Spring 2013
Puppy Evaluation: A Breeders’ Roundtable (Part Two)
by Arliss Paddock
Helyne Medeiros with two Pointers she bred — two of the
four all-breed Best in Show winners in their litter.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Helyne Medeiros
Once the puppies in a litter are a few months old, it is time to decide which ones should
go to homes where they'll strictly be beloved companions, and which are conformation or
performance prospects. It can be difficult, however, to look at those youngsters and
guess at how each might turn out. Some traits can improve, while others are less likely
to; a pup who looks awkward at a certain age might be beautifully balanced later on, and
vice versa.
The ability to see the adult dog in the youngster is a skill whose nuances can take years,
even decades, to develop. The trained eye of experience can hold great sway in puppy
evaluation, which is an area where the novice breeder can particularly benefit from the
mentorship of others.
Recently AKC Breeder interviewed several longtime breeders about their puppyevaluation methods so as to share their valuable insights, and we presented Part One of
these interviews our Winter 2012 issue. Here in Part Two we are privileged to share
further advice from two more outstanding breeders.
In this issue we hear from Pointer breeder Helyne Medeiros, of Cape Cod,
Massachusetts. Helyne has been in love with dogs since childhood and by age 8 was
showing in conformation, obedience, Junior Showmanship, and 4-H. Her first big win was
when as a young girl she showed her English Setter, Meg, to Best in Sweepstakes, Best
of Winners, and Best of Opposite Sex against tough competition at a specialty. Over the
years Helyne has carefully developed a very successful breeding program, and her
Seasyde Pointers have included national-specialty Best of Breed winners, multiple allbreed Best in Show winners, and all-time top winners in the breed. She has been
involved with many dog organizations and has served on the boards of the American
Pointer Club and the Cape Cod Kennel Club, representing the latter club as an AKC
Delegate. She exhibits her dogs in conformation, hunt tests, and field trials. She is also
an award-winning groomer and photographer and has lectured on grooming,
conditioning, and handling show dogs.
We also interviewed Pharaoh Hound breeder Rita Laventhall Sacks, of Leesburg,
Florida. Rita imported her first Pharaoh Hound in 1969 and is the person most
instrumental in introducing the breed to the U.S. Her Beltara Kennels, Reg. is regarded
as the breed's foundation kennel in this country. She helped establish the Pharaoh
Hound Club of America and later set up the breed's registry and stud book, which she
maintained with her daughter, Laurie C. Laventhall, until breed recognition, at which time
the records were turned over to the AKC. Rita has served on the PHCA's board of
directors since the club's inception and serves as the club's corresponding secretary as
well as its judges' education coordinator. She writes the Pharaoh Hound column for the
AKC Gazette and is co-author of The Pharaoh Hound, a book widely used by judges and
fanciers alike as a reference for the breed. With Rita's selective breeding program in
place, Beltara Kennels continues to produce champion Pharaoh Hounds every year.
At what age(s) do you ideally like to evaluate puppies for show/breeding
potential?
Medeiros: "I start to evaluate the puppies from birth on, but between 7 and 8 weeks is
when I make my final decisions as to where each puppy will be best suited and who I will
be running on myself. I typically run on one or two myself, but then I reevaluate them at 6
months to make an ultimate decision regarding who stays and who goes."
Sacks: "Although I watch my puppies constantly and carefully, I try not to actually
evaluate them until they are at least 12 weeks old. At that time there is more
development but they have not yet reached that awkward puppy stage where they seem
to grow in different directions."
Many breeders evaluate puppies using approaches such as table-stacking,
observing the pups at liberty, and looking at photos or videos. What are
your preferred evaluation methods?
Medeiros: "All of the above. However, observing puppies on the ground is how I make
my final decision. Stacking them on the table allows me to actually feel the parts. Still
photos allow me to see the overall outline, and videos 'show the truth' as to how each
puppy moves, how he carries his tail, and how he presents himself overall. I've even
been known to spend hours slowing down videos frame by frame, step by step."
Sacks: "I prefer to watch them at play. I also like to put them out in my long dog runs
next to each other and watch them move up and down. I do most of my evaluation this
way. I watch them every day until I am satisfied that I have graded the puppies correctly.
"I have put them on the table to stack them, but I've never really been totally satisfied
with this method. I prefer to observe them moving freely."
What do you consider to be the basics or "must-haves" that you look for
first in selecting the show/breeding prospect?
Medeiros: "The one who has the closest to the 'all-over package' is the keeper. They
must first have the correct Pointer outline, both standing and moving. Correct carriage is
also important, because it is part of the breed characteristics. Then, the charisma is the
icing on the cake!"
Sacks: "Shoulders and hindquarters must be in balance. The importance of properly
angulated shoulders is reflected in the dog's gait.
"I look for the shoulder blade and upper arm joining at an angle of approximately 90
degrees. Slightly more would be acceptable, but not an angle of 110 degrees, which is
an extremely straight or upright shoulder and is incorrect.
"Hindquarters should be in balance with the shoulders. Correct construction of the
hindquarters is where the pelvis and upper shank meet at a right angle (90 degrees), and
the upper and lower shanks, which are of equal length, meet at an approximate right
angle of slightly more than 90 degrees. It is important even at this young age that
forequarters and hindquarters be in balance.
"Since there are so many people who do not have a clue as to how to envision these
angles, the quick and easy check for rear overangulation in Pharaoh Hounds is to use
the 'rule of plumb': Imagine a plumb line from the base of the tail to the ground; correct
Pharaoh Hound rear angulation should have that plumb line fall to where it is just
touching the dog's rear toes when the hind foot is set with the hock perpendicular to the
ground. If the toes are behind that plumb line by an inch or more, then the dog is
overangulated in the rear.
"Another 'must have' is correct tail-set, which is neither high nor low, but medium."
How and when do you assess puppy temperament and personality, and how
significant a role does temperament play in your overall evaluation?
Photo Credit: © AKC
Medeiros: "I start to notice temperaments as soon as they are up on their feet and
motoring around. Because they are first and foremost sporting dogs who are bred to
hunt, I feel that it is very important not to keep one who is shy, noise-sensitive, or easily
spooked. Those who fall into that category, regardless of their beauty, are immediately
removed from my breeding program. Ultimately we have to live with them as family
companions!"
Sacks: "I assess puppy temperament and personality from the very beginning, and with
good reason. The first Pharaoh Hounds to come to the U.S. were very diffident with
people. The breed had more or less been on its own, with minimum human interference
for centuries. The Maltese farmers who kept them used them for hunting and not as pets,
placing emphasis on the natural instincts of the breed, leaving them barely domesticated.
"Forty years ago, our first Pharaoh Hound puppies, starting as young as 6 weeks of age,
would begin to resist being held closely, even panicking. It is the only feature of the breed
that we deliberately set out to change. Many an outstanding show-quality Pharaoh was
never bred because of a reticent personality. We felt that the foundation dogs had to
have dependable temperament that would interact with the modern world if the breed
was to succeed in this country and eventually become recognized and enter the Hound
Group."
What flaws do you consider to be possibly "forgivable" in puppies of your
line or breed? Conversely, which do you deem so serious as to eliminate a
puppy from consideration as a show/breeding prospect?
Medeiros: "I am very critical when selecting puppies. I eliminate straight fronts, the
wrong outline, unsoundness, and a really bad head or tail. However, there are some
faults that I can forgive if the puppy possesses the characteristics that define the reason
why I did the breeding in the first place, thus taking a step forward. I am also careful not
to choose puppies who have qualities that are 'the drag of the breed.' I personally prefer
extreme over common and mediocre."
Sacks: "A soft topline in a puppy is forgivable in Pharaoh Hounds, as is toeing-out of the
front feet. These often change with maturity. Some PH puppies have a somewhat tightly
curled tail which, as the puppy matures, can relax and become correct—a good reason
for not letting my puppies leave before 12 weeks of age.
"Lack of balance front and rear will not change, and I would never offer such a puppy as
a show or breeding prospect."
From your observations in your own breed/bloodline, which conformation
flaws do you feel can improve with maturity — and which have you found to
rarely or never improve?
Medeiros: "The chiseling on heads can improve with maturity; however, a truly plainlooking head at 8 weeks will most likely always remain plain, and a fancy head will not
end up plain. A puppy with extra skin, or even one who rolls, will typically grow into his
skin. Also, a puppy who is not as coordinated because he has more angles will find his
legs at a later age but will have a better scope once matured. The less-angled pups tend
to be more coordinated early on but also will be restricted in movement."
Sacks: "Although heads can change, such as the foreface growing, lack of parallel
planes will not correct with time. High or low tail-sets do not change, but toplines
frequently do. Toeing-in with elbows out does not change, but toeing-out can correct with
maturity. Front and rear angulation do not change."
Are there any further insights on puppy evaluation you'd like to add?
Medeiros: "My goal as a breeder is to be forward thinking and to look at dogs who can
offer our breed what it needs now and in the future. If we are not improving our lines with
each breeding, then the breed will possess more mediocrity than quality. Thinking out of
the box, adding an extreme dog, and taking risks—this is what brings us to the next level.
I truly believe the open-minded breeder has more success than the one who will only
breed to her line or will not make her stud dogs available to others because she fears
someone else will get something even better than she has. Instead, think how they could
get something that you could eventually incorporate back into your own line, while
bringing in new blood. This is called bettering the breed. Success comes to those who
really care about where the breed is going, while understanding how it evolved and the
purpose."
Sacks: "Above all, resist the temptation to be kennel blind. Acknowledge the faults that
you see, try to identify their origin in the pedigree, and adjust your breeding program
accordingly. Always try to improve. Do not base your breeding program on the
winningest dog but on the most correct one. They are not always the same."
Rita and Helyne, thank you very much for so generously sharing your invaluable
insights and advice.