Rodney E. Herner reflects on judging Terriers at the 2024 National Dog Show, top entries, and challenges facing the dog sport.
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First, I want to thank the Kennel Club of Philadelphia for including me on their panel. It is, indeed, an honor. This is the third time I have been invited to judge at The National Dog Show. It is always exciting to be included on the judging panel at this show as it is one of the most prestigious shows of the year. Entries always include many top-ranked dogs from all over the country.
Since this dog show is televised by NBC immediately following the very popular Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, it has become one of the most-viewed dog shows in the country. Wayne Ferguson, the President of the Kennel Club of Philadelphia, presents wonderful, informative commentary on each and every breed as they are examined by the judge. It includes their country of origin and describes the function that each breed was structurally built for. It presents such a positive presentation of purebred dogs to millions of viewers.
This year, my assignment was focused on the Terrier breeds. I judged approximately half of the Terrier breeds on Saturday and the other half, plus the Terrier Group, on Sunday. As in my previous assignments at The National Dog Show, the entry always included an abundance of quality exhibits. These are my Breed winners at The National Dog Show that I feel are the “cream of the crop” of those I was privileged to examine on Saturday:
Skye Terrier – This is a dog of style with sturdy bone and a glorious coat. He is long, low, and level with correct proportions of twice as long as tall. His head is long and powerful with good width of skull and a strong muzzle. He moved with tail wagging while carrying a level topline.
Glen of Imaal Terrier – This dog portrayed a picture of strength with his ample bone and strong muscling. He has the correct longer than tall (3 to 5) proportions and possesses the “antique features” called for in the Standard, those being rose ears and bowed forequarters with turned-out feet. He moved covering ground while holding his straight, slightly rising topline.
Miniature Schnauzer – This sturdily built dog has plenty of bone with correct, nearly square, proportions. I liked his strong rectangular head with dark, deep-set eyes that gave him a keen expression. His strong, well-arched neck blended smoothly into the shoulders. I especially like his well-sprung, deep ribs and short loin. He covered ground well while carrying a straight, slightly
declining, topline.
Dandie Dinmont Terrier – Although he was the lone Dandy entered, he represented his breed quite well. He excels in the salient features that the Breed Standard calls for. He has that distinctive head with silken topknot and large, dark, round eyes that present that soft, wise expression. The Dandie topline is unique among
Terrier breeds and is not always found in the show ring. This dog has that topline that is low at the shoulders, curving slightly down then arching over the loins with a gradual drop of the croup to the tail set.
West Highland White Terrier – This well-balanced dog has a compact look with good substance, a well-defined forechest, and well-muscled thighs. He has the proper coat of straight, hard hair with a soft undercoat, and he was groomed to perfection. He has the correct skull, slightly domed between the ears with a defined stop. His muzzle is well-filled under the eyes with powerful jaws. He is a confident mover who exudes self-esteem.
Bull Terrier (White) – If you are looking for a strongly built, muscular, and active dog who is full of fire, but sweet, this is your girl. What a beautiful egg-shaped head with the correct gentle curve from her skull to her nose. Her well-sunken, dark eyes give her that piercing look. I liked her spring of ribs and short, strong back. She definitely had that typical jaunty air (called for in the Standard) during movement.
Looking back at the 2024 dog shows where I judged, which were spread across the US, I have to say that I am disheartened by the fall in the number of entries for many shows. Many clubs now struggle to reach 500, some barely reaching 300 entries, making it difficult to break even financially. In order to do so, they need to hold two or three shows each year, sometimes two shows on one day. What with the graying of working club members, and the lack of new, young members, the arduous task that multiple shows presents becomes a burden. We can only hope that more young people will come to the rescue.
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