Full Critique for Shih Tzu Club 2026
Judge : Mrs Ann Pickburn
This critique reflects the judge's opinion
based on what they saw on the day of the show.
| Firstly, I must thank the Shih Tzu Club for inviting me to judge their Championship show. My first CC appointment was also at Shih Tzu club in 1981 and how things have changed since then. We have lower numbers being exhibited now and the large kennels of the past are long gone. Fortunately, we have a number of long-term exhibitors who consistently produce quality exhibits. Thank you all for my lovely entry. I must thank my two stewards Tim and Steve who organised my ring superbly and who coped well with the inevitable problem of when we hold 2 shows together that an exhibitor can be in the other ring. All exhibitors were very good about a few minutes wait and all in all the show had a lovely atmosphere which is credit to Shih Tzu club and its committee. General issues were narrow fronts and lack of drive. Coats and presentation were generally good and fortunately the shape was not hidden by too much coat. White of eye seems to be in decline so well done there. Temperaments were very good which is so important. |
| Puppy Dog | ||
| 1st | Hin Chen’s Obsession (Imp Nor) | Gold and white who takes your eye at once. He has a typical head with masculine expression and dark eye. Well placed shoulders and is well bodied. Good tail set, moves well when he settles but gave his owner a hard time. Best dog puppy. |
| 2nd | Ralphina All About Otto At Snowshoes | Gold and white, lots of coat for age which is well presented. Good head and expression but although moves well at the rear his front movement was not as correct as the winners today. |
| 3rd | Shidizzle Quartzite Star Of Crimsonleash | 3rd in puppy dog, immature gold and white. He has decent head and is well bodied but topline needs to settle especially on the move. |
| Junior Dog | ||
| 1st | Warathwaite Hear Me Roar | Solid gold with black mask which is nice to see, good nose placement and pigment. Sturdy boy who is well bodied, keeps his topline on the move and moves out well. |
| 2nd | Ethelsmead Ripleys Game | Gold dog presented in very good coat and condition. Good head, dark eyes, well bodied. Just felt that he did not move out quite as confidentially as the winner. |
| Beginners Dog | ||
| 1st | Shidizzle Quartzite Star Of Crimsonleash | 3rd in puppy dog, immature gold and white. He has decent head and is well bodied but topline needs to settle especially on the move. |
| Novice Dog | ||
| 1st | Hin Chen’s Obsession (Imp Nor) | Gold and white who takes your eye at once. He has a typical head with masculine expression and dark eye. Well placed shoulders and is well bodied. Good tail set, moves well when he settles but gave his owner a hard time. Best dog puppy. |
| 2nd | Sassyshi Upstairs At Erics | Real baby of 7 months, unsure of what was expected of him and has a lot of maturing to do as expected at this age. Just needs time as he has a pleasing head developing and once, he gains some weight and settles on the move will look a different dog. |
| Yearling Dog | ||
| 1st | Rossvale I Have A Dream JW | Gold and white, lovely head and expression which won him the class, He has good shoulder placement, well bodied and is balanced. Moves out well and is in full well presented coat. |
| 2nd | Freakshow Opulence Above All At Showshoes JW (ImpE | Gold brindle and white, different style to the winner, larger and head not as pleasing. However, he is well bodied, good tailset and moves out well. |
| Post Graduate Dog | ||
| 1st | Shidizzle Murrays Mint | A very difficult class to judge as all at different stages of development and difference of type. Gold and white who won the class on his movement, he had drive and purpose about him, and covered the floor soundly. Good dark eyes and expression, heavily coated and well bodied. |
| 2nd | Charonnis Its Now Or Never | Solid gold dog, well bodied and balanced. Just felt the winner moved out more freely today. In good coat, presented and handled well. |
| Limit Dog | ||
| 1st | Hin Chen’s Mount Everest JW | Hin Chens Mount Everest (Imp Norway) headed a strong class where several dogs pushed the winner hard. However, I felt he stood out, a very correctly sized dog, nothing extreme about him, his head and expression are so typical of what the breed should look like, good dark eyes and good mouth. Well placed shoulders level topline. He is well bodied, not high on the leg but moves soundly and with drive. Presented in full coat. Overall, its his balance that caught my eye and in the challenge he out moved his opposition. DCC and ultimately BIS. Good luck for his third CC. |
| 2nd | Thaisu Trick Or Treat At Chiachi | A new one to me, he pushed the winner hard. Lovely head with dark eyes, good mouth. He also is well bodied and balanced, beautifully presented in full coat and handles very well. Kept his topline on the move but in the challenge for the res CC just felt the open winner gave a little more on the move. Should do well in the future. |
| Open Dog | ||
| 1st | Ch. Rossvale Wildest Dream JW | Headed a strong class. Have judged him some years ago and liked him then, solid gold with a beautiful head and expression. Good width of jaw. He like a lot of Shih Tzus has matured slowly. Well bodied and good topline. Moves out well but without the style of the limit winner. However overall, he is a very sound dog, and well-balanced dog. Worthy champion. Res CC. |
| 2nd | Ch. Santosha Memory of Love | Another pleasing solid gold, very presented and handled. Has a pleasing head with dark eye and wide jaw. Good shoulder placement and topline. Well bodied. Moved well. Just preferred the balance of 1st. |
| Veteran Dog | ||
| 1st | Ch. Jacquinta Lets Go Andy JW | 9 year old veteran who still gives his all to showing. Has a good head and expression, he is well bodied and balanced and moves out well with drive and reach. He is presented in very good coat and condition. |
| Minor Puppy Bitch | ||
| 1st | Marhilway Cutting It For Cabbala | Gold and white bitch puppy of 7 months. She has a decent head and expression, good placement of shoulder, well bodied and balanced. Moves well and presented in good coat. My only concern is that I hope she has done her growing early, but this can happen in Shih Tzus. Look forward to seeing how she develops. |
| 2nd | Sassyshi So Beautiful | Complete opposite in size, she is the same age as the winner but much less mature. Very pretty puppy, nice head and feminine expression. Good shoulders and body for size, she is her owners first show dog and owner has a tendency to flatten the tail so that needs watching. Moved well once settled. She needs to grow on a little but has plenty of time for that. Presented in good coat. Best Special Beginner In Show |
| 3rd | Marhilway Little Bit Of Edge | Third in minor puppy. Well constructed gold and white puppy of 7 months well bodied and balanced. In good coat which is well presented. Very like her litter sister who won minor puppy. |
| Puppy Bitch | ||
| 1st | Snowshoes Lady Penelope For Maili | 11 month old red and white puppy who is a sound and very mature puppy. Has an attractive head with good expression, dark pigment and dark expressive eyes. Good topline and body, moves out well. More settled in movement than the dog puppy in the challenge for best puppy in show. |
| 2nd | Marhilway Cutting It For Cabbala | Gold and white bitch puppy of 7 months. She has a decent head and expression, good placement of shoulder, well bodied and balanced. Moves well and presented in good coat. My only concern is that I hope she has done her growing early, but this can happen in Shih Tzus. Look forward to seeing how she develops. |
| 3rd | Snowshoes Black Bettie | Solid black who is a very sound bitch. She has a lovely head with such dark expressive eyes, well bodied and balanced. Moved so much better in this class, much more settled. |
| Res | Sassyshi So Beautiful | Complete opposite in size, she is the same age as the winner but much less mature. Very pretty puppy, nice head and feminine expression. Good shoulders and body for size, she is her owners first show dog and owner has a tendency to flatten the tail so that needs watching. Moved well once settled. She needs to grow on a little but has plenty of time for that. Presented in good coat. Best Special Beginner In Show |
| VHC | Areaniea Dumbledore | Puppy who was very unsettled in her first couple of classes but settled better in this class. Needs to mature and settle in movement. |
| Junior Bitch | ||
| 1st | Snowshoes Lady Penelope For Maili | 11 month old red and white puppy who is a sound and very mature puppy. Has an attractive head with good expression, dark pigment and dark expressive eyes. Good topline and body, moves out well. More settled in movement than the dog puppy in the challenge for best puppy in show. |
| 2nd | Eastfanes Jubilee Ballet Dancer | Gold and white bitch I have liked since she first came into the ring, she is a very feminine bitch and is beautifully made. Pleasing head and expression, good body and balance. Moved with drive but I just felt she was a bit tired and coat was at the teenage stage. I am sure she will continue her successful career once she is more mature. |
| VHC | Sassyshi So Beautiful | Complete opposite in size, she is the same age as the winner but much less mature. Very pretty puppy, nice head and feminine expression. Good shoulders and body for size, she is her owners first show dog and owner has a tendency to flatten the tail so that needs watching. Moved well once settled. She needs to grow on a little but has plenty of time for that. Presented in good coat. Best Special Beginner In Show |
| Beginners Bitch | ||
| 1st | Sassyshi So Beautiful | Complete opposite in size, she is the same age as the winner but much less mature. Very pretty puppy, nice head and feminine expression. Good shoulders and body for size, she is her owners first show dog and owner has a tendency to flatten the tail so that needs watching. Moved well once settled. She needs to grow on a little but has plenty of time for that. Presented in good coat. Best Special Beginner In Show |
| 2nd | Areaniea Dumbledore | Puppy who was very unsettled in her first couple of classes but settled better in this class. Needs to mature and settle in movement. |
| Novice Bitch | ||
| 1st | Snowshoes Black Bettie | Solid black who is a very sound bitch. She has a lovely head with such dark expressive eyes, well bodied and balanced. Moved so much better in this class, much more settled. |
| 2nd | Marhilway Little Bit Of Edge | Third in minor puppy. Well constructed gold and white puppy of 7 months well bodied and balanced. In good coat which is well presented. Very like her litter sister who won minor puppy. |
| 3rd | Areaniea Dumbledore | Puppy who was very unsettled in her first couple of classes but settled better in this class. Needs to mature and settle in movement. |
| Yearling Bitch | ||
| 1st | Ethelsmead Hocus Pocus To Kengai | Pale gold and white in good coat which was presented well. Pleasing head and expression, a good front assembly, level topline and well bodied for age. She has muscle which reflects in her movement. |
| 2nd | Densown Fanta Fizz To Ralphina JW | Another gold and white with good expression. Dark eyes, good topline which she kept on the move. Well handled and coat presented well. Just felt she wasn’t quite as settled on the move as the winner. |
| Post Graduate Bitch | ||
| 1st | Paliden Starlight Kisses | Solid gold who is very feminine and has a pleasing head with dark eyes and a lovely expression. Good mouth, well placed shoulders. Could perhaps carry a little more body to advantage. Moved out very confidently and has a good front and rear. Well presented and handled. |
| 2nd | Hin Chens Jewel In The Crown At Centastage | Gold and white who has a lovely head and expression, good wide jaw and dark eyes. Well bodied bitch, in fact I think she could do to lose some weight as I just felt it affected her movement slightly. Overall, a nice bitch. |
| Limit Bitch | ||
| 1st | Jadetemple Jaci Higgins At Daltricia JW | 2 year old who is a very honest bitch with no exaggeration. She has a pleasing head with dark eyes and a good mouth with width of jaw. Her neck leads into well placed shoulders; she has a level topline which she keeps standing and on the move. Well bodied and well ribbed. Tail carried well, she moves out soundly with drive and overall is a very sound bitch. Presented in good coat of a correct texture, in the challenge I felt she was pushed all the way by the open winner but just scored on overall finish. CC, good luck for her 3rd CC. |
| 2nd | Santosha Senorita At Chiachi | A very eye catching bitch, glamours gold and white who is lovely to go over, different type to the winner but completely fits the breed standard also. Head is good with dark eyes and good mouth. She has a good body and good tailset. As happy and despite Moved very soundly away from me but on the return, she was not as settled. I am sure she will have a better day and should make up easily. |
| Open Bitch | ||
| 1st | Honeyshuchun Sand Goddess | 4 year old gold and white bitch who has been slow to mature. However, although in a smaller package than some she possesses a very pretty and feminine head, good dark eye, with good jaw. Well bodied, she keeps her topline on the move and standing. Liked her movement with good reach at the front and drive at the rear. She was well presented in good coat but felt in the challenge that the limit winner although younger just had more finish, res cc and good luck for the future. |
| 2nd | Ch. Peekin Hoi-Tee-Toi-Tee-Tu | Gold and white bitch who I think needs to handled to see how sound and typical she is. Pleasing expression with good dark eyes, she has well placed shoulders leading to a level topline. Good body and balance, moves out soundly A very worthy champion |
| Veteran Bitch | ||
| 1st | Ch. Middletune Flame Of Gold | Always admired this bitch from the ring side and she did not disappoint. 8 years old Such a typical bitch, good head and expression with dark eyes, well placed shoulders and well bodied. Moves and shows well and presented in good coat. Best veteran overall. |
| 2nd | Tansingh Color Me Beautiful For Mirazian JW | Amazing that this bitch is still gracing the show ring, she is now in her 16th year. Moves out well for age, enough body, well coated and is a total credit to her devoted owner. |