02/17/2026
This is the Biography for Joe Walton
My wife Roberta (Bobbi) and I began exhibiting Shih Tzu under the Shen Wah prefix in the early 1970’s. To date, we have owned, bred or finished more than 80 champions. We are no longer breeding or exhibiting. We also bred a number of Chihuahuas, and showed Pugs as well. We have had many Toy Group, and specialty winning Shih Tzu, including three all-breed BIS Shih Tzu and a multi-National Specialty BIS winner as well. I served three years in the US Army in the early 1960’s. We moved to Chapel Hill NC in 2007 and are enjoying retired life here..
I am approved to judge all AKC groups (Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, and Non-Groups, and Herding). I began judging in 1988 and have judged many Shih Tzu specialties, here and abroad including the Australian, Canadian, Japanese, and Dutch Nationals. I have judged the ASTC National Specialty four times. I have judged all breed shows, and specialties shows several times in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, China, and Taiwan. I have judged a number of National Specialties in other breeds, including: Boerboel, Tibetan Terriers, Lhasa Apsos, Chinese Shar Pei, Chihuahua, Miniature Pinscher, Soft Coated Wheaten, Kerry Blue Terriers, Otterhound, and American Foxhounds. I have judge specialties for almost the entire Toy group, and most of the Non-Sporting group as well. I have judge the Top Twenty Competition in many of the Toy Non-Sporting , and Working breeds.
We have been members of the American Shih Tzu Club for more than 50 years. I am the past President of the American Shih Tzu Club. I am also a member of the ASTC Judge’s Education committee and an approved breed mentor. I have held many offices in the national club and was the first AKC Judges Education Chairman of the ASTC. I have given seminars in every corner of the US as well as Canada, Australia and Europe.
I have authored many articles on Shih Tzu, and Non-Sporting breeds. I served on the board of the Chihuahua Club of America, the board of the Dog Judges Association of America and served as their annual seminar chairman. I was also the Toy and Non-Sporting Group Education Coordinator of the Los Angeles Area Dog Judges Educational Association. For years, I served as Show Chairman of the Santa Ana Valley Kennel Club in California, and was a board member, founding member and past president of the Toy Dog Fanciers of Southern California.
Professionally, I hold a BA in German, and studied at the University of Heidelberg Germany, and hold an MA in Educational Administration. I taught high school for 35 years; retiring in 2002. I taught German, English, and Art and Music History at the high school level, and served for more than 30 years as chairman of the Foreign Language Department. I coached football and basketball, and our schools Academic Decathlon team. Away from work and dogs, I am an avid amateur home cook, and love listening to jazz and classical music. Reading is another passion, particularly history. David McCullough Jon Meacham, and Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jon Le Carre, Dan Brown, and Scott Turow, are my favorite authors.
Saturday and Sunday are supported entries.
SATURDAY
Judge Merle Taylor
SUNDAY
Judge Beth Downey
