Norwegian Elkhound Association Of Scotland

It was an honour to be invited to judge at the Association’s Championship Show. My family has had close ties with the club since the early 80s, and I was deeply conscious of the legacy of those judges who had officiated at this show over all the years before my own appointment. The atmosphere at this show is very special, and I would like to thank the Committee for the warmth and generosity of the welcome that I was given.

It is 6 years since my last judging appointment. I felt that coat colour and presentation were much improved on the previous occasion. The overall outlines of the dogs were more compact, ears and eyes were dark, and tail sets have improved. Temperaments were good, as one would hope to find in a breed where the standard calls for dogs to be bold and friendly. I found one faulty bite. In terms of trends, there are two areas where I might ask both breeders and judges to be particularly aware. The first is length of leg. In an elkhound, the distance from the brisket to the ground should be not less than half of the height to the withers. We have had a tendency in this country at times (and in others outside of Scandinavia) to breed dogs that are too heavy, long and low to the ground and venerable Norwegian judges would tell us to come up on the legs to achieve a square outline with more daylight below the body, yet without adding to the overall height of the dog. As ever with our breed, moderation is key, and neither should a mature dog look as if it is on stilts, but as a guide, the chest in an elkhound should not drop below the elbows. Some of the dogs were deficient in this regard.

The second, perhaps more concerning trend, was that I found a number of uneven toplines, either dipping behind the withers or rising up at the rear. In an endurance dog used for hunting over several consecutive days, this is a serious fault, as a weak topline will cause the dog to tire more easily, and may even make it more prone to injury. There are several things that might contribute to this trend (including poor muscle tone, short ribs and lack of balance), but I implore you to be aware of it. The standard calls for a topline that is straight and level, and it does so for a reason.

PD (1,0) 1 McKittrick’s Cnocanoir An Goban Saor. BPD & RBPIS. Promising 9-month-old masculine puppy with good bone and a super wedge-shaped head, lovely dark eyes and ears. Beautiful colour and well-curled tail, loin could be a touch shorter for ideal balance, good angulation. Unfortunately, he paced on the move today, which was a pity.

JD (2,0) 1 Stephenson’s Kamgaard Kyffin For Brawdor. 12 months, lovely compact outline, well-balanced proportions and good length of leg. Perfect tail set and carriage. Out of coat and hence appeared a little lighter in bone than my main winners, but what hair he had was a lovely colour. Head is yet to develop, dark eyes, but would prefer a darker ear. Good breadth across the chest and correct angulation, collected movement, level topline. Needs time to reach his full potential, but one to watch. 2 Young’s Laakso Karo at Torloisk. Another very compact dog, short-coupled, pleasing head with attractive dark eyes and ears, good bone, level topline. Tail set high but a little looser than that of the winner. Chest yet to broaden, which should come with maturity.

YD (1, 0) 1 McPeake’s Laakso Joulu. Compact profile, dark eyes and ears, head still to develop. Sufficient bone, neat feet, good tail set and curl. A little close behind when moving away.

LD (2,1) 1 McPeake’s Treskha Tork. Lovely type and quality. Carrying a little weight today, which mattered in the challenge. Compact profile and in full coat, he has a super wedge-shaped head and dark eyes. Excellent bone, good length of leg and neat feet. Well-set and carried tail. His good angulation was reflected in his sound movement, and he kept his topline level on the move. RCC.

OD (3,1) 1 Maun’s Ch Bowerhinton Bassanio. More compact in outline than 2, with a short loin, level topline and well-set tail with a double curl. Slightly rounded through the skull, but overall, an attractive masculine head with dark eyes and ears. Lovely arch of neck, sound shoulders, good leg-to-body ratio, excellent bone and coat colour. Beautifully presented and in tip top condition. Moderate rear angulation, moved well with a springy action. DCC, RBIS & BOS. 2 Gold’s Ch Graythor At The Venetian With Llassah. Masculine dog in a classic style, slightly heavier than 1 and a little longer in loin. Thick coat, guard hairs just beginning to turn for a moult. Handsome, well-balanced head with dark eyes and ears, strong bone, pleasing shoulders and hind angulation. Wonderful movement, covering the ground effortlessly. A dog with much to offer the breed, used wisely.

VD (2,0) 1 Mortimer’s Ch Laakso Canute. An old favourite. Pleasing wedge-shaped head, dark eyes which could be slightly fuller, dark ears. Good neck and shoulders, level topline, good length of ribs, short loin. Could carry a little more condition. Lovely bone, moderate angulation and balanced, easy movement. Coat has darkened a little with age, but the undercoat remains clear. A worthy champion. BVIS. 2 Stephenson’s Bowerhinton Bangalore at Brawdor. Pleasing proportions, good bone and length of leg, excellent muscle tone and condition. Somewhat rounded through the skull, but a masculine head. Not quite the breadth across the chest of 1, attractive coat and colour. Well set and carried tail, moderate angulation. Movement a little unsettled today.

MPB (3,1) 1 Gold’s Ravenheim Blue Mystique of Llassah. My find of the day, notes say gorgeous and opiniated. Beautiful, clear puppy coat, dark eyes and ears, well-shaped, feminine head. Correct angulation, reflected in flowing, confident stride. Good length of leg, short loin, tight tail carried well forward. She has look at me in spades – a bright future awaits this sassy youngster. BPB & BPIS. 2 Maun’s Bowerhinton Ball Of Fire. Pretty girl, who needs to come up on her legs to make height. Rising up a little at the rear right now, which is often the case for a puppy of this age. Immature in comparison to 1, and lighter in bone, but a sweet head and expression, short loin and neat feet.

PB (2,1) 1 Ravenheim Blue Mystique Of Llassah.

JB (2,0) Two lovely bitches. 1 Simmonds & Mott’s Kamgaard Kariad. Litter sister to winner in Junior Dog, sharing many of the same attributes. A little out of coat, but gorgeous colour. Neat feminine head with dark eyes and ears, which appeared slightly tall without her ruff. Excellent proportions, truly square, with good length of leg, short loin, level topline, sufficient bone. Tail tightly curled and carried well forward, moved well. 2 Ravenheim Blue Mystique Of Llassah.

PGB (2,1) 1 Haugstad’s Skogly's Vinny Vivi Vidi. Compact, feminine bitch, slightly light in bone, good proportions. Dark ears and eyes, well set and carried tail, level topline. Movement unsettled today, lifting forelegs a little high.

LB (4,0) 1 Saint’s Ravenheim's Tor Vildenvaer. Lovely type, caught my eye immediately. Well laid shoulders, good length of rib, moderate loin, excellent bone and length of leg, neat feet, level topline. Super coat, pretty, wedge-shaped head, dark eyes. Pleasing profile action, just slightly close moving away. In contention for top honours. 2 Tyson’s Bowerhinton Bright Flame at Starceylon. Another very good quality bitch of a different type. More compact than 1, but just a shade weaker in topline and tail could be set a little higher. Pleasing arch of neck and well laid shoulders. Good wedge-shaped head with dark eyes, attractive coat and colour, good bone. In lovely condition. Moved well, preferred her rear action to that of the winner. 3 Young’s Bowerhinton Baroness of Torloisk. Pleasing overall proportions, lovely feminine head, with good length of leg, short loin, compact body. Good bone, high-set tail carried a little to one side. Rises up somewhat at the rear and loses her topline on the move.

OB (5,2) 1 Simmonds & Mott’s Ch/Am Ch Kamgaard Klementina (Imp USA). Immaculately presented, striking, mature bitch. Wedge-shaped head, pleasing arch to neck, well-laid shoulders, level topline. Lovely coat and colour, exceptional body proportions, short loin, well-sprung ribs, strong bone without coarseness. Good rear angulation reflected in her sound movement; she never put a foot out of place. Pleased to award her BCC & BIS. 2 Mortimer’s Ch Laakso Dana. Lovely, typical bitch with pleasing feminine head, ears slightly tall. Coat preparing to blow, short loin, compact outline, level topline, good overall condition. High-set tail, very well angulated fore and aft, lovely economical movement. Everything in moderation and balanced, nothing jarring to the eye. RCC. 3 Maun’s Ch Bowerhinton Blackbird. Well-presented bitch with good wedge-shaped head and sparkling dark eyes. Lovely coat texture and colour, well-set and carried tail, good bone. Would prefer slightly more length of leg, topline tends to break behind the withers on the move.

Brace (3,0) 1 Mortimer’s brace. A well-matched, quality pair, these half-siblings moved around the ring as one. 2 Gold’s brace. 3 Haugstad’s brace.

Vanessa McHugh (Judge)