The Modern Kerry Blue Terrier (A Vintage Dog Books Breed Classic)

Violet E. Handy

• Publisher: Vintage Dog Books
• Year: 2011
• eBook ISBN:
  9781446547472
• Print ISBN:
  9781846649981

Originally published in 1933, this extremely rare early work on the Kerry Blue Terrier is both expensive and hard to find in its first edition. VINTAGE DOG BOOKS have republished it, using the original text and photographs, as part of their CLASSIC BREED BOOKS series. The author was a highly respected breeder, exhibitor and judge of Kerry Blue Terriers. This was the first comprehensive book of the breed to be written. The book's eighty pages cover all aspects of the Kerry Blue Terrier. Several of the nine Detailed chapters have been contributed by other well known experts on the breed. Commencing with the origins and history of the breed, it moves on to discuss buying, breeding, feeding and showing, amongst many other topics. There is an illustrated "Standard description of the correct appearance and scale of points" and a number of excellent photos of famous dogs of the day. This is a fascinating read for any Kerry Blue Terrier enthusiast or historian of the breed and also contains much information that is still useful and practical today. Many of the earliest dog breed books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. VINTAGE DOG BOOKS are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

CHAPTER II.

General Appearance.

In judging the merit of any Kerry Blue Terrier it is of the first importance to take into account his general appearance and the impression that he will make on the mind of the judge. A perfect show dog should be uniform throughout, and should not excel in any one point more than another, although dogs possessing certain strong points are useful for breeding.

What we want is a dog perfectly balanced all over; not a freak, all head or all coat, and nothing else. We must get better bodies, smaller, well-carried ears, shorter backs, better feet and quarters, with good movement fore and aft, and we must remember not to lose the big bone that his ancestors always had, and that is a characteristic of the breed.

The faddist has been responsible for the variations which we have witnessed in the last few years. One breeder has set his mind upon improving heads, for which he has made many sacrifices in the way of long backs, short necks, and other features. Another has been a stickler for bodies, which he has obtained, in many cases, at the cost of heads and fronts. Another has made coats his speciality, and so on. The result is that certain kennels have become noted for heads, others for bodies, or, maybe, fronts, and others for coats, etc. It is probably to the blending of these various strains that we owe the uniformity of the present-day show Kerry. But the blending of opposites does not always produce the happy medium, as would seem to be the natural result. Breeding has not yet been reduced to such an exact science. If it had we should long ago have reached perfection.

Description of the Kerry Blue Terrier.

A Kerry Blue Terrier is a silky-coated, well set-up terrier-like, compact dog, and must convey the idea of activity, muscularity, and gameness. The chief points for consideration are the relative proportions of the skull and the foreface, length of the head, length of neck, height at withers and length of back from withers to set-on of tail. The ideal proportion is reached when the height and length measurements are the same. (See drawing.) A more detailed description of each point follows. This description is only to help novices, and, of course, there is no hard and fast rule. But if a Kerry Blue is as well balanced as this, and has the other essential points, he should be a very good one. His colour may be any shade of blue, from silver-blue to steel-blue; and he should not have any white in his coat or on his nails. His gums should be blue, with almost black rims round his teeth.

Photo., Thos. Fall.

CHAMPION NOFA JACOBIN.

A PERFECT SIX MONTHS OLD PUPPY

The Points of the Kerry Blue Terrier.

Foreface.—Although the foreface should gradually taper from the eyes to the muzzle, and should dip slightly at the stop, it should not “dish” or fall away quickly below the eyes, where it should be full and well boned-up. Both upper and lower jaws should be strong and muscular, and the teeth as nearly as possible level, the lower canines locking in front of the upper.

THE HEAD.—

Correct head, well-balanced, small, well-carried ears, small dark eyes, good expression.

Side view of correct head, showing the right balance, good ear placement, small well-set eyes, clean neck free from throatinese, good expression.

Eyes.—Should be dark in colour, moderately small, and not prominent; full of fire, life, and intelligence; as nearly as possible circular in shape; and neither too far apart nor too close together. A yellow or light eye is most objectionable.

Skull.—The top of the skull should be almost flat, gradually decreasing in width towards the eyes. A “coarse” skull takes the balance arid expression from the head, and should penalise heavily. In a well-balanced head there should be little difference in length between skull and foreface.

Ears.—Should be fairly small and V-shaped, the flaps neatly folded over and dropping forward. The top line of the folded ear should be well above the level of the skull. A heavy ear hanging dead by the side of the head, like that of a hound, is not characteristic of a Terrier, while an ear which is erect is still more undesirable. (See drawings.)

EAR CARRIAGE.—

Correct ear carriage, gives keen outlook, expression, and style.

“Tulip” ears, often seen but objectionable.

“Hound” ears, common fault, void of terrier character.

“Prick” ears, unusual and very objectiona...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• I. The Kerry Blue Terrier
• II. General Appearance
• III. Kennel Management
• IV. The Origin of the Kerry Blue Terrier and the First Winners. By J. H. F. Barlow
• V. Show Kerry Blue Terriers—Past and Present. By the late Mr. Holland Buckley
• VI. Judge’s Remarks. By the late Mr. Neville Dawson
• VII. Judge’s Remarks. By the late Mr. Frank Butler
• VIII. Then and Now. By Miss M. C. Green
• IX. Kerry Blue Terriers in Ireland. By Michael F. Morris
• Breeding Register
• Brood Bitch Register