10 ♦ Editorial
CONTENTS
November 26, 2010
14 ♦ Inside Out
BY JOHN MANDEVILLE
18 ♦ Inside The Sport BY PAT TROTTER
22 ♦ Question Of The Week BY MATTHEW H. STANDER
26 ♦ Delegate’s Journal BY CONNIE VANACORE
30 ♦ Brace Yourself BY ANDREW BRACE
34 ♦ Bests Of The Week 38 ♦ Ten Questions BY LESLEY BOYES
42 ♦ Rare Breeds Of The World: The Spanish Water Dog BY AGNES BUCHWALD
46 ♦ AKC Changes, Judging And Other Thoughts BY DESMOND MURPHY
56 ♦ Kennel Club Searches For Heelwork To Music Team GB BY FERN HOWARD
60 ♦ Take Two Therapy Dogs And Call Me In The Morning BY SHARON PFLAUMER
64 ♦ A Very Versatile Terrier BY MJ NELSON
68 ♦ All In The Family: You Can't Legislate Morality BY CHARLES C. ROBEY
72 ♦ At Large: Club Volunteers BY CARLOTTA COOPER
76 ♦ The British Scene BY GEOFF CORISH
80 ♦ Jerry Speaks BY GERALD SCHWARTZ
84♦ Off The Leash BY SHAUN COEN
88♦ Undermining An Advisory Committee, Overreacting in the UK and More BY MATTHEW H. STANDER
92 ♦ Kennel Club of Philadelphia: 20 Million Viewers BY SHARON SAKSON
96 ♦ Lucky In Kentucky: Bulldog Club of America National Specialty Week BY ELIZABETH HUGO-MILAM
116 ♦ The Gossip Column BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS
126 ♦ Click – Kennel Club of Philadelphia BY CARLA VIGGIANO
130 ♦ Letters To The Editor 132♦ Click – Seminole & Greater Ocala Kennel Clubs BY MARCELO VERAS
138 ♦ Click – The Way We Were BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS
136 dog show calendar • 142 handlers directory • 144 subscription rates • 146 classified advertising • 148 advertising rates All advertisements are copyrighted and owned by DOG NEWS, Harris Publications, unless received camera-ready. Permission to reprint must be requested in writing. 4 Dog News
DOG NEWS (ISSN 0886-2133) is published weekly except the last two weeks in December by Harris Publications, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010. Periodical Postage paid at New York.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DOG NEWS, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010
10 ♦ Editorial
CONTENTS
November 26, 2010
14 ♦ Inside Out
BY JOHN MANDEVILLE
18 ♦ Inside The Sport BY PAT TROTTER
22 ♦ Question Of The Week BY MATTHEW H. STANDER
26 ♦ Delegate’s Journal BY CONNIE VANACORE
30 ♦ Brace Yourself BY ANDREW BRACE
34 ♦ Bests Of The Week 38 ♦ Ten Questions BY LESLEY BOYES
42 ♦ Rare Breeds Of The World: The Spanish Water Dog BY AGNES BUCHWALD
46 ♦ AKC Changes, Judging And Other Thoughts BY DESMOND MURPHY
56 ♦ Kennel Club Searches For Heelwork To Music Team GB BY FERN HOWARD
60 ♦ Take Two Therapy Dogs And Call Me In The Morning BY SHARON PFLAUMER
64 ♦ A Very Versatile Terrier BY MJ NELSON
68 ♦ All In The Family: You Can't Legislate Morality BY CHARLES C. ROBEY
72 ♦ At Large: Club Volunteers BY CARLOTTA COOPER
76 ♦ The British Scene BY GEOFF CORISH
80 ♦ Jerry Speaks BY GERALD SCHWARTZ
84♦ Off The Leash BY SHAUN COEN
88♦ Undermining An Advisory Committee, Overreacting in the UK and More BY MATTHEW H. STANDER
92 ♦ Kennel Club of Philadelphia: 20 Million Viewers BY SHARON SAKSON
96 ♦ Lucky In Kentucky: Bulldog Club of America National Specialty Week BY ELIZABETH HUGO-MILAM
116 ♦ The Gossip Column BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS
126 ♦ Click – Kennel Club of Philadelphia BY CARLA VIGGIANO
130 ♦ Letters To The Editor 132♦ Click – Seminole & Greater Ocala Kennel Clubs BY MARCELO VERAS
138 ♦ Click – The Way We Were BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS
136 dog show calendar • 142 handlers directory • 144 subscription rates • 146 classified advertising • 148 advertising rates All advertisements are copyrighted and owned by DOG NEWS, Harris Publications, unless received camera-ready. Permission to reprint must be requested in writing. 4 Dog News
DOG NEWS (ISSN 0886-2133) is published weekly except the last two weeks in December by Harris Publications, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010. Periodical Postage paid at New York.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DOG NEWS, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010
Dog News 5
Dog News Cover Story NOVEMBER 26, 2010
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IAN MILLER 212 462.9624 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Sharon Anderson Lesley Boyes Andrew Brace Agnes Buchwald Shaun Coen Carlotta Cooper Geoff Corish Allison Foley Denise Flaim Yossi Guy Mary Jung John Mandeville Billy Miller Desmond J. Murphy M. J. Nelson Sharon Newcombe Robert Paust Lenora Riddle Sharon Sakson Gerald Schwartz Kim Silva Frances O. Smith, DVM Matthew H. Stander Sari Brewster Tietjen Patricia Trotter Connie Vanacore Carla Viggiano Nick Waters Seymour Weiss Minta (Mike) Williquette DOG NEWS PHOTOGRAPHERS Chet Jezierski Perry Phillips Kitten Rodwell Leslie Simis Paddy Spear
DOG NEWS is sent to all AKC approved ConďŹ rmation Judges every week on a complimentary basis. No part of this publication can be reproduced in any form without written permission from the editor. The opinions expressed by this publication do not necessarily express the opinions of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to edit all copy submitted. 6 Dog News
MULTIPLE BEST IN SPECIALTY WINNING MULTIPLE GROUP WINNING
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DOG NEWS EDITORIAL
as it limits the number of times a bitch may have a C-section to two! And the BVA-the British Veterinary Association- has agreed to report to the Kennel Club the history of Kennel Club registered No lesser a person than the Chairman of The Kennel Club, Ronnie Irving, raises the argument in bitches. Talk about Big Brother--this is just totally unacceptable. his monthly Kennel Gazette column that perhaps Can you imagine the reaction were our AKC to attempt either of these actions! shows would be “much better places” without groups, and that the breeds themselves might The Bedbug Uproar be a great deal better off if group competition did not exist at all! Claiming that in the UK there The growth of one of the latest industries is definitely being questioned as the complaints about the accuracy of a dog’s is “stronger breed competition than is found at detection of bedbugs grow. Indeed on the Delegate E line one most ordinary overseas shows, winning in the person urged AKC to go into this business as a means to get breed classes is still very much more important to the average person than it is elsewhere”. Well more revenue. The problem with any of these types of schemes revolves around the fact that false positives can result from the latter part of his statement may be valid-the poor training of a dog or its handler. The dog may detect a the Brits tend to place more importance on the different type of insect. Or the dog could be getting false signals breed win than say do many Americans who frequently do stress the Group win over the breed from the handler--mischievously or due to ignorance. While many win, particularly at the smaller shows. But these dog companies advertise an accuracy rate of 95 percent to 98 percent, that figure is taken from a 2008 clinical trial conducted pages reject categorically the statement that there is stronger breed competition in the UK than under controlled clinical conditions by an entomology team at the University of Florida. These findings do not necessarily elsewhere. There may be larger breed classes reflect the success rate of individual companies’ dogs, operating but to equate size with quality is a fatal error! Indeed some of the larger classes in the UK have in the real world with a lot more variables. There is a push for been referred to by some of their most prominent scent-detection dogs to be certified through an independent oversight board, the national Entomology Scent Detection dog evaluators as little more than a bunch of Canine Association. But as with anything there is factionalism ungroomed farm dogs competing against the occasional show specimen. Chairman Irving then and fighting in the industry over which association if any should cites unnamed critics as having stated that group certify the dogs. At least the Delegates involved did not have their competitions produce flashy, group-winning dogs way nor have the Delegates to the best of our knowledge thrown who may be fine as generic show dogs but are not their two cents into this bedbug, for sure. They seem too intent upon lobbying for Delegate meetings on the West Coast. Watch necessarily good specimens of the breeds they out for those bedbugs! represent. This phenomenon Mr. Irving claims, once again citing unnamed critics, has reached its Judges Approvals greatest extreme in the U.S. where it is claimed These pages have taken this stand before to no avail and that generic group-winning dogs are being unfortunately we are forced to do it once again and probably to produced who, while they are showy and sound no avail once again. There are certain people in our sport who on the one hand, may stray very far from ideal breed type on the other. Strange pronouncements when they decide to become a judge deserve different treatment than do others. For instance allowances should be granted to a from a person who as chairman accepts group person with a background of over 50 if not 60 years in our sport assignments both in his own country and worldwith a history of close to 800 All-Breed Best-in-Shows which wide, aren’t they? True Mr. Irving attempts to are not offered by the average background individual. When give both sides of the argument in his column and if a person with this kind of background decides to apply but then one must wonder why at his own he or she should automatically be granted multi-group status show, Crufts, not only are these competitions with the understanding that if they fail to adequately perform emphasized as never before but he has even added junior warrant and breeder pairs following properly breeds may be taken away from them. Such a person FCI. Practically speaking Group judging provides is presently in the system and due to the paperwork involved has applied for 7 or so breeds!! Pure nonsense is the position an excitement and a level of competition which of these pages. This person’s opinion is nationally sought after breed judging rarely accomplishes except at in virtually any breed recognized by AKC by most any knowing Specialties. Breeders in the US aim to produce a person in the Fancy. To restrict their application to a minimal top class specimen of their breed as do breeders number is just plain ridiculous. Should special considerations be most everywhere. Do people breed for a group shown--absolutely--should it be given to everyone absolutely not dog versus breeding for a breed dog? One would but there are those people who are so far above the rest that this think not at all. The fact is that in the US most kind of consideration must be given. The system looks and acts breed judging is done by non-breed specialists ridiculous in not doing so!!! who have comparatively few breed specimens from which to choose. Our system is so different Thought For The Week from theirs that these comparisons are truly Thanksgiving will be over as you read this week’s Thought For odious. There is no doubt that these pages the Week but with the Holiday Season how about thinking about strongly stand behind the need for both group and doing something tangible for those less fortunate than we or and BIS judging as despite its flaws, it makes in remembrance of others. Take the Lead of course is always good the show world a more interesting, fun place to to keep in mind and the annual bash at the Bay Colony Cluster compete in than it would be without them. held in Providence is certainly a great way to start the season off. Next weekend in Long Beach there will be the CHF dinner and of Two Draconian Rule Changes course the Friends of Taffe McFadden auction which DOG NEWS The UK this past week has sent out two rule so strongly encourages everyone to attend--as though any outside changes with regard to dog show registration encouragement is necessary since Taffe is such a beloved person which are classic examples of giving in to the in our sport with which to begin. And then there is the now nine animal rights people at the cost and expense year-old fund established for the children of Flavio and Danielle of betraying your own constituents. The first change reduces the number of times a bitch may Werneck who were killed so tragically in a dreadful auto accident be bred in its lifetime from the existing high of six returning from dog shows in Brazil. A fund was established for times to four times. The intent here, it is claimed, their children then to provide monies for their education and as a remembrance of our affection for their parents. We take this is to reduce the usage of bitches by the puppy opportunity as usual on the anniversary of their deaths to remind farmers. Well the intent may be worthwhile you to contribute to this unique fund. Donations may be made to but the intrusion upon the rights of the breeder certainly is difficult to accept and understand. The the Ridgewood Bank at 150 Danbury Road Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877 in their name attention Joyce Ligi. In the meanwhile have second change is definitely more questionable a great holiday season and keep all of the above individually or collectively in mind. Thanks and God bless!!! • 10 Dog News
Need For Group And BIS Judging Questioned
Keep your Peaches and your Cherries,
Pick a
The Number One* Norfolk Terrier All Breed
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WHERE’S THE WIN?
InsideOut by John Mandeville Blame Al Treen. That’s the late Al Treen, Dalmatian fancier, judge, husband of the irrepressible Esme Treen, tireless proponent of judges’ workshop groups, and AKC Board member. Specifically blame Al for the Dalmatian/Pointer cross all those years ago. The principle being someone’s always to blame and if whoever’s being condemned can’t defend him or herself, well that just confirms culpability… and for sure no one who’s departed this mortal coil has yet been able to protect him or herself from whatever postmortem slings and arrows are sent their way. Okay then, it was Al’s fault. Done. Let’s move on. Yeah, sure. When plenty of fanciers’ have their backs up about their breed, it will be a cold day in a hot place before there will be any kissing and makingup. AKC’s November Board Minutes do hint at a compromise, not that the word “compromise” appears in the Minutes, under the heading “Registration of Dalmatian/Pointer Cross decedents.” By the way, for the umpteenth time, AKC’s English language failures are going to land them in big trouble: The correct word is “descendants,” definition “a person or animal that is descended from a specific ancestor.” “Decedent” is a term of law for “a deceased person.” You can’t make this stuff up. In any case, under the heading “Registration of Dalmatian/Pointer Cross decedents (sic)” November’s Minutes state, “The Board agreed to a proposed agreement, pending acceptance of the Dalmatian Club of America (DCA) Board, which would bring the matter to a vote by the DCA membership in June 2011. The AKC Board would consider this vote, along with other factors in reaching its final decision.” I’d like to believe what’s in the Minutes means AKC has blessed a workable solution. If that means AKC’s role has been one of mediator/facilitator, I say, “Good for AKC.” Who thinks that’s the story? There’s no question every breed’s custodian is its parent club. On breed specific matters AKC should be first and primarily dealing with parent clubs. Still there’s an odor emanating from this one: AKC’s Board agrees to a proposal, but the Dalmatian Club of America’s Board and its membership have to approve it? Pardon me, who’s in charge here? What’s in the agreement? And what happens if the Dalmatian Board and membership don’t approve? Something’s out of whack. AKC’s Board has sole authority over its stud book. Permitting the Dalmatian Club’s Board and then its membership to get into the act as outlined sets a precedent, albeit not binding. Part of the story has to be missing – without which there’s something ridiculous and potentially dangerous afloat. It’s easy thinking at least part of what’s missing is the role played by the two Dalmatian fanciers on AKC’s Board. Given their track record – wrongly participating in the Board’s previous vote on the
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matter – it’s easy concluding their wrongful participation in the Board’s consideration of the Dalmatian/Pointer cross has continued. I say “wrong” advisedly. AKC is a New York State not-for-profit. As such it is under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York, which makes at least a dozen “Guides & Publications” available concerning charities/not-for-profits, including specifically, “Right From The Start: Responsibilities of Directors of Notfor-Profit Corporations.” That publication defines the responsibilities and expectations for directors of New York not-for-profits. Who thinks any lawyer would knowingly let a client who is a member of a New York not-for-profit board violate anything in that publication? Me, too. Page 5 of “Right From The Start…” states about director conflicts, “The board of directors must be careful to examine transactions that involve directors or officers, or individuals or entities with whom directors or officers are related or affiliated. The board must not approve any transaction that is not fair and reasonable, and a conflicted board member may not participate in the board vote.” No one needs a lawyer to understand what that means. The two Dalmatian fanciers on AKC’s Board have been wrongly involved in the Board’s handling of the Dalmatian/Pointer descendants. Their participation has exposed AKC to potential repercussions – serious ones. Sometimes in such situations the cost of winning is tantamount to losing: Witness the complaint brought by the former president of the AKC Canine Health Foundation, which I have on impeccable authority cost AKC, the Health Foundation and perhaps others a solid six figure amount in lawyers’ fees. At least AKC seems to have won that one. How a winning defense can be crafted to the seemingly black and white, yes or no, charge that two conflicted Board members participated inappropriately in the Board’s handling of the Dalmatian/Pointer descendants is hard to imagine. (Ed. note: AKC totally denies it spent anything near the figure approximated by Mr. Mandeville.) AKC’s biggest headache may be that the Dalmatian/Pointer cross was done in furtherance of Dalmatian health. Combine that with no Dalmatian breeder ever has to breed to them and those who don’t like us are potentially being given a loaded gun. They will be quick to exploit denying registration to dogs whose DNA presumably says they’re Dalmatians, Dalmatians free of a significant health defect. Were that to hit the fan all shades of gray – really of even “right” and “wrong” – will go out the window to our detriment. The potential for it getting ugly is unlimited. So, is the Board’s “proposed agreement” the winwin resolution needed? Here’s hoping. •
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*All Systems
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InsideTHESPORT by Pat Trotter
Giving Thanks
I
t’s that time of year again-that time of year when we give thanks. We truly have plenty to be thankful for when we are “in dogs.” Where else can you find a creature that gives you so much unconditional love? Where else can you find an animal that will show you the enduring loyalty of a Greyfriar’s Bobby or Lassie? And where else can you find a group of people like those connected to those canine creatures, people who share a caring deep concern for others in our dog family when there are problems? And there are certainly plenty of problems to go around these days. So to those of you who are working through trying times with problems-be they health, family, financial or dog-related-I would like to send blessings to you and yours on behalf of the entire dog family at this special time of the year. Please know that we care for you and pray for your well-being. In addition to being that very special time of Thanksgiving, this time of the year marks the start of the stretch run for top everything-#1 in the breed, #1 in the group and #1 all breed. It’s an all out wild scramble to make final 2010 travel arrangements, decide on which shows to enter, get your laundry done, keep your dog right, keep yourself right as well as keep your cool. Three weeks ago in the Breeder’s Cup Marathon (and isn’t the run for Top Everything in dogs a marathon of sorts?), two jockeys got into a public brawl following the race because of unfair play in the stretch run. Viewed by millions on television, both jockeys were subsequently fined and one also issued a suspension. So think of the “stretch run” as dangerous territory. Sometimes one’s usual rational thinking gets quite distorted in the heat of the quest for a Top Ten finish. Really nice people who are much admired and respected can find themselves saying and doing things they would not ordinarily do. They are tired and emotions are near the surface. The dog show is one of the few places left on Earth in which civilized combat still takes place. There will be winners and even more losers. And two of the hardest things in the world to deal with are success and failure. Believe it or not, success can be the more difficult of the two and the only thing worse than a poor loser is a poor winner! Great handlers squaring off with their excellent animals are a part of what the sport is all about. And the decision should be followed by the winner graciously accepting congratulations from the loserin the world of sports, this is good form. The name of the game is to be friends when you enter the ring, competitive rivals in the ring, and friends when you leave the ring. We also need to keep things in perspective. What exactly is the meaning of all of this? Consider the fact that a beloved gentleman friend of us all made the comment “I just went BIS!” after leaving the ring with a BOB ribbon in an entry of one! His wife quietly informed him that he had not defeated a single dog. But a very young Ken McDermott truly understood the meaning of our sport. And that is to 18 Dog News
show a quality animal resulting from your breeding efforts and present it in prime condition to a world class judge. When Percy Roberts commented on all these assets in an entry of one on that day so long ago, it made this world class dog man walk on air as he came out of the ring. Perhaps we need to value certain wins more than numbers! We also need to understand that sometimes there is such a thing as a quality loss. When the dog that edges you out is an outstanding specimen of its breed shown in superb condition, you hopefully have no complaints. Even though you might not get the points you seek, the fact is that a second in excellent competition is more meaningful than the perceived big win in mediocre competition. Unfortunately, the quality loss does not generate the handling bonus money that lesser wins do. Dealing with the clients who may or may not understand the stress is another challenge handlers must face. On top of that, maintaining fitness and condition in their dogs while keeping their charges happy, energetic and willing to perform is hard work. With the dogs and their welfare first on the handler’s mind, many times in a fast forward world there simply isn’t time to get everything done. Yet you have done it! Did you think last January your dog would be where it is? Did you know you would have the year that is the stuff of dreams? Do you look forward to the end of 2010 knowing you have done a superb job all year? Give thanks-for that is what keeps you motivated. Give thanks to a quality dog that collective judges and competitors as well truly appreciated. Give thanks for the breeders who persevere to produce such a dog in face of overwhelming odds. Give thanks for all of those from generations ago who did the ground work in the breed that produced the foundation for it all. And recognize that we also give thanks for the newcomer whose new puppy thrilled the family by winning its first point last month. We hope to encourage more of the same in the future. And at the end of this 2010 rainbow we will enjoy the holiday break and rest that is so well deserved.
S
tretch runs can bring out the best or- alas- the worst in any of us. After all, we are only human with the usual human frailties. Handlers, owners, breeders and even judges need to keep in mind that it is perfectly acceptable to be enthusiastic about your favorite dogs. It is totally inappropriate to bad mouth the dogs of others. No dog becomes better because its competitor is being “badmouthed.” Furthermore, no way is gossip the same as gospel. In other words-no whining, no conspiring, no backbiting-just fair slugging it out in the show rings of America and may the best dog win. What if one does slip and behave inappropriately. Apologizing for unintentional bad behavior will always be in style. Most people are basically good folks who have themselves made mistakes. A sincere “I’m sorry” goes a long ways. We are all together in this sport, and as long as we practice good sportsmanship, we always will be. Indeed, it is appropriate that our Holiday Season start with Thanksgiving and that we give thanks for the good dogs and the good dog people in our lives. •
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BY MATTHEW STANDER
T he
of t heWeek My original Question of the Week was as follows: Despite a strong recommendation from the AKC Canine Health and Welfare Advisory Committee to register a group of Dalmatians commonly referred to as the Back Cross or LUA (low uric acid) Dalmatians, the Board took no action and referred the decision back to a vote of the entire Dalmatian Club of America’s membership. Why do you think the Board so acted? I sent this question to 20 people involved with the Dalmatian---Three answered--these are their replies: Fran Smith DVM, PhD
The AKC Health and Welfare Advisory Committee unanimously made the recommendation to allow the use of the Back Cross or LUA dogs in Dalmatian breeding programs. The decision was based upon review of large numbers of peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals. As a member of that committee, I agree and have wondered myself why that board took the action that it did. Let’s ask them.
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Charles Garvin I cannot speak for the AKC Board, but it is possible others realized that the registration of the backcross dogs at this time against the vote of the DCA membership would be contrary to established AKC policy and could set an unfortunate precedent which could significantly damage the relations between the AKC Board and Parent Clubs. The letter to Ron Menaker from DCA President Meg Hennessey offered a plan that would permit a win-win outcome for both organizations. It stressed using the Health and Welfare Committee report as a useful tool in the continuing democratic and inclusive process of education and consultation with the entire DCA membership, and encouraging participation by the LUA supporters. With such a divisive issue, it is time for cooperation and collegiality rather than unilateral mandates from above. Patti Strand The backcross issue is complicated and there are no perfect answers in sight. Given the options available, I am pleased that the directors chose the course they did; one that grants the Dalmatian Club
of America the respect due a responsibly functioning AKC parent club. In an organization like AKC that describes itself as a club of clubs, treating member clubs with respect is essential and in this case doubly important because the board is being asked to do no less than overturn the properly conducted vote of a fully informed parent club membership held in accordance with AKC board policy. Going forward, it is my hope that the AKC Health and Welfare Advisory Committee can work with us to develop procedures, criteria and benchmarks for helping parent clubs work through issues like this in a systematic way before there is a problem.
Naturally I was disappointed in the response so I sent another question out which read as follows: Heelwork to Music is a recognized sport within the framework of the Kennel Club and has proven to be very popular in the U.K. Do you think this should be pursued in America as a means to increase spectator attendance and be recognized by AKC as well? I sent this out to 18 people and these are the 2 replies I received:
Minta (Mike) Williquette After researching Heelwork to Music it appears to be very similar to Freestyle that has been an event in the USA for several years with an organization in place, The Canine Freestyle Federation. I see several problems including it in AKC trials for the clubs. It is very time consuming, requires a sound system, and judges qualified to judge the event. If it were a stand alone event AKC could work with the Freestyle organization using their regulations. As the AKC Companion Events VP Curt Curtis has indicated that more obedience classes will be added that have no group exercises and lower jump heights. I feel adding more events won’t add entries, but just spread the available pool of exhibitors between the events. Mary Adelman I don’t do this, but think it is entertaining to watch. Why not include it in AKC shows, can’t hurt.
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*ALL SYSTEMS
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ADelegate’sJournal by Connie Vanacore
Here’s the thing!
W
ord has leaked across the pond that the AKC Board has refused to take a stand on the matter of registering dogs which originated with a cross of Dalmatian and Pointer 15 generations ago. The original cross was made in the hope of eradicating a genetic problem of high uric acid, which was prevalent in the breed world-wide. Two members of the AKC Board of Directors, Dr. Charles Garvin and Patti Strand, Dalmatian breeders, though neither represents the Dalmatian Club of America, have led the fight on the Board for months, if not years to block these dogs from being entered into the stud book. The AKC Board controls the stud book, by constitutional decree, and by rights it has the authority to decide who gets in and who doesn’t. In order to placate the two Board members who have consistently thrown road blocks in the way, this matter gets postponed repeatedly. The Board sought opinion from its distinguished scientific panel, which unanimously felt that these dogs should enter the stud book. After 15 generations of breeding out this mutation, they would be doing exactly what genetic research is meant to do. Members of the Board have offered all sorts of qualifications to the entry of these dogs into the stud book. Like the admission of roan Cocker Spaniels, which must now have an identifying letter to be registered, the Dalmatians could
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have a similar code attached to their registration numbers. The refusal of the Board to provide a majority vote to allow these dogs to be registered is an abdication of its right to control the stud book. More significant, however, is the refusal of the two prime advocates to recuse themselves from the discussion, and the acquiescence of the rest of the Board to take a stand on this conflict of interest. Maybe no one considered the fact that in New York State not-for-profit organizations, such as AKC, are forbidden from having Board members take positions on matters which directly affect their interests. This matter is a prime example of why Board members are putting AKC at risk. Since I am not a lawyer, but there are several at the disposal of AKC to render an opinion about this matter, I am surprised that I have not heard of any such advice being given. Finally, no one on the Board seems to object when breeds no one ever heard of are accepted into the stud book with three-generation pedigrees. Other business was discussed at the November Board meeting. A committee under the heading of “Imagining the Future of the AKC” was formed with Staff and Board members. Appointed to this committee are Alan Kalter, Ron Menaker, Dr. Thomas Davies, John Lyons, Mark Dunn and Lisa Gonzalez. This must be one of a long line of committees tackling this subject, not the least of which is the Delegate Committee on
the Future Nature of AKC. This new Board-appointed committee brings to it a wealth of different aspects of AKC, but I wonder why a few present or past Delegates with long-term experience were not included in the mix. Revenues continue to decline, despite all the efforts to increase registration. Some of the new incentives, however, appear to be very successful, among them the Grand Championship program and the Breeder of Merit program. Investments are up, too. One saying comes to mind, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” With the stock market doing well, that is always good news for AKC. We can hope that trend continues.
H
olidays approach and with them the premier event of AKC, the AKC/Eukanuba Championship show, obedience and agility trials. It gets bigger and better with new attractions for exhibitors and spectators. This will be the last year, at least for a while, that the East moves West. Next year and the subsequent two years the show will be in Florida. We wish all our readers a bountiful Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for. Most of all, we share our lives with the most precious gifts on earth, our dogs. If we all took our example from them, how much more would we have to be grateful for.•
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China at a Crossroads
BRACE YOURSELF by Andrew Brace
I
had never before accepted an invitation to judge in China, being unsure of how organised the dog scene is here at the moment, but when the mail came through from Theo Vargas asking me to officiate at the “Golden Necklace” event in Tianjin, I checked it out with some American friends who had previously judged there and decided to accept.
Last year an incredible 10,000 visitors attended this show so it sounded like something special. I was well aware that China has two factions, one wanting to follow the FCI route, the other preferring to develop a relationship with the American Kennel Club, so it was going to be interesting to see exactly how the land lay. I flew from Birmingham to Dubai with Emirates, my favourite airline, and after a brief stopover on to Beijing. Getting through immigration was fairly quick and painless and having collected my luggage I was duly collected by Lily, my interpreter, and our chauffeur, who took me to the Super House International hotel less than an hour’s drive away from the airport. Lily told me that Kari Jarvinen had already arrived at the hotel. Kari was originally to judge at the same show, but because of Finland’s membership of FCI he discovered that he would not be allowed to as China is not yet under the FCI umbrella. Having already bought his air ticket, Kari decided to make the trip anyhow with his friend Azim Salfouline and have a holiday, as the hosts had invited him to still come as their guest. Having had a light meal in the room – it was after midnight – I took a Melatonin and slept through till after 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning, which suggested that my body clock had adjusted to local time. At ten, Lily arrived to drive us first to the Silk Market, a multi-storey building crammed with tailors and other retailers where measurements were taken and several jackets and suits ordered. Considering that Beijing presently has a population in excess of 22 million, what are the chances of meeting someone you know? All concerned were somewhat taken aback when, just as we were getting finished at the tailor’s, who should walk in but Jim Reynolds from Canada and Liz Cartledge, who had been judging a dog show the previous weekend and were getting ready to leave after they collected their custommade garments. Jim will be judging at the Cotswold Boxer Club’s Championship show in December and will probably be the first judge they’ve had that can actually look secretary Tim in the eye! Afterwards we moved on to see the Summer Palace, something that had always held a certain mystique for me as a Pekingese person. I have to say it came as something of an anti-climax, having no Palace as such and certainly no summer! Most of the houses and temples have been rebuilt around the man-made lake and today, even on a cold and grey October morning, the Summer Palace is a seething mass of Chinese tourists eager to squander their now more
easily earned Yuan on all manner of tacky souvenirs. Certainly I felt little connection with the venerable little Lion Dog of Pekin! Grandmother of eleven Karen Wilson along with Klaus and Joanne Anselm flew in on the Tuesday from the USA to swell the panel and on Wednesday Gene Zaphiris and Matt Stander of America’s Dog News arrived. We had a few days sightseeing in and around the city – including visiting the Olympic stadium – well, driving around it to be totally accurate - before moving on to Tianjin where the shows were being held. On our last evening in Beijing we met up with Vice President CEO of the National General Kennel Club, Kevin Wang, but still weren’t completely sure what we were expected to judge. Hopefully all would be revealed! On Thursday evening Carl Gomes arrived from the USA to further add to the judging panel, which now had six of us to judge an estimated 400 dogs over 2 days! On Friday we drove to Tianjin, which was equally grey as Beijing, a brand new city which is a mass of high-rise buildings. Here we checked into a second hotel and met up with Theo Vargas, who had been my contact from the start. Due to family commitments Theo had not flown in from the USA till that afternoon, and having introduced us to the Chairman, Mr Shi Zhaoxin, we proceeded to yet another dinner. These shows were to coincide with a very important forum on Global Canine Welfare Responsibility at which several speakers were making presentations to a group that consisted of several regional mayors and government officials. Animal welfare is still in its infancy in China and at our table at dinner was a young New Zealand lady who represented the World Society for the Protection of Animals. It was a little disquieting to hear that only recently were they making progress in the direction of humane animal slaughter for food in China, and were now addressing the problem of clubbing to death rabid dogs by unenlightened authorities. It was intimated that dogs are still being bred for their “fur” which was highly disturbing, and dog ownership in some cities is restricted to dogs up to a certain height. This law is flouted by some who opt to exercise their dogs only in the hours of darkness. Clearly animal welfare still has a long way to go in the culture but a small group of dedicated dog fanciers are trying to get their message across at the highest level, selling the idea of dog ownership to government as financially advantageous with all its spin-off industries. CONTINUED ON PAGE 100
30 Dog News
Dog News 31
Grand Ch. Autumn’s Stardust and Roses
Owners: Brian & Kathy Matise Aurora, Colorado Richard & Linda Stark, Breeders Conifer, Colorado Handlers Clint & Karen Livingston Brighton, Colorado Assisted By Kristin McCartney, pictured and Sarah Wintrone 32 Dog News
Best In Show Thank you Judge Ms. Judy Harrington and to Group Judge Mr. Richard Byrd
*The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed
Caylee Carlee By
The 2005 Westminster Best in Show Winner
Starting well into this year, Caylee trotted into the Number One* German Shorthaired Pointer spot with 32 Group awards, including 18 Group Firsts and Three Best In Shows
Dog News 33
The Bests oftheWeek
NOVEMBER 226, 2010
Greater Ocala Dog Club - Saturday German Wirehaired Pointer Ch. Ripsnorter’s Mt. View Lookout Judge Mrs. Christina Hubbell Owners Kiki Courtelis, James Witt, Helen George Witt & Joyce Wilkinson Handler Frank Murphy Rogue Valley Kennel Club - Sunday Smooth Fox Terrier Ch. Slyfox Sneaks A Peek Judge Ms. Virginia Lyne Owner J. W. Smith Handler Edward Boyes Del-Otse-Nango Kennel Club Irish Terrier GCh. Fleet St Fenway Fan Judge Mr. Michael Shoreman Owner Anthony Barker & Victor Malzoni, Jr. Handler RC Carusi
Lima Kennel Club Pekingese Ch. Palacegarden Malachy Judge Mr. Timothy Catterson Owners Iris Love, Sandra Middlebrooks & David Fitzpatrick Handler David Fitzpatrick Council Bluffs Kennel Club Border Terrier GCh. Devon Lady Simper Fi Judge Mr. Jon Cole Owners Sandra Middlebrooks, Alison Miller, Leslie Miller Handler Erin Roberts Penn Treaty Kennel Club Affenpinscher GCh. Banana Joe Von Tani Kazari Judge Mrs. Barbara Dempsey Alderman Owners Zoila Truesdale & Mieke Cooymans Handler Ernesto Lara The Kennel Club of Philadelphia Scottish Terrier Ch. Lowmondview Clementine Judge Mr. Desmond Murphy Owners Daphne & John Eggert Handler Ernesto Lara Greater Ocala Dog Club - Sunday German Shepherd Dog Ch. Kridler’s Nutmeg V Signature Judge Mr. Stephen J. Hubbell Owners Janet Lange, J. Moses, R. Dickson & S. Moses Handler James Moses
34 Dog News
To report an AKC All Breed Best In Show or National Specialty Win Call, Fax or Email before 12:00 Noon Tuesday Fax: 212 675-5994 Phone: 212 462-9588 Email: Dognews@harris-pub.com
San Luis Obispo Kennel Club - Saturday Whippet GCh. Starline’s Chanel Judge Mr. David Kirkland Owners Carey & Lori Lawrence Handler Lori Wilson Chenango Valley Kennel Club - Sunday 15” Beagle Ch. Torquay Midnight Confession Judge Mr. Lewis Baynes Owners Marcelo Chagas, Marco Flavio and Alessandra Botelho Handler Marcelo Chagas
Greater Monroe Kennel Club I & II Standard Poodle Ch. Jaset’s Satisfaction Judge Mr. Fred Ferris Jude Mr. Robert Ennis Owners C. Bailey, S. Tompkins, B. Harris & MJ Winters Handler Ann Rairigh Town & Country Kennel Club Norwich Terrier GCh. Skyscot’s Poker Chip Judge Mrs. Karen Wilson Owner Caroline Dodwell Handler Brenda Lee Combs Brazoria Kennel Club Cavalier King Charles Spaniel GCh. Mondrian V.H. Lamslag of Piccadil Judge Mr. Charles Trotter Owner and Handler Janet York Tucson Kennel Club - Saturday English Setter GCh. Oakley’s B’dazzled Judge Mrs. Michele Billings Owners Donald and Georjean Jensen and Erik and Jennifer Strickland Handler Bruce Schultz Southegon Kennel Club - Sunday Boxer GCh. Mahogany’s Mi Own Sweet Time Judge Mr. Fred Bassett Owners David and Luann Gardner Handler Kim Pastella Calvacca Tucson Kennel Club - Friday Doberman Pinscher GCh. Protocol’s Veni Vidi Vici Judge Mrs. Monica Canestrini Owners Jocelyn & Kevin Mullins Handler Michelle Santana
Greater Philadelphia Dog Fancier’s Association - Friday The Kennel Club of Philadelphia Saturday Irish Setter GCh. Windntide Mr. Sandman Judge Mrs. Patti Widick Neale Judge Mrs. Paula Hartinger Owners Carol R. and Patrick J. McGarry Handler Peter Kubacz Minneapolis Kennel Club Saturday & Sunday Smooth Coat Chihuahua GCh. Ayrwen Star Kissed Delight Judge Mr. Fred Bassett Judge Mrs. Dawn Hansen Owner & Handler Gloria Johnson Canadian Valley Kennel Club Doberman Pinscher Ch. Horizon’s Upper Echelon Judge Mrs. Faye Dorval Haupt Owner Hillary Zimmerman Handler Linda George Umpqua Kennel Club Rogue Valley Kennel Club Standard Poodle Ch. Brighton Lakeridge Encore Judge Mrs. Lynne M Myall Judge Mr. Robert Stein Owners Toni and Martin Sosnoff Handler Tim Brazier Town and Country Kennel Club I Chinese Shar-Pei GCh. Chaoyang Chick Magnet at Asia Judge Mr. Steven Gladstone Owners Bonnie Berney and Helga Kamp Handler David Williams Seminole Dog Fanciers - Friday Black Cocker Spaniel Ch. Casablanca’s Thrilling Seduction Judge Mr. Charles L. Olvis Owners Bruce Van Deman, Carolee Douglas, Mary Walker, Cindy Cassidy, Linda Moore Handler Michael Pitts Central New York Kennel Club - Friday Great Pyrenees Ch. Rivergroves Trump This Judge Mr. Victor Clemente Owner Jean A. Boyd Handler Wayne Boyd Council Bluffs Kennel Club - Saturday Rough Collie GCh. Gentry’s Braveheart Judge Mrs. Judith Goodin Owners Patty Gordon, Dr. Gerard Nash, Jeff Greer Handler Jeff Greer
Dog News 35
36 Dog News
Dog News 37
1
The first time I attended both What is Montgomery and Westminster. your favorite dog show moment exclusive of a win?
3
2
To be able to speak well. Which talent would you most like to have?
”You know what I Which mean.” words or phrases do you most overuse?
4
Mother Theresa for devoting her life Who is to help others. your real life hero or heroine?
5 6 7 If you could My weight. change one thing about yourself what would it be?
Other people think I am: Too serious and unapproachable.
How would you describe yourself in a personal ad?
Honest, loyal and willing to help others.
8 9 What was your most embarrassing moment at a dog show? Years ago when my daughter Arian, who was only four years old, came running into the ring just before I was called to Group One crying “Daddy, Daddy”. I thought that was it but the judge awarded the dog the group anyways.
Which judge, no longer alive or judging, do you miss the most? Mrs. Anna Wanner and Ric Chashoudian.
Asked of Gabriel Rangel
10questions What do you miss the most at dog shows? The big entries we used to have at the shows week after week.
Born: Mexico City, Mexico Resides: Rialto, California Marital Status: Happily married - Yvonne told me to say that.
38 Dog News
By Lesley Boyes
40 Dog News
Dog News 41
E R RA S D E E R B THE WORLD OF
T
ld chwa u B s e n by Ag
he magnificent Carmen of Bizet is one of my favorite operas. I have seen it on many stages, and also applauded the adaptation for the movie with Dorothy Dandrige, as Carmen Jones, and the great Harry Belafonte, as Joe, the soldier. The musical is based on the libretto for the 1943 stage production of the same name by Oscar Hammerstein II, which was inspired by an adaptation of the 1845 Prosper Mérimée’s novella Carmen. Hamerstein also wrote the lyrics to music composed by Georges Bizet for his 1875 opera. In 1992, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant.”
The Spanish Water Dog,
(or The Turco de Andalusia) Of course there are thousands of other “significant” and “aesthetic” when we talk about Spain. This country’s history as I mentioned whenever talking about a Spanish breed, is certainly one that shaped the world’s evolution. The Spanish equestrian culture (the dancing horses of Jerez, and the Royal Andalucia School of Equestrian Arts), the flamenco dancers, the queens and kings, ( I am sorry to say that the Bullfighting is a part of it), and so many other features have always made the country attractive to the visitors especially because of the assets of the Mediterranean seashore. For the visitors the most popular areas are the Costa Brava, Costa Maresme, Costa Dorada, Costa del Sol, and the Costa de Luz. The government tries to prevent the building of supersized constructions because the Mediterranean Coast is the biggest and most beautiful natural reserve of Europe. Besides the beaches and the nature we can’t forget places as Seville, Cordoba, Andalusia, and Barcelona. Remember to taste the Spanish cuisine with its paella, the Malaga vine, and the Jerez, which are incredible, and also we can’t forget that the country conquered the Soccer World Cup for 2010. Nevertheless to me it’s difficult to understand that so much beauty, uniqueness, and tradition include the popular Bullfighting. Whenever I visited the country I never forgot to visit the Museum del Prado in Madrid, and to avoid carefully even a glimpse on this “sport”? “tradition”? Name it. But good news is in order! Starting January 1, 2012, bullfighting will no longer be legal in Catalonia region in Spain. Lawmakers in Catalonia outlawed bullfighting, making this Spain’s first major region to do so after an impassioned debate that pitted the rights of animals against preserving a pillar of traditional culture. The ban in the northeastern coastal region whose capital is Barcelona will take effect in 2012. This is just the beginning! I am sure that CONTINUED ON PAGE 104
42 Dog News
Multiple Group Placing
GCh. Saravilla’s Sweet Misty Isle
“Mist y”
Misty is still the first Mantle Great Dane to become a Grand Champion! She is a perfectly marked Mantle, who is stunning, sound, and square.
Flash reed Best of B hird pT and Grou urg, in Fitchb etts us Massach Judges u to T hank yo t Vandiver r Mr. Robe d an ez. m o G s a Mrs. Tom
Our appreciation to Judge Mrs. Tomas Gomez Specialed by Joel Rosenblatt Breeders Mimi Kim Rebekah Mursencavage
Owners Paula Sweet John Lilliston Mimi Kim Dog News 43
Absolutely Smooth Fox Sneak A Peek At Type America’s Number One* Smooth Fox Terrier Number Two** Among All Terrier Breeds and Number Nine** Among All Breeds
Multiple All Breed Best In Show & Specialty Winner
Ch. Slyfox Sneaks A Peek
Owner J. W. Smith Absolutely Smooth Fox Terriers 44 00 Dog News
Breeders Joan & Mark Taggart *Breed Points, All Systems **The Dog News Top Ten List
Handlers Edward & Lesley Boyes Grass Valley, California 530.272.4940
Terriers
Dog Dog News News 00 45
AKCChanges, JudgingAndOther Thoughts By Desmond J. Murphy
B
ack in January I wrote about some of the surprising changes AKC had recently made to the sport. In judging things will happen that have never happened before. Example: two weeks ago, having an entry of roughly 40 champions only about half were in the judges’ book. It was quite a surprise to have about 20 that the computer never printed in the book. Luckily they were in the catalogue and the numbers could just be written by hand into the book quickly. Early in the spring it became quite unbelievable when AKC came up with a plan to charge judges a yearly fee. It was not surprising they wanted to implement a fee, since most judges would not object to paying such a fee. What was shocking news was the plan they came up with in charging the fees. Nobody approved of the plan and everybody knew that it wouldn’t work. Now we read more shocking news. That being that it is all right for judges to solicit assignments. When I first read it my initial reaction was that it was a joke. My second reaction was that I was not reading it correctly. When the announcement was relayed to the judges groups from John Wade no explanation of why was given. Most people feel it has to do with some legal aspects, like restraint of trade. Yes, this week it is shocking news, but by the time most people are reading these thoughts it will be old news and most will not care about the change. I read recently that we have over 4,000 judges in the Judge’s Directory. This includes performance judges also. If you take half of 1%, that would be 20 judges. Can anyone name 20 judges that visibly solicit assignments? So with the change of policy we are not going to see a major change. The people that have been soliciting will 46 Dog News
just be more open and aggressive about it since there will not be the fear of being suspended. Some of the appearances of solicitation comes from when one reads certain judges panels and it consists of nearly all show chairpersons. I am not even sure this is a form of soliciting. I believe certain show chairpeople sit down to do their panel and they think about a lot of judges that hired them this past year and they had a good time at their shows. It is like if someone invites you to their party, when you throw a party you invite them. This same show chairperson might have met someone at one of the shows and they felt they also would be fun to have on the panel and, incidentally, they would like to judge their show also. The problem in this scenario is that you can have an entire panel of very nice people who are not the best judges. All the judges and the club people have a very nice social weekend – but who suffers. The exhibitors in that they are showing to judges that really do not do an adequate job with the breeds. These show chairpersons do not realize that some of these judges they are hiring are poor. First, I am sure they have never seen the person judge and second it would be breeds they do not judge themselves. We all know there is a very tiny per cent of judges that might solicit assignments through their judging in the ring. We have all seen a show chairperson do better with their dog than they should. This is because the judge feels if they put up that dog they will get an assignment out of it. For the most part judges would not know if they had a dog in their ring that was owned or shown by a show chairperson. I judged a show recently and a lady was in the ring in a lot of classes and I knew that I knew her from somewhere. It was not until another show in the same area weeks later that she was talking about when I judged her shows last year. We all meet so many people in the sport, but we cannot place where we know them CONTINUED ON PAGE 108
” y w e “Ch
The Number Two* Lakeland Terrier
Group Placement • Judge Mrs. Barbara Dempsey Alderman
Multiple Best In Show Winning
GCh. Talydales Friend Of The Force Breeder/Owner Sheri Smith Talydale Kennels *The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed
Handlers Michael & Michele Kemp 724 448-4104 mkemp629@yahoo.com Dog News 47
48 Dog News
Dog News 49
50 Dog News
Now accepting reservations!
The Dog News Annual Magazine 2011
T
his is to let you know that the next issue of D — THE DOG NEWS ANNUAL MAGAZINE will be distributed no later than February 4, 2011 (one week before Westminster). The deadline to submit advertisements for this very special publication is January 7, 2010.
As usual, everything about D—THE DOG NEWS ANNUAL MAGAZINE will contribute to making a lasting and continuing impact on readers, both nationally and internationally. Its distribution at Westminster is unparalleled, and it is the only American magazine to be distributed at Crufts, the FCI World Show and at many other European, Asian and South American dog shows as well.
For information, please contact 52 Dog News
From the quality of its design and production values to its editorial content, D—THE DOG NEWS ANNUAL MAGAZINE serves the fancy as a reference to which they go back to again and again. Basic rates are $750 for a four-
color page and $300 for a black-and-white page. Discounts are available for four pages or more, whilst Handler Sections are available as well. Please contact us for preferred placement rates.
Please plan to be a part of D—THE DOG NEWS ANNUAL MAGAZINE now. Dog News/D Magazine: 212 462-9588 Dog News 53
54 Dog News
Dog News 55
Kennel Club Search For Heelwork To Music Team GB
F
ollowing a successful first year at the Heelwork To Music World Championships, the Kennel Club has now started the search for the next Heelwork To Music Team GB members. Last December, the Freestyle and the Heelwork to Music competitors for the inaugural HTM World Championship Competition in Denmark were chosen, and in June, after a lot of hard work and fundraising, Heelwork To Music Team GB competed successfully at the event, bringing home a gold and silver medal. Michelle Dodson and Tamar; Penny Draper and Secret; Jenny Deakin and Tom, with Carole Dodson and Clifton as reserve, made up the Freestyle class entrants, while the Heelwork to Music team consisted of Kath Hardman and Amber; Carole Dodson and Clifton, and Gina Pink and Bailey, with Jenny Deakin and Tom as reserve.
56 Dog News
Heelwork To Music Team GB 2010
Being on Team GB is hard work and time consuming. Handlers must therefore be prepared to organise and attend fundraising events; attend team meetings and training sessions, and, if necessary, financially contribute towards the costs of taking the team abroad. To be considered for the team, dogs must be registered on the Kennel Club’s Breed Register, not the Activities Register, as the World Championships are run by the FCI and are only open to pedigree dogs. They must also be currently competing in either Intermediate and/or Advanced classes. To be considered for the team, please contact Debbie Deuchar for an application form via debbiedeuchar@thekennelclub. org.uk, or by phoning 020 7518 1013. Closing date for applications is 10th February 2011. •
Dog News 57
58 Dog News
Dog News 59
TakeTwo TherapyDogs andCallMe intheMorning by Sharon Pflaumer
Owners have always known intuitively that interacting with a pet made them feel better. But few owners would suspect just how much they benefit from sharing their lives with one. While they take care of their pets, in turn, their pets take care of them in ways owners might never guess and that only scientific studies could prove.
A
visit from a therapy dog is guaranteed to elevate mood and trigger an epidemic of smiles regardless of setting—be it a hospital, nursing home or assisted living center. It has a calming affect on patients or residents, while also providing social stimulation that relieves loneliness. A therapy dog visit fulfills the need for touch and can ease the effects of Alzheimer’s. It’s considered an effective non-medicinal form of pain relief because it shifts the patient or resident’s focus away from ailments. A therapy dog visit sometimes can motivate those, who are withdrawn, to speak and interact with others. And, on occasion, it’s even been credited with bringing patients out of a coma! A therapy dog visit to a public library reading program. The dog’s name is “Ruby” (Charming Ruby Angel, CD, RE, NDD, CGC). She is owned by Brenda Young. Young and her Standard Poodle are a registered Pet Partners team. Photo is courtesy of the Veteran’s Memorial Library in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. 60 Dog News
Benefits derived in other settings
In schools, a therapy dog visit can be used to encourage children to complete assignments or to reward them for good behavior and getting high test scores, i.e., the therapy dog will sit with a child or do a trick for him if the child completes a worksheet, gets an “A” on a quiz or is well-behaved. A therapy dog visit to a school or public library sponsored reading program (i.e., Reading with Rover, Tale Waggers, etc.) can be used to motivate children to practice reading aloud and thereby improve their CONTINUED ON PAGE 110
*The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed
Dog News 61
Multiple Group, Best In Show and Specialty Winning
Ch. Winfall I Dream Of Style
“Macey” Style... It’s Not Just A Fashion Statement, It’s A Way Of Life Owners Keith & Cheryl Robbins George & Barbara Adkins Tina Porter Lee Stanton Jorge Pinson 62 Dog News
Breeders Tina Porter Lee Stanton
Handler Michael Shepherd Assisted By Dottie James
Group First Judge Mr. John Ronald
Group First Judge Mrs. Christina Hubbell Dog News 63
by M.J. Nelson
A Very Versatile Terrier
Y
es, you have read the headline correctly. Despite what you have heard about terriers being difficult to train— that they don’t see people as their “masters” at all but as nuisances that interfere with their fun. That the pursuit of fun is their main goal in life and anything that prevents them from having a good time becomes an obstacle to be overcome. That they don’t back down from anything and that includes their owners. That it is next to impossible to make a terrier do something they don’t want to do. That they will key in on something to the point where they tune out everything else around them including their owners commands. Yes, despite all these terriers-are-tough-to-train allegations, there are some Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier folks who either refuse to believe this anti-trained-terrier propaganda or simply view it as an additional challenge to be overcome. In other words, Wheaten owners can be a stubborn as a terrier is reputed to be. Actually Wheatens were developed to do a wide variety of tasks ranging from the traditional terrier job of rodent extermination to herding dog for cattle and sheep to hunter of small game to gundog to guardian of property, people and their possessions. They were the all-purpose farm dog for the Irish tenant farmers. Generally considered to be the oldest of the Irish terrier breeds, the Wheaten was, in addition to doing all these different jobs, expect to also possess enough courage to drive a badger or a fox from its den and then, having successfully tangled with such a ferocious animal as a badger defending its den, become a loving companion animal for the farmer and his family. As a result of doing all these different tasks
Elena Landa did many things with Am/Can Ch Legenderry’s Baby Snooks CDX TDX ROMC CCD CTDX (“Puzzle”) to keep her from getting bored including participating in earthdog events as she was small enough to go to ground. 64 Dog News
Ch Hullabaloo Ashford To a “T” VCD2 RE MX AXP MXJ AJP (“Vinnie.”), Bob and Elaine Nerrie’s SoftCoated Wheaten Terrier barks at Bob to show him the next obstacle when he gets confused and lost in the middle of an agility course.
in its history, the Wheaten tends to be a relatively easyto-train terrier for a wide variety of performance activities. “I’ve heard people say that Wheatens are the least ‘typical’ of the terrier breeds,” said John Unruh who owns Ch MACH3 Heirloom Truly Irresistible OF RN (“Kylie.”) “Wheatens do seem to be more biddable than some of the other terrier breeds but they still want to think independently and approach tasks from a standpoint of ‘what’s in it for me’ rather than ‘how do I please my owner.’ They don’t like to do the same exercises over and over. Once they get an exercise, if you try to keep pushing the same thing at them, they will shut down out of sheer boredom. This is very different from the highly successful agility breeds such as Border Collies or Shelties that will do the same exercise over and over with the same level of enthusiasm each time.” “Once I changed from compulsion training to motivational training it made a lot of difference,” said Betsy Ggeertson who owns Ch Brenmoor’s Primadonna CD RE AX MXJ AXP AJP (“Diva”) and U-AG-1 U-CDX Ch Acacia’s Some Like it Hot CDX RE OA OAJ OAP AJP NFP CDX-H NAC TN-N (“Cali.”) “All of my current dogs will train for very long periods of time and I usually wear out before they do. The secret with food training is to help the dog understand that they need to do a job before they get ‘paid.’ When they are just learning a new exercise, there are a lot of rewards but as they progress, I use a technique called ‘food delay.’ They learn if they do something correctly in the ring, we’ll run to the food reward outside the ring. Over time, I build them up to a full ring routine with no food. This is mainly done with obedience training as agility is fairly self-rewarding for CONTINUED ON PAGE 112
Mondrian
AKC GCH. & CAN. CH. & CKCSC USA CH. Mondrian V.H. Lamslag of Piccadil RE
Breaks the Best In Show Record for Cavaliers by Two!
Thank you judge Mr. Charles Trotter for this Best In Show Win!
National Specialty Winner 2010 Number 1 Cavalier All Systems 2009, 2010 With 15 Best In Shows! And 126 Group Firsts! Multiple Specialty Wins! Always shown naturally by
Owner-Handler Janet York Dog News 65
ELLEN & FYNN
R
GCh.Darkover Don’t Dream It’s Over
The Pursuit of Perfection... Owners: Shadow Hill Springers Silsby Pelissero Charles Pelissero San Geronimo, California
66 Dog News
Professionally Presented By: Ellen Cottingham 360 904-1777 Assisted By: Kristin Whitwell
Co-Owner/Breeder Darkover Springers Bobbie Daniel Co-Breeder Pawmarc Springers Pat Jensen
FLASH el Club n n e K y le l a V Rogue Group First mons im S le a D . r D Judge d Group Secon ke ene Bla Judge Mr. Eug • Club l e n n e K a u q Ump d Group Secon ia Lyne in g ir V s is M Judge d Group Secon in bert Ste o R . r M e g d u J 1, 2010 -2 8 1 r e b m e v No
Thank you Judge Mr. F. M. MacDonald
to be continued... Dog News 67
All In The
Family By Charles C. Robey
“You Can’t Legislate Morality” True or False?
So, why the many laws against dogs?
M
issouri voters approved a controversial measure on November 2, 2010, that establishes new regulations for the state’s “large-scale” dog breeding operations. Proposition B, otherwise known as the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, requires any person who owns more than 10 unaltered female dogs for the purpose of breeding to follow certain standards for feeding, veterinary care, housing, exercise and rest cycles between breeding, to be governed by the new law. While the new law specifically addresses such dog care standards as proper feeding, veterinary care, housing, exercise and breeding rest cycles, it’s sad that these issues should even be announced, as most breeders routinely take care of their animals. In my fourteen years as a Field Inspector conducting hundreds of dog and kennel inspections throughout the Southeastern United States, I have yet to find governmental control solving the problem of animal control, from the back yard breeders to the more sophisticated commercial breeders. This new law is missing the mark, as the main objective for the respectful breeder has always been the quality of the dog care, and not the quantity of the dogs in a facility. The numbers have nothing to do with the moral fiber of a breeder. It’s kind of like the old cliché’ “you can’t legislate morality.” That’s certainly true, as no regulations, ordinances or laws have ever changed an individual’s heart. And to quote another proverb, “ For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”( Proverbs 23:7). In other words, our thoughts will determine what we do, and what we do will determine our character and also the life that we are living. So, will taking the easy way out of the problem, by passing unenforceable dog legislation, reform the unscrupulous breeder? I think not. However, sadly to say, sometimes the squeaky wheel does get the grease. As in today’s politically correct world, a bare minority seems to be dictating policy for a greater part of the dog world. Factor in the mind set of many breeders whose main objective is profit over animal care. This one factor alone is probably one of the main factors contributing to the onset of the new dog legislative action. So, how may this onset of governmental dog laws be curtailed? One premium dog registry (name known to their breeder customers) is doing a very good job of policing their breeders and customers in house. The registry is detecting and controlling registration fraud through a sophisticated computerized record system and conducting routine onsite field inspections of its breeder dogs and kennels. Furthermore, the governing powers should review the various 68 Dog News
dog registry mission statements. Are the registries living up to the advertised policies? One need only to surf the internet, and review the various registry mission statements, to get a sense of the main objective of most dog registries, which seems to be lax with respect to controlling the dog population under their purview. In my official travels, I have visited some of the most horrific kennel conditions, affecting any number of dogs. The point being, if the intent of the legislation is the protection of the dogs, then the priority should not be placed on the number of dogs housed in a kennel, but on the breeder responsibility. Then, if the breeder is incapable of controlling an operation, due to being an unscrupulous breeder, or an uneducated owner, the penalties of the law should be directed to the individual and not the helpless, harmless animals. So, how may the dog world assist in the proper education of dog control? Breeders, Breed Clubs and yes, even dog registries, should: • Be positively active in communities’ governmental affairs. The governing bodies are going to get advice from someone, before enacting dog legislation. It might as well be a professional, who knows the dog business. I dare say that very few local and state legislators actually label themselves a dog fancier. So, it’s up to the dog lovers to do the educating. I understand some dog registries have a structured legal affairs department. However, it’s not as effective as the local contacts. • Advocate that “breed specific” legislation is wrong. Dogs are only as good as their training and it’s unfair to discriminate between breeds. • Educate against legislation based on the number of dogs housed in a kennel. Give supporting facts. • Promote not buying dogs over the internet or through the local pet shops. • Police their own industry. Devious breeders and animal cruelty situations should be reported promptly to the proper authorities. Often times, the “breeder grapevine” is the only means, by which these type conditions are exposed. Doing this only helps the truly dedicated breeders. • Put on a media blitz and locally advertise the dog shows. The pet community is exposed to the TV Dog Channel and the dog shows playing on the sports networks. On the other hand, the first hand experience and one-to-one conversation does wonders for the sport of purebred dogs. • Make themselves known to the local vets, by volunteering services wherever needed. • Expose the dog activist groups for what they are, politically minded entities, raising funds to extend their private agenda. Closing thought! Why go to the expense of enacting dog legislation, if the authorities do not have the funds, nor the man-power, to inspect and enforce the regulations? •
*
*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed
Dog News 69
Jimmy hits the Jackpot inVegas!
Back to Back Specialty Wins! Multiple Best In Specialty Show Winner & Multiple Group Winner
GCh. Stratford’s Diamond Jim
Yorkshire Terrier Club of Northern California Judge Mr. Raymond D. Bay My appreciation to Mr. Bay for this exciting win.
Breeder/Owner: Barbara Scott 70 Dog News
Presented by Luke & Diane Ehricht
2010 National Specialty Winner #1Yorkshire Terrier*
Yorkshire Terrier Club of America Breeder-Judge Mrs. Patricia Scagliotti My deepest appreciation to Mrs. Scagliotti for the honor of this prestigious win.
*Breed Points, All Systems
Dog News 71
At Large: Club Volunteers by Carlotta Cooper
I
was recently very excited to be asked to be the At Large member for my regional breed club. Clearly, writing about pigs has given me a new cachet in the dog world, I thought.
I asked for some clarification about what the At Large member was supposed to do but it seems to be a nebulous position, which is thoroughly appropriate for me. I was told that there isn’t a job description for it. The At Large position exists so there isn’t a tie on the board. Plus, I may be able to offer some fresh ideas, especially to bring in new members and people who are not just focused on conformation. I think I’m really here to do whatever they come up with for me to do. I’m a hired gun. A gunslinger. And, while I enjoy a big laugh at the image of me striding into dog town to clean things up, I’ll be happy to write things for new members or do things to promote my breed. At the same time, it’s very easy to alienate current club members. It seems in lots of clubs someone always has their feelings hurt. There is always someone who is angry or envious. There are many people who feel unappreciated. They work hard and they feel that the rest of the club doesn’t know how much work they have put into their tasks and don’t care. That’s undoubtedly true in many clubs. Club members can be ungrateful and they do complain, regardless of how hard other members have worked. However, I think if you ask around, it’s a fact in nearly every club, dog clubs and other kinds of clubs, that just a few members do most of the work. It’s always that way. I used to be involved in community theatre and it was that way in the theatre, too. Although we had many people show up to build sets or do other things, in reality, the bulk of the work fell to just a few hardworking volunteers, led by some paid staff. And those volunteers were motivated by pizza, beer, and the chance to meet romantic partners. There was much flirting and talking; less hammering and building. Most work at dog shows doesn’t offer incentives like those. So, yes, it’s hard to motivate people to volunteer to help their clubs. Most of the time just a handful of people have to do everything. People seem to volunteer with their clubs for different reasons: the need for approval; love for the breed; the desire to advance in their club’s social structure or to gain power; some combination of these three. If you are volunteering in the hopes of receiving great accolades from your peers 72 Dog News
or to gain approval, then you are probably in the wrong hobby. Yes, people will acknowledge your contributions, but it may take quite a long time before they really notice. A certain amount of volunteerism is taken for granted in most clubs. You may need to part the Red Sea as a volunteer for your fellow club members to really notice that you have done an outstanding job. And you may have to consistently volunteer and do a topnotch job year after year to gain widespread kudos. This is not a knock on your peers. It’s likely that they are being asked to volunteer themselves, either by local, regional or national clubs; or that they are being asked to donate funds. There is an entire infrastructure of volunteerism in place in the dog show world. Sometimes people simply get tired of hearing about their clubs! If you really want to stand out and receive approval and get some “atta boys,” then you will have to rise above everyone else competing for volunteer time and attention. If you don’t get the approval you are looking for, please do not blame your fellow club members or pitch a fit. That’s just the way it is and being childish about it will not make you look any better. We hear a great deal about behaving with good sportsmanship in the show ring but perhaps there should also be some good sportsmanship in regard to club meetings, too. If you are going to be a club officer then things will not always go the way you want them to go. You may not always agree with your fellow officers or with club members. Before you accept a position as an officer you should at least ask yourself if you are mature enough to accept defeat and behave with some degree of grace. Whether you volunteer as a club officer or in some other position for your club, you need to have some relatively thick skin. People will not always agree with you or like what you’re doing. That is their right. Just because you are temporarily in charge does not mean that other dues-paying members have forfeited their rights to voice their opinions. If you cannot tolerate criticism then it is best if you do not volunteer. Volunteering for a job does not make you God. What it means is that it’s up to you to find a way to work with people until your job is over. Yes, your fellow club members may be difficult. They may be uninformed. They may even be wrong. But you took the job so it’s up to you to handle it without whining or being a drama queen and making the situation worse. The best volunteers are not just the ones who are capable of doing their jobs. They are the ones who have some good people skills. I would even say they are not the people who are constantly looking for praise, though it’s welcome when it comes. The best volunteers are the people who care about the club and the dogs and get things done. •
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The British Scene by Geoff Corish
A
s the UK headed to the autumn (the Fall in the US) we all become a little concerned as how our climate will treat us. For a show committee it must be high on its list of concerns. AsI have said many times, you could never plan ahead because the weather can be wonderful one day and quite different the next. Of course the further north you go, then the climate can be even more precarious. Darlington is
a show on the north east coast of the country, the town itself is not that far from the Borders of Scotland. The show now has moved a little further south in order to make use of the wonderful grounds of Newby Hall. Newby is a wonderful old stately home, home Mr. Richard Compton and his family. They even have their own family church in the grounds of the hall. The backdrop to the show is quite spectacular. This show actually schedules every breed recognized by The Kennel Club, something l doubt many other shows do. They cater for everyone in the show world and several stakes classes are well filled, with prize money too!! Once again exhibitors were faced with all the groups and best in show being judged by one person, as time has gone exhibitors here do not like this, they feel one judge can dictate too much in the groups. However with the difficult approval system for judges by The Kennel Club, the number of UK judges approved to do all the groups is very limited. The only option for societies that wish to invite someone to do them all is to go overseas. But Dr. Jakkel was the judge and perhaps there were a few surprises!! The total entry for the show was 7,628 dogs with the highest breed entry being with Golden 76 Dog News
retrievers with 214 dogs!! Now overseas exhibitors can understand how difficult it is to make a UK champion with these sorts of breed numbers. Goldens are not the only ones with huge entries!! There were several group winners from overseas. In the hound group Ramon Podesta would be delighted to hear that the Afghan he sent to Owen Greechan, was Dr. Jakkel’s winner. Ch/Chilean Ch Rashid Ebn Hugo von Haussman at Myalston is sired by the Danish import Braz/Am/Int Ch Boxadan Just About Perfect ex Chilean Ch Souha von Hausman. He was top Afghan in 2009. The gundog group winner was the solid black American Cocker Am Ch Silverhall Shangri-La, who had recently gained her UK title. Owned by Jaxson Manser and handler Amy English, sired by Am Ch Goldry’s Sweet Seduction ex Am Ch Junipers Jaywalk. In the non sporting it was a first group for the young black toy poodle Vanitonia You’ll See. Owned by Lee Cox and Tom Isherwood and sire by Toshi Omuras import JP Smash Beat Beat at Vanitonia ex the lovely Ch Vanitonia Gloria May. In the working it was yet another for Will Dobbins Newfoundland from Switzerland Ch/Irish Ch Fairweathers Knock Out at Brooklynbear. In the herding it was the Australian imported Border Collie Show Ch.Aust Ch Danari De Beers (Aus Ch Tookurra Catch a star ex Aus Ch Dinari Diamante). For the final the winner was the Wire Fox Terrier Ch Travella Starlord, the first top award for this young dog. Owned by Mr. Victor Malzoni and handled by Richard Allen. This was his fourth group win. Runner-up was another youngster and one of the contenders for the dog all breeds award Tom Isherwood and Lee Cox’s Chinese Crested Ch Vanitonia Unwrapped, making it quite a show for the kennel. •
The Number 1* Papillon Breed & Number 3* All Breed
Multiple Best In Specialty Show
GCh. Zelicaons Butch Cassidy At Draco
“Parker�
Our sincere appreciation to all the Judges who have recognized this elegant boy, keeping him consistently the #1 Papillon from January 1, 2010 to date. Owner Anita Wright Draco Papillons www.dracopaps.com
*The Dog News Top Ten List
AKC reg. Handlers John and Tammie Wilcox Dog News 77
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A
few months ago in Matt Stander’s “And More” column he commented on the ethics of judges charging Clubs the agreed upon fee when the event is unavoidably canceled after the judge has arrived. As I recall in my thirty years of judging some seven hundred, or there about, shows only one and a half were canceled. by Gerald Schwartz
Jerry Speaks
No Fee For In Ring Duties
The half show was stopped after several hours of judging due to a thunder and lightning display that had to be seen to be believed. The other cancellation occurred on the second day of a weekend event when the show grounds flooded after an overnight rain storm. I must confess I expected and accepted the previously agreed upon fees with a clear conscience. I have often thought and said if there were a show in my backyard and to get to ringside all I had to do was to roll out of bed and walk out the my kitchen door I would judge a hundred and fifty dogs and a Group or two for free (slight exaggeration). At least for me the “for pay” was not compensation for in ring duties. For the most part the enjoyment and satisfaction was to be found in the ring. The (slightly more than exaggerated) point being the largest part of my fees were based on the inconveniences encountered arriving at ringside in sound mind and body ready to judge those one hundred and fifty dogs and a couple of Groups. The real “for pay” work for me started when driving an hour getting to the local airport an hour before the advertised departure time (unless delayed). Then the making of, or the barely making of, or the not making of connections. Then finding the Show Club’s transportation representative at an unfamiliar terminal or renting a car and finding the way to the lodging. Then meeting in the lobby at
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7:a.m. for transportation to the show site for a 8:a.m. start. Then finding the hotel’s coffee shop also had an 8:a.m. start. Oh yes, I remember it well! Then after the show, reversing the journey from ringside to home. Then hopefully arriving home in both sound mind and body ready to face the “real world” challenges! I want to make it perfectly clear I speak only for myself certainly not for the judging community! In as much as I haven’t been inside a show ring in over six years my reasoning may not be valid. The fact that unexpected cancellations are rather seldom occurrences, I’m not at all sure it deserves a great many new rules or guidelines. Does the term “let your conscience be your guide” ring a bell? A rather simple solution for those who do not trust the conscience of judges would be to include in judging contracts wording similar to the following. “If after the arrival of the judge and the event is cancelled in whole or part, the judge’s fee will be X % of previously agreed upon fee”. This could range from 0 % to 100% and everything in between. Personally I favor that “let your conscience be your guide” remedy. To quote Doctor Clyde Henderson regarding treatment options, “You don’t have to run a mile to jump over a one foot ditch!”•
GCH. URI DE BEAUVOIR THE NUMBER ONE* BELGIAN SHEEPDOG ALL BREED MULITPLE BEST IN SHOW & SPECIALTY WINNER WESTMINSTER GROUP SECOND 2010 WINNER UNDER JUDGES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POND
OWNER CHARLENE MASCUCH
OWNER&HANDLER HEIKE WEHRLE
OWNER AND BREEDER KATE KINNANE
*The Dog News Top Ten List
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*
*All Systems
Dog News 83
H
ere’s something to be thankful for this holiday season. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA & CS) is conducting a study of animal welfare that will focus on current laws and regulations pertaining to the welfare of dogs, the oversight of public and private animal shelters, spay/neuter programs, commercial breeding operations and consumer protections issues. I know what many are thinking: how is that something to be thankful for? Sounds like dog owners in North Carolina will be facing mandatory spay/neuter legislation or an ordinance that will restrict or curtail the rights of its residents to breed or own dogs in the very near future. But that doesn’t necessarily appear to be the case in North Carolina. Although dog owners have learned to be temper any enthusiasm in the early legislative stages and to be cautiously optimistic throughout the lengthy process, the difference in this instance is that instead of rushing to try to sneak an ordinance through the General Assembly on the sly, the NCDA & CS is actually seeking constructive input from the public on these issues. What a novel idea! It’s always stunning when one finds out that legislatures didn’t bother to consult experts in any given area before introducing ordinances and mandates and it’s become almost equally astonishing when they actually do seek input from the public on issues. For this, responsible dog owners and breeders must be grateful. Here is an opportunity to have your voice heard in a study that will be submitted to the North Carolina General Assembly in the upcoming session and could have an impact on statewide dog laws. Rather than issuing a knee-jerk reaction to a law that may or may not impede upon their rights to own or breed dogs, owners and breeders may actually be part of the process in crafting new legislation, tweaking existing legislation or helping legislators come to the conclusion that there isn’t any need for new laws concerning animal
care. Imagine if that happened everywhere? One expects that American Kennel Club would be consulted in the matter as well. After all, with offices in Raleigh, and with a strong presence in community affairs, who better to offer input on the subject? Just this past week, the AKC Community Events team sent more than 40 dogs representing 32 breeds and an additional three mixed-breed dogs representing the AKC Canine Partners Program (in an effort to boost its image as an inclusionary rather than exclusionary registry?) to the annual Christmas parade in downtown Raleigh on November 20th, in which 60,000 people attended and another 250,000 watched a live broadcast on television. Dog owners carried signs identifying the breeds of dogs to educate parade-goers and Bernese Mountain Dogs exemplified their drafting skills by pulling decorated carts. It may not seem like that big a deal, but purebred dog owners and the AKC must avail itself of every opportunity to enlighten and educate the general public on the various breeds and their versatility and how they should be recognized as a valued part of the community and not only as a prospective income source through higher licensing fees. The NCDA & CS is to be commended on its progressive thinking (and I’m not referring to holding a Christmas party on November 20th) and common sense and so too must the AKC. The AKC has issued a press release on the matter and is urging all dog owners in North Carolina to provide intelligent and respectful input to the NCDA & CS. Emailed comments are preferred, and can be sent to: animalwelfarestudy@ ncagr.gov but snail mail will also be accepted at: Animal Welfare Study Comments c/o NCDA&CS Animal Welfare Section 1030 Mail Service Center Raleigh NC 27699-1030. For those in need of help in drafting such a letter, the AKC’s state federation, the North Carolina Federation of Dog Clubs, has already provided a template for a missive
OFF LEASH by Shaun Coen
THE
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to be sent to the attention of Dr. Lee Hunter, Director of the NCDA & CS Animal Welfare Section. Here is a nugget from that example: “North Carolina should not implement any new dog breeder licensing laws. Contrary to sensational allegations being made by proponents for dog breeder licensing, our state does not have a reputation as a “puppy mill” state. Similar misstatements were made in every state where these proponents sponsored breeder licensing laws during the last two years. This is baseless propaganda for an otherwise unneeded law. Few regulatory problems have been found with commercially bred dogs in NC and historically, those were adequately addressed using existing animal breeder licensing and animal abuse laws.” The exemplary letter also includes these additional bullet points and backs them up with facts: • Shelter animals are not a result of dog breeders. • The NCDA & CS needs to better enforce existing animal welfare laws. • The NCDA & CS needs to better enforce existing requirements for animal shelter statistics reporting. • Existing low cost spay neuter program should be expanded. (To read the letter in its entirety, log on to: http://www.akc.org/pdfs/ canine_legislation/NC_Federation_ Comments.pdf) Indeed, the argument from responsible owners and breeders always seems to be that rather than implementing new laws, existing ones should be enforced, as every state has animal cruelty laws on its books. And yet, new legislation addressing the same old problems, either real or perceived, continue to pass, with no additional funding set aside for their enforcement. The latest example is Prop B in Missouri, which restricts the number of breeding animals one may own in addition to instituting new regulations for care, though there is no further funding set aside to ensure that unscrupulous breeders will come into compliance. Will those that currently run afoul of the law suddenly begin to obey when new laws are introduced that address the same problems? Not likely. Hopefully, the efforts being made by the NCDA & CS in which they seek input from those that will be directly affected by the new legislation will lead to a more comprehensive study of the problems that exist in the state, if indeed there are any. If dog owners and breeders and the organizations that truly protect the health and welfare of purebred dogs are consulted in the early stages of crafting through drafting legislation, then that truly is something for which we can all be thankful. •
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B
efore I go on a tear about two organizations dear to my heart, the AKC and The Kennel Club in the UK, I want to tell you about a great coffee table book I received in the mail which makes an ideal Holiday gift for anyone you know who owns and loves dogs. It is simply titled DOGSgods and is basically a book of incredible and imaginative photographs of all types of dogs. It provides a unique and exquisite insight into man's best friend as Tom Flach uses his photographic talents to present an original and enduring presentation which captures animal behavior and characteristics of Dogs hitherto unrecorded. The text is minimal, written by Lewis Blackwell, but is informative and creative as well. Personally I would put this book on the top of my A-list if books are your thing and the person you are thinking about giving a gift to is the least bit interested in expanding his or her relationship with dogs as known today or in the past too. The cost in the States is $50 and the publisher is the well-known Art of Books publisher Abrams, located in New York City at 115 West 18th Street 10011 or through www.abramsbooks.com Now as to the latest actions or lack of same taken by the two leading kennel clubs in the world! Let's go to AKC first--AKC formed through the offices of the Board Chair 18 months ago The AKC Canine Health and Welfare Advisory Committee, which consists of 10 of the more respected veterinarians and experts Overreacting In The UK... health in America today. Their names and their report on the LUA Dalmatians are included as a side-bar on the continued page of this story. Obviously this Committee recommended very strongly to the Board that the Dalmatians in question be registered for health purposes as a means by controlled breeding to improve the overall health conditions of the Dalmatian. This is to my knowledge the first truly meaningful and long term stand taken by this Advisory Committee in its short lived existence. And what does the Board majority do? As a compromise and to assuage the egos of two Board Members and certain Parent Clubs not only do they ignore the recommendations but they send the entire matter back to the Dalmatian club to vote on it! The fact that the officers of the Dalmatian Club sent out a most curious and in my opinion incorrect and basically irresponsible letter to all Parent Clubs warning them, in effect, if the Board ignored the wishes of DCA they would ignore what other Parent Clubs wanted as well, is forgotten about. The fact is that it is the mandated constitutional obligation of the Board of Directors to establish and set
AND MORE
Undermining An Advisory Committee,
by Matthew H. Stander
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CONTINUED ON PAGE 118
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First Briard Bitch Grand CH. Multiple Best In Specialty Show Winning
AM & CAN CH. Bella del Conte Rissoso, TT Rassemblement Selection in Canada 2008, USA 2009, & Cotation 3 in France 2010 Multiple Group Winner, Best of Opposite Sex Westminster Kennel Club, 2010
Her goal for 2011 is to give her the new title of “Dam� The only uncropped briard to appear in the specials ring in the USA in many years. With gratitude to the Judges throughout the year for their serious efforts to know our breed in all its details. 90 Dog News
WILEY Owned by Ellen Jo Myers and Nancy Valiquette Handled always by Adam and Jamie Bernardin Dog News 91
Kennel Club of Philadelphia:
20MillionViewers by Sharon Sakson • Photos by Carla Viggiano
The exciting thing about the Saturday show of the Kennel Club of Philadelphia is not the location nor the benching nor the spectators. It’s that 20 million viewers in the United States see this show, which makes it by far the most viewed dog show of the year.
W
estminster, while more prestigious, is broadcast on the cable network USA. Other shows are broadcast on Animal Planet. But Philadelphia is broadcast on NBC, one of the major networks that reaches into every home in the US, whether they subscribe to cable or not. The entry was up considerably this year, with 1572. The show has settled comfortably into its Oaks, Pennsylvania, site. The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center is not impressive, hidden behind a lot of ordinary buildings, a shopping mall and a giant movie theater.
But inside, the floors are even and the ceilings are high. It’s light and the noise level is not overwhelming. The benching area has no benches, just areas marked off with pipe fencing and curtains, so you can pile up your own crates and chairs and tables as you wish. There are exit doors on every side, so you don’t have far to go to get your gear in and out. David Frei and John O’Hurley looked suitably formal in their black tuxedos. At the TV Desk, Great Dane breeder Dottie Davis and I compiled information from every Best of Breed winner. So, we learned that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier winner, GCh Thunderbays Mister Prime Time, played the character of The Situation in a recent cable contest. (If you don’t understand that last sentence, you are either hopelessly out of touch or over 25 years old. ‘The Situation’ is a big tough CONTINUED ON PAGE 120
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The Best In Specialty Show
GCh. Kolat’s Moving Violation
“Pinch”
Sire: Mulitplec Best In Specialty Show Winning Ch. Nani’s Virtuoso, NRD “Luciano”
Dam: Multiple Best In Show, Multiple Best In Specialty Show Ch. Unity Juscanis Surely Temple
Group Third Kennel Club of Columbus Indiana September 25, 2010 Thank you Judge Mrs. Nancy S. Cowley
Best of Breed Northeastern Indiana Kennel Club November 7, 2010 Thank you Judge Mrs. Carol Lee Richards
Multiple Group Placements and Best of Breed
“Pinch” gets caught in Indiana
Top Ten* Weimaraner Breed since 16 months of age in limited showing Bred By Lauren Austin and Gregory McLogan and Amy Tourond
Owner & Handler Chris Grisell Nani’s Weimaraners
Owners Robert and Donna Hilgenbrink Grauschatten Weimaraners
*The Dog News Top Ten List
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*
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Luckyin Kentucky Bulldog Club of America National Specialty Week
By Elizabeth Hugo-Milam
F
Photos by Sandra Martinez, Gait Away Bulldography
all is the time of year the group of us collectively known as “Bulldoggers” wait for all year. National Week! We had the good fortune of attending this year’s National week October 24-30. This was a nice break from our usual Thanksgiving time. This show was held in Loving memory of beloved Bulldogger Phyllis Huff. The venue was the Drawbridge Hotel and Convention Center in Ft. Mitchell, KY set in lovely suburban Cincinnati. Weather for the most part was excellent, except for the minimonsoon we had Monday afternoon. As is typical, Bulldog National week is jammed packed with activities ranging from various committee meetings to judges education, always run by Brenda Newcomb. The educational
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seminars are also always well attended as is Doris Boyd’s popular handling class. Obedience and Rally started off the week’s festivities Monday morning. High in Trial was won by Betty Studzinski’s 11 year old Lady Beatrice Barkley, UD score of 188.0. There were 4 dogs competing. The Rally competition drew 6 entries competing in 3 classes. Winning Novice B was T. and R. Honig’s Wildwood One Night in Bangkok bred by B. and C. Page. Winning both Advanced B and Excellent B was SittingBullies Wildwood Mockingbird CD RE OAP OJP, bred by Cheryl Knapp and owned by Beatrice Page. Sweepstakes judging followed Monday afternoon. Judging Dogs and Best in Sweepstakes was Mr. Jack Milam from Newcastle, Oklahoma. Lyn Cocks of Florissant, Missouri judged the bitch classes. Best in Sweepstakes was awarded to the 12-18 dog Imperious Hamitup Reuben James, Bred by Sue Glover and Owned by Sue Glover, Kelly Franz, R. Glover and Rick Franz. Reuben is the littermate to last year’s Best in Sweepstakes and Best of Opposite in Sweepstakes winners. CONTINUED ON PAGE 124
GCH. KAVALOR FENWAY PARK
Flash nd Group Seco Judge ott c S n a o J . s Mr ty Penn Trea b Kennel Clu Breeder/Owner/Handler: Karen & Ron Galipeault AKC Registered Handler www.kavalorcavaliers.com kavalorcavaliers@gmail.com
Thank you to Judge Mr. Robert Hall Fenway’s campaign is just beginning. In two short months he is already among the top ranked, with multiple group placements. Thank you to all the judges instrumental in his success. Friends of Fenway: Cheryl & Kenneth Barnes Keje Cavaliers www.kejecavaliers.com James & Lorna Mueller Dog News 97
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Dog News 99
BRACE YOURSELF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30
On Saturday morning we left for the show venue, in the obligatory heavy traffic, and found our way to a huge exhibition complex where several competition rings had been set up and an enclosed area where an American behaviourist was giving basic obedience lessons. Here ex-model Karen judged a Golden Retriever specialty with what appeared to be about 40 dogs competing and Carl a Chow specialty with considerably less. Certainly none of the Goldens impressed that much but a few of the Chows looked interesting. We then left the Anselms at the venue as they were judging Collie and Siberian specialties that afternoon whilst we made our way to a vast conference centre where the forum was being held. This did not appear to be very well attended and after lunch Matt Stander spoke on the role of the international media in animal welfare. Several conversations led me to believe that the Chinese government will only be happy to allow the dog world to progress if it does so independently, free of either FCI or AKC. A remark was made, “China will only do anything if there is a financial incentive for China,” that spoke volumes. I got the distinct impression that China will be left to develop its own dog scene, rather like Russia did some years ago, free of outside influence, and then maybe consider dealing with the rest of the world at a later date. The government has now recognised the National General Canine Consultant Group and it would appear that this may well be the independent umbrella organisation that could take the Chinese dog world forward. It seemed ridiculous but by 5 p.m. on Sunday, I had been entertained for a week and still not had my hand on a dog. It then transpired that my judging assignment was to be the 2nd Sino-Korean Challenge Show which involved my judging all of 37 dogs!!! Certainly this was far from cost-effective in view of the hefty four-figure travelling expenses and full board and entertainment for a week. Evidently a number of top winning dogs from China and also South Korea entered this special event in which I was first asked to reduce the field to six from the Working, Gundog and Hound groups (a Doberman, Siberian, Samoyed, Golden Retriever, American Cocker and Afghan), five from the Herding and Non Sporting groups (a Border Collie, Chow Chow, two Bichons and a Miniature Poodle) and five from the Toy and Terrier groups (two Pomeranians, a Maltese, a Miniature Schnauzer – remember this club follows the American Kennel Club groupings – and a Toy Poodle). We then all went off to dinner after which we returned to a mini-Crufts big ring display of obedience and agility before my sixteen finalists were led in – this time following their national flag so the crowd knew who came from where. By this time the numbers of public had increased noticeably. I felt that my best course of action was to try to 100 Dog News
find the dogs that looked like their breed and also had the bonus of sound movement, steady temperament and optimum conditioning. When the sport is so new in a country I feel priorities shift somewhat, in that the first priority has to be soundness, health and conditioning with the finer details of breed type being less important. The Chinese need to understand that they must have the fundamentals in their breeding stock; the refinement of type can come later when a sound foundation has been established. I was asked to place four in reverse order so went for the better balanced Pom in fourth, the stylish Afghan third, the better proportioned Bichon second and the Samoyed first, not a small dog but easily the best and most typical mover in the ring as the Bichon was a little wide in front when he came on. The catalogue is of course impossible to read but I did manage to glean that all except the Bichon were bred in China and the Bichon was bred in Korea, so none of the four were actual imports which bodes well for the future. After I had returned home I learnt that the same Samoyed had won BIS and the Contest of Champions when Liz and Jim judged. Klaus Anselm then judged BIS at the show proper where his group winners were a Pomeranian, Miniature Schnauzer, Chow Chow, Border Collie, Doberman, Golden Retriever and Afghan. Personally from ringside I was drawn to the Chow Chow dog puppy sent through by Matt but Klaus went for a very American style Miniature Schnauzer with the Pom (not one that I had in the challenge) Reserve. In view of the fact that our hosts seemed to be intimating that they were keen on education, I felt that an opportunity was lost during the big ring finals when there was no commentary at all (unlike during the agility and obedience tests). Surely with so many members of the public present this would have been a golden opportunity to give brief descriptions of the breeds if only from a husbandry standpoint.
P
hotos were taken American-style and then we headed off to Beijing where we checked in again at the Super House International at close to midnight. On Monday we returned to the tailors to collect our various orders, EZZ very pleased with some rather colourful additions to his wardrobe, then packing in readiness for the flight to Dubai and a day at home before my next UK show. To make the journey back as pleasant as possible I used some of my Skywards miles to upgrade, and you can’t beat Emirates Business class. Chatting to the purser on the flight, it turned out that Joanna Burak’s grandfather was the most successful breeder and exhibitor of Miniature Schnauzers in Poland. It really is a small world. Some have said that China is a sleeping giant that could become a front runner in the dog world. Regardless of their numbers and motives I suspect that this will not happen in my life time, if at all. •
Dog News 101
“Knowledge Is True Opinion”…………Plato
GCh. Chaoyang Bestofmylove At ASIA 2010 Chinese Shar-Pei Club Of America Top 25
PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD WINNER
National Specialty Best of Opposite Sex (To Her Brother) National Regional Specialty Best of Opposite Sex (To Her Brother)
Chris Ann, Lisa And Ronnie Would Like To Thank Our Peers For This Most Prestigious Win. Thank You Judges Mrs. Judith Goodin And Mrs. Barbara Alderman For The Nationals Wins! Owned By: Chris Ann And Ronnie Moore And Lisa Lee Myers 102 Dog News
Bred By: Lisa Lee Myers asiapei@yahoo.com
Exclusively Handled By: Chris Ann Moore bisacd@aol.com
Boss IS THE REAL DEAL
“Strong Compact, Symmetrically Built Working Dog”
GCH. DAWN HEIR’S HE’S THE BOSS Thank you to Mrs. Tomas Gomez for this Great win. OWNERS DAVID & CARLA PRICE DESPERADOACDS@YAHOO.COM
PROFESSIONALLY HANDLED BY CHRIS ANN MOORE BISACD@AOL.COM
BREEDER MARTY YOUMANS-GRIFFITH
*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed
Dog News 103
RARE BRTHEEEWDORSLD OF
The Spanish Water Dog,
(or The Turco de Andalusia)
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 42
there is a lot of other and healthier traditions, even accepting that many will see the end of the fights as the end of an era, but again, millions of us will see this as a happy ending. Speaking about Spain there is one, maybe the last spoken about between the Spanish dog breeds; the Spanish Water Dog. The breed was almost extinct and only due to the efforts of two enthusiasts, Antonio Garcia Perez and Santiago Montesinos, who in 1975 travelled around the mountainous region of Andalusia buying a number of dogs from the shepherds that they felt most fit to the type they were looking for to establish a breeding program. Andalusía is the largest of Spain’s 17 autonomous regions and it’s the one which evokes the most powerful images of a country famed for its flamenco and fiestas. It’s a land which has inspired great writers, poets, actors and painters. Andalusía gave birth to the modern painter Pablo Picasso and the classical 17th century royal painter Diego Velasquez, the composer Manuel de Falla, the classical guitarist Andres Segovia, Maimonides, rabbi, philosopher, and physician, the poet Frederico Garcia Lorca, and so many more. As I mentioned above Andalusia is the setting for the most performed and famous opera of all time, Bizet’s Carmen. This unique place is the exotic melting pot of Jewish, gypsy, Moorish and Christian cultures. After the Moors invaded Spain in the 8th century the region became the kingdom of El Andalus and the capital of Cordoba was transformed into a centre of wealth, sophistication, culture and learning unrivalled anywhere. According to Islamic legend, the people of El Andalus asked Allah for five favors – clear blue skies, seas full of fish, trees laden with every kind of fruit, beautiful women and a fair system of government. Allah granted them everything except the last favor on the basis that if all five gifts were bestowed, the kingdom would become an unearthly paradise. This piece of the paradise is the homeland of the Spanish Water Dog. It is possible that centuries ago as the trade from Europe through the Middle East to India and China (creating the so called “Silk Route”) increased, dogs were transported as readily as other living stock and merchandise. The “Silk Route” between the Orient and Europe had maritime and caravan routes which were used for ages. As the caravans or ships travelled many dogs were exchanged or simply left behind, and the ones left with the local shepherds had given new genes for the already resident ones. Depending on the regions and the local preference they selected their dogs mainly for coat, speed, resistance, bark, and so forth. In the case of the Span104 Dog News
ish Water Dog, the shepherds were looking for the wooly coat as a main requirement. By 1100 AD a wooly-coated dog existed throughout Iberia. As the intervention by man was beginning to take place, the dogs were being bred for different tasks. In the Seashores of Portugal water dogs were used as a great assistant to the fishermen retrieving objects that had fallen overboard and towing lines to and from ships. In France he was prized for his great nose and courage to track and retrieve game. In Italy he put his scent abilities to work at finding truffles. However in Southern Spain, the wooly-coated dog continued to be prized for his versatile talents retrieving, herding, and hunting. The Spanish Water Dog is thought to relate to the old Barbet or other water dogs, such as the Irish Water Spaniel or Portuguese Water Dog. The breed has been used to retrieve from the water with its exceptional diving skills, as well as to go hunting. They are also excellent herders, and have always been multi-purpose dogs. There are some theories as to where the breed came from. One suggests it came with Turkish travelers along the Mediterranean, another suggests it originated in North Africa. There is documentation about the breed dated back to 1100 A.D. mentioning woolycoated dogs on the Southern Iberian Peninsula. According to I.L. Mason’s book, Sheep Breeds of the Mediterranean, “… sheep were first domesticated in the hills of what are now Turkey, Iraq and Syria. It is probable that the livestock-herding dog began its evolution there as well. (Note: Another name for Spanish Water Dog is “Turko de Andalusia” which in Spanish means Turkish dog of Southern Spain.)” These woolly-coated dogs had several different names, including Perro de Agua, Perro Turco, Laneto, Perro de Lanas, Perro Patero, Perro Rizado, Churro, Barbeta, Turcos Andalucia, and Perro de Agua Espanol. The breed still has its original use as stock herding but today has also been used for search and rescue, drug sniffing, bomb sniffing, agility and work in the water. The coat of the Spanish Water Dog should not be clipped or groomed for aesthetic purposes. Instead, it should look entirely natural, as though it is not groomed at all. It should never be trimmed, but sheared down at least once a year. Spanish Water Dog puppies are always born with curly hair. The Spanish Water Dog can be seen in a variety of colors. It may be black, beige, brown, white or bicolor where the second color is white (brown and white or black and white). Tricolored Spanish Water Dog dogs are strictly prohibited by the currently held (world-wide) standards for the breed as is black and tan or brown and tan color combinations (from the official Standard). This is a very intelligent and friendly breed, very attached to its human family. In 1980 the Spanish Water Dog Club (Spain) was formed in order to promote the breed and help get it recognized in its own country. Finally In 1985 the Spanish Kennel Club accepted it and gave it official status. It was officially recognized by Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1999. Registered by the AKC: FSS (Foundation Stock Service - not yet eligible for the AKC) in the Sporting Group. Registries: FCI (Group 8), KC (UK) (Gundog), NZKC (Gundog), UKC (Gun Dogs). Our readers can find the complete standard at the AKC files. •
ATop10*GiantSchnauzer Thank you Judge Dr. Eric Liebes
Thank you Judges Mrs. Wendy G. Willhauck, Mr. Paul F. Willhauck, Mr. James E. Taylor.
GCh. SpicerackShe’s AllThat,RN Owner Melisa Davis *The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed points
Bred by: Jean & Ed Biggins Robin Henderson
Professionally handled by: Rhanda L. Glenn AKC Registered Handler Dog News 105
The Best In Show and Best In Specialty Show Winning
GCh. Cedar C Barnstorm’s Ltd Edition
“DJ” #1 Tibetan Terrier 2008, 2009, 2010 • Among the Top Non-Sporting Dogs 2008, 2009, 2010 • 12 Bests in Shows • 70+ Group 1’s • Top 20 Winner • Multiple Specialty winner • Westminster Kennel Club Best of Breed Winner 2009, 2010 Owners Patricia Bernardo www.Barnstormtibetans.com MaryLou Lafler Donna Ogden 106 Dog News
Handler Lynn Meyer, DHG www.DzineTTs.com 618.498.2464 *The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed
You can chase a dream That seems so out of reach…
Dream It Anyway! “DJ” #1 Tibetan Terrier* Dog News 107
AKCChanges, JudgingAndOther Thoughts CONTINUED FROM PAGE 46
from. There are a lot of shows today where judges never really get to know the club officers. The hotel van picks you up at the airport, transports you to the show and you get paid by the superintendent. Most of the judges that do a great deal of judging do not have the time to be a show chairperson. The likes of Mike Billings, Keke Kahn, Edd Bivin, Frank Sabella, etc. etc. have never gotten another judge an assignment and they judge all the time. I cannot think of more than a handful of popular judges that are show chairpersons. When one travels to foreign lands all of the judges give you their cards. This has always been a custom around the world whether they are a breeder or a judge. If they are a judge the card will read, International All Breed Judge”. In most countries if they are a judge they can do all breeds, with the exception of England, which has only one all breed judge – Zena Thorn. To some people they would find this a form of solicitation. If I was at a judge’s dinner and passed out my card with the breeds I am permitted to judge, people would find it a form of solicitation in this country. We do get some foreign judges that are not up to par. This is usually because some show chairperson here has met them, hires them thinking they will get hired by the foreign judge. It is a way of getting an all paid vacation to some exotic land. I do know there are quite a few judges in this country looking for foreign assignments. I probably judge about six times a year in foreign countries, which I very much enjoy. I also feel it is an obligation that some of our better judges take assignments where the sport is very new. They can have a good influence on helping breeds develop in these new areas. I cannot get foreign judges assignments, but I get hired for various reasons. Most of the time it probably is just because I am available and willing to go. Sometimes it is because foreigners have seen me judge here. For example; I judged the Am Staff National here a couple of years ago which in turn led me to do the Spanish national and that in turn has led to doing other shows in Europe. There is a feeling throughout the world that Americans are Gods. I got picked up at the airport last night in Bogotá, Columbia and a young man was so excited that recently in Mexico he got to sit at a table with Ron Menaker. Because of Ron being Chairman of AKC he is thought of as a God. We all throw stones at our kennel club, but the rest of the world feels we are the greatest kennel club in the world. Even the countries that are FCI countries worship AKC. I am sure 108 Dog News
Ron gets invited to judge often in other countries because it adds great prestige to their show having him on the panel. Being that he is a respected judge and people take an instant liking to him just insures repeated assignments. Ron is not the only one at AKC – Dennis Sprung and Robin Stansell are other examples of celebrities in foreign lands. We all know that there are a very small number of judges that work at getting assignments. If you look at how many shows a year they judge their efforts are in vain. Most show chairpersons are going to be turned off by someone who solicits an assignment. It has been an AKC policy for a long time and they have even encouraged judges to solicit match shows and sweepstakes. I am not sure how productive this has been since the average match doesn’t have enough dogs to make it an educational experience. Also it has been allowed if you have been hired by a club to let them know what breeds you are provisional for. So maybe this news of allowing judges to solicit seems earth shattering news, but it really is not going to change things in the way judges get hired. There will be a very small handful of judges who have always worked at getting assignments. This same very small minority will be able to do it more openly. I cannot imagine that show chairpersons will be bombarded with solicitations. Some judges might give their friends reasons why they should hire them. It would be economical to have them or that they will draw a large entry in a certain breed. I am sure within the next few months we will hear more news that will seem earth shattering news at the time and will become quite commonplace in a very short while. A couple of years ago who would have ever thought we would be allowing mixed breeds at AKC performance events. We quickly got used to the concept and hopefully will reap the benefits from it.
S
ince the announcement allowing solicitation was made, I have spoken with several show chairpersons. Only one of them has had one person solicit an assignment. And this was from a person who has always solicited assignments even when it was not legal. Most of those I have spoken with have said they would not hire anyone that solicited an assignment. One of the judge’s organizations has polled their members on how they feel about soliciting. It will be interesting to see the results. I predict the judges that have been judging a long time and more than several breeds will be overwhelmingly against it. I’m going to wait with interest to see what the next change will be and how or if, it will have any long term impact – some how I think not so much.
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Exclusively
Breeder/Owner Handled
Chauncy GCh. Lynann’s Touchstone Thank you Judges for these recent wins! 4th Specialty Best of Breed English Cocker Spaniel Fanciers of Greater Denver, Judge Ms. Pluis Davern
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5th Specialty Best of Breed English Cocker Spaniel Club of Northern California Judge Mr. Gregory A. Anderson Group First Riverside Kennel Club Judge Mrs. Robert Smith
Breeders: Lynda and Robert Gall
Owners: Breeders & D. Deane & L. Matter
Dog News 109
TakeTwoTherapy DogsandCallMe... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 60
ability to do so, i.e., it’s more fun for a child to read a story aloud to a therapy dog because the therapy dog never corrects or criticizes. Counseling situations, hospice centers and many types of support groups utilize a therapy dog visit for the benefit of their clients as well. Some therapy dog and handler teams have become involved with national crisis response groups after completing additional training. In that role, the healing benefits of a therapy dog visit helps victims, emergency personnel and family members cope with crisis or disaster, i.e., hurricanes, wildfires, floods, school shootings—even the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It would seem that a therapy dog visit is good for just about anything that ails us, plus, a whole lot more. And no prescription is necessary!
A therapy dog visit to Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital (nursing home wing) in Norfolk, Virginia. The dogs’ names are “Apache” (Sundance Indigo Swing CD PAX MX MXJ MXP4 MJP6 AD SS AJ SG TN-N NAC NJC NCC VCX CGC) and “Dakota” (MACH Dakota CD OAP OJP EAC EJC SJ GS-N TT CGC VCX) Victoria Hoffman owns them and also took the photo. Hoffman and her Standard Poodles have been registered Pet Partners since 2005. Hoffman’s father is pictured with Apache and Dakota.
The vision of farsighted individuals
The numerous benefits described above and enjoyed by so many are possible thanks to organizations like Delta Society®, which sponsor programs devoted to animal-assisted therapy and activities. Delta Society owes its origin to the farsighted vision of group of individuals. In the late 1970s, several veterinarians and a psychiatrist noticed that many of their clients appeared to enjoy improved health and a sense of well-being as a result of association with their pets. In 1977, they founded the Delta Foundation® in Portland, Ore. to fund research on the benefits of the human and companion animal bond. During the next decade, an increasing number of researchers and medical practitioners, who also believed humans could derive psychological and physiological benefits from interacting with an animal, conducted clinical studies that documented them, i.e., lowered stress and anxiety levels; the stimulation of the release of endorphins that makes people feel good, reduced blood pressure and heart rate, etc. (Interestingly, some of the studies documenting reduced blood pressure and heart rates in humans after they stroked a dog, found the dog’s blood pressure and heart rates also were reduced as well as a result of being stroked.) These findings motivated Delta Society®--whose name was changed to better reflect the broadening scope of its mission--to develop a program that put these proven theories into practice in an every day application.
The Pet Partners® Program
In 1990, Delta Society established the Pet Partners Program to facilitate the advancement of positive interaction between humans and animals safely by setting standards of behavior for interested owners and their companion animals. To that end, the program offers instruction and evaluation to ensure that owners and their pets are well-prepared for participation in animal-assisted therapy and activities. Currently, Delta Society has more than 10,000 110 Dog News
active Pet Partners registered teams, with each team consisting of one human and one animal. While the majority of teams are made up of dogs and their owners, the Pet Partners Program also offers training and registration to just about every other kind of domesticated animal: cats, horses, rabbits, Guinea Pigs, birds, etc. Instruction focuses on teaching all owners to be effective handlers, but there’s a different evaluation for each animal species. (The Pet Partners Program also includes comprehensive training for health care professionals and volunteers in the use of animals in a therapeutic setting.)
Requirements for Registration
Handlers must complete a licensed Delta Society Pet Partners in-person workshop or home study of the manual, which includes a written examination. Their dogs must have a health screening by a veterinarian. Dog and handler teams must pass an evaluation where increasing pressure is gradually put on the dog to make certain it will not react negatively—snap or even bite. For example, dogs must accept petting from a stranger who walks up to them. Small dogs must accept being passed from the lap of one stranger to that of two other strangers. Dogs must accept a restraining hug from a stranger. Dogs must accept being bumped from behind. And dogs cannot spook at loud noises or atypical behavior, i.e., crutches falling on the floor or someone babbling. (While any breed can be registered with the program, the determining factor is the individual dog’s temperament.) The Evaluation doesn’t simply focus on scoring the dog’s performance. Each handler is evaluated and scored as well; plus, the dog and handler are evaluated and scored on how well they work together as a team. Once a dog and handler team become registered Pet Partners, they’re covered by Delta Society’s commercial general liability insurance. If either member of a Pet Partners Team causes a loss while performing Pet Partners activities, the loss should be covered by that insurance. For more information about the Delta Society Pet Partners Program, those interested may call (425) 6795500 or visit www.deltasociety.org/ •
! t r a g o B and
ve i t i t e p m o c e h t .. .Sweep Classic!!! e t o y o C
n n y L Mari
Thanks to our Breed judges: Mrs. Patricia Hastings Mr. Mark HoustonMcMillan Ms.Theresa Hundt Mr. John Ronald A Special Thank You to John Ronald for our Group First!!!
Best In Specialty Show Winning GCh. Shoreline East/West Play It Again Sam SHORELINE Breeders: Nancy Simmons Stan & Lois Ostrowski Karla Mattioli
Presented By: Mari Lynn Davisson
SHORELINE WEST Owners: Jim D. Bailey Dr. Nancy Schycker-Bailey Dog News 111
AVeryVersatileTerrier CONTINUED FROM PAGE 64
most dogs once the basic introductions to obstacles and jumps are completed. I don’t use a lot of food for agility. In tracking, the dog only gets a reward at the end of the track. But, I also only teach every exercise in very small steps. That way, if something ‘breaks,’ we can easily back up past the point that was ‘broken.’” “Terriers don’t respond well to harsh training methods,” said Bob Nerrie who with his wife, Elaine, owns Ch Hullabaloo Ashford To a “T” VCD2 RE MX AXP MXJ AJP (“Vinnie.”) “Fortunately, shortly before I started training Vinnie, positive training methods were introduced. Vinnie was the perfect dog for these methods as he was amazingly responsive from the start. I think that terriers were bred for independent activities such as varmint control as opposed to directed activities such as herding. But, it appears that Wheatens were used as herding dogs which may make them easier than some other terriers to train and they have recently been approved to compete in AKC herding events. One thing I’ve discovered is that they don’t do well with repetition. I don’t repeat an exercise more than two or three times. It also seems they do better with multiple short training sessions than a few longer ones.” “Most dogs can be successful in performance activities if you can find ways to motivate them,” said Elizabeth Sorenson who owns Ch MACH Ceili’s Calypso CDX RA OAP OJP OF CGC (“Ripley”) that also has the NADAC and USDAA agility titles of NAC NGC OGC AAD, Ripley’s mom, Ch. Waterford Just A Second CDX OA OAJ CGC who is retired and Ch. Ceili’s Flying Circus MX MXJ NF. “I haven’t found Wheatens to be particularly difficult to train but there is always a range of temperaments in the breed. Many of the breed’s traits are an asset in performance events. I’m thinking particularly of moderation and a confident, steady temperament. You need a Wheaten to have three things to be successful—drive, focus and athletic ability. There are many Wheatens with all three but not every Wheaten is the same. It is best to start with one that has talent but a good trainer can improve drive and focus. Unfortunately a number of Wheatens are not gifted jumpers and that can limit their success in agility. I’ve been fortunate that Ripley has always been extremely focused on people and easy to train.” All of these Wheaten fanciers came to admire the breed by different routes but for Elena Landa, who owns Am. Can. Ch Legenderry’s Baby Snooks CDX TDX ROMC CCD CTDX (“Puzzle”), it Ch MACH Ceili’s Calypso CDX RA OAP OJP OF CGC (“Ripley”), Elizabeth Sorenson’s Wheaten, also has the NADAC and USDAA agility titles of NAC NGC OGC AAD. 112 Dog News
The most difficult obstacle Landa had to overcome with Puzzle was the dog’s desire to entertain the gallery at obedience events.
was like she was born to show and train Wheatens for it was her early life in her parents’ boarding kennel and their work writing a dog column for the Seattle Times when she was growing up that introduced her to the breed. “I was raised doing multiple dog activities— carting for school kids, obedience in parades, going to shows with breeders of all types of dogs and I absorbed a lot of information from all of them. I discovered Wheatens had been all-around farm dogs which meant they had to do many different tasks on a farm, work all day and not break down. This is why this breed needs to do different activities. It is very important to not lose sight of what the breed was originally intended to do. Puzzle and I had some problems in obedience getting her to grab and hold a dumbbell. So, we did a lot of play training treating the dumbbell like it was the best toy in the whole world. But, that created another problem and I had to work on her to not throw it around and chomp on it. That required a lot of patience and a big sense of humor which I think is vital when you are working with a terrier. While Wheatens generally want to please and work with you and not always against you, you also have to be aware that they like to clown and they can be stubborn. In addition, they have a softer temperament. These traits sometimes make it difficult to find the balance between their soft temperament and making them do what you want them to do without them realizing that you are making them do something.” “Obedience has been the most difficult for me with my current dog,” said JoAnne Vogt who owns Ch. Gleanngay Keep the Faith UD TD OA OAJ HIT x 2 (“Maizy”) and Saddlebrook Raise ‘A Ruckus uDS OA OAJ OAP OAJP HIT x 2 (“Tanner.”) “During the journey, she has gotten her way, written her own script and driven the bus too many times. She thinks her way is the best. Although I think this is partially a ‘terrier’ thing, it’s also her personality. She also wanted to be dog aggressive which can be more of a problem with terriers than other breeds. It’s sort of ‘the nature of the beast.’ I had to learn how to redirect her aggression so it didn’t become a problem. Terriers generally are smart but repetition just isn’t their ‘bag.’ It’s not mine either. Perhaps we’re both a little AD so I peep training short. Unless you are a strong leader, the dog will take over and do things their way and they always want to know ‘what’s in it for me.’ If I had learned to train dogs before I had children I probably would have much better behaved children.” “It’s essential to correct problems in training using POSITIVE reinforcement,” said Unruh. “I’ve had to break down exercises to their most basic components and work each component slowly until we could put everything back together again. Negative reinforcement just makes a Wheaten more determined not to do your bidding!” CONTINUED ON PAGE 114
*C.C. System, Breed points
Dog News 113
AVeryVersatileTerrier CONTINUED FROM PAGE 112
While Wheatens may be easier to train than some of the other terrier breeds, that does not mean that training is always a smooth, straight-line process. “We had some early problems in agility because Vinnie’s obedience work, which he did first, had trained him to be a ‘Velcro’ dog fixed to my left side. This is not something you want for agility! By necessity, we became early devotees of the newly introduced ‘front cross’ because I had lots of trouble getting him to go out ahead of me enough to do rear crosses. Eventually we became a reasonably proficient team with a very unorthodox style of our own including, when I would get confused and lost in the middle of a course, having Vinnie respond by barking at me to show me the next obstacle,” said Nerrie. “One of the biggest problems I had with Puzzle was her incredible ability to ‘act’ when there was an audience watching her. This meant that shows/ trials were very ‘interesting’ and the gallery usually had at least one good laugh. Her sense of humor would always surface at the worst time. I did a lot of different things with Puzzle like carting, tracking and going to ground as she was small enough to do that so I could keep boredom at bay but it was only temporary because she always thought up something new to amuse people. I tried to tell the people watching not to laugh when she pulled one of her tricks and we went to a lot of fun matches but she quickly caught on that they were not the real thing. She would make up something new almost every time she ran. If the audience didn’t laugh, she wouldn’t do it again but if they did laugh, I was in trouble. The phony ‘limp’ episodes were the worst. As soon as people were around, she would hang her head and start limping. Everyone thought I was trying to make a sore dog work and it was embarrassing. As soon as there was no audience for her, she’d lift her head, wag her tail and be perfectly sound, thinking it was just the best joke. I finally stopped working her for a bit and did nothing but tracking with her for a couple of months where there was no audience until she finally forgot that particular trick,” said Landa. “I’ve found that not all Wheatens are cut out for obedience competition,” said Geertson. “Once I got my first Irish-coated Wheaten that came mostly from imported lines I discovered that another thing that came along with her was a tremendous work “Kylie” (Ch MACH3 Heirloom Truly Irresistible OF RN), John Unruh’s Wheaten, who recently completed her MACH3, has also participated in the AKC Agility Invitational for five years placing in the top five each year and ranked number 2 for the last two years. 114 Dog News
Once Betsy Geertson changed from compulsion training to motivational training life got easier for both Geertson and “Cali” ( U-AG-1 U-CDX Ch Acacia’s Some Like it Hot CDX RE OA OAJ OAP AJP NFP CDX-H NAC TN-N)
ethic and biddability. She was very unlike my previous Wheatens that had mostly American pedigrees. Once I started performance training with her and her pups, it just got a lot easier. I think that the greatest problem with Wheatens is a lack of consistency. Again, this is probably more true in obedience than agility. One day the dog will look like a world beater and the next day can’t qualify for anything. That’s probably one reason why there has never been a Wheaten OTCH. But training for any performance activity requires a lot of patience. Wheatens are very aware of their environment and because of that they need to learn to ignore things outside the ring. I’ve also found that maintaining your sense of humor really helps when showing and training these dogs.” To a small but rapidly growing group of Wheaten fanciers, multi-titled dogs in the breed are becoming increasingly important. “I think an awareness corner has been turned due to recent successes of Wheaten performance dogs,” said Nerrie. “There has been a gratifying increase in interest in performance activities in the last few years. Good temperament is of utmost importance to this breed and the Wheatens who do best in performance also seem to have wonderful, outgoing, happy temperaments. Excellent structure is also needed for many performance activities and that is beneficial for the breed as a whole.” “Wheatens have a negative reputation with a lot of trainers, groomers and veterinarians. I believe this is because many people buy them and for whatever reason, do no training at all. The more we are able to show that these are very trainable dogs, the more we will encourage people with Wheatens to do at least some basic puppy training classes with their dogs. I think as more breeders become aware of the success that we’re having, the more they will encourage their puppy buyers to take classes,” said Geertson. “The breed standard is better understood by doing and participating in many different activities with your dog,” said Landa. “I think the lack of interest in different activities the dog was bred to do is a shame as there is so much to learn from these activities as well as the dogs themselves. By not participating and learning, those Wheaten owners are missing a lot of good and memorable times. They are also not acquiring the ability to know a good dog that is structurally and mentally sound as well as not experiencing the joy of working with that dog. The more they learn about different activities the better balanced they and their dogs will be plus it’s just plain a lot of fun to do.”•
Dog News 115
the
Gossip column As representatives gather from around the world to attend our AKC/EUKANUBA dog show, some eyebrow raising new rules and suggestions are coming from our friends in the United Kingdom. New rules from the KENNEL CLUB, a bitch can only have four litters in her lifetime and a bitch can have no more than two litters if they are sectioned. The UK veterinarians have agreed to report to the kennel club any bitch that is sectioned, so as to enforce the two litter limit. On the suggestion list, is the need for group and best in show judging. One can argue both sides
116 Dog News
By Eugene Z. Zaphiris
of that question with very valid points. While the example cited by RONNIE IRVING of putting the extreme emphasis on group and best in show judging is the United States, I don’t think we stand alone in that area. I think the FCI, record holder of ten groups and reserve best in show winners, certainly likes handing out ribbons. What I do think, is that we have entirely too many dog shows and that the American Kennel club should address that before we address the qualifications of judges (which have always been questionable right
to the present day). Because if we have all these three, four and five-day clusters of shows, we need all these judges. So lessen the amount of shows and you need less judges, seems simple to me. While the topic is still British, congratulations to ZENA THORNANDREWS, who became the first person ever to have bred and shown 100 English Champions. Wellknown British Chin and Cavalier breeder MOLLY COAKER has passed away. Just back from a judging assignment in California, her Homerbrent kennels were world famous. SUE GOLDBERG & BOB SHREVE have just returned from judging in
Beijing, which is quickly becoming the destination of many judges from the United States. EDD BIVIN is off to judge in Hungary and then flies back to Los Angeles to be a commentator for the televised AKC/EUKANUBA dog show. KIKI COURTELIS is vacationing in Australia. In this world of computers a gentleman who still believes in bricks and mortar, RICHARD LEFRAK, was the guest of honor at a birthday party hosted by his two sons JAMIE & HARRY this past weekend. RICHARD is the not often seen husband of the KAREN LEFRAK. All of us at DOG NEWS
send our deepest sympathies to SUE VROOM on the loss of her beloved father. A novel Christmas gift idea, buy an engraved brick to honor a beloved friend or friend’s dog that will be placed on either the WALK OF CHAMPIONS for titled dogs or the PATH OF HONOR dedicated to other pets, people, clubs or kennels at the new PURINA EVENT CENTER at the PURINA FARMS in St. Louis. The cost is $100. per brick but the best part is that PURINA will give the proceeds to the AKC CANINE HEALTH FOUNDATION. A card will be sent to the recipient by the health foundation.
“Viggo”
#1 Male Whippet*
GCh. Counterpoint Painted by Bohem Sire: Ch. Bohem Bon Vivant
Dam: Can. Ch. Counterpoint Winning Colors
Group First • Prescott Arizona Kennel Club • Miss Dorothy Macdonald (pictured) Group First • All Hound Club of Bellingham • Judge Ms. Jocelyne Gagné Group First • Two Cities Kennel Club • Judge Ms. Dany Canino Group First • Del Monte Kennel Club • Judge Mr. James White Specialty Best In Show • American Whippet Club, Lompoc, California • Judge Mr. Allan Pepper
Owner: Scott Mazer – Los Angeles, CA Co-Owner: Bo Bengtson – bohemwhippets.com
Breeders: John Ross & Trudy Taphorn Handler: Paul Lepiane *Number Five overall, The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed points
Dog News 117
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 88
Report from the AKC Canine Health & Welfare Advisory Committee
up the stud book and to determine which dogs may or may not be registered. This is not the job of the Parent Clubs. The fact that the Board went to the DCA for its advice hardly means they are stuck with it--its obligation--the Board's is to the corporation not the desires of a Parent Club except when it comes to the Standard. Then and only then should the PC prevail. But I digress from my main point which is that the message sent to the Board's Advisory Committee was so bad that it in effect succeeded in dismantling it before it even got started. Shame on everyone concerned!!! Now as to the Kennel Club in the UK, of
which I am a member. This past week two announcements emanated from that august General Committee which runs the KC: No one bitch may in its lifetime have more than four litters. The existing rule is six but from a health standpoint the KC took it upon itself to reduce this lifetime number to four. And to further confuse the issue the very next day it was ordered that no bitch may have more than two Caesarean sections in a lifetime with the BVA (British Veterinary Association) agreeing to report to the KC any bitches registered with the KC which have such C-sections. It was bad enough last year when the KC caved in and decided not to register grandparents Undermining An Advisory Committee, Overreacting In The UK... to grandchildren matings but now they have totally infringed upon the rights of the breeder. This was done to look as politically correct as possible. Giving into PETA or what have you for any reason is bad enough but these are breeders' rights which should be discussed and not arbitrarily enforced. Letting a kennel club, any kennel club, into the breeding box is always a questionable thing to do. You know a lot of this goes back to political correctness and how it is interpreted--the book I urged you to get at the start of this AND MORE is a perfect example. I understand a leading member of Staff at TKC objected to the book because it contained pictures of docked Dobe puppies! Come on, it's a fact of life just as it is a fact of life certain bitches must have C-sections. Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and I am sure we'll see many of you at the Long Beach shows. •
AND MORE
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Dog News 119
20MillionViewers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 92
character called Mike on the reality show, Jersey Shore. ) Rocky is a Top 20 Staffy and the first dog for his owners, Mary and Sean Duffy of Staten Island. Quite a case of beginner’s luck. Kristeen Davidson-Christman of Telford, PA owns the Gordon Setter breed winner, Ch. Windcrest Travlin Prayer. She wrote on the breed sheet that she went across country on her Harley Davidson this year, but came back in time to watch her dog at the show. “Are you part of the Harley-Davidson family?” I asked. “Yes, but not close enough,” she sighed. She’s planning to get a sidecar and take Deacon with her on the next cross-country trip. The Papillon’s owner came up to table excited. “He finished!” she rejoiced. Miracol’s Lethal Weapon came from Open Dog to take the Breed. She wanted permission to take him to ring to familiarize him with the lights and cameras, which struck me as a good idea as the set-up is different than what dogs normally encounter. Blue carpet, bleachers packed with fans, cameras and contraptions moving around everywhere. It’s amazing the dogs don’t freak, but in fact, none of them did. Every one of the gorgeous purebreds gave a wonderful performance. We can be proud of all of them. The Brittany’s owner, Lynda Martin, is an animal behaviorist in Carlisle, PA. “JR is used in my practice to evaluate the behavior of other dogs. He is non-confrontational, which helps other dogs adjust.” We asked her if there was any special story about JR; Lynda said that baby doves once fell from their nest in her backyard. Instead of devouring them, JR, whose real name is GCh. Carrollton’s Count Lancelot, “gently picked them up in his mouth and brought them to me to care for.” His friends know the Briard, Ch. Deja Vu All Over Again, as Russet, which is sort of a family name, because his owners are the inventors of the delicious Cape Cod Potato Chips and “Robust Russet” is one variety. If you ever wondered why they are so delicious, they use only local potatoes
120 Dog News
and fry them in small pots, not the huge industrial ones favored by mass producers. Russet took Herding Group 2. The German Shorthaired Pointer breed winner, Ch. Claddagh’s Knight ‘N Gael, is the bitch who gives a “High 5” on the opening of Dogs 101 on Animal Planet. Her call name is Eilidh, one of those eyetwisting Irish names that puts vowels and consonants into arrangements that don’t seem pronounceable in English. Fortunately, the breeder/owner/handler, Catherine Iacopelli, stopped by to tutor me in how David Frei should say it, “Kay-Lee.” Eilidh equals KayLee. I never would have guessed that one. The breeder/owner/handler of the Basenji, Ch. Dark Moon’s Tilt-A-Whirl, was young Veronica Predale, her ankle tied up in a brace because she pulled the muscles several weeks ago at a dog show in Maryland. Ouch. Our dedicated handlers are like football players; instead of limping off field, she patched herself up and got right back into the ring. But of all the exciting things that happened on Saturday, no one could match the excitement of Peter Kubacz, handling the Irish Setter, GCh. Windntide Mr. Sandman. Clooney won his first Best in Show on Friday, then charged into the ring and won the Sporting Group on Saturday.
W
hen the Best in Show line up appeared, Clooney was full of that “look-at-me-I’mhere-to-win” energy that just made you smile. The co-host, John O’Hurley, was thrilled to have an Irish Setter in the final line up. “I’ve been rooting for this breed every year!” he said into the microphone. David Frei looked at the Final Seven and noted that only one of them, the Boxer, GCh. Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream, was nationally ranked in the Top Ten. There are so many shows on this weekend in November that the top dogs were spread out all over the country. Philadelphia has not traditionally had the big entry that top competitors are looking to beat in order to battle their way up the rankings. Lima Kennel Club in Ohio had an entry of 2,000 today, so when the Pekingese, Ch. Palacegarden Malachy, went Best in Show there, he secured his spot at Number 1 dog.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 122
The Multiple Best In Show Winning
Ch. Aned’s Le Rocher Noir
“Stoney”
Thank you to Judge Dr. Albert Bianchi for this Group First. Owner: Judy Wells Breeder & Handler: Ed Simanek Breeder & Owner: Maryann Simanek Dog News 121
20MillionViewers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 120
Paula Hartinger flowed out to center stage in a beautiful gown. Her line up was Clooney, the Irish Setter; Styled Dream, the Top Ten Boxer; the Scottish Deerhound, GCh. Foxcliffe Hickory Hill; the American Staffordshire Terrier who won Montgomery, Ch Castle Rock’s SBigStaff Mad About You; the Affenpinscher recently imported from Europe, GCh Banana Joe V Tami Kazari, who is still the Top Dog in Holland: the Schipperke, Ch DiDebs Le Jonny Be Good, and the Australian Shepherd Mysharas Dream Girl. Tension mounting; all the dogs looking good; and the winner is -- Clooney, the Irish Setter! The crowd went wild -- the bleachers were still completely packed with spectators. How often do you see that? Usually, Best in Show is watched by the seven people who have to drive the seven final dogs and their handlers home. Peter Kubacz said winning his second Best in Show in two days felt, “Awesome. Very unexpected.” He says Clooney, who hails from Washington state, “Is a very easygoing dog. When I met him, he fit right in. I had a truck full of dogs and you would have thought he was my dog. He just jumped up on the grooming table like he’d always been there.” Clooney spent his first years growing up on his owner’s boat, and knows which way to go if he’s told “starboard” or “port.” Now he knows which way to go when the judge says, “Group one!” or “Best in Show!” John O’Hurley had been ardently rooting for Clooney. After Best in Show, he said to Peter, “I root for this breed every year. And this year I am vindicated. Thank you.” As Billy Wheeler wrote on his blog, Dog Show Poop, “Well done. That’s the way to make an entrance on the national scene.” The next day, the Kennel Club of Philadelphia had its second show without the television lights, cameras, and action, but it was still exciting. The Pekingese came in from Ohio to top the Toy group. David Fitzpatrick said that after winning Best in 122 Dog News
Show in Ohio, “I drove six hours to get home, then got up and drove another hour to get here.” The nail-biting part was that he was still on the road in Philadelphia while owner Iris Love was waiting for him by the breed ring. Pekes weren’t on until 12:30; thankfully, so he made it. While the Sporting group was gathering in the holding area, Peter Kubacz and Clooney came bouncing in. Several handlers chided him, suggesting he’d had enough wins that weekend and should go home now. Good-natured Peter replied, “What the heck, it’s only 3 pm, I got nothing to do. Might as well show in the Group.” “You could sweep the floors,” handler Jim Dickson suggested. “I do enough of that already,” Peter replied. “I thought I ‘d show.”
C
looney’s Best in Show bubble burst when he was awarded 3rd, behind the gentle Brittany who picks up baby doves, GCh.Carrollton’s Count Lancelot, and the Weimaraner, GCh. Northwood’s Send Money Honey. When judge Desmond Murphy took the stage, the final seven were the Peke, the Brittany; the Top Ten Standard Poodle, GCh Dawin Spitfire; the American Foxhound, GCh Kiarry’s Walkin’ On Sunshine; the Rottweiler, GCh D‘Oro Solido‘s Feliciano Uno; the Australian Shepherd, GCH CH Mysharas Dream Girl; and the Scottish Terrier, Ch Lomondview Clementina. The whispering in the stands was betting on the Peke. A gambling man would have put his money on the Peke. And the winner is -- the Scottie! Her first ever Best in Show. Phoebe is a four-year-old British import handled by Ernesto Lara. A great weekend, and one that we get to share with 20 million of our family and friends. Hopefully, they’ll get some idea of why we like to spend these long weekends with our beautiful dogs. •
Best In Specialty Show Winning 2010 WINNER OF Dogue De Bordeaux NATIONAL SPECIALTY SHOW
AMERICA’S NUMBER ONE*DOGUE DE BORDEAUX
BEST OF BREED
Morris and Essex Kennel Club - Judge Dr. Klaus Anselm
NEWS FLASH
Winner of the Tropheo Latino for the most points earned at the Spanish, French and Italian Nationals. The only American dog to win the Spanish National The only American Bordeaux to win 10 Group placements including a Group First !
: ALSO First Place Open Males at Slovenia Molosser Show and Second Place Open Males at Eurodog Show
*All Systems
Dog News 123
LuckyinKentucky CONTINUED FROM PAGE 96
Best of Opposite in Sweeps went to C. Ramirea and R. Garde’s 6-9 bitch Dog Gone’s Shock It To Me Sara For My Heart, bred by R. and R. Garde and shown by Lucky Watson. The other class winners were; from 6-9 dogs, M. Rippen and Jeff and Lottie Elliot’s Hurricane Just My Boney James. From 9-12 dogs, Bob and Vincenza Pittman’s Pittman’s Uncorked. 9-12 bitches was won by Nancy and Bob Newcomb’s Newcomb’s Konnie K and the 12-18 bitch winner was M. Jablonski’s Beulahful Piece of My Heart. Tuesday dawned bright and early with everyone gearing up for Dog and Bitch class judging and Jr. Showmanship. Junior Showmanship classes started the day with Open Junior Skyler Marschka from Florida beating out the other very talented handlers for Best Junior. Judge was yours truly. This was the second time I was fortunate enough to judge Juniors at National. Judging the National Dog classes was Mr. Daniel Powers of Surprise, AZ. Out of a competitive field of lovely dogs, Mr. Powers chose the Best in Sweepstakes winner Imperious Hamitup Reuben James as his Winner’s Dog. Reserve was awarded to Cody Sickle, Connie Chambers and Breeder/Owners Henry and Miriam Martinez’s brindle pup named Cherokee Origin Just Johnny, from the 12-18 class. Typically, the Veterans are well received by ringside and this year was no exception. Wendell and Pat Tinsley’s popular Ch. Karma’s Hide Your Heart Girl was the Veteran Dog winner. Judging bitches this year was Dan’s lovely wife, Toni. Like Dan, Toni had a large and competitive field of beautiful girls to choose from. Coming from Open bitches all the way from Mexico was Manddy VI, bred by Israel Aguirre, owned by Cesar Gomez and expertly shown by Sergio Gomez Suarez. Reserve was awarded to the 2nd place Open bitch, Cherokee Legend Sophia, bred by Connie Chambers and Lisa Gatt and owned by J. Leocha, Connie Chambers and Cody Sickle. Veteran bitches drew the same tearful eyes and loud applause as the dogs. This year’s lovely Veteran Bitch winner was Dr. and Mrs. John Gann and Stacey Gann’s Ch Doc’s The Intimidator. Tuesday evening had the Bulldoggers celebrating legendary Bulldogger Bruce Lorenzen’s birthday in conjunction with a party to kick off the sale of this years fund raising calendar “Select Bitch”, featuring 13 lovely Bulldoggers.
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ednesday is the day we all were looking forward to, the selection of the years BCA National winner. This was an assignment I had been hoping to officiate ever since becoming a judge 17 years ago. As I mentioned in my short speech at the yearly banquet, I have judged Bulldogs at Independent Specialties and National-type shows in many, many other countries and boy, what a thrill to be finally judging National Best of Breed in my own country! I had a lovely field of close to 80 Specials to choose from and I was delighted to select Ch. Just Lonestar Bright Lights Big City as this years top winner. This 13 month old white ticked dog is among the youngest Bulldogs to 124 Dog News
ever win a National Specialty. He is sired by Ch. Cherokee Ultimate Plato and out of Cherokee Just Delicious. Bred by Nichole Bermea and Katherine Rodriguez, owned by Kara Gordon and shown by Dennis Murphy. This dog is Kara’s first show dog, she being an active rescuer. Best of Opposite Sex was the lovely red brindle, GCh. Little Pond’s Loquacious Lucy, bred and owned by Dan and Liz Karshner. No stranger to National winners, Karshners were particularly proud of this homebred who will be featured with the Best of Breed dog in BCA’s famous Gallery of Winners. Best of Winners went to Imperious Hamitup Reuben James Select Dog was the brindle and white Ch. Graybull’s Ketel One, bred and owned by Bill and Kay Gray. Select Bitch was another Californiabred, the beautiful brindle Ch. Bodhi’s Rock and Roll Rosie of Majestic, bred by W. and K Canright and owned by G. and S Neely. Awards of Merit were Mary Grider’s Ch. Itsa Brix, M. Rodriguez’s Ch. Red Dog’s Unica, Lucky and Donna Watson’s Ch. Dowat’s Mona Lisa, Ch. Beam’s Kabo Texas Retreat, owned by the Jenners, Brenda Beams and Kelly Franz and another Californian, Ch. Bodhi’s Light Life and Love, bred by C and W Canright and owned by Sandra Martinez, Patricia Rungo and Mary Aiken. Best Puppy went to the 9-12 dog, Guinn’s Toro De Fuego. Stud Dog was won by GCh. Hetherbull Topline O-O, bred by Jean Hetherington and Paula Turner and owned by Mrs. Ellen Charles and Mrs. Jean Hetherington. Brood Bitch was awarded to Ch. Imperious Topnotch Kelly I Told U So Bred by Rick and Kelly Franz and Rick Davis and Owned by S. Glover, Kelly and Rick Franz and R. Glover. The Brace class was awarded to well matched Newcomb’s Konnie K and Ch. Newcomb’s Konnor K, owned by Bob and Nancy Newcomb and expertly presented by Bob. Wednesday evening was the always well attended Rescue parade and costume party. 13 rescued bulldogs and their owners paraded for the crowd with very few, if any, dry eyes in the house. A live auction followed by dancing with a live band followed, which naturally went over quite well. Thursday saw everyone back to business with the Buckeye Bulldog’s Club’s Specialty ready to start. The dog judge was Mr. Robert (Bruce) Smith CONTINUED ON PAGE 134
CH. ERIN’S SAY NO MORE
Owners Ollie Firuski Bailey Lyons
Judge Ms. Elizabeth Muthard Group Third
Handler Sara Gregware, PHA, AKC Registered 860 482-0734 Dog News 125
OF B U L LC E N N HIA P KE L E AD PHIL
k c i l c s by o t o O h p GIAN G I V S ARLO
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America’s #1* Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever All Breed and Breed Points & Multiple Group Winner
“Celtie”
GCH. LITTLERIVER’S BRYNWOOD CELTIE Group First • Sioux Falls, South Dakota (October 2010) • Judge: Mrs. Jean Fournier Owner: Elizabeth Boryczka St. Paul, Minnesota www.brynwoodtollers.com
Handler: Jennifer Nee *The Dog News Top Ten Lists
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Letters to theEditor NOVEMBER 26, 2010
Kennel Club Takes The Lead On Litter Limits For Bitches
T
he Kennel Club has announced that from 2012 it will normally register no more than four litters from any one bitch because of concerns that the current legal limit of six litters can potentially be detrimental to a bitch’s welfare. The decision was made by the Kennel Club General Committee after receiving a recommendation from its Dog Health Group and will be effective for litters born on or after 1st January 2012. Six litters per bitch is the current legal limit enshrined in the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999. Bill Lambert, the Kennel Club’s Health and Breeder Services Manager, said: “The Kennel Club wants to ensure that all breeders put the health and welfare of their puppies and breeding bitches first and foremost, and this decision underlines our commitment to this issue. “Whilst the law allows bitches to have six litters in a lifetime and our registration system has previously fallen in line with this, the vast majority of responsible breeders feel that this is too high and that there is potential for this to have a negative impact on the welfare of the bitch. “Very serious consideration has to be given to the matter if a breeder wishes a bitch to have more than four litters but the Kennel Club may grant permission for this to happen if it believes that there is good and justifiable reason for doing so on a case by case basis.” The Kennel Club has also urged the government to follow suit and to tighten up the law in order to help clamp down on puppy farmers. Mr Lambert added: “Of course, this decision will sadly not impact on those people who do not register their litters with the Kennel Club, in particular puppy farmers who breed purely for profit and tend to show little consideration for an animal’s welfare. Legislation needs to be tightened so that these people can be brought to account.” The Kennel Club has called for the principles and standards of the Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Scheme to be made mandatory for all dog breeders. This means that breeders would have to put the health and welfare of their puppies first, for example by giving their dogs the required health tests for their breed and ensuring that potential buyers see the puppies with their mothers and in their home environment. A petition with 15,000 signatures supporting this objective was handed in to Number Ten Downing Street just a year ago by Ian Cawsey MP. Laura Quickfall London, England
AKC CAR Canine Support And Relief Fund Updates Grant Application Process For 2011
SAR Organizations May Apply for Grants between Feb. 1 and Mar. 31, 2011 aleigh, NC — The AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund, a charitable fund that provides resources, support, funds and other assistance to notfor-profit animal shelters, Canine Search and Rescue organizations and veterinary units supporting canine
R
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rescue teams, has implemented a new time frame in which organizations can apply for 2011 grants. Applications will be accepted from February 1 through March 31 for grants of a non-emergency nature. After a review period, grants will be awarded in May, although requests of an emergency nature are accepted throughout the year. The typical maximum amount awarded for a Search and Rescue support grant is $5,000. “AKC CAR is very pleased to administer the Canine Support and Relief Fund and to provide resources that support the good works of animal organizations across the nation,” said Tom Sharp, AKC Companion Animal Recovery CEO. “We awarded a total of $400,000 to nearly 50 organizations in 2010, and we are looking forward to making significant contributions in 2011.” To apply for funds, please use this fill and print application. Sections A, B, C and D of the application must be completed and mailed to: AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund Administrator Attn: Lisa Neely Davis 8051 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 200 Raleigh, NC 27617-3900 or e-mail: lmn@akccar.org Noted 2010 grant recipients included the National Search Dog Alliance in Houston, Texas and University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, as well as search and rescue organizations throughout the United States. A full list of recipients is located at http://www.akc. org/dogny/grants.cfm. For more information on the grant process and to apply, also visit http://www.akccar.org/ givingback/. Lisa Peterson New York, New York
Bricks For Sale
O
ur friends at Nestlé Purina PetCare Company are offering engraved bricks to honor dogs and dog lovers at the new Purina Event Center in Gray Summit, Missouri. The engraved bricks will fill two paths leading up to the building: the Walk of Champions is reserved for titled dogs and the Path of Honor is intended for other pets, people, clubs or kennels. Best of all, the proceeds from each $100 brick will support ground breaking canine health research funded by the AKC Canine Health Foundation. Purchase a brick today to honor your own dog or give a brick as a gift to a fellow dog lover. We will send a card to the honoree or the honoree’s family on your behalf. Purchase your Brick today! Your brick purchase will help to fund the $1.2 million in new research the AKC Canine Health Foundation approved in September. Scheduled to begin in January of 2011, the new research projects include studies on canine allergies, melanoma, epilepsy and mast cell tumors. Purchase your engraved brick today knowing that you will have a permanent reminder of a special friend and give the gift of a healthier future for dogs! Your personal engraved brick will be placed at the Purina Event Center. Click on the photograph for more information about the Event Center. Thanks for your support! Terry T. Warren, Ph.D., J.D. Raleigh, North Carolina •
Ch.BonneyFiveGuns&ARose
Sire: Ch. Starlight Master Of The Game
Dam: Ch. Bonney Derryhumma Whiskey Neat
“Cooper” Starts His Specials Career With A BANG!
6
Select Dog Montgomery County Kennel Club Breeder-Judge Mrs. Sue Goldberg
6
“Cooper”
Award of Merit Hatboro Dog Club Judge Ms. Betsy Dale
Breeder/Owner/Handler Bonita Snyder Bonney Wheatens Bonwheat@aol.com Dog News 131
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of Harvard, Mass. Mr. Smith’s selection for Winners Dog was the impressive Bred-By Adamant Rock Monster Owned by Jennifer and Jay Joseph. Reserve once again was Cherokee Origin Just Johnny. Veteran was once again won by Ch. Karma’s Hide your Heart Girl. Judging bitches for Buckeye was Mrs. Deborah Rairie of DeLand, Florida. She chose Julie Supple’s Open bitch Supple’s Lady Karmella as Winners. Reserve went to the Amateur Owner-Handled Karma’s Deja Vu owned by J. and L. Moselely and W. and P. Tinsley. The Veteran bitch winner was Ch. Whitehill’s Wild Thing, bred by Mark and Kelly White, owned by Mark White. Thursday evening’s event was a trip to the local casino for those still feeling lucky! Friday’s Intersex competition started promptly at 9am. Mrs. Mary Lou Lofdahl from Joliet, Indiana was the judge for the day. Best Junior Handler was won by Open Intermediate Josh Betz. Fresh off her National Best of Opposite win was GCh. Little Pond’s Loquacious Lucy now topping the field for Best of Breed. Best of Opposite Sex was Ch. Stellars Usual Suspect, bred by K. Gochev and C. and L. Bordon, owned by K. Gochev and M. Norton, presented by Jay Serion all the way from the Pacific Northwest. Best of Winners was awarded to Adamant Rock Monster. Select Dog was Cherokee Origin Snow Lion, bred by Cody Sickle and H. and M. Martinez. Select Bitch was awarded to GCh. Cherokee Legend Jezebel, bred and owned by Cody Sickle and Connie Chambers. Best Puppy at Buckeye was the 9-12 Dog, Major League Classay Top Gun, bred by the Worleys and owned by Harrold and Teresa McDermott and Sean and Alisha Worley. Ch. RR Hummer Castillo bred by R. Castillo and owned by Connie Chambers, Victor Lopez and R. Castillo was the Stud Dog winner Pittman Vasquez Lil Girl was the Brood Bitch winner, bred by the Pittmans and owned by Jaime Vasquez, Randy Jenkins and the Pittmans.
Our National awards banquet was held Friday night. In addition to a wonderful local clogging troupe, many dogs and breeders were inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame. A moving video tribute to recently passed Bulldoggers was presented and the moment we all wait for, announcement of next years National week judges. We will be off to Tysons Corner Virginia next year at Thanksgiving time. BCA Division 2’s specialty was held on Saturday, our last day. Judging dogs was Van Blevins from Henrietta, Texas. His selection for Winners was the Open dog, Newcomb’s War Paint, bred by Dan and Elizabeth Karshner and owned by Dr. Nancy Newcomb and Robert Newcomb. Reserve went to American Bred Classay Bobby Booshea My Momma Says, bred and owned by Sean and Alisha Worley. Veteran Dog was once again won by Ch. Karma’s Hide Your Heart Girl. Anna Alvarez Sootin from Hurricane Mills, TN judged bitches. Her selection for Winners was the recently imported English bitch Mytaste Going Solo, bred by Miss L. Harris and Ms T. Harris and owned by Richard Truong. Reserve was the Bred-By, Warmvalley Butterball, owned by Madeline Shea and Diane Wallwork. Veteran Bitch on this day was won by Ch. Little Pond’s Lucy at RoadHall. Intersex judge for Divison 2 was Mrs. Nancy Paul of Delta, Ohio. Best Junior Handler was won by Novice Intermediate Audrey Hayes.
C
apping off a spectacular week was Best of Breed winner GCh. Little Pond’s Loquacious Lucy. Best of Opposite Sex was awarded to Believeinbull’s Magic Man, bred by owners Jeff and Julie Piechocki. Select dog was Buckeye’s BOS, Ch. Stellar’s Usual Suspect. Select bitch was awarded to Ch. Karma’s Heart of the Matter, bred by Pat and Wendell Tinsley and owned by them and Mary Betz. She was handled by Justin Betz. Best of Winners went to the Jay Serion handled bitch, Mytaste Going Solo. Best Puppy selection was Cherokee Legend Painted Horse from the 6-9 dog class. Brood Bitch went to Ch. Pittman Vasquez Lil Girl. Great job by the show committee! Looking forward to Virginia in 2011! • 134 Dog News
T AKE THE LEAD Gone to the Dogs Again Celebration!!! Friday Evening, December 10, 2010
Presented by
The Bay Colony Cluster of Dog Shows
For your convenience, the party will once again be held at the Rhode Island Convention Center following Best in Show at Ladies Dog Club TAKE THE LEAD • PO BOX 6353 • WATERTOWN, NY 13601
$75 per person Reserve Table of 8 - $600.00 Limited Ticket Availability Reply Deadline: December 1st, 2010 In celebration of the season, we ask that you bring a small, unwrapped holiday gift for a child that will be donated on Saturday to the Providence Children’s Clinic in your honor. Dog News 147