Northern Japanese Spitz Club open show 23/2/2020
My thanks to the committee for welcoming me into your breed, my efficient steward for keeping things running smoothly and to the lovely exhibitors for the very nice entry which contained some super quality dogs. I really was spoilt for choice and splitting hairs in some classes and certainly so in both line-ups, and suspect that given a bigger ring, some may have just got into their stride a little better.
I found type quite varied as well as quite a lot of loose rear movement, many longer than ideal rear pasterns and some high stepping front action and felt some may benefit from being in fitter firmer condition or being handled at a speed that better suits the dog. Most were presented in good clean condition but I was surprised at so many with dirty teeth.
Minor Puppy Dog (1)
1st Aston and Bowen’s Glamglow's Mr Perfect
Almost 9 months. Promising puppy of excellent type and pleasing outline. Attractive head with small neat ears, dark well-shaped eyes but eye rim pigment could be a touch stronger. Correct bite and typical expression. Body developing nicely, high tailset, good bone and correct feet. Currently a little loose and rather a handful on the move but he’s still a baby so will hopefully firm up and settle down with time and maturity.
Puppy Dog (2)
1st Armstrong’s Llwyyni Perfect Illusion BPIS
Nearly 11 months. Another very typy promising young male of correct balance and proportions. Masculine head with super pigment, correct dark eyes and well-shaped ears giving a pleasing expression. Correct neck and very well made firm body with correct topline and high tailset. Lovely bone and strong straight legs with neat cat feet. Impressed on the move with an excellent side gait and correct both away and back.
2nd Draper’s Tawvale Genshi
Almost 12 months of very good type with a balanced masculine head, dark eyes and lovely dark pigment. Sadly a little long in loin means he’s rather more stretched in outline than ideal and still rather narrow in body just now which shows in his movement being close away and back and untidy high-stepping in side gait and stands a bit 10 to 2 in front.
Junior Dog (1)
1st Benoist’s Kumotto Elite
11.5 months. Strong masculine head with attractive dark eyes, good nose and lip pigment but would like eye rim pigment a little stronger, ears of good shape and set though could be slightly smaller. Good neck, correct topline, well made body and high tail set give a balanced outline. Good substance, strong legs and firm hocks but feet could be a little tighter. Another very typy youngster who moved well from all directions.
Yearling Dog (1)
1st Turner’s Mayumi's The One and Only
17.5 months. Masculine youngster of slightly stretched proportions, just at the in between stage for coat today so not looking quite as balanced in outline. Eyes are dark but needs stronger eye rim and nose pigment. Good neck, topline and tailset, bodying up nicely with enough substance for his size. Neat front feet but rear feet could be tidier. Ok for angulation so I expected a bit more from him on the move but he rather lacked enthusiasm in side gait and wasn’t straight in his right hock going away. Ok towards.
Post Graduate Dog (5, 1)
1st Church’s Sanyinko Winter Star
3y/o substantial male presented in good coat of correct texture. Clean wedge head with dark eyes and excellent pigment, ears of good shape but set a little wide. Enough neck, good chest and well ribbed up body, well feathered tail that could be a little higher set. Strong legs, neat feet and OK for angulation and movement.
2nd Aston and Bowen’s Glamglow's Such a Charmer
4y/o shown in profuse coat of excellent texture and presents a pleasing outline. Strong masculine head with attractive expression, good neck, topline and tailset and very good body under all the coat. Good angles, neat feet and looks a picture in stance, but while he has a good side gait and front movement coming back, his hocks let him down going away.
3rd Turner’s Mayumi's Simply The Best
Limit Dog (5, 1)
1st Bliss’ Charney Tomatsu BD
2y/o quality male shown in excellent coat and condition. Beautiful masculine wedge head with fairly neat ears, super pigment and attractive expression although his well shaped eyes could be just a shade darker. Strong arched neck, good chest development and well sprung ribs, firm topline, high tailset, good angulation and strong legs and neat feet make for a very pleasing picture. Whilst he showed excellent movement in his class, he did look at times where he needed to go just a touch quicker to give a bit more front extension but he moved it up a gear in the challenge to just pip his kennel mate for Best Dog.
2nd Aston and Bowen’s Glamglow's Gifted One
Another beautifully presented excellent 2y/o male with so many similar comments to 1 in respect to neck, angulation, body, tailset, legs and the neatest of feet. Super head and expression and preferred the darker eye and slightly smaller ears on this one, however he was just a little untidy in left hock going away which went against him today.
3rd Draper’s Tawvale Chiko
Open Dog (6, 1)
1st Bliss’ Ch Charney Chandresh RBD
Nr 3y/o excellent type with a most attractive masculine wedge shaped head. Lovely pigment, good ear shape, correct eye shape but like his kennel mate would like them just a little darker. Strong neck and firm topline, well carried high set tail. Correct in body with good chest depth and well sprung ribs, balanced angulation and good bone giving strong legs and neat cat feet. Excellent movement but didn’t quite match his kennel mate in side gait in the challenge.
2nd Serginson’s Ch Glamglow's Bowl Me Over at Midaras
2.5 y/o strong masculine head with such a happy expression, excellent pigment and attractive dark eyes. Ears of good shape and size but could be just a fraction higher set. Correct neck and body with good chest depth and width, firm topline and high set tail. Good bone and substance without being overdone and correct angulation make for strong straight legs and a very good side gait, also excellent coming back but just a bit close going away.
3rd Aston and Bowen’s Glamglow's Charming as Ever
Veteran Dog (2,1)
1st Serginson’s Gordorna Amazing Star at Midaras
9.5 y/o and still in excellent condition and strong pigment for his age. Strong masculine head with good skull and correct dark eyes giving a typical expression. Arched neck, firm topline and high tailset make for a balanced outline. Good bone, straight legs and correct feet but would just like him a fraction shorter in rear pasterns. OK in side gait and coming back but untidy going away, not helped by him playing up his handler a bit today.
Minor Puppy Bitch (0)
Puppy Bitch (0)
Junior Bitch (2)
1st Bliss’ Charney Picture Perfect BB/BIS
13 month quality bitch of excellent type. Beautiful feminine head with attractive dark eyes, neat ears and lovely dark pigment. Well made body of correct proportions with short strong loin, good chest depth and spring of rib, firm topline and well set and carried tail. Good angulation, lovely bone, strong legs with firm hocks and neat feet. Excellent movement from all directions and looked a picture in stance so it was my pleasure to award her BB against some very strong competition and ultimately BIS.
2nd Turner’s Mayumi's Mysterious Girl
14 months. Another very pretty one with an attractive head and expression, lovely dark eyes, neat ears and strong pigment. Good to go over and looks good in stance but movement lets her down as she’s close coming towards and her right hock is untidy going away and generally looks like she needs to go just a little quicker in side gait as she never really quite got into her stride.
Yearling Bitch (1)
1st Bliss’ Charney Shine Like a Diamond
13 months of slightly stretched proportions, accentuated by lack of undercoat just now. Strong feminine head with lovely pigment, dark eyes and slightly tall ears. Good neck, chest development and topline but would like tailset a little higher. Rather untidy on the move.
Post Graduate Bitch (5,2)
1st Benoist’s Kumotta Double Trouble
2y/o presented in excellent condition. Attractive feminine head with typical expression gained from the correct dark eyes, neat ears and dark pigment. Good neck, chest topline and tailset though slightly stretched proportions. Good angulation and strong straight legs, firm hocks and neat feet which showed in her free and easy action on the move.
2nd Aston and Bowen’s Glamglow's Precious Gem
2y/o of lovely feminine type with a pretty head, appealing dark eyes, neat ears and strong pigment. Correct proportions, high tailset, good angulation and neat feet make for a balanced outline. A little excitable on the move and unfortunately insisted on looking up at her handler all the time which meant she was throwing her front out and lifting her front legs too high so lost the balance she showed in stance.
3rd Turner’s Mayumi's Follow The Dream
Limit Bitch (6,2)
1st Aston and Bowen’s Glamglow's Devil in Disguise
2y/o in between coats today but that doesn’t in any way detract from her balanced outline and proportions or overall quality and type. Feminine head with the darkest of eyes and pigment, ears of good shape and set though will look a little neater once she’s back in full coat. Correct neck and topline, firm body with good chest depth, balanced angulation with straight legs and neat feet and finished off with a well carried correctly set tail. Moved well from all directions and was a very serious contender in the challenge.
2nd Benoist’s Charney Celestine
4y/o with strong yet feminine head with typical expression, pigment mostly good but just slight winter nose and her well set and shaped ears could just be a fraction less tall. Correct proportions, outline and tailset, good angulation and strong straight legs but her feet could be just a little tighter. Another free and easy mover from any angle.
3rd Turner’s Glamglow's All That Glitters at Mayumi
Open Bitch (5)
1st Aston and Bowen’s Ch Glamglow's Butter Me Up RBB/RBIS
3y/o in good coat and yet another of top quality from this kennel and all beautifully presented. Super head with typical feminine expression, correct dark eyes, dark pigment and neat ears. Strong arched neck into a well-made body of pleasing proportions with correct topline, good ribbing and chest development and a well-plumed high set tail completes the picture. Good strong legs and like everything else here from these exhibitors, lovely neat cat feet. Her balanced angulation allows for excellent movement and it really was a case of nit-picking in the line-up but the JB just pipped her in forward reach today.
2nd Church’s Int Ch Sanyinko Silver Spirit
4y/o of slightly stretched proportions shown in glamorous full coat. Feminine head with excellent pigment, correct dark eyes, ears of good shape and set though slightly tall. Good neck, correct forechest, topline and tailset, well-sprung ribs, well-boned strong legs and correct feet. Another that demonstrated excellent movement but preferred the head and outline of the winner.
3rd Fraser’s Tawvale Wini
Veteran Bitch (1)
1st Jones’ Masami Skye O Llwyni BVIS
7y/o happy and attentive showgirl presented in full coat and excellent condition. Strong feminine head with correct dark eyes, excellent pigment and ears of good shape and set though a touch tall. Correct neck, good chest and ribbing, correct topline and tailset. Well-boned legs and neat feet though would just like her up a little more on her pasterns. Lovely side gait and good coming back but just a little out on her right hock when going away.
Junior Handling – 11 years and under (1)
1st - Ryan Hook
Smartly presented young man who calmly and quietly demonstrated control of his dog and a good basic understanding of what is expected for breed ring showing. Hopefully a good mentor can help him to build on that foundation to further develop his skills and knowledge and help polish his performance.
Nicky Garbutt (Judge)