Judging The Miniature Bull Terrier

This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, June 2011 issue.

Judging The Miniature Bull Terrier

At most all breed shows you will see no more than one or two Miniature Bull Terriers (or more simply, Minis), if that. It is only at those occasional shows where the entry is supported that you will have the opportunity to see several Minis in the ring at the same time. When that happens a judge will no doubt notice the unusually large range of size and type that exists in this breed. Being able to keep the image of the “Standard Bull Terrier* in mind is an indispensable aid in keeping track of what’s correct and what isn’t. The only aspect in which these two breeds differ is size. The range of size and type in the Mini ring is more understandable if one takes into consideration the relatively recent origin of the “present day” Miniature Bull Terrier.

Although abundance during the 19th century, the smaller Bull Terrier (i.e., under 14”) gradually gave way to larger specimens. By the early part of the 20th the small Bull Terrier was facing extinction. A concerted effort to bring back the smaller variety was initiated in the 1960’s. Not until 1991 did the population of these smaller dogs reach the point that the Mini could qualify for recognition as a breed by the AKC. With possibly a few exceptions, these newly recognized Minis were still seriously lacking in the breed type expected in a Bull Terrier. Twenty years have now passed, and over that time the improvement in the overall quality of the Mini has been astonishing. To a large degree this rate of recovery must be attributed to the ability of American breeders to import Minis from countries that permit interbreeding of the Mini with the Standard Bull Terrier.

This indirect contribution from the standard-sized breed has been of incalculable value in the restoration of type to the Mini, but it has come at the inevitable price: Size. *I am using the term “Standard” in this article solely for clarity in reference to the larger breed. Some purists will be quick to point out that the correct name for the larger breed is “Bull Terrier”. Duly noted; but make no mistake, although recognized as a separate breed in the US, the Miniature Bull Terrier is a Bull Terrier in every sense but size. Today, as the struggle to deal with size continues, a high percentage of Minis still exceed the height limit prescribed in the breed standard, sometimes by as much as two inches. Because to a large extent the attributes of type and size are being introduced from a common source, it is not surprising that the larger Minis also tend to be the ones that are stronger in type. A person judging the Mini is frequently faced with a dilemma: Do I put up the Mini that is larger, but stronger in type, or do I reward the smaller Mini principally because of its size? There is no simple answer. Each case must be decided on its own merits. Judges who find it troubling to put up the oversized dog must remind themselves that being over the measure is only a fault, not a disqualification.

On the other hand, if size is not penalized, a strong incentive for breeders to continue the effort to deal with the problem will have been lost. There is s silver lining behind this cloud. Overall Mini quality is continuing to improve at an impressive pace, and occasions where the judge will be obliged to defer to the larger dog will occur less often. As the percentage of Minis having both correct size and type grows, the ability of the larger dogs to compete will be reduced. There are two rather contentious issues relating to Mini conformation. We have just covered the first. The second one is bite. Present day breeders do not like to think about the ugly past of the Bull Terrier as a fighting dog. Still, when contemplating that despicable purpose, the absurdity of a bad bite in the Bull Terrier becomes obvious. Of course today’s responsible breeder doesn’t have to worry about the competitiveness of the Bull Terrier as a fighter, however, pointing out that a dog with a bad bite can still eat is a weak apology for that condition.

A number of breeders sincerely feel that an undershot bite is inseparable from the extreme down face that is the Bull Terrier’s defining feature. This notion has been proven to be a myth many times over in countries that have zero tolerance for bad dentition. Sadly, for the present, there remains a strong likelihood that the Minis in the ring with the most impressive head will have an undershot bite as well. As with the dilemma over height, judges will often have to choose between a Mini with a head lacking in type but having a good bite or a Mini with more correct head but a bad bite – again, a fault, not a disqualification. It is important that judges not come to accept a bad bite as a natural characteristic of the Mini. Sensing that a Mini will be penalized for a bad bite provides an incentive for breeders to continue the effort to combine correct head type with proper dentition. The Mini breed standard contains the expression “egg shaped” in reference to the general appearance of the head. If one looks at pictures of Bull Terriers taken back when this expression was introduced, it becomes quite obvious that the term was meant to be taken figuratively. It was intended to convey the impression of a head without a stop or depressions and with a general oval shape.

As long as this intention is understood, the expression has some value. Taken too literally, however, it can become problematic. An often seen consequence of the misguided quest for the truly egg shaped head is a shortening of the muzzle. Shortening the muzzle is guaranteed to give the appearance of a more rounded head, but it exacerbates the already difficult problem of dentition. More to the point, it is in outright defiance of the breed standard, which specifically says, “The distance from the tip of the nose to the eyes should be perceptibly greater than that from the eyes to the top of the head.” The breed standard further specifies that the head be “long, strong and deep right to the end of the muzzle”, a requirement that is difficult to reconcile with a literal interpretation of the term “egg shaped”. Fanciers of the Bull Terrier have little difficulty grasping the concept of a head that, viewed from the side, presents a profile that curves smoothly from the top of the head to the tip of the nose. Often overlooked is the requirement that the head should have a full appearance when viewed from all directions. In other words, viewed from the front or from above, one should see a fullness extending all the way forward to the end of the muzzle. Judges should not forgive a tapered head just because the profile is particularly impressive. A tapered or “wedge shaped” head is highly undesirable.

Another common head fault is a lack of underjaw. A narrow underjaw will often cause the lower canines to be forced inside the tooth line (“interior lower canine”). When examining a Mini’s bite, judges always check the incisors, but often fail to look at the positioning of the lower canines. Large or round eyes are not particularly common fault in the Mini today. In fact, they generally have eyes that can be considered acceptable. However, relatively few Minis actually have eyes with the ideal triangular shape and oblique set called for in the breed standard. Going a step further, Minis with eyes that meet the additional requirement of being deep set are downright rare. Few breeds are supposed to have eyes set as deeply as is expected in the Bull Terrier. As an avid aid in visualizing this correct deep eye set, consider the following exchange overheard at a recent show: A spectator asked an exhibitor with a Mini having exceptional eyes why her dog’s eyes were closed. She replied, “They aren’t closed”. Before leaving the subject of heads, a brief comment about ears is in order. Ears should be small and set high on the head. Often they are neither. Most judges instinctively favor the head with small, high ears because these characteristics result in a more attentive, intelligent look. There is even better reason to favor these characteristics: They are correct for the Mini. The number of short legged Minis in the ring is declining steadily.

However, even now, enough short legged Minis may occasionally show up in the ring at the same time to sell a judge on the notion that they are actually the ones with the correct proportions. The breed standard clearly calls for proportions that give a square appearance. Short legs on a Mini give the illusion of smaller overall size, and short legs may look more substantial than legs of the correct length. In comparison, the correct leg may appear to lack substance, however this appearance is misleading. Upon grasping a Mini’s front leg, a judge should find it unusually well muscled for a dog of its size. It is not unusual for exhibitors to bring their Mini into the ring believing the dog they are showing has exceptional substance when, in fact, it is merely fat. Any competent judge should have little difficulty recognizing obesity. The “squishy” feel of fat is unmistakable. It so happens that a judge can easily tell when a Mini is overweight without even touching it. As a Mini becomes overweight, its tuck vanishes. The underline of the Mini should rise gently from the brisket to the belly. The topline of the Mini should appear to have a very slight slope owning to a modest arch over the loin. A high rear is often a sign of weakness in the rear legs. A dog will tend to stand more upright on the rear legs to compensate for this weakness. A dog that likes to stand with its legs outstretched to the rear may also be compensating for weakness. Standing this way shifts weight to the front legs. The Mini should be most comfortable standing in the classical show stance.

A Mini with ideal soundness and balance should be able to step into that position unassisted. The basic mechanics of the Mini’s gait does not differ significantly from that of most breeds. The extreme, ground covering stride of the sighthound would, of course, be out of place for the Mini. On the other hand, the gait should never be choppy. It might best be described as efficient and purposeful. Head carriage should be comfortable – neither high nor low. Tail carriage should be horizontal. Incorrect tail carriage is very common. The Mini should move with jaunty air that reflects supreme confidence. And why not? Pound for pound, the Mini is one of the most powerfully built canines in dogdom. He (or she) can take care of himself (or herself) and knows it. When a Mini approaches a judge, it is customary for the judge to look for the ears to come erect thus providing an opportunity to take note of ear set. All too often the Mini will fail to cooperate, much to the consternation of the exhibitor. A reluctance to bring the ears up is not necessarily an indication of shyness. It might simply be a gesture of deference. Such submissiveness shouldn’t be judged too harshly. After all, submissiveness has an important place in the canine social order. Baiting a submissive dog is likely to make matters worse. The judge or the exhibitor stands a better chance of getting the ears up by making an unexpected sound or gesture.

Should that fail, the judge can always try again later. From the diversity of tail lengths and types seen in the Mini ring it is painfully evident that this feature is suffering from neglect. Most Mini breeders have not made the tail a high priority. In view of the significant improvement that has been made in the other features of the breed, it is questionable whether this attitude can still be justified. Continued disregard of the tail could see the Mini’s characteristic short, carrot-shaped tail lost to the breed entirely. Finally, a lighter topic: The Bull Terrier has a reputation for being a clown in the ring. This characterization is something of an exaggeration. It would be fairer to simply say they are light hearted. They seem to radiate a cheerfulness that tends to lighten the spirits of the humans in the ring as well. Because exhibitors have come to expect a degree of informality in the Mini ring, they usually do not devote a great deal of time to training. This lack of training often becomes evident when the Mini is placed on the table. Failing to cooperate on the table is harmless unless it actually interferes with examination. Judges have ceased to be surprised by such behavior in the Mini and usually show commendable patience. When it comes to the Best of Breed competition, a judge can normally expect a more sedate demeanor in the dogs, which is as it should be. No judge wants to send a dodo to the group ring.