]

 
 
 

]

Back to menu
  
 
 

]

 
 
 

]

Back to menu
   
 
 

]

 
 
 

]

Back to menu
   
 
 

]

   
 

]

Back to menu
 

Lowchen World Questionaire
Juha Kares - Chic Choix Lowchen Finland
A range of breeders were asked the following questions, and their interesting responses.
First Published on LowchenWorld.com February 2003.

Your Name: Mr. Juha Kares
Kennel Name: Chic Choix
Country: Finland

Year you got your first Lowchen? 1980
Year you began breeding? 1982
How did you become interested in the breed? I saw a puppy and fell in love right a way
What do you love most about them? Temperament

Which dog, from photo or real life epitomises what a Lowchen should be? Three dogs that I´ve bred myself mentioned later on plus: Gb Ch Littlecourt Pippin & Gb Ch Duncara Homespun BISS & Int & Fin & S & N Ch Sonnafjellets Enchantress
What were your aims at the beginning of your breeding program? Protect the wonderful lively but intelligent temperament of the breed. Save the true type. Typical strong enough skull- large eye. Good ribcage. Silky coat with waves - no curly! Keep the breed as it use to be in Mediterrean area long time ago - free whelping etc.
Have your aims and directions changed? Not really. I have became even more straight about protecting the true type and orginal pedigrees. And if so, what brought about this change? Travelling around the world and seeing pictures I realised something have happened for the breed out there and there are mixtures that have changed the type poodle or havanese alike!!
Which of your litters do you consider to be your best you have bred to date? And why? Best would be K-litter by Ch Cleeview Catch Us Catch Can x Int Ch Chic Choix Brigitte Lifar.
This combination produced:
Multi BISS Fin Ch Chic Choix Kangourou Du Nord Int&Fin&S&N&DK&LV Ch Chic Choix Klaxon Du Nord BISS & Multi BIG-winning Int&Fin&S&N&DK&Est Ch Chic Choix Kyrielle de Nuit
O-litter by BIS & BISS Int & Multi Ch Chic Choix Mioche et Papa Multi BIG-winning Int & Multi Ch Chic Choix Caresse de Nuit
This produced:
Fin Ch Chic Choix Oiu Mais Non
Int&Fin&S&N&DK&Est Ch Chic Choix Oiseau de Venus I
nt&Fin&S&Est Ch Chic Choix Oiseau de Nuit
Which single dog would you consider is the very best that you have bred, and why? Int & Fin & S & DK Ch, WW-89, EW-91 ,FinW-89-91 Chic Choix Dame de Coeur BISS & BIG-winning Int & Fin & Est & N & LV Ch, FinW-01-02 Chic Choix Enfin La Lune and my young girl Chic Choix Harem D´Orient (too young to be champion yet) Wonderfull temperaments, true movers, superior bodies & ribcages, ideal body lenght, carriage & reach of movement, coats, heads.
Which single dog do you feel has made the biggest impact on your breeding, up until this point? And why? Multi BIS Int & Fin & S & N Ch Chic Choix Brigitte Lifar She was something else - everybody who saw her will understand why....She was small ,ideal body length, superior coat and her attitude & movemnet was unreal. She was also great producer and generations after her have carrige many of her details.
As a breeder, what characteristic will you not tolerate when evaluating a Lowchen for show and/or breeding? Those lowchens that you see more and more nowadays - terrible fronts plus lack of ribcage and weak movements. Narrow heads, long noses and light eyes.
What characteristic do you hold higher than all else, when evaluting a Lowchen for show and/or breeding? True front, good ribcage and true movement specially nice reach & carriage, nice heads.
Is there a characteristic that you feel the breed is lacking as a whole, or is in danger of being lost? Fronts are very much lost already - situation is terrible.
Where do you think the breed will be in 5 years? Hopefully situation is better - however I feel many breeders are not critical enough and everything is used for breeding!!!
Which of the Lowchen standards, that have historically or presently been used, do you follow? FCI orginal breed standard.
Is there any part of historical or present standards you do not agree with? Modern FCI when it comes to colour & size, AKC standard is uncorrect in many details!!!!
If there was something you would add or change to the standard used in your own country? FCI - size back what it use to be and colour as it use to be.
Is there any single person or kennel which you admire above others? Freda McGregor - Littlecourt kennel
Please list your top 5 all time favourite dogs (from photos/real life):
Int Ch Chic Choix Dame de Coeur
GB Ch Littlecourt Pippin
Int Ch Sonnafjellets Enchantress
BIS Int Ch Chic Choix Brigitte Lifar
Chic Choix Harem D´Orient
In closing, is there anything you wish to convey to other Lowchen lovers about the breed? Be critical - study the past more. Ideal lowchens were not the dogs survived second world war - orginal breed type was in Mediterrian area. Breeds darkest years were after second world war and those few individuals been alive after the war just were lucky not in any sence orginal or most typical lowchens. Study more Goays paintings or travel to isolated Mediterrian islands to understand orginal breed type better!!!
Try to understand what is importance of ribcage and correct movement - reach & carriage. Fertility is important and health must be understood widely not just one thing.

 All articles are remain copyright their author.  See © Copyright and LowchenWorld.com