My Critique For Zavi Today

A quick click of the camera and I got a semi-decent photo of Zavi today. Hopefully if Ian is free on Sunday, we'll get one in stance; he's always the best at standing them. I'm still very happy with how Zavi is looking. At 58 cms and 25 kg  he's still smaller than his male siblings, but honestly I'm happy with that. 

Ok so my critique for today. His mouth is correct, with nothing extra and nothing missing, though his bottom jaw still has some developing to do. His head is improving, and he has a lovely dark mask with dark eyes, his left ear is firming up now too. 

He has strong bones down through his forelegs, and for his age his pasterns are straight and strong, and those wonderful feet. Very clean, straight forelegs with good shoulder layback developing. His chest depth is dropping nicely toward the elbow line. 

His wither height has improved. His topline has a smooth unexaggerated slope flowing down from the high withers into a firm, strong back. His croup - length and angle look OK, but currently his tail set is a little high and his tail is very long. (Though he carries his tail low, unlike Orin, who's a tad too proud of his!) The coat over the croup is lying better than it was, and hopefully as his coat develops, the weight will straighten it further! His hindquarter angulation is pleasing to my eye with excellent turn of stifle and well-defined strong straight hocks. 

Zavi has great pigment and a super, thick, lush coat; his knickers are still developing, and hopefully they will help complete the picture. 

I have to admit in the photo he looks a little short-coupled, but I've not noticed that before, so maybe it's just the angle of the photo ... and I didn't get the chance to get a "take-two!" 

Zavi is now very father-typical, but of course Nicola may well see a lot of Mattie there. Katrina says he looks very much like a male version of a baby Beti ... we'll I'm happy with that. She too was dark and had plenty of coat at that age. I've no idea why she's not as well coated now with a couple of breed judges commenting that a little more coat would be prefered to complete the picture. To be honest I think she has enough ... unlike Meerah who really could do with more coat - let's see what happens with her now she's been spayed. 

Orin did have a stronger head at this age, I'm not criticising, just observing as dogs develop differently. Otherwise there's not a lot between them ... other than Zavi has better eye colour and better feet - but of course, Orin is perfect!

Top pic - Zavi Today

Centre pic - Beti at 5.5 months.

Bottom pic - Orin at 5.5 months.