Dog News, November 6, 2015

Dog News The Digest Volume 31, Issue 44

Of American Dogs $5.00

November 6, 2015

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Dog News Contents • November 6, 2015 10 Editorial 14 The Way It Is: Unintended Consequences By sari brewster tietjen 18 Babbling: Finding The Perfect Match By geir flyckt-pedersen 22 Question Of The Week By Matthew H. Stander 26 Getting To The Point: Three Dogs With Cancer And The CHF By margaret poindexter 30 The NOHS: The Good, The Bad And The Very Ugly By alice lawrence 34 Bests Of The Week 38 Ten Questions Asked of Angela Lloyd 42 Laurel Wilt Detection Dogs

By sharon pflaumer

44 The Upside Of The Seesaw

By sharon anderson

48 Montgomery County Kennel Club By Desmond J. Murphy 52 The British Scene: The Welsh Kennel Club By geoff corish 54 Off The Leash: Interesting Announcements From The AKC By Shaun Coen 56 TV Entrepreneurs, The AENC, Memories And More By matthew h. stander 64 A Show Of Elegance: Rhodesian Ridgeback National Specialty By Denise Flaim 70 The Pacific Northwest Beardie National By chet jezierski 76 The Gossip Column By eugene z. zaphiris 78 Click: San Gabriel & Antelope Valley Kennel Clubs By leslie simis 82 Click: The Way We Were: Lima & Central Ohio Kennel Clubs 1995 By terry miller 84 Letters To The Editor

86 handlers directory • 88 classified advertising & subscription rates • 90 advertising rates DOG NEWS (ISSN 0886-2133) is published weekly except the last two weeks in December by Harris Publications, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010. Periodical Postage paid at New York.

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November 6, 2015 • Volume 31, Issue 44

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STANLEY R. HARRIS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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

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The Top Winning Pomeranian in Breed History...

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DANNY

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A Step In The Right Direction The idea of using the FIDOTV deal as an opportunity to reverse the “Adopt don’t shop” mentality so prevalent in American society is really the first positive public step AKC has taken in many years now to get itself involved in this fight which denigrates the purebred dog and the breeders of same. For this the sitting Menaker Board must be applauded. According to reports this proposal has been on the table for years now through at least two different Board Chairmen and several Classes of Board Members.

Why it took so long to finalize is a legitimate question to ask. Obviously one of the major problems inherent in this “STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP” is to get as much distribution for this network as possible in order to reach as many outside people as possible.

But in order to achieve the success of say an Animal Planet the programming for the channel is of equal importance to make it both popular and meaningful. Tad Walden the CEO of FidoTV has a history of successes in these areas so that supported by knowledgeable people from within AKC AND ITS CONSTITUENTS this reversal of the “adopt don’t shop” mentality will eventually begin to work. But it will take much more than FidoTV to make those kinds of inroads. It will take a heavy financial commitment on the part of AKC to work throughout America delivering these types of messages, which will hit home with dog lovers, owners, dog buyers and the general public as well. So far no new Public Relations firm has been hired to replace the dismal failure of the Edelman firm so heavily endorsed by some to establish a strategy to fight the “adopt don’t shop” mentality. Handling this problem in a piecemeal step-by-step method is not the answer. Unlike the handling of Constitutional and By-Law changes which Boards at AKC have consistently handled on that sort of an approach a team of expert people in the fields of PR and advertising must be hired to steer and establish a program to reverse the “adopt don’t shop” mentality. It will take more than FidoTV for sure but perhaps with input from outsiders experienced in the field, such as Mr. Walden, AKC’s Board can receive proper guidance in handling this difficult and unhappy situation.

on the fact that they do not license people but appoint them. That appointment technically is for the day of judging only and was never originally intended to be a permanent seven day a week job recognition. So it was with some amazement that in searching the AKC’s web site these pages found under the search for Judges assignments the category breakdown beginning with the language Judges LICENSED by AKC!!!! Obviously whomever wrote that was unfamiliar with the facts at AKC. Before some litigation is brought claiming AKC holds itself out as a licensor on its web site it will have difficulty explaining this language in a Court of Law. Something like that had better be straightened out quickly for sure. Just as in the new mentoring process it is reported to these pages strong arm tactics using friendships for years past as the basis are being used to ask for referrals for mentoring when in fact little or no mentoring of specific breeds have taken place between the parties involved. In the U.K. where they do license their judges there is a move afoot to require all licensed judges to take five-year refresher courses before their licenses are renewed!

A five-year period of time is rather short insofar as these pages are concerned but after ten years or so this might not be the worst thing to do in the States either. Judges should be held accountable in most situations to keep up their training. Perhaps that’s asking too much in the USA as some judges get breeds approved here without even having touched the breed in the ring at all so how could they be held accountable with which to begin?

Editorial

Judges Are Appointed Not Licensed It has been a long term misunderstanding among many people that judges of dogs are licensed by AKC when in fact they are actually appointed to judge. These appointments technically can be withdrawn by AKC for reasons at anytime it desires. Indeed in lawsuit after lawsuit one of AKC’s chief defenses with certain individuals relies 10 Dog News

Why Do It At All? There will be a Delegate Forum in Orlando where each Delegate is given the opportunity to ask questions of those running for the Board in March. The Forum starts at 9:00am and the session will have to end by 10:20am, even if there are remaining questions. So reads the announcement from the Moderator Jim Crowley. At the Forum, about half the time will be devoted to questions submitted by Delegates in advance.

The remainder of the time will be devoted to questions from the floor. Mr. Crowley reserves the right to reject any question that he thinks is unfair or inappropriate. Written questions will be accepted in advance through December 1 although these pages would think that date could be extended for preferred people just as the Nominating Committee extended its date for a preferred person to apply beyond the established date. As of today there are seven people running for the three seats who will have one hour and twenty

minutes to answer questions from potentially 500 to 600 Delegates!! The purpose of this Editorial was to urge members of Member Clubs to submit questions to their Delegates that they would like answered from the Candidates. But after analyzing the time parameters these pages have an entirely different take on the matter. DO AWAY WITH THIS FORUM OR EXPAND THE TIME TO A THREE-HOUR QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD. The present time set-up is ridiculously short and turns the entire process into a useless exercise.

Ykc Stewards At Crufts In yet another clever move to encourage young people to participate in the conformation world and to be a part of it Crufts has announced that a number of people 16 years or over who are member of their very positive and pro-active Young Kennel Club will be invited to submit applications to Steward at Crufts. What a great idea for the AENC to do (and possibly even the Big W). Instead of limiting the AENC Stewards to Delegates why not open the door to deserving Juniors of a responsible age and/ or background to Steward as well. Look at how advanced TKC is at opening the doors to junior participation as opposed to AKC. Just a few weeks ago it was announced that members of The Young Kennel Club took over the offices at TKC for the day to show and teach them how the Kennel Club operates. Summer camps are established for these YKC Members to live and work with dogs learning all dimensions of dog care and the list for the YKC goes on and on. And yet AKC takes no lesson from that part of TKC’s operation. Quick enough was everyone to jump on the bandwagon for Meet the Breeds, which was established in the UK as the original Discover Dogs, and a good investment financially that has turned out to be for sure. How about investing in the future of our sport by developing something akin to the Young Kennel Club, too, Mr. and Mrs. Power Broker at the AKC!!!!

Thought For The Week Lying basically dormant is the marvelous and world famous Library at the AKC on Madison Avenue. True, appointments can be made to use the facility, but with no Librarian to keep things up how is this incredibly important facility which keeps what history AKC has going maintained?

This Library should be open to the public again and treated with the respect and dignity the Library at the AKC deserves! That the AKC no longer supports financially The Museum of the Dog in St. Louis is a debatable decision but to keep the Library basically closed to the public is something to be reversed immediately!

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Unintended Consequences

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There is an old axiom: “Be careful what you wish for.” And with that seems to come: “The law of unintended consequences.” And then to borrow a phrase from today’s jargon is: “Mission Creep!”

What in heaven’s name am I referring to – the state of today’s conformation dog world, declining entries and participation. In giving the whole situation a lot of thought, it occurred to me that a lot of today’s issues can be traced back to two main decisions made by the American Kennel Club’s Board of Directors years ago (which, to be honest, continue and expand today): the advent of back-to-back shows held by a single club and the clustering of shows that run into each other.

These decisions were initially made with good intentions: to help clubs that were in difficult areas to survive and deal with a gas crisis. I remember many conversations with the late Bill Bergum, (a successful Pekingese breeder/exhibitor, distinguished judged and AKC Board member) who not only supported but advocated for as many shows as anyone wanted to attend. We were on opposite sides of the fence – I agreed that expansion of shows in the hinterlands helped those clubs, but feared other clubs without the same issues would want to get on the bandwagon (which is what happened – it has just taken many years to see what the resulting effects have been).

What harm has been done? Yes, back-to-backs have helped clubs with dwindling entries spread those costs over two days of entries. And yes, clusters (adopted, initially during the gas crisis of many years past and became a “here-to-stay” earmark for the future) have captured the illusive majors so coveted by those seeking major wins towards championships; points for 14 Dog News

By Sari Brewster Tietjen

whatever system someone is chasing for their dog (or themselves, to be exact – the dog could not care less if it is top “whatever” in the country), and a way to spend their hard-earned dollars productively with a possible result in something other than a ribbon based on no competition.

Clusters and back-to-backs have also been a benefit for those clubs that have worked hard to combine their efforts in finding suitable, clean, comfortable locations to hold shows that they can afford. Dog shows take a lot of work by volunteer club members who strive all year long to see that dogs and humans have an enjoyable time (or as enjoyable as possible – given that it is a competitive event with winners and losers). It is not easy putting on a show and seeing to all the minute details, especially if the shows are held in a metropolitan area.

So what is the down side to all this?

How have these pluses resulted in “unintended consequences?”

Dog shows have always been about money. The big players before World War II were some of the wealthiest in the country. It was not until after WWII that dog ownership really took off and with that came the increased interest in dog shows. The “little guy” could play in the same sand box as a Rockefeller in the dog show ring and win! And, yes, he still can – that is the beauty of our sport.

However, if he wants to have a truly competitive dog for any rating system and/or depending on the breed, is seeking championship rankings, he has to be showing his dog all the time. We have so many shows, so many clusters that our “little guy” either has to be retired and wealthy or working with a good salary that permits a healthy disposable income to spend on handlers’ fees and expenses.

Not many “little guys” can afford this or are willing to enter the sport on this level. They either do not want to spend their life going from dog show to dog show day in and day out or do not want to send their pet off with a handler for months on end. Or, they simply cannot afford the whole thing with the cost of entries, hotels, meals, and travel. And, if

they do go or send their dog with a handler they are looking for the clusters in search of those illusive points/majors.

This all leads to the downward spiral of the weekend only shows (300 – 400 entries per day). Even a single club not exactly in the middle of Nowhere USA holding backto-back (2) shows on a weekend is having a problem as the clustering of back-to-backto-back-to-back (4) shows is likely to garner more entries. Too many shows seeking the same entries in practically the same territory with a dwindling entry supply for a variety of factors (some of which are alluded to above) puts us in the situation we are today.

And the “little guy” is likely not about the stay involved unless there is a social network of friends and a reason to attend a particular show for the goodwill and camaraderie of friendships combined with a club that offers a hospitable environment and knowledgeable, friendly judges. In this case, the show becomes more a social outing with a friendly, competitive spirit. But are these entries likely to sustain a club in the long run?

Returning to the original premise – “Be careful what you wish for” – while back-toback shows saved clubs in the sparsely populated, hard to get to regions, has the concept really been necessary in the crowded metropolis? “The law of unintended consequences” – covers multi-multi-multi-multi, etc. day clusters that effectively have altered our entire sport. Our working “little guy” must send his beloved pet with a handler or use his vacation days to show his dog himself or decide to not show at all. Of course, this has been a bonus for handlers and has given many a viable living wage. The downside is three-fold: dogs being constantly on the “road” with hardly any downtime; clubs loosing “hometown” presence; and a likelihood that we are losing potential exhibitors.

And, of course, “Mission Creep” speaks for itself – more shows, more types of events within shows attracting the same people does not address the basic issue.

The horse is already out of the barn with regards to back-to-backs and multiday clusters, but is that any reason to approve two shows in a day or expand multiday clusters to six or even seven days – as has been suggested by some? Have we already gone too far? Are we not looking at the big picture?

The real issue and the real question is instead of trying to reinvent or even expand the wheel should we not be examining what worked in the past, take the best of that, look at what has worked since then, combined the two together and go from there. What we really need to do is look at the total picture – where we were, what we did, and what we can do in totality to try to preserve our sport for the future.

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SPECIALTY BEST OF BREED

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FINDING THE PERFECT MATCH?

By Geir Flyckt-Pedersen

Planning the next litter of puppies is to me the most difficult, but also the most exciting and challenging part of being a breeder of hopefully top quality show dogs.

B

y now it is quite a number of years since the previous litter of my own breed was born in this household. But the selection of prospective quality grooms has not improved over the years. Trying to stay away from fashion and stay true to your own ideal can at times be a problem – as focusing on those to me most important features of all, type, temperament and parts of the dogs which make this breed clearly distinct from any “close related “ breeds might at times happen at the expense of flashiness and showmanship. I am surely not the only old fashioned breeder who has a strong desire to preserve what we have leftand not let our breeds evolve into just a bunch of other more generic breeds. If anybody bothers to take notice of my views I am naturally delighted, but even if I preach for deaf ears- so be it.

Have you ever tried to voice an opinion about a hugely successful dog in your breed simply based on the fact that, as you see it, it is hugely overrated and might have negative consequences for the future of the breed?

Well, I have on several occasions- even if they were owned or handled by very close friends-and have been labeled a bad sport, a bad loser or simply envious…

So face facts, being a self appointed “missionary” and conservationist of your chosen breed is not always good for your image or your popularity, but what the hell, standing up for your beliefs will in my opinion make you sleep better.

The previous litter of puppies raised in this household three years ago turned out very well. Three out of four born puppies gained their titles- and the fourth was not ugly either.

Our girl was bred to a for us unseen male, I dare say on strictly sentimental grounds (plus actually that he was not too closely related to her). The previous litter of this breed we bred was born exactly 40 years earlier, when we used 18 Dog News

a dog owned by the same owner/ breeder who had since passed away.

(The one and only Elisabeth Matell of Cracknor Norfolk fame) Totally irrational and shouldn’t make any sense. But it worked...Which only proves that all those principles we all claim to live by are not always reflecting the truth… and when broken might even turn out as a positive!

Being a firm believer in the importance of a strong female side of a pedigree, there have been many a candidate over the years who although themselves excellent, were discarded. And as I have not always trusted pedigrees, I have at times brought in bitches from breeders I knew were reliable and bred them to dogs I really liked in order to produce my own stud dogs… And a few times it seemed to work, then of course hoping it’s going to be a good match with your own lines.

Sometimes successful, other times not so great - but that’s just what makes this part of our hobby so complicated, difficult, challenging and of course at the same time interesting.

I know I have been overly critical of both our own dogs and possible partners and focused on negatives that I have with hindsight regretted, but returning to this situation again after some years I don’t think my attitude has changed much.

Just cannot help it…

Of course memories of old advice and discussions come flowing back- and I vividly remember a discussion with a fellow breeder who wanted to use one of our stud dogs. When asking him why he had decided to use this particular dog (as we had others which I personally believed suited the bitch better) his answer was: He is the shortest backed dog you have – and the bitch is longer than I like…

Which of course reminded me of another advice given to me at an early age: “Don’t think that by mating a too long bitch to an ultra short dog and believe for a moment you will have puppies with shorter backs than the dam. You are more likely to get some short ones like the sire and some long ones like the dam. Try to find an overall completely balanced dog- and you will get a more even litter.”

Makes sense in a way, but of course no guarantee!

It has always been my aim

and ambition to breed even litters of similar type and size.

Nothing has given me more pleasure than when an entire litter became show dogs- and some of them all big winners. Especially as we in Scandinavia would never even consider anything else than eliminating any individual with incorrect ears or tail. (We’re talking Fox Terriers here!)

A serious discussion during one of Ric Chashoudian’s visit was just about this. I wanted a litter of even quality, while Ric would be happy with one Superstar amongst them, even if the rest were pets…And then breed on from the Superstar only. Which also in many ways makes sense, as all breeds have evolved and improved by “selection of the best and the fittest”. And if you look at current pedigrees you will find proof that even his theory worked.

But I will still stand my ground Being involved with a few German breeds for a while I have always been very serious about missing teeth. To the extent that a couple of my bitches that although they became champions in the UK, were placed as pets after they finished. The irony is that their brothers with perfect mouth and number of teeth became widely used at stud both by myself and others. So obviously I was acting rather stupidly and missed a lot of opportunities to breed from bitches that might have had great potential.

Well, at this very moment I am back in square one. I have to find a perfect match for a rather lovely girl who has so many pluses regarding as well exterior as temperament. But would I like a little more “leg”...?

Then in the deep freezer at my Vet’s I have some frozen stuff from a dog with lots of my own breeding behind him, but I think even he could in my opinion perhaps have more legs…Or maybe I am wrong…

Then what do you do? My favorite advice to other people when asked is: “If in doubt, Don’t!”

But if I follow that I will never find out what could have been if I’d done that. Particularly if the alternative choice doesn’t work out in the end.

Naturally the part involving my own, old bloodlines and the sentimentality connected with that comes into the decision…

How the hell do you make a rational decision when you are so Continued on page 22

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Question of the week

By Matthew H. Stander

Were you surprised by the decision of the akc’s real estate committee to continue to keep split corporate offices both in the Raleigh Triangle area and the New York City Metropolitan area?

Thomas Bradley I am more disappointed than surprised.

Of course, I was one of those who thought that they should have moved to Lexington prior to Raleigh. I based my opinion on the fact that there were plenty of potential employees who already understood the importance of accurate registration.

Brian Clegg Not really, this division has existed for many years now. Which group is supposed to be uprooted for the change?

Many organizations have executive and operational offices in different locations.

JANET YORK Yes I was surprised by the decision because I thought they were trying to save money by putting all their eggs in one basket, which I assumed would be

Continued FROM page 18

emotionally involved and have that urge to in a way recreate what once was? It was different at a time when you bred 4-5 litters per year. If one didn’t produce what you hoped for there were others to choose from.

My philosophy has always been: Breed at bitch to a dog that shares her type. (If you don’t like her type, why breed from her???) Then try to find a male that is better than her overall and/or scores in details which need improving. But combining two dogs who both share the same “question mark ”???

There is only one way to find out.

Doing it!

Of course the frozen stuff might not be working anyway- and who knows what might happen to the bitch during the next 6 months???

I firmly believe that having bred the same family through 10 -12 ore more generations you really have too much information about your own bloodlines- and at times it is to easy to 22 Dog News

in Raleigh. But as we know money management is not the AKC’s forte and selfishly I like the NY office as I visit often.

Does everybody know that dogs are not allowed in the NY office because of a building policy? This has ALWAYS confounded and annoyed me.

Glen Lajeski I’m more surprised you’re asking the question.

ERIC RINGLE The AKC has always had a New York presence and maybe that is as it should be. I would very much like to see the addition of the Dog Museum there as well.

And from either location, there is hardly a dog person who would not like to see a print version of the Gazette arrive in their mailbox (The one in front of one’s house, not just on the PC). How about it AKC?

focus on minor negatives than important positives to such an extent that you I the end don’t know which way to go.

The blessing in my current situation is that I don’t know too much about the bitch’s immediate relatives on the dam’ s side. Her sire has some excellent points, but overall is not my favorite. But proved to be a good sire…

Then comes into the equation that although I love the dog from which the frozen stuff comes, I never cared much for his sire…but even he produced some good stuff.

And they all have one thing in common: Back in their pedigrees you will find most of the dogs I admired in the past, including many of my own.

And the thoughts keep flying through my head, weighing for and against, but if I did not use this dog, where would I go.

The end result might easily be that we don’t breed the bitch at all, but just thinking about it, planning and then hoping is in my opinion the most exciting parts of being a breeder.

Thereafter comes the work raising the litter, which of course is enjoyable- until the time comes to part with some of the future hopefuls. This is the stage I really hate.

I hate selling puppies to people I don’t really know- and as we of course cannot keep them all- you simply have to.

Just thinking about that stage might help make my decision not to breed another litter ever!!??

On the other hand Curiosity might win in the end? But then why would I like another show dog when there are so few judges left for this breed whose opinion really matter?

Sanity doesn’t always rule the world. But being totally sane seems rather boring?

Alternatively, forget all about it. Leave the breeding part to the younger population and rather enjoy gardening and at times a little golf???

Que sera, sera…

Until next time….

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*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed

Thank you to Judge Mr. Joe Lobb for this Group win leading to Reserve Best in Show

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America’s Number One* Welsh Terrier Number 5* Terrier

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Our deep appreciation to Judge Mrs. Houston Clark for this very exciting Reserve Best in Show

Multiple Best in Show & Reserve Best in Show Winning

GCh. Teritails Loyal knight Percy is owned and bred by Terry Lohmuller Presented by Greg Strong, AKC reg’d (410) 822-2187 Assisted by Ariel and Sarah Cukier *The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed

Jonathan Pennella Dog News 25

Getting To The Point

Three Dogs With Cancer And The CHF In a dark time, the eye begins to see. – Theodore Roethke

By Margaret Poindexter

Former AKC VP and General Counsel

V

ernon Prapuolenis was my first Facebook friend.

He probably was that for a lot of people, because at last count, he has 872 Facebook friends. (This is the second iteration of his Facebook page; for the first, he had almost 5000 followers.) Pretty impressive when you consider that Vernon Prapuolenis was the Facebook persona of Vern, the much beloved Great Pyrenees of Joyce and Rich Prapuolenis.

Joyce, an employee at AKC Reunite, first introduced me to Vern when I started working at the AKC. Vern was a “dogs in the building” participant at the AKC offices in Raleigh, and he took up almost all of Joyce’s cubicle in what was then the AKC CAR office suite.

Vern was a frequent and popular participant at AKC Reunite and AKC Government Relations events. During AKC GR’s Canines at the Capitol Day at the NC General Assembly, legislative staffers would flock outside for the opportunity to meet Vern and snap a selfie with him. It would not surprise me if the majority of votes AKC garnered when bad breeder legislation was debated in the NC Legislature were due to Vern.

But it was through Facebook that many of us got to know the “inner Vern”. One couldn’t help but smile reading his daily antics with his goats, his chickens, and his canine siblings. And even the most cynical among us was touched

by Vern’s simple mantra, “All we need is love.”

Vern died September 20, 2015, from osteosarcoma.

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H PACH SOLOCHA REV’D UP AT KASIQ BN RAE AX AXJ MXP4 MXPB PAX NFP CA THDN RATO CGCA. No that’s not my keyboard gone rogue. That is the AKC registered name and full litany of titles for Revs, Patty Van Sicklen’s much beloved Siberian Husky. Revs earned 33 titles in seven different categories (8 if you count CGCs); he was on track to earn three more by the end of the year.

At the Siberian Husky Club of America National Specialty, he will be honored as the SHCA 2014 Top Scoring Siberian Husky in Agility, based on his performance and placements in 2014.

This year, at age 11, he earned an invitation to and was entered in the AKC Agility Invitational in Orlando in December.

But beyond his larger than life performance, Revs was a larger than life personality.

Everyone who encountered Revs was charmed: children in the “See Spot Read” program in which he volunteered, Triangle television viewers who saw his performances as James Denton’s canine pal in a series of responsible dog ownership PSA’s, his co-workers at the AKC Offices in Raleigh. He greeted everyone with a trick, a smile, and a growl-howl-chortle that truly sounded like he was saying, “Good Morning!”

Revs died October 3, 2015, from hemangiosarcoma. Continued on page 62

*#9 overall, The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed

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The NOHS The Good, The Bad, and The Very Ugly

By Alice Lawrence

S

ometimes the truth hurts.

Like when you ask your best friend, “how do I look in this outfit?” and they use the “F” word. (“F” is for FAT in my vocabulary.) The reality is, if you don’t want to know, don’t ask.

But it does take courage for someone to speak the truth and to live with the consequences. That’s how I feel about the National Owner Handled Series (really, The National Owner Handled Dog Series- NOHS).

A couple of weeks ago, retired professional handler Kathy Kirk came over to me chuckling and said someone she knows referred to me as “the old lady who shows Pulis and Havanese.” Very funny. (NOT). But as my throat started to close down and my face went beet red, I looked in the mirror and realized that was the TRUTH. Even though it hurts to hear it. Yes, I admit to being a 45-year veteran of being an owner-handler.

Oh yes, I certainly have had some wonderful Handlers work with my dogs over the years, among them Phil Marsman, Bob and Jane Forsyth, Fred Olson, Phoebe Booth, Darrell Hayes, and Wendy Kellerman to name a few.

But for the most part and for most of my wins, I have handled my dogs myself, along with my patient husband of 45 years, Stephen Lawrence, PhD. So with sufficient success in the dog show world to warrant renting a personal storage unit to hold our trophies, I feel qualified to ‘tell the truth’ about the NOHS. I have participated in this ‘event’ since the first day it was offered. In fact, my Puli was the Number One all breed dog in the NOHS the first year, 2012 (although records

30 Dog News

for that year and 2013 seem to be missing from the AKC web site). I have written in these pages before about issues with this event and some have been addressed, like changing the name from the “National Owner HANDLER Series” to the National Owner HANDLED Series (NOHS). Thank goodness for that as I got tired of being judged on my handling skills (or lack thereof), and not on my dog’s qualities. So, I banged at the door and after a long time, I was heard.

Speaking of the web site, AKC continues to use the term “Owner Handler Series” along with the correct term “Owner Handled Series” on its pages.

Before I tell you where, in my opinion, this event presently stands, I want to first commend the AKC on offering exhibitors yet another opportunity to exhibit their dogs and to win ribbons, at no additional cost! The first year this event was offered, I was asked repeatedly to participate with the promise that a SPECIAL finale would be offered at the AKC Eukanuba show in Orlando. I actually looked forward to participating in what I envisioned to be a showcase for my lovely, multiple Best in Show Puli (now long retired). Unfortunately, someone forgot that promise and nothing special was offered at all, not even a paper certificate acknowledging her success.

Year two came about and I showed in the event when I felt it fit in with our day’s show schedule. In that year, again she finished near the top of the mound and still no special event or certificate for us. Now that we have concluded the fourth year of the series, I show in the event when a particular dog I am showing needs extra ring time experience.

(Where did all the match shows go?)

Other than that, I don’t bother. I am not alone in this strategy, I have discovered. Now, as last year, certificates have arrived and a special event is planned at the AKC Eukanuba show. We won’t be there with our dogs!

WHY????

Here are the problems, as I see them:

1. Demographics.

AKC failed to define for whom this event is best suited and what the objectives should be for this competition. None of my fellow owner-handlers that I have spoken to mentioned that the AKC asked for feedback before implementation.

Perhaps the AKC feels that they, too, were ALL owner-handlers at one point, so why ask? Well, that doesn’t address current grass roots issues and concerns. Those of us currently in the trenches are most knowledgeable about today’s issues and a representative group of participants should be polled on a periodic basis for input.

2. NOHS Group Judges.

The judges selected to judge the NOH groups range from good, to bad, to very ugly. What does this mean? In some cases, the ‘honor’ of judging these groups is left to a local person, perhaps a well-meaning member of the show-giving club.

This person may or may not be licensed to judge that Group. Why should an exhibitor be happy or sad with a win from that person or no ribbon at all? What meaning does it have to have someone not familiar with your breed, or even the group, or even ring procedure at all, judge the NOH group? How about the practice, common in the shows I attend, to have one judge do all the groups and Best OH in Show? Dare I say that could lead to possible corruption or the possibility of allowing that judge to predetermine which one of his/her friends will go all the way through from the group to BIS? But that’s not the worst.

The worst, in many people’s opinion, is to have the regular group judge judging the NOH Group, minutes before the regular group goes in. In the words of a dear friend from the West Coast, “That just gives the judge permission to leave me out of the regular group in favor of the professional handlers.” Are we as owner-handlers being thrown the proverbial “bone?” Yessirree. Heck, I have been walked out of a “pet “ group (you know the kind) filled with a bunch of professional handlers only to be awarded BEST OWNER HANDLED DOG IN SHOW, minutes later by the SAME judge. That win was so humiliating, I cried in frustration. I got my “bone,” so to speak. The ability for a judge to ‘pre-judge’ a dog in the NOH Group is frustrating. I won’t participate in that in any longer.

After many discussions with AKC Board Members and Field Representatives, AKC finally came out with policies prohibiting some of the judging practices I just described; however, these still occur every week. No one seems to be watching!

Continued on page 68

*

*

*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed

*

*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed

32 Dog News

Dog News 33

BESTS WEEK Cen-Tex Kennel Club Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

GCh. Derby’s Toast With Gusto Judge Mr. Houston Clark Owner Sue Copeland Handler Scott Sommer Northeastern Indiana Kennel Club Boxer

GCh. Mephisto’s Speak of the Devil Judge Mr. Stephen Dainard Owners Mrs. Jack Billhardt & Sergio Tenebaum Handler Diego Garcia Brandon Kennel Club of Mississippi - Saturday Saluki

Gold GCh. Starlite’s Made of the Best Stuff on Earth JC Judge Mrs. Francine Schwartz Owners Tina J. Turley-Kocab & Mark S. Kocab & Sandra Middlebrooks Handler Erin J. Roberts Tennessee Valley Kennel Club - Saturday & Sunday Puli

Ch. Cordmaker Mister Blue Sky Judge Mrs. Barbara D. Alderman Judge Mr. Joe Walton Owner J. Beaudoin, L. Pitts, P. Kelly & S. Huebner Handler Linda Pitts

To report a AKC All Breed Best In Show or National Specialty Win Call, Fax or Email before 12:00 Noon Tuesday. Fax: 212 6755994 • Phone: 212 462-9588 Email: dognews@harris-pub.com 34 Dog News

Saline County Kennel Club Akita

GCh. CR Wicca’s Trade Secret Judge Mr. Brian Meyer Owners Ann & Thomas Bavaria, Joann Charnik & Carla Burke Handler Tom Bavaria Laurel Highlands Kennel Association Great Pyrenees

GCh. Rivergroves Enough Said Judge Mrs. Houston Clark Owners Jean Boyd, McKee Cox & Marsha Stewart Handler Angela Lloyd Great Dane Club of America National Specialty

GCh. Old Mission’s Lucid Dream Judge Mr. Jason Hoke

Owners Barbara Hainline, Sallie Cummings, Tricia Smallwood, Kathy Toomey & Stephanie Blades Handler Doug Toomey Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America Specialty

GCh. Birinci’s Hint of Hoja Judge Ms. Angela J. Porpora

Owners Catherine and Louise Emanuel Handler Louise Emanuel

Dog News 35

36 Dog News

Dog News 37

10 uestions Q ASKEDOF...

Angela Lloyd

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

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

My father, Jimmie, started in German Shepherd Dogs in 1967. Because of this my first dog show was as an infant in 1979. The first time I was allowed to show a dog, other than at a match show, was at a Jersey Hills German Shepherd Specialty in 1988, Wurdig’s Black Forest was the winner of the veteran bitch class.

I attend about 150 dog shows a year, give or take. Too many! My favorites are Morris and Essex, Middleburg KC (please come back!) and Westminster KC.

How difficult was it to finish your championship?

My first show dog of my own was a Pembroke Welsh Corgi bred by Sally Bishop, Fox Meadow’s Sugar Bear Wurdig. Bear became a champion slowly, but we earned his first major by winning a herding group one when I was 9 years old.

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

English Springer Spaniel.

Which dog person of the opposite sex would you be?

Mike Pitts or David Fitzpatrick.

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

I believe that without dogs there are no dog shows, that said I think AKC’s focus should be just that supporting purebred dogs and the breeders. AKC has a difficult task at hand with the current overall state of affairs.

38 Dog News

Name : Angela Lloyd BORN: WASHINGTON, DC Resides : Amissville, VA Marital Status : Single Astrological Sign : Cancer

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

Andrew Green, RC Carusi and Evan Threlfall.

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

My greatest joys are two-fold. As a breeder I enjoy planning the breeding, whelping the litter, watching them grow and then seeing those puppies grow and advance. As a professional handler I enjoy taking on a new charge and watching each dog progress its own ways.

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

Class and Kindness.

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

Bobby Fowler, Peggy Westphal, Dee Hutchinson, Alan Levine, and Jane Forsyth.

Forever Wendell

Happy Birthday!

Love, Karen & All The Ale Kai Family Dog News 39

40 Dog News

Dog News 41

Laurel Wilt Detector Dogs

A laurel wilt detector dog and his handler.

Detector Dogs And Drones Are Being Teamed In An Effort To Stop The Spread Of Laurel Wilt, A Fungus Threatening The Multimillion Dollar Avocado Crops In The US And Mexico.

By Sharon Pflaumer • Photos by Doug Hungerford

F

ive dogs, between the ages of 2 and 3 years, have been trained and are being certified to accurately detect the laurel wilt fungus. They are part of a unique pilot program that aims to help stop the spread of the fungus and is being conducted at Florida International University (FIU). Funding for the program was provided by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Thousands Of Florida Avocado Trees Killed

“Every effort is being made to contain the spread of laurel wilt because it’s had a significant negative economic impact.

It’s already killed more than 500 million

A grove of trees infected with laurel wilt.

42 Dog News

native Laurel trees as it migrated from Georgia to Florida’s Everglades. It’s feared it could further migrate across Texas into Mexico and California where there are huge avocado crops. Although avocado trees are not its preferred food source, the fungus began attacking them after it killed off the native Laurel tree population in the Everglades,” says Dr. Ken Furton, who is Provost and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at FIU. Redbay Ambrosia beetles carry the laurel wilt fungus. When the beetles attack a tree, fungus spores get into the tree’s vascular system. As the fungus grows and spreads, the tree reacts by plugging the vascular system around the

A drone used to survey acreage for signs of the fungus.

fungus and thus cuts off its food and water supply—hence, the wilted appearance.

The fungus, which is not native to the United States, was first traced to Georgia in 2002. The Redbay Ambrosia beetle was brought into this country on untreated wooden pallets with a shipment from Southeast Asia.

Once here, the beetles spread in the wild and, with them, the laurel wilt fungus.

The Pilot Program

The FIU pilot program pairs five detector dogs with drones with the hope of curbing the spread of laurel wilt by detecting its presence early. During flyovers, the drones film acreage using multispectral cameras. The footage is reviewed to see if it shows areas where trees appear to be stressed. (Infected trees have a

A detector dog searching a grove for the odor of laurel wilt.

Training The Dogs

Two Dutch Shepherds and one Belgian Malinois, which were provided by a breeder, and a terrier and a Border Collie, which were provided by a rescue, have been trained to detect Laurel wilt.

Pete Nuñez is the master trainer, who trained the dogs for the pilot program. He’s the Training Director at US K-9 Academy and Police Dog Training Center and has been training drug and explosive detection dogs for law enforcement for over 30 years in Miami.

(This isn’t the first time Furton worked with Nuñez. Furton has been conducting research on behalf of law enforcement for many years in an effort to identify the chemical(s) that dogs detect in the odors given off by narcotics and explosives.)

The process Nuñez used for training the five dogs to detect the odor of the fungus is similar to the process used for training dogs to detect the odor of narcotics or explosives. The only difference is a different training aid

A photo of a Redbay Ambrosia Beetle using a HandHeld DinoLite USB Microscope at about 40x magnification.

PHOTO© Julian Mendel

change in color that shows up on drone imagery.)

Using drones is essential because it substantially narrows down large areas that must be surveyed for the fungus. With so many potential targets, searching an avocado grove where there are thousands of trees is more than a little challenging with detector dogs.

“Once the drones reveal an area where there appears to be stressed trees, we send the dogs in to see if they positively detect laurel wilt. If detected early enough, infected trees can be saved when treated with a fungicide that suppresses the fungus,” says Furton.

(In addition to being stressed by the laurel wilt fungus, trees may appear stressed for other reasons. Regardless of the cause, stressed trees are a host for the Redbay Ambrosia beetle. Thus the end result often is the same.)

“As soon as you see a tree wilting because its vascular system has been invaded by the fungus, it’s probably too late to save the tree or stop the spread of the fungus.

Even if you remove the infected tree, the fungus has probably already invaded neighboring trees through the root system. So, early detection of the fungus is absolutely essential,” says Furton.

While drones can pinpoint areas that may be infected with the fungus, detector dogs are the only method, so far, that can definitively detect pre-symptomatic trees reliably on the spot and thus enable the immediate treatment of infected trees before it’s too late.

“We need to be able to send the dogs in to positively detect or alert to the fungus. Although we can take tree samples and test them to see if they’re positive for laurel wilt, testing takes additional time. Often, we don’t have the luxury of waiting for test results. So, we go ahead and treat a suspect tree once we get a K9 alert.

We know the dogs are 90% accurate at detecting the fungus because we still take test samples when treating a tree after a K9 alert,” says Furton.

was used, i.e., a piece of wood infected with the fungus instead of the odor of marijuana or C-4 plastic explosive.

“However, we first begin with a training aid odor we call a universal detector calibrant [UDC]. It’s a chemical that was developed at FIU and is not found in any material in the environment including laurel wilt,” says Furton.

“We train the dogs to detect UDC by placing it at random locations out in a grove. The dogs work independently, as they run from tree to tree to sniffing, or they work on-lead with a handler.”

Once the dogs are trained to detect UDC, they are tested to make sure they are working accurately.

“After we know they are, we put out the target odor--a piece of wood infected with the laurel wilt fungus—and train the dogs to detect it. After dogs learn to detect one odor, they can be trained to detect a second and a third,” says Furton.

After the dogs are “The Scientific Working Group on Orthogonal Detector trained to detect laurel wilt, Guidelines [SWGDOG] is filling that need by establishing best they are trained to alert practice standards for detector dogs that would be a national to its odor by sitting and and international requirement,” says Ken Furton, PhD. staring at the tree from which the odor is emanating.

In order to accomplish this task, the group is investigating Because laurel wilt can only what the reliability of a K9 Detector should be based on the infect trees, there is no risk current scientific knowledge. For explosives and drug detection of the dogs contracting the dogs for example, 90% reliability is the standard set forth by fungus by inhaling its odor SWGDOG. or spores.

Given the positive “Improving the consistency and performance of deployed results of the pilot program teams and optimizing their combination with electronic detection to date, Furton believes devices will improve interdiction efforts as well as enhance it will show detector dogs courtroom acceptance and defensibility of detector dogs,” are an effective means of Furton says. detecting the fungus early so infected trees can be Founded in 2005, SWGDOG is a partnership of local, treated and saved. This, state, federal and international agencies that includes law in turn, will help stop the enforcement and first responders. It was funded by the National spread of the fungus.

Institute of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the “Depending upon the Transportation Security Administration. Currently, these efforts availability of additional are being handled through the National Institute of Standards funding, we hope to train and Technology (NIST), which has formed the Organization of more dogs to detect laurel Scientific Area Commission (OSAC). Dr. Furton is the current wilt in the future,” he says. subcommittee chair of the Dogs and Sensors Subgroup. For more information, those interested may visit http://www.nist. gov/forensics/osac/subs.cfm.

The Scientific Working Group on Dog and Orthogonal Detector Guidelines

In the past, there was a general acceptance and belief that detector dogs were reliable. But there were no standards set for their performance.

Dog News 43

O

ctober has been traditionalLY the most exciting month for agility in terms of international competition. This year it did not disappoint. Italy is certainly a place to travel to for any reason but the World Agility Championship competition was the best reason of all. The conditions, with good surface and top judges and wonderful venue, produced top runs and times. This is the first year I have heard so much praise of the judges who cared about the exhibitor and dog first and had courses to complement both.

A first occurred this year with the Agility Director having a health problem occur when at a trial supervision in Colorado and was unable to attend the competition. One of the Agility reps took her place, which had to be a strong test of her ability since she had not traveled abroad nor worked with the world team. She proved up to the task; Rhonda Crane from Iowa carried the load well. The Coaches, Nancy Gyes and Asst. Coach, Karen Holik, had the team well prepared with two team practices in the USA and more practices at top facilities provided in Bologna, Italy by the local agility groups. Many of the team members choose to arrive earlier than the required day in order to better adjust to the time change and acclimate the dogs.

The event has grown so large it is now four

Upside Seesaw

Of The

By Sharon Anderson

30 Dog News 44

days to complete all the classes for the three heights. The first must for the team/dogs is the Vet Check, which is a very in depth look at the health of the dogs, checking to see the “chip” or tattoo match the entry form and all shots are correct but most of all, that dogs measure into the proper height entered.

Last year three countries had dogs measure over the required height category and were not allowed to compete. Needless to say all countries worry about this pre-qualification check. The USA has never had an issue in this area but the countries that are often entering Border Collies in the medium division that jumps 18” are closely checked as they cannot measure over 16 7/8 inches at the withers. The USA had to arrive very early to vet check but then returned for the opening ceremony later on in the day and then competed in the Large Dog Jumpers class.

These are very long days each of the four days for the exhibitors, dogs and supporters of the team that traveled with them.

The Large Dogs had an outstanding competition in both Individual and team. Roseanne DeMascio with Strafe the Border Collie was 9th overall in Individual Large and 10th was Lori Michaels and Solei. The Large team reached the podium in third place in the Jumpers round and but the Standard round proved so tight and technical only 9 dogs ran clean.

Gold went to Great Britain, Silver to Slovenia and Bronze to France.

Medium dogs ran well and fast.

The Individual jumpers round was one of the fastest courses I have seen. Gold was Germany, Silver to France and Bronze to Switzerland. Maureen Waldron with her Sheltie, Michael, came in clean but not quite fast enough and ended up 20th . The Medium team in standard round had a 6th place.

The team overall ended up with 5th place, so close to the podium.

Gold went to Slovenia, Silver to Belgium and Bronze to Germany.

The Small dogs had one course that used only a very small portion of the ring space, a challenge to them for sure. Barb Davis with her Sheltie Sketcher ran individual impressively with 9th place in Individual Jumpers and 8th in Standard. It was very interesting to note that all the dogs that placed in the Small Dog Individual Jumpers round from Italy, Slovenia and Brazil were Parson Russell Terriers.

The

place went wild when Italy took Gold in Team followed by Silver to Slovenia and Bronze to Brazil. Slovenia was certainly the top placing country this year.

The medals standings from 2011 through 2015 have been published by FCI and the USA tops the chart with 39.

This is followed by England 30, Canada with 24, Italy with 19 and Russia with 11.

All arrived home safely and some then continued on to Tennessee to compete in the USDAA Cynosport event. This is the every other year competition that former AKC employee Andy Hartman heads up. They had foreign countries entered as well as the US exhibitors.

Their days were as long as the World Agility Championship due to hosting a number of levels of classes and large entry. The final championship rounds on Sunday produced some controversy as they used cameras to review each run in the finals just as in professional sports.

I only know of two extra faults that were added to scores of exhibitors that thought they were clean by the reviewers as they felt the judge did not make or missed. This upset a few exhibitors that disagreed with the process. Hopefully AKC will not go to that type of review and second guessing of our judges in any of the competitions. Two judges are used at the Worlds, European Open and the AKC Agility Nationals as well as the Tryouts for World Team. I do feel that two judges in the ring are very appropriate and fair.

Now to plan ahead for Northern Spain next year for the World Agility Championship, September 22-25, 2016, and the European Open will be July 29-31, 2016 in Parc d’Olhain, Houdain, France. But the more immediate event for the exhibitors to gear up for is the AKC Agility Invitational in Orlando, Florida December 11-15, 2015. The foreign judge this year is Gabi Steppan from Austria along with judges from Massachusetts, New York and Minnesota. If you wish to be up to date for the AGI and Junior Agility Competition just enter (702) 751-0483 on your cell phone and in the message area text @ akca. I have been receiving updates regularly to remind when to send in the entry, order clothing, etc.

The AKC communication for agility is outstanding and no other organization can match it.

It’s Never Too Late To Go Back To School!

Friday, February 12, 2016

presents

To Benefit Take The L

YOUR ASSIGNMENT!!!

ead

The Westminster Theatre Benefit

$350.00 per person make

checks payable to TAKE THE LEAD

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The New Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical based on the film of the same name, followed by Dinner at The 21 For Info & Reservations Contact Ron Menaker 202 Sonata Drive Jupiter, Florida 33478-5410 561.203.7577 or email: RMENRMEN@aol.com or FAX Dog News @ 212.675.5994

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Dog News 47

2015 Montgomery

County Kennel Club

By Desmond J. Murphy

F

or anyone who has a passion for Terriers, this show is the highlight of the year.

We have to remember it is an all-breed club that only offers classes for Terriers. There are only two other clubs similar to this. The Progressive Dog Club and Metro Mile High Kennel Club, both of which only hold classes for Toy dogs.

What separates Montgomery County from other group shows is that it is a gathering of so many National Specialties. They are now up to 31 recognized Terrier breeds, plus very shortly the American Hairless Terrier.

Of these 31 Terrier breeds, 22 different breeds hold their National Specialty at Montgomery. In addition, 6 other breeds have supported entries. The only two breeds that did not have even a supported entry were the American Staffordshire and Manchester Terriers.

This year, there were 1,893 entries and 1,582 entered plus performance entries, which made a total of 1,931.

From 1986 through 2005, the entry was always better than 2,200. The highest number was in 1994 with 2,466. As a whole all shows have gotten smaller.

Terriers have been hit harder than some breeds. Many factors have caused this, but a big reason is the tremendous amount of work and skill it takes to prepare coats. Very few young people want to spend the time learning to prepare coats and dedicate all the endless hours it requires. Many shows today get a total entry of 30 to 40 Terriers. The entry has stayed about the same the last couple of years and was actually up this year by 40 dogs over 2014.

Having the Bedlington Specialty back again made for 26 more Bedlingtons from the year before. In 2014, only 2 Am Staffs were entered, but this year they had 29. Only three breeds were over one hundred this year - Soft Coat-

ed Wheatens at 133; Westies at 104; and Norwich at 103. Back in 1988 nine breeds had over a hundred - Airedales - 182; Scotties 181; Soft Coated Wheaten - 178; Westies - 165; Kerry - 150; Smooth Fox - 145; Mini Schnauzers - 110; Wire Fox - 101 and Welsh - 103.

These numbers show just how drastically Terrier breeds are in danger.

The bright side is that Montgomery County can still pull so many Terriers. The AKC/Eukanuba in 2014 had 4,142 dogs, but only 487 Terriers. Only three Terrier breeds at Eukanuba had thirty dog - Staffies - 32; Smooth Fox - 32 and Mini Schnauzers - 30.

Terrier people are still very unique. Many Terriers are held back to be debuted at the Montgomery weekend. That is a large part of the mystique of the weekend. In 2014 Warren Bradley from Wales brought the legendary Wire, "King". This incredible Wire has set records in Europe like no other dog recently. He just became the first dog to have ever won the European Show twice. "King" has won the group twice at the World Sow and twice at Crufts. So it was quite exciting to see him during the Montgomery weekend last year.

He did get a BIS and a Reserve Best to "Matisse," the Portie.

In the year 2000, we all were so excited to see the much talked about Kerry, Torums Scarf Michael, "Mick" still in the classes. He had only been shown at Great Western, since his BIS at Crufts. He went BIS at M & E from the classes. He went on to win Best at Montgomery and also the following year in 2001.

When he won BIS at Westminster in 2003 he became, most likely, the only dog that ever went Best at

Crufts, Morris & Essex, Montgomery County and Westminster.

This year there were several dogs spotted by great Terrier people who feel they could have a brilliant future.

Clay Coady had the honor of judging Best this year. Most will agree that Clay is one of the best Terrier people this country has ever seen. As a Terrier person, there is no bigger honor than to judge BIS at Montgomery. I am sure all judges anticipate what dogs might get through their breeds. Also the surprise factor.

One never knows if they might see the likes of "Mick" or "King" for the first time.

Over the course of the four days this year, the vast majority of breeds saw several different dogs winning their breeds. The beautiful Welsh that won the Terrier group on Wednesday was the only day he won the breed.

The lovely Scottie I awarded the group to at M & E did not win the breed any other day. "Charlie," the Skye, who won the group Friday won the breed each day he was shown. He could not be shown at M & E because one of his owners co-owns a dog with the judge. The vast majority of Terrier people were quite pleased when Devon was cancelled again this year. Most Terrier people dread going to Devon but go because it is part of the weekend.

Victor Malzoni saw his dogs win BIS in 2012 when Gabe Rangel piloted the Lakeland, Ch. Iron Van Foling Home. It is interesting his Lakie was bred by DeMunter Rony and Usterwyk Dieny, who are also the breeders of the record breaking Wire "King". In Continued on page 80

48 Dog News

Thank you Judge Mrs. Kimberly MeredithCavanna for recognizing

“Ella” with this Group Win!

GCh. Kellyglen’s Twilight Affair Ella is owned & loved by Marilyn Title, Carolyn McKenzie.

Pat Kudla & Suzanne Walker Presented by Greg Strong, AKC reg’d (410) 822-2187 Assisted by Sarah & Ariel Cukier

The Nation’s Number One* Skye Terrier Number One* Among All Terriers Number Three* Among All Breeds

ch. cragsmoor good time

Owners Mr. Victor Malzoni, Jr. Nancy Shaw Handlers Larry Cornelius Marcelo Veras Assisted By Kasey O’Brien *The Dog News Top Ten List

50 Dog News

Thank you Judges Mr. James Frederiksen, Mr. Desmond Murphy, Mr. James White and Mrs. Knowlton A. Reynders

Dog News 51

The

B R i T i S H

SCENE

By Geoff Corish

52 Dog News

The welsh kennel club

O

ne of the highlights of the year for me, is the annual Welsh Kennel Club Show. But it’s also one of those shows that appeals to everyone as you can tell from the hundreds of caravans that make this an annual pilgrimage. This year was very special as l was invited to judge my first hound group, plus the terriers and even better best in show. The show is not an easy one to get to. There are no near motorways and so driving is on side roads, as we call them.

Major roads yes but narrow and twisting. However the scenery from which ever way you go is stunning, and you can be assured of a true Welsh welcome when you get there. The show is situated at the showgrounds for the Royal Welsh Showgrounds in the spa town of Builth Wells in MidWales. Of course l bang on all the time about the weather here and would never know from day to day how it’s going to be. We pretty much rely on it being bad and so plan for that. If it’s good then that’s a bonus. At the show we had outdoor rings but they were not used as it rained the first day and so all judging was done under cover.

The site is great as there are many buildings that can be used and much appreciated. The best in show ring is stunning with huge flower arrangements done in the colors of the Welsh flag and every day the Welsh national anthem is sung over the loud speakers and boy does that bring a lump in your throat when you hear these great Welsh voices. And of course the show wouldn’t be the show without our Welsh export Peter Green and his lovely lady Beth, this year joined by Bobby Fisher and his wife. Peter judged several breeds over the show. This is a show l often think about Alan Alford, why? Well because he used to bring a coach load of US visitors to this show and then go on up to Scotland touring. Sadly we lost Alan earlier this year, such a sad loss to us all.

Ok well back to the show itself and this being a three-day one with an entry of very nearly 8,000 dogs with Labradors topping the individual breed entry with 156 dogs. First day was taken up with hounds and toy dogs. As l have said this was my first time doing the hound group and because the Welsh Kennel Club is a representative show, every breed that has cc’s allocated by the Kennel

Club is scheduled. So l had a full group and a strong one it was too. My winner was the Irish Wolfhound Ch Moralach The Gambling Man, well known in his breed, and he was the overall winner of the contest of ch’s last year. Toys were judged by Annette Oliver, well known for her Dairylane Italian Greyhounds. Her choice was Papillon Tussalud Story Tales, a new one to group winning. The second is a very busy one with three of the biggest groups. I was in the centre again judging my favorite Terriers, l have to say it wasn’t the strongest group l have judged but even so l was able to find a worthy winner in the Airedale male and a Ch on the day Ch Christmas Cracker from Russtam and who is sired by the US imported Ch/Am Ch Longvue Jackpot of Saredon, bred by Todd and April Clyde. The French-bred Bearded Collie won the herding group, Ch/ French Ch Victory Wind’s Ghost Whisperer for Snowmead and was World winner in Milan this year. The working group was won by a Welsh resident in the Siberian Husky Ch Amical Chanah handled by her breeder Caroline Friend-Rees. It’s a long time since a Sibe was so highly placed in the UK. Final day dawned and what a shame it had to be wet!! Well we are well used to that in this country and so you just get on with it. Well it was gundog day and so they would be in their element. In the end it was a gundog from the glamorous end when it was the buff American Cocker over from France. Int/Fr/ Lux/Slo Ch Very Vigie I Don’t Know handled by Hugues Schuh for his French owner. Today he became the first UK show champion bred by Laurent Pichard in Switzerland, whose kennel has produced so many titleholders around the world. He will also represent France at the Eukanuba World Challenge. And so the final group and all the glamour of the non sporting group was judged by Sweden’s Dan Eriksson. His choice was the gorgeous black Standard Poodle bitch from Sweden but bred in the US Lotta Sandell’s Ch/Sw/Fin/Norw Ch. Da Maya Huffish Copyright Woman, her second such win in a week. Her first big win was at Crufts earlier in the year when Michael Coad gave her her first certificate, her second as l said a week earlier and then at this show under the world expert Carlos Fernandez Renau from Spain.

And so to the final and it was my pleasure to select the best of the best. For me nothing could come close to the beautiful Standard Poodle with the Siberian Husky in reserve. Perfect end to a perfect show.

Dog News 53

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here’s been some recent press releases from the American Kennel Club containing information that could have a major impact on the sport of purebred dog shows and the lives of those who breed, own and show dogs.

The first announcement on October 29 introduced the AKC’s strategic partnership with FidoTV, a new family entertainment network with the tagline “All Dogs, All Day.” The first network with programming dedicated entirely to dogs, FidoTV will broadcast the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship evening events live on December 12th and 13th, a vast improvement over last year’s television presence of the AENC, which was relegated to a taped segment on the “television for women” Lifetime network at a time (Saturday morning) when most fanciers are at other dog shows and most other folks aren’t camped out before a television. Fans of live streaming of the events will be able to tune in to AKC. org and live.eukanuba.com to view this year’s AENC, as they have been able to do in past years.

This arrangement with a new network has the potential to provide the AKC with a vehicle to gets its message about purebred dogs out to the general public in a way it never has before. In addition to the live coverage of one of its signature events, the press release stated “The AKC will provide additional programming, including live conformation shows, informational clips, PSAs and events from around the country, while also offering their expertise and input on feature programming.” Several years ago, I wrote about the opportunities that an “AKC TV” channel could provide but questioned whether such an endeavor would be cost effective. Monetary details of the partnership haven’t been revealed, but one must wonder if the AKC has some ownership stake in the network.

Whatever the financial arrangement is, the AKC can’t afford to sit back and let the general public’s perception of purebred dogs, breeders and dog shows continue to be hijacked by animal rights extremists’ propaganda and distortion, and its partnership with FidoTV may present the best alternative to an AKCdedicated channel.

The FidoTV network launched on October 14 and is available to all 14 million Dish Network customers on Channel 245, but isn’t yet available on cable networks, but that may soon change.

Suzanne Doss, Senior VP of Distribution for FidoTV, told me to be on the lookout for “more announcements in November

54 Dog News

Interesting Announcements From The AKC

f O f e th e lsa h

By Shaun Coen

about December launches!” so dog lovers should check with their TV providers. “We have agreements in signature phase with another 20 million subscribers, but Cablevision is not in discussion at this time. They have asked us to check back. We are asking people to touch base with distributors,” said Doss.

The TV audience for dog shows exists, as the ratings for the live evening segments of The Westminster Kennel Club dog show average around 3.5 million each February and The Kennel Club of Philadelphia’s taped segments billed as The National Dog Show aired each Thanksgiving for more than a decade have surpassed 20 million viewers, due in large part to its timeslot following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the fact that most Americans gather with family on the holiday in homes where a television provides background noise or gets full attention depending on the family dynamic. It would be wonderful if there were weekly or monthly dog shows available on major networks but oversaturation of the market most likely would not yield those same types of numbers. However, strategically placed programming of AKC events from conformation dog shows, agility, dock diving, obedience and rally to other original programming including scripted series and reality-type shows depicting breeders, puppy rearing, working dogs, police K9s, service dogs, therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, vapor wake, bomb, drug and cancer detection dogs, etc. on a dedicated network that is widely available can be a tremendous asset to changing the way the general public views purebred dogs and their owners and breeders.

It’s an avenue well worth exploring and kudos to the AKC and FidoTV for entering into a partnership that can truly elevate the status of

the canine in the world and counter all the negative attacks from animal rights groups. At the very least, it offers an opportunity to draw new fans, both young and old, with the click of a button and such an effort should be commended. Whether or not its efficacy pans out remains to be seen but the potential is surely there and hopefully a promotional pitch from both partners will let the general public know about the new network and where to find it.

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he second announcement from the AKC that can have a tremendous impact on the future of shows and canine legislation comes at an opportune moment. The Friday before Election Day, the AKC’s Government Relations Department released an updated version of a fact sheet titled “The Economic Benefits of AKC Dog Events.” This should be a must-read for all legislators on every level and clubs and individuals should see to it that they all receive a copy. Canine legislation issues have a far-reaching impact on the economic engine of municipalities and localities and they are often overlooked, misunderstood or muddied by animal rights extremists. Look no further than the AKC refusing to consider holding its National Championship event Long Beach, CA ever again due to that city’s passing of a mandatory spay/ neuter ordinance. As a result, the tens of millions that this event once brought into the area as recently as 2010 now flows into the Orlando, FL region from money spent on lodging, meals, transportation, facility rentals, fees, permits, rental equipment, tents, chairs, tables, security, EMT, veterinarians, local vendors, concessionaires, flowers, trophies, catering, advertising, parking, entertainment, grooming, pet products, fuel, laundry, publications and more. Bizjournals.com estimates that the 2014 AENC brought over $40 million into the Orlando area, which is certainly a welcome injection into the city’s coffers and its residents’ pockets right around the holidays, isn’t it?

The updated numbers estimate that a dog show with 2,500 exhibitors can inject more than $1.7 million into the local economy. A show half that size can yield over $850,000 and a show of just 500 exhibitors can bring in $343,000. Nationwide, AKC dog events have the potential to generate more than $1.5 billion a year in local spending. That’s right: dog shows are a billion dollar business. Legislators need to know about the kind of dough that dog owners spend and that dog owners vote. It’s time to put some of that money to use and reach the people who can help protect and promote the welfare of all dogs.

These two announcements indicate that the AKC is attempting to reach new ears and open more eyes and those concerned with the graying of the sport and its future should see the potential in these efforts. Licensing the AKC’s name and logo for products such as pooh-bags may bring in some revenue but these efforts, if properly orchestrated, can reach new people and result in a better understanding of the AKC’s mission and more champions of the dog, a goal in which all dog lovers should be united.

Dog News 55

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ell AKC now is in the business of Dish TV and I wish them good luck, which they will certainly need. The original official announcement

by AKC was followed up by a press release by FIDO TV, its “strategic partner” in this business venture for a 24-hour 365-day continual broadcast about dogs for dog lovers and dog owners. Whether or not this concept is an over saturation and what percentage of dog owners who have Dish TV will tune in to justify this kind of programming remains to be seen. I admit I am not the greatest watcher of TV however there are certain programs I enjoy but usually they are of a diversified nature rather than a single topic type presentation and we have Cable and not Dish so I am not too certain how this will affect me with which to begin. The founder of this Channel FIDO TV is Tad Walden of Colorado who has an apparent history of both being a dog owner and dog lover and is reputed as being a very successful and prominent individual in the development of By Matthew H. Stander tv channels and programming.

Which is necessary of course since AKC vertisers, which they tried to do last year has no one presently on its Staff or Board not too successfully, I may add. Perhaps with this kind of background and if the with Mr. Walden’s contacts and experifollow up reaction from Steve Gladstone ence things will be better this year and is any indication of the direction AKC is in future years as well insofar as sellheading towards hopefully AKC will turn ing time spots are concerned. Who will over ALL responsibilities to Mr. Walden watch these proceedings is an interesting and his immediate staff. If you have not question to ask. One of the main reasons seen Steve’s letter get a copy --it’s infor having televised dog shows is to alert tent is understood but his language was the general public as to the advantages shockingly sophomoric insofar as I was of owning a purebred dog. Of course concerned. We also learned through Philadelphia’s so-called National Dog another Board Member’s letter (Mr. DaShow held immediately after Macy’s anvies), which was printed in last week’s isnual Thanksgiving Parade on NBC does sue, that this idea has been in the works just that with its over 25 million viewers for years now and began possibly under year after year. Last year’s delayed TV the auspices of the “old” Menaker Board showing on Lifetime by AKC was a dismal rather than this new Menaker Board and failure both financially and viewer ways again one must hand it to Mr. Walden for so it will be fascinating how the FIDO his sticktuitveness through what must have TV works. Of course this is a first time been I would imagine some long, hard effort and not that many people know and frustrating negotiations. or presumably will know about this new outlet so we must all grant this as behe immediate effect of the announceing an experimental situation with hopes ment on those of us who show dogs of great development. But the question is that we have learned that yes the still lingers even with an eventual hoped AENC will be televised live by FIDO TV for success story with FIDOTV and AKC on its channel 245 I think it is for the night how many people other than dog owntime events. Presumably the production ers will be reached and how many and of the show will be in Mr. Walden’s hands how much encouragement will be given with input from its strategic partner the to the purebred dog!

AKC. It sounds as though live streaming will go on for the entire show but I am n another score altogether when not too certain if this is through Eukanuba I finished voting yesterday and as well as FIDO or one of the other of left the school in Laurel Hollow I them separately or together. AKC as I turned up Stewart Lane and lo and beunderstand the deal, due to its relationhold right in front of me was the former ship with FIDO, will not have to pay for home of the late Rod and Nancy Lindsay. airtime, which is a major expenditure.

I normally do not drive in that direction Who pays for production costs and what and so old memory lane kicked in and they may be I do not know but again as I I thought about the times I spent there understand it AKC can sell TV time to ad-

And

TV ENTREPRENEURS, THE AENC, MEMORIES...

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56 Dog News

e

when I was involved with Nancy and our respective bloodhounds.

And of course it occurred to me that the Bloodhound national had been held just last week and that Nathan won his 3rd straight national and what a great feat that was for the dog and his team. Of course when we were involved in the breed there were no Bloodhound National Specialty shows.

There was an annual Eastern National held at what was then one of the “la de la” shows-Greenwich, Monmouth, Ladies and the like- but eventually the Club changed its Constitution and nationals became the rage. The first National was judged by John Cook in Illinois--it was awarded to one of the Sinkinsons bloodhounds and was quite the big deal. Next year it was held in Northern California and Mrs. Clark was the adjudicator and our dog Columbo was awarded the breed. He had one of the most magnificent heads I ever saw on a bloodhound--to this very day.

But as Mrs. Clark used to say to me in that very imperious tone of hers, “You know Mr. Stander, they do not walk on their heads”! Well fortunately Columbo had plenty of other virtues as well and walked in a much more than merely acceptable fashion and was very sound for a bloodhound of his day. I do think the Bloodhounds today are generally sounder than say 30 or 40 years ago particularly in America but I don’t think one sees today the profusion of good heads and proper skin we used to have. There is the occasional variant but overall, and this is from observation only the occiput on the bloodhound needs to be redeveloped and refined to keep up with the general soundness of today’s dogs which in some instances can be so much better than the dogs of yesteryear. As for the UK some of the magnificent head pieces have been retained but soundness which was never a strength in the UK is even less strong than say about only 10 or 15 years ago. The Russian bloodhound from what I have seen are generally very good in both areas although without knowing the backgrounds of the dogs which I do not know could be difficult to introduce here--temperament which is nearly perfect here in the States can I am told be a problem in Russia, particularly among the male exhibits. In any event those are some thoughts about the breed which entered my mind after I left from doing my civil duties of voting!

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y d d u B

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America’s Number One PBGV*

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Dog News 61

Three Dogs With Cancer And the CHF Continued FROM page 26

C

arenna’s Poppy, or Poppy, Julia Kuni’s much beloved Labrador Retriever, came to Julia from Carol Quaif, and became the foundation bitch for Julia’s Lochbuie Labrador breeding program. Poppy came into Julia’s life after Julia asked her handler and friend, the late Tom Greer, to help her find a Labrador bitch, and Tom introduced Julia to fellow client and Labrador breeder Carol.

Poppy was the Labrador that Julia had been a waiting for: not only typey and beautiful, but possessing such a wonderful temperament. Poppy passed those lovely qualities on to her puppies, and raised pups that went on to success in the show ring but equally as important to Julia, became, like Poppy, beloved family companions.

Arguably one of Julia’s greatest thrills was when Poppy won the Brood Bitch class at the Greater Atlanta Labrador Retriever Club’s Specialty, the same show at which her daughter Greer went Best in Sweeps and son Brady went Winners Dog the following day at the club’s Supported Entry.

I rooted for all of Julia’s and Poppy’s successes not only because Julia is a dear friend, but also because Poppy is family: she is the litter sister of my much adored Sydney, and the mother of my chuckleheaded male Lab, Dooley.

Poppy died September 13, 2015, from acute myeloid leukemia.

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f you’ve had dogs for any time at all, you have likely lost a dog to some form of canine cancer. I have known plenty of other dogs that died from cancer; indeed, I’ve lost dogs of my own to cancer.

But something about the deaths of these three dogs, in a little more than three weeks, has left me shell-shocked. The feelings of sadness and despair and helplessness have enveloped me, and shrouded me in a kind of darkness that I can’t seem to shed.

Maybe it’s because I have an aging dog in my household, and I fear my time with her is short. Maybe it’s because I lost my dad earlier this year and any death restarts the whole grief clock for me. Or maybe it’s simply because I cannot accept that we have to sit back and watch our dogs suffer death to a disease that we have the power to beat.

Since 1995, the AKC Canine Health Foundation has funded almost $11 million in canine cancer research, representing 192 grants addressing prevention, treatment, or a cure for some form of canine cancer. Think about that: $11 million dollars, spread out over twenty years, has funded 192 grants focused on cancer research alone. Some of those were large 62 Dog News

sums; in 2013, CHF jointly funded nearly $1.5 million in canine cancer research in partnership with the Golden Retriever Foundation. In other cases, a relatively small amount of money has the potential for tremendous impact: CHF awarded Dr. Bruce Smith, director of the Auburn University Research Initiative in Cancer, a two-year grant totaling $118,848 to test a new therapy for treating bone cancer in dogs. The research could one day be broadened to include many other kinds of cancer—and possibly cancer in humans.

What if CHF experienced an increased level of funding, such that it could accelerate grant funding for cancer research? What if, instead of $11 million over 20 years, CHF had available $11 million over the next 10 years? Or the next 5? Imagine how much more could be accomplished with an additional $1 million, or $2 million, or $3 million a year?

I posed that question to AKC CHF Chief Executive Officer Susan Lilly, and to her credit, she didn’t respond, “Duh”, immediately before saying, “CURE CANCER”. She then expanded on the opportunities before us: “[A]ddressing comparative oncology, which means a comparison of and novel treatment approaches to

cancer that occurs in both dogs and humans. We spend so much time with our dogs, very closely living together, drinking the same water, sharing food, environmental exposures and activities, to name a few. We share emotional, physical and environmental bonds which need to be more fully understood. Human medicine can help inform canine medicine, and likewise, dog health can help inform human health. Big areas of need include novel, non-toxic anti-cancer therapeutics such as cancer vaccines or immunotherapies. Also, there is still a need to gather incidence data of cancer rates in the dog population at large, as well as in specific breeds, and to accurately and completely type those cancers by methods in pathology, molecular biology and genetics, and immunology, for example.”

Those are exciting ideas, offering tremendous promise, and that sort of hope and opportunity should inspire significant giving. Yet, AKC gave its spin-off non-profit approximately $500,000.00 last year; this year’s donation is to be determined. At the September 2015, Delegates meeting, AKC Chief Financial Officer Joe Baffuto reported that AKC’s total unrestricted net assets are valued at $117.6 million, which is a $5.4 million increase over last year. This figure includes both an “operating reserve” of $29.2 million (roughly 50% of the organization’s annual operating budget), and a “Board-designated reserve for long term purposes” of $88.4 million. What greater “long term purpose” could the AKC Board embrace than helping to find a way to ensure our dogs live longer, healthier lives? In addition to funding a veterinarian to give out talking points about the good works of the AKC, why doesn’t the AKC also provide significant funding of good work done by veterinary researchers? When AKC is fighting to make itself relevant and relatable to the dog-loving public, why doesn’t it simply join CHF in the fight against canine cancer?

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n her book, Learning to Walk in the Dark, Barbara Brown Taylor wrote, “I have learned things in the dark that I could never have learned in the light, things that have saved my life over and over again, so that there is really only one logical conclusion. I need the darkness as much as I need the light.”

While I have pushed back against acknowledging that, I know it has been true in my own life. But in the case of the darkness brought on by the suffering and death of the dogs that we love, it’s an especially hard truth to bear. The only way to make it bearable is to use what we learn when we find ourselves in the darkness to propel us into the light, toward the promise of making a difference in the lives of all dogs, by committing to finally preventing, treating, and curing cancer.

As Vern would say, “All we need is love.”

And $5.4 million wouldn’t hurt.

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Sincere thanks to Judge Ms. Marjorie Underwood for this honor

The Group Winning & Multiple Group Placing

GCh. Foxfield White Diamonds of Marlyn Tiffany is owned & loved by Marilyn Title and Carolyn MacKenzie

Presented by Greg Strong, AKC reg’d (410) 822-2187 Associates Sara & Ariel Cukier

Dog News 63

Best of Breed winner GCh. Kimani’s Visual Effects, presented by Lesley Anne Potts. Photo by Elaine Demopoulos.

N

o matter what the long-range forecast for the future of the dog fancy, national specialties remain a welcome respite from the gloom and doom. They are still places where the core of the sport, the breeder, can be celebrated, where the brain trust of the breed gathers. Arguably, at nationals we play the dog game with an emphasis on dog; while politics are unavoidable any time more than three fanciers are gathered, at a national specialty there is a softer focus on winning it all. Here, we reaffirm why we do this in the first place: for the love of the breed that has captured our hearts.

When Sally Fineburg and I agreed to chair the 2015 Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the United States National Specialty, held the week of September 20 in Warwick, Rhode Island, we assembled an executive committee of Ridgebackers with different experience levels and affiliations: club president Mary Lynne Elliott of Vedauwoo Ridgebacks, who has deep experience running and advising on Ridgeback nationals; board member and webmaster Patricia Hoffmann; lure-coursing and breeder-judge John Arvin of Mystic Isle Ridgebacks; event coordinator extraordinaire Zoelynne Ashton of Canada; photographer and publisher Theresa Lyons; 2016 show chair Karen Peterson, and marketing maven 64 Dog News

Katherine Schwartz. While we did not always agree – if I had a dollar for every time Theresa announced, “I strenuously object!” I would have paid my bar tab all week – amassing a wide-ranging think tank let us understand how decisions might be interpreted differently, depending on one’s vantage point in the breed.

Our first challenge was finding a full-service hotel with a venue large enough to accommodate a Ridgeback-sized ring. We searched the New York metropolitan area fruitlessly for months. Then, remembering that my neighbor Barbara Miller had raved about the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, Rhode Island, when her Norfolk (and at the time, I think, Norwich, too) club held their national there, we dipped our toes in this southernmost outpost in New England, just a short hop from famous, mansion-strewn Newport.

The Crowne Plaza has hosted dozens of national specialties, including one of the largest of them all, Golden Retrievers, and every club we contacted had nothing but raves.

The hotel offers that hard-to-achieve trifecta: large, modern, inviting rooms whose furniture was artfully draped with thick linens in anticipation of doggie guests; delicious food that eclipsed the expected rubber-chicken dinner with regional offerings like lobster rolls and innovative riffs on standards (shrimp-and-pesto pizza, anyone?); and, finally, a staff that was unfailingly friendly and accommodating, from the front desk right down to the room maids.

Those who know this site should be aware that recent development of the property has curtailed the grassy field once liberally used for tenting and vending; on the plus side, the remaining footage has been graded and is flat and well sodded. Navigating the requirements of an exacting fire marshal, we were able to fit a 10,000-square foot tent that overlapped a ring about as ample, as well as a generous crating tent, and vendor setups of various sizes. And the rest of the property offered plenty of terrain for dog walking and pottying.

Sunday’s mild weather set the tone for the rest of the week – Cinderella forecasts were on order, texted to showgoers each evening by communications chair George Demary. I’d venture to say that positive memories of any show are significantly bolstered by good weather (along with, of course, good wins): Hard to complain when you are sitting ringside in the soft sunshine, bolstered by a soft breeze and a stiff Bloody Mary. (If horseradish was not your thing, the hotel also sold ringside mimosas.)

Rhodesian Ridgebacks Celebrate Their National In Gilded Age Rhode Island

By Denise Flaim

Trophies for all performance and conformation events were hand-sculpted by Amy Romaniec of High Horse Farms in Pennsylvania. We learned about Amy from last year’s Dog News story on the Whippet specialty, where she was to have been a vendor. But, as she unpacked her gorgeous vases, mugs and plates in the parking lot, a throng of fanciers bought them all right off the asphalt, leaving her nothing to sell at her booth. If ever we needed an endorsement, that was it. Assisted by Pat Hoffmann, Clayton Heathcock of Camelot Ridgebacks drummed up donations from the previous year’s winners to cover trophy costs. And after some trial and error, Amy’s Ridgeback trophies began to emerge from the kiln – captivating, ethereal and highly coveted. They were beautifully organized and arranged at the national by Mary Teeling, while Aubrey Beretta did the same for the lush rosettes and ribbons, which were selected by Pat and Kathleen McCormack. Also coveted by exhibitors were the win and placement signs, designed and assembled by catalog chair Theresa Lyons, which were a miniature of the show logo encased in an elegant gold frame.

Though all the daytime conformation events were held outdoors, we made good use of the hotel’s two ballrooms: An Obedience C match in the more intimate Plaza Ballroom on Sunday, organized by Celia O’Brien, gave competitors a chance to warm up their dogs for official competition later in the week, which was chaired by Pat Brunstetter and Nicole Allen.

Back at the show site, breeder-judge John Arvin was the first to break in the outdoor ring with the 4-6 puppy competition.

The rest of the day was devoted to Ridgeback University, an all-day education opportunity underwritten by Mary Holand of Camp Canine and Firedance Ridgebacks in Santa Barbara; and New Zealand fanciers Glenn Magnificent tents were visible from the highway. Photo

by Patricia Hoffmann.

Schaeffer and Chandler Parker of Mahana Ridgebacks, on behalf of Marie Cotton of Spring Valley Ridgebacks. Thanks to their generosity, more than 150 Ridgebackers enjoyed a complimentary lunch buffet and a program that included a senior breeder panel with Ulla-Britt Ekengren (Shadyridge), Best of Opposite Sex GCh. Lyonnese MasJay Hyman (Rollings), ter’s Blend By Kimani, owner-handled by Diane Jacobsen (Cali- Frank DePaulo. Photo by Theresa M. Lyons. co Ridge) and Barbara Rupert (Oakhurst); neonatal specialist Myra Savant Harris, who focused on fading puppies and managing herpes infection in the pregnant bitch; Education Chair Barbara Rupert on Ridgeback structure (including a cameo by a “skeletal” Ridgeback painted by artist Leisa Temple); Jane Killion, author of “When Pigs Fly: Training Success with Impossible Dogs” and director of “Puppy Culture,” on the importance of breeder socialization of puppies; Project Dog founder Alison Ruhe, who reported on the latest in the search for a causative mutation in Early Onset Adult Deafness in the breed; and Bill Sahloff, whose well-received handling seminar ended the day.

On Monday evening, the focus turned to Veteran Sweepstakes, judged by Mike Patterson of Tigris Ridgebacks in Norco, California. Inspired by how much the oldsters like to strut their stuff, veteran sweepstakes was peacock themed, from the two metal Continued on page 66

Dog News 65

Rhodesian Ridgebacks Celebrate Their National In Gilded Age Rhode Island Continued FROM page 65

birds that flanked the ring gates to the feather-spiked boutonnières sported by the judge and our hard-working stewards, William Sahloff (who judged last year’s national in Utah) and RRCUS corresponding secretary and incoming president Ross Jones.

Best in Junior Sweeps was Lyonnese Jewel of the Congo, bred and owned by Maureen Tauber, co-bred by Alicia Hanna, and handled by Debbie Holly. Best of Opposite in this final sweeps competition was her littermate, Lyonnese Ignite the Light, owned by George and Susan Ohanesian with Maureen Tauber, and handled

by George.

That was a harbinger of what was to come for the Ohanesians, whose other house dog, Keniba’s Beta Play, bred by Edith Mrak and handled by Theresa M. Lyons, went Winners Dog the next day, as breed judging got underway with Mrs. Patricia Trotter. Mrs. Trotter is one of a handful of judges who have adjudicated more than once at a Ridgeback national. Only one person – Anne Rogers Clark – had the distinction of judging it three times.

Many of those people are no longer with us, and in an effort to recognize the altogether too many RRCUS club members lost to us in just the last year, Wednesday opened with a brief memorial service. After the first stanzas of “Amazing Grace,” a dozen white birds were released from the center of the ring. They floated upward and flew in ever-widening circles for a few minutes, until they returned safely to their handler’s coop, dozens of miles away across the Massachusetts border.

Mrs. Trotter then commenced with veteran dogs, followed by class dogs, and ended with those progeny classes so keenly watched by breeders. Taking the Stud Dog class was GCh. Lyonnese Master’s Blend by Kimani, bred and owned

by Maureen Tauber, co-bred by Alicia Hanna, and handled by Frank DePaulo, who co-owns him with Theresa M. Lyons.

The winning Brood Bitch was GCh. Adili’s Made to Perfection, owned, bred and handled by Tammy Lynch, co-bred by Nadine Vaccarino and Karen LaFleur and Kiki Courtelis, and co-owned by Kiki and Joyce Wilkinson.

That evening was the annual meeting, once a predictably raucous affair, but considerably mellower in recent years. Before the meeting commenced, we had the Parade of Rescues, chaired by Gail James and Joanne Sora. Ridgebacks plucked from dire straits and fates were shown off by their proud owners to much applause, as Doreen Kent of Relion Ridgebacks read their inspiring stories.

66 Dog News

The following day, Thursday, was for the bitches. As on the previous day, we heard nothing but compliments on Mrs. Trotter’s ring procedure, and her kind and patient way with novice dogs and handlers alike. The preponderance of owner-handlers in the ribbons also buoyed spirits.

Right before Winners Bitch judging, we indulged in another bit of shrewd scheduling. Like the Parade of Rescue and Parade of Triathletes, junior handling at our national often gets lost in the shuffle, as exhibitors run off to tend to their dogs or themselves. But this captive audience rose to nothing except the occasion when Novice handler Charles Garbett competed against his Open contender Katelyn Meyers. The week’s most rousing cheers were reserved for both deserving youngsters, and in the end Charles circled the ring, his Best Junior Handler rosette streaming, and the crowd on its feet.

After that invigorating competition, on we went to Winners Bitch. Capturing that honor was Koda’s Gladiator in a Suit at Firedance, owned by Mary Holand, bred and co-owned by Alice Caplinger and Neil McDevitt, and shown by Jane Hobson. The following day, she went on to take Best of Winners. Reserve Winners Bitch out of the Bred By class was Minerva of Parnassus, breeder-owner-handled by Robert Russell.

The highlight of Thursday – and arguably, all the week’s evening events – was the Top 25 dinner and competition. Through the incredible generosity of Brazilian fancier Ana Paola Diniz of Malabo APD, we presented a complimentary buffet dinner and champagne toast to all RRCUS members.

From there, we headed to the intimate Garden Pavilion, where our master of ceremonies, Westminster’s own David Frei, was in his typical fine form. Polished, professional and always good humored, he introduced the evening’s surprise judges: handler-judge Dennis MacMullen, all-breed judge Carol Reisman and breeder-judge Karen Lafleur.

While the judges’ scores and the People’s Choice ballots were tallied, David emceed the Best Dressed content. Amid the flurry of tuxedoes and ballgowns, two fashionplates with retro touches rose to the top: Doreen Kent in a slinky black dress and white fascinator, and handler Zack Helmer in a white tuxedo jacket and black-and-white patent spectator shoes. Then David deftly worked the room to auction off our original logo painting, which in the end went to a very fitting home – with fellow show chair Sally Fineburg.

The Top 25 winner was GCh. Applegarth’s The Name’s Bond, CGC, bred by Mary Lynn Elliston, owned by KatherineAnne Schwartz and Piergiorgio Maselli, and handled by the nattily dressed Zack. The

People’s Choice winner was MBIS GCh. Celtic Lore’s Moonlight and Magic, CGC, bred and owned by Dawn Garbett, and shown by Frank Murphy.

Finally, Friday arrived, and with it Best of Breed, after concert violinist Stefan Tieszen played a moving, classically scored national anthem.

Since being selected for further consideration in this venue was itself an accomplishment, “I Made the Cut” pins were handed out to all who advanced in competition. In the end, the week’s highest honor went to the bitch Ch. Kimani’s Visual Effects, bred and owned by Alicia Hanna, co-owned with her by Elaine Demopolous and Joyce Wilkinson, and handled by Lesley Anne Potts. The almost-2-year-old bitch represented a bloodline that influenced many of the week’s winners, irrespective of kennel name. Best of Opposite to her was the Stud Dog winner, GCh. Lyonnese Master’s Blend by Kimani.

Back to breed judging: Select Dog was one of the few California dogs who wended his way east for this show, GCh. Diablo’s Back Alley Brawler, bred and owned by Nancy Faville, co-owned by Kevin and Shelley McNary, and handled by Lizzie Jordan Nelson. Select Bitch was the Top 25 People’s Choice winner, MBIS GCh. Celtic Lore’s Moonlight and Magic.

As it does at most Ridgeback specialties, the last night culminated in an awards banquet, where the Top 10 dogs in various venues – conformation, lure coursing, agility, ownerhandler and top bitches – received rosettes and certificates. Also acknowledged at the dinner were the 2014 Breeder of the Year (Kerry Williams), and top stud dog (GCh. Rokishoals Lenny Man on the Side) and brood bitch (GCh. Excaliber’s Vision in the Night, SC).

The Newport Tent Company crew arrived, and we watched owner Bill Corcoran take off his shoes and socks, and scramble up the sheer sides of the tent, carefully removing the five-foot-long RRCUS pennants from each turreted top. Then the tent came down, billows of whiteness, and, almost as soon as it had begun, it was over.

The 2016 RRCUS National Specialty will be held October 9 to 15 at Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron, Ohio.

Desmond

New AKC Silver Grand Champion Group Winner Multiple Group Placements Group Winner Owner/Handler Multiple Best of Breeds

,

2014 Eukanuba Best of Breed - Rhodesian Ridgebacks Top 20 Ridgeback in the Country *

GCh. Juba Lee Desmond King of Diamonds, SC CGC Chic #: 99209 • Excellent Hip; Elbows Normal; DM Clear Owners: Eric King and Ava Swayze. Presented by: Daniel Martin Bred by: Kerry Williams and Christine St. George Phone: 336-509-2792 • All Inquiries: info@KoenigplatzKennel.com *CC Breed & All Breed

Dog News 67

The NOHS The Good, The Bad, and The Very Ugly

Continued FROM page 30

3. The Point schedule

Why does the system award the same points to a dog winning a one or two dog group vs. the dog that wins in a NOH group with perhaps 15 or more breeds represented in it? No other “point system” in the dog show world works like that. Why is this one set up so unfairly? Dogs that win with big OH entries should be rewarded more than the dogs that win at shows with small OH entries – at the group and BIS level.

4. Timing of groups

Generally, the NOHS groups are timed to begin minutes before the regular group. This can be physically and emotionally exhausting for both the handler and the dog. Today, if an OH dog wins the breed and thus wins Best Owner Handled Dog, that dog (and the owner handling it), has to show in the breed, the OH Group, the regular Group and perhaps (if they were really lucky) TWO Best In Show competitions. Pshew.

That’s really a tall order for both the dog his owner.

Solutions: My “solutions” represent my opinion and those of many experienced owner-handlers to whom I have spoken. Not everyone will agree with me, but the wheel is broken and I want to try to help fix it, even if the AKC doesn’t know the tire is going flat fast.

1. This is the most incendiary suggestion of all. I think that a breed winner should NOT be eligible for the NOHS win. The NOHS breed winner should be the next in eligibility after the Breed winner is awarded the BOB ribbon. In that way, the non-breed winner who is next eligible for the OH award receives the opportunity to show in the NOHS group with no time or judge conflicts. It truly helps to ‘spread the joy’ of winning around. In today’s show rings, it is fabulous enough for an Owner-Handler to be awarded BOB. There is no further necessity to be awarded Best OH, too. Speaking of eligibility, Judges approved to judge one or more groups should NOT be eligible to compete in the NOHS. Last year a prominent judge and former professional handler competed with her lovely dog and when she won the OH group and then went on to win Best OH in Show, I do think even she was embarrassed. I was embarrassed for her. It just didn’t seem appropriate, though 100% legal under the rules. I have not seen her again in an OH Group, by the way. Let’s leave this competition for whom it was originally intended – the true weekend warriors, 68 Dog News

not retired professional handlers and not judges.

2. Only judges eligible to judge the regu-

lar group should be judging a NOHS group and definitely NOT on the same day. Only offer the event when sufficient licensed judges on the panel are available. Apparently, there are no enforced regulations for a club to follow when selecting a judging panel for the NOH group or NOHS BIS. Consequently, as mentioned previously, I have seen many panels where ONE person judges all the groups AND Best OH in show! I have seen premium lists with no judges listed (“to be announced”) only to get to the show to find a club member with little or no experience in judging but with little else to do that day, appointed to the task. I have seen non- licensed judges appointed who are friends of a friend of a friend and can’t even identify the dogs in the ring. Hard to survive having my multigroup-winning Havanese referred to as a “nice Shih Tzu” and being awarded 4th out of 4 because that judge was looking for a level topline and a topknot.

3. The current point schedule for OH wins must be changed to reflect the number of OH dogs defeated at the Breed, Group and BIS level. The present system makes no sense and encourages award seekers to run from tiny show to tiny show seeking points when there may be only one or two dogs in the NOH Group. What about that seems fair when some NOH groups have 15 or more breeds represented and others have less than a handful?

4. Finally, returning to my first suggestion:

At the breed level, choose the OH Best of Breed winner from the dogs remaining in the ring AFTER the regular Best of Breed winner has been selected. This solves a myriad of the aforementioned problems including: the timing of the group as there would not be a time or judge conflict, no stress no worry. It solves the exhaustion issue for the owner-handler and the dog. It solves the problem of going into the OH Group and being awarded a first place ribbon only to be left out of the regular group, BY THE SAME judge. Thus, the ‘separate but equal’ horror is avoided.

In addition, the NOHS should not be held at non-holiday weekday (Monday to Friday) shows in recognition that many OH dogs have owners who actually have real jobs! Imagine that. This would also discourage the present practice of people traveling around the country seeking out NOHS wins at weekday shows not as often frequented by owner handled dogs.

Finally, the AKC needs to continue to educate all judges (AKC licensed judges

as well as foreign judges at our shows) on how you select the OH winner during breed judging. This event is four years old and some breed judges act like they have never read the rules. Gratefully, many of the AKC Field Reps bring laminated charts to the rings for judges and exhibitors alike to review. However that doesn’t stop errors from happening too frequently. All too often, the issue of who wins the NOHS ribbon in the breed falls to the Ring Steward who tells the judge which dog is “next in line” to win.

Too many judges think the award goes to the dog standing closest to the Best of Breed winner. They fail to realize, for example, that the Best of Opposite winner has to compete against the Select dog of the opposite sex! When I have pointed out to the judge the necessity of a competition to make that decision, it never sits well with a judge. What judge wants their ring procedure questioned?

I do not speak for all participants in the NOHS. However, I have noticed that more and more of the top level exhibitors have realized these issues, particularly the concern about risking being ‘pre-judged’ in the NOHS group before entering the regular Group. Recently, I have seen many eligible participants sitting on the sidelines with me looking forlorn that maybe, with a little bit of foresight and continuing evaluation and feedback, this competition could be administered appropriately.

So, “who cares about the NOHS competition?” I do. It is important that this event remain, but it must be radically improved. Nearly every day, I receive an email from AKC asking me to “ENTER THE NOHS.” If it were so good, I wouldn’t have to be reminded.

Addendum: The discussion of the problems with the *asterisk* designation in the judges’ books for NOHS, as addressed by Johnny Shoemaker in Dog News of 10/30/15, is "Right On!" It is disgraceful that the Board would have approved this idea; again, with no discussion with those of us who are involved. I absolutely object to the practice of identifying owner handlers for the judge to see during the regular judging process. This only makes it more likely that the NOHS BOB selection will become a way for some judges to give a "consolation prize" to the Owner-Handled Dog, and BOB to the professionally handled dog. Perish the thought if the day comes when I am made to wear an asterisk on an armband to designate I am an ownerhandler. Stars on armbands don't sit well with me.

f

Gonzo

“

”

FIRST TIME SHOWN AS A SPECIAL with Teresa Thank you Judge Mr. Clay Coady for this win

Ch. Mariah’s Dauntless von Koepsel Owners Katherine Sullivan Michelle Dyson Tina Marshall

Breeders Tina Marshall Luci Stubbs Jeff Crouse L.arry Witt

Handled By Teresa Nail Ray Lively 817-454-7417 Dog News 69

70 Dog News

Dog News 71

Continued on page 74

*

*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed

Dog News 73

Continued FROM page 72

74 Dog News

A Square Dog In A Round Ring GCh. Black Bart’s Billy The Kid, BN, CGC, WAC

“

Sire: CH Ravenswoods Azure Sky, RA

Dam: Baystar’s All In The Family

Group Fourth Rogan and Sara

Thank you Judge Mr. Robert Slay

Bred

by

Sandra Boyas

Owned

by

Dana Pasquale

Handled

by

Sara Lopez

T

ickets for the WESTMINSTER THEATRE BENEFIT, Friday evening, February 12th, are selling and now is the time to make your reservations.

SCHOOL OF ROCK is the musical selection followed by dinner at the 21 CLUB. For information and reservations see page 45 for details. DAVE FREI, the voice of the Westminster Kennel Club for the last 26 years, will announce the upcoming show for the 27th and last time this February. In addition to announcing duties he was director of communications for Westminster for the last twelve years. DAVE has left to pursue other interests, one being announcing THE KENNEL CLUB OF PHILADELPHIA’s dog show that is televised Thanksgiving Day following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. He will also stay involved with his ANGEL ON A LEASH charity, which is hosting an evening at the Theatre to see a production of SYLVIA, starring MATTHEW BRODERICK & ANNALEIGH ASHFORD, on Tuesday, November 17th (for information and reservations contact DAVE at david@ angelsonaleash.org or telephone 646.259.3811). DAVE has proved to be one of the best, if not the best, promoter of pure bred dogs in the public eye.

All of us at DOG NEWS send him our very best wishes for the future, but two questions remain: Will DAVE still use the cabbage soup diet and who will pay for lunch from now on? Another departure, DR. DAVID HAWORTH has resigned from the MORRIS ANIMAL FOUNDATION. While the search for a new president & CEO is being conducted, board trustee WALT GEORGE will lead

76 Dog News

the organization. XYLITOL, a sugar substitute now used in chewing gum, mints, gummy vitamins, toothpaste, peanut butter and some sleep aids, is extremely poisonous to dogs. It is said to be 100 times as toxic as milk chocolate. Calls to the Pet Poison Hotline have climbed from 300 in 2009 to 2,800 for suspected xylitol poisoning. Lots of folks celebrating Birthdays… PETER GREEN, DEBBIE SCOTT, JERRY KLEIN, LINDA CLARK, JOHN MCCARTHY, PAM SAGE, SALLY SASSER, MELISSA PILLOW, DOROTHY INGAMELS, CHRIS WORNALL, BETTY ANNE STENMARK, BOBBI DAVIS, RON JARAMILLO, MELISSA TURNER, LORAINE BOUTWELL, KARIN ASHE, CAROL TOBIN MURRAY, LINDA WILSON, the SCARPO SISTERS, JIM HALL, MADISON WEEKS, DON MARTIN, CHRIS MANELOPOULOS, DAVID ALEXANDER. JENNIFER FARIAS, REBECCA HEIMANN, LINDA NOLL, LAURIE CAMPBELL, ELLEN FETTER, DANIEL MEHLING, MIGUEL BETANCOURT, KATHY BILLICICH GARCIA, PAM OXENBERG, ESTEBN FARIAS, ADRIANO ROCHA, ERNESTO LARA, JULIE JONES, HAL BIERMANN, PAULA MURRAY, THERESA LYONS, ABBE SHAW, JASON HOKE, ALISA ANDRAS, MISSY GALLOWAY, JOAN ZIELINSKY, LINDA CLARK, BOB EKLE and HELENE WEISS.

the Gossip column

By Eugene Z. Zaphiris

Dillinger

Best In Specialty - Reserve Best In Show - Multiple Group Winner

#2 Longhaired Dachshund* RESERVE BE S Judge Mrs. Jo

T IN SHOW

an Luna Lie

bes

GROUP FIRST

ombs

J. Co Judge Mr. Whitney

Specialty Best

Judge Mr. Willia

of Variety

m Sahloff

} Thank you Judges for a very exciting day at the Dog Show! }

GCh. Dachshire You Got Me Nantucket, SL Breeder: Cheryl Snedaker-Sims AKC Breeder of Merit Dachshire Dachshunds

Owner: Rhoda Weinman Nantucket Island, MA *The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed

Presented by: Angela L. Lloyd AKC Registered Handler Assisted by: Erin Nesbitt AKC Registered Apprentice Dog News 77

CLiCK Ph otos b y Le s l ie S imis

78 Dog News

San Gabriel & Antelope Valley KC’s

Dog News 79

2015 Montgomery

County Kennel Club Continued FROM page 48

2013, Victor witnessed his Wire "Skye" win her 102 BIS. It was also a memorable weekend for me since I had the pleasure of awarding "Skye" her 100th Best at Hatboro. But even more exciting for me was giving her the first breed from the classes over several top-winning specials.

Victor Malzoni has bought and backed many great Wires. Several Crufts group winners, the all time top winning dog ever in Britain, etc. This year he went BIS again for the third time in the last four years.

With all the hundreds and hundreds of BIS that Victor has won in the US, Brazil, Argentina, England and all over Europe he may have won more Bests than anyone ever in the world. We have to remember his Skye Terrier Charlie went Best at Eukanuba last year and Reserve at Westminster. He also went Best at Eukanuba with Skye the WFT in 2012.

I suspect as a breeder going BIS at Montgomery this year with a Wire he bred has to be the biggest thrill of his career in the sport. Not only was everyone so pleased for Victor, but also his handler, Leonardo Garcini. I first met the "Boss," my nickname for Leonardo, many years ago in Mexico. Several handlers had shown Terriers to me that were in perfect condition.

When I asked the different handlers if they had trimmed these dogs they all replied no.

They said a young man named Leonardo had trimmed all of the dogs. Needless to say, I very quickly had to meet this young man and had great admiration for him immediately. Shortly thereafter he came to work with his fellow Mexican, Ernesto Lara.

Just a couple of years ago he went out on his own with now wife, Jody Paquette. Just two years ago this week I had the pleasure of attending their wedding and was so touched to witness the union of two young people I have admired for so long. The thing that is remarkable about Leonardo is that he can keep a large string of Terriers in perfect condition. Many handlers keep a few dogs in perfect shape, but he keeps

80 Dog News

a large string perfect. I believe he is as good a Terrier man as I have ever seen. Yes, I was pleased to see this wonderful Wire win, but it was a very emotional high to witness this victory for Victor, Leonardo and Jody.

Second place went to the lovely Airedale bitch handled by Adam Bernardin. In 2012, Adam had gone Group 3 with another bitch for the same breeder/owner, Valeria and John Richard. That year several days earlier their Joval kennel at Hatboro won WD, RWD, WB, RWB, BOB and BOS, Select bitch and a AOM under me. This kennel is always so well represented over the weekend.

This year the Skye, "Charlie" also owned

by Victor and Nancy Shaw was group third.

"Charlie" is bred by Matt Stander and Gene Zaphiris of Cragsmoor fame. It was 29 years ago that Cragsmoor captured BOB at Montgomery with a homebred bitch and now records continue to be broken. I believe "Charlie" has over 75 Bests.

Fourth went to the sensational Mini Schnauzer handled by another talented handler from Mexico, Christian Rangel. I have to admit it was not until the very last second on Thursday when I judged the group that I could decide on fourth between the Border and the Mini Schnauzer.

Larry Cornelius, who pilots Charlie, was the only American born handler to place in the group this year. But Larry could not do what he does without his Brazilian partner/ handler Marcelo.

The last four years Montgomery has been won three times by handlers from Mexico Leonardo, Gabe, twice and then last year Peter Green from Wales won.

Each year Montgomery attracts a huge amount of foreign visitors. This year because of being on the same weekend as M & E, there were many, many more foreign guests.

Congratulations have to go out to all the big winners. Most importantly Terrier breeders throughout the entire world have to be congratulated and thanked for their efforts to produce such depth of quality we see in Terriers.

S

Quality NorthEast

cotch

Our appreciation to Judges Dr. Robert Indeglia (pictured), Paula Hartinger, Lisa Warren, and Anne Roth for acknowledging Scotch’s Breed Qualities in recent Groups.

Multiple Group Placing

GCh. Somerri Scotch Make It A Double SIRE: CH Somerri Samoa Super Snoop

Owned & Bred by Jamieson Lewis Laura Lewis

DAM: GCH. Somerri Jamieson’s Sea Whiskey

SOMERRI KENNELS 53 YEARS with 14 Generations of Norwegian Elkhounds Bea Hall & Ed Hall & Laura Lewis & Alicia Lewis & Holly Lewis www.somerrikennels.com

Handled by Laura Lewis Merrimack, NH Dog News 81

82 Dog News

Dog News 83

Letters to the Editor “MY BITCH WANTS HER FIDOTV” CAMPAIGN The AKC announced a strategic partnership with FIDOTV - a new cable TV channel. http://www.fidotvchannel. com See the press release here: http://www.akc.org/presscenter/press-releases/fido-tv/ FIDOTV is a powerful way to reach the most important audience for the future of our sport’s world - the dog owning and loving general public.

If FIDOTV takes off we have an opportunity to deliver our pro-breeder, propurebred dog, pro responsible dog ownership and training message to millions of viewers.

We need to turn around the “Adopt don’t shop” mentality that has infected our society.

It has become fashionable to “adopt” a shelter dog and shameful to be a breeder. We must turn that message around and proclaim the great virtues of American Kennel Club registered purebred dogs. We have the opportunity to do just that with FIDOTV. But success in that playing field requires one thing distribution. The more cable or satellite or DSL companies that offer FIDOTV as part of their standard, non-premium package, the larger the audience and the greater influence on the culture.

Controlling the message is critical and AKC and FIDOTV’s strategic partnership will feature AKC messaging, PSA’s, and philosophy. The CEO of FIDOTV is an AKC breeder and exhibitor. He gets it.

Help preserve the future of our sport. Visit your cable company website or call and tell them “MY BITCH WANTS HER FIDOTV”.

Lets make this message viral. Please feel free to share everywhere including Facebook.

Steve Gladstone AKC Board of Directors 84 Dog News

RE: AKC STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH FIDO TV I do hope that whoever thought of this idea is pleased with it and for their sakes that it is a success but it makes me, as an old-timer, absolutely ill and very grateful that I cannot get FIDO TV on my set.

Wonder who is feeding, grooming, training, whelping, picking up poop and LOVING their dog(s) while they are watching FIDO? My four take plenty of time and we enjoy every minute - they do have a radio in the kennel but alas, it is turned on only for the news while I am washing, mopping, sweeping and telling them how wonderful they are. We play in the paddock and at 87 it keeps me well. I go to shows with my handler and whichever dog is being shown and am RIGHT THERE, not stuck in front of TV. Go enjoy your TV. I feel sorry for you, sort of.

Blackie H. Nygood Georgetown, DE EXCLUSIVE CRUFTS STEWARD OPPORTUNITIES ONLY FOR YKC MEMBERS An exciting opportunity has arisen for Young Kennel Club (YKC) members, as a limited number of Crufts 2016 steward positions have been made available exclusively for members aged 16 and over.

The opportunity offers a unique, real world experience for young dog lovers to steward breed rings at the world’s greatest dog show, Crufts at the NEC Birmingham from 10th – 13th March 2016.

The Crufts steward positions will assist aspiring young judges who require stewarding experience for judging qualifications, and members taking advantage of the positions will be able to showcase their skills and professionalism, helping them to build their knowledge and become more involved in dog showing.

The roles are open to members interested in stewarding for either one day or up to all four. Successful applicants will be able to claim travel/accommodation expenses of up to £20 a day, or £100 for all four days, and will receive a car park pass and lunch for each day of stewarding[1].

To apply, email your name, age, any stewarding or showing experience you may have, and the day(s) you are available to steward to Andrea Peters: andrea.peters@thekennelclub. org.uk.

Laura Quickfall London, UK

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

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

PRIMM AND PROPER? Absolutely, when you’re in Primm in the middle of the Nevada desert!

The recent Black Rock KC of Nevada shows are an oasis in that desert.

Two well-scripted, beautiful shows in a site that many of us would love to have in our own territories.

Held at the Primm Valley Hotel and Casino and each drawing over 930 entries, these shows are a credit to show chairman Keith Pautz and his very able committees. The efforts of the officers and members were clearly evident – the show is held in the hotel’s ballroom on plush carpet!

Each ring had an area taped off for a judge’s examination. Big rings, lots of light and crate space adjacent to rings right before you were ready to be judged.

Grooming held in a big tent just outside the ballroom and good parking was evidently the draw for those 900+ entries. It could also be the fact that each day all attending got a free lunch, courtesy of the BRKC! Smart negotiations by Pautz, who bought everyone lunch and arranged for the hotel to give the ballroom for the show. So often, this is the case when buying lunch for a crowd allows for use of meeting rooms or ballrooms for no additional costs. Again, good negotiating skills needed for those putting on events like this and others.

Always good to see old friends like the Bradshaws, Jane Myers, Norman Patton and Gary Doerge; and, Carol Grossman was there with her Purina booth extolling the virtues of living in an oasis!! It really agrees with her!!

So was it PRIMM and proper?

Definitely, if you live in the Vegas area and can get to their events, don’t miss them. The slots were favorable during my trip and the exhibitors looked liked they hit the jackpot in more ways than one – nice site, good entries and points, good judges, good food and a great place to show your dogs, meet up with old friends and visit an oasis in a desert!

Patricia M. Cruz Coram, NY

Save The Date!

Saturday & Sunday January 9 & 10, 2016 Clemson Kennel Club • T. Ed Garrison Arena • Pendleton, South Carolina Ring in Your New Year with True Southern Hospitality!

• Free hot chocolate and coffee each morning • On Saturday all exhibitors are invited to join us for hors d’oeuvres and beverages during the Groups and Best In Show!

B/OB AKC Sanctioned Match on Friday January 8, 2016 at 6:30 pm

• A $200 cash prize for the Best Bred By Exhibitor In Show Saturday January 9, 2016 • Owner-Handler Series on Sunday January 10, 2016 • Plenty of RV parking with electric and full hook-ups available • New paved parking areas around the show building • Many great restaurants and hotels nearby

Superintendent: MB-F Inc. www.infodog.com Early Closing Date: Wednesday December 16, 2015

We Hope To See You There!

Advertising funding assistance provided by Anderson County Accommodations Tax Fund Dog News 85

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88 Dog News

GATEWAY NON-SPORTING DOG CLUB, INC. Please join us for our show

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015 BELLE-CLAIR FAIRGROUNDS - Indoors

Exposition Building • 200 South Belt East • Belleville, Illinois 62220 Judge Mrs. B. D. Alderman: Non-Sporting Group, Am Esk Dog, Bichon, Boston, Bulldog, Shar-Pei, Coton de Tulear, Dalm, Fin Spitz, Fr Bull, Kees, Lhasa, Lowch, Norwegian Lndhnd, Pood (Min), Pood (Std), Schip, Shiba Inu, Tib Span, and more. Judge Mr. C. M. Wakefield: Chow

All Breed Dog Shows EDWARDSVILLE ILLINOIS KENNEL CLUB, INC. SUNDAY, DEC. 6, 2015

SATURDAY, DEC. 5, 2015

Judges And Their Assignments:

Judges And Their Assignments: BEST IN SHOW: Mrs. B. D. Alderman Sporting Group: Mr. R. J. Shreve Ms. H. Nietsch: Pointer, Ret-Flat, Set-Eng, Span-Eng Spr Mrs. B. D. Alderman: Balance of Sporting Breeds Hound Group: Mrs. O. Gagne Mr. C. Coady: Afghan, Bloodhnd, Greyhnd, Nor Elk, PBGV Mrs. B. D. Alderman: Balance of Hound Breeds Working Group: Ms. H. Nietsch Mr. C. Coady: Berns Mtn, Bullm, Giant Schn, Gtr Swiss Mtn, Sib Hky Ms. H. Nietsch: Balance of Working Breeds Terrier Group: Mr. C. Coady Mr. C. Coady: All Terrier Breeds Toy Group: Mr. D. Vice Mrs. O. Gagne: Pood Toy Mr. D. Vice: Balance of Toy Breeds Non-Sporting Group: Mrs. O. Gagne Ms. H. Nietsch: Fr Bull, Kees Mrs. O. Gagne: Balance of Non-Sporting Breeds Herding Group: Mr. R. J. Shreve Mr. R. J. Shreve: All Herding Breeds Miscellaneous Group: Mr. C. Coady Mr. C. Coady: All Miscellaneous Breeds Jr Showmanship: Mr. D. Vice

Show Chairman: Polly Naumann RViewLhasa@aol.com Reserved Grooming: Contact Edwardsville KC

Closing Date for all shows: November 18, 2015

BEST IN SHOW: Mrs. O. Gagne Sporting Group: Mr. C. Coady Mr. C. Coady: All Sporting Breeds Hound Group: Ms. H. Nietsch Mr. C. Coady: Basenji, Basset, Bgle, Saluki, Whip Ms. H. Nietsch: Balance of Hound Breeds Working Group: Mr. C. Coady Mr. C. Coady: Mast, Portuguese, St Bern, Sam, Std Schn, Tibtn Mastiff Mr. R. J. Shreve: Balance of Working Breeds Terrier Group: Mr. R. J. Shreve Mr. R. J. Shreve: All Terrier Breeds Toy Group: Mrs. B. D. Alderman Mr. D. Vice: Pood Toy Mrs. O. Gagne: Balance of Toy Breeds Non-Sporting Group: Mr. D. Vice Ms. H. Nietsch: Chow Mr. D. Vice: Balance of Non-Sporting Breeds Herding Group: Mrs. B. D. Alderman Mrs. B. D. Alderman: All Herding Breeds Miscellaneous Group: Ms. H. Nietsch Ms. H. Nietsch: All Miscellaneous Breeds Jr Showmanship: Ms. H. Nietsch

Superintendent: Onofrio Dog Shows, L.L.C. P O Box 25764• Oklahoma City OK 73125 PHONE: (405) 427-8181 • FAX:(405) 427-5241 http://www.onofrio.com

Dog News 89

AS OF JANUARY 1, 2015

Commercial Rate Card Available Upon Request

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