British Utility Breeds Association

British Utility Breeds Association

Shih Tzu – 7th December 2024

Thank you to the officers and committee of BUBA for the invitation to judge. Special thanks to Rosie Honey and later Karen Laws for stewarding efficiently and keeping everything in order. I always consider it a great honour and privilege to judge my own breed, and I would like to thank the exhibitors who came out during Storm Darragh to show and for being so sporting. I had two areas of concern. One being the lack of width in the underjaw on some exhibits which resulted in the muzzle lacking that ample width, which impacts the construction of the head and that desired expression. The second more concerning issues is that the nose in a few exhibits was too short, albeit the nostrils were open. It is something that breeders need to consider and not perpetuate the problem.

Minor Puppy Dog

Entries: 5 Absentees: 1

1st Hin Chen's Mount Everest (Mr S & Mrs S & Mr D Brown & Brown & Iley) This 7-month-old gold and white puppy had a masculine broad head and lovely soft and warm expression, with good width to underjaw and lips were level. He is in profuse coat, sturdy with broad chest well let down, ample bone and well-rounded in ribcage and well ribbed back. Tail well set and carried; however, I would prefer him a shade shorter in body. He has good angulations fore and aft and moved soundly showing full pad. Moved at a good pace. He is a lovely type and was presented and handled well. Best Puppy.

2nd Chanikos Darkest Dreams at Shirkeira (Mrs S.l. & Mrs F Kerée-Bartolo & Yorke). This 6-month-old black and white puppy presents a lovely outline and a slightly different balance to 1. Broad road head with good width between the head, large round eye, good width to lower jaw. His angulations are good fore and aft, with ample forechest for his age, with a sturdy constitution. He has a level topline and good tail set and carriage. Moved at a good pace with good reach and drive. Presented and handled well.

3rd Shenleyvale Fifty Shades of Orange (Mrs C Stevenson)

Puppy Dog

Entries: 7 Absentees: 0

1ST Rossvale I Have A Dream (Mr & Mrs S Brown) This 9-month-old gold and white male presented a balanced outline, excellent width to lower jaw. Large round eye with good width between the eyes. He is sturdy with a level topline with a good tail set and expression. He has good angulations fore and aft with broad chest well let down. He has ample bone and holds his shape both stacked and on the move. Moved soundly in all aspects. Lost out for Best Puppy Dog as preferred the expression of the Minor puppy.

 2nd Chanikos Darkest Dreams at Shirkeira (Mrs S.l. & Mrs F Kerée-Bartolo & Yorke)

3rd Santosha Black Frost at Hajenza (Miss H Chadwick)

Junior Dog

Entries: 3 Absentees: 2

1st Charonnis It’s Now or Never (Mrs C Turner) This 14-month-old solid gold male is of a nice type. He has a lovely masculine warm expression, with good width between the eyes, and good width to underjaw. He is sturdy with good broad chest, would prefer a little more chest development. He has a good return of upper arm but a little more lay of shoulder would benefit. He has a rounded ribcage and well ribbed back and has a level topline both stacked and on the move. He moves well in profile, a shade close behind. A lovely type with an excellent coat texture. He was well presented and handled.

Graduate Dog

Entries: 3 Absentees: 0

1st Middletune Billy The Kid (Ms A Bryant) This 2 year old male has a lovely head and warm expression. He is well balanced in outline with good topline both stacked on and on the move, with a good tail set and carriage. Good chest well let down, would prefer a little more of him all over. His angulations were good, and he moved soundly. He was handled and presented well.

2nd Ethelsmead Half A Sixpence at Kengai (Ms K Tod) This younger gold and white male has a wonderful head and expression with lovely eye and warm expression. He has ample bone, good forechest and ribcage, well ribbed back. His outline was spoilt on the move as he was inclined to flag his tail, which was a shame. Moved soundly and was handled and presented well.

3rd Hin Chens Just for You at Centastage (Imp Nor) NAF (E Macdonald)

Post Graduate Dog

Entries: 3 Absentees: 0

1st Middletune Blazzin Saddles JW (Mrs S.l. & Mrs F Kerée-Bartolo & Yorke) This 2-year-old male was lovely to go over. He has a head of the correct proportions, good width between the eyes, excellent width to lower jaw. He is sturdy with good forechest. He has a broad chest which is well let down. He has rounded ribcage that is well ribbed back with a level topline both stacked and on the move with a good tail set and carriage. In an ideal world I would prefer a little more lay of shoulder. That said he moved soundly in all aspects and was presented and handled well.

 2nd Rossvale Fantastic Dream at Charonnis JW (Mrs C Turner) This 2-and-a-half-year-old gold male has a wonderful head and expression, masculine with good width to lower jaw and lovely eye. He has a good forechest, and his chest is broad and well let down. He has a rounded ribcage and is well ribbed back. Ideally, I would prefer more lay of shoulder. He moves well in profile and behind, front action a little untidy. He has a good coat texture and was presented and handled well.

Limit Dog

Entries: 4 Absentees: 1

1st Marhilway Driving Edge at Jacquinta JW (Ms J & Mrs M Sullivan & Diffey) Masculine headed gold and white dog, large round eye, with good width between the eyes and good width to underjaw. He is sturdy and well balanced, with good chest that was well let down. His angulations fore and aft are correct and his ribcage is rounded and well ribbed back. He holds a level topline both stacked and on the move with correct tail set and carriage. He moved soundly with reach and drive, showing full pad. He was well presented and handled. He was seriously considered in the challenge.

 2nd Ethelsmead Bak to The Future of Chanikos (Miss A Spooner) Another lovely dog, black and white, and there was little between this boy and the winner. He has a masculine head, lovely eye with good width between the eyes. He has good width to his underjaw. He is sturdy with broad chest that is well let down, rounded ribcage that is well ribbed back. He has a level topline and correct tail set and carriage. Angulations are good, he is sound behind and in front, would prefer a shade more reach in his front action, drives well behind.

3rd Mifcah's by Royal Command to Javerda (Mrs J Barrell)

Open Dog

Entries: 6 Absentees: 1

This was a quality class of males.

1st N/se/dk Uch Hin Chen's Hocus Pocus Int/n Jch Njv-23 Njubjv-23 (Mrs Lene Granholt) Gold and white male, who presents a typical outline is of the correct balance. The correct type and a lovely size. Lovely masculine head and warm expression, good width between the eyes and great width to his underjaw, excellent bite. He is sturdy with broad chest that is well let down, rounded ribcage that is well ribbed back. He holds his topline both stacked and on the move. He has the correct tail set and carriage. His angulations are good fore and aft. He was moved at a good pace and is sound in all aspects. He has an excellent coat texture. There is nothing exaggerated about this male. Dog CC and BOB and I believe was short listed later in BIS.

2nd Ch Rossvale Wildest Dream JW (Mr E & Mrs A Fairley) A solid gold male of a nice type and of a lovely size. He has a lovely masculine head and warm expression with large round eyes. He is sturdy and well balanced in outline. He has a broad chest that is well let down. He has good angulations fore and aft and he held a good topline both stacked and on the move. He was moved at a good pace and was sound in all aspects. Another nice type with nothing exaggerated. Res CC.

 3rd Ch/dk/nor/swe/int Ch Mifcah's The King and I JW (Mrs M & Miss A Flack & Hals) A masculine headed dog with large round eye and warm expression. Sturdy with broad, well let down chest. Rounded ribcage and well ribbed back. Good angulations fore and aft, with excellent tail set and carriage. He moved soundly in all aspects. A different balance to 1 & 2 but a lot to like about this boy. Excellent coat texture and well presented and handled.

Veteran Dog

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1st Ch Chanikos Living The Dream at Ethelsmead (Mrs J K Rutter) This 7 year old male is masculine with a lovely warm expression, he has good width between his eyes and to his underjaw. He is sturdy with a broad well let down chest. His angulations are good fore and aft, and he holds a level topline both stacked and on the move with an excellent tail set and carriage. He moved soundly in all aspects and was presented and handled well. It so lovely to see the veterans in this breed still strutting their stuff. Best Veteran

Special Beginners Dog

Entries: 2 Absentees: 0

1st Shidizzle Murray’s Mint (Mrs L & Mr A Hiscock) This male is still a puppy, soon to be 12 months. He has a lovely masculine head with excellent bite. He is sturdy with a good forechest that is well let down. He has a rounded ribcage and is well ribbed back. His tail carriage lets him down and handler needs to watch topline when stacking. Moved well in profile and moved well behind with strength and showing full pad.

 2nd Middletune Billy The Kid (Ms A Bryant)

 Minor Puppy Bitch

Entries: 5 Absentees: 1

1st Hin Chen's My Juliette (Imp Nor) (Mrs G M & Ms H M Gilkes & Finnanger) This 7-month-old female has a beautiful feminine head with a warm expression. She has a good width to underjaw and beautiful eyes. She is well balanced in outline and sturdy with good broad chest that is well let down with good forechest. Her angulations are good fore and aft. Her ribcage is well rounded and well ribbed back. She was moved at a good pace and is sound in all aspects. Best Puppy Bitch and was unfortunate to meet her brother in the challenge who pipped her to the post for Best Puppy.

 2nd Chanikos Harper Seven (Mrs R & Miss D Spencer Down) This 6-month-old black and white female is a slightly different balance to 1. She is pretty with a lovely dark round eye and is feminine with a warm expression. She is well ribbed back and her topline is level both stacked and on the move, with a good tail set and carriage. Her movement was balanced and sound, she could be a bit stronger in rear action. She was well presented and handled.

3rd Shenleyvale Orange Is The New Black (Mrs C Stevenson)

Puppy Bitch

Entries: 4 Absentees: 0

1st Rossvale's Got The Look (Mr & Mrs S Brown). A 9-month-old gold and white female with one of the prettiest heads on the day. Lovely dark round eyes, good width between the eyes with lovely warm expression. She is not quite the balance I was looking for, but she has an excellent forechest, broad chest that is well let down. She holds her topline both stacked and on the move with the correct tail set and carriage. She moved soundly in all aspects and was well presented and handled.

2nd Senoble Roxanne (Mrs S & Miss R Noblett & Turner) This 9-month-old female has a very feminine expression, with dark eye. She has a good ribcage and is well ribbed back. Her angulations are good, and she holds a good topline, her tail carriage is not to her advantage when looking at her profile on the move. She moved well. She has a good coat texture and was well presented and handled.

3rd Shenleyvale Orange Is The New Black (Mrs C Stevenson)

Junior Bitch

Entries: 3 Absentees: 1

1st Ethelsmead Love Kennedy (Mrs J K Rutter) This 13-month-old female has a feminine head and expression, good width between the eyes. She is sturdy with a broad well let down chest. She holds a level topline both stacked and on the move. She has a good tail set and excellent carriage which gave her a balanced outline. Her ribcage is rounded and well ribbed back. She had good angulations and moved soundly and at a good pace. She was well presented and handled.

2nd Pinyinz Sugar Hiccups (Mr B Pruden). This 16-month-old female has a feminine head an expression, with the darkest of eyes, with good width between the eyes and underjaw. She is sturdy with a good broad chest that is well let down. Her ribcage is rounded and is well ribbed back. Her tail set is correct, but her tail carriage is not to her advantage and detracts from the overall balance. She moved soundly and at a good pace showing full pad. Her coat texture is correct and is presented and handled well.

Graduate Bitch

Entries: 4 Absentees: 0

1st Sassyshi Cake by The Ocean with Shirkeira JW (Miss S & Mrs S Galliford & Kerée-Bartolo) This female is just 23 months and has a lovely feminine head and expression with a dark eye, with good width between the eyes and correct width to underjaw. She has a good forechest, broad chest and well let down. Her angulations are good, and she holds her topline both stacked and on the move with a good tail set and carriage. She moved soundly in all aspects and was well presented and handled.

2nd Hin Chen’s Jewel in The Crown at Centastage (Imp Nor) (E Macdonald) This female is just 20 months with good width between the eyes and good width to underjaw, with excellent bite. She is sturdy with ample bone. Her ribcage is rounded and well ribbed back. I would prefer a better tail carriage. Angulations good, moved at a good pace.

3rd Lucky Arrow Sanchi (Imp Pol) (Mrs W Kranc)

Post Graduate Bitch

Entries: 3 Absentees: 2

1st Middletune Chantilly Lace (Mrs V N Wiles) This female is just over 2 years of age and has a very pretty head and expression with dark eye. She is sturdy and has a good rib cage that was well ribbed back. In an ideal world I would prefer a little more lay of shoulder. Her movement was balanced and sound, a little more drive would benefit. She was presented and handled well.

Limit Bitch

Entries: 7 Absentees: 2

1st Honeyshuchun Sand Goddess (Mrs J M & Miss S M Scott) This 22-month-old female has the correct width between her lovely dark eyes. She is feminine, would just prefer a little more tip tilt. She is sturdy, well balanced with a good forechest. Her ribcage is rounded and well ribbed back. Her angulations are good fore and aft and she was moved at a good pace and moves soundly in all aspects. She is well presented and handled.

 2nd Middletune Modesty Blaise JW (Mrs F & Mrs S Yorke & Keree -Bartolo) This 2 year old female has a lovely feminine expression with dark eye. She is sturdy with a rounded ribcage that is well ribbed back. She has a good topline both stacked and on the move with the correct tail set and carriage. She was moved at a good pace and is sound. A slightly different balance to the winner, but a lot to like about her. She was well presented and handled.

 3rd Hin Chen’s Heroes of Our Time (Mrs Hmf Finnanger)

Open Bitch

Entries: 9 Absentees: 5

1st Ch Marhilway Explored The Edge (Mrs M Diffey) This gold and white quality bitch is 3 and a half years of age and I loved her overall balance and type. She has a lovely dark eyes and good width between them. She has a wide underjaw. She is sturdy with a broad well let down chest. She has a round ribcage that is well ribbed back. Her angulations were good, and she held her topline both stacked and on the move with correct tail set and carriage. She was moved at a good pace and is sound in all aspects with good reach and drive. She has so many breed specific qualities and there is nothing exaggerated about her. Delighted to award her the CC.

2nd Ch Santosha Silhouette (Mr D & Mrs S M Crossley) Another gold and white female with breed specific qualities. She has a lovely dark eye, with good width between the eyes. She has a good angulations and good depth to chest and her ribcage is rounded and well ribbed back. She has the correct tail set and carriage, and she is balanced in outline. She moves soundly and was moved at a good pace. She has a good coat texture and is handled and presented well. Res CC.

3rd Eastfane’s Garam Masala Hel J V-22 Sv J V-22 (Mrs Hmf Finnanger)

Veteran Bitch

Entries: 4 Absentees: 1

I must applaud all three veterans with 7 years between the youngest and eldest. Credit to all the owners for keeping these girls in fabulous condition.

1st Ch Paliden Bucks Fizz to Ekland JW (Mrs Y Forbes) This 7-year-old solid gold female, has a lovely dark eyes with good width between them. She has a broad underjaw with good bite. She is sturdy with forechest, broad and well down chest with good rounded ribcage well ribbed back. She moved soundly

 2nd Ch Centastage Just Imagine (E Macdonald) Another 7-year-old gold and white female, slightly larger than 1. Large round head with good width between the eyes. She is sturdy with a broad chest and well let down, her ribcage is rounded and well ribbed back, with an excellent tail set and carriage. She was moved at a good pace and sound.

3rd Tansingh Color Me Beautiful for Mirazian JW (Mrs M Devine)

386. Shih Tzu - Special Beginners Bitch

Entries: 2 Absentees: 0

1st Ethelsmead Working Girl at Shidizzle (Mrs L & Mr A Hiscock) This two-and-a-half-year-old gold and white had a nice expression with good width between her lovely round eyes. She is sturdy and had a rounded ribcage that was well ribbed back. She has a good tail set, but would prefer a slightly better tail carriage. She moved well.

 2nd Chanikos Harper Seven (Mrs R & Miss D Spencer Down)

Judge: Yvonne Cannon