Dog News, March 27, 2015

Dog News The Digest Volume 31, Issue 12

Of American Dogs $5.00

March 27, 2015

*All Systems **The Dog News Top Ten List

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Dog News Contents • March 27, 2015 10 Editorial 14 Irving’s Impressions: British Media Frenzy

By RONNIE IRVING

18 Babbling: Old Wives’ (Or Even Husbands’) Tales: Truth Or Twaddle? By Geir Flyckt-pedersen 22 Question Of The Week By Matthew H. Stander 26 Crufts 2015: Part One By desmond j. Murphy 30 True North: A Report From Canada By Allison Foley 34 Bests Of The Week 38 Ten Questions Asked of Howard Huber 42 Dogs In Show And Field In New York By Nick waters 46 Off The Leash: Shelter Shenanigans, Marketing Mutts and Service Dog Scams By Shaun Coen 50 It’s WOOFTALE Now, Staff Changes, Due Diligence And More By Matthew H. Stander 52 Hoogstraten Belgium 2015 By karl donvil 60 Face Facts: Dogs Can Discriminate Between Happy And Angry Faces By sharon pflaumer 62 The Gossip Column By Eugene Z. Zaphiris 64 Click: Country Music Cluster (Nashville & Tullahoma Kennel Clubs) By booth photography 70 Click: New Brunswick Kennel Club By amy kiell green 73 Letters To The Editor 74 Click: The Way We Were By Eugene Z. Zaphiris

76 handlers directory • 78 subscription rates • 80 classified advertising • 82 advertising rates DOG NEWS (ISSN 0886-2133) is published weekly except the last two weeks in December by Harris Publications, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010. Periodical Postage paid at New York.

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TEAM GUS

2 Weekends, 6 Group Firsts & 2 Reserve Best In Shows!

Team Gus thanks Group Judges Dr. Steve Keating, Mrs. Paula Hartinger, Mr. David Bolus, Mrs. Sharon Krogh, Dr. Alvin Krause, & Mr. Jon Cole, plus Reserve Best In Show Judges Mrs. Anne Savory Bolus & Mr. Houston Clark for these great wins!

Multiple Best In Show, National Specialty Best In Show

GCh. Derby’s Toast With Gusto Owned By: Rick & Sue Copeland Richmond, Texas

Bred By: Kristin Kleeman Robyn & Kenneth Toth

Presented By Scott Sommer Assisted by Connery Cole Dog News 5

Dog News Cover Story • March 27, 2015 • Volume 31, Issue 12

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Ian Miller 212 462.9624 Contributing Editors Sharon Anderson • Andrew Brace Agnes Buchwald • Patricia Gail Burnham Shaun Coen • Carlotta Cooper Geoff Corish • Michael Faulkner Merry Fitzgerald, DVM • Denise Flaim Geir Flyckt - Pedersen • Allison Foley Yossi Guy • Ronnie Irving • Roz Kramer John Mandeville • Sidney Marx Linda More • Demond J. Murphy M. J. Nelson • Sharon Pflaumer John Shoemaker • Kim Silva Matthew H. Stander Sari Brewster Tietjen • Patricia Trotter Connie Vanacore • Carla Viggiano Nick Waters • Seymour Weiss Minta (Mike) Williquette Dog News Photographers Chet Jezierski • Perry Phillips Kitten Rodwell • Leslie Simis

DOG NEWS is sent to all AKC approved Conformation Judges with more than one breed every week and have adjudicated at a licensed AKC show within the past three years on a complimentary basis. No part of this publication can be reproduced in any form without written permission from the editor. The opinions expressed by this publication do not necessarily express the opinions of the publisher.

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Editorial Well it could not have been a rougher nor tougher winter in the Northeast and Mid-West could it have been? Snow up the wazoo and impossibly cold in certain areas but the shows basically went on as scheduled and while there were many inconveniences fortunately there were few postponements and more importantly even fewer accidents.

Considering the amount of driving we dog show people do it is always amazing and a relief to these pages how lucky we all are in that area. Furthermore with the amount of flying to and from assignments judges engage in the number of cancellations of flights resulted in comparatively little major changes in assignments. People seem to anticipate these inconveniences in a more sophisticated fashion than say a few short years ago, which basically may be attributable to the advances in communication developed through the past several years. These changes have made dog show life and dog show presentations more palatable and much easier with which to cope. Now then if the powers that be at AKC could streamline more effectively the Events Department and figure out balanced answers to the territorial problems faced through urban growth particulars think of how much easier dog show life could become!

A REAL TOUGH WINTER

What’s there to say--the Board Minutes basically remain the censored, abridged version although these pages did note more of an attempt at openness than in the Kalter reports. Considering the closeness to the election time will tell if these Minutes will become less abridged, as has been indicated they would be. Of course the big news was the change in name of Wooftagg to Wooftale and the subsequent happenings thereafter. While not raised at the Board Meeting thereafter there were questions about how and why this name change was initiated and to whom the domain name Wooftale was registered. The AND MORE column goes into detail in the matter without coming to any conclusions but does outline the apparently unhappy facts about how all this came to pass. It was a discouraging report to say the least. It would also appear that the monies put aside for the Canine Health Foundation for the year 2015 have not yet been determined since the Memorandum of Understanding between AKC and CHF has not been finalized. If and when it is finalized the amount will hopefully be announced. If it’s not agreed upon wonder what those consequences foretell!

THE BOARD MINUTES

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A BIG IMPROVEMENT AND UNACCEPTABLE ERRORS

It would seem the Delegate Meeting Minutes of March 10th were sent unabridged through the use of a court reporter to the Delegates on March 20th (and although for some strange reason they have not yet been posted on AKC’s website as of March 25th), as these pages anxiously awaited the first financial report from the new CFO Joe Buffato since he replaced Mr. Farnsworth. It was not so much the content of what Mr. Buffato had to say we anticipated but it was what his attitude and body language would sound like is what interested these pages. We always considered the Farnsworth presentations to be insulting to the Delegates’ intelligence. Happy to report that was not the case with Mr. Buffato and that at least this report was intelligently and respectfully given. Figures are figures and different people interpret them according to their own interests and backgrounds but these pages were particularly happy to see that registrations were up over 2013 while litter registrations fell a mite. Hopefully things may be finally leveling off and it’s good news for AKC one would think.

Events seem to have risen as well income ways, which certainly raises some questions about a recent paper floated recently under the heading of FAKC’s. Again different strokes for different folks but at the least Mr. Buffato came through with flying colors in his presentation. The Delegate Minutes also expressed complaints

and support by individual Delegates concerning the AKC’s new website. Most of the complaints seemed to come in the area of the Breed Standards and candidly most of them sounded very fixable.

That really begs the question though as to why these errors about the Breeds should have occurred with which to begin. Anyone sensitive to AKC public relations is aware how carefully and properly so the Breed Clubs, which own these standards, value and protect them. When revamping the website whoever was in charge from Staff and/or the Board should have been paying special attention to this area to prevent the mistakes that eventually did occur. These were errors in management oversight and cannot be overlooked with a simple statement “we will correct the mistakes.” This indicates a lack of understanding and management by the people in charge of the project as they ignored if not abused the very heart of dog breeding by making mistakes or altering breed standards. If any area deserved kid glove treatment it was the Breed Standards. This undermines the credibility of those in charge of overseeing the project.

It’s not so much the errors that were made, which are of course expected, but the KIND OF ERRORS MADE, WHICH WERE AND ARE TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE, as they indicate a lack of knowledge and understanding by those at the head of the project.

It takes a lot for a change in Staff responsibilities to be discussed openly and so critically but such was the case last week when it was announced that Sheila Goffe of AKC’s highly successful and respected Government Relations Department was to report to Mark/Comm Department in its capacity as being in charge of Public Relations. DOG NEWS’S relationship with the PR Department at AKC is anything but sterling as these pages have found them to be particularly selective in answering questions to the point of both ignoring requests and or making promises that they do not keep. So the idea of Sheila’s critical and respected work being subjugated to the whims of that department’s policies and reactions is something these pages savor not in the least. It is understood many in Raleigh reacted similarly. This is a project started we are told by the former Board Chairman but why it should have been instituted after he left by Staff is really questionable one would think.

A RALEIGH MELTDOWN

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

The TV rating results remain unavailable from AKC for its dog show held at 9am Super Bowl Saturday. This despite promises on multiple occasions last week to have them sent to these pages on three different times on three different days. Indeed the latest requests for them have been totally ignored. If they are unavailable just say so-promising and then ignoring contact is just plain unacceptable. It’s sort of like sending a letter to the President of AKC about a particularly serious matter and getting a restaurant review in reply. Something just doesn’t make sense in what’s going on at AKC on certain levels. Is this fixable-time will tell one suspects.

BLINDSIDE!! “ Timothy ”

Best In Show Suwanee Valley Kennel Club

Suwanee Valley Kennel Club Thank you Judge Mrs. Karin Ashe

Multiple Best In Show, Multiple Best In Specialty Show Winning

Am. GCh. Can. Ch. Cerise Blindside Owner/Breeder Dorothy Cherry Handled by Howard Huber Ceriseenglishspringerspaniels.com

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Irving’s Impressions

By Ronnie Irving

British Media Frenzy The Hysterical British National Press

It is good news that many of the Americans who attended Crufts this year felt that it had been a success.

If only the hysterical British national media and our increasingly unruly daily press had felt the same way, then we might all have been able to agree! Some of the sensationalised reports after Crufts show, both in social media and in the national daily newspapers, went completely overboard. Most were exaggerated and many were simply inaccurate and untrue. To put this phenomenon in perspective it is probably wise to explain to American readers, that such an approach by the British press is not unusual. In the last few years there have been repeated transgressions by various sectors of the British press involving the hacking of the telephones of politi14 Dog News

cians and celebrities, illegal payments to the police by the press for ‘inside information’ and various inaccuracies, exaggerations and unwarranted intrusions into people’s lives. These have been defended as ‘in the interests of press freedom’.

The government even set up a public enquiry under the chairmanship of a senior high court judge which lasted several years, resulted in recommendations for improvement, produced a report of over 2000 pages and cost over $8 million. In the end even the government which set up the enquiry has not had the guts to enforce its recommendations and all political parties seem to have kicked the issue into the long grass for fear of upsetting the press in the lead-up to our forthcoming general election. Little wonder then that it was the turn of Crufts with its high public profile, to come in for the British press treatment.

A Foreign Invasion

Leading up to Crufts TKC’s Press Office had managed to keep the press concentrating on good news stories except for a brief skirmish caused by some anonymous dog show exhibitors who, encouraged by a national newspaper, started to make negative comments about the number of overseas dogs coming to the show and even worse winning there! The weekly dog paper OUR DOGS quickly challenged this view and received an overwhelming amount of support from British dog exhibitors who said that not only did they welcome the overseas dogs but in so many cases admired them too. Needless to say this was given no publicity in the national press.

However over the course of the show four issues blew up which resulted in some very negative publicity for the dog fancy. All of this has, in my view, turned out to be totally unjustified.

Alleged Harsh Handling

One issue was that it was claimed that a competitor in the Crufts Obedience Ring had harshly handled his Border Collie in the car park at the National Exhibition Centre in which the show is held.

These claims were strongly contested and the person involved, who competed for Canada in the Obedience World Cup at Crufts, said that his bitch had picked up some canine faeces and he was trying to get it out of her mouth when his actions were misinterpreted.

TKC eventually said that eye witness reports were in line with his statement and that it had subsequently been corroborated by a number of other eye witnesses.

TKC said: “The Kennel Club takes any allegations of potential mistreatment very seriously. We have now received a reply from the person concerned, to our request for information relating to the suggestion that a dog was harshly handled in the car park at the NEC. The person in the photograph has told us that he was trying to remove something from the dog’s mouth and his claim that he was not abusing his dog has been corroborated by a number of eyewitnesses including from NEC officials and members of the public.

There have been no contrary eyewitness reports or any evidence to suggest the dog was being mistreated. There is no evidence at this time to support the suggestion that there was any harsh handling involved. All the evidence

suggests that the photo has been misconstrued much to the distress of the owner.”

So that was press allegation number one refuted - but with little or no coverage in the national press to counteract the reputational damage done.

Tailgate

The second so called ‘scandal’ was what has come to be known as ‘Tailgate’ – the controversy over the fact that the handler of the Best in Show winning Scottish Terrier lifted her off the judging table by the head and the tail. I understand that many people on Facebook and in on-line petitions, etc. have suggested that the dog should be disqualified from its win and in the end over 110,000 signed the online petition. It was also suggested that I too, as the Best in Show Judge, ought to be punished by being suspended from future judging appointments. So far I haven’t received any formal requests for my side of the story but I did issue a statement to the weekly dog paper OUR DOGS as follows: “I wasn’t conscious of the handler of the Scottie lifting the dog by the head and tail. I must have been turning away from her when she lifted the dog off the table. If she did lift the dog up in that way, it would be wrong and it’s something that’s quite rightly very much

disapproved of on this side of the Atlantic. But I would just make two points. Firstly it would be ridiculous to strip the dog of her title. The dog Knopa did nothing wrong and it was to her that I awarded the title – not the handler. And secondly, I saw the dog later at a party held after the show and she was a very relaxed, normal and well adjusted little dog. She very obviously loves both her American handler and her Russian owner. It’s perfectly clear to me that, whatever we think, she doesn’t hold any grudges – that’s for sure!”

Of course the Crufts Premium List does say: “Exhibitors are reminded that the Kennel Club believes the practice of picking up dogs, often Terriers, by their tails and leads when lifting them to and from the table during judging is both undesirable and completely unnecessary.”

A Previous Public Hullabaloo

This statement resulted from a previous public fuss about the practice a few years ago, and was added to the premium list when I was KC Chairman. In mitigation for the handler of course no such advice is given in the USA and the custom is of course quite common there.

Indeed even in the UK in the past this was something that was done routinely by handlers in some terrier breeds – especially where the tail is normally carried straight up by the dog, such as in Fox Terriers.

It has long been regarded here as unnecessary and though I never actually saw a dog protest when it Continued on page 54

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OLD WIVES’ (or EVEN HUSBANDS’) TALES: TRUTH or TWADDLE??

By Geir Flyckt-Pedersen Having lived on this planet for a few years — and maybe due to having lived in different “canine” cultures in different countries and places — there has never been a shortage of good advice on how to treat medical as well as mental problems for children and animals alike.

Especially after having moved with all our dogs to the UK we were inundated with “helpful” advice from breeders and fellow exhibitors, most of whom probably wished we would pack up and return to Scandinavia.

Much of the advice was of course well meant- as anyone coming from anywhere outside the British Isles would of course need a lot of help from people who knew what breeding and raising pedigree dogs was all about.

But over the years we have followed many good “tips” from fellow breedersand I will pass on a few. But as they say: You shouldn’t really try all of these at home!

Seriously good and useful advice was actually regarding feeding. We had for a few years serious problems with fading puppies. We would never find out if there was anything wrong with them, but they just died within a couple of weeks after birthand of course it was heartbreaking.

The post mortem diagnosis always the same: Pneumonia!

So no help at all. I have previously mentioned that we in the end had vaccines made from these corpses, but if that was what really solved the problem we will never know, as we followed the Brit’s advice and returned to what we had been feeding in days gone by: Raw, simply cold water rinsed tripe, plus biscuits with addition of cod liver oil and bone meal…

Life was back to being wonderful again- and instead of dreading an expected birth- we could look forward to it.

Joy returned to life.

Thinking about it- it all made sense.

We purchased a number of dogs and bitches from the UK. They were raised on sawdust, fed on tripe- and healthy as helluntil they arrived in our kennels which were cleaned with disinfectant every day, fed on processed food without any bacterium included and given a bath weekly! Which was most likely why these nasty bugs took over and made our lives such a misery.

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I think it is still a problem for many of us that we feed such a sterile diet and thus don’t give the dogs any chance to build immunity or resistance against anything.

And sadly I think the situation is the same for children growing up these days.

There was an “Old Wives” saying in Norway that, “A little dirt cleans the stomach.” It may be not totally correct, but it helped give those of us growing up with a little dirt under our fingernails a certain amount of antibodies…

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o you remember the good old days when vets listened to and acknowledged that experienced breeders in some cases knew more about dog related health issues than they did?

Well, that has changed. Even when living in the UK we noticed a huge change in attitude between generations of vets: The new generations did not even want to listen, which at times was very frustrating.

We once had a beautiful male Greyhound that was winning well, but he had some skin issues with little bumps turning up on his body as well as feet.

That famous American handler by the name of George Ward and his wife Roz visited us on a regular basis- and when he looked at the dog and noticed his problems his only comment (or order!!) was: “Get his tonsils out. That’s gonna take care of the problem.”

The vet who had attempted treating this disorder for a long time thought the idea was ludicrous. Had never heard such nonsense in his life, but reluctantly gave in and removed the tonsils.

Virtually within days, the skin was back to its healthy normal self, but when showing the perfect skin to the vet he still believed it had nothing to do with tonsils, but simply a coincidence and the magic of his prescribed medication.

Even the fact that the condition never reoccurred did not change his beliefs.

We purchased an (English) Cocker from Joe Braddon named Randline Gay Prince of Ide. His litter brother sold to Dick Becker in the US where he became an influential sire. Our Gay Prince proved not to be gay (meaning happy and lively) at all, was totally dead in the ring. A call to Joe who replied: “That’s no problem. Just feed him raw baker’s yeast and that will take care of that problem.”

We fed him baker’s yeast over a long time. An amount that would have made a loaf of bread rise to the size of Texas. Produced a lot of gas, but never improved his spirit. Although I seem to remember that it had a positive effect on his coat.

Then we had a beautiful WFT bitch, probably- as is always the case- one of the best we ever bred. Full of life and spirit at home and outside the ring, but once in the ring a real deadbeat.

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ne of my pro handler friends gave me the tip to just give her some sherry 15 minutes before entering the ring, which I did. But probably gave her too much and too early- as when the time came to show her she was unable to stand up on her own- and shortly thereafter she fell asleep and slept for several hours. Which in a way was a blessing, as it prevented me from breaking any rules…. And made me decide never to try that again.

I suppose those of you with white dogs have been recommended tomato juice as cure for foot fungus and to get rid of those horrible pink feet -or chili sauce to prevent chewing. The dogs we tried the latter on all developed a taste for chili sauce- so no help at all. Our dogs even started enjoying Bitter Apple after a while.

Of course no help from either.

Once at a show in Wales a fellow WFT breeder came to have a look at one of my girls commenting: “Her coat isn’t hard enough. Give me your brush and I will put on her some of this stuff.”

And surely the stuff worked- and I think she even won her class.

The following morning I was reorganizing my tack box finding no brush, but a piece of wood with lots of holes in it. All bristles kind of melted-so I was thrilled by the fact that we gave all dogs a real bath before putting them to bed the previous night.

He would never disclose the “magic” recipe that fortunately only killed my brush.

But there was of course helpful advice that really helped as well of other ideas that

“Then of course, a terrier person with any selfrespect has been using Benzyl Benzoate cream to enhance coat growth and clean the skin – and you all have probably tried Milk of Magnesia for upset stomachs as well as Epsom Salt??”

proved completely useless and stupid- and particularly regarding feeding a lot made sense. Most of those older breeders fed a completely natural diet without any additives.

Some Scottish hound breeder once told me that if you feed your dogs be it a whole, raw rabbit or a whole deer, they would get every ingredient required for a long and healthy life. From puppyhood to the end of their days. And a lot of “free” antibodies.

Makes sense, doesn’t it? But I also think it could give your dogs a lot of worms….

And regarding worms: You would be surprised by the number of dogs we imported from the UK in prime show condition and body weight. When we as a routine wormed them many produced huge nests of roundworm….? How could this possibly make any sense? I personally think it had to do with their completely natural, unprocessed diet. But when we told the breeders about the worm “infestation” we were told to feed them raw garlic with regular intervals.

Which we of course never tried as we Scandinavians only used what our trusted vets, probably sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry, told us to use.

Then of course, a terrier person with any self-respect has been using Benzyl Benzoate cream to enhance coat growth and clean the skin – and you all have probably tried Milk of Magnesia for upset stomachs as well as Epsom Salt??

One excellent tip we had when we had a young Whippet with a partially unpigmented nose: Try Elderberry juice! We did- and her nose was jet black after 4-6 weeks- and stayed black even after we stopped using the stuff.

Could be a coincidence, but seeing the result I am a believer in spite of being a born skeptic!

But of course y’all know that puppies growing up in the winter, surrounded by snow and sun, will automatically get darker eyes?

If you in any way can add to the list of useful –or not so useful ways to handle or deal with any dog related health issues- I am a keen and willing listener!

I suspect a lot of this makes as much sense as when we were told as kids that looking at photos of nude women would make you blind! Well, if it happened- it is amazing what simple Lasik eye surgery can do for you!

I did mine some 17 years ago…

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National Specialty Winning Multiple Best In Show, Multiple Specialty Best In Show

GCh. Thaon’s Wallstree

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Sire: Group Winning Ch. Thaon’s Starpower

Dam: Multiple Best In Show , Multiple Specialty Best In Show Ch. Thaon’s Travertine

Wally is undefeated in breed judging to date in 2015 Owners: Thaon, REG. JW and Debbie Rogers dafrogers@aol.com, Jae and Beverly Moore Stellaboxer@hotmail.com 20 Dog News

THAON REG. Jay T. Hafford, James Blanchard, and Sally Davis 30019 Alta Mira Lane Valley Center, CA 92082 afghans@pacbell.net 760-749-6365

Wally

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Best of Breed at Westminster 2015 Judge Mrs. Sandra Frei

Silver Bay Kennel Club Best of Breed Judge Mrs. Kathy Beliew Group First Judge Mr. Garry Newton Reserve Best In Show Judge Mrs. Elaine Whitney Mid-Kentucky Kennel Club Best of Breed Judge Mrs. Gloria Geringer Group First Judge Mr. Robert Stein Louisville Kennel Club Best of Breed Judge Mrs. Paula Nykiel Group First Judge Mr. Charles Olvis Evansville Kennel Club Best of Breed Judge Mrs. Karen Rockwell Louisville Kennel Club Best of Breed Judge Mrs. Barbara Alderman Group First Judge Mrs. Houston Clark Best In Show Judge Mrs. Paula Nykiel

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Question of the week

By Matthew H. Stander

In light of the TKC Board (UK) action to bring back the printed version of the Kennel Gazette, Do you read the online version of the AKC Gazette; if not, why not?

Dr. Daniel W. Fleitas

I tried it for a month or two when it was transformed into the online version, but I have not read it again.

Phil Freilich

No, I do not enjoy reading magazines online. I like the feel of a book or magazine in my hands as I am reading.

Susan Finn

I do not read the online version of the AKC Gazette. It is not the same as the beautiful, keepsake magazine that they used to publish. I prefer hard copies of all my leisure reading materials (old school!).

Mrs. Edna “Katie” Gammill

No, I do not and neither do my friends. They all regret when it went online and would rather pay for it so they could read it in their hands and save it. It’s too hard on the eyes to read it and who wants to plant themselves in front of a computer to do so for hours? Not all of us are enchanted with computers. I don’t read other magazines sent to me by other breed magazines either.

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Elizabeth H. Neff

I have never once read the online version of the Gazette. I will be thrilled to see the real Gazette return to print! I understand saving money and that this is the “Digital Age” but I love my magazines and books and I love to be able to go back to old issues and reread pertinent breeding articles or articles about the greats in our sport, dog and human.

Marci Forrester

No, I have never read it. It is not easy to do, small and not really something that I am going to sit here at my computer trying to do. I loved the Gazette and read it cover to cover every month but have never read the on-line version. Please bring it back. As a judge, I felt it kept me on top of changes or proposed changes.

Peter Gaeta

Yes, I do read the online version of the Gazette, then it pretty much goes the way of yesterday’s newspaper. While some prefer the uncluttered advantage of online accessibility, I remain old fashioned enough to prefer to use hard copies as reference materials. There were always one or two issues of the printed Gazette within reach regardless of where I was at home, and they were easy to take with me wherever I went.

Joyce Fortney

I always bought the Gazette, but have not read it since it went online.

Libbye Miller DVM

I used to read the Gazette cover to cover each month but I’ve not read more than an article or two since it went digital. I’m quite a computer addict but find reading magazines on-line very unwieldy.

Quite honestly, without the prompt of a hard copy, the Gazette gets lost in the information overload.

Ellen Johnson

I do not read the online version of the Gazette. I do not like to read anything except short things on computer as it is not comfortable.

Would really like print Gazette no matter what it cost.

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Crufts PART ONE

March 5-6-7-8, 2015

As they say, “seeing is believing”. There is no way to put into words the full impact of Crufts without personally witnessing it...

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By Desmond J. Murphy photos by Barbara Anderson

For years, all of my friends could not believe I had never attended the greatest show in the world. I now certainly regret never having attended before this year. In size, England is such a small country and yet it can draw around 22,000 dogs. The US is quite a large country and yet for our largest event, AKC/Eukanuba, we get, including performance events, around 5,000 entries. Forty-five different countries were represented, but this only accounted for just shy of 3,000 dogs. 377 dogs came from France, 325 from Italy, 303 from Germany, 226 from Sweden, 264 from Ireland, 159 from Russia, but only 34 dogs were representing the US. It is hard to comprehend that such a small country as England has so many people exhibiting purebred dogs.

From the time I decided to go, which was early last spring, I looked so very much forward to the show. I knew I would enjoy it, but it was an experience beyond my imagination.

United has only one direct flight per day from Newark to Birmingham.

The 7:10 PM flight Tuesday evening was full of close friends. Upon arriving at the airport Peter Green, Beth Sweigart, Pam Beale, Mari-Beth O’Neil, Geir and Neena Pedersen, Alicia Jones Continued on page 68

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Best In Specialty Show

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h n true

ort

a report from Canada

By Allison Foley photos by Todd Foley

A report from Canada may be a little misleading. It’s actually a report by a Canadian who went to Crufts and what she saw there!

Crufts, there is only one dog show like it in the world. The dogs, the vendors, the sights, the people…. And then there is the British “public”.

Now I say public when I don’t really know this to be a fact, but the ‘non dog showing, perhaps non dog owning (but everyone in the UK seems to have a dog) people who like to criticize everything about dog shows’. These people are passionate and they are vocal and they want dog shows to stop.

Let’s get back to Crufts.

With the UK now “open” to dogs coming in and having followed the correct, not too daunting protocols, and not having to go through quarantine has made for an even more exciting show.

Dogs from all over the world now compete on the world stage. And this brings not only great competition but also an even better event for spectators.

Wire Fox terriers, for example, the large open dog class, had amongst them four world class dogs: the group winner at both Crufts and the World Dog 30 Dog News

Show last year; his sire, a top dog in his own right; the dog that won Montgomery County Best of Breed in 2014; and the Top Dog in the UK for 2014. What a sight to behold! Ringside was easily six deep by the time the dog ticket was awarded. This is the kind of competition you see at this show.

The vendors. There are by my count at least four car dealerships with booths there. Two of the many dog food companies and booths that boasted TWO floors!

Grooming products for dogs and people! Clothing, handbags, supplements, for dogs and people! It just goes on and on and on!

Crufts is simply an amazing dog show!

And then came the controversies. A dog was poisoned? On his bench at Crufts, by a jealous competitor? These were the early reports and of course the “public” ran with it. Now the dog did die, which is tragic. And by all accounts “Jagger” the Irish setter seemed like a great family companion and lovely show dog. But of course all involved in dog shows know that we would never do this to one an-

other. It had to be a complete “nut case” who was looking to just be famous by poisoning a dog at Crufts. The initial reports were so bad, then we stopped to wonder-was the media getting it all wrong AGAIN? One cannot even get a toxicology report back on a human in such a short amount of time. But the media kept pushing and The Independent reported on Friday, March 13, 2015: “Jagger, who had come second in its class, died in Belgium having apparently been fed poisoned chunks of steak, its owners claim. Another dog had also died and at least five others were taken ill after the prestigious event at the NEC in Birmingham.

Dr Jans told the Sun: “I doubt it happened at Crufts. I think that is unlikely and I am surprised everyone is saying this is the case. It could have happened on the way back from Crufts or even in the hours after they came back.”

Aleksandra Lauwers, one of the owners who lives in Belgium, said yesterday that toxicological tests were being carried out at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Ghent University. The results are expected in about a week.

Dr Jan added that the toxicology report could shed light on the time-scale of the dog’s death and hopefully offer more clues as to how it occurred. CCTV footage of the event is also being examined.

And then of course a sigh of relief when The Kennel club released this statement: Kennel Club Statement About Jagger’s Death 16 March 2015 16:00 Kennel Club statement Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club, said: “The Kennel Club’s deepest sympathies go to Jagger’s owners, who have received confirmation that Jagger tragically died from the ingestion of poisoned material, and we ask that their privacy is respected as they grieve for their beloved pet.

“There has been a lot of concern about whether the poisoning happened at Crufts and we are now able to reassure all dog lovers who came to Crufts that this could not have been possible and it is highly likely that the poisons, thought to be on a piece of beef, were eaten in Belgium, shortly before Jagger’s death.

“We have had confirmation, including from independent toxicologists, that the poisons identified in the toxicology report carbofuran and aldicarb - are fast acting.

Continued on page 81

Dog News 31

CH. LORDBULL Handled By Ed Thomason Owned By Zane Smith 32 Dog News

LARRY has arrived

from Europe... ready to make his debut in the American show ring...

Dog News 33

BESTS WEEK San Mateo Kennel Club Toy Poodle

GCh. North Well Vivian JP Rose Queen Judge Mr. Chuck Winslow Owners Toni and Martin Sosnoff Handler Tim Brazier Cary Kennel Club - Wednesday Greyhound

GCh. GrandCru Giaconda Judge Mr. Dana Cline Owners M. Steele, A. Phelan, R. Tomlin, and R. Gaudet Handler Rindi Gaudet Alamance Kennel Club Russell Terrier

GCh. Goldsand’s Billie Jean Judge Mr. Vincent Chianese Owners Rachel Corbin, Maripi Wooldridge, Jennifer Stevens, Madeleine Sandell Bark & Christian Manelopoulos Handler Christian Manelopoulos Progressive Dog Club Pug

GCh. Valleybrook’s Sweet Dreams Judge Ms. Marjorie Tuff Owners Diane and Michael Cifuni Handler Michael Scott Raleigh Kennel Club - Saturday Boxer

GCh. Mephisto’s Speak Of The Devil Judge Mr. Geir Flyckt - Pedersen Owners Mrs. Jack Billhardt & Mr. Sergio Tenenbaum Handler Diego Garcia

Jackson Tennessee Dog Fanciers Association – Thursday & Saturday Paducah Kennel Club - Friday & Sunday Skye Terrier

GCh. Cragsmoor Good Time Charlie Judge Mr. Kerry Lee Judge Mrs. Rosalind Kramer Judge Mr. Bruce Schwartz Judge Mrs. Patricia Trotter Owner Victor Malzoni, Jr. Handler Larry Cornelius New Brunswick Kennel Club Bronx County Kennel Club Samoyed

GCh. Pebbles’ Run Play It Again Ham Judge Mr. William (Bill) Shelton Judge Mr. Francisco Chapa Owners Barbara Bruns, Wolfgang Stamp, Amy Kiell-Green, Andrew Green Handler Andrew Green Fort Worth Kennel Club - Saturday Airedale Terrier

GCh. Joval Sweet Time

Judge Mrs. Linda Scanlon Owner L Bryan & V Rickard Handler Adam Bernardin

Suwannee Kennel Club - Saturday Chinese Crested

GCh. Kaylen’s Kahlua

Judge Ms. Jocelyn Gagne Owners Virginia Dorris & Kay Peiser Handler Kay Peiser

To report a AKC All Breed Best In Show or National Specialty Win Call, Fax or Email before 12:00 Noon Tuesday.

Fax: 212 675-5994 • Phone: 212 462-9588 Email: dognews@harris-pub.com

34 Dog News

Dog News 35

Dog News The Digest

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Dog News 37

10 uestions Q ASKEDOF...

Howard Huber

BORN: Jersey City, New Jersey Reside: Oxford, PA STATUS: Married to Heidi for 33 1/2 years SIGN: Capricorn

When did you start showing and how did that first show go?

Started showing in 1970. I was 7 years old, my Boxer puppy, Lisa, was a monkey on a string, doing flips!

How difficult was it to finish your championship?

She never finished, the first dog I finished was a Boxer, Tanner, I won winners dog with him at Potomac Boxer Club Specialty under Joe Gregory; he finished quickly.

Other than your own breed, what other breeds do you like?

I breed Dachshunds and English Springer Spaniels. I like Poodles, Gordon Setters and Newfoundlands.

Which canine of the opposite sex would you be?

Joan Huber.

How do you feel about AKC’s role in our sport?

Unfortunately, disappointed.

How many shows do you attend a year, and which three are your favorite ones?

Approximately 185 shows a year; my favorites are the English Springer Spaniel National, Savannah KC and Del Valle.

Who from dogs would you like to see on the television show “Duck Dynasty?”

Randy Kubasz and Jack Secrest.

What things in the world of dogs bring you the greatest joy?

Making dreams come true for my clients.

What characteristics do you admire in others and strive to emulate?

Patience.

If you could afford to host an elegant catered dinner party, name at least three dogs and/or people you would like to invite.

Howie, Lisa, Braden, Hannah, Erik, Kendra, Genevieve, Jonathan and Jess (The Huber Clan), Dotti Cherry, and all my friends!

38 Dog News

40 Dog News

Dog News 41

By Nick Waters It is perhaps a minor miracle that each year since 1983 Bonhams specialists have managed to source sufficient lots, including many new to the market, to continue with a dog art sale when others have gone to the wall. The very early years in Knightsbridge in London were rather grand evening affairs with pre-sale drinks and canapés. In New York they have the presale famous ‘Bonhams Barkfest’, a charity breakfast view of the sale with proceeds

42 Dog News

Dogs in Show & Field in NYC

benefiting the American Kennel Club Humane Fund – and of course dogs are welcome. This year the star attraction was a real live Leonberger that posed in front of the most admired picture in the sale, Conradyn Cunaeus’ impressive picture of a Leonberger standing in a dramatic Alpine landscape. The picture found a new home for a mid-estimate $13,750.

Some you win and some you lose and had it not been for Richard Ansdell’s well-known painting of Toy Spaniels finding a new home in America for $81,250 and the continuing success of John Emms, this years ‘Dogs in Show and Field’ sale in New York would not have been a winner.

All the Emms sporting theme pictures had come from private homes in the UK and Ireland and all sold well to American collectors where the main market is, particularly in the Southern states. The pick of the bunch was a classic study of Foxhounds and a terrier that got away for an above estimate $68,750.

America is also the market for the country’s ‘home grown’ sporting artists of which Percival Leonard Rosseau, who enjoyed the patronage of wealthy Southern clients, reigns supreme. His evocative study of a Gordon and an English Setter in the field that had once been in a private collection in Canada sold way above top estimate to a US collector for $47,500.

Emms’ success continued with a picture of a terrier bitch sitting in her kennel that proved to be one of the sale’s big surprises selling at $25,000 against a low estimate $8,000. Another big surprise with an attribution to Thomas Earl was a Spitz and a Toy Spaniel reclining in a carriage. A couple decorating their New York apartment were determined to have it come what may and took it to $20,000 against an estimate of $7-10,000. The buttonbacked carriage seat upholstery, the rich red travelling rug and their master’s walking cane, all helped to enhance the picture’s decorative appeal.

Whilst there is no stopping Emms, other old favourites like Maud Earl and Arthur Wardle are losing ground, unless there is something very special and fresh to the market. Of the Maud Earls to sell, the best was the Welsh Springer Spaniels, ‘Red Rovers’, the original for the plate in her ‘British Hounds and Gun-Dogs’ portfolio. It was bought by a US collector for a low estimate $11,250.

For Wardle the best was a picture of two King Charles Spaniels and this went below estimate at $23,750, also to a US collector.

At the more affordable end, one of Marguerite Kirmse’s ever-popular Scottie and Westie etchings sold to a US collector for $1,875 ($800-1,200) and Reuben Ward Binks’ Dumfriesshire Otterhounds returned to the UK for $6,250 ($1,500-2,000).

One may wonder why anyone should want to pay good money for a silver cup won by someone else’s dog, but when you add a provenance to Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge you have the answer. A two-handled silver trophy of urn form won outright in the 1930s for winning Best in Show with three different dogs at the Chicago Kennel Club Show sold above estimate for $4,375.

This same provenance also helped lift Ward Binks picture of a Chesapeake retrieving a mallard from a river to on above estimate $6,000.

The two weak areas of the sale were Animalier bronzes and works by the French sculptor and painter Richard

Fath, who has failed to make his mark outside his homeland.

As is usual with most specialist sales, private collectors dominated and overseas interest continued to be strong with collectors from the Baltic States, Europe and America all keenly bidding.

Just fifteen lots were bought by UK collectors. Of the 182 lots on offer 74% got away with 80% selling by value bringing in a total of in excess of $800,000 hammer price.

And finally something completely different for one doesn’t usually associate this type of picture with these specialist sales. The UK has Cindy Lass and America has the Louisiana born George Rodrigue whose work goes from strength to strength each year. He closed the sale with a painting of a Corgi-like dog from his ‘Blue Dog’ series based on a Cajun legend called loup-garou – a French legend of a human who changes into a wolf at their own will. Coinciding with Mardi Gras taking place in New Orleans it found a new home for $37,500 ($20-30,000).

Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium.

Dog News 43

*Great Dane, The Dog News Top Ten List

Dog News 45

P

urebred dog enthusiasts have been facing public backlash fueled by animal rights extremists’ propaganda and publicity campaigns for ages and in recent years there has been a significant push from these groups to adopt dogs from shelters instead of purchasing them from breeders. Now shelters are utilizing new methods of technology and innovative marketing methods to increase the number of dogs they place in homes. However, there are risks and threats involved – to potential dog owners and breeders of purebred dogs – and reports of mishaps, mistakes and possible chicanery, resulting in more dogs being euthanized.

The New York City shelter system allows one to view dogs that are available for adoption on its website (http://www.nycacc.org/AdoptionSearch.htm) and if so inclined to electronically place a $52 deposit on a dog and pick it up within 48 hours. However, recent reports have detailed instances where deposits were placed but animals had been put down or rehomed to other customers before they were picked up, or substituted with other animals, with clerical errors or technical glitches to blame. Serious questions have been raised by these tales, as NYC, which had a goal of going completely nokill under previous Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has seen the number of animals in its shelter system euthanized increase by 12.9 per cent - 5,471 dogs and cats were euthanized in 2014, up from 4,844 in 2013 - since current Mayor Bill DeBlasio took office in January 2014.

Shelters claim a glut of fake rescuers using false names and contact information put bogus holds on the animals with no intention of ever picking them up and when the 48-hour hold period is over, the animals are euthanized.

Elsewhere, a shelter in California reports that dogs are being placed in homes twice as fast since it started a program to identify the breeds of dogs in their programs through DNA testing. Once the tests – at $50 each – determine the breeds of the parents of the dog, the dogs are branded accordingly – i.e. a “Chorkie” for a Yorkshire Terrier/Chihuahua mix.

Chihuahuas became so popular due to their portability and the propensity of the paparazzi to publish photos of celebrities like Paris Hilton toting them around in handbags, as if they were accessories like the Luis Vuitton handbag itself or the newest iPhone.

The “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” movies also had an impact, further brandishing the diminutive dog as a must-

46 Dog News

Shelter Shenanigans, Marketing Mutts and Service Dog Scams

f f O e th e lsa h

By Shaun Coen

have for wealthy women or those in the know and on the go. As a result, a glut of Chihuahuas entered the market and eventually – surprise, surprise – ended up in California’s shelters, replacing the plethora of pit bulls typically found there half a dozen years ago. These dogs are shipped to areas where small dogs are in demand – namely, New York City and Florida – and now, with this new DNA testing initiative and the effort to rebrand mutts as some sort of desirable mixed breed a la the ‘doodle’ phenomenon of recent years, where breeds such as the Labrador, ever-popular due to its trainability, versatility, sound temperament, and reputation as an excellent family dog and companion, were crossed with the supposedly hypoallergenic poodle to create the best of both worlds. Responsible breeders and purebred purists tried to dismantle this notion as nothing more than mad science with no guarantees of what concoction such pairings would make, but nevertheless the doodle craze hit a fever pitch, with Goldendoodles (Golden Retriever/Poodle mixes) quickly following suit, as well as Cock-a-poos (Cocker Spaniels/Poodle mixes) and others, with unscrupulous breeders cashing in on any other catchy name and convenient pairing, leading to the procreation of creatures sounding like characters from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series, such as Puggles (Pug and Beagle mixes) and Fren-

gles (French Bulldog/Beagle mixes). Whether or not these dogs will act or appear anything like the breeds involved in their existence is anyone’s guess but there’s no denying that the creation and branding of the names resulted in their popularity, and those in the market for a particular breed or hypoallergenic hybrid must remain leery of these claims. There are those who will argue that any attempt to place abandoned dogs in homes should be championed but one must ask at what cost? Reputable purebred breeders with years of experience in the whelping box and traceable bloodlines from breeds with vast histories remain the best option to find a dog with a predictable size, temperament and coat – all factors among many others - that must be considered before adding a dog to one’s life.

As the role of the canine has grown in society the use of service dogs has expanded and so too has the number of people who exploit laws that allow service dogs in restaurants, stores, airplane cabins and other public spaces. These con artists can purchase bogus service dog vests online for as little as $20 and proceed anywhere without question, which creates problems not only for those with real disabilities but also for business owners who have trouble identifying legitimate dogs from frauds. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is a federal crime to use a fake service dog and approximately 25 per cent of all states have passed laws prohibiting service animal misrepresentation. However, privacy protections built into the laws make prosecuting offenders unlikely, as documentation is not legally required for real service dogs. Though highly trained to work with people with mental disorders, autism, visual and hearing impairments, post traumatic stress disorders and other disabilities, there is no government issued ID or registry to officially recognize or identify them. But that may soon change, if not here in the States, then in Canada. Our neighbors to the north, just as they led the way at Crufts this year, have introduced a proposal in British Columbia that aims to put fraudsters out of business by issuing licensing and creating a registry for service dogs. Business owners could ask for ID and check dog tags, similar to checking fake ID’s or driver’s licenses. Any effort to protect those saddled with disabilities and afflictions and the dogs that help them lead more normal lives should be championed, as should every effort to weed out the imposters. Kudos to the Canucks for attempting to implement a strategy that is worth exploring and emulating elsewhere.

Quick update on the New Mexico mandatory/spay neuter bill: the New Mexico Senate Public Affairs Committee has amended the vague language contained in House Bill 415 and will no longer seek mandatory spay/neuter but will develop a voluntary spay/neuter program instead. Congrats to all who helped enlighten and thanks to the Committee for listening and proactively responding. This serves as further proof that coordinated efforts to head off damaging canine legislation can be accomplished.

Dog News 47

48 Dog News

RESERVE BEST IN SHOW

*

*The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed

MO R And

IT’S WOOFTALE NOW, STAFF CHANGES DUE DILIGENCE...

e

By Matthew H. Stander

N

ow you see it-now you don’t!

The name WoofTagg, the major component in AKC’s marketing plan for its new highly anticipated dog collar, was changed to WOOFTALE without any public announcement nor explanation some time in February and became fully usable as a new name as a result of some sort of explanation given to the Board during the March meeting.

And poof just like perspiration

Wooftagg is gone and has become became Wooftale. It would appear that there was a copyright problem for I am told a number of other companies had applied for this name Wooftagg before AKC or whomever applied for the domain name with which to begin. A bit of ‘due diligence’ on the part of the administrator of the Mark/Comm department, who I am told was warned in advance about the possibility of a problem existing, would have been prudent but instead, I am told, he went full steam ahead and registered the name WOOFTAGG. Now in February of this year a protest is received presumably by someone at AKC or to whomever owned the domain name Wooftagg that a conflict exists so a new name is registered by Chris Walker and the Belfast Boys as Wooftale. Why AKC is not the applicant for the new name is unexplained as of this writing but the story began circulating in the North Carolina offices prior to the Board meeting about the copyright problem. But not about the application problems, which are discovered later. It is however revealed at the Board meeting, where deus ex machina, appears the name Wooftale as though it had been in existence all along replacing Wooftagg!

On March 18th or so I began hearing stories of not only this name change but how the new name had been registered personally and not for AKC by the people named above. This was comparatively easy to check out--not for me mind you as I am comparatively computer illiterate--but by IT friends who are. This resulted in my finding out all about what was going on plus the fact that an independent contractor hired by AKC to work on this project and I guess other AKC projects was claiming he was “the interim COO” at AKC for the above.

Well to cut to the core and after a few days of agonizing over what to do since I really had no true business getting involved in these matters, except for the fact that everything is so public today, I decided to inform the new Chairman and Vice Chairman as well as the Secretary and President of AKC about what I had learned. Reactions varied from these people but I must say Continued on page 79

50 Dog News

Dog News 51

Story & Photos By Karl Donvil

A few weeks ago I received an unusual mail from the committee.

With much pride they announced an impressive number of entries. In 2013

the show had 1,619 entries, two years later 2,377 dogs are in competition, amazing!

Last year the hall with the main ring was divided so that the available space was reduced drastically. There was hardly

space to move around. It was now decided to bring the main ring to the entry hall and regroup a little.

And that was a splendid idea.

H

oogstra

52 Dog News

The president explained to me that after closure date a large number of entries showed up and that caused trouble, but after a meeting with the board it was decided to accept these dogs. I also think it was the best option. People enter their dogs not just for fun, but in order to win the necessary but missing titles.

Plus the fact that refusing them would cause frustrations and bad publicity and all the trouble with refunding, etc. So 2,377 was more than were expected but the club proved that they were able to handle such a number without any problem. It didn’t affect the show at all. Some judges were somewhat overload-

ed but they all accepted it and there was hardly any delay.

The catalog was well made, although I missed an overview with statistics.

I received it by mail, but it would be nice to have it also in the catalog. It adds to the prestige of this splendid show to show off with lots of nationalities. 1,279

1. Bearded Collie Beardie Connections Kenji (nr. ) Otto Rinus (Nederland) 2. Lhasa Apso Close to Perfection Close Next to you (nr. ) Radstok Marion (Nederland) 3. Rhodesian Ridgeback Mafinga Hombarume (nr. ) Rump Laura (Nederland)

Continued on page 00

ten 2015 Dogs were Belgian dogs; the Netherlands had 636 entries. The border to the Netherlands is only a few kilometers away from Hoogstraten. France had 200 entries and Germany 187. 29 Dogs from the United Kingdom and 11 from Ireland were also entered. For Ireland that is a lot, but I think

they came along with the several Irish judges who were invited, hoping to have an increased chance for a good result.

The other dogs came from Italy (2), Poland (2), Spain (4), Ukraine (1) and Russia (3).

There was only one buffet/bar compared to previous editions but

that proved no problem.

Some exhibitors complained about the fact that they had to park far away from the halls. I don’t see why. The halls are part of one of the biggest fruit and vegetable auction halls of the country. It is a vast complex with plenty of space to park. Indeed that was

not always nearby but the connection roads were flat and in concrete and easy to pull chariots and other show stuff.

22 Judges were invited representing 10 different countries, 10 from Belgium, 3 from Ireland, 2 from the UK, and one from Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Continued on page 77

Dog News 53

Irving’s Impressions Continued FROM page 15

was done, I can well see that it is procedure worth avoiding.

I see that some people have tried to defend the procedure on the basis that tails are used to pull terriers out when they go to ground. That may well be the case, but it has nothing to do with the subject. Border Terriers have been used for work long after many other terrier breeds and you would never lift one up by the head and tail. No the main point is that the custom is regarded as perfectly acceptable in the USA and the handler, in the excitement of the moment, must simply have reverted to form.

That in my view is quite understandable and I hope that we will hear no more about it.

fare and safety of the dogs is our first and main priority.”

One wit afterwards, despite being sympathetic to those who suspected that their dogs had been poisoned, made the point that with around 28,000 dogs at Crufts over the four days it would be surprising if none felt ill in the days following the show. The person went on to presume that with also 160,000 human visitors at Crufts, it would be surprising too if none of them would have felt ill after the show.

They asked what would a person feeling ill after Crufts do - and suggested: “Call the doctor, call the police or call a newspaper?!”

Poisonings

Most Serious And Damaging Allegation

The third allegation, excluding the Irish Setter issue which I will come to last, was that several dogs had been poisoned at Crufts and that some had been ill and others had died as a result. Subsequently TKC issued a statement saying: “Absolutely no dog has been shown to have been sick at or after Crufts due to poison ingested at the show, there are no veterinary reports or evidence to support this notion, and no official reports of poisoning have been made to the police. We have a lot of security measures in place to protect the dogs at our show and we continually review our procedures because the wel-

But the most serious allegation made, was that an Irish Setter had died after being poisoned at Crufts. When the dog died after reaching home in Belgium on the Friday night following being shown at Crufts on the Thursday, its four co-owners started to put out statements alleging that it must have been poisoned at Crufts.

That was all the British papers and other media were waiting for. Off they went on a scandalising extravaganza, encouraged by various organisations like the RSPCA

all of which love to take pot shots at dog showing. Even the BBC (now not permitted by TKC to televise Crufts) joined in. Many of them indulged in a spree of sensationalised headlines such as ‘Murder at Crufts’ and ‘World of dogs asks whodunnit over death of Irish Setter ...’. They raised issues saying of the major TV Channel that does televise the event: “We believe that the time has come for Channel 4 to ask themselves the question if it’s really responsible to air this show in 2016?”

The coverage was huge and has undoubtedly done considerable damage not only to Crufts but also to the dog fancy here in the UK. Very few of those who joined the media frenzy paid much attention to TKC’s pleas that before commenting on such things, people ought not to jump to conclusions but ought instead to wait until the toxicology reports resulting from the poor dog’s autopsy had been received.

Crufts Responsibility - Inconceivable

And how right these KC pleas turned out to be! When the reports were eventually received TKC said: “The Kennel Club’s deepest sympathies go to Jagger’s (the dog’s) owners, who have received confirmation that Jagger tragically died from the ingestion of poisoned material, and we ask that their privacy is respected as they grieve for their beloved pet.

“There has been a lot of concern about whether the poisoning happened at Crufts and we are now able to reassure all dog lovers who came to Crufts that this could Continued on page 58

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7

*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed

Dog News 57

Irving’s Impressions Continued FROM page 54

not have been possible and it is highly likely that the poisons, thought to be on a piece of beef, were eaten in Belgium, shortly before Jagger’s death.

“We have had confirmation, including from independent toxicologists, that the poisons identified in the toxicology report – carbofuran and aldicarb – are fast acting. Severe clinical symptoms would usually occur within half an hour to three hours.

“Considering we are told that Jagger showed the first clinical signs usually associated with these two poisons shortly before his death in Belgium, late on Friday 6th March night, leading to the immediate call for veterinary attention, we must conclude that it is inconceivable that he could have been poisoned at Crufts on Thursday 5th March, some 28 to 36 hours earlier.

“Furthermore, the poison is thought to have been given on a piece of beef that was still largely undigested when the autopsy was performed on Saturday 7th March morning, and food is usually absorbed in dogs within six hours.”

Independent Toxicologist’s Comments

Furthermore an independent toxicologist Nick Edwards, Senior Information Scientist of the UK Veterinary Poisons Information Service, said: “We understand that the toxicol58 Dog News

ogy report says carbofuran and aldicarb, toxic carbamate pesticides - which are no longer approved for use in the EU - were found. We would expect the clinical effects, if ingested by a dog, to be rapid in onset; normally between half an hour and three hours.

“After this time a combination of clinical effects, if the toxins were taken in sufficient quantities, would likely be present, including weakness, collapse, diarrhoea, slow heart rate, difficulty in breathing and excessive salivation.

“From the information available, it would be improbable that the toxins could have been ingested on Thursday 5th March if the first reported clinical effects that led to the call for veterinary help, were around midnight on Friday night. We are told that beef (which was reportedly laced with the carbamates) was still in the stomach during the autopsy on Saturday 7th March. Veterinary experts say that one would expect food of this sort to be digested within about six hours. This suggests that the food was eaten shortly before death.”

Needless to say, this news making it inconceivable that Crufts was the source of the poison, did not gain the same wall-to-wall coverage that the original allegations had received.

London Times ‘Cat Poisoner Killed Jagger’

On Saturday of last week the London Times even published an article under the headline: “Solved: cat poisoner killed Jagger, insist village sleuths.” It continued: “A trail of dead pets has moved the whodunit focus away from Crufts to the home of the Irish Setter in Lauw, Belgium.

“In the small village of Lauw, in rural Belgium, something has upset the natural order, leaving a trail of dead animals and pitting neighbour against neighbour.... Below the village’s shroud of fear may be the answer to the riddle of how Jagger, a cherished and valuable and award winning dog was killed.”

Confounding the original theory that Jagger must have been killed while at Crufts, the Times article continued that there had been: “a trail of dead cats in Lauw. Ten have been found in the last two months alone. Mr Jans (the Veterinary Surgeon) said there were ‘’symptoms of intoxication’ and he was awaiting toxicology reports. Animal loving locals in Lauw are convinced the connections are there. Three of Els van Marsenille’s cats have, in her words, been killed since January. Her neighbour has lost two.

“Linda Jans (no relation of the Vet) whose house backs on to the field where Jagger used to exercise said she was not taking her dogs, Mirabelle and Angie, out in the village. ‘I am scared’ said Mrs Jans: ‘A killer could go Continued on page 66

Dog News 59

Face Facts...

Research Shows Dogs Can Discriminate Between Happy and Angry Faces

By Sharon Pflaumer

I

n recent years, numerous scientific investigations have evaluated the dog’s cognitive ability in a variety of contexts. Without exception, the findings of these studies have elevated what owners saw as humanlike behavior from the realm of anecdotal to scientific. For example, a study recently completed at the Messerli Research Institute at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria showed dogs can discriminate between “happy” and “angry” human facial expressions just like their owners do.

Dr. Ludwig Huber was the study’s lead investigator. He is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Cognitive Biology at the institution. In the follow-

ing interview, he discusses the study’s objectives, the methodology used in the research, its highly interesting results and how the findings impact the human-dog relationship.

What did you hope to learn from this study?

Dr. Huber: It was the first step in a series of research projects to determine if dogs can recognize and understand the emotions of humans; then, empathize with them. To learn this, we first needed to determine if dogs could discriminate between human facial expressions on the basis of visual cues alone without any olfactory, auditory or body language signals. That was the objective.

What motivated your interest in this line of investigation?

Dr. Huber: We began investigating the visual capability of dogs some time ago in order to determine how well developed it is. In the past, it was believed that dogs primarily were oriented to scent and auditory cues rather than visual signals--that they are very good at hearing and smelling things but not so good at picking up on the cues they see.

Did the results of your earlier research prove contrary?

Dr. Huber: Yes. Two years ago, we completed a study that evaluated how good dogs’ visual sense is by learning if they could identify their owner from a distance. And, if they could, did they need body language to cue them or was an owner’s face informative enough for a dog to recognize him? The results of that study showed dogs determine quite a lot on the basis of visual cues alone, which was an unexpected finding at the time.

Please tell me about the facial expression discrimination study.

What kind and how many dogs were in the sample?

Belgian Shepherd "Teddy" in front of the computer touchscreen displaying the upper halves of a happy and an angry face. Photo by Anjuli Barber, Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute.

60 Dog News

Dr. Huber: We used a random sample of purebred and mixed breed dogs between the ages of one and seven years.

We began with 18 dogs but that number dropped to 11 during training due to the very strict learning criteria they had to meet. The dogs had to respond correctly three times in a row in order for them to move on to the final test. If they couldn’t, they weren’t used.

How was the trial conducted?

Dr. Huber: We used a computer with a screen that has a touch sensitive panel. A food reward was released when the dogs touched the screen with their nose after being shown images.

How were the dogs trained to discriminate between images on the screen?

Dr. Huber: The dogs were trained to touch one picture rather than another by always rewarding them with food, when they did it, on the basis of trial and error. We began by showing them a pair of simple images like a circle and a triangle. Once they understood the principle behind touching either the circle or the triangle, we moved on to more complicated picture discrimination: a photo of a human head from the front and rearview. After the dogs completed this level of training, we moved on to training them to discriminate between pictures of the same person with two different facial expressions: 15 people with a happy or an angry face. Half of the dogs were trained to touch the angry face to get a food reward, and the other half were trained to touch the happy face. Again, the behavior was learned through trial and error. In the beginning, the dogs’ responses were random. But with time, they learned to discriminate which was the "positive" cue that would be rewarded.

Whom were the dogs shown pictures of?

Dr. Huber: We trained the dogs using the faces of 15 different people taken from a database. During the final test, we showed them 10 faces they had never seen before.

Were any of the study’s findings surprising?

Dr. Huber: Yes. We were surprised to discover a difference between the two training groups.

As I already stated, one group was trained to touch the angry face and the other was trained to touch the happy face. Interestingly, the dogs that had to touch the angry face took three times as long to meet that training criteria as the dogs that had to touch the happy face.

Why? Dr. Huber: We don’t know why for sure. But we think it’s because they don’t like to touch an angry face! This was the first hint that dogs recognize happy and angry human facial expressions and know what they mean.

Were there any other complications during the training phase?

Dr. Huber: Yes. If we showed the dogs a picture of the entire human face, they could discriminate between happy and angry facial expressions on the basis of simple cues like teeth exposure. All of the happy faces had open mouths with teeth exposed, which created a horizontal stripe visually. The angry faces

didn’t have the horizontal stripe because the mouths were all closed. The horizontal stripe was enough to enable the dogs to discriminate between the happy and angry face.

How did you solve this problem?

Dr. Huber: We switched to only showing the dogs the top or bottom half of the face. Half of the dogs were trained on the upper half of the face and the other half of the dogs were trained on the lower half of the face. The dogs that were trained on the lower half of the face may have used the mouth as a cue, but those trained on the upper half of the face could not see the mouth and thus could not be cued by it.

Were the dogs trained on the lower half of the face able to discriminate between facial expressions when shown the top half of the face during the final test?

Dr. Huber: Yes. Both groups of dogs were successful at discriminating between happy and angry facial expressions when the images were switched from one half of the face to the other half during the final test. The dogs trained by looking at the lower half of the face could discriminate between the two facial expressions when shown the upper half of the face. If they had only learned to respond to simple cues like teeth exposure, they couldn’t have done that and would have failed the final test.

Beyond humans and dogs, are there any other species capable of discriminating between different human facial expressions?

Dr. Huber: We don’t think it’s a dog specific ability. Many animals that have a close relationship with humans such as other kinds of pets, and farm and zoo animals also may be able to do it.

Does that mean it’s the result of cohabitation with humans?

Dr. Huber: We think so. The dogs we tested had lived with a human for at least a year.

During that time, I’m sure they had seen both happy and angry faces. When the dogs were tested, they remembered what the whole face looked like. Thus they were able to make the transfer and discriminate between the two facial expressions when shown the half of the face they weren’t trained on.

What do the study’s findings suggest?

Dr. Huber: First, it’s more evidence that dogs can use their visual sense quite well contrary to what was believed in the past. Second, it may mean that one of the effects of domestication was that dogs adapted to the visual world of humans, who communicate with gestures, mimicry and other movements in addition to speech. Third, if it’s true that dogs can discriminate between human facial expressions, then,

it means human-animal interaction stands on a firm basis.

Humans anthropomorphize animals in order to try and understand them. Given the findings of this research, I think it’s also the other way around—that dogs try to understand us.

What does that say about the human-dog relationship?

Dr. Huber: It shows that the dogs that live with us understand a lot about us and recognize the subtle cues we give them. That, in turn, suggests the nature of the human-dog relationship may be tighter and more advanced than we previously realized.

What do the study’s findings reveal about the dog’s cognitive ability?

Dr. Huber: I think it shows they have quite an advanced level of cognitive ability. It wasn’t easy for the dogs to meet the training criteria set to pass the final test in the study. In order for them to do it, the dogs needed to be attentive, to be able to learn, to look carefully and to remember things.

What implications do you think these findings have for dog training?

Dr. Huber: I think it means we need to be more careful when we train them. We should be aware that hand movements, voice pitch and facial expressions are all cues for dogs.

When training does not go well, we should realize it may be because we are sending them confusing signals.

What future investigations do you have planned?

Dr. Huber: Our future research will seek to find out more about human-animal interaction.

We want to learn more about how dogs see us, what they know about us and what they learn from us. Hopefully, we will be able find out if dogs not only understand us but also share our feelings—if they are happy when we are happy and sad when we are sad. That is our ultimate goal.

So, you’re going to try to prove scientifically what dog owners suspected all along?

Dr. Huber: Exactly.

For more information about this study, view the following videos at YouTube: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtu be+dogs+recognize+facial+expressions&FO RM=VIRE2#view=detail&mid=CD0B97EE93 86B02E2411CD0B97EE9386B02E2411 and: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtu be+dogs+recognize+facial+expressions&FO RM=VIRE2#view=detail&mid=D110DBC795 0BA8A49B87D110DBC7950BA8A49B87.

Dog News 61

I

n one of those ‘whose name is it and who owns it?’, the American Kennel Club has changed the name of its highly anticipated dog collar from WOOFTAGG to WOOFTALE. Whose name is it registered in is a good question to ask. In other kennel club news, GLENN LYCAN has been transferred from the DNA/ Customer Service Department to the Events Department to become co-director alongside ALAN SLAY to report to DOUG LUNDGREN, with GLENN becoming the “front person” to deal with clubs. SHEILA GOFFE, Director of AKC’s Government Relations Department, reported to CYNTHIA BEAGLES in the Legal Department. Now SHEILA will report to CHRIS WALKER, VP of the Marketing/Communications Department, which oversees the Public Relations Department. Why GR should be in PR is another question to ask. It seems that the big shadow of CHRIS WALKER grows and grows. That’s the latest change; needless to say more will come. It’s Spring, time for rice throwing…on April 8th former professional handler and whippet fancier LORI WILSON will marry terrier group judge ROBERT PAUST in Modesto, California. LORI & BOBBY have settled in Modesto. LORI, of course, had a very successful handling career, breaking many show records along the way. BOBBY spent many years in Sweden with his former wife and returned Stateside much to everyone’s delight. All of us at DOG NEWS send our very best wishes. ROBIN SEAMAN, one of the nicest people I have ever met (and we met a long time ago), whose name is synonymous with Newfoundlands, is to be married to handler and one of the unsung heroes who helped everyone find their benching at the Garden, NORMAN GRENIER, on May 16th. RICHARD REYNOLDS is off to judge his first overseas judging assignment. He will travel to New Zealand for Easter weekend to judge a Beagle specialty and a hound show. The last of the “DANDY DOZEN,” the twelve gentlemen that ran the Kennel Club of Philadelphia, CHARLES SCHAEFER, has passed away. He along with some boldface names like CHUCK O’NEILL, BILLY KENDRICK, STUART COCHRANE, SAM EWING, COUNCIL PARKER, ALAN ROBSON, and SAM PEACOCK ran Philadelphia when it was a must to attend on everyone’s show calendar. Together with his wife NINA SCHAEFER they bred and exhibited Siberian huskies and went on to judge. NINA and CHARLIE both became Delegates, supporters of the AKC Canine Health Foundation, and NINA went on to successfully run for the Board of Directors, on which she served for eight years. All of us at DOG NEWS send our deepest sympathies to NINA and family.

62 Dog News

the Gossip column

By Eugene Z. Zaphiris

Dog News 63

CLiCK Country Music Cluster Nashville & Tullahoma Kennel Clubs

By BOOTH PHOTOGRAPHY

64 Dog News

Dog News 65

Irving’s Impressions Continued FROM page 58

quickly throwing poison out. I don’t take risks any more. There are a lot of dogs on the street. Once one starts barking, the rest follow. In the village everybody has animals but maybe there are new people who are living here now. Maybe they do not support that. Maybe it is someone from the neighbourhood [poisoning the animals].’”

Now - whether there is any more truth in these latest revelations than there was in the original version that only Crufts was to blame, who knows!

“We Wish Now To Draw A Line Under This Tragedy”

I do sympathise very much with the negative and sad feelings that the four owners must have about the sad and tragic death of their relatively young Irish Setter. However, even after the publication of the above toxicology reports, they have sadly continued to be critical of both Crufts and TKC and have tried to throw doubt on TKC’s findings.

Despite first saying: “We wish now to draw a line under this tragedy” they are then quoted as going on to suggest that: 66 Dog News

“the poisons may have been old, had lost their efficiency, maybe they were not fast acting anymore.” They also complained: “We are extremely disappointed, the way the Kennel Club have handled the events surrounding the death of Jagger. We feel we did everything possible to quell the media frenzy that was eager to sensationalise this sad situation.

“We would have welcomed being offered expert advice, from a professional corporation such as the Kennel Club and Crufts organisation, on dealing with the intrusive worldwide media whose only interest in this case was obviously because of the link with Crufts.

“That would have been helpful, rather than the cold, impersonal emails and their own press comments regretting that Jagger had died after the show (and) may have avoided the terrible media circus that ensued.”

What An Outcry Would Have Resulted?

Can you imagine what media outcry would have ensued if TKC had in fact attempted to closely help or school the dog’s various owners on how they should respond to a media frenzy?

After all that frenzy was virtually accusing TKC itself

of being partly responsible for the problem? I can just see even bigger headlines as a result such as ‘Crufts Attempts Cover-up’ or ‘TKC Bullies Dog Owners’.

I have to say that I am not at all either sure or optimistic about how, in the future, panics of this kind will be able to be avoided. Given the British press is at it is, and given that people seem impelled to jump to posting items on social media as soon as they come into their heads, avoiding such outbursts going forward is likely to be as difficult in the future as it has been this year.

Charged with emotions on losing a loved pet, people are almost bound both to jump to conclusions and to want to tell others of their misfortune. That is probably excusable and even possibly understandable.

However, to prolong the controversy more than a week later, by saying that you wish to draw a line under the tragedy and yet then to immediately launch into criticisms of the show and its organisers, does seem to me to be a shade illogical.

Often I do despair of the British national media - and occasionally I am also just as depressed by the actions of some people in the dog fancy as well. I have to admit that this is one of those occasions.

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Black Diamond Cluster

South Hills Kennel Club

Mountaineer Kennel Club

Thursday, April 23, 2015 (All-Breed & Obedience) Saturday, April 25, 2015 (All-Breed)

Friday, April 24, 2015 (All-Breed & Obedience) Sunday, April 26, 2015 (All-Breed)

Obedience Thursday & Friday • Meet the Breeds and Owner-Handler on Saturday

◆

Entries close APRIL 8, 2015

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Dog News 67

Crufts

Continued FROM page 27

and I enjoyed some good food and spirits so we could avoid the airplane menu. Due to weather problems, Jackie Beaudoin could not make the connection from Raleigh to Newark. We were lucky that our flight was able to go.

Many flights in and out of Newark were cancelled. Due to de-icing problems, we were delayed three hours. Since we all had enjoyed some good food and spirits and were surrounded by good friends the time passed quickly.

We were scheduled to arrive in Birmingham at 7:10 AM and we knew our rooms would not be available to us at such an early hour. During our threehour delay on the runway it gave me a chance to spend one on one time with Geir, who was sitting across the aisle from me. Just as our plane finally was being de-iced around 10 o’clock, I went to sleep and slept most of the way. While waiting at the gate before we boarded, I saw a clip from ABC News of a plane landing earlier in the day at Birmingham. Alicia and some of the other ladies did not appreciate the video of the plane nearly making a crash landing due to extreme winds. aving flown all night, I had planned Upon our arrival the next morning, the on an early dinner and going to bed winds also had our plane rocking and extremely early. Around 5 o’clock, rolling on landing.

I sat down at the huge Metropole I was staying at the adjoining bar to enjoy some wine. Sitting at Crowne Plaza, but most of my friends a table near the bar some friends were at the huge Hilton Metropole. signaled me to join them. Since the Since my room would not be availgroup was composed of Mark Cocozza, Ian Gabriel, able for hours, I checked my bag and Michael Tipple and others, I eagerly wanted to join headed to the Metropole to join their party. Pawscars was holding a gala dinner that friends who also would be waiting evening, which, being an awards dinner, I had no for their rooms to be available. Matt intention of attending. Happy to say, Mark insisted Stander alerted me to meet Susan that I would attend. This was a very lucky break for Sampson since I would enjoy her so me since I was shocked that I would enjoy an awards much. Upon arriving in the lobby bar dinner so much. For many reasons it was the most enat the Metropole, I was introduced joyable awards dinner I have ever attended. The first immediately to Susan. She went out reason was that I was able to sit with Mark Cocozza, of her way to make me immediately Dr. Ian Gabriel, Geoff Cornish, Michael Coad, Zena feel at home and welcome as a guest Thorn-Andrews, Michael Tipple and Dennis and Gavin to the great Crufts event. Susan truly Robertson, who organized the event. It is a rare ocis such a charming diplomat for the casion that one gets to sit over dinner with such a committee. She was able to direct me large group of some of the greatest dog people in to when and where I could pick up my the world today. Besides their great knowledge they press credentials, which I neglected are such a fun group of people to be around. Suzy to do until the last minute. At 4:30 Roffey and Lee Cox did a splendid job as co-hosts.

PM, I walked over to the venue and Sue has been in dogs since she was an infant. She the very charming James Skinner had has been a junior handler since the age of 10 and in me on the list and had me fill out a 1989 won the UK Junior Handler of the Year compeshort form and presented me with a press badge.

H

68 Dog News

tition. Lee has been showing dogs since he was just four years old. He bred his first CC winner at the age of 10. This was a Sussex and the show was Crufts. Now his Vanitonia kennels has made up 90 US champions. This is astonishing because it is so difficult in the UK to become a champion.

Very few dogs of any breed in England become champions. A dog has to win three CC’s and in most breeds maybe only a handful are offered each year. Most people that have bred 100 champions here in the States, if in England might have only been able to make up five or six of these dogs. It is a totally different system.

For example, the Wire Fox Terrier just broke the all time BIS record. This was 21 BIS. We have dogs in the US that have accumulated that amount in one month. Several years ago a friend at the Eukanuba weekend had a dog that had four BIS during the year in Ireland. I had to inform him in the States many dogs do that in just one weekend. Someone pointed out that one of the judges this year had been in a breed for 45 years and never won a CC or even a Reserve ticket. In the States today, if people cannot get a champion in a few short years they leave the sport.

The evening was organized well in that between the many wonderful courses a short intermission took place.

Crufts

This allowed people to stretch, go to greet friends at other tables, go to the toilets or even enjoy a smoke or as the Brits call a cigarette, a fag.

To me, the most impressive component of the dinner was that awards were given not just to the big winners, but also to the backbone of the sport. Beside Top Stud Dog and Brood Bitch, many others were recognized. Besides all-breed judge of the year, there was an award for Group judge of the year.

Awards also for Open Show of the Year, Training Class, Exhibitor, Steward, Breed Note Writer, Journalist, Trade Stand, Photographer, Junior Handler and foremost Breeder. I am confident this is the only dinner where so much of the backbone of the sport is recognized.

Just one year ago the “Peek A Boo” trust was formed. This trust gives monies to children’s and canine charities. Gavin Robertson cannot be thanked enough for organizing this huge Pawscars event. This was one of the most heartwarming and entertaining events I have enjoyed in a long time.

I have to thank my hosts for inviting me and sorry I could not make a larger donation to this great fund.

I had promised myself Wednesday would be early to bed. Time flys when hav-

ing fun and all of a sudden I could not believe it when Jamie, Linda Souza and Alicia pointed out that it was 2:30 AM and I had planned to be at the Press Room before 8 o’clock. I walked very briskly to my room and was tempted to fall into bed with my clothes on.

I

was surprised I even woke up before the 6 AM wake up call. The adrenaline started to flow and was I was so excited to be attending a dog show of this magnitude, which I had never experienced before in my 50 years of being a died in the wool fancier. The venue, which is called NEC or National Exhibition Center, is one of the largest convention centers in the entire world. We have nothing that even approaches it here in the US. Here in the States we would never see shows a fourth of this size, but we do not have any venues that could host a show half of the size. The World Shows sometimes approach nearly as many dogs, but they are not benched shows. The benching alone at Crufts would fill up most of the largest convention centers anywhere. The amount of vendors is unbelievable. Just the vendors would fill up our huge convention center in Orlando.

The amount of money that is spent over the long weekend has to be astronomical. I understand vendors can be on a waiting list for years in order to have a stand at Crufts. It certainly does so much for the economy of Birmingham and other areas of the country where people spend large sums to fill their vehicles with gas to get there. Most of the exhibits come to Crufts by car. Even many people driving Continued on page 72

Dog News 69

CLiCK 70 Dog News

New Brunswick Kennel Club By amy kiell green

Dog News 71

Crufts Continued FROM page 69

from as far away as Spain and all were quite a far distance from the Halls. When I got up Italy. Just alone the several resThursday morning, I could not believe the army of exhibitors taurants at the Metropole could walking past my hotel with dogs, crates and all their equipnot accommodate all the people ment. They were coming from a parking lot a long distance wanting to dine. A friend called from my hotel, which even that was a very long walk. Besides one morning for a dinner reserthe people that walked it, there were many, many buses convation and was informed 500 stantly shuttling people and dogs back and forth from the varipeople were on the waiting list. ous car parks. The main grooming is done before arriving at the The Hilton took several of its show. Nobody has a dryer because electricity is not available. meeting rooms and converted Most people just groom the dogs right on the bench so very them into dining rooms, which few people even bring grooming tables. I did note that a lot of only offered a buffet. Here it the Standard Poodles were being groomed on tables right at was impossible to get drinks the edge of the ring. Some of the Terriers were being groomed from the very distant bar, but a on tables or on top of crates. The whole time I was there I small bar was set up where one never saw a motor home. It would not be practical to bring one could purchase a glass of wine to a show like Crufts. Also the vast majority of exhibitors only or beer. It was amazing that the attend the show on the day their breed is being shown unless hotel besides individual dinthey have breeds in different groups. Many people drive to ners had huge banquets going the show in the morning and drive home in the evening. At a on each evening. The kitchens show like Eukanuba where people show on Saturday or Sunliterally fed an army of people. day, the majority arrives on Monday since they also show at I also heard it was difficult to the preceding shows on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and get reservations at restaurants all the different specialties and various attractions on Friday. in the surrounding area. Right So most people are there for at least six nights or more. This in the NEC complex each hall would be difficult to do at NEC, because and connecting area offers all even with so many hotels it could not kinds of food. As I am writing house the number of exhibitors attendthis an email just came in from ing the show. The hotels and the staff the NEC asking me to partake in at NEC were all so dog friendly. It is a a survey. They are asking to see how I enjoyed the reminder of just how friendly the British overall experience. Would be hard to imagine Madipublic is towards dogs. Also the staff son Square Garden or the Orlando Convention Center everywhere was so friendly and warm sending a survey to people who attended a function. to us humans also. By mid morning on Although the entry some years at some World Thursday, I realized, although this was Shows approaches the size of Crufts, the walking dismy first visit to Crufts, it will be a rare tances are not as great. Because of the benching and occasion that I will ever miss it again. I overwhelming number of vendors, much, much more have to admit it was far more enjoyable space has to be used. This makes for a tremendous than I ever imagined. I am now very sorry amount of walking to go from the five different halls.

I missed it for so many previous years.

On Thursday, which was Fun Dog day, I went from Hall In Part II, I will reflect on the judging to Hall trying to get a glimpse at so many different and the impressions I had of some of breeds. I am very confident that I never walked so the various breeds. In the meantime if much in any one day of my entire life. anyone has never attended Crufts it is As it was pointed out to me, many American exhiba must. No true dog person should not itors would have a difficult time exhibiting at a show witness the overwhelming magnitude of like Crufts. In every direction there were car parks, but this event.

72 Dog News

Letters to the Editor BREED INFORMATION ON WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB WEBSITE I have had some correspondence and dialogues recently that lead me to remind everyone that the Westminster website - in one of the first things that I created when I got here 12 years ago - has a section, supported by every parent club, with information about every breed.

Log on to www.westminsterkennelclub.org, then from the tabs along the top, select ABOUT DOGS. Then, in the dropdown menu, click on “Breed Information” for a listing by group of every breed. When you select the breed, you are taken to a page that has a photo and a narrative (both provided to us by the parent club), plus a link to the parent club website (if they have one). We try to update each site every two years through correspondence with the parent clubs.

I always send people to the site for this start on their research. It shows them a photo, gives some basic info, and then puts them in touch with the right people — the parent club, where they can find more breed information, and usually a breeders directory and a breed rescue contact.

David Frei The Westminster Kennel Club New York, NY HEALTHE-BARKS: TICKS, LEPTOSPIROSIS, CANINE CARDIOLOGY March is here and with warmer weather and longer days, we’re looking forward to spending more time outside with our dogs.

As we head outside, it’s important to keep tick prevention in mind.

Researchers are finding that ticks are becoming more and more of a yearround nuisance, so it’s important to be vigilant and check not only your dog and other pets after being outside, but yourself as well.

Did you know that the feeding time required to allow disease transmission from a tick to a dog or person varies between ticks and disease agents?

Ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever-causing bacteria can be transmitted within 3-6 hours of tick attachment, while Lyme Disease-caus-

Dog News will consider all letters for publication but reserves the right to edit these as required.

Letters will not be considered for publication unless full name and contact details are supplied, including telephone number. Letters may be mailed to Dog News 1115 Broadway NY, NY 10010 or emailed to dognews@harris-pub.com.

ing bacterial transmission can require 24-48 hours of feeding before a host is infected.

Learn more about tick-borne disease in the Health Tips article below.

As always, we are grateful for your support of CHF and we wish you and your dogs a Happy Spring!

Health Tracks: A Primer of Leptospirosis Understanding your dog’s exposure risk for Leptospirosis is an important conversation to have with your veterinarian. When considering whether your dog should be vaccinated, consider her lifestyle and gather information from your vet about disease prevalence in your neck of the woods.

Featured Grant: Use of Gene Therapy to Treat Dilated Cardiomyopathy Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the second most common cause of heart disease in dogs, and medical management of the secondary signs is the only therapeutic option. Dr. Margaret M. Sleeper, VMD, University of Pennsylvania, is conducting a placebo-controlled, double blinded study to evaluate gene delivery approaches for treatment of dogs affected with DCM and congestive heart failure.

Health Tips: What is Tick-Borne Disease Tick-borne disease occurs when ticks “THE BEST ADVICE MY MOMA EVER GAVE ME WAS…

…BE SURE TO TASTE YOUR WORDS BEFORE YOU SPIT THEM OUT!”

infected with a pathogen bite a dog and transmit the pathogen into the dog’s body.

Many of these pathogens are zoonotic, meaning they can also infect humans.

For more information on these topics, please visit www.akcchf.org.

American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation Raleigh, NC KENNEL CLUB CANINE SPORTS SCIENCE SEMINAR RETURNS The Kennel Club Canine Sports Science Seminar will be returning this November, further to the success of the previous seminars which have been held regularly since 2007.

The 2015 seminar is scheduled to take place on Sunday 1st November at the Kennel Club Building in Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. Led by professionals from the world of canine health, treatment, training and nutrition, the Canine Sports Science Seminar aims to help handlers, instructors and trainers get the best performance from their dogs, with an emphasis on avoiding injuries and taking a holistic approach to the care of canine athletes.

The seminar is geared towards all working dog activities, from agility to working trials, obedience to heelwork to music, field trials to flyball. This year the seminar is focusing on the following sessions: The Training and Use of Military Dogs Chris Ham Canine Physiotherapy - David Prydie Jumping Kinematics - Thilo Pfau Sports Conditioning for the Canine Athlete - Christine Zink The seminar opens for registration at 8.15am and will finish at 5pm. Each delegate will attend all four sessions, with two speakers talking before lunch, and then two after lunch.

Delegates are encouraged to book early, with an early bird discount price of £80, which includes lunch and refreshments. This special offer is valid until 11th September.

There are further discounts available for Kennel Club Members, KCAI Members and students studying a relevant subject.

To find out more information and to download the application form, please visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/caninesports-science-seminar/.

Please note that pre-registration for this seminar is essential as there will be no tickets available on the day and applications must be received by Friday 9th October.

Laura Quickfall London, England Dog News 73

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Hoogstraten 2015 Continued FROM page 53

Estonia, Poland and Austria each. If we keep in mind that 9 judges only officiated one day of the weekend then it‘s no wonder that most had a big job to do. It is also a sign that the committee made a splendid choice when they composed the list. In the catalog, and that is remarkable and a good idea, we could already find the provisional list of judges for next year.

Last year they did it the first time and maybe that was the key to this unexpected success. It helps people to plan ahead. Suppose the judge is OK, then they put it already on their showplanner. But it also permits to plan which dogs they can enter, what type a judge is known for, etc. I really think it’s a good idea that should be followed by other shows too. It’s another idea that is born in Hoogstraten, like the carpet tiles for the main ring instead of plain carpet.

Mr. Westren Walace from Ireland had 169 dogs, on Saturday Sighthound breeds and 82 entries, on Sunday all the Dachshunds, 87 all together. Mrs. Iren Naarits came all the way from Estonia. On Saturday she had 33 Labradors and a total of 64 entries. On Sunday she had 94 dogs to judge, Spitz breeds and Companion breeds. Mr. Ferdinando Asnaghi from Italy judged shepherd breeds on Saturday, 86 entries.

On Sunday 48 Bulldogs were co-responsible for a total of 99 entries. Mr. Carsten Birk from Denmark had a relaxing Saturday with only 26 entries but Sunday, on the contrary, was almost a nightmare for him.

He had 38 Rottweilers, 68 Great Danes and 17 Dobermanns. Mr. Peter Drury was invited for the Golden Retrievers only, but that was a good bet. He had no less than 77 in his ring, and that was

the most popular breed of this show. Mrs. Rita McCarty Beattie from Ireland was also a good investment for the show. She had 119 entries on Saturday, all Herding and Terrier breeds, on Sunday she had 73 entries, including 45 Chihuahuas. Mr. Günther Ehrenreich from Austria had a total score of 158. Saturday brought him 34 American Staffordshires and 31 Flat Coated Retrievers. 42 Chinese Cresteds and another 51 Companion dogs were his main course for Sunday. Mr. John Jacobsen from Norway was on term on Sunday only but made a good score with 29 Newfoundlanders, 44 Leonbergers and some other breeds, good for a total of 81 entries. Mr. Bas Bosh and Mrs. Myriam Vermeire had also busy Sundays with 81 and 93 entries. But no one did better than Mr. Jeff Luscott from England. He was a fantastic investment with an impressive score of 279 dogs over the weekend.

On Saturday he was not finished before the main ring started but it caused no problem in the end as all the classes that came first were already judged by him. He had 150 entries, including a phenomenal number of 64 Border Collies and 33 Shetland Sheepdogs. On Sunday he was an itsy-pitsy more relaxed as he had “only” 129 dogs to judge, all Primitive and Spitz breeds. Worth mentioning are the 43 Japanese Akitas, a breed that seems to become more and more popular over here.

Best In Show judging was an honor offered to Mr. August Dewilde. Laura

Rump from the Netherlands was sent to the 3rd place with her Rhodesian Ridgeback “Mafinga Hombarume.” She entered her 2 year-old male in Intermediate Class judged by Mr. JeanPierre Achtergael from Belgium, who also judged the group. 37 Rhodesians were entered. Mrs. Radstok Marion, also from the Netherlands, entered her Lhasa Apso “Close To Perfection Next To You” in Champions Class males to be judged

by Jeff Luscott. 11 Lhasas were entered.

Mr. Dirk Spruyt made this 4 year-old little champ win its group.

The 29 Bearded Collies were judged on Saturday by Mrs. Rita MacCarry-Beattie. She picked out “Beardie Connections Kenji,” multi BIS winner in Belgium, to go to the main ring. Kenji was judged here by Mr. Norman Deschuymere and won the group.

Owner Otto Rinus, again from the Netherlands, came back on Sunday, as there was one chance on 10 to become Best In Show. But famous Kenji had no problem to beat the rest and climb to highest podium. Kenji knows who will probably judge him next year.

It would be great if the judges list for next year would be on the website too.

This website is very good and informative. It’s address is http://www. schaalderkempen.be.

Have a look and enter your dog. The show is earlier than this year (it changes every two years), on January 9 and 10.

Dog News 77

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IT’S WOOFTALE NOW, STAFF CHANGES DUE DILIGENCE...

Continued from page 50

to be totally ignored on the matter by the President I found shocking. I do believe the entire mater is now under discussion and hopefully will be rectified amicably and reasonably. However these are very strange circumstances and need to be straightened out internally for sure if not publicly as well.

J

ack Norton has resigned, which is yet another Staff change. Whatever Jack’s reasons, which may revolve partially around proposed changes within the Inspection Department (a dirty word to use allegedly per some people in New York), this is another blow to people who work for AKC and believe in its true mission. Jack will be hard to replace and as I understand it there is quite a scramble going on trying to find someone to fit his job description. The transfer of Glenn Lycan to work along with Alan Slay should result in a better run Events Department, as all kinds of studies are being looked into to help shows reduce duplication of efforts year after year and to accordingly reduce expenses but by far for me the redirection of Sheila Goffe, who heads the superb Government Relations Department from reporting to Cynthia Bealges in the Legal Department is by far the most obtuse edict to come from AKC in years. She will now be reporting to Chris Walker, changing her direction from Legal to Public Relations!!!! Boy oh boy is that a questionable call. By the way I am being told I was wrong last week when I wrote the vote for Chairman was 9 to 4--I am now being told it was 8 to 5, which made it a tad closer than I originally thought.

For some strange reason the Delegate Minutes, which contain a load of information, are not yet posted on the AKC Web Site--that’s as of 12:47 pm Wednesday as I write this article notwithstanding the fact that it was released to the Delegates early on March 20th with a

copy being sent onto me as well. Some of the Delegates’ complaints about the Breed Standards as contained in those Minutes seem quite legitimate to me and the question really to be asked is how this could have occurred?

Mistakes are bound to happen but wouldn’t one think that in such a sensitive area such as the Breed Standards those familiar with the constituents, and I don’t blame Walker and his independent contractors for this one, would have paid much closer attention to this area than to say less critical parts of the web site. The Board Minutes appeared on the AKC web site and I do not have that much trouble finding things on this site. Admittedly I am not the greater user of any web site, but I do have problems reading many of the postings, permanent and other ways on the AKC site. My eyes just can’t handle those pastel colors with white on white--but that may be just these “old eyes”.

A

s for a recent editorial I wrote I was given wrong info about ageism in the U.K.--Here’s what I have been told---I don’t know who told you about the 75 year age limit but they were just plain wrong.

You are allowed to carry on judging and taking on new breeds until you are virtually ready to drop. And likewise for sitting on Club Committees there is no age limit at all. The only thing where there is a 75-year limit is for Members of the Board of the Kennel Club who have to stand down at the next annual general meeting after they become 75. That is in place of having term limits. It was introduced about 30 years ago when reputedly half of the General Committee used to sleep though the meetings! Admittedly that may have had more to do with what they drank at lunchtime rather than their age! Anyway that’s the only place where there is an age limit. Unfortunately I was given this info by some people in the U.K. who may have been told this to keep them off panels but then again someone else wrote and said this used to be the case in the U.K. but was changed after an uproar pursued. In any event it’s not going on now--OFFICIALLY--I think!

Dog News 79

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Continued FROM page 31

Severe clinical symptoms would usually occur within half an hour to three hours.

“Considering we are told that Jagger showed the first clinical signs usually associated with these two poisons shortly before his death in Belgium, late on Friday 6thMarch night, leading to the immediate call for veterinary attention, we must conclude that it is inconceivable that he could have been poisoned at Crufts on Thursday 5thMarch, some 28 to 36 hours earlier.

“Furthermore, the poison is thought to have been given on a piece of beef that was still largely undigested when the autopsy was performed on Saturday 7thMarch morning, and food is usually absorbed in dogs within six hours.

“We must stress that despite reports to the contrary which have caused a lot of concern to dog lovers, absolutely no dog has been shown to have been sick at or after Crufts due to poison ingested at the show, there are no veterinary reports or evidence to support this notion, and no official reports of poisoning have been made to the police.

“We have a lot of security measures in place to protect the dogs at our show and we continually review our procedures because the welfare and safety of the dogs is our first and main priority.”

So now why didn’t the media wait for the toxicology report to come out? Well of course like all mainstream media scaring people and getting the “hook” is often more important than the facts.

Now we move onto Best in Show-gate. The lovely and talented Rebecca Cross wins Best in Show with the equally gorgeous and deserving “Knopa”. A dream comes true. And then the nightmare I am sure began.

Now I detest negative publicity so this will be as short and pain free as possible and hopefully I can shed a few facts on this.

I don’t know Rebecca well. I have met her a few times and she is lovely and generous with her compliments. An amazing new mom, she has served her country, lived abroad, was born in Alaska, sings like a dream, is excellent at the preparation and showing of terriers…. (makes you kind of want to hate her, then this happened).

Out of the blue (for most people placing bets) she wins Best in Show at the most famous dog show in the world.

And her crime? Doing something she has most likely done her whole life. She took her Scottie off the table by the neck and the tail. She did it carefully, quickly and with great love and care. And as you watch the videotape you can see the look on her face as Knopa’s feet touch the ground. She knew she did something that she had reportedly been asked not to do. Something that we would have ALL done, given the years of habit and the adrenaline that was surely coursing through her. It was over in an instant. No one thought anything of it. By all accounts (and recorded again on video) the group judge had also picked up Knopa by the tail before awarding the black devil Group first.

The public went crazy. The rumors went crazy.

But it is not a rule and actually for clarity’s sake this is how it is presented to all those who enter Crufts.

In your entry packet there is a four-page insert that has your unloading instructions, how to pick up your numbers, remember to pick up your poop, etc. Halfway down the second page, not in bold or red it says: “HANDLING OF DOGS Exhibitors are reminded that The Kennel Club believes the practice of picking up dogs, often Terriers, by their tails and leads when lifting them to and from the table during judging is both undesirable and unnecessary.”

That is it. And clearly the dog was not picked up by its lead and tail. Again it is the media blowing things out of proportion and as much as I enjoy my connections to the world via social media I do detest this kind of cyberbullying/propaganda.

A huge Congratulations to Rebecca and Knopa. I think you know that the real dog community stands with you!

Meanwhile back in Canada the Top Dogs as of March 13, 2015 according to Canuck Dogs are: 1 Standard Poodle Ch. Adessi Elemental Afterglow 2 Portuguese Water Dog Ch. Claircreek Lusitano Oceano Atlantico 3 Papillon Ch. Marron’s Jimmy Choo 4 Havanese Ch. Ashtone’s Aria 5 Shar Pei Ch. Gumby’s Bearposh Ever After 6 Irish Setter Ch. Licky Morn Firecracker 7 Shetland Sheepdog Ch. Cermel Hatfield Mirror Blue 8 Irish Wolfhound Kuriann Of First Avenue 9 Alaskan Malamute Ch. Starring-Maat Original Sin 10 Giant Schnauzer Ch. Lowdown Remys Girl V Aerdenhout

That’s it for now from the True North!

Dog News 81

AS OF JANUARY 1, 2015

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Silver Bay Kennel Club Group First Judge Dr. Judith Newton

GCh. Jakar Pamir Anam Cara Summer Storm Owned by Donald and Georjean Jensen Bred by Amy Donnell and Tara Schultz Presented by Bruce & Tara Schultz AKC Reg. Handlers & PHA • www.schultzdoghandling.com