At a prestigious exhibition in England, the Tibetan terrier from Kaunas triumphed

Cruft’s Show Lessons and Breeders’ Responsibilities

He is called Leo for short at home and is listed as BUDDHA SAMPATTI IT’S JUST FOR YOU in his pedigree.

Budhha sampatti means Buddha’s wealth in Nepali, says DR Mačenskienė, a breeder of Tibetan terriers who has achieved impressive results with her pets at more than one exhibition. – I currently have five Tibetan terriers. Leo is the only male, the darling of the ladies of the house, but their love usually manifests itself in chasing each other and other doggy antics.”

The interviewer points out that the first Tibetan terriers from their country of origin – Nepal were brought to England, from there they spread all over the world, so England is considered the parent country of this dog breed, the cradle of the breed, the creator of the standard. That is why Cruft’s show (one of the largest and oldest dog shows in the world, held annually in March in Birmingham, Great Britain) is very important for Tibetan terrier breeders and breeders.

“Of course, not everyone comes to this exhibition, but they really watch and are interested in what happens in the ring,” assures Leo’s owner. – We participated in the Cruft’s exhibition for the fourth time. Neither European nor world dog shows gather as many dogs of this breed as Cruft’s. On average, 200 – 270 Tibetan Terriers are registered. Expertise takes place throughout the day with a short break between male and female performances. I am very impressed with the attitude of the judges, respect for the participants, regardless of what kind of dog you have. Is it world class or has it just jumped off the couch and is a bit of a mess. The judges look at everyone respectfully, they pay a lot of attention to everyone.”

In 2021, at the Cruft’s show, DR Mačenskienė bred bitch Inter ch. ANG KI CHI IS JUST FOR YOU won 2nd in the Yearling class. Another pet purchased from one of the most famous German kennels, Inter ch. Multi ch. TI LA SHU ETERNAL FLAME finished 5th in the Open class.

The breeder is happy with all the achievements of her dogs, but Leo still achieved a lot. “It’s even hard to believe that a dog from a small country, where there are not many Tibetan terriers at all, only one kennel (and a very young one), has achieved so much. As a breeder, this rating is exceptional for me. Tibetan terriers are always judged by British people, experts and breeders of this breed. Their opinion is extremely important.”

According to her, the competition at Cruft’s is huge. The oldest and most famous dog kennels from England and Europe participate in the rings of all breeds. Dogs arrive from America, Canada. But it’s always interesting to check and see how your dogs are rated and how they look next to a lot of other Tibetan Terriers. That is why she participates in European, world and Cruft’s exhibitions.

RD Macenskienė is well known among other owners and breeders of Tibetan terriers. By the way, this is not Leo’s only achievement. in 2022 At the World Dog Show in Madrid, he won the title of World Winner, was chosen as the best representative of the opposite sex (BOS). Leo has 14 more championships, is 2022. of the Baltic States and 2023 Lithuanian winner.

“Although dogs have been in my life for more than 30 years, I did not plan to be a breeder,” admits Dalia Raimonda. – We participated in exhibitions with our dogs, but I did not plan to breed. When we bought two Tibetan terrier bitches, there were no such thoughts either, and only two years later I realized that I was raising wonderful dogs that few people in Lithuania know regarding.”

Tibetan terriers are popular all over the world, and only in the former Soviet-occupied countries were they removed from the list of dogs. Having appreciated this fact and the fact that her bitches received excellent evaluations from the judges at exhibitions, she decided to breed Tibetan terriers.

“It’s a hobby, creativity and a big responsibility,” the interviewer answers when asked regarding dog breeding. – I always carry out dog health tests approved by the Lithuanian Cynological Society, which are necessary for breeding, and I also perform additional tests that are needed to take care of the health of future puppies. Every two years, the World Tibetan Terrier Congress is held in some country. I always participate. I am always with those who care regarding the future and welfare of the breed.”

Since there were only a few Tibetan terriers in Lithuania eight years ago, she immediately asked who was breeding them. This is how the “dog show” friendship with Tibetan terrier breeder Lauryna Macijauskaite was born. Coincidentally, both of their first Tibetan Terriers were from the same German kennel, Ti La Shu.

“Now we are those “two Tibetan women from Lithuania” that sometimes make other exhibitors in the Tibetan terrier ring have to stretch and try to better prepare their dogs,” the breeder jokes.

Traveling around European and world exhibitions, watching other participants, they learned because, in Dalia Raimonda’s opinion, you won’t learn much if you are only at home, in the Baltic countries, where there is little competition.

Tibetan Terriers: What kind of dogs are they?

Although the coat of Tibetan terriers is long and very beautiful, the breeder assures that this does not cause difficulties: “It is a little more trouble when changing the coat of a puppy to an adult, and around the third year of life. Good cosmetics, the right grooming tools and weekly bath time – that’s it!”

These dogs have a kind of “double” coat. It looks tangled, but even when it is not combed, it is bathed and during drying, all the tangles seem to “evaporate” when combing. People who breed Tibetan terriers say that there is no smell of dog fur in the house.

These are companion dogs. The connection with their person is very important to them. They are happy to go for a walk with their owner, but if you spend a good half day in front of the TV or computer, they will not complain. Not intrusive, not stalking.

“Sometimes it seems that they know many simple things better than us,” Dalia Raimonda does not spare nice words for her beloved pets. – Maniškis like to observe the environment from a height and announce the appearance of a guest by barking. They are bouncy, so they can spend time with you in dog agility training or competitions. They are easy to train, but throwing the ball is too boring for them. He will bring it two or three times, he will look at you asking: “And how many times will I wear this?” Take it yourself.” Instead, he likes to carry a branch in his jaws. It’s something else entirely, especially if you chose that branch yourself…”.

Tibetan Terriers are sensitive dogs, so a firm “No!” is enough to train them, but they need a lot of praise and genuine human love. Being strict or angry with the Tibetan Terrier will not win you anything, you will even spoil the relationship. They have a good sense of humor, are devoted to their family and expect the same from us.