AHI INTERVIEWS AND INTRODUCES .........

PAMELA BENNETT "DOYEN "AFGHAN HOUNDS AUSTRALIA

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Pamela who has joined the AHI team will cover all activities, information etc from Down Under and beyond....Pamela will also be conducting interviews around the Globe

WHEN DID YOU ACQUIRE YOUR FIRST AFGHAN HOUND? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS BREED?

I bought my first Afghan hound in 1973, a black and tan bitch from a litter bred by what would now be termed a backyard breeder.  This was the only litter bred by them and they were unfortunate to lose most of the litter with Parvo, including a black masked gold bitch that was the pick of litter (in the opinion of a friend who knew nothing about the breed). Because of this tragedy the breeders were keen to let the rest of the puppies go as soon as possible. My pick had always been the black and tan (and I knew about as much as the friend) who kept saying"here I am pick me"! Unfortunately it became a struggle of will between the two of us as to which bitch to take, until the breeders made an offer we couldn't refuse!!!!! Two for the price of one!

The black and tan bitch Ch Relissa Black Night (Sabi) became the beginning of a life devoted to the breed, and the foundation of what became initially "Tadjik" and later "Doyen"

As with most things in life that bring about major changes the reason for choosing this breed, remember I knew nothing about it, except that I had seen some fairly neglected ones with poor temperaments, is probably quite irrational.  I bought a new sporty car after my divorce, and wanted a dog (the family Basset remained with the family); an Afghan hound fitted the image much better than another Basset hound!

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE DOG THAT YOU HAVE BRED? WHAT MAKES HIM/HER A FAVOURITE?
 

                                      Pedigree     

Probably my all time favourite (although this is like asking if you have a favourite child) would be Aust/NZ Ch Tadjik Shikari, from Sabi's first litter to Ch Raushan Jamil.  This litter had a bit of a chequered start, as their dam had picked up a tick a day or so before she whelped unbeknown to us, and when she tried to get out of the whelping box 48 hours after their birth she fell over!!!!! I was hysterical!!!!!!!! Because she was not well the owner of the sire, Eve Siebrecht offered to raise three of the puppies; she picked a gold, because he was "the pick", a small black and tan bitch "because she was little" and then she took the third one "because he has a curly coat and it doesn't matter too much if he doesn't make it". Many times she had to eat those words.

Curly as he was known until he was about 18 months old was a charming puppy with no evil bone in his body. His coat grew madly and was bit on the curly side and his face was a mass of puppy whiskers.  At his first show as a 3 month old baby Sheila Devitt - Gilleney awarded him baby puppy in show.  Her critique included the phrase "eye probably of correct shape, almost impossible to see with the amount of puppy whiskers the shortest of hocks".  This was a great win; novice breeder and exhibitor, large baby classes.  The following week I learned how to be humble as he was unplaced by the judge who had been the steward for Mrs Devitt- Gilleney.

When he was 18 months old, having done very well through the classes he needed some "tidying up". He had a tail like a bush (the standard says "never bushy") no saddle (again referral to the standard, and the fact that I still knew little about the breed is a help) and still maintained his puppy whiskers.  I knew what I wanted (I thought) but had no idea how to make him look like it.

I dropped him off at a groomer who also had Afghan hounds on my way to work; my wonderful Curly was to be gone forever.

The rest of this dog's show career is history. The week after his transformation Les Bradney (Kelzarki) who had "trimmed him" asked if he could handle him; many people who had seen him all his life wanted to know who he was!!!!!!! And he could no longer be Curly it was not dignified, so he became Charlie, or as my daughter called him Charles Henry Edward Francis Dog.

The biggest wins for this dog were those under the doyennes of the breed, Anna Paton, Margaret Niblock and Lois Boardman. He also won under Eddie Grevelt, Hermione Bruton and the Maharajah of Baria. Although many dogs have surpassed his number of Specialty show wins, none has nor will ever win under such notables in the breed.  The Anna Paton Show attracted the largest Afghan hound entry of 512 individuals.  The other shows also had very big entries for Australia.

Charlie died on the day of a Specialty Show judged by Erika Rodde, the day of his 10^th birthday.  He was at the show to be judged in the open class and collapsed before getting to the ring.  Treatment at the vets was to no avail, as he had a tumour, previously asymptomatic which grew from the base of his skull/brain and occluded his airways.  This was a devastating personal loss made only slightly less awful by the fact that his younger full brother Ch Doyen Drunkn Disordly won the CC and BIS.

Charley Head Shot

WHAT DOGS NOT BRED BY YOU DO YOU MOST ADMIRE AND WHY?

 Multi CH El Khyrias Hazztafer

Most black and tan fanatics would mention the inimitable Hazztafer; unfortunately I did not have the pleasure of seeing this dog in the flesh, but I have seen progeny and grandchildren and more remote relations. They have all impressed by their total "Afghan-ness", no generic show dogs, rather strong functional regal hounds as befits the king of dogs.

On my first visit to the UK and an All Breeds Show I was, to put it politely "gob smacked" by the vastness of the venue and the numbers of exhibits and the trade stands. Of course I over spent, the numbers in the GBP were small.....but in translation it took $ au3 dollars to make 1GBP. I have since learned not to buy without translation!

The majority of dogs I saw then (1981) were pretty hairy, very few had saddles, but all carried that "something" that said "Afghan". Most that impressed had a relationship with Horningsea Eboni Earl, which eventually led to the importation of a bitch from Keith and Brenda Thornton.
UK CH Koolaba Horningsea Eboni Earl

Another dog that was very impressive is the young dog from Agha Djari, Ice Storm, who won the best male at the Belgian Congress at 15 months of age.  Many visitors at the Congress tried to buy this dog but he was not available for sale.
 

Australia has always had many impressive dogs which have been influential in many of the current kennels. One such is Ch Raushan Jamil who can be found in many kennels pedigrees which now have quite different types and focus.

Multi Ch Khandhu Amore Amalfi is still very impressive in his 9^th year and showing much younger dogs "how it is done".

To keep mentioning dogs I have admired would become tedious, suffice it to say they are in every country I have had the privilege to visit and see personally.  Over several visits in the last two decades I have seen many changes from the original type/style espoused by many kennels. This leads to question whether the reason is to have better Afghan hounds or better show dogs!

HAVE YOU IMPORTED DOGS IF SO WHERE FROM AND WHY?

As previously mentioned we imported a bitch from Keith and Brenda Thornton, Karnak Cassia, by Ch Zendushkas Pancelli, who had won BOB at that first show I mentioned; Dennis McCarthy having refused the bitch ticket; out of Karnak Juniper. Her pedigree has many of the greats of the time including Eboni Earl as grandsire.  Emma's (Cassia) litter in the UK was a very successful one, but unfortunately she did not do well after quarantine and did not go to many shows in Australia. She produced many lovely puppies, but they also unfortunately (unto the second generation) did not have show temperaments.

Several years after Emma we imported Mirzabad Stanley from a Joe Mirzabad daughter Zog Shiraz of Mirzabad and by  Ch Karnak Blazing Star. Again the plan was to produce Afghans with the strength and power of some of the dogs in the pedigree. Sadly this did not happen and Stanley was not used at outside stud.

Currently we are campaigning Jahadi Esprit, a young black and tan with mostly Scandinavian breeding bred in England by Lesley and Dan James, doing well in the ring despite being totally different from many of the top winning show dogs, and producing lovely houndy, successful puppies in the two litters we have had here at Doyen.

DO YOU JUDGE AFGHAN HOUNDS? IF SO WHERE HAVE YOU JUDGED? WHAT WAS THE BEST EXPERIENCE?

Yes I do judge Afghan hounds, but in Australia with the current numbers of exhibits it is rare for a breed specialist to be invited to judge at an All Breeds Show, and contrary to what happens in the UK and the USA local breed specialists are seldom asked to judge the breed at specialty level. Something about a prophet in his own country perhaps!

I have been very fortunate and honoured to judge in New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, and Slovakia as well as two states in Australia when the numbers were greater.

At the New Zealand Specialty, Canterbury Afghan Hound Club, I first saw Aladin, Rainbow Aladin of Jhanzi as a young dog, and was very impressed with him.  His father Ch Kalutara Guns N Roses, Axel, had been imported from Australia by Hanson and Gilchrist and is the sire of Aladin. I think William prejudged the challenge for me and took Axel in, and let someone less experienced in handling take Laddie…this would have been his first Specialty BIS. History tells a different story.

In Sweden the weather was atrocious at Boskloster; it rained and was cold.  I wore an Akubra and Driasa Bone and dripped water from the brim onto the dogs when I bent my head to examine them. This was the first time I had judged according to the Scandinavian system, and it was quite difficult dealing with the newness and the weather.  There were some lovely dogs who took the rain and cold in their stride. Better than I did.

Loved the South African assignment, and the hospitality of the exhibitors, my BOB there was an import from France Paris Allure Du Mont Isis at Konpara,  a blue who was very eye catching. Of course for anyone judging in RSA the icing on the cake has to be the country itself, even though the tales of violence can be quite off putting. I am sure that Africa will always hold that fascination.

Probably the most amazing appointment was in Slovakia at the same time and venue as the Europe Show, judging a Club Specialty. Many top dogs were at the major show, but I had enough of them shown to find some lovely dogs. My best in show was a black and tan bitch, Paloma du Menuel Galopin litter sister to Parce Que du Menuel Galopin, who was BIS 3 at the Europe Show.  My best dog was Gandamak Flash Gordon, a stallion of a dog who was just beaten by the femininity of the bitch (and her close resemblance to Ch Relissa Black Night.)

The city of Bratislava is lovely, not too over the top with tourists and on the banks of the Danube. Again the hospitality of the Show Management was almost overwhelming. The hotel breakfast gives a whole new meaning to a continental breakfast.

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The responsibility of judging is something that is a bit overawing.  So much can happen if decisions are made and fashions followed and the standard relegated to second place over preferences for the generic show dog.  The breed starts to disappear and it is almost as if there are two distinct types. This was demonstrated very well in the address that Betty Stites gave at the second Yorkshire Congress.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE BREED, YOUR KENNEL AND YOUR SELF?

I guess firstly for myself to be around long enough to see a resurgence of the Afghan hound; one that fits the standard and has the form to function; Afghans that look as though they could do the job of hunting all day if required. Proud and regal and not all glitz and glamour; flash and dash!  Dogs giving the impression of speed and power, with a certain keen fierceness, aloof and dignified... the King of Dogs!

I would also like the opportunity to judge the dogs that have given me the view of what an Afghan is...those in the UK. Time will tell!

At the World Congress in Australia I put forward a submission for an International Confederation of the Afghan Hound, that had a mission to preserve the breed by International cooperation and sharing the knowledge that is held in our corporate intelligence; to meet (electronically) across borders to work at putting together world congresses that advanced that knowledge, not just rehashed what we knew.

To work together to develop research into those conditions that take our dogs from us all too soon, those that are rare and the ones we all acknowledge.  To develop an international database of this research and genetics so that the great pedigree databases that are already around can be more useful in tracing dogs affected with heritable diseases, and the overall health of the breed improved.  We like to think that we have no major problems but this is probably a "head in sand" approach.

Another consideration was to get all the standards together and work to find a way to have a standard standard...one that fits the AFGHAN HOUND rather one that fits the UK, or the USA or the FCI countries. Carla Molinari also put forward this idea in a paper presented at the RSA Congress.  This would take a great deal of time and cooperation and some compromise with the things that are already different in each standard, but ultimately there could be consensus.

For the "Afghans of Doyen"?  We are currently happy that the puppies that are in the ring are examples of the hound in Afghan hound, and that any future breeding might incorporate some of the lines that we cherish here in the old dogs who have not added to the breed's gene pool. Beyond that who knows.

 PAMELA

Doyen Website

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