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Matt Mullin of Limelight shares her insights on Affenpinschers, show puppy selection, breed trends, and the dog show community.
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Matt Mullin
1. I have been involved with purebred dogs for around 24 years, getting my first Australian Shepherd in Vermont, where I grew up, at age 12. I first competed in Obedience and Agility, quickly adding Conformation. Twelve years ago, we added our first Affenpinscher. Now in Southwest Washington State, my partner, AJ Tavares, and I breed under our kennel name “Limelite.”
2. Selecting show puppies begins at birth. There is not a ton to tell at this age, but certain puppies just “seem” special. The process evolves over the next months, constantly evaluating head shape and features, squareness, overall construction, and something that’s important in any breed, but with Affens in particular—temperament. I find a more formal evaluation is most telling in my dogs between 12 and 14 weeks, when you can see who is maintaining sturdy substance, feet pointing in the right direction, and if they will keep their proportions. After that, you cross your fingers. Most puppies of correct temperament and structure can excel in performance events; Affenpinschers are what you make of them.
3. The overall quality of Affenpinschers is good, and it seems to have increased both in my time in the breed and also beyond into its history. Generally, we have dogs of good, monkey-like type, the most important trait. Trends come and go, and I think we’ve done a good job at “keeping an Affen an Affen.”’ I do think some dogs are over-groomed, more like a Bichon rather than something described as “shaggy but neat.” There is a way to present an impressive dog while maintaining breed hallmarks. The biggest threat to Affenpinschers is in their low numbers and correspondingly limited gene pool. I’ll never understand why they are not a more popular breed.
4. There are some fantastic judges, both all-rounders and Affen and Toy specialists. Based on the how the exam is done, one can tell how experienced the judge is with an Affenpinscher. For instance, these judges measure for appropriate muzzle length, lower the lip to view the teeth, and feel for texture on the body rather than in the furnishings. There are many judges who truly understand the breed, and these are judges I seek on a panel. With that said, I’ve also had the opposite, a judge who awarded my belge bitch Best of Breed but thinking she was a Brussels Griffon the entire time—and this was the first show following her Breed win at the National Championship. While I followed the proper channels (reps, AKC judging ops), nothing was done and I never received a reply, I was just out my entry fee for an exam done on the wrong breed. I want to show to real dog experts, otherwise it feels like a joke. Perhaps the number of shows per weekend spreads the most competent of our judges too thin. We should celebrate experts in Breeds and in Groups, rather than encouraging judges to maximize the number of breeds for which they are approved.
5. Social media is certainly good for breeding as it allows me to see dogs from around the world that I otherwise would not. For the sport, I suppose it is nice to build excitement around a dog that is important to you. Additionally, ringside photography should be encouraged to drum up excitement. With only a casual interest in Poodles, I would love to attend their National based solely on its pictures on social media. We could do without some of the Facebook groups that are a cesspool of negativity, though.
6. I think the biggest challenge facing the dog show community is in the outside perception of purebred dogs. I listen to so many podcasts where celebrities are reluctant to talk about their purebred dog, or quickly caveat that it is a rescue, holding opinions based on misconceptions. We need Hollywood on our side to reclaim a golden age of purebred dogs. I find myself explaining to even my closest friends why dogs bred by myself or like-minded breeders would never end up in a shelter or rescue, and how our parent clubs have rescues themselves. In the absence of breeders, we would have what? — nondescript, brown street-dogs of questionable temperament? AKC could market the purebred dog in a greater capacity, rather than just advertising the organization itself. We could host smaller shows or Specialties in very public Main Street parks to better engage the community. AKC could employ a digital team to create viral videos aimed at a younger engagement. The dog show community needs a hand in their messaging.
7. Awarding points for all Group placements is a change that will greatly help Affenpinschers, as majors are only an expectation for a handful of shows throughout the year
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