TEXELS: BASIC SELECTION, CARE AND SHOW …

1 Copyright 2003. American Cavy Breeders Association. All rights : Breeds and VarietiesTEXELS: BASIC selection , care AND show PREPARATIONby Teri LeachThe decision of which Texel to purchase, show coator breed is not an exact science, but there are basicqualities to look for from birth through of a show coated Texel is often considered astime intensive as that of other longhaired breeds thatrequire unwrapping, combing, and re-wrapping of thesweeps. The basics of care and show preparation areaccomplished in minimal time once committed toroutine. These tasks can actually become ones ofgreat pleasure for you and your Texels.

2 A bond oftrust and play Texel breeders, the first thing checked with eachnew litter should be the belly. Even as newborns,they d better have curl on the belly. If they don't atbirth, they won't get it later. Since lack of belly curl isa disqualification from competition in the USstandard, these babies won t be worth the effort toshow coat and it s a judgement call whether to keepthem for a breeding birth, the coat should exhibit kinkiness andcurliness, much like that of a newborn Teddy. Themore the better. Once dry, the coat should standsomewhat away from the body.

3 If the coat looks wavy but lays close to the body, chances are thisTexel won t develop the overall curls of those thatshow more curliness from the weaning age (approximately 3 weeks), the coatshould exhibit a natural loft and still retain the hair around the upper neck area andshoulders. Though it occurs less frequently, someTexels do not develop either curl or length in thisarea and it can start to show at this age. It can appearas though this area of hair is not keeping up withoverall coat face and the forehead, in particular, should havethe shorter hair reminiscent of a Teddy, yet, a full"face" of curly hair below the ears and lower jawlineis evidence that the Texel will have good growth ofsylvesters.

4 Remember from whence the Texel came(Sheltie x Rex). Though the Standard does not makeany reference, curly sylvesters give a terrific finishedlook on a really good coat on the body, the neck and face regionsshould present a picture of fullness and roundnesspunctuated with kinkiness and curliness. While thecoat accounts for 50% of the points in the Standard ofPerfection, there are other things to consider. Thisbreed should have a wide round nose, curvingsmoothly toward the crown. Heads are generally easyto fix onto any breed within a breeding program, sothose without roundness should not be culled in lieuof an outstanding coat.

5 Big round, bold eyes aredesirable. With all that coat, it can be easy tooverlook shoulders. Don t, as the Standard calls forwell developed shoulders and judges do check adolescence and into maturity, the Texeldevelops real curls and ringlets with growth in lengthof coat. Curls develop from the base of the coat andwork outward to the ends. This generally happensfirst in the undercoat at the base of the rump andsides. A number of things can go wrong at thisstage. The natural curling process can stop, leaving1/2 to 1 inch of straight coat at the ends.

6 Theundercoat can develop phenomenal curl and leave thetopcoat on the back and sides straight as string. Thebest Texels will show overall curl and ringletdevelopment with the topcoat just a tad behind and ringlets (accounting for 35 of 50 coatpoints) are paramount in competition, however,Texels have lost Best in Breed because they did nothave good density (a full 10 points). There are waysto determine density. One is pantaloons or bloomers , again remembering the Texel s of development of a lot of curly hair on the hindlegs is not a good sign.

7 Assuming a Texel has verygood to excellent density, the maturing coat can takeon a straighter or wavy appearance as thick shocks ofhair are weighted down, curtailing the developmentof curls and ringlets. Don t be dismayed. Here,simple grooming will help the natural curling processand show the Texel s real AND GROOMINGB edding. Pine or Aspen shavings are okay for juniorsbefore their costs begin to grow out. And for breederswho have their coats clipped short. For coatedTexels, shavings spell doom. One little piece canwork its way into the coat and what begins as a smalltangle can turn itself into a massive rat's nestcovering the entire rump or undercoat of your 2003.

8 American Cavy Breeders Association. All rights minimize tangles and mats, use one of thefollowing that suits your budget and your time: paperbedding, horse hay pellets, towels ( not good forTexels with white coats because of staining), or acorncob product. Change the bedding at the first noteof excess moisture or Coat Maintenance. Very Important! If yourTexel is being show coated for exhibition in theUnited States, never- ever use a comb or brush on thecoat. Actual curl will disappear and the coat takes ona wavy appearance with high loft. Texels are shownthis way in numerous countries, but in the US, judgesare oriented to place emphasis on coat morning and evening, check for tangles.

9 Catchthem early and minimize (not eliminate) the problemof matting. Be around the hind legswhere many little tangles start. Also check the bellyand the genitals area. Use your fingertips to delicatelyuntangle hairs. With care , hair loss from little tanglesis you feed loose hay to your Texels, now is the timeto remove the smallest pieces that have been pickedup in the coat. Once hairs wrap around a piece of hay,other hairs are attracted to the situation like metal tomagnet. Check by lifting curls over the entire body,paying particular attention to the lower cost, thebelly, and under the chin in the throat area.

10 Providinghay cubes is the best way to avoid this the Texel coat begins to mature, curls turn intoringlets. Some ringlets develop into tight have a tendency to become intertwined. Gentlyseparate them, taking care to keep them whole andstretching them as little as the cavy has scratched itself with a hind foot, laidon its side resting, or been energetic running aroundits cage, a massive tangle can occur in the undercoatof the rear sweep. Using fingers, gently pull hairsaway from the tangle being careful to pull away fromthe Texel as little as possible so discomfort is all unwelcome problem areas have been takencare of, use your fingertips to lift and 'fluff' the layersof curls.