Crufts

Critique, German Spitz (Mittel), Crufts 2025

Veteran Dog (3)

1. Ch Longsdale Turning Tables at Cwrtafon

Crème dog, at nine years old he is very fit and still an excellent mover. Very typical head and expression. Well placed ears. Moderate neck. Balanced angulation both ends and excellent feet. Excellent top coat. He is a sound and well balanced mover from all angles.

2. Hocombewood Hot Toddy for Lindcoly

A chocolate sable dog, short-coupled and definitely square in his proportions. At thirteen years old, he is remarkable condition for his age. Typical head and expression. Firm body, well placed and carried tail. His coat structure is the one thing that shows his age. Still a sound mover at such an advanced age, impressive.

3. Ger/lux Ch Big Nikita vom Ahornhain

Puppy Dog (5)

The first two stood out in this class.

1. Longsdales Look at Me Now

Masculine black dog, well balanced and very well developed for his age. He just made the measure and does not need to grow on in size. He has an attractive, masculine head with a lovely expression and very good ears. Pleasing rise of neck. Still needs to develop a bit in his chest. Strong and firm topline, well coupled. Well set and carried tail. A sound mover, at all times keeping his shape and balance.

2. Tispitza's Unbreakable Vow

Crème dog of very attractive type and outline and a serious contender. He is well up on his legs, but now needs to drop a little into his mature balance. Attractive, well proportioned head. Very good ears contributing to his expression. Excellent neck into shoulder. Excellent topline and tailset. Very good coat and colour. He moved soundly coming and going, if not quite as outstandig as the winner from the side.

3. Izlou Let's Avocuddle

Junior Dog (1)

1. Longsdale's Derun Around at Jeansway

An attractive dog on the stack. Black. Typical head if a little round in his dark eyes. Pleasing rise of neck. Enough length of leg. Firm topline. Well set tail. Coat structure under development. somewhat inconsistent in his movement, but when concentrating on the task, moved OK.

Post Graduate Dog (2)

1. Izlou Everday I'm Truffling at Flytesway

A square black dog on the lower end of the size scale, I found him only barely masculine enough. Somewhat rounder in head than my ideal, but excellent ear and well shaped eyes saved his expression. Moderate neck. Short back. Well set and carried tail. Moderate angulation both ends, but enough. Quite a good coat quality. Kept his balance well in movement from the side.

2. Nixtev Blackhawk

A sound, well moving dog, but a more generic spitz. His ear set and carriage and very abrupt stop gives him a rather foreign expression. Balanced angulation. Strong body. Short tail. He has plenty of top coat, but no much undercoat. His best quality is sound movement from all angles.

Limit Dog (8)

1. Doroluna If The Crown Fits

Well balanced brown dog of excellent type and quality. Masculine head, well shaped and with very good ears. He used his neck very well both standing and moving. Firm topline. Well set and carried tail. Moderate, balanced angulation both ends. Very pleasing coat quality. Well handled, he is a very good mover from the side and pleasing coming and going as well.

2. Uno-Spitz's Try to Tame Topgun of Loving Liva Lu

White dog, not dissimilar to the winner as for type, proportions and size. Attractive head and expression. Ears rather wide-set, but still quite a pleasing expression. Strong neck, well set. Well bodied as for both depth and width. Balanced angulation both ends. Retained his balance on the move, if not quite as impressive as the winner from the side.

3. Kelham Kind Hearted Longsdale

Open Dog (10)

1. Unospitz's Onix The Rock of Catwalk Caddy

Instantly attractive and impressive dog, well constructive and masculine without any lumber. He is short coupled and in just lovely condition. Just enough length of leg. Beautiful head with correct proportions and planes and lovely expression from very well placed and small ears and excellent dark eyes to contrast his dark crème coat colour. Well bodied with correct width in front. Firm and straight topline. Well set and carried tail. In outstanding condition for both coat and musculature. An excellent mover with strength, balance and soundness from all angles. Unbeatable on the day to win the CC & BOB.

2. Kitsune Notorious

Another very attractive dog, strong and masculine, yet with obvious quality. Very well balanced and proportioned. I would prefer less stop, but he still has a very attractive, bright and alert expression, his excellent ears making their contribution. Ideal neck with strength and very well set into shoulders. Excellent body shape, firm and short in loin. Correctly angulated both ends. Another excellent mover from all angles and in lovely coat and muscular condition. Very well handled. resCC

3. Cadasaro Gerhard

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Dog (4)

1. Tispitza’s Wild Hunt

Black dog of very pleasing type and quality, if slightly longer than tall. Attractive head and expression. Medium neck and angulation both ends. Firm topline, pleasing tailset. Excellent coat. He moved medium well from all angles.

2. Grizwold Owl Light

Well proportioned white and fawn dog with attractive outline and proportions. Could do with better pigmentation of eyes and nose. Pleasing rise of neck. Well coupled in his body. Excellent topline and tailset. I would not want any more angulation behind than this. Moved OK.

3. Izlou Let's Avocuddle

Veteran Bitch (5)

1. Ch Nosregor Lullabye

Lovely black bitch, very square and up on legs, still an outstanding mover. Attractive and expressive feminine head. Dark eyes, good ears. Used her neck very well. Moderate, balanced angulation both ends. Very short and firm in back and loin. Well set tail. Could do with slightly more body. Excellent coat. Fabulous mover, especially from the side. I liked her a lot. Best Veteran

2. Clarmers Little Banshee at Kitsune

Another attractive black bitch, but heaver all over. Expressive head. Pleasing rise of neck. Her coat was not her fortune on the day, in places somewhat curly. Firm topline, deep body. Another attractive mover from the side, but the winner still outmoved her with something in hand.

3. Ch Dulais Moonlight over Paris at Trebettyn JW

Puppy Bitch (4)

1. Longsdale's Have Da Heart

Beautiful black bitch from the top drawer. Very well balanced and proportioned and very sound at such a young age. Feminine head with excellent head proportions and profile. Ears are still a work in progress and on the larger side. Lovely expression from the darkest of eyes. Textbook neck, topline and tailset. Lovely coat structure and the amount suited her very well. Balanced angulation. Ideal amount of bone for a bitch. She moved very well from all angles, sound, balanced and well coordinated. For sure a future champion. CC & Best Puppy

2. Tispitza's Avada Kedavra

Another very typey bitch of excellent proportions. Feminine head, if somewhat short in muzzle. Excellent body silhouette and well balanced angulation. Lovely coat, very well presented. Moved quite well from all angles, but not as well as the winner.

3. Nosregor Dear Diary

Junior Bitch (2)

1. Lindcoly Trust in Me

Chocolate sable bitch, well proportioned and well balanced. I would prefer darker eyes, even for her coat colour. Well placed ears. Very good neck, topline and tailset. Rich coat. She is a very well balanced mover from the side, reasonable coming and going.

2. Claran Moon Beam

Particolour bitch, square and well up legs. Lovely expression, even if she has more stop than I prefer. Excellent neck into shoulder. Good topline and tailset. Super coat quality. Not very consistent in movement, but quite attractive when she made an effort.

 Post Graduate Bitch (5)

1. Cwrtafon Cosmic Love

Quite a strong black bitch, still feminine enough. Well up on legs. Attractive head and expression. Pleasing ears when she chooses to use them. Enough neck. Firm topline, well bodied. Excellent tailset. Lovely coat of correct structure. A very good mover, especially from the side.

2. Izlou The Truffle Maker

Another black bitch, not dissimilar to the winner, but smaller. Excellent expression. Balanced angulation both ends. Firm topline. Well set tail. Not the harshness of coat as the winner. Moved Ok from the side and in front, but tended to sidetrack.

3. Izlou Muffin Compares for Shyllar

Limit Bitch (4)

 Not the best class.

1. Doroluna's Diamond Crown

Feminine black bitch, slightly offsquare. Typical head, if somewhat round in eye. Very good ears. Uses her neck well, especially standing. Excellent return of upper arm. Strong topline. Well set and carried tail. Beautiful coat. Moved OK from the side and quite well from behind, but could improve as seen from the front.

2. Vegalla's Quality of Life Cro/bel/lux Jch

Wolf sable bitch. Feminine, somewhat longer than tall. Feminine head, good ears. Attractive topline and tailset. Quite balanced angulation both ends. Tended to side/track on the move.

3. Jansanleis Rave JW

Open Bitch (5,1)

1. Longsdale's Don't Know Much

Very attractive crème bitch. If close to maximum size for a bitch, she is still feminine. Fabulous pigmentation which contributed to her very attractive pigmentation. Moderate neck which she used very well to her advantage. Strong and firm topline. Well set and carried tail. Correct coat quality. Well angulated both ends. A lovely mover from all angles. resCC

2. Ch Daraydala Missouri of Grizwold

Black bitch, feminine and square. Quite pleasing head. Strong neck. Firm topline. Well set tail. Balanced angulation both ends. Moved OK from the side, but not as coordinated nor as balanced as the winner.

3. Cadasaro Keep The Faith

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Bitch (3)

1. Grizwold Oops A Daisy

Well proportioned bitch, well up on legs and square. Attractive, rather unusual markings on her head. Very good pigmentation. Firm topline. Excellent tailset. Rather soft in coat quality. Moved well from the side, but could improve coming towards me.

2. Nixtev Xylia Aw

White bitch, somewhat longer than square. Very feminine in head, needs a stronger muzzle and jaw. Normal neck and angulation. Rather weak in pastern and toed in in front. Excellent tailset. Excellent temperament. Moved OK from the side.

3. Cadasaro Gucci

Espen Engh (Norway), judge