Marisa Capozzo Schmidt
1. My name is Marisa Capozzo Schmidt and I live in Greensboro, North Carolina (transplanted from the Northeast!). I have been in dogs 30-plus years, starting in Agility and Obedience and then Conformation. I have been breeding Japanese Chin since 1999 under the “Dizzy” kennel prefix.
2. I think my process is the same for most Conformation breeders. I select my breeding dogs for their virtues, health, and pedigrees and then watch the puppies from Day One to 12 weeks. We only have one disqualifying fault in Japanese Chin (color), so that is easy to look for. I select my top prospects by comparing the puppy to the Breed Standard. Chin are a slow to mature breed, but time and time again what I see at 8-10 weeks is what the adult will look like. They can go through a puppy “ugly” stage, but if they looked “good” (short back, big eyes, wide muzzle, good legs, etc…) at 8-10 weeks, they will go back to that in time. Then there is the “it” factor. That “something” that makes a puppy undeniable; the “look at me attitude.” If the puppy has that and is within Standard, that will ALWAYS stand out to me. If I was choosing on performance, beyond health and structure it would be confidence. The most confident puppy will make a good performance dog.
3. I think my breed is in good condition overall. I also feel all breeds go through “trends,” good and bad. For a while, the focus of Japanese Chin was on eyes; how much white is in the corner? Now, our Standard states, “A small amount of white showing in the inner corners of the eyes is a breed characteristic that gives the dog a look of astonishment.” BUT, before that it states: “set wide apart, large, round, dark in color, and lustrous.” These two statements are JUST AS IMPORTANT as each other. Judges seemed to feel the more white the better, and dogs with big beautiful eyes were being over looked for “wall-eyed” dogs. Luckily, with a great education committee in place, we have moved from that and we are seeing the more moderate to small amounts of white being appreciated and winning. I feel that necks and rears are always issues in our breed. Being a “head breed,” breeders focus so much on it that we have little to no neck. Also, our rears seem to always ebb and flow with the years. But overall, the breed is in a good place. Most dogs are of the correct size and proportions, with beautiful heads and lively attitudes.
4. I do think we have WAY TOO MANY SHOWS! It seems there are four- and five-day clusters every weekend and your usual “weekend warrior” just can’t make up the points if you are looking to be ranked in the Top 5. It becomes a sheer numbers game. As far as judging, again, thanks to a great education committee, the judging has been better as of late, with more Chin placing in Groups than ever before. Many judges seem to be understanding the breed and not just looking at black and white dogs with eye white. All the colors are being considered and judges are looking at the overall dog, not just one or two characteristics.
5. I think, as with all things, social media is good… until it isn’t. It is a great way to showcase a dog and its wins. It is great for people to socialize and interact. But, it is also a great way to air dirty laundry. If people would think just a bit before posting, I think the world (not just dog shows) would be a better place.
6. The dog show community faces several significant challenges today, including issues related to health, ethics, public perception, and participation. I feel if we educated the public on what an ACTUAL ethical breeder is (health testing, genetic testing and diversity, puppy raising, etc…) we would be in a better place. With social media such a pull, it is hard to explain to buyers that even though the puppy store says it comes from a loving home and was raised ethically, that is not the case. Provide clear information about the goals and standards of dog shows, emphasizing health, temperament, and breed preservation. Try to encourage youth to come watch and participate.
7. Positive changes include better education for the judges and, for the most part, more camaraderie. Yes, there are still instances of bad sportsmanship, but overall, I see a positive move forward.
