Dog News, May 6, 2011 by Dog News

Editorial

Inside the Sport

Connie’s Comments

BY PAT TROTTER

BY CONNIE VANACORE

Contents MAY 6, 2011

22 Question of the Week BY MATTHEW H. STANDER

26 Brace Yourself BY ANDREW BRACE

30 Dog Tiles

BY NICK WATERS

34 Bests Of The Week 38 Ten Questions BY LESLIE BOYES

42 2012 Westminster Kennel Club Judging Panel BY DAVE FREI

46 A Thought To Consider BY SEYMOUR WEISS

50 Who Says We Can’t Have A Dog Show and Celebrate Easter? BY PEGGY WAMPOLD

54 The Truth About Senior Dog Foods BY CARLOTTA COOPER

58 Rare Breeds Of The World: The Tosa BY AGNES BUCHWALD

62 Has The AKC’s Field Test Program Closed The Gap Between Show and Field? BY MJ NELSON

66 All In The Family BY CHARLES ROBEY

70 Off The Leash BY SHAUN COEN

74 My Impressions Of The Conference And More BY MATTHEW H. STANDER

78 The British Scene BY GEOFF CORISH

82 The 2011 American Whippet Club National Specialty BY DR. TODD MILLER

86 The 2011 Papillon National Specialty 110

BY LOU ANN KING

The Gossip Column BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS

120 Click – Lake Mathews Kennel Club BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS

130 Click - The Way We Were BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS

134 Letters To The Editor

136 dog show calendar 142 handlers directory 144 subscription rates 146 classiﬁed advertising 148 advertising rates

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All advertisements are copyrighted and owned by DOG NEWS, Harris Publications, unless received cameraready. Permission to reprint must be requested in writing. 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. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DOG NEWS, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010

Editorial

Inside the Sport

Connie’s Comments

BY PAT TROTTER

BY CONNIE VANACORE

Contents MAY 6, 2011

22 Question of the Week BY MATTHEW H. STANDER

26 Brace Yourself BY ANDREW BRACE

30 Dog Tiles

BY NICK WATERS

34 Bests Of The Week 38 Ten Questions BY LESLIE BOYES

42 2012 Westminster Kennel Club Judging Panel BY DAVE FREI

46 A Thought To Consider BY SEYMOUR WEISS

50 Who Says We Can’t Have A Dog Show and Celebrate Easter? BY PEGGY WAMPOLD

54 The Truth About Senior Dog Foods BY CARLOTTA COOPER

58 Rare Breeds Of The World: The Tosa BY AGNES BUCHWALD

62 Has The AKC’s Field Test Program Closed The Gap Between Show and Field? BY MJ NELSON

66 All In The Family BY CHARLES ROBEY

70 Off The Leash BY SHAUN COEN

74 My Impressions Of The Conference And More BY MATTHEW H. STANDER

78 The British Scene BY GEOFF CORISH

82 The 2011 American Whippet Club National Specialty BY DR. TODD MILLER

86 The 2011 Papillon National Specialty 110

BY LOU ANN KING

The Gossip Column BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS

120 Click – Lake Mathews Kennel Club BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS

130 Click - The Way We Were BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS

134 Letters To The Editor

136 dog show calendar 142 handlers directory 144 subscription rates 146 classiﬁed advertising 148 advertising rates

4 Dog News

GCH. SAKS HAMELOT LITTLE DRUMMER BOY Flash The Last Two Weekends, Back-To-Back Best In Shows giving Drummer 21 Career Best In Shows, 14 in 2011 and Seven in the month of April!

Best In Show - Judge Mrs. Mildred Bryant Owned by Cecelia Ruggles • High Ridge Texana Top Dogs, LLC, Barbara Weidner, Laurie Darman & Kim Grifﬁn Breeders Sandra & Keith Hanson - Saks • Shirley & Richard Hamilton - Hamelot Handled by Scott Sommer • Associates Adam Peterson & Klayton Harris Dog News 5

DOG NEWS COVER STORY - MAY 6, 2011

PUBLISHER

STANLEY R. HARRIS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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SHAUN COEN Y. CHRISTOPHER KING ACCOUNTING

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dognews@harris-pub.com WEB ADDRESS: www.dognews.com SUBSCRIPTIONS

IAN MILLER 212 462.9624 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Sharon Anderson Lesley Boyes Andrew Brace Agnes Buchwald Shaun Coen Carlotta Cooper Geoff Corish Allison Foley Yossi Guy John Mandeville Desmond J. Murphy M. J. Nelson Robert Paust Sharon Sakson Gerald Schwartz Kim Silva Matthew H. Stander Karl Stearns 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

*Number Two overall, All Breed Points, All Systems - Number Three overall, Breed Points, All Systems **All Systems ***Number Two overall, Breed Points, All Systems

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DOG NEWS is sent to all AKC approved Conformation Judges every week 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. The editor reserves the right to edit all copy submitted.

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*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed points

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THE CONFERENCE

There is little doubt the so-called scientific health conference sponsored by HSUS, the RSPCA of the UK and the CISA of the U of P’s Veterinary School (which to some is a separate arm of the school and to others not) was a disappointment attendance wise and hardly the demonizer of the breeder and AKC many expected the conference would turn out to be. More emotional than scientific were most speakers’ presentations although they attempted to hide this fact through the use of educational degrees earned or British accents used since the meeting seemed to be dominated by Brits— either ex-pats or people actually living there! On the other hand both Patty Haines and Fran Smith were most persuasive in their speeches and both were sheerly brilliant in presenting the viewpoint of the concerned breeder. They succeeded in emphasizing the long and continued work of AKC and other breed oriented operations in fighting both financially and philosophically to improve the health and welfare of all dogs in America. Three breeds in particular took a considerable beating—the Bulldog, the German Shepherd Dog and the Bernese Mountain Dog. Certainly in two of the cases it appeared to these pages that extreme examples of unhealthy dogs were being used and highlighted which again were emotionally disturbing but basically inapplicable as accurate examples of those breeds in America today would contradict and disprove the statements of many of these speakers. If ever another such conference were to be held one would hope that there would be a greater diversity in speakers’ backgrounds. To the outsider looking in it appeared that the entire conference was controlled by people who either presently live in the UK or were born and educated there and moved to America. As to the lack of attendance that could have been attributed to the fact that HSUS appeared to be the main sponsor and its trustworthiness is less than sterling to many. Overall the conference was hardly a catastrophe for the breeder of purebred dogs and it should be interesting to see how it plays out in other circles.

MORE ON THE DELEGATE/JUDGE

As a result of a recent Editorial and Question of the Week about delegate/judges asking clubs to make a charitable donation in place of a fee these pages were sent a copy of the 1993 Board Minutes in which it was unanimously voted (Dr. Mays absent) “that it be permissible for a Delegate judge to request that a club make a voluntary charitable donation as long as it was not done as a condition of employment”. This was followed up by a letter from Mr. Crowley on June 1, 2001 in which it was stated, “This practise was approved by the Board as not in conﬂict with the Bylaws in May l993. The policy was included in the 1995 manual. The donation in lieu of expenses could be a condition of employment, while the donation in lieu of a fee could not. This policy has not been changed and is still in effect.” That was in 2001—ten years later one still asks whether this is in the spirit of the Bylaws? Our initial point revolved round the phrase “as long as it was not done as a condition of employment”. Can you imagine the show chairperson asking the delegate/judge to adjudicate and being asked to please make the donation and the show chairperson denying the request? Do you think the “d/j” would still go—some would others would not. But that’s not the point. How can a Board—any Board— make

Editorial MAY 6, 2011

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exclusions from any Bylaws and then continue the exclusions as an on-going policy? Sort of like the Bylaw which prevents and prohibits anyone from selling dog ads from being seated as a Delegate. Well the Board approved this very practise for the AKC—the corporation itself! Technically as a result of this action, which is a violation of the Bylaws, not one Board member should be seated as a Delegate and very possibly the Delegate Body by accepting this policy is in violation of AKC’s restrictive policies as well. Furthermore this whole exercise raises the question as to how often if ever does the Board review its own longstanding policies—if ever. If one searches the AKC web site one will ﬁnd on the on-line Board policy book policies which go back to the forties!! Does this make sense particularly in today’s society? These pages think not—how about an entire review and cleaning out of the useless and inapplicable policies.

ANOTHER MONTH ANOTHER BOARD MEETING

Well they are back in town! The Board, that is, and look for exceptions to the newly voted policy ban on new shows to be approved to be high on the agenda. As usual when something controversial is passed the Board has second and third pressure thoughts. Remember PAWS, remember the fees for judges—things of the past as though they never existed. When will these guys (and gal) take a position and just stick to it? Is it only when it comes to approving new breeds for themselves which is so heavily opposed in most quarters of AKC’s constituency that they stick to their guns? And coming up soon will be the decision of the Dalmatian Club on the low uric acid dogs being admitted to the stud book. If the Club votes no will the Board exercise its power to determine what does or does not go into the stud book or will it let the parent club argument prevail that this is a breed decision? Without Mrs. Strand and Mr. Marden sitting on the Board the majority may have shifted away from the parent club’s argument. Certainly Messrs. Amen, Battaglia and Gladstone are on something of a hot seat here although some say Mr. Battaglia’s vote is predetermined. How the other two will vote should swing that issue. Look for those ﬁreworks for sure.

THE SO-CALLED MISSOURI COMPROMISE

What happened in Missouri last week gives new meaning to the word compromise. Proposition B—you remember the pet law that AKC opposed and HSUS was in favor of— squeaked by in a 52% majority with the overwhelming support of voters from Kansas City and St. Louis with the rest of the state strongly against it. The provisions of Prop B were motivated to insure proper care of dogs and to reduce puppy mills by putting into effect stronger health and welfare conditions for dogs speciﬁcally and other animals generally. The most contentious provision limited the number of dogs one could keep to 50 in certain circumstances and certainly reduced the number of brood bitches to a much lower number. The latter being the primary reason AKC was opposed since there is a large segment of people who believe numbers of dogs owned should never enter the equation—it is the care which counts. In any event a strong number of people started to work on both the House and Governor and in effect they overturned the voters’ decision—did away with the numerical restriction and reinforced many of the health and welfare conditions. That’s hardly a compromise however that’s a coup and whether or not you agree or disagree those within the movement feel their wishes have been redirected. It will be interesting to see how this plays out as recalls are presently being threatened.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

How can these pages, as dog oriented as we are, ignore the raid in Pakistan and the ultimate result of the death of Osama Bin Laden? As Americans we all rejoice in what happened there notwithstanding the gruesome and vengeful acts necessary to assure our freedom and we join all of you in hoping that these acts of terrorism will be minimalized with time and eventually totally done away with. God bless the United States of America—that’s our thought for this week and forever.

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INSIDE THE SPORT

A TALE OF TAILS The on-going Rottweiler controversy over tails compels us to revisit the purpose of dog shows, which is the evaluation of breeding stock. However, before we get into that, I would like to share a tale of tails with you!

ore than a half-century ago my great friend and mentor Norman Austin was judging the Chesapeake Cocker Spaniel Specialty Show in Tidewater, VA. In those days professional handlers could adjudicate specialty shows, and this club was rightfully proud of having the greatest cocker handler of them all, “Mr. Cocker Spaniel” himself, judging their specialty. It was the glory days of the fabulous Honey Creek particolors that Austin handled to their big wins as well as planning and influencing their breeding program. A local man in VA had purchased a lovely Honey Creek male to use in his breeding program and had a youngster from the dog’s first litter entered. Austin was at lunch following the judging of the black and Ascob varieties when the man intercepted him with the progeny in his arms while Norman was on his way back to the ring to judge the particolors. In spite of his speech impediment the man asked Norman what he thought of this Honey Creek sired dog, which obviously was to be shown under him in a few minutes. Norman tactfully turned his questions around and eventually said something to the effect of “what do you think of him?” The man turned the dog’s rear to Norman and said the tail was cut too short. With great humor Norman replied, “Well maybe when you cut off his tail you lost the best part of the dog!” This wisecrack broke the tension and Norman went on to his ring and for the life of me I can’t remember if the dog got past his small puppy class. I think not, since Norman always had so much fun telling the story. If cutting the tail off of one dog results in losing the best part of the dog, does that mean that in cutting the tail off of another you can get rid of the worst part of the dog? Of course not! Wow, that would definitely make the breeding of some breeds significantly easier. As breeders and judges we are constantly evaluating breeding stock, and it is truly difficult to know exactly how much an undocked tail in a specific breed should be penalized when there is confusing language in the breed standard. My personal opinion is that the selection of breeding stock means finding a dog representative of the correct specimen and hopefully from a gene pool that breeds true. Consider the wording of the Rottweiler standard central to the current storm on the subject: “Tail docked short, close to body, leaving one or two tail vertebrae. The set of the tail is more important than length. Properly set it gives an impression of elongation of topline: carried slightly above horizontal when the dog is excited or moving.” Does the term “set of

BY PAT TROTTER 14 Dog News

the tail is more important than length” invite differing interpretations? Other breed standards also allow for differing interpretations. One such standard states: “The tail is docked to two/ fifths of its original length.” How is the evaluator to know exactly what the original length might be? Furthermore, the original length was probably even less than its current docked length since the usual docking age is that of a very young puppy. To the real breeder with long term plans who imports an undocked sire, the controversy over docked tails is akin to a tempest in a teapot. The actual docking of the tail does nothing to alter the gene pool as long as breeders are paying attention to proper set and in natural tails-proper carriage too. After all, the breeder can remedy the offspring of a natural tailed sire by docking future generations. For the judges the situation is a little more complex. All a judge can do is follow the literal meaning of the standard. But some standards are not clear on their exact requirement. And how does the judge respond to pressure to penalize dogs with natural tails in breeds normally docked? The American Kennel Club has gone on record as stating that such dogs must be given the same examination in the rings as others. Then according to the judge’s interpretation of the breed standard, proceed from there. This is only fair as at least it gives ringside a proper opportunity to evaluate the entire dog and make breeding decisions in spite of the tail. Where one breed standard states “Docked tails preferred; natural tails allowed” the judge can prefer the dog with the docked tail unless it is inferior. How about the standard that says “an undocked tail should be severely penalized?” This is a clear message to use such a dog only if it has superior quality able to absorb such a penalty and others in competition are clearly inferior. Again, this is the judge’s call. Unclear messages of breed standards on such issues and resulting controversies in parent clubs present a frustrating picture for all of us. Parent clubs must avoid polarizing the membership to the point that the breed suffers. They will have to face difficult calls to determine if the fall-out from the infighting is worth it, for no one knowingly wants to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Always we want to keep in mind that the entire process revolves around the selection of breeding stock. Dog breeders, judges and politicians as well need to keep in mind the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson: “Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.” (First Inaugural Address, March 1801)

Connie’s Comments

I love to read the AKC Board minutes, partly because they reveal the workings of the Board and the positions that members of the Board took on various matters which came before them. It is an amusing exercise to attempt to ﬁgure out the reasoning behind some of the actions taken, either pro or con on any given issue.

lthough the published minutes do not reveal the debates which take place in the meetings, the outcomes are often enough to figure out the workings behind the scenes. This is not a complaint. It is my belief that the Board has the duty to conduct the business of the kennel club in an atmosphere which gives the members the greatest latitude to express their opinions. It is also necessary for some of the essential business of the Board to remain unpublished and within the confines of the Board and staff itself. At the Board meeting in April Directors received a document from the legal firm which represents AKC in all matters not covered by their in-house legal team. The document describes the legal duties under which the members of a Board of Directors of Not For Profit organizations must operate. Perhaps the timing of the presentation of this document coincided with the seating of the newly elected Board, since one of the members, Bob Amen, has never served before. The others, Steve Gladstone, Carmen Battaglia and Charles Garvin certainly are no strangers to Board service. Perhaps some of the provisions in this lengthy document might serve to remind all Board members of their duties and responsibilities. At the same time it might remind them of responsibilities which are not part of a Board member’s duties. The document starts off with a concise and direct list of do’s and don’ts. Directors DO have responsibilities to manage and preserve the corporation’s assets. Directors DO NOT carry out day to day tasks. Officers and staff carry out these operations. Directors supervise/monitor/advise and evaluate the tasks. Directors must understand governance procedures, review and approve broad organizational matters. The legal duties of Directors of not for profit corporations must meet certain standards of conduct and attention in carrying out their responsibilities to the corporation. The three prime duties are Care, Loyalty and Obedience. Breach of any of these duties can result in removal as a Director and/or liability. According to New York law the “duty of Care” imposes a standard of conduct on Directors as they oversee the activities of the corporation. Directors must “act in good faith…and with a degree of diligence, care and skill that an ordinary, prudent person in a like position would exercise…” CONTINUED ON PAGE 106

BY CONNIE VANACORE 18 Dog News

*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed points

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What was your impression of last week's Health Conference held in Washington D.C.? David Sargan I was excited by the positive tone set by this conference, whilst a little disappointed by the size of the audience and the noticeable absentees from the audience. Nearly all of the speakers presented the same side of the argument - that some of the things we have inadvertently done in selecting purebred dogs, and especially in selecting them for showing, have increased inherited disorders and diseases in the very animals we were trying to protect and improve. But all of the speakers took a pretty constructive line on this, calling not for an end to breeds but rather for breeding policies that could reverse the problems. Some, amongst whom I include myself, thought that this would be difďŹ cult in some cases unless some studbooks were opened. But it is possible to move many breeders this far with you if you show the reasons clearly enough, and are looking to improve rather than destroy the breed - (as is beginning to be seen in the UK). The audience gave a good nucleus for discussion, and even those hostile to the ideas presented from the platform helped to open up a pretty calm and reasoned debate, in an atmosphere in which one felt optimism that we could hear and respond to each other's arguments. I just hope that such a small meeting can still precipitate some needed changes to the way we think about and enjoy dog breeds, and that the work put in by the meeting's participants is not lost in controversy about the other roles of the Humane Society.

BY MATTHEW H. STANDER 22 Dog News

Frances O. Smith DVM I was pleased that the meeting was non-confrontational. I felt that Dr. Haines and I were able to educate the audience and the other speakers about the sport of purebred dogs and the commitment of the fancy to canine health and care. I believe that many of the attendees had preconceived ideas about purebred dogs in the United States that were unfounded and we were able to provide a more accurate view. Brenda Bonnett I thought the meeting was a great step forward in promoting international discussion on this important issue. It is my experience that this has been a 'hotter' topic in Europe than in the U.S. Any raised awareness over here is a good thing. There was an interesting and eclectic mix of both presenters and attendees. I was impressed with Jemima's contribution ...from the documentary I was not sure what to expect when I saw that she was included on the program ...but in fact found her intelligent, well-informed and truly supportive of efforts to move ahead on this topic. As Dr. Olson pointed out, it is time to address the real welfare issues, and not simply attack the messenger. It was a strength of the meeting to have a diverse mix of stakeholders - from several countries. In future endeavours, there will hopefully be a bigger contribution from / inclusion of dog breeders. There has to be much more willingness across stakeholders to drop traditionally held views and staunch attachment to individual and organizational positions to achieve

the cooperation and collaboration that is needed. The conference was perhaps a little vague in the planning stages ... I wasn't sure what it was hoping to accomplish. In the end, although no grandiose schemes were forthcoming, I think it did in fact accomplish a certain 'coming together'. Hopefully, there will be some continued momentum. Unfortunately, discussions highlighted numerous, distressing canine welfare issues. There is much work to be done. Wayne R. Cavanaugh In a world of increasing divisiveness and political polarization, the conference was a particularly admirable endeavor. All sides were well represented and civility and decorum in a potentially contentious environment was apparent. With few exceptions, the content was refreshingly more science than opinion and the speaker's credentials were most impressive. Regardless of perspective, the knowledge base and experience in the room was evident throughout. Participants from the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Sweden were in attendance. There was a general consensus that, while progress is being made, genetic issues in purebred dogs are a very real concern. While some may be uncomfortable with "exaggerated conformation" being cited as one of several contributing factors, the science was convincing, especially the data from the Swedish study. Finally, the focus of the conference was more about sharing data and identifying areas of common ground. To that end, learning to respect, if not agree, on core issues was a good step forward. In many ways, doors of knowledge were opened. CONTINUED ON PAGE 90

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BRACE YOURSELF

British Kennel Club Opens Register to Dogs of Unknown Ancestry

The British Kennel Club has made a fascinating announcement that it is to allow the registration of purebred, unregistered dogs on a case-by-case basis.

he Kennel Club claims that the proposed pilot scheme has been devised in a bid to improve genetic diversity, thus widening the various breeds’ gene pools and allowing new bloodlines to be introduced within breeds. Whilst youngsters may ﬁnd this move rather draconian, it is actually nothing new and represents a return to the position which existed 40 years ago when similar rules were in force. Since then there has been no formal process for allowing dogs with unknown ancestry to join the breed register, although in exceptional circumstances some have been admitted. In recent times there has been some controversy when unregistered dogs from overseas have been admitted, notably the case of the Dalmatian imported from the USA. At its meeting on 5th January 2010, the Kennel Club General Committee accepted an application to register an imported Dalmatian produced from a breeding program which was originated with an intentional Pointer/Dalmatian cross. This cross-breeding was carried out in the USA as part of a program aimed at introducing the low (or normal) uric acid gene into the Dalmatian breed. The imported and now registered Dalmatian was actually shown at Crufts this year. We are told that under the new pilot scheme, every successful application will be admitted to the register with three asterisks next to its name. Asterisks will be applied for three further generations in order to identify the fact that there is unknown or unregistered ancestry behind a dog. If such an accepted dog is bred from and mated to other fully-registered dogs of the same breed which have no asterisks next to their names, their progeny, the F1 progeny, will also be annotated with three asterisks. If the F1 progeny are bred from and mated to other fullyregistered dogs, their progeny, F2, will be annotated with two asterisks. The ensuing F3 and F4 progeny will have one asterisk and no annotation respectively. Gradually dogs bred down in this way will achieve full registration. Over the years the Kennel Club has been responsive in some cases to the suggestion of controlled crossbreeding when there is a valid reason put forward. Some years ago there was the well-documented case of a naturally bob-tailed Pembroke Welsh Corgi being bred to a Boxer in an attempt to produce naturally short-tailed Boxers, and the results of this crossing makes for fascinating study. Within three generations Boxers were being produced, born with short tails, that bore no resemblance whatsoever to their Corgi forebears. Applications to the Kennel Club will need to be accompanied by a letter of explanation as to how the applicant acquired the dog, and will then be considered

BY ANDREW BRACE 26 Dog News

only on the proviso that two championship show judges of the breed appointed by the Kennel Club agree that the dog is representative of its breed; the dog is DNA profiled; or it has relevant health tests – equivalent to that required and recommended under the Accredited Breeder Scheme (ABS) – for the breed. In its statement, the Kennel Club says somewhat confusingly “To ensure that only genuine applicants apply, strict requirements have been put in place which will need to be completed before an application is finally approved by the General Committee.” Exactly what is meant by “genuine applicants”, one can only speculate. Interestingly Caroline Kisko on behalf of the Kennel Club stressed that “While we are keen to open up the register, it should be noted that there is no guarantee that dogs so registered – and their progeny – will be accepted for registration by overseas registering bodies; that will depend upon their local regulations.” It is doubtful that there will be a flood of applications, and as stated any that are received will be dealt with on an individual basis and presumably a very strong case will have to be made before they are successful. So what are the practical benefits of the new move? When this situation existed in the past, albeit a lot more loosely and without the health demands that will now be required, several breeds benefited from it. In the first half of the twentieth century the Lamleh kennel of Dr Agnes Greig was the undisputed fountainhead of Tibetan Terriers. The doctor had first met the breed when working in India in the 1920’s and slowly set about establishing the breed, firstly in India and then later in England. Dr Greig’s perception of the breed was of a rugged, workmanlike dog with no concept of “glamour”. However in the 1950’s a successful couple of Pointer breeders – John and Constance Downey – met a stray dog wandering on Heysham dock in the north of England. They took him home and the authorities of the day suggested that he was a Tibetan Terrier. The dog was duly registered with the Kennel Club as Trojan Kynos and he not only became a Champion but the foundation sire for their Luneville Tibetan Terriers who eventually went on to eclipse the success of Dr Greig’s dogs after a much publicised period of animosity. There can be no dispute that the stock that was bred down from the foundling has been of significance in developing the modern Tibetan Terrier. When travelling overseas, I have from time to time seen street dogs in various countries that, given a good bath and some Tender Loving Care could walk into a Tibetan Spaniel ring at home and no eyebrows would be raised. Who knows, but one day in the near future some enthusiast could find a dog in the backwaters that fires their enthusiasm and – provided it ticks all the necessary boxes – could bring to a breed new blood, hybrid vigour and make a similar contribution to its breed that Trojan Kynos did just sixty years ago.

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ONE WEEKEND: FOUR GROUPS! TWO BEST IN SHOWS!

“ZELDA”

THANK YOU JUDGE JON R. COLE FOR THIS WIN! CERISE ALSO THANKS GROUP JUDGES MR. JOSEPH E. GREGORY AND MR. ROBERT STEIN FOR THESE PRESTIGIOUS WINS 28 Dog News

Multiple Best In Show Multiple Best in Specialty Show

GCh. Cerise Tender is the Night #1 English Springer Spaniel All Systems #2 Sporting Dog*

“ZELDA” #1 English Springer Spaniel*

OUR THANKS TO JUDGE MR. LOWELL K. DAVIS FOR THIS WIN! Owners Dorothy Cherry, Carl Blaine and Fran Sunseri Presented by Howard Huber 717-808-0528 ceriseenglishspringerspaniels.com

*The Dog News Top Ten List

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DOG IN CERAMIC

TILES IN DEMAND Tiles with dogs on, although known, are not amongst the everyday items of doggy collectables that come on the market. Two very contrasting sets though were sold recently in England that were separated by some ﬁve hundred years and although both were purely decorative, one of the sets is steeped in the history of England. BY NICK WATERS

hey did though share one thing in common, both sets had been discovered in dusty old boxes that at some stage had been stored away in outbuildings. The first set was made up of three Medieval encaustic tiles that would each have been the quarter of a set of four tiles. Each had the same design forming a quarter of a circle, decorated in white on red with the name ‘Sir John Talbot’ above the family crest of a white hound, its tongue extended, a sprig of oak leaves in the corner – symbolic of England? Closely related to the old St Hubert Hound and the Bloodhound but pure white in colour, the ancient Talbot Hound acquired its name from the de Talbot family who arrived in England with the Normans in the 11th century. It is recorded that ‘these white hounds were brought to England by the head of the Talbot family, and rapidly gained credit for their qualities in the chase of the stag ...’ Its name appears in English literature as an active breed from the 14th to the 18th century. In heraldry it is the original English dog, the hound of the early days. Although always associated with the Talbot family, it figures in the heraldic crests of other English families as well as old princely families in Germany. Sir John Talbot, a great patron of the arts, was created first Earl of Shrewsbury in 1442 and achieved fame as a commander during the Hundred Years’ War. He was present at Henry V’s triumphant entry into Paris and continued fighting until his death in battle during the siege of Castillon on July 20th 1453. He was first buried in France but his remains were subsequently brought back to England. He was a great national hero of the 15th century and was immortalised in Shakespeare’s ‘Henry VI’ as a brave and honorable commander of men. The tiles date from the mid 15th century and could have originally have been made for an ecclesiastical building. Talbot was a great financial supporter of the church and one can romanticize that he once may have walked on them. They were sold by Bonhams for £3,600 plus premium against expectations of £700-1,000. As tiles go, the second 30 Dog News

set could not be more different than the first. They were made in the 1950s by the Poole Pottery Company, one of the leaders in British Art Pottery. Each one is decorated with Sealyham puppies by Cecil Aldin. At the time Aldin was creating the originals from which the designs on the tiles were taken, the Sealyham was a very popular breed and continued to be so until well after the war. Not only was it instantly recognisable and appealing but would also have had great commercial potential. The puppies on the tiles are similar to the illustrations Aldin did for James Douglas’s ‘The Bunch Book’, first published in 1932 by Eyre & Spottiswoode. The book is about Bunch, a Sealyham Terrier. Aldin himself owned the breed among many others, his favourite being Susan. He used to refer to his dogs as ‘the board of directors’ but by the 1930s they had become ‘the family’ and a Sealyham was a member of the family. His studies of Sealyhams are either without any head markings, similar to his own dog Susan, or with well defined head markings, similar to the puppies on the tiles. A dog named Slickerson, who was a neighbor of Aldin’s when he was living near Reading, was one of his favourite models and he had well defined head markings and it was he who could well have been the inspiration for the puppies on the tile. Like the Talbot tiles, there was considerable interest in this set when offered by Dukes of Dorchester and they sold for £650 plus premium against expectations of £100-200.

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BESTS of the WEEK Wilmington Kennel Club - Friday 15” Beagle Ch. Langrigg Star of the Stage Judge Mrs. Cathy Dougherty Owners Torie Steele & Eddie Dziuk Handler Bobby Fisher

Lake Mathews Kennel Club Havanese GCh. Bellatak McDreamy Judge Mrs. Paula Nykiel Owners John Oakes, Carole Shea, Kathy & Tom Patrick, Jane Samson Handler David Murray

Walla Walla Kennel Club Standard Poodle GCh. Brighton Lakeridge Encore Judge Mr. Robert J. Caswell, Jr. Owners Toni and Martin Sosnoff Handler Tim Brazier

Sandemac Kennel Club Pharaoh Hound GCh. Northgate’s As You Like It Judge Mrs. Judy Webb Owners Jennifer Mosing, Jenny Hall Handler Brian Livingston

Baytown Kennel Club - Friday Whippet GCh. Starline’s Chanel Judge Mr. Lewis Bayne Owners Carey & Lori Lawrence Handler Lori Wilson

Penn Treaty Kennel Club Pointer Ch. Tahari’s Too Wild to Be Serious Judge Ms. Debra Thornton Owners Frank DePaulo, Linda Cayton, Deeann Ying Handler Frank DePaulo

South County Kennel Club - Saturday & Sunday Bearded Collie GCh. Tolkien Raintree Mister Baggins Judge Mr. Gary Anderson Judge Mrs. Jacqueline Rayner Owners Ellen McNeille Charles, Larry & Angela Stein, Robert Lamm, Susan Ross & Lesley Woodcock Handler Clifford Steele

Champaign Illinois Kennel Club Bichon Frise GCh. Vogelﬂight’s Honor To Pillowtalk Judge Mr. Merle Taylor Owners Ellen M. Charles, Matt and Paula Abbott, Kathie Vogel, Lori Kornfeld Handler Lisa Bettis

Lake Mathews Kennel Club- Saturday Boxer GCh. R&G’s Mystical Dancer Judge Ms. Pluis Davern Owners R. Bezzera, D. Servetnick, B. Bachman, C. Desmond,G. Steele, K. Steele-Gamero and G. Jones Handler Kimberlie Steele-Gamero Fort St. Clair Kennel Club II Black Cocker Spaniel GCh. Casablanca’s Thrilling Seduction Judge Mr. Lawrence E. Stanbridge Owners Bruce Van Deman, Carolee Douglas, Mary Walker, Linda Moore Handler Michael Pitts

MAY 6, 2011 34 Dog News

Baytown Kennel Club - Saturday Papillon GCh. Copella’s Rising Attraction Judge Mrs. Lydia Coleman Hutchinson Owners Madeline Mosing, Paula Cox & Cheslie Pickett Handler Brian Livingston Maury County Kennel Club I & II Boxer GCh. Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream Judge Mrs. Teresa Marie Gallo Judge Mr. David Bolus Owners Debbie McCarroll, Mrs. Jack Billhardt & Sergio Tenenbaum Handler Diego Garcia CONTINUED ON PAGE 94

To report an 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

Dog News 35

36 Dog News

10 QUESTIONS ASKED BY LESLIE BOYES OF:

Greg & Jane

Myers

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Born: Greg - Troy, Ohio Jane- Passaic, New Jersey Reside: Palmetto, Florida Ages: Greg 48 • Jane 49

What year did you start showing dogs and what breeds were they?

Greg: German wire-haired pointer, 1977. Jane: Lakeland Terrier, 1970.

Which dog no longer being shown would you liked to have shown or owned?

Greg: English Foxhound Ch. Mr Stewarts Cheshire Winslow. Jane: Ch. Chinoes Adamant James English Springer Spaniel.

Why do you think most people want to judge?

Greg: To give back to the sport. Jane: Because they think they can do it better than the rest.

Who are your non-dog heros or heroines exclusive of immediate relatives?

Greg: Jack Nicklaus. Jane: Nancy Brinker (Susan G. Komen’s sister), Founder of Komen for the Cure Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk .

If you could change one thing about your relationship what would it be?

Greg: More free time together. Jane: Greg rolling his eyes at me :-)

How would you describe yourselves in personal ads?

Greg: Blond haired blue eyed sports lover. Jane: Fun loving, beach going, jack of all trades.

Do you think there are too many dog shows?

Greg: Not really. Jane: Absolutely.

Which are your three favorite dog shows?

Greg: Montgomery, San Antonio, Elkhorn, WI. Jane: Golden Retriever National, Southern MD cluster, Montgomery.

Do you think there should be a limit on the number of times a dog may be exhibited in a year?

Greg: No. Jane: Nope.

How do you react to people ﬂying in and out of shows on the same weekend?

Greg: Pick a show and stick with it. Jane: I don’t like it but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do :-(

Re-writing the record books...

Judge: Col. Joe Purkhiser

GCh. Coleraineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mandalay Royalty In less than a year, Curry has already shattered most existing Breed records, including more Terrier Group Firsts and Terrier Group Second than any Glen ever. Owned and always handled by: Bruce Sussman

Co-owners: Robert Shuter & Maura High Dog News 39

40 Dog News

Cindy Vogels of Greenwood Village, Colorado Is Westminster’s Best In Show Judge For 2012 by David Frei

NEW YORK – Cindy Vogels, busy and successful in the sport of dogs, has been selected for the ultimate judging assignment in the dog show world, Best In Show at the 136th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show to be held February 13-14, 2012 at New York’s Madison Square Garden, the club announced today.

resident of Greenwood Village, Colorado, Mrs. Vogels first made her mark in the show ring, producing well over 100 Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier champions in partnership with her mother. Among those dogs were many Group and Best In Show winners, and the top-producing American Terrier dam of all time. She was chairman of the AKC-Canine Health Foundation, past president of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America, and a member of the board of trustees for Take the Lead, a charity that assists those in the sport who suffer from terminal or life-threatening illness. She is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music with a performance degree in flute, and holds a Master of Music degree in history from the University of Colorado. This is her fifth assignment at Westminster. She judged the Terrier Group in 2005 Mrs. Vogels heads a panel of 37 judges from 19 states presiding over the dog world’s most prestigious event. Group judges are Mr. W. Terry Stacy of Chapel Hill, NC, Sporting; Ms. Patricia Laurans,of Newtown, CT, Hound; Ms. Betty Regina Leininger of Frisco, TX, Working; Mr. William W. Potter, of St. Louis, MO, Terrier; Mr. Tim Catterson, of New Castle, IN, Toy; Mr. Randy Garren, Apex, NC, Non-Sporting; and Mr. Houston Clark, of Decatur, KY, Herding. Ms. Terry Hundt of Newtown, CT will judge the Junior Showmanship finals. For the second straight year, six breeds

42 Dog News

will be eligible for Westminster for the ﬁrst time in 2012, making a total of 185 breeds and varieties in competition. Those breeds newly-recognized by the American Kennel Club are the American English Coonhound (Hound Group), the Cesky Terrier (Terrier), the Norwegian Lundehund and the Xoloitzcuintli (Non-Sporting), and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog and the Finnish Lapphund (Herding). Here is the entire 2012 Westminster Kennel Club judges panel (subject to American Kennel Club approval): SPORTING BREEDS AND VARIETIES (30): Mrs. Betty-Anne Stenmark, Woodside, CA: Brittanys, German Shorthaired Pointers, German Wirehaired Pointers, Weimaraners. Mr. Ken Murray, Island Lake, IL: Pointers, English Setters, Gordon Setters, Irish Setters, Irish Red and White Setters, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons. Mr. Walter Sommerfelt, Lenoir City, TN: Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Curly Coated Retrievers, Flat Coated Retrievers, Field Spaniels, Irish Water Spaniels, Sussex Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels. Mr. Robert Ennis, Angola, NY: Golden Retrievers, Spinoni Italiano, Vizslas. Mrs. Barbara Gilchrist, Rochester, WA: Labrador Retrievers. Dr.Donald Sturz, Centerport, NY: Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, American Water Spaniels, Boykin Spaniels, Clumber Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels (all Varieties). Mr. Geir Flyckt-Pedersen, Chapel Hill, NC: English Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels.

HOUND BREEDS AND VARIETIES (29): Dr. Donald Sturz, Centerport, NY: Afghan Hounds, Borzoi, Ibizan Hounds, Pharaoh Hounds, Salukis. Ms. Joy Brewster, Newtown, CT: American English Coonhounds, Basenjis, Basset Hounds, Harriers. Mr. Dana Cline, Loves Park, IL: Black & Tan Coonhounds, Bloodhounds, Bluetick Coonhound, American Foxhound, English Foxhound, Irish Wolfhounds, Plotts, Redbone Coonhounds. Mr. William Sahloff, Swanton, OH: Beagles (both Varieties), Otterhounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Scottish Deerhounds. Mr. Ralph Lemcke, Indianapolis, IN: Dachshunds (all varieties), Norwegian Elkhounds, Petit Bassets Griffons Vendeen. Mr. Geir Flyckt-Pedersen, Chapel Hill, NC: Greyhounds, Whippets. WORKING BREEDS (28): Mr. Rick Gschwender, Oxford, MI: Akitas, Alaskan Malamutes, Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, Black Russian Terriers, Bullmastiffs, St. Bernards. Ms. Judy Harrington, Monson, MA: Bernese Mountain Dogs, Boxers, Great Danes, Siberian Huskies. Mr. Eric Ringle, Oakland Park, FL: Cane Corsos, Dogues de Bordeaux, Mastiffs, Neapolitan Mastiffs. Mr.ClayCoady,ParadiseValley,AZ:Doberman Pinschers, German Pinschers, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Rottweilers. Mr. Geir Flyckt-Pedersen, Chapel Hill, NC: Giant Schnauzers, Standard Schnauzers. Ms.Theresa Hundt,Newtown,CT:Komondorok, Kuvaszok, Leonbergers, Newfoundlands, Portuguese Water Dogs, Samoyeds, Tibetan Mastiffs. TERRIER BREEDS AND VARIETIES (29): Mrs. Virginia Latham Smith, Acampo, CA: Airedale Terriers, Glen of Imaal Terriers, Lakeland Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers, Sealyham Terriers, Skye Terriers, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers, Standard Manchester Terriers, West Highland White Terriers. Mr. Peter Green, Bowmansville, PA: American Staffordshire Terriers, Australian Terriers, Bull Terriers (both Varieties), Irish Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Welsh Terriers. Mr. Robert Hutton, Louisville, KY: Bedlington Terriers, Border Terriers, Cairn Terriers, Cesky Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Smooth Fox Terriers, Wire Fox Terriers, Scottish Terriers. Mr. Jon Cole, Nashville, TN: Norfolk Terriers, Norwich Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers.

TOY BREEDS AND VARIETIES (23): Mrs.SariTietjen,Rhinebeck,NY:Affenpinschers, Brussels Griffons, Chinese Cresteds, English Toy Spaniels (both Varieties), Havanese. Mrs. Keke Kahn, Sarasota, FL: Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Chihuahuas (both Varieties), Mr. Jon Cole, Nashville, TN: Italian Greyhounds. Ms. Judy Webb, Albuquerque, NM: Japanese Chins, Maltese, Miniature Pinschers, Shih Tzu, Silky Terriers, Toy Fox Terriers, Toy Manchester Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers. Mr. Norman Patton, Mesa, AZ: Papillons, Pomeranians, Pugs. Mrs. Doris Cozart, Kaufman, TX: Pekingese, Toy Poodles. NON-SPORTING BREEDS AND VARIETIES (20): Mr. Richard Beauchamp, Cambria, CA: American Eskimo Dogs, Boston Terriers, Chinese Shar-Peis, Keeshonden, Tibetan Spaniels, Tibetan Terriers, Xoloitzcuintli. Mrs. Doris Cozart, Kaufman, TX: Bichons Frise, Chow Chows, Finnish Spitz, Lowchen, Norwegian Lundehund, Miniature Poodles, Standard Poodles. Mr. Leonard Reppond, San Leandro, CA: Bulldogs, Dalmatians, French Bulldogs, Lhasa Apsos, Mr. Jon Cole, Nashville, TN: Shiba Inu, Schipperkes. HERDING BREEDS AND VARIETIES (26): Mrs. Kimberly Meredith-Cavanna, Pleasant Hill, CA: Australian Cattle Dogs, Bearded Collies, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdogs, Belgian Tervuren, Briards, Canaan Dogs, Finnish Lapphund. Mr. Walter Sommerfelt, Lenoir City, TN: Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Collies (both Varieties). Mr. Jon Cole, Nashville, TN: Beauceron, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs, Pulik. Ms. Joy Brewster, Newtown, CT: Bouviers des Flandres, Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Pembroke Welsh Corgis. Mr. Robert Slay, Cary, NC: Entlebucher Mountain Dog, German Shepherd Dogs, Icelandic Sheepdog, Norwegian Buhunds, Old English Sheepdogs, Pyrenean Shepherds, Shetland Sheepdogs, Swedish Vallhunds. JUNIOR SHOWMANSHIP PRELIMINARIES: Mrs. Barbara Gilchrist, Rochester, WA, and Mr. William Sahloff, Swanton, OH. .

Dog News 43

Absolutely Smooth Fox Terriers The Number One Smooth Fox Terrier All Systems

Group First - Judge Dr. Alvin Krause Owner J. W. Smith Absolutely Smooth Fox Terriers

Breeders Joan & Mark Taggart *The Dog News Top Ten List

44 00 Dog News

Handlers Edward & Lesley Boyes Grass Valley, California 530.272.4940

Number One* Among All Terriers

Best In Show - Judge Ms. Virginia Lyne

Multiple All Breed Best In Show & Specialty Winner

Ch. Slyfox Sneaks A Peek

Dog Dog News News 00 45

A Thought to Consider

e, as dog keepers, should think of our puppies as the raw material we hope to shape into our future winners and producers. Whether we have bred these young ones or have acquired them in some other way, they carry our dreams forward. As with any raw material, it is necessary to shape and direct these in order to fulfill a predetermined destiny. All too often we see the devastating results of doing nothing with promising animals whose personas cry out to be nurtured. What follows is an example of the possible results when the precious raw material that is our puppies is neglected and when it is not. It’s all about making it happen and watching it happen. Once there were two fanciers of the same breed who happened to live near one another. And while they had the same goals, their approaches were light years apart. This story is fictitious but it is rooted in the solid bedrock of fact. See if you don’t recognize anyone you know or have encountered in the narrative which follows. Neither fancier in the story was new to dogs. Actually, they had been active in the sport for some time and both could boast solid accomplishments to show for their participation. The starkest difference in how they “did dogs” was in the degree of hands-on they brought to their respective efforts. Alice came to dogs long before Betty did and did a lot of the work herself. There were two reasons for this. The first was that Alice had a genuine love for her dogs and was blessed with natural talent for every aspect of dog keeping. The second, quite frankly, was that Alice had to operate on somewhat limited financial resources. She lived on a fixed income and just had to be inventive; Alice did this very well. Betty, by contrast, was a wealthy lady who came to dogs about twenty years after Alice did. Betty’s resources allowed her to leave much of the work to her handler and any other mentor willing to help her. Betty loved to own

A Tale of Two Approaches

and show good dogs, but was not confident enough in her own ability to do on her own what she could and did pay others to do for her. And that’s perfectly alright. There are those among us who, for whatever physical or temperamental reason, just can’t be hands-on. And with Betty’s lack of confidence also came something of a distaste for the gritty aspects of the dog show game. You know – the behind scenes stuff they don’t show on Animal Planet. But as I have already observed, Betty was lucky enough to pay someone to do the essential grunt work for her. What Betty failed to realize was that with the grunt work comes the honest ability to learn dogs from the ground up and have the results of one’s labors reflect in everything one does in dogs. It once happened that Alice and Betty both had litters at roughly the same time. Happily for these ladies there was a keeper in each litter and they waited to see how these young ones would grow on and measure up. Both keepers showed solid potential and the promise was very obvious. At just under six months the puppies triggered the dreams that keep every breeder going. But, here is where the story changes. Alice knew what she had and worked diligently with her puppy. Every day that puppy was on the grooming table for the basics and beyond, Alice taught her puppy to take a “no hands” pose and there were times the puppy performed so well that it sent chills up Alice’s back. So in the hands of its adoring breederowner this raw material was turned into a bona fide, solid platinum show prospect. In addition to working together in the back yard, Alice took her prospect to the local handling class offered by her all-breed kennel club. This puppy was smart and took to the lessons well. It also thrived on the attention it got when it visited the handling class for the side benefit of good, safe socialization. Naturally, all this activity strengthened the bond formed between Alice and her puppy. That puppy was also taken for walks on busy streets, parks and anywhere people gathered for the commerce of living. Being an attractive looking youngster, the puppy got the benefit of an admiring public, further burnishing its self esteem. Alice knew full well that you get from dogs what you put into them and made sure she did everything possible to bring this puppy on to be the best it could be. When she finally took this youngster to its first show, it came out of its crate, looked around, sniffed the air and by its body language radiated an attitude of “Okay, I can do this. Let’s go have fun.” From your own experience, wouldn’t you say that Alice and her puppy were on verge of something exciting? It seems rather obvious. Betty tended not to put as much effort into

BY SEYMOUR WEISS 46 Dog News

the socialization of her dogs as Alice did. Betty loved being in constant touch with her friends. She loved getting “Ye Olde Chat List” to see what everyone was talking about, and usually put her two cents in whatever anyone else was discussing on line. Betty was a regular on Facebook and tweeted on a daily basis. For Betty, though, the preferred mode of communication was Mr. Bell’s wonderful invention, the telephone. Betty spent hours every day dishing the dirt with all the energy of a mole deepening its tunnels. She loved boasting about the merits of her dogs, the brilliance of her handler and the woeful deficiencies of the competition, meaning everyone else. Now, with this demanding schedule of “networking,” Betty was left with very little time to devote to bring on her puppy. Oh, she kept all her dogs well and faithfully executed the basic needs every dog keeper knows. Handling classes, however, and walking in the mall with her puppy just couldn’t be fit into Betty’s ongoing social program. That was sad, too, because Betty’s puppy was quite a good looking youngster and would have benefited hugely from a regimen like Alice used so effectively. Betty’s puppy went on the table and was broken to the lead alright but not with the diligence Alice routinely exercised with her puppy. It didn’t get to meet many people and other dogs and just didn’t develop the self confidence we accept and admire as an essential part of every show dog we have ever known; regardless of who owns or bred it. One day Betty thought it would be a good idea to bring her puppy to a show to get it acclimated. Since her puppy was of a breed that could be carried, that’s how Betty brought it into this crowded, noisy show building. A recipe for disaster you say? Right, I say. Betty’s sheltered unconditioned puppy took one look, one sniff of the whirlwind of activity around it and promptly FREAKED OUT!!!!! The poor puppy trembled anywhere its body could tremble. People Betty knew tried, unsuccessfully, to comfort the animal. When Betty finally put it on the ground, it cowered and had to be dragged. As Betty and her puppy finally headed for the exit, the puppy had its front legs clamped tightly around Betty’s leg, reminiscent of those frightening children that cowered under the robes of the Spirit of Christmas Future in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. How would you like to repair that disaster? Hmm? It’s just a matter of a dog person doing their homework. It’s not enough to have dogs and to have them sitting in a run while the owner jabbers on the phone or emails the day away. Our dogs are a reflection of ourselves. If we care enough to do things right in an age where dog fanciers are often perceived as doing everything wrong we owe it to our animals, our community and ourselves to fill out our unspoken responsibilities. Thank you for reading.

GCh. Le Coeur Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ange De Briardale Multiple Group Winning

The Number One* Briard

Thank you Judge Mrs. Irma S. Fertl Breeders Rick & Liz Kenitz

Owner Peggi Weymouth

Handled By Christy Collins Improvtibetanspaniels@Yahoo.Com *Breed points, All Systems

Dog News 47

It’s A Jungle Out There!

“Banana Joe”!! Number Five* Among All Breeds Number Two* Toy Dog

Owner Mrs. Zoila Truesdale Hi-Tech Kennels Breeder & Co-Owner Mieke Cooymans Handler Ernesto Lara *The Dog News Top Ten List -

48 Dog News

Best In Show Judge Mr. Ronald Menaker

Dog News 49

WhoSays WeCan’t HaveA DogShow And Celebrate Easter AtThe SameTime AndPlace? By Peggy Wampold

pring has finally come to New England, the grass is once again green, the daffodils are blooming, the trees are budded, ready to break out with their lovely green leaves and the snow is only a bad memory. We can go outside without having to wait for the snow plow to come and clear our driveways and roads. Spring means that it is time for the New England Spring Cluster (comprised of Springfield Kennel Club, Pioneer Valley Kennel Club and South Windsor Kennel Club). The cluster fell on Easter weekend this year. Club members arrived at the Eastern States Mallory Building in West Springfield, Massachusetts early on Thursday to hang the club 50 Dog News

banners and ﬂags, skirt the tables, set up Galaxy in a place of honor (the DOGNY that represents 9/11 and what dogs do for us) and do whatever else needed to be done to get ready for the show. The vendors and exhibitors started arriving early Thursday afternoon and by late in the day you knew there was going to be a dog show the next day. The day was dry and sunny but very windy. Did I say very windy? That may be an understatement. Our ex-pens are light weight so that they are easy to handle. Ed Lyons and his sons, Jeffrey and Monty, had them all set up with the tents over them well secured to the ex-pens with the shavings in them, ready to be christened by the ﬁrst dog in need of relief. Up came a gust of wind and lo and behold,

one ex-pen and tent took flight flying over the show grounds like a happy kite, dipping and looping around in the air, the shavings blowing in the breeze below. It flew all over the somewhat empty parking lots and the horse yards before coming to rest in a pile of rubble on the ground. Thankfully no one and no property, other than the tent and ex-pen, was damaged and a good laugh was had by all who got to view the spectacle. Sorry, no one had a camera handy to take a picture so you could see the unusual spectacle of a flying expen. One of the vendors came in to unload and set up his booth. When he went to move his vehicle and trailer out, his truck would not come out of park. He

had to call Triple A. The truck got towed out and the trailer went out on a fork lift. Many exhibitors had to move from where they had set up in order for this to happen. That is why clubs ask you not to set up until the vendors have done so. The clubs are not being unreasonable as some people seem to think, but are aware of unforeseen problems such as this happening. The weather on Friday for the Springﬁeld show was glorious, sunny with a bright blue sky and just the right temperature. But anything above freezing and not snowing would be glorious weather to us in the New England area after the winter we just CONTINUED ON PAGE 98

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Dog News 53

The Truth About Senior Dog Foods

I think many of us with dogs have been very fortunate to have dogs that lived very long lives. My last two older dogs lived to be 13 and 12 years old and I know some of you have had dogs that have lived even longer. When dogs get to be up in years we usually start having concerns about what to feed them. Should we buy a senior dog food? Should we feed a homecooked diet? What’s the best nutrition for a senior dog? BY CARLOTTA COOPER (Here is the usual caveat: I am not a vet or a nutritionist. I am just a dog owner who has lived through some of these issues myself with my dogs. Take my thoughts for what they’re worth.) It may surprise you to learn that AAFCO (the Association of American Feed Control Ofﬁcials) and the National Research Council have no particular requirements for dog foods that are marketed as “senior” dog food. They only have to meet the same nutritional requirements as adult dog food. According to Dr. Lisa M. Freeman, co-author of a paper in the April 2011 issue of The International Journal for Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine, and a professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, this means that manufacturers “might be increasing protein, decreasing protein, or keeping it the same. That emphasizes to us to look at the individual animal, and not all aging animals need a different diet. It’s much more important to look at individual dogs.” However, most Americans assume that “senior” formula dog foods have to meet some kind of special requirements. Tufts University offered a Web-based survey which had about 1300 responses. Of the people responding, 92 percent were dog owners. A majority of the people responding, 84.5 percent, said they believed that senior dogs needed to eat a different diet from younger dogs. However, only 43 percent of those responding said they fed their senior dogs a senior diet. Only one-third of respondents said they had consulted their vet about a diet for their senior dogs. Most people responding in the survey assumed that senior dog foods were lower in calories than regular dog food, but senior dog foods actually contain from between 246 and 408 calories per cup. It’s important to remember that not all senior dogs gain weight as they get older. Some senior dogs may start to lose weight, while others may maintain their adult weight. People answering the survey also assumed that senior dog foods contained less fat, protein, and sodium. But senior dog foods can vary widely in how much of these ingredients they contain, depending on the individual brand. According to Kurt Gallagher, a spokesman for the Pet Food Institute, “The study highlights the diversity among dogs and, consequently, dog food products. Each dog is unique and has distinct needs. Attaining senior status depends on several factors, including the breed and weight of the dog. The differing nutritional needs 54 Dog News

of dogs are exemplified by the variance in the amount of protein senior dogs should consume.” So, what does that tell you about feeding your own senior dog? It should suggest to you that each dog is different. Before starting your dog on a senior diet, it’s a good idea to have a senior dog check-up done when you take your dog to see the vet. Depending on the breed senior check-ups can start as young as six years of age, or as late as eight or nine years old, and should be done annually. Breeds with shorter life spans need to begin earlier, while breeds known to live longer can wait a little later to begin. The vet can take blood samples and do a chemical profile for your dog to make sure his organs are functioning properly. Assuming everything is in good working order, your vet will have a good baseline for your dog for the future. And, if your vet should find something wrong, you will probably catch it early when it is easier to treat. As long as your dog is in good health and condition, you can probably continue to feed him his normal adult dog food. If a health problem is identified, or if he is overweight, you can make appropriate changes in his diet. It’s a good idea to talk to your veterinarian before making any drastic changes to your dog’s diet. Although many people today are concerned about their dogs being overweight or obese, senior dogs often have the opposite problem. They can start to have problems maintaining their weight. Don’t automatically assume that your senior dog should have a dog food that with fewer calories. While it’s true that if your dog has arthritis he will benefit from being slimmer, and thus experience less stress on his joints and less pain, it’s important to keep in mind that senior dogs can have difficulties metabolizing their food. You may need to adjust the amount of food you feed your senior dog to make sure he is getting enough nutrition. You may also want to consider adding probiotics to your dog’s food to help him digest his dog food better so he can access the nutrition it contains. For older dogs who start to lose interest in their food, it could be due to their senses starting to dull with age. Older dogs can start to have a decreased sense of taste and smell (as well as losing the keenness of other senses). When this happens their normal dog food may not seem as appealing to them. You can sometimes revive their interest in their food by warming it up to make it taste better; or by adding a tasty topping such as some cooked chicken or stew to the meal. Making a gravy for the meal can also help. In some cases an older dog can stop

eating because he may have some dental problems. If your dog stops eating and starts to lose weight, don’t assume that this is a normal part of old age. Take your dog to the vet for a dental exam. Your dog may have a bad tooth that’s causing him pain when he tries to eat. Taking care of the tooth problem may allow him to go back to eating heartily again. If you do decide to change your dog’s diet to a senior dog food, you should do some research to ﬁnd out more about the food. Make sure you know how much protein, fat, carbs, and other things it contains. You could be making a big change in your dog’s diet, so there might be a big change in your dog’s physical condition. Find out how many calories per cup are in the food and compare that with how many calories your dog has been getting in his regular food. Remember that senior dog foods can vary greatly so take your time and compare them to make sure you are buying one that is appropriate for your senior dog’s needs. In the case of my elderly dogs, as they got much older they sometimes reached the point where they weren’t as interested in eating their regular dog food anymore so I started cooking for them. There are some pitfalls with cooking for your dog, but I think cooking for my dogs probably added at least a year to their lives. I was able to give them nutritious food that they liked. I could give them warm, tasty food that made them want to eat as their senses dulled with age. And I could control the contents of their food, as well as the supplements they were getting. I was more concerned about keeping them eating and helping them hold their weight than anything else. So, that was a good option for us in their last years. In the case of both dogs that I cooked for, they were still trotting around, feeling good and acting playful, just a few days before they passed away. They had good coats and they were in good condition. I think I did all I could for them with their diets. So, remember that senior diets are a very individual matter with each dog. Some dogs will do well eating their regular dog food for as long as possible. Some dogs can do well on a senior dog food, as long as you choose carefully. And some dogs will do best on a homecooked or raw diet. The important thing is that you pay attention to what your dog needs. Watch his condition carefully and notice any changes. Senior dogs can experience rapid changes in health and condition, so you have to be alert. And keep your lines of communication to your veterinarian open.

*The Dog News Top Ten Lists

Dog News 55

y d d u

ch. cragsmoor

owners carolyn koch victor malzoni, jr. handlers larry cornelius marcelo veras breeders eugene z. zaphiris matthew h. stander

56 Dog News

goodman

the number one skye terrier and number three among all terriers all systems

the tar heel circuit group firsts under judges dr. robert smith miss dorothy macdonald mr. robert black

Dog News 57

The Tosa (Tosa-Ken, Tosa-Token, Tosa-Inu, Japanese Mastiff)

by Agnes Buchwald

“After seven days all miracles are forgotten”

did not invent this phrase, I heard it from my parents explaining to us children, that all happenings are quickly forgotten, that people get tired hearing about the same thing over and over again, so seven days is almost the limit to a novelty to endure. The news goes from the front page to the middle pages of the magazines and newspapers; it is not a “novelty” to be mentioned by the anchors on the TV, and so on... But what about the “yesterday’s news” involved person who is trying to survive in the rubbles of a cataclysm? The seven days are nothing because the results of a given tragedy are still there, and they must struggle for everything. Those people need the world’s help, and moreover its compassion, and understanding. I must be talking about Japan. We must keep in mind both the human beings, and their pets living in terrible conditions (save Tokyo, and maybe Osaka) in this great country. The Japanese are natural fighters - after all this is the country of the legendary Samurais, this is where the Akido, Judo (now an official Olympic game, Karate, Kendo (Japanese fencing), Kyu-Do (archery) and the National wrestling sport the Sumo were first created. This is also the country of the greatest wrestler of all the wrestlers; the incredible Tosa Inu! Tosa is a historic region of the Japanese island of Shikoku. It dates at least to the Heian period, when Ki no Tsurayuki (probably 868–945 A.D.), editor of Japan’s first imperially commissioned poetry anthology, wrote a fictional diary about his experiences as governor of Tosa. In the first decade of the 17th Century the place became important. These were the times of the Meiji Restoration (1868), when samurais from Tosa, Satsuma and Choshu, helped overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate (Shogunate is a dictatorship: a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.) wordnetweb.princeton.edu 58 Dog News

Shikoku Island is the smallest of Japan’s four main islands. Home to about 4.2 million people and regarded as primitive by citizens of Tokyo and other modern cities, it has a pleasant climate and a calm way of life. The coast of Shikoku has numerous small ports, fishing villages and salt collecting areas. The four prefectures of Shikoku are Kagawa, Tokushima, Kochi and Ehime. Major attractions include the Circuit of 88 Temples pilgrimage route, Ritsurinkown garden in Takamatsu, the sex museum in Uwa-jima, the attractive long-tailed roosters, and the old castles everywhere. Until 1988, Shikoku could only be reached by ferry. Now there are three road-bridge routes, but ferries are still the best way to reach many points. Tokushima Prefecture also has its annual Awa Odori (Dance Festival) running in August at the time of the Obon (an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one’s ancestors. It is believed that each year during Obon, the ancestors’ spirits return to this world. The festival attracts thousands of tourists each year from all over Japan and from abroad. Compared to other places Tosa is maybe on of the less modern part of Shikoku. Maybe, (and this is not an excuse, it is more my poor tentative to find an explanation, because animal fights were, and unfortunately still are known to be held around the world), this is the reason that the residents in the need of distraction are very fond of the dog fights. But the Tosa is much more than the unwilling participant in this cruel “sport”. The Tosa Inu is history both in Japan’s and the serious breeding program’s of pure bred dogs. The forefather of the modern day Tosa is the medium sized Nihon-Inu, the indigenous Japanese dog which was originally bred to hunt wild boar. Japanese revere the Tosa as the embodiment of a warrior. They have been spoken of and occasionally mentioned by Japanese writers for nearly 1000 years. Historically, the Samurai were instructed to study the Tosa during combat to learn fearlessness, tenacity, and courage. The rules governing Japanese dogfights are stringent and complex and the Japanese have ennobled CONTINUED ON PAGE 114

Dog News 59

The Number One Puli Bitch All Systems* Multiple Group Winning

Steve and Alice Lawrence Best In Show Cords Since 1972 *Number two overall All Breed, Number Six Breed, The Dog News Top Ten Lists 60 Dog News

Judge Mrs. Mildred K. Bryant

Judge Mrs. Robert Smith

Judge Mrs. Anitra Cuneo

With Much Appreciation! Dog News 61

HAS THE AKC’S FIELD TEST PROGRAM CLOSED THE GAP BETWEEN “SHOW” AND “FIELD?”

n 1985, the American Kennel Club launched its initial field testing program, as opposed to field trials, when it began providing hunt tests for retrievers. In the 26 years since A. Hamilton Rowan and Michael Diesu sat at Diesu’s kitchen table and wrote the rules for the retriever hunt tests and the first licensed test was hosted by the Jayhawk Retriever Club in Kansas, the AKC has added tests for pointing breeds, flushing spaniels and herding dogs, lure coursing tests for sighthounds and earthdog tests for small terriers and Dachshunds. While the test programs were designed to provide a non-competitive means by which dog owners could determine whether their dogs were capable of doing what the breed had been developed to do, a peripheral hope was that since they were not competitive events, unlike field trials which are highly competitive, the new program would encourage more people with show dogs to give their dogs a chance to show that they could still do what the breed had been bred to do. Thus eventually the gap between “show” types and “field” types in the badly split breeds would begin to shrink. So, has it managed to achieve this goal? The answer is “Yes, sort of, sometimes, maybe.” If that answer confuses you, you are not alone. Even though the programs have been in existence for at least fifteen years, the impact on some of the breeds eligible for the tests has been considerable while on others there does not seem to have been any discernible effect. In some instances, such as with the Labrador Retriever, the effect of the program has been negligible quite possibly because the gap between “show” and “field” in that breed is wide to the extreme, think “Grand Canyonesque,” and there are so few breeders—only about 20 in the entire nation—who persist in trying to bridge that chasm. Certainly there are now hundreds of conformation champions that also have field titles ranging all the way from junior hunter, courser or earthdog titles or herding instinct titles to dogs that have gone on from the test programs to the trial events and earned dual championships. But whether these dogs have had any influence is still questionable. So we asked a number of folks in various breeds, some of whom are both conformation and field judges, just what sort of impact the tests/trials might be having on their breed, particularly with regard to show dogs. Here are their replies:

BY M.J. NELSON 62 Dog News

Karolynne McAteer (Irish Setters)

“I believe there has been a great response to the hunting test program among the Irish Setter people which has also trickled down to field trials. Today in Irish Setters 310 field champions are listed on the historical register but only 21+ are dual champions (dogs that have both a Ch and an FC.) But after a decade of NO DUALS, during the past 18-24 months there have been four achieve this pinnacle. There are 38 or 39 Master Hunters and almost half have a conformation championship or other impressive title in front of their name. I believe that changes have been and are being made on both the field side and on the conformation side for the breed as a direct result. In the show ring, we had big, extreme dogs for decades but in the past 10 years we have seen an enormous swing to moderation, fewer height differences, more moderate dogs, and certainly NOT rears that can be stacked in two rings! Of course, part of this is a greater understanding of conditioning. That to hunt or trial, your dog has to be in fit condition and by that I do not mean twice around the group ring. For years the conformation people had no interest in the field because the dogs lose coat. But now many finish their dogs, have no interest in specialing and just love getting out with their dogs in the field going to hunting tests and to ISCA local field trials running in the non-regular stakes. I believe people are much more aware of what their dog was bred to do than in the past and are trying it and enjoying it and will therefore breed for it. While the ‘die hards’ on either side will probably never make adjustments, many will. I think the AKC Hunting Test program has been a huge gift to sporting dogs and does or will impact breeding choices, at least with Irish Setters.”

Melissa Goodman DVM (Golden Retrievers)

“My answer is a definite yes. I think it is safe to say that retriever field trial competition is probably the most difficult and demanding of any dog sport. Today’s qualifying stakes are more difficult than the all-age stakes of 20 years ago. As a result, retriever field trials offer little opportunity for the average show dog to compete or prove working ability. In addition, retriever field trials have evolved to favor the working style of Labs and to some degree, Chessies over Goldens. The hunt tests, especially the Junior and Senior stakes, present a wonderful opportunity for achievement for a dog with average working ability, trained and CONTINUED ON PAGE 118

The hunt test program may be largely responsible for keeping the hunting ability in many show Goldens.

” y w e “Ch

Group Placement • Judge Mr. Joseph Gregory

Multiple Best In Show Winning

Ch. Talydales Friend Of The Force Breeder/Owner Sheri Smith

Handlers Michael & Michele Kemp 724 448-4104 mkemp629@yahoo.com Dog News 63

64 Dog News

Cupid is Owned, Bred & Loved By Jeanne & Charles Hurty ~ CJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Petits Lynne & Mark Florian Pam Helmer ~ Celestial Petits

Presented By Greg Strong, AKC. reg. 410.822.2187 Nick Viggiano, AKC Apprentice Sara Miller, Assistant

Dog News 65

HOW MUCH IS THAT DOGGY IN THE WINDOW?

Professional breeders have a constant struggle of convincing the public not to buy a puppy from a pet shop. But the public seems to forget when they see that little bundle of love wagging its tail through the glass and begging to be taken home.

emember that old classic tune “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window”, which reached #1 on both the Billboard and Cash Box charts in 1953. The point of the tune is that a young lady sees a cute little dog in a window, presumptively a pet shop, and is overwhelmed to buy the little dog with the “waggly tale”, as she wants the dog as a companion for her sweat heart. Buying that family pet is a challenge, and can well be compared to this classic tune. Hence, where do you plan to purchase your new family pet? Do you plan to pick the puppy from a local newspaper ad, a fellow dog lover, or do you plan to pick it from a pet store? If you intend to visit the local pet store, odds are you will not be privileged to any information, as to the puppies’ birth place or physical surroundings. And, there is a high probability, that wherever the puppy comes from, he or she will either be a product of a “puppy mill” or have been exposed to a new born life of cruelty. For you see, it is estimated that over 500,000 puppies sold every year in pet stores have come from the horriﬁc conditions of puppy mills. I can’t speak for the other registries but I know from experience that AKC does not condone puppy mills that sell to pet stores around the nation. “The AKC endorses breeding of dogs by responsible breeders. ... We oppose random, large-scale breeding solely for commercial purposes. We believe all breeders bear a responsibility to assure that people who purchase their dogs are capable of carrying out their responsibilities as owners . The AKC supports scrupulous enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act and state and local regulations governing the humane care of animals. We recommend and support programs that teach the public to purchase puppies from responsible breeders and to avoid impulse buying of dogs.” (taken from AKC press release). So, what are some drawbacks of purchasing pet shop puppies? The larger franchised pet shops usually do a decent job of paper work and dog identiﬁcation, but the prospective customer has no real personal contact with the puppy’s history. The puppy may have passed through several hands, such as from breeder to broker to pet shop, before being purchased. Obviously, this alone should be a matter of concern for the puppy buyer. And, one has no idea of the temperament of both the sire and dam or what genetic defects await inside that cute little bundle of fur. The “mom and pop” pet shops usually rely on the local backyard breeders and tend to circumvent the registry transfer policy by taking puppies on consignment and

By Charles C. Robey 66 Dog News

not keeping the necessary documentation. For example, the puppy registration application form is given to the pet shop, signed in blank by the breeder, if the puppy fails to sell, the pet shop gives the puppy and the blank registration application back to the breeder. If the puppy does sell, the registration application form is made out directly from the breeder to the customer. Thus the registry “Supplemental Transfer” policy is violated, causing a break in the chain of custody of the puppy, with no record of the puppy ever being in the pet shop. Registry transfer policies may vary but the AKC is very strict in keeping the dog’s chain of title. “When a dog changes hands more than once before it is individually registered, each person through whose hands the dog passes must complete a Supplemental Transfer Statement, to be attached to the dog registration application. These forms are invalid if signed in blank.” (AKC Chapter 4). During my tenure as a field inspector with AKC, a number of pet shops were suspended for grossly violating AKC’s record keeping and dog identification policies, some of which were able to return, while others failed to do so. Then there are the appalling hazards of mass transportation. Puppies are routinely shipped overland by truck or by air as cargo, often traveling hundreds of miles to pet shops across the country. Injuries and fatalities en route to pet stores are common and deplorable. Several years ago, I worked a case in Nashville, TN whereby one pet shop supplier surrendered over 140 puppies to authorities in Nashville, after the large truck had broken down, leaving the puppies unattended overnight inside the vehicle with no air-conditioning. Charges against the driver were eventually dropped after the dealer agreed to relinquish custody of the puppies. And don’t forget stolen dogs, whose offspring could wind up in a pet shop, by way of a puppy mill. Nearly two million companion animals are stolen each year. Some are taken under false pretense through “free to a good home” ads, abducted from their yards, or are taken from humane shelters through a practice called pound seizure. These animals are often sold to puppy mills, where they are abused and forced to produce offspring. You would be shocked and even horrified if you only knew the conditions in which pet shop puppies may have been bred. You have no way of knowing whether that puppy displayed in the window is a by-product of a wonderful socialized dog or a misplaced psychotic terror. Puppies will surely grow up to be like Dad and Mom. So, don’t be fooled by the decorative window dressing. IF YOU MUST, BUY A LOTTERY TICKET NOT A PET SHOP DOG.

Dog News 67

68 Dog News

Dog News 69

Off The Leash

esponsible dog owners and breeders in Massachusetts may want to scream “May Day” and circle May 11th on their calendars. That’s the day when the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Regional Government will consider a series of bills concerning dogs— 10 bills in all. Not all of them are bad news for dog owners and breeders, who are encouraged to attend to hearing if at all possible, or to contact members of the committee with comments or suggestions prior to the hearing. (A list of the members can be found at http://www.malegislature. gov/Committees/Joint/J10.) Among the bills scheduled to be considered is one that strengthens the Commonwealth’s dangerous dog laws by creating a number of provisions, including preventing municipalities from establishing breed-specific at-risk or dangerous dog policies, and allowing dogs declared “at risk” to have that designation removed if the dog does not exhibit the behavior again within two years. Both the American Kennel Club and the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners (MassFed) support this bill, which is known as House Bill 562. The AKC and MassFed, however, both oppose House Bill 1455, which would make numerous changes to animal control laws. Among them, this bill would require an intact animal permit for all owners of intact dogs, regardless of the fact that current law already requires a special license for unspayed females. And in what would seem to be a direct contrast with HB 562, HB 1455 would also allow municipalities to ban or regulate specific breeds. If this measure is approved, local governments would then establish a three-person board consisting of two members of the public (one who must be an “expert in the field of animals”) and the local animal control officer to identify and determine which breeds of dogs would be banned or regulated. The other bills being considered would seem to be of lesser concern, as they address issues such as a ban on the sale of any dog or cat under eight weeks of age and the expansion of animal cruelty laws to include “knowingly and unjustifiably” failing to provide veterinary care “that results in unnecessary suffering.” While it’s unclear how those terms would be defined exactly, and these issues are certainly worth examining, they pale in comparison to 70 Dog News

By Shaun Coen

the severity of what’s at stake should HB 1455 pass. All concerned dog owners in the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts are urged to contact either the AKC’s Government Relations Department at 919 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org or MassFed at info@massfeddogs.org to ﬁnd out how they can help combat such potentially damaging legislation.

omething akin to mass hysteria erupted online when a company called Kage Games announced its creation of a virtual game app for the Android Market titled Dog Wars - Beta. It has since changed the name to KC Dogfighting, and it has drawn the ire of animal rights groups and been condemned by none other than Wayne Pacelle, President of the Humane Society of the United States, who called the app “a virtual training camp for dog fighters.” In order to play, according to a Fox news. com report, “the gamer selects a player and a dog and then sets off to earn street cred while dodging police heat. One of the players in the game is labeled “The Athlete” -- and with his red football jersey and helmet, he is clearly intended to represent [convicted dogfighter and NFL quarterback Michael] Vick.” Even Mr. Vick weighed in on the matter, releasing this statement, “I’ve come to learn the hard way that dog fighting is a dead-end street. I think it’s important to send the smart message to kids, and not glorify this form of animal cruelty – even in an Android app.” Vick’s image will grace the cover of the football video game Madden 2012 — the second such time his likeness is to appear on the bestselling annually updated game— so he knows a little something about promoting and glorifying violent games and the difference between playing games and participating for real and the resulting consequences. An attempt was made to contact the makers of the KC Dogfighting app, Kage Games, but that inquiry was met instantaneously with a lengthy auto response email, which included the following statement, “…we cannot reveal much about ourselves for fear of our safety as well as our families right now. We have received real and extremely violent threats from animal activists. How people could want to actually injure or kill us in real life over a rudimentary virtual environment is beyond us…it has become total lynch mob mentality at this point.” Neither the methods of the activists or the dogfighting game makers can be endorsed, even though the game makers

contend, “This is our groundbreaking way to raise money/awareness to aid REAL dogs in need” and insist that the selling of such an app “can raise real money for real causes and if executed properly raise awareness for this terrible blood sport at the same time.” Kage Games insists, “We DO NOT CONDONE violence towards animals or humans, and we are confident in humankind’s ability to distinguish between a rudimentary game and the consequences of real life.” Furthermore, the makers claim they “are confident this game will be a net benefit to dogs as it has been in our operating agreement from the start of this project that a portion of the proceeds go to animal rescue organizations.” An inquiry into which animal rescue organizations would receive such proceeds has as of this writing gone unanswered, but one can’t help but wonder if Mr. Pacelle’s vocal opposition to the app is a not so veiled effort to solicit donations from the proceeds of such a game. The Kage Games auto reply continues, “Further, this is a satire about the ridiculousness of dogfighting and we believe in the power of a modern media tool to educate and raise awareness of the real horrors.” How’s that for hogwash and spin? The public is well aware of the horrors involved with the blood sport of dogfighting, which is illegal and a felony in all 50 states, and any attempt to profit from it, glorify it or desensitize the youth of our country to it must be denounced and unequivocally opposed. The argument that a dogfighting game is no worse than games or apps that offer a virtual military experience don’t fly, either. The U.S. military performs necessary and invaluable services here and abroad (see Bin Laden, killed this week by U.S. Navy Seals) while no aspect of dogfighting has any redeeming value whatsoever and neither does a ‘game’ that provides a virtual experience of animal cruelty. What will be passed off as harmless entertainment next, child abuse? Perhaps the next venture for Kage Games should be an app about selling bridges, or maybe Mr. Pacelle has already beaten them to punch in that case, being that less than one half of one percent of the HSUS’s $100 million plus operating budget goes towards hands-on animal shelters. The hope here is that nobody buys their arguments or the app promoting dogfighting.

ROXIE

GCH. DRIFTWOODâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SUITED TO SPLIT THE WAVES CONTINUES TO RIDE THE WAVE OF SUCCESS! Owned and Loved By: John & Deb Piper Newark,Delaware *The Dog News Top Ten List

Bred and Co-Owned By: Morgin Powell

Exclusively Pressented By: Jo Ann Charnik,PHA and Adam Thistle jcharnik@aol.com 410-519-1523 Dog News 71

*ALL SYSTEMS

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Dog News 73

AND MORE

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THE CONFERENCE...

efore I write about my impressions of the HSUS Conference, which indeed I did end up attending, I would call to your attention that last week was the famed Poodle Club of America’s National Specialty show, a report of which with candids hopefully will be forthcoming. For some unknown reason thinking about PCA brought to mind the wise words of that great Poodle breeder Mrs. Becky Mason, who I remember saying lo those many years ago words to the effect that you cannot teach people how to judge. They either have an eye for a dog or they do not. You may be able to instruct them about what they should be looking for, she would say, but when it comes time to actually adjudicating in the ring people either have the talent to evaluate a dog or they do not. Sound words to keep in mind as the seminar mentality overwhelms the judging world and even more important to remember as the Smith Committee wends its way to a report in the near future. Now as to the Conference. I left for the District on the 4pm ACELA from Penn Station and arrived at the Kellogg Center and Hotel of Gaudalleit University, which is an imposing campus of a combination of extremely Gothic and Modern architecture in the South Eastern part of the Capital, only a 10-minute drive from Union Station. It is an isolated sort of place reminiscent in a way of the buildings in the movie Shutter Island. Unfortunately the restaurant

only served breakfast and lunch with no bar on the premises either although one could buy beer or wine from a concession operated there. Immediately you had to wonder how and why HSUS or whomever was responsible for selecting the venue would choose such a restrictive place but since the Thursday dinner meal to be held on premises was to be vegan (whether you wanted vegan or not) I guess the tone for the conference socially at any rate was to be expected. The conference began Thursday AM after a nice continental breakfast (with vegan yogurt) at 8:30 am. I counted only 58 people in attendance, 14 of whom I knew through AKC activities. This was a much smaller crowd than I had anticipated and included the speakers as well, which made the attendance even sparser. Opening remarks were made by Andrew Rowan of the HSUS. Mr. Rowan is known as anything but a friend of the AKC breeder or for that matter any breeder so it was a little surprising to hear his tempered remarks about the Conference. Unfortunately his true feelings are revealed on his Blog— which is anything but tempered— about we breeders so immediately my suspicions were aroused about his motives. Mr. Rowan and a host of the other speakers were all transplanted Brits or Brits living in the UK. For the ﬁrst day I felt as though I should have been in London instead of the District and was amazed as to how overwhelmed the shelter

movements seems to have been taken over by the Brits in this country. If the speakers were not British they were from the U of P, many of whom were Brits as well. Perhaps that’s one reason I found in many instances what they had to say was basically inapplicable to American thinking. Then again it could have been my own vivid imagination at work. The next speaker was another HSUS guy by the name of Bernard Unti, who was rather bland as well in his speech. Later on in the conference, if I am not confused, he thanked Patty Haines and Fran Smith (who by the way were sheerly brilliant in their speeches) for having the guts (my words not his) to attend since he presumed they were under heavy pressure not to attend at all. He further stated that these kinds of conferences are important as a place to exchangeides.Allthatisprobably true but what he missed is the fact that the heat was on a lot of people not to attend because very few breeders trusted the sponsors of the conference. It’s not that breeders did not want to exchange ideas, they did not trust those who were calling for the conference, which of course included the HSUS, the RSPCA from the UK and unfortunately the CISA--The Center for the Interaction of Animals and Science at the U of P Veterinarian School, a center which I believe to be independent in a way from the Vet School itself. Next on the agenda was CONTINUED ON PAGE 124

“It’snotthatbreedersdidnotwanttoexchangeideas,

THEYDIDNOTTRUST

thosewhowerecallingfortheconference...” BY MATTHEW H. STANDER 74 Dog News

*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed

Dog News 75

76 Dog News

Dog News 77

The British Scene As in the USA the highlight of the British terrier scene is the National Terrier, the only group show for them during the year.

nlike USA’s equivalent Montgomery County, the venue is very basic, but what it lacks in charm, it more than makes up for in atmosphere. Although the show is held indoors springtime had certainly come, with bright sunshine and daffodils in full bloom, it cheered everyone after such a horrible winter. This year the entry was 1,557 dogs and it’s great that every terrier breed that qualifies, does in fact have challenge certificates for this show. I just wish that could be said for every show, thus encouraging more new people into the group, if not, how else can it survive? We are told there will be cheap champions, but there is absolutely no evidence of this. The show does its best to acknowledge the specialist judges for each breed and this year was no exception. The BIS appointment is always given to someone in terriers who has contributed, over the years, to this group and so this years appointment of Dan Ericsson from Sweden was a great choice. His ‘Raglan’ Scottish Terriers have contributed world wide to the breed and he is universally recognized as a doyen of the breed. He said that he had been coming to the National Terrier since he was a schoolboy 40 years ago. Top entry for the show as usual was the Staffordshire Bull terrier with 217 dogs entered and also they have two judges. Best in show was given to the Dandie, Ch Cloverwood Lemon Drizzle, owned by Glen Tinsley and handled by myself. I fell in love with this bitch 2 years ago when l awarded her her first certificate and also best of breed and since then has won another 6. She was bred by Glen and has a Canadian sire, Ch/Can Ch Glahms Royal Canadian bred of course by Mike McBeth, who was at the National terrier to watch her and obviously highly delighted when she won this award, the first time EVER a Dandie has won best in show here at this show. For reserve it was the red Swedish bred Australian Terrier Int/Fin/Nord/Est Ch Jaskarin Peperoncino handled by Paul Eardley for Marjo Ahola and Eija Hyvonen from Finland. With a weeks difference we were back again at the same venue for the United Kingdom Toydog Society Ch Show, again, like the National Terrier, the only group show for the toys. This show benefits from having some very significant members at the helm. Ferelith Somerfield is president and Ellis Hulme is Chairman, both highly respected all-round judges in this country and world wide. Tom Mather is

By Geoff Corish 78 Dog News

secretary and we were all glad to see him back in action after his recent accident requiring surgery. The entry was only slightly down on last year with a total of 2,070 dogs with Cavaliers being the largest with 278 dogs. The best in show judge was Geoffrey Davies and a long time Pekingese breeder whose Genderlee kennel has housed several top champions and one of the country’s top all around toy judges. Completing an amazing week for me as l once again handled the best in show winning Bichon Frise, Ch Pamplona Bring Me Sunshine. ‘Eric’ is owned by Michael Coad and also bred by him from two Pamplonas, though going back to Michael’s imported Ch/Am Ch Paray’s I Told You So. He had recently won the toy group at Crufts and in fact has won every toy group since the start of the year making him the top dog in the UK to date. His total wins are 30 certiﬁcates and 12 group ﬁrsts. In reserve was the Japanese Chin Ch Vanistica Kazuki Sleepyhollow owned by Tony Allcock and Tony Young. Tony Allcock is famous as a one time crown green bowling champion, though now retired he concentrates on his Chins.

All Time Winningest Dogue De Bordeaux In AKC History

Best In Specialty Show Winning

GCh. Mount Sinai’s Crusader St Amand Rhodonite Romeo x Mount Sinai’s Pasha

Judge Mr. Juergen Sauer (Germany DDB Specialist) #1 DDB in AKC for 2010 All Systems All-time AKC DDB breed point record holder All-time AKC DDB all-breed point record holder All-time DDB record of 10 AKC group placements First DDB to win a Group First and only Multiple Group winner in the breed 2010 DDBSA National Specialty – Best of Breed Winner Best of Breed at Purina National, 2009 and 2010 Award of Excellence at Eukanuba Championships, 2009 and 2010

Best of Breed Westminster Kennel Club Judge Mr. Burton Yamada

Europe : Winner of Trofeo Latino for most points earned at 3 Nationals – Spain, France and Italy; Spanish National – Best of Breed and CAC; French National – RCAC; Italian National – RCAC; Slovenia Club National – CAC

Crusader

Bred and Owned by Dr. and Mrs. William E. Duvall Mount Sinai’s Kennel, www.mountsinaikennel.com

HANDLED BY KENT MACFARLANE

Crusader is the Number One Dogue De Bordeaux All Systems Dog News 79

80 Dog News

Dog News 81

Whippet Moxi is Belle of the Ball for the Third Time! The 2011 American Whippet Club National Specialty was held among the charming horse farms of Lexington, Kentucky at the luxurious Marriott Grifﬁn Gate hotel. What an appropriate site to take over 600 athletic stallion-like hounds for a week to examine the whippet in all of its elements: lure coursing, agility, obedience and conformation. by Dr. Todd Miller

Show photos by Leenah; coursing and obedience photos by Steve Surfman, candids by Julie Poole.

Ch. Brushwood’s Moxi Of Endeavor

Ch. Cherche Bearfoot Hooker

GCh. Snow Hill Onyx at Stoneledge, SC 82 Dog News

he week began in Richmond, Kentucky with the performance events and on Saturday, an AKC lure trial was offered. The whippets were quickly “out of the gate” and judges CJ Foxx and Tom Cigole found their top runner to be Brando from the Open stake who earned a 5 point major and Best in Field. Brando is Wannago’s Ill Be Breezin’ By You FCh owned by C Beetz and M Simmons. The ASFA trial on Sunday was judged by Ping Pirrung and Jack Downing and their top runner earning Best in Field was Gator, new FCh SDW Kismet Hall of Fame CR owned by I English DVM, S and K Lyons also from the Open stake. Also on Saturday the National Specialty Agility Trial was held in Sharonville, Ohio in conjunction with the Queen City Training Club all-breed trial. Judge Jerry Marotta officiated and rewarded impressive runs by 9 qualifying whippets. On Monday the fancy relocated to the Marriott Griffin Gate hotel for the week. Over 40 dogs competed in the obedience trial over a two day period and nearly half of the entry gave qualifying performances with top honors and High in Trial under judge David Haddock went to Shamasan’s Crusader Rabbit from Novice B with a score of 194 owned by Mary and Chris Flynn. Tuesday started with Judge Marina Caro scoring an impressive 30 out of 34 entries with qualifiers in the Rally competition. The triathlon and versatility competition was one of the biggest ever with 36 triathlon competitors and 11 versatility competitors. These top athletes competed for 4 days in the above events and then were scored in conformation by breeder and past Triathlon Chair, Dr. Todd Miller (Jomyr). Miller’s High Scoring Triathlon Conformation was Ch. Devereaux’s Evening Star CD RN MC OTR owned by Robin and Cecil Brown and Angie Bass and High Scoring Versatility Conformation was Can Ch. Devonair’s Mysterious Ellery CD RN SC NAJ NJP owned by Heather Dansereau. The 2011 Triathlon winner was won by “Simmer” Ch. Warburton WW Southern Skies NA RN PR owned by Laurie Erickson with the highest combined scores in lure coursing, obedience and agility. The 2011 Versatility winner was “Isaac” Ch. Snow Hill Soul Unsigned JC RAE BN OAJ NA owned by Sharron Lane, who ranked highest in coursing, rally, agility and conformation.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 126

Introducing....

Ch. Doriannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Holly GoLightly

AUDREY

Audrey wins Back-to-Back Group Firsts from the classes.

We would like to thank the following Judges from that weekend: Mr. Edd Bivin, Mr. Robert Ennis, Miss Virginia Lyne and Mrs.Vicki Abbott.

What a way to start a career!

Breeders: Michelle and Carol Konik Susan and Peter Viveiros Owner: Michelle and Carol Konik WWW.DORIANNBICHONS.COM

Presented by: Stacy and Michael Work WWW.LUCKIESTDOG.COM Dog News 83

*The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed

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Dog News 85

Papillon National The gathering of the Butterﬂy Dogs was held April 18th- 22nd in Chattanooga, TN, at the Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel, a historical site. This was my 31st consecutive Papillon National Specialty and something that I always look forward to each year. by Lou Ann King • photos by Meg Peifer

he site was quite large, with individuals renting golf carts to get themselves and their dogs to and from the rooms to the ballroom and meeting halls. The actual sleeping rooms were large and roomy with balconies overlooking a beautiful circular pool and waterfall. There were butterflies everywhere! Golf carts were decorated with butterflies, stuffed Papillons and one with a pink flamingo. Individuals wore butterfly t-shirts, shirts, jackets, shoes and even butterflies on pants and skirts! This year’s entry was down significantly from past years, whether it is the economy, gas prices or a middle of the week show, it was disappointing to see such a small entry. PCA did hold a ‘regional’ specialty with the Perry, GA shows, which were just a bit less than 4 hours away, the Sunday before the National. I understand the show chair did not show up for the PCA SE Regional show. The same show chair did not show up in February for either of the two PCA NE Regional Specialties held in New York. Monday morning there was a seminar by Carmen Battaglia. Later that day, the agility trial was held 6:30 p.m. in the evening. This was a break from past years when there have often been two full days of agility, so having only an evening was quite a change. The scheduling of obedience CONTINUED ON PAGE 132

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“ANOTHER ONE FOR THE BOOKS!” News Flash!

Best In Samoyed Spec ialty Potomac Valle y Samoyed Club

A HUGE THANK YOU TO MR. HOUSTON CLARK, JUDGE OF THIS 81 SAMMY SPECIALTY. HANDLED BY: MARY NORTON AUGUSTUS, AKC REGISTERED Multiple Best In Specialty Show Wins Multiple Group Placements

A White Eagle’s Dog

“GCh. Stolichnaya” Owner: Laurie Edel Owner/Breeder: Terry Litton, James Augustus

Dog News 87

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What was your impression of last week's Health Conference held in Washington D.C.? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

The challenge ahead is to try find a way to walk together through those doors towards the betterment of purebred dogs. A similar conference is planned for next summer in Sweden. Time will tell if the olive branches become swords or bridges. Let's hope it's the latter. I thank and congratulate the organizers on an innovative, perhaps courageous, and interesting conference. Donna Brown I have not yet written anything about my impression, other than I thought it was outstanding and thought-provoking. It was refreshing to see some actual scientific data about some of these issues which are so emotionally charged and dear to our hearts. I did not feel "demonized" as a breeder or judge, and felt that the presenters and attendees went out of their way to make sure this was the case. The combination of scientific inquiry, compassion, and civility was completely disarming. Whatever "agendas" people had, (and I am not so naive as to think they did not), I do feel that ultimately some changes do need to be made in our breeding practices and we need to take a hard look at these issues and act when there is evidence to support changes. Dr. Patricia Haines The conference was a well organized event with a very thought provoking, diverse group of presenters and attendees. The most challenging occurrence will be the fact that this conference did not question the continued breeding of purebred dogs and it did not condemn purebred dog breeders. Instead it was a scientific based conference, lacking the emotion or uncivil discourse many predicted. The science presented must be addressed by the AKC, our parent clubs and breeders in the same format of civil, open discussion which recognizes but at the same time minimizes the emotion. Gretchen Bernardi Although it was stated repeatedly that the subject was emotionally charged, a diverse group of highly qualified people came together and discussed with civility how best to insure that purebred dogs survive in a healthy state. With a day and a half of speakers from around the world, it became clear how cultur-

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ally different the problems and especially the possible solutions are. With that many presentations, there were, of course, a few things to quibble over but far more to agree with and learn from. All in all, it was a remarkable event, done well and received well. Sharyn Hutchens Mostly, I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of venom towards breeders. The seminar was not well-attended for obvious reasons (about 60-70 including speakers and a slew of HSUS staff). The on-topic presentations were fairly sparse. The agenda was full, but some of the subjects were obviously "filler" and were only very tangentially related to the genetic problems of purebreds. Patty Haines, former board member and a practicing veterinarian, spoke about the role of parent clubs and how the breed standards are written and controlled in the US (The Kennel Club in England owns the standards). She was excellent. Jemima Harrison, producer of Pedigree Dogs Exposed, was low-key and well-spoken. Most of the speakers were interesting, but it was obvious that HSUS was grasping hard to fill a day and a half. AKC's decision not to participate officially was entirely correct. Though some speakers had the haze about them, the AR philosophy was not much in evidence. Most of the presentations were factual. The only shrillness was at the end with the Best Friends presentation about substandard commercial breeders, which had nothing to do with breeding for the show ring, the alleged focus of the conference. Jemima Harrison struck me as a sincere person who cares deeply about this subject. I like her. While I still cannot agree with the sensationalist aspects of "Pedigree Dogs Exposed," I do understand now why she felt the sensationalism was necessary. Some good points were made by geneticists, veterinarians, behaviorists, and scientists: Every living being has some genetic disease and dogs are no exception. Mixed breeds have about as much as purebreds, especially designer breeds, since they are usually mixes of breeds that share the same genetic defects. Genetic disease is made worse by some common breeding practices: -- Inbreeding, which includes linebreeding, -- Use

of popular sires, -- Breeding for exaggerated characteristics, when they affect health or soundness, -- Acceptance by some breeders of genetic disease as unavoidable (e.g., short lifespans, breeds frequently affected by cancer at young ages). About a dozen breeds are considered to be in serious trouble and we can look for focused attention on their problems, both in the press and possibly from other sources. It was only briefly mentioned that the parent clubs and the AKC Health Foundation are already working on these problems. Perhaps we need to publicize those efforts beyond our own circle. Nothing legislative was mentioned specifically but I'll be surprised if we don't see something emerge in a year or so. This is, after all, HSUS, the Fundraising R Us organization and they will not miss this opportunity for donations to "pass laws to protect the suffering show dogs." I would like to see AKC sponsor a seminar like this. We're going to need a major sea change in the way we breed dogs, and it's going to fly in the face of the perceived wisdom. Many of us are not going to like it. Jemima Harrison I thought the conference did a great job of highlighting the need for change in the way we breed purebred dogs and in helping me understand how and why the climate is different in the US compared to the UK. I hope the conference will be the launch pad for a sensible way forward - one that embraces both good breeders and good science. I was particularly pleased to see and talk with some breeders there who were hungry for good information and, particularly, ways to improve the health of their dogs. The highlight for me was Brenda Bonnet's presentation showing how good data presented visually - and kindly - can have a transforming impact on breeders (and ultimately their dogs). I have to say that although I am grateful to HSUS for making the conference possible, and although HSUS was much more nuanced on this issue than I expected, I do not think purebred dogs would be best served by HSUS taking on this "cause". There is too much bad blood between the two sides.

Ch. Avant Garde of the Coastline Out in the specials ring now and again in 2011. ENJOY

ANYA

A Rassememblement Selection bitch both as a puppy and then as an adult under two different sets of Briard experts, USA. The Rass is the place where every inch of the dog is measured for complete correctness to the standard.

Shown always by her owner, Mrs. Wendy Quinnell

Breeder: Ellen Jo Myers Briards of the Coastline, NY www.briards.com 631 537 5346

Dog News 91

BESTS of the WEEK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34

Gavilan Kennel Club Golden Retriever GCh. Gaia Of Yoshida Enterprise Judge Mrs. Lisa Warren Owner Kazunari Oshima Handler Laurie Jordan-Fenner Mattoon Kennel Club Old Dominion Kennel Club Catoctin Kennel Club English Springer Spaniel Ch. Wynmoor Champagne Supernova Judge Mr. William Cunningham Judge Mr. Patricia Laurans Judge Mr. Robert Shreve Owners C. Florence, B. Fink, K. Goodhue-McWilliams, E. Kerfoot & D. Streng Handler Robin Novack Heart of Iowa Kennel Club - Saturday and Sunday Bulldog GCh. Evergreen’s Miss Congeniality Judge Mrs. Glenda Dawkins Judge Ms. Beverly Capstick Owner Charlotte Roberts Handler Stan Flowers Caribe Kennel Club - Thursday Ponce Kennel Club 15” Beagle GCh. Torquay Midnight Confession Judge Mr. Robert Shreve Judge Mrs. Robert Smith Owners Marcelo Chagas, Marco Flavio & Alessandra Botelho Handler Marcelo Chagas Valley Isle Kennel Club of Maui - Saturday & Sunday Doberman Pinscher GCh. Fantasy Island’s Inspiration Judge Mr. Roger R. Hartinger Judge Mrs. Paula Hartinger Owners Don Gau, Nora Gau, Tina Beatty Handler Tina Beatty Beckley West Virginia Kennel Club I Old English Sheepdog GCh. Lambluv’s Gambolon Blue Thunder Judge Mr. Robert Stein Owners Kay Richardson & Jere Marder Handler Jere Marder 94 Dog News

Fond Du Lac County Kennel Club English Cocker Spaniel GCh. Nonnies No Doubt Judge Mr. Richard M. Paquette Owners Jo Gerrish & Vickie L Umpleby Handler Tony Vacha Piedmont Kennel Club Myrtle Beach Kennel Club - Sunday Pug Ch. House Poory JP Belaire’s Headline Judge Ms. Victoria Jordan Judge Mr. Steven Gladstone Owners Kaoru Nishitani & Elizabeth Sedlak Handler Sara Bonser Poodle Club Of America Standard Poodle GCh. Jaset’s Satisfaction Judge Mr. Randy Garren Owners C. Bailey, S. Tompkins, B. Harris & M.J. Winters Handler Ann Rairigh American Maltese Association National Specialty GCh. Ta-Jon’s Just Bee-Ing Silly Judge Ms. Peggy Lloyd Owners Tammy Simon and Timothy Lehman Handler Timothy Lehman Clumber Spaniel National Specialty GCh. Cajun’s A Change Is Gonna Come Judge Mrs. Marsha Hall Brown Owners Milford Cole, Peggy Holman Handler Brian Livingston American Whippet Club National Specialty Ch. Brushwood’s Moxi of Endeavor Judge Mrs. Harriett Nash Lee Owners Linda Stewart, Angie Diehl and Dr. Dennis Sumara Handler Daniel Lockhart Japanese Chin Club of America National Specialty Ch.. Chindale Oriental Infusion Judge Mrs. Barbara D. Alderman Owners Jennifer Stevens, Maripi Wooldridge Handler Nancy Martin

FLASH ! ore Bes t of Bre eds a nd Two Gr oup Pla in Loui cements siana!

Four M

GCh. DRDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Revelation

R Y K E R

Tennessee Valley Kennel Club Best of Breed - Judge Mr. Robert Slay Owners: Barbara Hainline and Cari Jensen Breeder: Cari Jensen Handler: Doug Toomey Dog News 95

Our sincere thanks to Judge Mrs. Arlene Benko for his Championship, and Judges Mr. James G. Reynolds, Ms. Virginia Lyne, Mrs. Nancy Smith-Hafner, Mrs. Sari Brewster-Tietjen and Mrs. Teresa Maria Gallo for honoring Adam with Five Group Placements in his ďŹ rst four weeks as a Champion.

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Dog News 97

WhoSaysWeCan’tHaveADogShow AndCelebrateEasterAtTheSameTimeAndPlace? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 51

survived. Springfield’s entry was up from last year which made us all happy. The exhibitors and judges all seemed to be having a good time and the day went off without any glitches. Saturday was Pioneer Valley’s day. The weather was rainy, foggy, cold and miserable but as the show was all inside everyone was dry. The people were a little cold, but the dogs loved it. Pioneer’s entry was also up significantly. Let’s hope that this is a result of the pendulum swinging in the opposite direction than where it has been with entries these past few years, or maybe it was the wonderful judging panel. Sunday was Easter Sunday and South Windsor’s day. The day was quite warm, at times sunny and other times cloudy, the rain did not begin until night fall. Knowing it was Easter, the cluster had made arrangements to have an ecumenical Easter Service and a blessing of the animals early in the morning before the start of judging. The Reverend William Coyne, Archdeacon of the Episcopal diocese of Western Massachusetts, officiated and he said he would love to do it anytime for us. We had no idea how many people would come at 7:30 in the morning when judging did not start until 9 A.M. but come they did. About 75 people with their dogs brought their chairs to Ring 1 for our Easter Service. Many told me they were not scheduled to show until the afternoon but got up early just to come to the service and thanked the cluster for having it. After the service everyone was walking around wishing each other a Happy Easter. It seemed to set the tone for the day as everyone seemed to be happy and we heard no complaints. Many people said that they love having the shows on holidays because the dog show people are their family and if they had not had the dog show to come to they would have sat home alone. (Sorry I took pictures of the crowd gathered for the Easter Service, but my son who gave me the camera for Christmas never showed me how to work it and somehow I erased them as they were my first pictures.) So who said you can’t go to a dog show and to an Easter Service at the same place and same day? You can do both and get your dogs blessed all at the same time. The South Windsor show was dedicated to the memory of Chris Clark, a longtime member who sadly passed away this past January. She was a well known breeder of Bulldogs and a person who had inexhaustible energy and love for the sport. The three shows went well and the exhibitors seemed to be happy, at least the winners were and we had no complaints from the losers. I told you how it rained on Saturday, well, a few exhibitors did not take their dogs out to the covered ex-pens by the doors, but let their dogs go inside on the floor and did not clean up after them. These were not accidents, people would open the door to take the dog out, see the rain and stand by the door and let the dog go inside. Not very good manners on their part, but our able clean-up crew consisting of the Lyons’ brothers were there on the spot and kept things clean. Please people, be considerate CONTINUED ON PAGE 102

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GCH. QUAILRIDGE’S COUPE DE VILLE

“C O U P E ” Reaching for the Stars & Driving It Home

GROUP FOURTH Judge Mr. William Bergum

GROUP THIRD Judge Mrs. Patricia Trotter FOR MR. RANDALL ALAN OSTIN BREEDER & CO-OWNER DEBRA WILEY-CUEVAS 104 Dog News

HANDLED BY RIC PLAUT, AKC REG.

GROUP FIRST Judge Dr. Steve Keating

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OWNER: CHARLOTTE ROBERTS 108 Dog News

CH. EVERGREEN’S MISS CONGENIALITY

“Genie”

Flash Back-toBack Best In Sh ows Heart of Iowa Kennel C lub Judges Mrs. Glen da Dawki ns and Ms. Bever ly Capsti ck

BREEDERS/HANDLERS: STAN & JANE FLOWERS, DHG WWW.STANANDJANEFLOWERS.COM 612 747-5770 Dog News 109

BreederJudges’ Thoughtson“Choice” You have undoubtedly seen and heard recent discussions concerning Rottweiler tails and why they have been, for the past few decades, “docked”. Myths abound including purported injury while working and cleanliness in the barnyard. These are simply undocumented and not likely the basis for docking. In fact, people do agree that tax evasion was a likely reason for docking and to avoid natural “bob tails” that were “too long”. The recent excellent Dog News article by Catherine Thompson in fact reported standards for the Rottweiler describing a tail as early as the IKLRH standard in 1899. In 1901 a standard described a “brush tail curved like a sickle”. What is clear is that there is no documented evidence that docking improves the working ability or health of the breed. Emotions can get the better of us at times, but the facts as they exist today are clear: * Historically, the Rottweiler in this country was developed from breeding stock that was imported from Germany and other countries. We have had many dogs imported to the US who won Specialty Best of Breeds and multiple all breed Best in Shows. Dogs bred and born in the US have traveled to Germany and received V ratings.The Rottweiler would not exist in this country today if not for imports, imports that until a few years ago had no problem being judged in the AKC conformation ring. * There are no more docked imports and have not been from any of the usual sustaining countries for imports for the last 12 years. There will be none in the future. * Docking after 7 days is forbidden by the parent club (unethical and not medically necessary) * One of the stated goals of AKC Conformation shows is to evaluate breed stock. The above are facts. Now how do we handle those facts? Some have implied that “choice” means their choice. Deﬁning choice as one view removes choice for thousands of other potential exhibitors who might choose a natural tail. The word choice is completely inappropriate when one only allows their view to the

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exclusion of others in the AKC ring. Insinuations that allowing natural tailed dogs in the ring will cost us the ability to choose to dock are false, simply ignoring history. Docking and cropping was banned in Europe despite the fact that most Europeans and their breed standards did not allow for natural ears or tails. The agenda was much larger and is much larger here than what the “show world” thinks. Forcing docking by in essence barring natural tailed dogs from the AKC ring, does nothing but focus more attention on the issue by mandating amputation to compete. This is only harmful to our fight to keep the right to choose! A natural tail according to the current AKC standard for the Rottweiler is not a fault. The membership of the American Rottweiler Club voted on this very issue 5 years ago in an attempt to make a natural tail a fault. That vote failed. Despite representations from a few individuals, there is nothing in the AKC breed standard that says a docked tail is a “defining breed characteristic”. A Rottweiler is defined by various attributes including its athletic ability, self confidence, black and tan markings, head type and movement, among others. The proper analogy would be to compare other aspects of the standard where severe faults or penalties are noted to the lack of such for a natural or undocked tail. For example, numerous genetic traits that are passed to offspring, and may take generations to correct, are noted as serious faults in the breed standard. These include coloration, missing teeth, bites, coat type, and various structural traits. Many of these genetic issues are seriously faulted and, in fact, some are disqualifications. The same cannot be said for a natural tail. Assume for a moment that an undocked tail were to be “severely penalized” in a standard, now what do

you do? Do you deﬁne that as a “deviation” from the standard resulting in excusal or withholding ribbons or placements while allowing other deviations for truly genetic problems to go unpenalized? From a breeder’s perspective, as well as evaluating breed stock in the show ring, this makes no sense. There is no “perfect dog”. We judge for positive virtues of the breed comparing each dog to the standard and penalizing “deviations” to the extent they affect the overall structure and working ability of the dog as described in the standard. To excuse or withhold from consideration an exhibit for one thing should require it for others, particularly when the other “faults” cannot be removed in a single generation by docking a puppy’s tail. How many times have we seen serious coat faults, lack of mouth pigmentation, light eyes, poor toplines, incorrect angulation, bad feet, lack of head type be rewarded in the breed ring? These genetic faults cannot be easily corrected yet some would urge excusal or withholding of ribbons for deviation from the standard for a natural tail. This truly compromises the integrity of the evaluation of breed stock in the ring and from a breeder’s standpoint, is simply not supportable. If a judge does wish to penalize a natural tail because of a “deviation”, the other traits should be given the same consideration in excusal or withholding of ribbons or awards. When considering the April 11, 2011 AKC Board minutes regarding individual examination of dogs, requiring examination of dogs with natural ears and tails even when those breeds may have traditionally had them cropped or docked, the truly genetic faults should be given precedence in withholding and excusal if a judge so deems excusal or withholding appropriate in a given case.

Now that judges must examine and evaluate natural Rottweiler tails, we believe it important for those judges and spectators to see what tail types are acceptable, and the one ring tail with “deviation” that is not acceptable according to the current FCI and ADRK (Germany) guidelines. The diagram above is designed to provide that information for the purpose of the required examination of Rottweilers with natural tails. Respectfully, Donna Rice, ARC member 25 years, AKC Judge, Past ARC Board of Directors Lew Olson, ARC member 29 years, AKC Judge, Past ARC Board of Directors Catherine Thompson, Charter ARC member, AKC Judge, Past ARC President Marlene Keene, ARC member 32 years, AKC Judge Joe Hedl, ARC member 30 years, AKC Judge

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*The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed

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Lake Mathews Kennel Club PHOTOS BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS

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