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"MEET THE BREEDER"
Cross B Chows......Janet Burke
#2....What level of
success/participation have you achieved and in what
areas?
Owner of the #1 Supreme Chow in 1989...Ch. Bondsai's Bullet Hitth
Bullsi ROM
The Chow Chow Defeating the Greatest Number of Chow Chows
Breeder of the Year 1989 Janet & Pat Burke
Breeder of the Year 1990 Janet & Pat Burke / Doug & Pam Bailey
Ch. Cross B's Magic Bettina ROM
Breeder / Co-owner of Brood Bitch of the Year 1991
Janet Burke Breeder Awards
Circle of Honor Bronze Award in 1998
Circle of Honor Silver Award in 1998
Circle of Honor Gold Award in 2000
Ch. Barjo's Notorious ROM
Sire of more than 50 Champions
Stud Dog of the year, 1990 and 1991
Winner of the Stud Dog Class at the 1996 National Speciality
STUD DOG, Circle of Honor Bronze Award in 1998
STUD DOG, Circle of Honor Silver Award in 1998
STUD DOG, Circle of Honor Gold Award in 2001
Ch. Bai-lee's Magic Marquis ROM
BROOD BITCH, Circle of Honor Bronze Award in 1998
BROOD BITCH, Circle of Honor Silver Award in 2000
Breeder-Owner-Handler Ch. Cross B's Golden Tri-Angle
The dog Defeating the Most Dogs by going WD from the BBE class in
1997
Breeder- Owner of Ch. Cross B's Every Chance I Get
#3 Chow Chow of the Year---2000
Breeder of the Dam of BIS BISS Ch. Xishan's Guardian Angel
Breeder of BIS CH. Cross B's Impressive Waylon J
Breeder of Ch. Cross B's Kai O-Sama of Tory
Winner of the Stud Dog Class at the 2000 National Specialty
Register of Merit Award (ROM) has been achieved on a number of
Cross B dogs as well as Ch. Barjo's Notorious, Ch. Bai-lee's Magic
Marquis, Ch. Bai-lee's Christmas Miss Zessy, Ch Artpho's Klanci at
Cross B, Ch. Chinarose Devil May Care, and Ch. Lov- Chow Jokers Wild
O'Cross B. These are dogs that I have purchased from other
breeders and achieved their ROM's also.
#3....If you could Change anything
along the path of your success what would that be and
why?
I would have been more selective in letting dogs that I have worked
for years to produce get out of my hands. The novice Chow
enthusiast needs to study pedigrees before they purchase a puppy as
it takes years of breeding to know what dogs will produce consistent
quality. It can be lost in one generation.
I would have collected and had semen frozen from more of my males.
There are some of them I would like to bring back into my
pedigrees. I do have semen frozen from a black dog that goes back
to the same pedigree that Ch. Artpho's Klanci At Cross B was from.
This was collected in 1992 and I have a new litter on the ground
from Ch. Cross B's Kace of Kountry who is closely related to Klanci.
This is the first time I have used this semen. I have semen from a
red dog as well - Cross B's Magnum Force which I will be bringing
back to my pedigrees soon. This just makes it possible to bring in
some new blood after several generations. I actually knew these
dogs so I know what I am dealing with.
#4 ...How would you describe the features/details
of the Chow's
most important characteristics?
You have to have a balanced chow. To describe this balance- the dog
has to be square. You should see square all over the dog. The
movement is very important. If there is not balance, he cannot
move correctly. A narrow front, short or crooked legs, an overdone
head, loose feet, big floppy ears is not balanced. The illustrated
standard describes a balanced dog exactly.
#5...On a Scale of 1 to 10, where
do you think the breed currently stands in overall quality?
The dogs I have personally seen in the ring lately have been lacking
in balance and substance. I feel that with what I have seen I would
rate the overall dogs at a 4. Too many of the dogs lack correct
movement and are long in back. The quality of our breed cannot
improve if inferior dogs are used for breeding. A CH. title does
not improve breed quality, this only deceives the novice. If a good
quality male is bred to an inferior bitch, there might
be one ok dog in the litter but what about the next generation? A
true breeder should know better than to do that.
#6...Name a few dogs that would epitomize the
standard in your opinion. (Past or present not necessarily your own
and not necessarily dogs living.)
The dogs that I bred at my kennel that I felt were very close to the
standard were Ch. Cross B's Tanya Tucker, Ch. Cross B's Tommy Tor-rific,
and Ch. Cross B's Just Watch Me Baby. All three were balanced dogs
with a temperament that anyone would love to own.
Most of these dogs are found back several generations in my
pedigrees. I have only seen pictures and records of production of
most of these dogs listed below. The ones that impressed me when I
started looking at pedigrees were Ch. Melody's Saint Noel, Ch.
Don-Lee's Prophet, Ch. Starcrest Mr.Christopher, Ch. Teabear's
Cheese Whiz, Ch Checkmate's Cherry Brandy, Ch. Ghat De La Moulaine,
Ch Tsang-Po's Bamboo Boy, and of course many others.
Some of the kennels later in my pedigrees are Bondsai, Dragonwych,
Pandee, Bai-lee, Rebelrun, Barjo, Chinabear, Imperial, Cherie's, Lov-Chow,
and Chinarose. Credit goes to these breeders who have contributed
to the good quality of Cross B Chows. The research I have done and
finding some of these dogs had been top producers along with the
success of their breeders is what I based my original foundation on.
Keep in mind it is not always the Top Winning
dogs that produce the consistent quality we should all be looking
for.
#7...Please share with us one/some of the most
memorable moments of your involvement with Chows.
I will have to say that one of the most memorable moments was in
1989 when Ch. Bondsai's Bullet Hitth Bullsi took Best of Breed and
was Supreme Chow at the Atlanta National Specialty. Bullet was
asking for that win. It was breath taking to watch him show. He
was an exceptional show dog. Bullet was
my first male show dog, and this was one of my first experiences
watching this type of competition with my dog. I had only owned a
chow a few years when BULLET became Number 1 Supreme Chow.
#8....Are you breeding for the judges or are the
judges influencing how you breed? Do you feel that one affects the
other?
Why would anyone breed for the judges? We
have a standard. My breeding is done with only the standard and
consistent quality in mind. I absolutely do not breed
for the judges. The judges
need to adhere to our chow standard. If they do not do this I
certainly do not respect them nor do I go in their ring again.
There are many good judges who adhere to the standard and only put
up the best dog in the ring. I respect them even if I do not win.
I know when there is a better dog in the ring than what I am showing
and I appreciate any good dog. It does me good to see a judge put
up th best dog even if it isn't my dog. The illustrated standard is
easy to study to learn correctness. We need to breed toward that,
and a good judge will find our dogs..
#9...Which Breeders, judges or dogs influenced the
direction of your own bloodlines? And Why?
I respect several breeders, judges, and dogs....I do not believe I
can limit my opinion to certain ones. My answer to this question is
answered in question #6, as they have influenced the foundation of
Cross B Chows. My foundation Ch. Barjo's Notorious, Ch. Bai-lee's
Magic Marquis, and Ch. Bai-lee's Christmas Miss Zesy.
#10...If you could choose the ultimate National
Specialty judges panel, who would do dogs, bitches, and intersex?
Assume no AKC license is required.
Again...I would have to say any one who judges dogs! Not one who
looks at the handler. There are several good judges who do judge
dogs..
#11 ...Who is/are the person(s) who were most
influential in mentoring you (directly or indirectly)
When I first started showing Chows, Dennis & Jennifer Bond were the
ones who started me in the right direction. They took me to the
North Texas Specialty where Bullet (at just past 6 months of age)
took WD under Joel Marston. It was a 4 point major and he took
another major the next day as well. We were at dinner the night
before the judging and I overheard Joel say "I don't care who
comes in the ring tomorrow with the best dog, I will put that dog
up". Joel didn't have any idea who I was or what dog I was
showing and he gave Bullet Winners Dog. I have respected Joel since
then. He has been one of my favorite people from that day. Joel
has given me encouragement in my breeding program on several
different occasions.
#12....How important is mentoring to you with
respect to the people you entrust with your own bloodlines?
It is very important as the people who I have entrusted with my
bloodlines are usually the ones who are just getting started and
they have not experienced some of the things I have encountered in
our breed. All the research in the world is not as valuable as
hands on experience. I have had some well known chow breeders tell
me that I will have to decide how to breed the dogs or bitches they
have from me as they know nothing about pedigrees. This is too bad!
#13....Do you think success as a breeder brings
more responsibility when people approach you for help in their own
situation?
Yes, the responsibility is greater. However there are those who do
not take advice as well as they should. It is sad when some of the
experiences I have had as a breeder are passed on to new people who
ignore what they have been told. For the most part, those who
approach me for help are most grateful.
I would like to express my appreciation for being
the first Breeder to participate in the "MEET THE BREEDER" program
for
Chow Life Magazine. This is Truly an honor.
My Sincere "THANK YOU"....CROSS B CHOWS.....Janet
Burke
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