Not only was I delighted to be asked to judge one of my favourite Spitz breeds, but I also felt honoured with the large entry. It was super to see some very nice youngsters, which is always a positive sign for the breed. It was a shame that we got in the ring so late and although we were told that we wouldn’t be in the ring until after 1 PM it was gone 3PM before we got in the ring, I felt it was a long time that the pups had to wait. It is difficult to keep a 6-month-old pup entertained for all those hours, so hats off to the owners. Both my CC winners are dogs I have judged before. The dog CC winner came from veteran, and I have awarded him 2 Res CCs in the past (I thought it was only 1 but stand corrected); I gave the bitch CC and subsequently BOB to one I had given the res CC a couple of years ago. Overall, I thought temperament was excellent and breeder type was good and sexual dimorphism was clearly visible. I was a little disappointed with soundness; I found both loose fronts with little reach and weak hindquarters. I will forgive these issues in a youngster as muscle development will take time, but it is harder to ignore in a mature dog. Coat was generally good, but the breed standard does state ‘oily and woolly’ and I felt some coats were lacking the ‘oil’ required for weather proofing. Outlines were mostly very good with most but not all, having a strong back. When moving some lost their top lines and the hindquarters did not have the amount of drive I expect form this strong working breed. On the day, I felt the bitches were stronger than the males, but they do appear to mature quicker so perhaps all that is lacking of the boys is maturity. I look forward to seeing how the youngsters develop over the coming years.

MPD (3,1)
1 Jelf’s Lapema Let There Be Carnage. 7 months old with plenty of puppy fat still present. For his age he has enough good bone throughout and his body proportions are good; he has an excellent topline; very pleasing head already quite broad and good ear set and carriage, it would be difficult to mistake him for a bitch. Movement was difficult to assess, and he does need to settle when going around the ring but I feel sure that with time and practice it will all come together.
2 Burgess’ Katabatics Dark Knight. Different in type to my class winner but also possessing many positive breed points. He has a good head shape, which needs to develop. Side-on he looks very good even though lacking in maturity. Currently his front is little narrow, and his pasterns appear a little weak. I suspect his front will improve once his chest broadens with maturity. Movement quite difficult to assess at the moment.

PD (2)
1 Jelf’s Lapema Let There Be Carnage.
2 Hooley’s Black Stripe. 11-month-old with a very profuse coat. As with my class winner, he has a pleasant head, with attractive, masculine expression. Side-on he had a super outline. I would prefer a slightly longer neck and a little less front angulation. As with my class winner, it would be difficult to mistake this young dog for a bitch. I would like to see him again once he has matured.

JD (4) My general notes for this class read ‘definitely juniors and 1 puppy too, both physically and mentally with some similarity in type’.
1 Perfitt’s & Perfitt’s Samjoe Shadowhunter. I really liked this boy. He is just over 1 year old and already there is quite a lot to admire about him. He has an excellent head, which is sufficiently broad for his age; his neck is of good length and his shoulder placement is good. Beautiful breed typical outline with a good tail set and carriage. He moves with plenty of drive for one so young.
2 Burnside’s & Burnside’s Ramses Vasilyev Ostrov. Slightly longer in back than my class winner but his back is quite strong. Pleasant head requiring a little more maturing. He looks really good side-on however his front is still a little narrow and this affected his front movement a tiny bit. His chest needs to still broaden with time and this will help his front. His hindquarters are well angulated and provided plenty of drive on the move. Excellent coat texture. 

YD (1)
Perfitt’s & Perfitt’s Samjoe Shadowhunter.

PGD (4,1).
1. Phoenix’s Snow Legend Zenith Of Fame Nordicwinds (Imp Rus) JW. I think this young dog still has some way to go before he is fully mature, his head proportions are good with a pleasing expression; correct bite; good ear placement and carriage; angulation front and back are good and his movement around the ring is quite sound. His coat texture and length are good. I would like him a little shorter in back.
2 Ashworth’s & Dziergas’s James Bond Illa Kuvianartok At Nunataq (Imp Pol). 22 months old and like my class winner he does need to mature. Fair head with a masculine expression; good length of neck; his length of body is good but his forequarters are a little too straight for me and as yet he does not have enough muscle strength in his quarters. Time will be a good friend to him. 

LD (8,2) Quite a mixed class for both type and soundness.
1 Innes’ & Inness’ Icycool Hudson Bay (AI). Super, well put together 3-year-old, moving soundly in all directions. Good broad skull, enough stop, correct almond shaped eyes, small ears, strong neck, fair slope of shoulder. Good bone and muscle throughout, strong feet, good set of tail. Perhaps a little long in back.
2 Phoenix’s Nordicwinds Grtest Showman JW. Another 3 year old dog I really liked and quite close to my class winner in quality and soundness. He has many positive breed points. Good breeder type, strongly built, typy, correct head, good muscle fore and aft. Like my class winner, his movement is good. 

OD (9) A strong class with some lovely examples both in type and soundness.
1 Page’s Ch. Snow Legend Believe In You Cedarcreek (Imp Rus). Strong, powerfully built 5year old; fully mature. A super dog. Good width of skull, large muzzle, masculine expression, good ear set, correct bite, strong neck, good slope of shoulder. Sufficient front and rear angulation, good topline held on the move, loins well-muscled, correct tail set and carriage. Lovely weatherproof coat texture. I really liked him, and he is quite difficult to fault. I believe he sired my bitch CC and BOB winner. Res CC.
2 Ellis-Payne’s Chayo Trust The Magic. Of a different type to my class winner but a breeder type I like. He has a stunning head, good length of neck with sufficient arch; excellent powerful shoulders. Side-on he has excellent angulation fore and aft, but he moved a little wide behind for me today. Tail set is good, body proportions are excellent. 

VD (4,3)
1 Nevinson’s Ch Chayo Golden Touch. What a beauty this dog is! He is 9 years old but looks and moves as one much younger. He is so powerfully built with plenty of hard muscle throughout, which is what I like to see in this working breed. He has the best of heads with excellent proportions and a friendly expression; strong neck with just enough arch; straight and well-muscled forelegs; good depth of chest; straight back, well-muscled loins; strong hindquarters which are well-angulated with plenty of muscle. He moves with ease in all directions. It is wonderful to go over this dog as he is everything I expect a male of this breed to be. I have given him 2 Res CCs in the over the years and there was no hesitation to giving him the Dog CC, BOS and BV.

MPB (2)
1 Copley-Holland’s Katabatics Troubleshooter. 7-month-old, so feminine. Very pretty head with a gorgeous expression. She has enough height and bone for her age; good length of neck; straight front; good length of leg, super topline, which she held on the move. Good angulation front and rear. There is much to like for one so young and I look forward to seeing her when she has matured. BP.
2 Pitcher’s Cassidy Del Biagio Per Tatkresiwok (Imp Ita) NAF. As with my class winner, she has much about her which I liked. Her head is pretty and feminine, which is quite developed for her age; correct mouth, neck sitting well into shoulders. She moved quite well around the ring but as yet her back is not as strong as my class winner, but I feel certain that maturity and development will improve this. I would like a slightly coarser coat.

PB (1)
Jelfs’ Chayo High Jinks With Lapema. Still very much a MPB in many ways. Front and rear angulation are good; her head is breed typical with a feminine expression with enough stop for her maturity; neck of sufficient length; good tail set and carriage. Strong feet. She is carrying a little too much weight for me today and that may have affected her flow of movement around the ring.

JB (2)
1 Singh’s Sledog Bebop Ella. My records show this girl is the litter sister of the dog I gave 3rd to in JD, which I thought was a puppy. What a difference gender makes on physical development. She is a super bitch, so well put together when viewed from all angles and she is of good size. She moves well in all directions; lovely straight topline, which she held on the move. Good bone with muscles starting to develop. Her head needs to mature and broaden. I really like her and will watch her progress with interest.
2 Perfitt’s Samjoe Seelie Queen. 3 months younger than my class winner but she is quite well developed for her age. Her proportions are quite good, but her front assembly could do with more strengthening, which will probably happen as she matures. Her hindquarters are strong with sufficient turn of stifle. There is plenty of drive from the rear, but her front movement needs to settle.

YB (2,1)
1 Perfitt’s Samjoe Seelie Queen.

PGB (4,1)
1 Page’s Snow Legend Zest For Life Cedarcreek (Imp Rus). Lovely type with correct breed outline; good length of leg; good head with sufficient broadness of skull; neck of good length; shoulders well placed. I would like to see a little more weight and muscle on her.
2 Kenna’s Lueldar Dark Lady At Huron. Different type to my class winner. She has many breed positive points; her head is feminine and she has a fairly broad skull; good shape of eye; her ear position and carriage are good. Her front needs to strengthen and she moved a little wide behind but went very well side-on. 

LB (9,3) Quite a difficult class to judge as type and soundness were quite mixed.
1 Brouard’s Orsamals Cest Moi Fifi (Imp Gkc). I really like this girl as she is not exaggerated in any way. Her angulation front and rear is excellent when viewed side-on and she does not disappoint when viewed from the front or rear. She has a good head, a good, strong topline held on the move when going around the ring. Her tail is well set and carried, good, large compact feet and her hindquarters provide plenty of drive when moving. Overall, she represents a pleasant example of this breed.
2 Copley-Holland’s Katabatic Adair’n’Hug It’s Me You’re Looking For (Imp USA). Much to like about this bitch; she has plenty of bone; rich dark colour, good coat texture. Her head is breed typical with good proportions. Her back is strong and she moves well around the ring. I would prefer her to be a little taller on the leg. 

OB (8,2) A strong class with some good quality bitches of excellent breed type.
1 Forsey’s & Forsey’s Ch Muzoku You’re My Obsession. Stunning bitch with the best movement of the day. Plenty of bone throughout supporting excellent muscle. Beautiful feminine head with good ear set and carriage. Strong neck leading into correct slope of shoulders and a straight, strong back. She has a good depth of chest and a good length of loin. Her hindquarters are strong with sufficient bend of stifle and strong hock joints; good set of tail carried well standing and on the move. Her movement is so easy and strong with excellent reach at the front and powerful drive from the back. I found her difficult to fault. I gave her a Res CC when she was about 1 year old and today, I was delighted to give her the CC and BOB. Delighted to watch her being short listed in the group ring.
2 Ellis-Payne’s Chayo Sweet As Sugar. Close to my class winner in many breed standard points. At just over 2 years of age, this bitch is of a type that I like. She has an incredible head, looking powerful but still very feminine. There is just enough broadness between the ears and sufficient stop; she has a correct bite; her neck has enough arch; the front assembly has plenty of bone and muscle and her topline is good. Her hindquarters are well muscled but side-on I would prefer a little less bend of stifle, and this may strengthen her hind movement when going away from me. I think she is close but not quite fully matured yet. Res CC. 

VB (8,5)
1 Jarvis’s Nordicwinds All Attitude. Difficult to believe this bitch is nearly 10 years old. She is in stunning condition and her movement would be a credit to one several years younger. She has a really super breed typical head, strong forequarters, good body shape with good muscle throughout. Her tail is sufficiently high set and well carried. Large, compact feet. No one has told her that she is nearly 10! Long may that continue.
2 Edwards’s Bel Ch Wintablizard Gin Lover (AI). Quite different to my class winner but her breed type is very good, and she moves well in all directions. She is strong fore and aft with good bone well covered with muscle. Her head and neck proportions appear a little large compared to her body and this affected the side-on image making her look a little unbalanced. That said, there is much to like about her. 

Dolores Montgomery