKINSON & WAKEHAM, Miss & Mr Carrie & Andrew Bronia Donatello For Wakywilks. Lovely overall type but I would prefer a bit more ground clearance. Really good topline. Nice tight-fitting elbows. Adequate reach of neck. Reasonable bend of stifle. Very pleased to see his owner win the SB Hound Group. Congratulations.
2nd: 2469 ROSE, Mrs B J Pennydach Mystique At Rosencrantz. More compact type than 1. Loose in elbow and quite crooked coming towards me. Not quite the length of keel of the first one and a bit more cut up in the underline. Moved parallel going away from me.
Minor Puppy Bitch (5 Entries) Abs: 1
1st: WILKINSON & WAKEHAM, Miss & Mr Carrie & Andrew Wakywilks Celestial. Black and Tan with slightly more length of lower thigh than I’d prefer which means the hind movement wasn’t quite correct. Good amount of forechest. Good reach of neck carrying a lovely head with correct almond shaped eye and dark pigment. Very neat underline.
2nd: SMALL, Miss Karis Jade Glynlythe’s Heirloom. Slightly longer type than 1 and better angulated behind but moved close behind going away. Good length of upper arm. Good forechest. Tidy underline. Running up very slightly in the topline on the move but level when stacked.
3rd: DUNFORD, Mrs Terry Louise Ruletadax Evie Antonia
Puppy Bitch (10 Entries) Abs: 4
1st: BUTTERSTONE, Miss Andrea Jane Joshotto Martha Gunn. Good sized Black and Tan with correct proportions. Perhaps not the greatest ear set. Moved better going away from me than 2 which was a little bit closer behind. Adequate amount of forechest. Good level topline at all times. Very tidy underline; not cut up at all.
2nd: HANNEY-MITCHELL, Mrs F Bronia Blayze. slightly longer type with good forechest. Nice tight-fitting elbows. Good reach of neck and good front action in profile. Slightly longer in the lower thigh which meant she wasn’t quite as tidy going away as 1.
3rd: HERALD, Mrs R & Miss S J Winterfield Lady In Red
Junior Bitch (7 Entries) Abs: 2
1st: TITE, Mr J Rijobeau Rita Bix. Good overall size Black/Tan but too deep in the forechest for my liking and a bit too long in the lower thigh. Lovely topline. Really tight-fitting elbows and well laid-back shoulder with good length of upper arm. Moved with good front extension.
2nd: RUDKIN, Mr J M Dynastydax Pebbles. A clear red of slightly longer type than 1. More moderate angulation behind than 1. Nice tidy underline but could do with longer length of keel. A good houndy head of correct proportions.
3rd: HERALD, Mrs R & Miss S J Winterfield Lucky Star
Postgraduate Bitch (6 Entries) Abs: 2
1st: LANDRY, Mrs Clare Siouxline Elizabeth At Duchyroyal. Well-proportioned Black and Tan. Preferred the ground clearance on this one to 2. Lovely strong houndy head. Really good amount of forechest. Ribbing came well back. Not over angulated behind. Nice tight-fitting elbows.
2nd: BULLIS, Mrs A J Amaffrey Truly Scrumptious. Really lovely bitch and super front construction but not the ground clearance that I would prefer to see and slightly close moving away from me.
3rd: FORGE, Mrs Iona Normpug Prairie Moon
Limit Bitch (7 Entries) Abs: 1
1st: RUDKIN, Mr J M Crosscop If I Could Dream For Dynastydax. Good compact little shaded red. Really tight-fitting elbows. Lovely tidy underline. Not over angulated behind and moved true going away. Tidy front movement coming towards me also. Good reach of neck.
2nd: DALTON, Miss Olivia & DALTON, Mrs Michelle Beachdax About Damn Time. Red brindle who is a very houndy and slightly larger type. Slightly longer cast than 1 and a little more length of lower thigh so she was slightly wider moving away from me. Lovely underline. Held a good topline at all times which gave her the edge over 3. Very neat underline.
3rd: BULLIS, Mrs A J Amaffrey Flo Rider
Open Bitch (10 Entries) Abs: 2
1st: HUNT, Mr J E Mylforbe Red Velvet At Sunara. My winner here wasn’t over-angulated behind. Correct size. Absolutely superb front construction with really tight-fitting elbows. Lovely level topline and tidy underline. Slightly more ground clearance than the second one which gave her the edge. Bitch CC, her 2nd, I understand.
2nd: RUDKIN, Mr J M Ch Dynastydax Alfreda JW. A worthy champion with really good front construction and not over-angulated behind. Moved parallel going away. Held a really good topline at all times. Lovely, neat, flowing underline.
3rd: O’CONNELL, Mr Richard & O’CONNELL, Mrs Aimee & MAG Lokmadi With A Dragon Tattoo
Ian J Seath (Judge)
