Pepper's Conformation Qualities

Pepper, March 2013, 17 months old

At the recent Monroe trial I met up with some Papillon folks who show in Conformation.  Dawn graciously offered to assess Pepper's conformation qualities.  I trotted him back and forth, she watched with a professional eye, and made an informal assessment. 

I got home and stacked him, which he does beautifully from just the few weeks conformation training we had way back, then I took a bunch of photos.  He was so patient! This one is my favorites.  Here's what Dawn saw:

• A bit long in the body
• A bit tall at 11 3/8", though not a fault unless over 12"
• Ears set a bit low
• Nose a bit long
• Stop a bit shallow
• Great back leg placement, straight and strong
• Good front leg alignment, turned out just a bit
• Good bone structure
• Nice long legs, dainty yet strong
• Beautiful markings
• Nice coat and full ear feathers
• Correct weight for his size, 8#

Some judges are looking for the longer body and longer nose, Dawn said, and don't mind the higher height.  She says I could try to show him.  I doubt I will, but it's nice to know and I'll probably keep him intact awhile longer. 

He grows more and more handsome in my eyes as he gets older (now 17 months).  And what I like most, he is getting more hooked on me and more receptive to training.  With Maxie being my biggest heart throb for so long and so attuned to me, I am having to make a conscious effort to gush as much affection on Pepper as I have always done to Maxie.  It is making a difference, I think, in how Pepper interacts with me.
In case you're wondering, that's a frosted glass table he's standing on, with azeleas both over and under the table.  I thought that was kinda cool.  Here's a few more shots I like:

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Upwards and onward!