Birmingham Dog Show Society Ltd

Birmingham National Dog Show – 08.05.22 - CANADIAN ESKIMO DOG

I was absolutely delighted to be invited to judge one of my favourite breeds at one of my favourite shows, especially having not judged CEDs since 2018. I was humbled to receive a fabulous entry of 19 – all present on the day, ranging from puppies to veterans – and so felt it would be appropriate on this occasion to give a pre-amble of my observations. Overall, the dogs exhibited today really impressed me for clear breed type, with all males present having evidence of the signature cape over the shoulders with no excessively sloping toplines once I got hands on, whilst bitches were without coarseness and showing the gender differences I was looking for without losing the impression of a freighting sled dog. Coat - especially on tails! - and weight varied, as is to be expected coming out of Spring, but there were no exhibits carrying an excessive amount of the latter or lacking in muscle or overall condition in proportion to their maturity. Temperaments were sound and characteristically characterful throughout even as the weather warmed, with just one stubborn puppy unsettled on the day but showing no signs of ill-intent. If I were to flag one area to watch it would be rear movement – I am always happy to forgive a sled dog that sets off wide before converging and we were blessed with a large ring to give the dogs a chance to settle but I was surprised to find a few very close in rear action and so is something I would suggest breeders keep an eye on. That said, I was still happy to find many showing the brisk, efficient and tireless trot I was looking for, which acts to differentiate this breed from it’s more popular sled dog counterparts, feeling all my winners could exemplify this. My closing comment is to give my thanks to the exhibitors for giving me such a pleasing entry of dogs, indulging me in critiquing to third place and for their acceptance of my placings on the day.

PD: (3 Ent, 0 Abs). A nice class to start the day with three young males in varying stages of maturity.

1st, BPD / BPIB & WPG3: BAILEY, Ms R: Akna Knight's Templar *. Technically the most mature male in the class at just a few days shy of his 1 year birthday and visibly just entering his teenage years however this did not detract from his qualities. Pleasing head, although still needing to broaden, showing the typical spitz wedge, emphasised by a lovely almond eye. Short strong neck leading to a nicely angulated shoulder and particularly sound front when viewed straight on. Chest coming on well and a good strong topline once you get through his mane which formed part of a profuse, coarse guard coat. Nice broad thigh and ample turn of stifle. Although understandably quite raw, on the move is where I felt he shone, sound for his age and showing a fluent and efficient sidegait with plenty of drive from the rear which won him both this class and the Best Puppy Challenge. Was delighted to later see that the Puppy Group judge also saw his qualities and awarded him WPG3.

2nd: NEEDHAM, Miss Y: Norstrela Pulsar Wind. 10 month old and son of my Best Veteran Dog who I felt stood out in the line up as being more substantial throughout than both his classmates. His lovely thick coat and compact build made him very typical and masculine in side profile, with a good breadth of skull for his age, although eye could be a touch more oblique. Like my first place, he had a strong, thickly muscled neck leading to a well laid shoulder and level topline. Well sprung ribs and I particularly liked his rear, with short, compact hocks and good breadth of thigh. He was determined to show his CED enthusiasm on the move today, and took a while to settle but when he did he showed evidence of the breed-characteristic brisk trot and held his shape well but his enthusiasm meant he just wasn’t quite as tidy on the out and back as first.

3rd: MCKINLAY, Ms S & JOHNSON, Mr A: Akna The Hunt For Red October With Estjak. 8 months and definitely the baby of the class with the sweetest of expressions to match. Skull just starting to break into the fuller wedge shape I would like, he had a lovely almond eye and expressive ears. Not quite as substantial as either of his classmates at this point, although clearly with age on his side, he had a sensible length of neck leading into a good level topline and a proudly carried tail emphasised by a coat developing well. Matching in angles, front & rear, and with nice overall proportions, he moved at a steady, balanced gait but conceded to his classmates today on his slightly more narrow frame with one or two things still to fill into. I have no doubt he will only improve with maturity.

JD (1 Ent, 0 Abs).

1st: ATKINS, Miss S: Qimugta S'Holmes. 13 month old male at the top end of the standard. Where my previous class winner was just entering his teen years this boy is fully embracing his and as such is very much needing to fill into his frame. That said, his skull shows wonderful breadth without losing his shape of eye, giving a masculine but kind expression. Nice strong neck and good length of body with the length of leg to match, he was well balanced in proportions with moderate angulation in front and a well muscled rear, finishing the picture with a nice harsh coat and good length of guard hairs. Understandably a touch narrow in front at the moment but nonetheless demonstrated a pleasing motion when settled, with fantastic ground cover and a strongly held topline. 

OD (4 Ent, 0 Abs). A fantastic class, with four males in varying stages of maturity but all possessing virtues, making for a couple of tough decisions.

1st, BD & BOB: BAILEY, Ms R: Qimugta Judas By Akna. Not quite 2 year old male, so the baby of the class and not the biggest by any means, but eyecatching for his overall proportions and type. Broad, masculine skull with a lovely almond eye, he possesses an endearingly cheeky expression, leading to a nice length of neck and strong topline. He has the most fantastic, profuse coat, with plenty of bone underneath and although fidgety was so often caught standing true, whether viewed from the front or rear. Good depth & breadth of chest, I felt him very balanced in angles and particularly liked his strong, short hocks and well sprung ribs. If I were to nitpick – for no dog is perfect - I would like to see his front pasterns strengthen a touch (although time is on his side) but it was in motion he really pushed the class hard, with a tireless and efficient gait from all angles and a soundness that he didn’t lose from challenge to challenge, gaining him the class, Best Dog & Best of Breed in the process. A delight to watch in the group.

2nd & RBD: HEYES, Mrs S & HEYES, Mr S: Qimugta Winston At Chillipaws. 3 year old and although baby-faced really starting to look more man than boy with a super thick coat and correct substance for his size. He has a lovely broad skull with well filled cheeks, although I would like a bit more to his muzzle. Thick, strong neck and good shoulder emphasised by a deep chest with well sprung ribs. A touch shorter coupled than 1st & 3rd, he nonetheless had a nice straight topline leading down to a broad thigh and well let down hocks with enough length in back so as not to interfere with his footfall. Although a touch closer than 1st in front action, he still showed a very breed typical brisk, energetic trot with plenty of drive from the rear, earning him this place and RBD when called back in for the challenge.

3rd: CROFT, Ms R & BICKERDIKE, Mr I: Akna Ross** at Koroyza. 5 years and different in type to my 1st & 2nd but nonetheless shouts CED, quite literally with his wagging tail & attention-seeking woos, giving him a mischievous appeal. Very typical wedge shaped head with a nice almond eye. Built on taller lines but still in proportion, he has enough bone for his size and a wonderfully harsh coat and a topline that does fall level in motion but one you do have to get your hands on to appreciate on the stand. Good broad chest with nice depth and not too much tuck up. When static, he had a tendency to over-stretch himself, but his balance in angles was very clear on the move. With plenty of reach & drive and fabulous groundcover he was by no means outclassed in the run round but unfortunately moving a touch wide on the out and back today so conceded to third.

Res: HEYES, Mrs S & HEYES, Mr S: Arcticice Qimmiq Tlun at Chillipaws (IMP CAN). Although not formally critiqued, I still scribbled some notes as I wished to comment on this handsome 6 year old male who had one of the best headpieces of the day, most fantastic coat and ample bone giving him a strong, masculine outline. Today I felt he was outmoved in side profile by his classmates, perhaps as a darker coated dog he was feeling the heat, but still a strong contender.

VD (2 Ent, 0 Abs). Two 7 year old littermates who were a very close up, as much for the qualities which they shared as those that differed.

1st & BVD: NEEDHAM, Miss Y: Can Ch Arcticice Qimmiq Jasper With Innugati. A male who instantly catches the eye for his coat and look of substance, so much so that at first I thought him perhaps a bit too short in neck and leg, but neither proved to be the case once assessed hands on and in motion. Broad, masculine skull and another who enjoyed the sound of his own voice, especially on the move. Well laid back shoulder, leading down to a deep, broad chest with plenty of heart room. Strong topline without too much slope and nice broad thigh. He had a particularly pleasing front action, although would prefer a touch more turn of stifle to balance his drive from the rear, however this didn’t stop him demonstrate an easy, free moving sidegait and winning BVD, just didn’t match the drive of the bitch in the BV challenge. 

2nd: BAILEY, Ms R: Arcticice Qimmiq Jackson At Akna Ir J Ch. A touch more athletic than his brother in profile, but still sharing the same profuse coat and substance that require close assessment to appreciate his true outline. I really liked his expression, broad and masculine without coarseness and a nice, obliquely set eye. Strong neck, leading to just a slight slope from the withers to an otherwise straight topline. Fabulous depth of chest and another with a well sprung ribcage and good layback of shoulder which was balanced in rear angulation. While clearly full of drive, unfortunately he was determined to give his handler a challenge in motion today. He gave me glimpses of the brisk and efficient gait I was looking for but just wasn’t as clean on the out and back has his sibling and as such placed a very close second.

PB (2 Ent, 0 Abs). Another set of siblings in this class, this time two 10 month old sisters and littermates to my 2nd in PD who, although still sharing his type in some ways were less mature.

1st & BPB: CRONIN, Mrs T & CRONIN, Mr K: Norstrela Tarantula. The slightly more compact and as such visually substantial of the two siblings but undoubtedly female in her outline and expression, with a nice dense coat and knuckle left to grow into. Head a typical wedge with good breadth to skull for her age. Nice strong neck leading to a level topline. Chest still developing but I liked her angulation in shoulder which was in balance with her rear. Shorter coat but dense and harsh enough. She took a while to settle into a clean gait, and is still a touch narrow in front, but when she did get into the flow of things she showed a steady pace with good footfall but not quite the fluidity and extension of the male in the Best Puppy challenge.

2nd: CRONIN, Mrs T & CRONIN, Mr K: Norstrela Lost Jewel. Preferred this girls overall proportions to 1st in my initial walk down the line, with a touch more length of leg in balance to her body, although again chest clearly still developing. Not quite as broad as her sister in skull but developed enough to show the narrow wedge I would expect of a bitch of this age. In motion she was similar to her sister, with perhaps a bit more drive from the rear and more length to coat. Happy to show me her teeth but she had made up her mind that today that was all I needed, and so without being able to assess her in an equal manner to her sister took the runner up position.

JB (1 Ent, 0 Abs).

1st: ATKINS, Miss S: Qimugta Miss Marple. 13 month old. What a happy outlook on life this young lady had! Littermate to my Junior Dog winner, she too looks to have just hit a bit of a growth spurt but this certainly did not spoil her overall proportions. Just starting to broaden viewed front on, her prominent markings can draw the eye away from some of her strengths, including a skull developing well for her age, strong neck and good depth of chest. Good length of coat for a bitch and enough bone, with moderate angulation in front and good turn of stifle. Her aforementioned outlook on life made her a challenge to assess on the move today, losing her topline a touch at times, however when focusing on the task at hand she channelled that enthusiasm into plenty of drive and ground cover. 

LB (2 Ent, 0 Abs). A deceptively difficult class with two nice girls of quite different type.

1st: GRAHAM, Miss L: Akna Voorhees**. 2 year old and certainly less mature than her classmate in the initial walk down the line. Feminine wedge to skull, a touch more narrow in muzzle than my preference but not untypical for a bitch of this age and with a lovely oblique eye. Chest still developing in width but still standing very true viewed straight on. Well muscled neck leading to a strong, level topline and although not in her best coat was harsh enough to do the job. Although moderate, I thought her very balanced in angles with good overall proportions and particularly liked her return of upper arm, breadth of thigh and strong pasterns front and rear. In motion she really impressed me, moving with a tireless gait from all angles (and on a remarkably loose lead) with really pleasing footfall which edged her into first place.

2nd: ATKINS, Miss S: Qimugta Harpist. A charming 3 year old, littermate to my RBD although quite different in type she certainly made me smile, determined to catch my eye whenever I walked past her in the line up with a lovely feminine and inquisitive expression. Broader in skull and chest than my class winner at this stage without losing her length of leg, she gives a feminine outline with a good length of guard hair. Level topline and of good proportions, I felt her equally balanced to 1st but more angulated in shoulder and turn of stifle which gave her plenty of drive on the move. Would have preferred slightly stronger pasterns but this didn’t detract from her ground cover and freedom of stride in motion. When nitpicking for my final decision, I didn’t feel she wasn’t quite as tireless as 1st place in sidegait, perhaps feeling the heat due to her darker colour, and so conceded to a close 2nd instead.

OB (3 Ent, 0 Abs). I felt this a very strong class, with three rather different girls who all still offered much of what makes the breed special and were each in fabulous condition, making for a difficult decision on final placings.

1st, BB & BOS: CROFT, Ms R & BICKERDIKE, Mr I: Akna Nymph** at Koroyza. 4 years old and not the flashiest at first glance but still catches the eye for her distinctive colouring and well balanced, proportionate outline. Very feminine head with a lovely shape of eye and good breadth to her skull. Thick neck leading to a well laid back shoulder and a fabulous strong, straight topline. She stands true when viewed from the front, with strong pasterns and good bone for her size. Nice depth of chest and good spring to rib with a broad thigh and rear angulation that balances the fore. Not wearing the biggest of coats, but not exceptionally short for a bitch in this breed and what was there was harsh and stand-off. Much like my Best Dog, it was her movement that really captured me. She took a while to get into her stride but it was certainly worth the wait for when she settled she moved with such efficiency and drive, clean on the out and back and covering the ground without wasting any motion, holding her shape at all times which gave her the class and Best Bitch. She really did give the dog a run for his money for BOB – and perhaps had she not had to go from challenge to challenge at the warmest point of the day could have edged him - but today claimed BOS instead.

2nd & RBB: 7868 NEEDHAM, Miss Y Asiaq Queen Fabiola. 2 year old and what a show girl she is. So much type, with plenty of bone and a good, dense coat without losing her femininity. Typical wedge shape skull with good width, and a nice length of neck leading into a strong, level topline. Similar in body length to my first place, if a touch shorter in leg, she shows good width of chest viewed front on, with enough depth in profile for her age. She is to my eye more angulated than both her classmates however still balanced with a well laid back shoulder and strong, compact hocks. On the move she was certainly eyecatching with a ground-covering, reachy sidegait, but in the final run round I felt the more determined and workmanlike motion of 1st was closer to my ideal for the breed. That said, when called back for the RBB challenge, it was her breed type and overall balance of strength and femininity that edged her in claiming the reserve card.

3rd, BVB & BVIB: ATKINS, Miss S: Akna Peechee for Qimugta*. A 7 year old, super feminine girl just reaching full maturity and who scored scored heavily for her overall soundness. Typically feminine, wedge shaped skull with a nice shape of eye. Not too much neck leading to a strong, level topline. Not the coat of 2nd but I preferred her length of leg and she scored well for a good spring of ribs and lovely deep chest creating a nice outline. Moderately angulated fore and aft, she was such a balanced mover in side profile, with pleasing footfall and a steady, effortless gait, just a touch closer in front than her classmates when splitting hairs for my final placings. Nonetheless, in the Best Veteran Bitch & Best Veteran challenges I still felt she outmoved both her mother and my dog winner in rear drive and was delighted at her performance in the Veteran Group.

VB (1 Ent, 0 Abs).

1st: 7855 ATKINS, Miss S M & BAILEY, Ms R E HR Ch Akna Asavakkit**. 9 year old (in age if not attitude) and very typical in outline with plenty of substance and the most fantastic, profuse coat. Another typical, feminine wedge shaped head, with a short strong neck and a level topline. She possesses the width of chest you would hope to see in full maturity with fabulous depth of chest when viewed from the side. Moderate and balanced in angulation both front and rear, with a nicely laid back shoulder and well let down hocks. Her pasterns aren’t quite as strong as when I last judged her, although nothing I would consider unusual for her years, and they certainly didn’t stop her moving out with an even, steady motion with good footfall from all angles. Perhaps being unfortunate as the last class of the day when the weather warmed, I felt she just didn’t quite match the drive of the younger girls in the challenge but nonetheless a lovely veteran and breed representative.

Judge: Miss Alanna J Blaney (Fenrirkin)