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Dog News Contents • December 4, 2015 10 Editorial 14 Babbling: Ever Been Lost In The Jungle? By geir flyckt-pedersen 18 Brace Yourself: Why A Petition To Split A Breed Makes No Sense By andrew brace 22 Question Of The Week By Matthew H. Stander 26 Marxisms: Low Entry Breeds By Sid Marx 30 ‘Tis The Season: Gifts For Dog Lovers By carlotta Cooper 34 Bests Of The Week 38 Ten Questions Asked of Daniel Chavez 42 Interview With Jerry Klein, DVM, American Kennel Club Chief Veterinary Officer By Sharon Pflaumer 44 Military Dog, Guide Dog, Circus Dog, Ships’ Dog, Herder, Truffle Sniffer And A Pretty Darned Good Hunting Retriever, Too: The Standard Poodle By mj Nelson 48 A Thought To Consider: Skin In The Game By Seymour Weiss 52 The 2015 Thanksgiving Cluster By peggy wampold 56 Dog Shows of Central Florida By Sharon sakson 60 True North: A Report From Canada By allison foley 64 The Road To The Roses: Samoyed National Specialty in Louisville, Kentucky By heather LoProto 68 Very Important Dog People: Luciane Peixoto, Painter, Sao Paolo, Brazil By agnes buchwald 72 Judges’ Choice: The Bulldog courtesy of the kennel gazette 76 Off The Leash: Exciting Numbers And Anxiety Relieving Dogs By Shaun Coen 78 Dragon In Sheep’s Clothing by Yossi Guy 80 National Dog Show Ratings, Blue Buffalo/Purina, Term Limits And More By matthew h. stander 90 Rain Or Shine, It’s All About Bloodhounds: American Bloodhound Club’s 2015 National Specialty By camille McArdle 100 French Bulldog Club of America National Specialty By Virginia Rowland 110 Gibraltar Internation By desmond J. Murphy 120 Kortrijk 2015 By karl donvil 130 The Gossip Column By eugene z. zaphiris 132 Click: Mid-Ohio Cluster By booth photography 136 Click: The Way We Were: Santa Ana Valley Club 1995 By eugene z. zaphiris 141 Letters To The Editor 138 handlers directory • 140 classified advertising & subscription rates • 142 advertising rates DOG NEWS (ISSN 0886-2133) is published weekly except the last two weeks in December by Harris Publications, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010. Periodical Postage paid at New York. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DOG NEWS, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010 4 Dog News
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Ian Miller 212 462.9624 Contributing Editors Sharon Anderson • Andrew Brace Agnes Buchwald • Shaun Coen Carlotta Cooper • Geoff Corish Michael Faulkner • Merry Fitzgerald, DVM Denise Flaim • Geir Flyckt - Pedersen Allison Foley • Yossi Guy Ronnie Irving • Roz Kramer John Mandeville • Sidney Marx Linda More • Desmond J. Murphy M. J. Nelson • Sharon Pflaumer John Shoemaker • Kim Silva Matthew H. Stander • Sari Brewster Tietjen Patricia Trotter • Connie Vanacore Nick Waters • Seymour Weiss Dog News Photographers Chet Jezierski • Perry Phillips Kitten Rodwell • Leslie Simis
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Akc Governance Suggestions Part Two Last week’s opening Editorial began as a general attempt to discuss the need for an overhaul of AKC’s Constitution and Bylaws. If AKC were starting afresh today as a brand new organization it is difficult to imagine any rational person coming up with the structure and governance that has evolved into what now exists at AKC. Nonetheless these pages categorically reject the notion as written and supported by certain electronic periodicals and others that AKC is beyond saving as an organization. These are defeatist and negative attitudes that ignore not only the vibrant past successes and traditions established through over 100 years of devotion to the purebred dog and the dog generally but which ignore the future possibility for AKC to expand its place for the future of dogs throughout America and internationally as well. These pages believe strongly in the need for and the ability to return to the vibrant, special sort of organization, which was formulated to protect the welfare and well being of the dog- purebred and otherwise. Perhaps a democratic type approach is not the answer in the running of a business as unique as is the AKC. One thing that has been suggested is to look into the possibility of restructuring the membership into an individual membership instead of the club of clubs as presently exists. It is claimed that the issues related to the structure and governance of AKC have been discussed many times over the years both internally and with outside counsel for AKC however nothing has ever been publicly stated or explained within these areas except some 17 years ago. Jim Crowley’s Letter To The Editor in this issue clearly explains those issues. Apparently a few years ago AKC did look at some type of individual memberships as part of a Strategic Planning exercise, which was coordinated by the then COO Darrell Hendricks. Again there was no public report as the decision was eventually made not to pursue it with Mr. Hendricks’s abrupt and unexplained departure from the position he held albeit for such a short period of time. Why not to have pursued it was never explained however these pages have learned that the Hendricks report would not have replaced member clubs and that the membership would not have been a voting membership. It would have been more like a booster or support situation. Having only individual members instead of member clubs would be an option, which would require a Bylaw change approved by 2/3 of the Delegates. That is not something
AKC saw any chance of being approved by the Delegates. For years in the early 20th century AKC had both member clubs and individual Associate members. The Associate members elected a fixed number of individuals who served as Delegates representing the Associate members. Why not reinstate that today? The individual Associate membership was eventually amended out of the Bylaws because of elitist and expensive demands and perks they were seeking however it is the belief of these pages that in today’s society that kind of elitist thinking would no longer be a problem. Let’s face it both The Kennel Club in the UK and the CKC to our North have individual members and while AKC shares many common problems with both the fact is that TKC for sure seems more responsive to the needs and wants of its constituents in ever so many more cases than does our own AKC. Time for positive change--you bet there is if the Delegates would only go along with it. You as club members have the power to force your Delegate to vote for positive change.
For Sure Geir Is Right!!! In this week’s DOG NEWS the ever wise Geir Flyckt- Pedersen questions “The Jungle of Rules” under which Conformation Judges are forced to operate in judging dogs most of which have little if any bearing upon the quality of the dogs themselves. AKC seems more and more preoccupied by outside the ring perceptions of how people react than the ability of the judge to find the right exhibit to put up. The blowing up of these trivialities and questioning the honesty of the judges’ decisions due to complaining losing exhibitors is an attempt to micromanage the running of our dog world, which in the long run is more detrimental to the sport than helpful to the image of the conformation world. Let’s face it our sport is a sport of losers in that more people lose on a given day than those who win! Nonetheless the emphasis must be on what goes on in the ring not on perceptions of what goes on out of the ring. And Geir’s questioning of the mentoring procedure adopted under the new Judging Approval Process indicates a lack of success many people predicted would happen. People watch a breed for ten minutes, tick off the boxes and gain Andy Warhol’s “15 minutes of fame” and lo and behold are now eligible to judge the breed! The new person to head Dr. Garvin’s Canine College has yet to be announced, as of this writing, but let’s hope that she is an experienced and knowledgeable dog person--up to Mr. Flyckt-Pedersen’s standards say. Was he considered for the job at all-what a fine choice he would have been presuming there was a good job description available for all to have seen.
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The Syndrome Of Borrowing A Dog An article in THE NEW YORK TIMES of Tuesday November 17 by a Jennifer Jolly endorsing an app which sets up people to borrow a dog “for an overnight dose of dog companionship” compared by that writer to an Uber-type matchmaking service is one of the most demeaning and unacceptable forms of dog to people relationships these pages have read about in a long, long time. Hardly a new idea but wel-
comed by the animal rights leaning NY TIMES is shocking at best. Using a 5 month-old Frenchie as its prime example of matchmaking Ms. Jolly and her newspaper make a farce of people and their relationships with pets. These pages have already written Ms. Jolly condemning these callous practices and urge you to Google the article and to bombard both she and her newspaper to reverse its stand in this matter.
Whoever Would Have ‘Thunk’ It
One of the leading judges in the UK, indeed it’s only all-breed approved Judge, took an advert in a catalogue in which she announced, “Sadly we will not be exhibiting at this year’s show due to the choice of judge...” Where would that fit into AKC’s CODE OF SPORTSMANSHIP? Obviously it would not. But get this, the Judge then went on to place the advert on her Facebook page. The Drakesleat Kennel prefix is one of the most famous in the world and its owner, Zena Thorn Andrews, as a Judge is internationally well known and acclaimed. As reported in the English weekly DOG WORLD, Mrs. Andrews reaction to the furor caused by the advert was to say, “I only stated the fact as to why I had not entered our dogs. I said nothing bad about the judge...” The Kennel Club in the UK is quoted as saying the matter had been brought to its consideration and it was being considered! What a potential can of worms this kind of advertising could open in the States!
Thought For The Week Many if not most of you will be reading these words around your set-ups in Orlando. These are 6 long days of shows and events--too long in the opinion of these pages! However most of you must want this kind of experience and event else why would you be there with which to begin? Keep in mind our joint obligations are to the safety and welfare of the dogs in our charge. These pages know and are aware of the care and concern the great majority of you have for each and every dog present. Keep up that care and good work and in the long run we will overcome the arguments of those animal rightists set out to destroy our hobby and our love for the purebred dog. Have a great AENC experience.
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EVER BEEN LOST IN THE JUNGLE…?? By Geir Flyckt-Pedersen
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think some of us at times may be lost- and some might even have experienced the scare of being lost in a real jungle, but The Jungle I refer to here is the one that affects us all, judges or exhibitors alike in this sport we all love so dearly: The Jungle of Rules for Conformation Judges and Exhibitors. Just recently we witnessed a show where, due to some connection with the second days Best in Show judge no less than four of the previous day’s group winners would have had to be excused if they repeated their success on this very day! All big winners with impressive records and CVs- but the complicated situation never materialized as none of them reached the final!! Then of course the question came up: Was this proper judging or were the group judges in any way influenced by the situation? Honestly, we will never find out, but I hope their decisions were based on the dogs in front of them- as the final line up was still of the highest caliber. But there will always be that question mark…. I have always wondered who initiated this multitude of incomprehensible and not always very sensible rules. Even if I have just celebrated my 10th year as a resident of this country I am still an immigrant who has experienced rules and regulations for our special field in no less than 3 other countries-but no system can match the rulebook over here. In the past I have mentioned that it was not unusual in Scandinavia that a person officiated as a judge in one ring while “next door” his wife or handler was competing with his own dogs. Did this situation in any way improve his chances to win? I don’t think so- and on occasions rather the contrary. It is my impression that many rules here are influenced by suspicion of dishonest or corrupted minds. Of course there will be rotten eggs in every basket if you don’t possess the talent of sorting them out properly at an early stage.
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The more rules, the more conflicts and reasons to question a number of situations at most shows and a lot of trivialities are being blown up out of all proportions. The first time I think I came across a really nonsensical rule was as a spectator at a local show, when applauding a group winner I was told: ”You’re an AKC judge, you’re not allowed to do that”??????? My only question is: WHY? Then another senseless situation where a good friend of mine who happens to also be a judge helped his son (who happens to be a handler) load his van at a show, just to be reprimanded by the field rep….and told that was inappropriate behavior. Then of course I happened to ask an exhibitor the age of his dog. Whereupon my steward called me over and told me I could not do that myself, but have the steward ask the question for me??? It is also kind of a contradiction that when you start judging you are being instructed to be in command and charge of your ring. While at the same time you (at least as a provisional) are under the scrutiny of a field rep. Those of us who happen to be males have a strict dress code, jacket, tie, tie-clip etc. but what about the dress code for women?? I have never witnessed any kind of reprehension for lack of suitable dress, but if a person cannot judge the way they’re dressed themselves-what does that say about their own judgment???? Coming from a world where I think judges in general are considered to be competent, honest individuals which is also reflected in the grading system-and it is up to the judge if a dog is of champion quality- and can also gain a title without ever beating another dog… Senseless you might say? Yes, but how many times in your life have you watched majors created by “fillers” without any merits??? I once overheard a judge being told off for having paid
a visit to the grooming area to speak with a handler who had no dogs entered under him that weekend. Then all the restrictions for judges and family members regarding showing during a circuit even if judging only one of the days- and even if judging only one breed. I can fully understand that the rulebooks will try to give the best possible image of what’s going on at a dog show - but there are so many restrictions, which in themselves indicates that these judges aren’t always so trustworthy. Then of course weighing and measuring is quite a procedure here compared to what we learnt in Europe. Here you have to ask for a wicket or scale and follow certain procedures, which I think in many cases judges find too time consuming and just don’t do it. In Europe you were handed your own measuring stick, were told how to use it- and from then on you were on your own. You made your decision based on the result, just as any other decision you made during the day it was irreversible. I am so happy that in this country we are so much more relaxed when it comes to enhancing a dog’s color or coat structure, which would get you crucified in Europe. But there must be a limit to what is acceptable. Although Europe officially has a no-tolerance attitude to this problem I feel certain it is still done, although rather discreetlybut if you as a judge have any objection- it is your decision. In my opinion the ruling and attempt to “micromanage” the running of our dog world is more detrimental than helpful to our image. Believing as the authority that the people you have granted permission to judge at your shows, awarding championship points, etc. are of such a quality that their judging ability, integrity and not least knowledge are totally trustContinued on page 84
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Reserve Best in Show Thank you Judge Mr. William E. Usherwood
The Number One* Old English Sheepdog • A Top Ten** Herding Dog Multiple Best in Show & Best in Specialty Show
Gold Grand Champion Lambluv’s Sultry Sensation Always Owner Breeder Handled Owned By: Kay Richardson & Jeré Marder Handled By Jeré Marder *The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed points **CC System
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Why A Petition to Split A Breed Makes No Sense
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t was worrying to learn that a group of Scandinavian breeders has launched a petition asking the British Kennel Club to recognise the ‘American Shetland Sheepdog’ as a separate breed to the Shetland Sheepdog. The link that has been published to the original petition seems to now be redundant but the gist of the original intention has already been widely discussed. At the outset let me stress that I am neither a vet nor a Shetland Sheepdog breeder, but as a judge of the breed who has judged it in many countries I am concerned that perceived differences in type should result in such a drastic and illogical proposal which many seem to be taking seriously. Before my British Sheltie friends start preparing the guillotine let me say that I am not of the opinion that all the Shetland Sheepdogs I have seen in the USA are wonderful. Some of them are different to what we are used to seeing in the UK, often having slightly alien heads and proportions, but I also believe that many opinions have been formed based on the style of grooming and presentation which can exaggerate the dog underneath the coat. (I often wonder how many people who are so vocal about American Shetland Sheepdogs have actually visited the USA and attended specialty shows.) However I have also seen several Shelties in the USA that are, to my eye, quite beautiful and which could easily hold their own in the UK show rings if they were judged impartially in the context of the British breed standard and not merely by their passport. There has been much talk of “British type” but if we look at the breed historically it is relatively young (first being registered in Lerwick in 1908 most records claim with the English Shetland Sheepdog Club being formed in 1914). In 1914 the Kennel Club recognised the Shetland Sheepdog as a separate breed and shortly after the first Champion emerged – Woodvold – though confusingly some historians claim that a dog named Clifford Pat was the first and Woodvold the second. Looking at the rather poor quality photographs that exist of Woodvold he looks rather different from the Shetland Sheepdog of today. The original Shelties 18 Dog News
had been developed from local working collies and Icelandic Spitz dogs that arrived on fishing boats so, in common with so many of our “pure” breeds, the Sheltie’s origins were rather mixed and to a degree shrouded in mystery. What is both accepted and documented is the fact that the primitive Shelties were mixed with small Rough Collies to establish type, so much so that at one point the breed was actually called the Shetland Collie, this being rather shortlived after the Collie people objected strongly. If you study a variety of breeds that have become popular internationally it is obvious that type varies to a degree, just as it can do in the breed’s homeland. We have seen countless beautiful Shetland Sheepdogs in the UK of excellent type, who move well and who have much steadier temperaments than the breed once displayed, but at the same time we also see many boxy dogs that display Spitz traits and are very lacking when it comes to construction and movement. You can find good and bad wherever you choose to look. As regards Breed Standards, the American Shetland Sheepdog can be between 13 and 16 inches at the shoulder; our own Standard calls for an ideal of 14 inches for a bitch and 14½ inches for a male. Other than that size differential the American version actually describes the British Shetland Sheepdog in much more detail than our own Standard and is much more specific about individual faults. It would be true to say that, judged against their own American Standard, some winning dogs in the USA would be found rather wanting, but the same could be said for many other breeds, notably the English Springer Spaniel. For as long as I can remember By Andrew Brace there have been vague calls for the English Springer Spaniel and the American Springer Spaniel to be classified as two separate breeds but nothing has ever come of such suggestions. In truth, regardless of the minutiae of the Breed Standards, breeders, exhibitors and judges interpret them as they see fit and the breed seems to survive worldwide, albeit with marked differences depending on where one happens to be. We have seen breeders working with both English and American lines, trying to develop a dog that falls midway between the two, and sometimes these have met with success in the show rings. It is possibly in the Sporting Continued on page 88
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Question of the week By Matthew H. Stander
Thanksgiving Day saw two major National TV Stations air productions about dogs - NBC aired the Purina/Kennel Club of Philadelphia National Dog Show involving only the pure- bred dog immediately after the annual Macy’s Day Parade while later in the evening Fox aired a tribute to rescue dogs which encouraged adoption of an alleged eight million animals in this, a direct quote, “the country’s shelter system”. My question is whether you watched either program and if you did what you thought of Kurt Anderson I did watch the Purina/Philadelphia Kennel Club National Dog Show broadcast. I did not watch the Fox program. I thought the NBC broadcast was very well done and sends a much needed positive message about purpose-bred dogs to a large audience. Zane Smith On Thanksgiving evening I did watch four of the groups of the Philadelphia Kennel Club National show on TV. I thought the coverage was mediocre at best, and honestly lost interest and did not even finish watching it. I thought it was unfortunate that only certain dogs (breeds) were chosen to focus on examination and movement, while others were hardly seen, if at all. I was unaware of Fox rescue dog program, so I did not see it, although it would have been interesting to see what they were saying. James Phinizy Didn’t see much of the “National” dog show. Do not have cable or satellite: so, Fox was out and probably would not have watched anyway. I’ve been involved tangentially in the issue of animal rights, shelters, rescue and recycled rescues for over 25 years while in and out of the legislature. Like a lot of issues, there is more breast beating and posturing than real action. Loads of hypocrisy. Sadly, rescue has become a dollar sum game for all the proponents and opponents. The rescues are the “Syrian Refugees” of the animal world; too many people are making political points and money off strays. Sometimes I wonder if the rescue big wigs really care.
Judy Colan I watched the National Dog Show & enjoyed it. I think because we are experiencing such a barrage of “save a dog from being put to sleep” & want to influence the general public something that the general public could relate to should be included when announcing each dog. Eliminate “this dog’s mother, etc., etc. and replace with some thing like “this dog is a therapy dog & visits nursing homes” or this dog or mother or father has accompanied his 7 year-old owner to school for show & tell or this dog or this dog or mother or father is an accomplished retrieving dog. Something that the general public could relate to. Also add something about health clearances.
Keke Kahn The Philadelphia Dog Show, for many many years, was right up there at the top of most attended show and prestigious show in the dog show calendar. Not so anymore~~~ The TV on Thanksgiving is a big coup but they just do not attract the top winning dogs throughout the country and that is a shame. I remember when the show was huge and wonderful people were in charge of running it beautifully but they have passed on and it became so terribly expensive in the city that it had to change. Definitely a big disappointment but times also have changed and so has the dog game. I watched later in the evening to see Betty White hawking for another organization. They are called RESCUE and what a big shame it is for our own AKC not to have combatted this many years ago when it started. Our breeders are suffering due to rescue and designer dogs .... SAD SAD SAD.
Kathi Brown It is a Thanksgiving tradition to view the Philadelphia Kennel Club Show. Having this regularly broadcast on a major network on a day when so many are at home with friends and family is an important event for our sport. It allows us to share our love for dogs. I did not watch the Fox evening broadcast as so much of such press is skewed and tends to be anti-breeder and purebred dogs. All the more reason for pursuing better and increased public information our breeds.
Kelly Lockwood I did not watch the dog show after the parade. I am always busy cooking Thanksgiving dinner! I did happen to see the rescue dog tribute on Fox for just a few minutes. What I got out of it was that they have a lot of “stars” supporting the adoption of shelter dogs. Maybe the world of purebred dogs needs some “big name people” to get involved and support the world of purebred dogs. FYI- I sold a top ten beagle to Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen this past spring. Julie L. Mueller Yes, I did watch both programs. The population of unwanted pets, dumped into the shelters, rescues and just left to run the streets, are created by a multitude of producers. This is not a new problem, but easily magnified by the media and unfortunately, many times breeders are portrayed as the reason why all of these dogs are in shelters and rescues. Yes, some of them are produced by “breeders” but the general public needs to be educated on the difference between someone who breeds strictly for profit and the breeder who produces dogs for only one reason, which is the betterment of their breed. And this proclamation of “ADOPT DON’T SHOP” is a catchy phrase, but couldn’t be further from the solution of the problem. Continued on page 92
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OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION TO JUDGE MRS. HOUSTON CLARK (PICTURED) AND TO JUDGES MR. GEORGE MURRAY AND MRS. SHARON ANN REDMER FOR GROUP & SPECIALTY WINS LAST WEEKEND! *CC System
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arxism M s By Sid Marx
This Judge’s Point Of View
Low Entry Breeds
There have been many articles written - some by me - on Type vs. Soundness and whether or when to withhold ribbons or points. To be honest, I don’t believe you can completely separate type and soundness. For me, in order for a dog to exhibit good breed type, she must move as the breed standard describes. Unfortunately, there are a lot of problems when we discuss movement. Let’s look at some of these judging issues. I start my ring by having all dogs come in, and just relax. I walk down the line, looking at expression. Then I have them go around to the area of the ring in which I will examine them individually. That way I start by getting an initial impression of side gait. For me, “side movement” and “down and back” tells us different things about the dog. If I see good front reach and rear drive that is proper for that specific breed (no, all breeds should not have tremendous reach and drive), it leads me to believe that when I put my hands on the dog, I should find good shoulder angulation matched equally with the rear. Of course, it doesn’t always hold up that the movement matches what you feel or vice versa. Side gait can also show the dog holding a strong topline (no, they should not all be level) head carriage, and silhouette. All of these factors are important to weigh when making a judging decision. Certainly it should be no surprise when a “hands examination” reveals good front and rear angulation resulting in proper reach and drive. However, there are many times that a dog that is straight in front and rear (yes, that is a form of balance) will also show good side movement. Conversely, it is not unusual, but still disappointing when my hands reveal good angulation, but the dog does not move as it is built. That is why a judge needs to use his hands, eyes, and brain to make a decision. I don’t understand how a judge can see the dog moving at her comfortable gait if the judge is looking at the corners of the ring. Obviously our rings are square (or rectangular). What might not be quite as obvious is that when a dog is turning a corner the length and ease of reach and drive - as well as the dog’s topline - is vastly different from when the dog is moving in a straight line. When any breed standard talks about movement the description is that of a dog moving in a straight line. So 26 Dog News
what is the sense of watching a dog only on turns? I have often felt that the size and layout of our rings also contribute to some of the poor movement we see. At the extreme, consider the German Shepherd Dog. I never appreciated the movement I saw on almost all German Shepherds at all-breed shows until I attended a German Shepherd Dog National Specialty. Watching this wonderful breed move on sod in a ring the size of a football field was eye-opening. In this ring they could move as their structure and function dictates. It is truly unfair to judge this breed in some of the postage sized rings we see at many allbreed shows. When we consider the “down and back” many of the judges outside the ring (yes, the exhibitors) think that most breeds move the same. In fact, there are many differences. Some, like the West Highland White Terrier and the Miniature Schnauzer are almost exact opposites. There are other breeds that because of the breed’s function - many of the sighthounds for example - where (in my opinion) side gait shows us considerably more than down and back does, but that does not mean “going and coming” should be ignored. It should also be pointed out that many times a dog that is too long in the loin and short in chest can move well. That does not mean that the dog is built properly, because being short in “lung room” would not allow a dog to work very long. (The obvious outliers to this statement are the field Pointers who go all day long regardless of structure. They are moving on “heart,” not structure). So, a dog can move well, but still not represent breed type when silhouette, topline, and attitude are considered. There are areas in which Type and Soundness cross over, and sometimes seem to be in conflict. When we judge, and the dog in front of us is drastically lacking in many areas, we often make the decision to withhold first place or Winners awards. But should all breeds be treated alike? Sounds like a ridiculous question, but there may be more to it than what is apparent. In 2000, when the Spinone Italiano was first being accepted into the AKC, I discussed the breed with another judge. I was concerned about how incredibly unsound the breed was at that time, and thought I would often have
to withhold ribbons when I judged the breed. The other judge reminded me that one of the functions of a good judge is to help a new breed establish “Breed Type” so they could then move forward to work on soundness and other issues. It was good advice then, and it is good advice now. That breed has improved dramatically, and the breeders who have helped this to happen should be commended. Let’s look at the Miscellaneous class. One of the breeds I have had the pleasure of judging in this class is the Dogo Argentino, and many of these have been of high quality. But what if I had a class of two, and both were of significantly poor quality? Should I withhold first place? If everything was always black and white, if both dogs are truly and obviously lacking in quality, wouldn’t I withhold a first place ribbon? But things are not always so cut and dried. We also want to acknowledge and support a Miscellaneous breed. So what’s the harm in giving a first place ribbon? Take this a step further. What about the low entry breeds that have limited gene pools? Some of these breeds - such as Sussex Spaniels, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, and Otterhounds - have been close to extinction at times. Even more important than low entries are the breeds with very low litters and registrations These breeds have a very limited gene pool. Doesn’t a judge have a responsibility to assist a breed’s continuance? If judges withhold ribbons from breeds that may not necessarily have owners with a burning desire to compete in the ring, are we then keeping them from wanting to continue in the breed? Will this further diminish the gene pool, and thereby result in even lesser quality? Let’s say I watch the class of (pick a low entry breed) move around the ring, and all I see is stilted, very limited movement. I examine the entry and find very rough shoulders, poor layback, and poor feet. There is no second thigh or proper angles behind. “Down and back” movement is very poor. Heads vary from fair to very poor. Or course, because there are so few of this breed, the entire entry may be only two or three. Do I withhold? Do I say, “I am sorry, folks, but the quality of this entry is not worthy of first place or points?” This is what I would do in a breed with normal entries/registrations. But with a breed with such breeding limitations do I have the additional responsibility of encouraging the breeders and owners? Should I just hand out the first place ribbon and move on to the next breed? Do I hand out the ribbons, and tell the exhibitors, “Thanks for bringing this entry out today, and for supporting the breed. I recommend that you continue to work on improving heads and structure. Stick with it. Thanks again.” I do one further thing when I judge low entry breeds. When I am fortunate enough to come across one or two of quality across the country, I do tell the handler/owner about the other good one I have seen and suggest he consider looking into a possible breeding of these two. So, judging is not as cut and dried as it may appear. What do you think?
Dog News 27
Multiple Best In Show, Multiple Best In Specialty Show
Platinum Grand Champion Imperious Hamitup Southern Belle
e l l e b a n An
No. 1 Bulldog Bitch - A Top Non-Sporting Dog *
Best of Breed
Judge Robert Rodenski
Best of Breed
Judge Mr. William E. Gray
Best of Breed
Judge Mrs. Dara Carr
Hillwood
Owner
Ellen Charles 28 Dog News
Hetherbull
Owner/ Handler
Bob & Jean Hetherington
Imperious Bulldogs
Breeder/Owner/Handle Kelly and Rick Franz
*#2 overall, The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed points
Hamitup Bulldogs
Breeder/Owner
Rick and Suzanne Glover
Best of Breed
Judge Mr. Glen Carr
Best of Opposite
Judge Mrs. Doris Boyd
Best of Breed
Judge Mrs. Kay Gray
Best of Opposite
Judge Mr. Duane Miller
Best of Breed
Judge Mrs. Cindy Stansell
Best of Breed
Judge Mr. Robin L. Stansell
Group First
Judge Mr. Dennis McCoy
The Number One All Time Specialty Winning Bitch
Group First
Judge Mr. Ronald Pelland
Best of Breed
Judge Mrs. Linda Firodiliseo
*
‘Tis The Season:
Gifts For Dog Lovers By Carlotta Cooper
W
atching the Philadelphia Kennel Club show on Thanksgiving (AKA the National Dog Show) and deciding what to do with leftover turkey are sure signs that the holiday season is upon us. Perhaps even more so than the rest of the general population, dog show exhibitors can find themselves without any shopping done at this time of year due to the demands of work, travel, grooming dogs, and the show ring. Yet you may need to give gifts to friends, fellow club members, and pet owners, not to mention family members who like to be occasionally thanked and appeased for your devotion to dogs. Fortunately, there are plenty of wonderful dog-themed gifts for the dog lovers in your life – and a nice bottle of wine for two or something equally thoughtful can go a long way toward setting things right with your significant other. Here are some gift ideas that you might consider for friends who are as dogcrazed as you are.
Books about dogs
The Dogs Writers Association of America https://dogwriters.org/ selects some of the best books in the country written about dogs each year, covering various categories. Authors and books honored in 2014 include Alice Lovejoy Carnahan, Wolfsong in Georgia: Memoirs of a German Shepherd Dog Family (Wolfsong Publishing) and Patricia F. Lehman, Boston Terrier (Animal Planet Dogs 101) (TFH Publications, Inc.) in the Single Breed category; Linda Case, M.S., Dog Food Logic (Dogwise Publishing) and Jean Hofve, D.V.M., and Celeste Yarnall, Ph.D., Paleo Dog: Give Your Best Friend Long Life,
Healthy Weight, and Freedom From Illness (Rodale,Inc.) in the Health and Gen-
eral Care category. 30 Dog News
In the Training and Behavior category, Denise Fenzi & Deborah Jones, Ph.D. Dog Sports Skills, Book 2 Motivation (Fenzi Dog Sports Academy Publishing), Pat Miller, How to Foster Dogs (Dogwise Publishing), and Emma Parsons, Teaching the Reactive
Dog Class: Leading the Journey from Reactivity to Reliability (Karen Pryor Clicker Training) were honored.
The following books were honored in the Reference category: Adrienne Hovey, The Dog Trainer’s Resource 3 (Dogwise Publishing), Amy Shojai, Complete Puppy Care (Cool Gus Publishing), and Cat Warren, What the
Books about the Human/ Animal Bond included Valerie Silver, Rescue Me: Tales of Res-
cuing the Dogs Who Became Our Teachers, Healers, and Always Faithful Friends (Valerie Silver), Sherry Bennett Warshauer,
For the Love of Kinsey (Publish
America/America Star Books), and Nicole Wilde, Hit by a Flying Wolf (Phantom Publishing). Finally, books on any other topic included Leila Grandemange, Pawz and Pray, Short
Reflections About God, Life, and the Dogs I Love! (Sunnyville
Publishing), Kate J. Kuligowski,
Our Most Treasured Tails, Sixty Years of Rescue (Our Guys Pub-
Dog Knows: the Science and Wonder of Working Dogs (Touch-
lishing Company), and Paris Permenter, DogTipper’s Texas with Dogs (Open Road Guides).
In Fiction, Mystery, and Humor, Sheila Webster Boneham, The Money Bird (Llewellyn/Midnight Ink), Tracey Weber, Murder Strikes a Pose (Llewellyn/Midnight Ink), and Susan Wilson, A Man of His Own (St. Martin’s Press) were singled out.
Many of these books would make interesting reading and good gifts for the dog lover in your life. Check with Amazon.com, DogWise, and other sites to find them. You can also find many outstanding books about showing and breeding dogs. Obviously there are some classic books such as Pat Trotter’s Born To Win, Breed To Succeed; George Alston’s The Winning Edge; Lynn Hall’s Dog Showing for Begin-
stone, Simon & Schuster).
Children’s books included Betsey Anderson, Maggie Goes to Maine (Maine Authors Publishing), Marsha Hall Brown, Show Dogs Escape to the Seashore (Archway, Simon & Schuster), Martin Deeley,
Leo-The Incredible and Amazing Dog Star (Trafford), and Denise Fleck, Rescue Critters Pet First Aid for Kids (Thales r Co., LLC dba Rescue Critters).
ners; Show Me! A Dog Show Primer by D. Caroline Coile Ph.D.; Tricks of the Trade by Pat Hastings, and others. Any breeder or exhibitor just starting out would be well-served by receiving some
Continued on page 94
Dog News 31
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*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed
32 Dog News
Dog News 33
BESTS WEEK Chesapeake Kennel Club of Maryland - Saturday Standard Poodle
GCh. Gala Brighton Lakeridge Reflections of Me Judge Dr. Robert D. Smith Owners Ron & Debbie Scott Handler Kaz Hosaka
South Dade Kennel Club - Saturday & Sunday Mastiff
Ch. Goldleaf’s Trouble Coming
Judge Dr. Gerard Penta Judge Ms. Lee Anne Bateman Owners Laura Watson & Pamela Winter Handler Terry Smith Conroe Kennel Club - Saturday Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
GCh. Derby’s Toast With Gusto Judge Mr. Jon Cole Owner Sue Copeland Handler Scott Sommer
Beaufort Kennel Club Boxer
GCh. Mephisto’s Speak of the Devil
Judge Mr. Joseph Gregory Owners Mrs. Pat Billhardt & Sergio Tenenbaum Handler Diego Garcia Worcester County Kennel Club Puli
GCh. Fuzzy Farm If Not Now, When? Judge Mr. James R. White Owners Steve and Alice Lawrence Handler Alice Lawrence
Ingham County Kennel Club - Saturday & Sunday German Shepherd Dog
GCh. Lockenhaus’ Rumor Has It v. Kenlyn Judge Mr. William (Bill) Shelton Judge Mrs. Vicki Abbott Owners Deborah Stern, Pamela Buckles, Patti Dukeman, Pamela McElheney, & Kent Boyles Handlers Kent Boyles
Yuma Kennel Club - Friday & Saturday Imperial Valley Kennel Club Pomeranian
GCh. Hitimes What The Inferno
Judge Mrs. Carolyn Alexander Judge Mrs. Janet Jackson Judge Mrs. Lesley Hiltz Owners Bonnie Bird & Udomsin Littlchalkun Handler Curtiss Smith Savannah Kennel Club – Saturday Beaufort Kennel Club - Monday Puli
Ch. Cordmaker Mister Blue Sky
Judge Mr. Dana Cline Judge Mrs. Gloria Geringer Owner J. Beaudoin, L. Pitts, P. Kelly & S. Huebner Handler Linda Pitts
To report a AKC All Breed Best In Show or National Specialty Win Call, Fax or Email before 12:00 Noon Tuesday. Fax: 212 6755994 • Phone: 212 462-9588 Email: dognews@harris-pub.com 34 Dog News
Dog News 35
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Dog News 37
10 uestions Q ASKEDOF...
Daniel Chavez
BORN: TEMPE, AZ RESIDES: TEMPE, AZ MARITAL STATUS: SINGLE ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: GEMINI
When did you start showing and how did that first show go? I started showing dogs in 2005, when I was 15 years old. I had a white standard poodle. Her grooming was far from competitive, but Madeline Patterson had me come over to her setup, to show me how to better band, scissor, and spray my dog up. I will always be thankful that she did that.
How difficult was it to finish your championship? I never finished her, but she taught me a lot!
Other than your own breed, what other breeds do you like? I can appreciate a beautiful example of almost any breed, but I love the coated, glamorous breeds.
Which dog person of the opposite sex would you be? Definitely Taffe McFadden.
How do you feel about AKC’s role in our sport?
I think AKC is the foundation of our sport, I try to do my part by bringing in and encouraging new people.
How many shows do you attend a year, and which three are your favorite ones? After recently taking a job in the investment management industry, I have decreased my show attendance greatly. My three favorites are still Palm Springs, poodle club of America, and Westminster.
Who from dogs would you like to see on the television show “Duck Dynasty?” Tomoko Saeki.
What things in the world of dogs bring you the greatest joy? Great friends, great dogs, and great laughs.
What characteristics do you admire in others and strive to emulate? Loyalty and a sense of humor.
If you could afford to host an elegant catered dinner party, name at least three dogs and/or people you would like to invite. Bill and Taffe Mcfadden, Kathy Bilicich Garcia and Brian Cordova, Jennifer Steven and Maripi Wooldridge, and Tomoko Saeki and Jaime Lee Larkman, Jenny Rangel and Andrew Peel- all the people who make me laugh! 38 Dog News
Dog News 39
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Dog News 41
Jerry Klein, DVM, Is Appointed American Kennel Club Chief Veterinary Officer By Sharon Pflaumer
O
n October 6, 2015, the American Kennel Club (AKC) announced the appointment of its new Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), Jerry Klein, DVM, who brings more than 35 years of experience in the field of veterinary medicine to the position. Dr. Klein, who will report to AKC Executive Secretary Jim Crowley, is assuming the role on a part-time consultancy basis. He will continue to act as the full-time Supervising Veterinarian at the Chicago Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center, where he heads a critical care and emergency room team that treats more than 11,000 dogs (and cats) each year. Dr. Klein studied Zoology at Miami University where he received his undergraduate degree. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State Photo By Andrew Collings
University College of Veterinary Medicine. He is an active member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, and the Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Society. Dr. Klein also is a member of two breed clubs: the Afghan Hound Club of America and the Fox Terrier Club of Chicago. His love of dogs led him to conformation competition in his youth and, ultimately, motivated him to become an AKC Judge. Currently, he is licensed to judge all Terriers, Afghan Hounds and Salukis. During his 30-year tenure, his judging assignments have taken him to Australia, Japan, Canada, France, Sweden, Spain and England; and included such prestigious shows as Westminster Kennel Club and AKC Eukanuba National Championship. In the following interview, Dr. Klein discusses his new role as AKC CVO and how he plans to use it to support breeders as they address important issues like the breeding of the healthiest specimens possible and the stigma that has become attached to purebred dogs in recent years.
“I am truly honored to serve as an advocate for healthy, well-bred, purebred dogs," says Dr. Jerry Klein, the AKC's new CVO.
How do you view your role as the AKC’s new CVO? Dr. Klein: I believe my role is to promote and protect the good health and well-being of dogs. I will do that by participating in the development and implementation of AKC programs and materials relating to canine health. Additionally, I will serve as a spokesperson and policy leader for AKC’s many initiatives to enhance the health of dogs. Most importantly, I will work with breeders, the general public and the veterinary community to improve and preserve the health of all dogs. The Press Release announcing your appointment as CVO states that you will act as the AKC’s official policy leader surrounding the preexisting and enhanced health commitments of the AKC. It further states that you will serve as the organization's principle authority on canine health, veterinary policy and initiate relevant wellness campaigns. Would you please expand on this? Dr. Klein: I want to put a focus on the health of
dogs and the good work of the AKC’s Canine Health Foundation. The AKC, like all responsible breeders, is committed to the good health and well-being of the dogs we breed. With all canine health issues, I think what we’re trying to do is develop objective criteria within the line of realism. As a veterinarian, I can tell you that all dogs whether they are purebred or not have health issues. We certainly see genetic tendencies toward specific health issues in certain breeds. Thanks to the fine work of the AKC’s Canine Health Foundation, we are not only identifying those genetic tendencies but also identifying causes and possible solutions. If I can help [the AKC] educate breeders, veterinarians and the general public about these findings; [then,] we will make the world a better place for all dogs and for the people who love them. Can you provide a more specific example of how you hope to improve canine health? Dr. Klein: I think a great example is the spay/ neuter issue. The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation has funded 55 studies totaling $35 million. One of the studies it funded investigated whether or not there is a correlation between spaying and neutering at an early age and an increased risk of cancer and orthopedic issues in dogs. Nothing is all black and white at this point, but there are indications that early spaying and neutering may contribute to an increased risk of certain cancers and orthopedic issues at least among some breeds. Ideally, I will help develop some guidelines to educate breeders, veterinarians and the public about issues like this one. The more information everyone has, the better the decisions we can make about the health and well-being of our dogs. How else do you plan to support the breeding of the healthiest specimens possible? Dr. Klein: My role is to help educate breeders and the public about specific steps that can be taken to help improve the health of purebred dogs and, in fact, of all dogs. One thing I learned when I was young from other people who bred dogs is: when you know better, you do better. For example, with my own dogs, I never bred one before it was 2 years of age. That’s because health problems are more likely to become evident by 2 years of age. The March 2015 Chairman’s Report states “The [new AKC] website also will become the hub for our new health microsite – an education resource for breeders and owners. This will allow us to engage and educate a wide scope of breeders on best breeding practices and health screening . . . our new Chief Veterinary Officer will have an important role in this site, also.” Would you please elaborate on this? Dr. Klein: Our job as breeders is to make sure that we breed the best, possible dogs. My role as the AKC’s Chief Veterinary Officer is to help recognize if there is a problem, make certain that we try to take steps to mitigate it. Our microsite will provide information to breeders that will enable them to do that. I will be contributing to the information on this site. I live in the Wrigleyville neighborhood in Chicago. My neighbors have a variety of purebred dogs. On my block there is a Golden Retriever, a
Vizsla, an Australian Terrier and a Wheaton Terrier. Their owners are good people, who chose purebred dogs because they love that particular breed and its characteristics. Not one of them has any intention of showing or breeding their dogs. Yet, each of these owners has every right in the world to get the best possible, healthiest representative of that particular breed. Our microsite will provide breeders, and pet owners with information to help increase the chances of that happening. What are some of the other goals you hope to accomplish as AKC CVO? Dr. Klein: I hope to help members of the fancy educate pet owners about the value of purebred dogs and the contributions of responsible breeders, exhibitors and judges; making all dogs healthy and reliable. I want to help the general public understand the importance of and many benefits of purebred dogs, as well as help them understand how these benefits can help them to make good decisions when deciding to add a dog to their family. As a breeder, I want to help breeders represent ourselves and the value of purebred dogs for pet owners. Pet owners don’t always appreciate how responsible breeders of purebred dogs devote their heart and soul to their dogs. Responsible breeders do this for the love of their dogs and their breed. How do you plan to address the stigma that has become attached to purebred dogs in recent years? Dr. Klein: When I was a kid, having “a dog with papers” was considered very desirable. Now, pet owners don’t always realize the value of purebred dogs and the reliability of a purebred dog’s characteristics. That reliability can help pet owners find a companion that best fits their family and their family’s lifestyle; making for a happier connection for all and increasing the likelihood for a lifelong, successful relationship. Educating the general public about the many benefits of purebred dogs will increase the chances of [them] finding the right animal for their family, whether purebred or not, and help them develop the life-long devotion to dogs that we’d like everyone with dogs to share. How else do you plan to support breeders on this issue? Dr. Klein: In my role as AKC CVO, I hope to serve as a booster for breeders, exhibitors, and judges of purebred dogs. We are all proud of what we do and we want the public to understand that responsible breeders stand behind each and every one of the dogs we breed. As a veterinarian, an owner, a breeder and a judge, I hope to represent all sides of the purebred dog and help educate pet owners about the importance of purebred dogs and the distinct differences between them and non-purebred animals. If I can somehow be a mediator for both sides; then, that’s what I’ll try to do. Is there anything you would like to add? Dr. Klein: I know the absolute devotion responsible breeders have to their breed and to their dogs. So, I am truly honored to serve as an advocate for healthy, well-bred, purebred dogs. By working together, we can make the world a better place for all dogs and for the people who love them. Dog News 43
THE STANDARD POODLE
V
ersatility is a commodity that is prized among people participating in performance activities with their dogs. If being able to do a lot of different things is the objective, it would be difficult to find a breed that has worn as many varied historical “hats” as the Standard Poodle. In addition to the above mentioned jobs Standard Poodles have been employed as hearing ear dogs, seizure warning dogs, cancer detection and therapy dogs and, on occasion as a fox “hound” and a draft or sled dog. According to the people who love the breed, they have yet to find a job or a sport that a Standard Poodle can’t do although they are quick to concede that the breed does some jobs better than others and you would be hard pressed to find any consensus among Poodle fanciers as to what they are best at. To some, it is the breed’s ability as a hunting dog that stands out. Lin Gelbmann who owns Tye (HRCH Ch Lemerle Silk Tie CD MH WCX UWCX HPCX), who has his master hunter title from AKC as well as a hunting retriever championship from the UKC, said she had been hunting, training and showing dogs for more than 40 years. “I owned and trained Labradors until about 15 years ago when I got my first Standard Poodle. My current master hunter Lab is probably my last one because Tye is as good in the pheasant and goose field as any Lab. Poodles are very smart. I think they have the ability, more than other breed, to problem solve. They are very focused on their owners and so they are very biddable as they have a desire to work with you and be with you.” For Debby DuBay, it’s the breed’s “cir-
Lincoln, (Ch MACH 11 Ale Kai Lincoln on Fifth RN MXB4 MXC MXG MXS AX MJB4 MJC MJG MJS MXJ NAP NJP OJP NF OF T2B T2B2 CA CTC TDI) Debby DuBay’s Standard Poodle, is the second Standard Poodle to be invited to the AKC Agility Invitational and the only conformation champion SP to get this invitation. (Barry Rosen photo) 44 Dog News
Military Dog, Guide Dog, Circus Dog, Ships’ Dog, Herder, Truffle Sniffer And A Pretty Darned Good Hunting Retriever, Too! By M.J. Nelson
cus” dog history that is important as she and her dog Lincoln (Ch MACH 11 Ale Kai Lincoln on Fifth RN MXB4 MXC MXG MXS AX MJB4 MJC MJG MJS MXJ NAP NJP OJP NF OF T2B T2B2 CA CTC TDI) have qualified for the National Agility Championships for four consecutive years beginning in 2012. “Standard Poodles are extremely intelligent which makes them quick studies. They are biddable, athletic and versatile on top of being really smart. But, you have to know how a Standard Poodle thinks. Training a Standard Poodle for agility is much different than training, say, a herding breed for this sport. First, you must be smarter than your dog and I don’t mean to sound flippant when I say that. You have to be able to present the task you want your Poodle to do as one that he’ll love to do while making that activity fun. In addition, you cannot repeat or drill an exercise with a Standard Poodle. If they do it right the first time, their thought is ‘why would you want me to do it again? If you are making me do it again, I must not have done it correctly the first time.’ This is much different than my Miniature Poodle who wants to repeat and repeat and repeat. Also, most Standard Poodles are very proud, sensitive and do not take criticism well. I never criticize Lincoln–he always thinks he’s right anyway–and he competes with great joy and enthusiasm in the agility ring.” Continued on page 96
MacGregor (HR Ch Carlyn Hard Spun SH WCX UIC), one of Joyce Carelli’s Standard Poodles, after a successful duck hunt.
Dog News 45
Breed Judge Mrs. Francine W. Schwartz Group Judge Mr. Robert Stein
Breed Judge Mrs. Carolyn A. Herbel Group Judge Dr. Gerard C. Penta
l e m r a C h t u r a l l A Gold GCh. e y a B e l o S V g n i d d i K l l Sti ist ith A Tw W l e m r Ca Hiline’s Sire: Ch.
aye v Sole B ld o G ie h Pix . Allarut h C : m a D
“JJ” is Co-Owned By Ruth Ziegler - “Allaruth” Yvonne B. Phelps - “Sole Baye” Carma Ewer - “Carmel” Los Angeles, CA, El Monte, CA, Sandy, UT 310 472-7993 • 626 448-3424 • 801 943-5077 46 Dog News
Another Fabulous Weekend!
Back-To-Back reserve Best in shows!
JJ
For The Number One Miniature Schnauzer Breed & All Breed Number Six Terrier*
Reserve Best In Show Judge Mrs. Francine W. Schwartz
Reserve Best In Show Judge Mrs. June A. Penta
Thank you to all the Judges!
*The Dog News Top Ten List
Handled Exclusively By Bergit & Hans Kabel Assisted by Shougo Sugiyama Sonoho Yamada Dog News 47
AThought To Consider Skin in the Game By Seymour Weiss
T
wo dog fanciers were chatting about a specialty that had recently been held. One lady attended; the other did not. Alice, the lady who did not, commented that she had nothing to show, that the show was not close to home and as a consequence she decided to pass. Kim, the lady who did make the trip, also had nothing entered but she went to see what was being shown and to get a handle on the general state of the breed at the time. She also attended to enjoy the social side of the Specialty. Ah, that Kim – depend on her not to miss a happening. Certainly, Alice saved herself time and energy and considerable expense by remaining home, but she did not get that up close and personal view of where her breed was right then. Of course, we all do things that seem right to us at a particular time. And, in all candor, whether any dog fancier participates in any activity or event related to the sport is an entirely personal choice. It’s one’s own business – pure and simple. However, it is not necessary to have a dog entered and shown to be vested in an event, to have skin in the game. Not every reward the dog sport offers is tangible. Being able to observe a ring full of your breed’s finest examples is very much a teachable moment. Looking at the competitors; considering their strengths and weaknesses as much as is possible without actually getting your hands on them is an experience that can stay with you for a very long time. And, if you allow it, the lesson of such observation will make you a better dog person. For the person who must have a dog in competition in order for the exercise to have any value, it is worth 48 Dog News
considering that today’s win will soon become old news and usually carry meaning only to an owner, a breeder or a handler. There are all kinds of people with all kinds of agendas. The lasters, the fanciers whose interest goes beyond their own dogs and what they might gain all share one important attribute; they have a passion for their breed and the sport that goes beyond momentary, individual gratification. Many of us will attend an important show without an entry in order to scan the landscape for just the right dog to breed to our best bitch. Often, having a dog in competition makes it difficult to see exactly what’s out there and more than a few fanciers have lamented the lost opportunity to really focus on the potential stud dogs being shown while taken up with demands of personally exhibiting. Admittedly, if you decide to be part of ringside, reviewing the dogs before you will not give your dogs a shot at making breed history. But if you will think ahead to a breeding plan based on what you see, imagine the spectacular puppies grunting and wriggling in the whelping box of your mind. Who knows, you may breed the dogs everyone will be talking about next year. There is no reason not to think so if you’re positive. It isn’t even necessary to observe your own breed to be gratified by the sight of great dogs. If you look at dogs at the top of their respective breeds, there is much to learn and much to enjoy by absorbing the beauty of magnificent specimens. There they are, living, breathing examples of excellence. They are standing and moving and displaying all that makes them outstanding and sending chills down the spines of those who can appreciate them. You can’t get that feeling out of a photo. I believe it was the English poet John Donne who wrote that “No man is an island…” and we in the dog fancy would be well served to remember those words. Each of us is part of a larger community with hopes
and dreams. We all want our dogs to succeed; no one enters to lose, but there is only so much room at the pinnacle. And to get to the pinnacle there must be concerted effort. The odyssey of a successful show dog starts with a well-thought-out breeding. That breeding may be a casual one-off or a step in a larger effort. It should never be a mating of convenience or a liaison with a big winner or, worst of all, breeding to get on the right side of the “right person.” Assuming a mating is successful, one must be able to accurately grade puppies once a litter is old enough. This is where we call upon that much prized asset, an eye for a dog. Admittedly, not everyone is so blessed, but one can always turn to one who is and draw from their counsel. It may be the owner of the stud, a handler with a track record or a colleague you can rely on. Always remember, though, running on a new hopeful is like taking out a boat. You can never be sure you won’t hit rough water before you reach your ultimate objective, so you always have to be prepared for setbacks and disappointments. If you would have skin in the game, expect the inevitable scrapes. Okay, assuming the puppy of your dreams measures up to your dreams you then have another important question to resolve. Who does the work? Will you DIY or seek out someone else to refine your diamond in the rough? If you decide to undertake the initial training to convert your whirling dervish into a biddable show dog, you have skin in the game from the outset. And this can give you profound satisfaction; you’ve done it yourself. Did you do it effectively? Hopefully, you did. You might want to seek out the help of someone you trust or simply engage a professional handler when your dog is ready. Whatever path you take, avoid the pitfall of putting the burden of your dog’s show ring fortunes on others to the point of being totally dependent and interfering with someone else’s plans for their own dogs. Having skin in the game is being independent enough to pilot your own ship. Look around you and you will see that everywhere in this crazy world we share, self-sufficiency is thriving. If you have yet to experience it, give it a shot. There’s nothing better. Thank you for reading.
ZACK
“
”
The Number One* Bearded Collie in Breed Points
Back-to-Back Group Wins National Dog Show 2014 - 2015 Saturday - Kennel Club of Philadelphia - Thank you Judge Ms. Sulie Greendale-Paveza Sunday – Kennel Club of Philadelphia – Thank you Group Judge Mr. Michael Faulkner and Reserve Best In Show Judge Mr. Espen Engh
Best In Show, Multiple Reserve Best In Show, Multiple Best In Specialty Show
Gold GCh., Can. Gold GCh. Dunhill Steeler Nation Sire: GCh. Tolkien Raintree Mister Baggins
Dam: Ch. Dunhill Inspiration)
Bred by Ray & Dr. Kathy Harrington Owned by Ray & Dr. Kathy Harrington & Val & Scott Shafer Exclusively handled by Katie Shepard • Assisted by Lexie Ditlow *The Dog News Top Ten List
Dog News 49
*
*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed
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The 2015 Thanksgiving Classic Cluster T By Peggy Wampold
he 2015 Thanksgiving Classic Cluster in Springfield, Massachusetts (Holyoke, South Windsor, Windham County and Springfield Kennel Cubs) is now just a memory. The weather was exceptional for mid November in New England; cool at night but sunny and warm with bright blue skies (shirt sleeve weather) each day. As usual, Penny Kretchmer was there to greet the members of the four clubs as they walked into the Better Living Center early Tuesday morning to set up the show. The set up of the three buildings was completed Wednesday afternoon, just in time for the vendors and exhibitors to come in and set up their areas. The motor homes started coming in on Monday and by Wednesday afternoon their parking area was almost full. The cluster was dedicated to the Memory of John Saletnik, a member of Springfield Kennel Club for many years and a man who contributed so much to the success of the cluster through the years. There was a big void felt this year without his physical presence. In addition to John, South Windsor Kennel Club and Windham County Kennel Club dedicated their shows to the memory of Alice Berd, a long time member of both clubs and a much loved Springer Spaniel person, with a great sense of humor. Everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her has an Alice story. As in any cluster, there were a few glitches. Two of our judges cancelled out on Wednesday due to health reasons, but said they would be there on Friday. Unfortunately, this did not happen and they
Continued on page 102
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Bronze GCh. Star K’s Mile Hi Fire in the Sky, CGC
. . . e s i m o r P f o l l , u F y k Little S “
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n o i p m a h C d n a r G Bronze ! e g a f o s r a e y o han tw
, s s e n t a e r G o t Maturing
at less t
Thank you Judge Col. Jerry Weiss Owners: Star K’s Mile Hi Show Dogs • Richard & Linda Stark Breeders: Richard & Linda Stark and Jo Ann Charnik Handlers: Heather and Zach Helmer Dog News 53
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Dog Shows of Central Florida Hernando County Kennel Club, Greater Ocala Dog Club & Seminole Dog Fanciers
By Sharon Sakson
Photos by Jenna Coleman
W
hen you move to Florida, you quickly learn that you will be showing upside-down to the way you showed in the north. In the north, shows move inside in November to the exhibition centers, onto cement floors until the end of April. Then comes the warm month of May and we’re back out on springy grass for summer and fall. In Florida, you show indoors on the cold cement of fairground halls June through the fall. You race from your air-conditioned car through 90-degree heat to the airconditioned, sometimes frigid spaces. Then comes the cooler month of October and we’re back outside again, on tough Florida grass. This year, the November 7 & 8 shows of Hernando County Kennel Club got hit with unusually hot weather, with temperatures going up to 89. (The TV weatherman said if it hit 90 it would be a record.) Exhibitors and dogs were happy to be back on the grass, but it was a little warm for men in suits. Brian Duggan flew from the cool temperatures of northern California to judge a provisional assignment in Irish Wolfhounds and the Central Florida Association of Saluki Hounds Supported Entry. After ten minutes, he was sweating in the sun, and received AKC rep Sidney Good’s blessing to judge coat-
56 Dog News
less. Male exhibitors quickly followed. (We should note that Floridian Sidney Good was generous about the hot weather even though she herself never sweats and is always the most cool and collected observer on any showgrounds.) Hernando County’s show takes place at Florida Classic Park in Brooksville, a sprawling 50acre tract owned by several Florida kennel clubs and dedicated solely to dog shows. This year, the grounds were improved with the addition of a building that provided indoor men’s and women’s toilets, and a huge covered pavilion that sheltered the superintendent and dozens of grooming set-ups. For someone coming from the northeastern states, the idea of a dog club owning its own grounds is heaven. No one is going to toss you out. No chance of an anti-dog coalition kicking up a fuss. It’s a win-
win situation because the county enjoys the income the dog show people bring in. On Saturday, Best in Show was the Skye Terrier, Ch. Cragsmoor Good Time Charlie, judged by Dr. Anne Gallant. He is a hometown boy in this area since he lives with his handler, Larry Cornelius, in Ocala. On Sunday, Cecilia Martinez awarded Best to the Pug, Ch. Hill Country’s Tag I’m It, handled by Esteban Farias. The weekend actually began on Friday with six breeds from the Florida Combined Specialties using the grounds. It was the first year they used AKC’s new policy of allowing two specialty shows on the same day, so there were Saluki, Akita, and Shetland Sheepdog Specialties in the morning and the afternoon. Boston Terriers, Poodles, and Afghans had one show on the day. Western Brooksville is surprising in that it is hilly in a state otherwise known for flatness. The showgrounds sit on a hill cooled by winds coming out of the forest. Exhibitors may not notice but motorcyclists went by continuously. This part of the state is great for motorcycle riding, because the Croom Motorcycle Area is just across the road, 2600-acres with miles and miles of trails for motorcycles and dirt bikes. They have a strict “No Pets” policy, but a few bikers came over to the showgrounds to dog-watch. Continued on page 106
The Number One* ASCOB And Number Two* Cocker Spaniel
Group First - The National Dog Show
Thank you Judge Mr. Michael Faulkner for this honor!
Multiple Best In Show/Multiple Best In Specialty Show
GCh. Blondheim’s Easy Matters Breeder/Owners - Sherry and Barry Blondheim • Presented by - Lisa Arnett *The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed
Dog News 57
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h n
a report from Canada
true
ort
By Allison Foley
Wheat City Kennel and Obedience club is definitely a club that puts it all together. Held in a medium sized northern Manitoba town, population 46,000 people, this club manages to run four all breed dog shows in three days, with an entry that gets near their allowed limit. As well they combine with the agility club “Road Runners” who hold three licensed agility trials. Wheat City also holds 3 very competitive obedience trials as well as 3 all breed rally trials. The club rounded out the weekend by hosting a veteran sweepstakes and a puppy sweepstakes judged by up and coming permit judges from the area. Two Junior handling competitions finish the weekend with a show that has something literally for everyone with a dog and a wish to compete on any level. The shows are also held in the large Keystone Convention Complex. This complex has a gorgeous hotel, two full service restaurants. A bar. A hockey arena that is home to the Brandon Wheat Kings, an iconic Junior Hockey team. There are several large dirt floored arenas, (one was host to the Agility trials and one hosted a horse show) and then there were 4 cement floored barns where the conformation and Obedience/Rally trials were held. There was plenty of benching area for all exhibitors and a full bathing area. With weather in Brandon often being a “snow event” and even more often being cold it is a relief to not have to go outside if staying at the host hotel. Kudos to the members of Wheat City KOC for putting on a world class event in a small northern town most people outside of Canada have not even heard of. 60 Dog News
More important to note is that on the same weekend there was a similar show held in the greater Toronto area. The show in Toronto also had 3 shows in 3 days and offered as well Obedience trials and Rally trials and a Junior handling competition for both Conformation and Obedience. So for arguments sake we can say that the shows offered similar events. Over the course of the 3 days the shows in the Northern Manitoba town had a conformation entry of 772 while the shows held just outside of Toronto, population 2.6 MILLION people had an entry of 699. For those that like math Brandon has 1.75% of the population of Toronto. So Toronto has approximately 50 times the population of Brandon. There is something to be said for the dog population in Canada where it is the smaller areas that continue to see a smaller decline in their overall entries. As the dog show year here in the True North comes to a close there are only 2 all breed conformation events left in the country. One in Brantford Ontario and one held in Kitchener Ontario. The last one is held every year the three days after Boxing day (December 27 28 29) Not only do many people consider this to be sacred family/holiday time but add in that in Canada no dogs can be shipped by cargo or taken as excess baggage on any flights from December 14 until January 6. So we begin again the argument as to whether this is “fair” to dogs competing for Top Dog status as they are shut out of this competition.
With that in mind the top dogs in Canada as of November 30, 2015 according to Canuck Dogs are: 1 Giant Schnauzer
Lowdown Remys Girl V Aerdenhout 2 Portuguese Water Dog
Ch Claricreek Lusitano Oceano Atlantico 3 Standard Poodle
Ch Dawin in Hot Pursuit 4 Irish Setter
Ch Eltin’s Unequivocal Contender 5 Papillon
Ch Marron’s Jimmy Coo 6 German Shepherd Dog
Signature’s Harry Nile V Kridler 7 Siberian Husky
Ch Snowmists Wind N’Reigning 8 Australian Shepherd
Ch Copperridge’s Win Advisory 9 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Ch Auriga Peter Parker 10 Wire Fox Terrier
Ch Foxheart’s Rough and Ready
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Samoyed National Specialty, Louisville, KY
TheRoad To TheRoses By Heather LoProto
Photos by Robin Barkhaus, Connie Rudd, & Karen Brooks-Hodges
D
uring the week of Sept 21st, 2015 the Samoyed Club of America rolled into Louisville, KY for our 84th National Specialty, with an entry of 670 from 424 dogs. The theme of this year’s show was “The Road to the Roses”. A fitting name given that the location, the spacious Kentucky Expo Center and host hotel, the Crowne Plaza, were just down the road from Churchill Downs. Visitors arrived from more than 30 states and at least 5 countries. The week actually kicked off on Saturday with 2 days of all breed herding (yes Sammies can still herd) and a Fun Pack Hike on Sunday through Pope Lick Park, part of Louisville’s beautiful metropolitan park system. A second pack hike, this time to earn points toward a working title, was held on Monday in Beckley Creek Park, another park in the Parklands of Floyds Fork project. The weather cooperated all three days and allowed everyone to enjoy their time outside with the dogs. Monday also saw 2 other performance events taking place
– an all-breed agility trial and our novice weight pull. We had a great turnout for both activities. Things really started to get into full swing on Tuesday with a Sammy only agility trial and the start of conformation judging. First up in the conformation ring was Futurity, judged this year by Ms. Heather Stevenson-Kelly. From the entry of 38, Heather picked Rapture ‘N Travelin’s Keep on Trekkin’ from the 6 – 9 month puppy dog class as her Grand Futurity winner. Next up were the Veteran Sweepstakes competitors which were judged by Mrs. Mary Kistner. The quality of the 36 entries (all at least 8 years old) was quite impressive. Mary’s winner came out the 12 year and older bitch class, CH Cold Smoke’s Piper Cub. Best of Opposite was GCH Saratoga of Northstar from the 8 to 10 Dog class. The day’s judging finished up with the “Elements of the Standard” competition. The judges were Liz Ballantine from Scotland, and from the States Jim Cheskawich and Judy Kovitch. Dogs could enter a variety of classes from Best Front and Best Rear, to Best Side
Gait and Best Head (dog and bitch), etc. CH Metak’s Miss Demeanor won 4 of the 8 classes she was eligible for, more than any other entry. Tuesday closed with the Sanctioned Weight Pull that night. While on the topic of a working event I’d like to mention something new we did this year. Mary Wolf coordinated a new performance participation award – the Iron Troika. (A troika is a Russian sled pulled by three horses.) To earn the award, a dog needed to participate in at least 3 of the performance events – herding, weight pull, agility, obedience, pack hike, or rally. This award was conceived to encourage participation in the different events and highlight the versatility of the breed. Obedience and Rally competitions were held on Wednesday and Sweepstakes judging continued. In Puppy Sweepstakes Mary chose CH Continued on page 108
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Dog News 65
The 2016 Edition of
The Dog News Annual Magazine
Will Be Dedicated To The Breeder... This is the Perfect Opportunity to Highlight the Accomplishments of your Breeding Program!
Whether It Be Stud Dog, Brood Bitch, Recent Champions & Grand Champions.
Y L I l( 66 Dog News
• Articles From Around The World of Pure-Bred Dogs with a special emphasis upon the health of your dog. • In addition, this issue will include the final stats of the 2015 Dog News Top Ten List. Our All Breed Rating System is the only National System to Award Points for Reserve Best In Show.
That’s Where The Sport Starts And Ends. • The One Hundred Club - Those Dogs who have achieved 100 or more Best In Shows. Advertising Deadline: January 22, 2016 Publication Date: February 5, 2016 For information, please contact Dog News/D Magazine: 212 462-9588 dognews@harris-pub.com • thedognews@aol.com
D #Jr Dog News 67
Very Important Dog People
By Agnes Buchwald
M
y dear readers are used to follow my Rare Breeds of the World column, and know about my unconditional love for any dog. Rare breeds are one of my joys, the subject of research, and interest. Studying them allow me to learn geography, breed evolution, and preservation efforts amongst other interesting facts regarding our least known best friends. In the mean time I keep my VIDP column in my personal stash drawer, and only open it to bring to the limelight people who must (in my humble opinion) be better known and whose work and involvement with dogs would inspire other dog people. Recently my son called my attention to some dog paintings he saw on Facebook which impressed him very much, so I decided to take a peek, I fell in love, and went after the artist. Very few painters are able to detect the essence of a dog, cat, horse or human, these rather elusive glimpses, present in the eyes Continued on page 112
Luciane Peixoto Painter, Sao Paulo - Brazil
“Something becomes art when it’s purely utilitarian or functional nature is altered for the purpose of enhancing its aesthetic qualities” —Anonymous
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i g i G
is America’s #1* Bichon Frise Bitch!
Reserve Best In Show Sincerest Thanks to Judge Mr. Dana Cline!
Best In Show, Multiple Reserve Best In Show
GCh. Blitzin Georgette Tres Jolie at DeMartini Owned by Donna DeMartini
Handled by: Dennis & Katey Brown *#4 overall, The Dog News Top Ten List All-Breed
Dog News 69
70 Dog News
Judges Choice - The Bulldog
Reprinted with permission from The Kennel Gazette
The Bulldog Club Incorporated is the oldest breed club in the world Interested to know more about the breed, Pat Brigden spoke to club secretary Chris Carberry, who opened the door to a fascinating history...
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Continued on page 116
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*CC All Breed through 10/31/15
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T
he results are in and the purebred dogs won. Well, the ratings are in, I should say, and the numbers speak for themselves and should bode well for the upcoming American Kennel Club/ Eukanuba National Championship coverage on FidoTV, provided that the general public finds out about this new strategic partnership and can access it on their cable provider. With the AENC just days away there has been absolutely no advertising campaign promoting this so-called strategic partnership between the AKC and FidoTV, a major oversight and another missed opportunity to present the sport of purebred dogs to the general public. The National Dog Show, as NBC’s coverage of the taped portions of the Kennel Club of Philadelphia is known, has the benefit not only of a major sponsor, Nestle Purina, but also of being on a widely available national network. Furthermore, it’s aided by a fabulous lead-in program, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year the parade drew a 12.6/27 share in households in the overnight metered markets, the highest mark for any entertainment telecast on broadcast TV this season, regardless of time of day. To put that number in perspective, the prime time high for the season thus far was the November 15 airing of “60 Minutes,” which drew a 12.5/19 rating, aided in large part by a National Football League lead-in. The parade audience this year most likely provided a boost to “The National Dog Show” audience, which scored a 5.8/13 rating in metered markets, up two percent from last year’s 5.7/13 and the second highest in 11 years. In the much coveted 18 – 49 age range, the dog show pulled in a 3.0 rating, its highest in the 13 years in which NBC has tracked local people meters, and up 15% from last year’s 2.6 rating. Perhaps even more surprising is that the following Friday evening, not typically a big TV night as it falls on a long holiday weekend and coincides with Black Friday shopping events, NBC rebroadcast the dog show in the prime time 8-10 pm slot, where it pulled in a 0.6/2 rating among that same coveted 18-49 age group and snared 3.79
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Exciting Numbers and Anxiety Relieving Dogs
f O f e th e lsa h
By Shaun Coen
million viewers. The top numbers for that time slot went to a broadcast of the classic Christmas cartoon Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, which grabbed a 1.1/4 rating share amongst the same age group. Other networks have taken notice that dogs bring in an audience. Last year the Fox network aired a program titled “Cause For Paws” featuring dogs available for adoption on Thanksgiving night that drew 6.73 million viewers and a 2.2 in the key 18-49 demographic in the 8 o’clock hour. The feeling then was that “Cause For Paws” was destined to become a staple in the Thanksgiving lineup. However, history didn’t quite repeat itself this year. The Fox special was called “The All-Star Dog Rescue Celebration” this time around and managed a mere 0.4/1 in 18-49 and 2.1 million viewers overall from 8 to 10 p.m., down sharply from the similar “adopt-a-thon” type event last year (1.3 in 18-49, 4.6 million viewers overall) when it aired immediately after the network’s NFL coverage. While the merits of the actual TV coverage of the National Dog Show continue to be debated, there is no denying the numbers that the event pulls in and anytime purebred dogs and their breeders are shone in a positive light it’s a cause for celebration. These numbers provide hope for hobby breeders and fanciers that the sport of purebred dogs can continue to thrive and that they can compete against the messages and tactics of the animal rights extremists who want to put
an end to their existence. Hopefully, the AKC’s partnership with FidoTV can help in these areas too but enthusiasm has been tempered due to the lack of promotion for its inaugural event. With the Holiday Season officially upon us, there will be many requests in households across the world to add a dog to the family unit. The National Dog Show’s Thanksgiving telecast may cause an uptick in Internet searches for particular breeds to see if they would be compatible companions for those households. There are differing opinions about whether or not the holidays are a good time to add a new pet to the household. Some feel it’s too busy a time with multiple distractions, company, travel and dangers lurking in every nook and cranny while others feel it’s always a good time to add a pet, particularly a dog, to a household. Recent studies have shown that dogs can reduce the risk for allergies and asthma in children and a new report in Preventing Chronic Disease reveals that pet dogs could also lower the risk of childhood anxiety, depression and obesity. Researchers analyzed 643 children aged 4 to 10 between July 2012 and December 2013, with 57.5 percent of them having a pet dog. Twelve percent of the children with dogs tested positive for clinical anxiety compared with 21 percent of children without a dog. Reasons given for dogs reducing childhood anxiety include stimulating conversation with other people, easing separation anxiety and increasing oxytocin levels that reduce cortisol, the physiological responses to stress. Positive benefits of owning a dog for children include caretaking, which promotes a sense of responsibility and empathy, social interaction, companionship that promotes selfesteem, relieves stress, provides emotional support and an increase in exercise, all of which are believed to prevent obesity, depression and anxiety. In Australia and the United Kingdom studies have shown that dog ownership was associated with increased physical activity amongst children, while promoting walking and active play with a dog has proven an effective strategy to increase children’s physical activity. Pet ownership is associated with key indicators of cardiovascular health such as lower blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides and 28.4% of smokers said that knowing the adverse impact of cigarette smoke on pet health would motivate them to stop smoking. So, as if another reason was needed to add a dog to the household, just in time for the holidays, here it is, dogs are positively associated with healthy weight and mental health!
Dog News 77
The emblem of Wales is the dragon. In heraldry it is a symbol of power, wisdom and one who has overcome an adversary. Kevin Evans (34) is among the leading figures in world sheepdog trials. The young man from Wales has been at the top of his sport for the past 7-8 years, winning Welsh, British and international titles with several dogs. He’s been on the Welsh team five times, but is not that competitive. He is confident, on the one hand, particularly when he’s at his element on a field with sheep and dogs. But on the other hand, he was not too eager to answer questions about himself. Kevin trains dogs, takes them to trials and then sells them. “It’s part of the farm. If someone offers you good money for a dog, you sell it,” he explains. Together with his father, he keeps
ragon D in Sheep’s
Clothing Story & Photos by Yossi Guy
78 Dog News
around 400 heads of sheep from different breeds and around 20-30 dogs that he trains, mainly in order to sell to other trial contestants who want to start working with a trained dog instead of going through a lengthy process. Kevin’s top winning dogs are also in demand as studs. After owning his own construction enterprise, Kevin is now making a decent living off his work with the dogs. He is extremely passionate about his occupation and can definitely be said to be working at his hobby. With a lovely partner and beautiful baby boy, what more could a man want?
How did you start out with dogs and trials?
I was born into it. My father has a farm, has always had a lot of dogs. I was chucked in with dogs and sheep all around me. My father taught me how to work with the dogs. None of my mates were into this. I did play football and played for Wales as an under 15. But it wouldn’t work out on weekends when trials were on. My father took part in trials.
Are there any dogs you wouldn’t sell?
Mirk is a dog I wouldn’t sell. When he was 2, my father ran him at trials and he won, so he was up for sale and I wanted 3,000 for him. Three people came to see him and they offered less than we wanted, so I kept him. He’s been a Welsh team member 4 times. Won a lot of big championship trials here. He came in 6th in the World Championship in England in 2011, International Supreme Champion 2008, World Trial finalist in 2008. Once I decided to keep him he became part of my trialing team, he will never leave. He was very young when he won the international so he has a place in history and in my heart.
Is he the best dog you’ve ever had?
You could never say who’s the best, it depends on the courses. I had his litter brother, called Continued on page 126
Dog News 79
MO R And
NATIONAL DOG SHOW RATINGS, BLUE BUFFALO/ PURINA, TERM LIMITS...
e
By Matthew H. Stander
Photos of Western Michigan Cluster by Booth Photography
T
he so-called National Dog Show presented by Purina through the aegis of the Kennel Club of Philadelphia in a taped version of the event aired immediately after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is reported to have received a 5.8/13 in meteredmarket households and a 3.0/12 among viewers 18-49 in the local people meters. Final figures are due in later in the week but the early reported figures are said to be up 15 percent from last year, reaching the highest rating ever for the “National Dog Show” in the 13 years NBC has tracked it that way. These are pretty impressive early numbers since it was estimated that overall last year some 26 million homes watched all or a part of the dog show so you can only guess how high the new numbers will be! Why AKC has no presence on this show nor even any official representation is hard for e to comprehend. Furthermoe, it makes it an even
Continued on page 134
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EVER BEEN LOST IN THE JUNGLE…?? Continued FROM page 14
worthy should be guaranteed. And if they cannot live up to the expectations they should simply be removed- or defrocked. A question I am frequently asked is how we can run shows in Europe without field reps the answer is quite easy. The way the entire system is set up, they are not needed. If you have any complaints you would normally send it with a fee to the Kennel Club in question- and eventually get a reply- and if any wrongdoings were detected it would be dealt with in due course. And the fact that there is no way of instant gratification- the complaints are rather thin on the ground. I recently was in Pennsylvania for a number of shows and witnessed all these people who are probably potential future judges intending to get as many boxes ticked during that weekend as possible- and I also had a few requests for ringside mentoring, which I politely refused due to lack of time. But I witnessed a number of people spending minutes ringside, being mentored, then had a form signed and moved on. This is not the way to create future knowledgeable, competent and trustworthy judges who can walk through this jungle without needing rules to command their every little move. So much has been said- and will always be said – about the best way to prepare new people for the task of judging dogs. A task don’t think anybody even after decades of experience will say is easy. (Well, I must mention my old friend, the late English handler Albert
s w e N g o D The
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Langley who declared: “I cannot see there is a problem judging dogs, you just put the best one first, then the second best, etc., etc. People make it sound so complicated…”) I wish we all had his gift and talent! I think the USA is the only country in the world where you can approach your first judging appointment without ever having set foot (other than as an exhibitor or steward) in the show ring. In Great Britain you must have proved your ability to run a ring by judging, in some cases, hundreds of classes- and in most European countries you will have served as an apprentice judge prior to your final exam. (In addition to the initial course in all aspects of the game from anatomy, movement, genetics, rules, etc., etc., which is a mandatory step in prior to entering the “ring stages”). But what you will also have been able to prove is your ability to handle people, dogs and pressure, which are areas where I think many still fail. No system is perfect, but I still don’t think that micro managing the world of dog show judges will benefit our sport in the long run. The more rules, the more reasons for conflicts and complaints. Even if I suspect that at the onset the opposite effect was the desired one. Conclusion: Make judges selection and qualifications harder and include realistic “ring time” so you can be confident they can handle that tough job of judging dogs. Including all the conflicts along the way. And please remove or at least review those rules that really make no sense. Until next time…
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Why A Petition to Split A Breed Makes No Sense Continued FROM page 18
Group that we find most examples of marked type differences in the native British gundog breeds. Just as we see English Springer Spaniels in the USA that are considerably removed from the ideal, so do we find many Irish and English Setters that would be regarded as somewhat extreme by the British purists. There are of course other breeds that have polarised – notably the Shih Tzu which is classified as a Toy in the USA but a Utility (Non Sporting) breed in the UK. The physical differences that have become established over the years are of course emphasised by more stylised presentation and grooming but that is merely superficial. Having pockets of a breed elsewhere which are somewhat “different” can sometimes be of help to breeders when they need to correct or improve specific points in their own stock and history has documented several examples of intelligent breeders doing just that. However, type differences tend to be accepted for what they are where they are without petitioning for separating a breed into two. To find such an extreme move actually happening we have to go back to 1946 when the American Kennel Club decided that the American Cocker Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel should be regarded henceforth as two separate breeds. When you look at the examples of Cocker Spaniels winning in the USA prior to separation I think it would be fair to say that their changes from the original were much more dramatic than any seen in Shetland Sheepdogs, English Springers or any other breed since. One of the strengths of the British dog world has always been its breeders, people who dedicate their life to their chosen breed and developing a strong line. The most successful breeders are those who do not see their geese 88 Dog News
as swans, who recognise faults in their own stock and are prepared to look elsewhere for new blood which they can use to their advantage. We do not have breed wardens in this country; breeders still have great freedom of choice and I believe it is an insult to the intelligence to suggest that breeders do not know what is best for their own breeding programmes. Here in the UK we have seen many breeds changed for the better by the infusion of a little judiciouslyused American blood. Just look at Lhasa Apsos, Beagles and Standard Poodles for example to see how the importation of key American dogs has helped when these dogs have been used on bitches that have generations of intense breed type behind them. The result has been offspring that have movement, presence and star quality – yet still they maintain correct type - and they themselves then take their breed to the next level. Smart breeders have for many years looked across the Atlantic to see what is happening with their breed and have often imported new blood with good effect. The disappearance of quarantine has had a huge effect on the British show scene, notably at Crufts, and when outstanding American dogs have made the trip (often very successfully) they have made the cleverer British breeders sit up and look. That great bastion of British dogdom, the Terrier Group, has been particularly affected by the American presence when it is obvious that great dogs are being bred outside our sainted isles. Coincidentally I was just recently judging a huge entry of Shetland Sheepdogs in Finland and ended up making a 13 months blue merle male BOB who I considered to be outstanding. His dam was BOS and she apparently was bred from a bitch imported from Canada. Thanks to the wonders of the Finnish Kennel Club’s marvellous breeding database I have
researched his pedigree as I was interested to find out what breeding was behind him because his maternal grand dam is the Canadian import, Finnish & Canadian Ch Grandgables Carnan’s Hush Hush. I was then fascinated to discover in his pedigree some wonderful longestablished British kennel names such as Shelert, Riverhill, Francehill, Deloraine, Rhinog, Janetstown, Scylla, Glenmist, Jefsfire, Herds, Myriehewe & Willowtarn ... these are some of the most famous kennel names in British Sheltie history, several of them being owned by people who would be considered by the most fervent advocates of “British type” to be doyennes of the breed. In my opinion he was a fine example of what can be produced when breeders are open-minded and breed intelligently, using the best of what is now available internationally. The last time I awarded Challenge Certificates to Shetland Sheepdogs in the UK was in October 2015. The winner of my Bitch Reserve CC was a Canadian import whilst my Best Puppy was a most exciting young male, imported from Australia but carrying a lot of American breeding. Of course I was judging these dogs to the British Breed Standard and had no idea how anything was bred, not that it would have mattered one jot. There has been mention of health problems being one of the reasons for this petition … surely if health problems do actually exist, cutting the gene pool in half would be totally counter-productive? Judges should be capable of assessing the dogs in front of them in the context of the Breed Standard that is in force in the country where they are judging based on the dogs’ physical merits without worrying – or even thinking - about what their ancestry happens to be. I am sure that this petition, if it does ever reach Clarges Street, will be dealt with intelligently and that the Shetland Sheepdog will continue to survive as one breed around the world.
Muldoon
Wins The 2015 American Bloodhound Club Top 20 Thank you Judges for awarding this honor to Muldoon
Gold GCh. Badgershill Muldoon of Heather, MT, MTI AKC Judge Dr. Ronald Spritzer Breeder Judge Ms. Lynn Bailey Handler Judge Mr. Stephen Cabral And a special thanks to: Handler Larry, Fenner, CA & Breeder Aine Dorgan, Ireland Owned by Lyn Sherman, California Dog News 89
Rain Or Shine, It’s All About The Hounds!
American Bloodhound Club’s 2015 National Specialty By Camille McArdle, DVM
American Bloodhound Club President
“R
ain, rain, go away!” was the prevailing sentiment at the onset of the American Bloodhound Club’s 2015 National Specialty during the period October 25 – 30. The first few days of our Nationals are devoted to Mantrailing and Tracking Trials, obviously held outdoors. The incessant rain and strong winds presented quite a challenge not to the hounds but to the handlers and trail-layers! The rest of us were also hard put just to get our gear unloaded and into the hotel without getting drenched. This year’s event was located at the Holiday Inn and Eukanuba/Roberts Center, located in Wilmington, OH. This wonderful site is located in the middle of a triangle formed by Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton. There was plenty of open space around the site for walking dogs. Parking lots were also extensive. Dog handlers were thrilled to find the three large, completely fenced yards, one of them big enough for an agility trial, that the dogs enjoyed rain or shine. Being in crates for hours traveling, the hounds were delighted to run free, off leash, and make new friends in their usual rowdy way. The Roberts Center is set up very well for dog events. There are four large event halls with meeting rooms close by. One could walk a hound from the hotel room, through the lobby and along a walkway to the event hall. Our 70’ X 70’ ring still left plenty of room for vendors, a photo setup, rows of grooming spaces, and displays of large raffle items. A near-by room held the Bloodhound Boutique, allowing exhibitors to shop easily while still keeping an eye on the 90 Dog News
ring. There was coffee in the lobby each morning and a bar and restaurant on site. The hotel staff was fabulous and accommodating, doing whatever they could to make our event a success. In spite of the rain and wind, 11 out of 18 Mantrailing attempts were passed, including two of three in the Mantrailing Excellent category. All four of the TD entrants qualified as well. A good hound is intrepid!! On Wednesday the fun included Obedience and Rally, then Futurity judging, an “itty-bitty
puppy” match, a pumpkin carving contest, and the Top 20 event. Obedience always draws a crowd because some bloodhounds can be amusingly independent. Judge Debra Schneider had 13 in Obedience, including TWO braces, and 9 in Rally. One would think the handlers are gluttons for punishment but in some cases that is simply not true. A week after the National, the AKC website featured a video of Jan Rothwell very successfully working her brace of hounds. Futurity litters are nominated while in utero and individual puppies nominated prior to the age of four months. The Futurity entrants this year were judged by Eileen Peers of Cheshire, England. Eileen is an annual visitor to our National Specialties and absolutely loves the hounds. From her entry of 24, Mrs. Peers found “Barnaby” (Rosehill Rainbow of Gold Round My Shoulder) from the 12-15 month dog class as her Grand Futurity Winner. Our Top 20 event is judged by three individuals and their findings tallied by an outside auditor. The dogs were exhibited on Wednesday, while the spectators were treated to a huge dessert bar. Sensory overload in all directions!!
This year’s judges were Ron Spritzer (AKC judge), Lynn Bailey (ABC breeder), and Stephen Cabral (handler). Everyone had to wait until Friday evening’s Annual Meeting to find out the results of the judging. Thursday started with Sweepstakes, judged by our own Bob Dowd, of Virginia. Bob had 13 Veterans and 41 youngsters to judge! Best Veteran Dog went to “Garth” (GCH Soonipi Friends in Low Places MLH) and Best Veteran Bitch was “Kitty” (GCH Heathers Cat on a Hot Tin Roof). These two hounds oozed breed type and soundness; they were a joy to watch and fabulous examples for our breeders to emulate. On the other end of the age spectrum Bob found “Selfie” (Flessner’s International Snapshot), a red bitch from the 12-18 month class, as his Grand Sweeps Winner. After lunch, Dr. Robert Indeglia began his judging with the class dogs. From an entry of 35, he selected Kathy Reid’s Canadian-bred Mason’s Ussard D’Lia Phail as Winners Dog from the Open class. Reserve went to Heather’s The Winner Takes All, also bred in Canada. Because the National this year includ-
ed Halloween, the theme of the event was “Get your spook on!” Activities and decorations through the week revolved around this theme. On Thursday evening, after a presentation on bloat research (always a scary topic), ABC members had fun with a costume contest. We saw pirate dogs, Sherlocks, a flea circus, bumblebees, a ballerina, a deer hunter, a surgeon, and these were just the dogs! Humans appeared as Supergirl, Dorothy from Oz, and my personal favorite, human wine and cheese. Meanwhile, “Waldo” kept photobombing everyone’s pictures. All in good fun! Back to the show ring on Friday for more breed judging. We began with lumps in our throats for the 12 wonderful Veterans. Class bitches totaled 29. Dr. Indeglia selected Saka’s Hollywood Nights at Pacesetter from the Open class for Winners Bitch. Reserve was “Selfie”, which finished her championship. Then the judge began working his way through the 55 specials. For the third National in a row “Nathan” (GCH Flessner’s International S’Cess) was selected Best of Breed. This was also his retirement show, so it was a fitting way to go out. Best of Winners went to the WD. Best of Opposite was GCH Quiet Creek’s Kiss and Tell. Select Dog was GCH Badgershill Muldoon of Heather, MT, MTI, and Select Bitch was GCH Quiet Creek’s Double or Nothing for Heather. Judges Awards of Merit were: “Garth” (the Veteran Dog and also Best Owner-Handled), GCH Quiet Creek’s Limited Edition, GCH Flessners International Space Station at Honidge, GCH Hickoryhollow’s Candygram for Mongo, GCH Jo-Li’s Lollipop Guild, and the WB. This year’s National was dedicated to the memory of Cathy Brey-Marler, who passed away in May. Her presence was very strong, particularly during the banquet and Annual Meeting. Many items in the auction came from her estate and people were anxious to own these treasures, especially her own copies of the two editions of her book, The Complete Bloodhound. Not to be forgotten, the Top 20 Winner was announced at the banquet. Much to her complete surprise and joy, Lyn Sherman’s “Muldoon” (GCH Badgershill Muldoon of Heather, MT, MTI) had been selected for this honor. A hearty congratulations to all the winners, as well as to the many exhibitors and attendees who prioritized good sportsmanship and respect for one another and for the venue itself. Plans are well on their way toward the 2016 National, to be held in Chattanooga, TN. See you there!
Dog News 91
Question of the week Continued FROM page 22
Sure, all of these dogs need homes, but preventing the next litter is equally important. I have been a professional groomer for almost 50 years, and I have managed to anger a considerable amount of customers that wanted to breed their pet, when I tell them “Susie” has no business being bred, and I offer a lengthy explanation. The point I am trying make here, is that it is everyone’s responsibility to educate the public, take every and any opportunity to explain to people what responsible dog breeding should be and how to go about getting a healthy pet for their family, a pet that will match their needs, personality and family members. The American Kennel Club recently asked the parent clubs to offer a Health Statement, to be displayed on their website. I was excited when I first started reading the letter, until this paragraph, “As far as the AKC Staff is concerned, this definitive statement will be the ultimate resource for the health policy of each Parent club. In fact, if the club’s “health statement” indicates that there are NO recommended tests, AKC.org will state that there are no recommended tests, even if the breed does have something listed in CHIC or even in COE.” In the eyes of the general public, The American Kennel Club is looked upon as the pure bred dog authority. The general public equates “AKC
Late Answer To November 27 Question, Which format do you prefer AKC to use for its wholly owned and operated Dog Show held annually in December insofar as the Conformation competitions are concerned- should it be held as originally founded as an Invitational type event only or as the totally open Dog Show into which it has evolved? Mareth kipp Sorry, I was out of town until late last night. If you still have room for an answer, I like the idea of a totally open show. With all the specialties prior to the weekend, class dogs are already there. I always felt the “Invitational” format was elitist just by the nature of the invitation. We have enough difficulty getting new people involved in the sport and instead of opening our arms to them, we are in essence telling them they aren’t welcome. What a great venue to welcome all. Huge rings, great grooming spaces, to say nothing about the great weather. Let’s encourage everyone who wishes to enter, to have a spot for them. 92 Dog News
registered” as the gold standard. And that by merely being a dog registered by The American Kennel Club, along with that registration is an automatic stamp of approval for quality. How many times have you heard a pet person say “He’s got his papers, he is AKC registered!” I would want AKC to validate that perception of AKC by the general public, in doing everything possible, by offering them every bit of information to make an educated and informed decision on how to acquire a healthy pure bred dog for their family pet. I understand that AKC relies on the parent club for a number of reason, but the general public has no idea what a parent club is. And there are a number of breeds who have and are suffering hereditary defects because the parent clubs, and breeders, were not honest and/or forthcoming about their breed’s problems. If we want to draw the general public back to “buy from a breeder”, the parent clubs, the breeders and AKC must make a case on the sound practices, health testing and advantages of buying from a responsible breeder. Cindy Knox I watched the National Dog Show. It was a dog show....the exposure was good for our sport. Flew out before the end but family when we landed asked the breed that won. Very non dog people so very good! Lots of curious questions. I must say that I question the number of dogs in the other program. How many are legitimate rescues from the U.S. and how many are in legitimate rescues instead of retail rescue? Jacqueline Gottlieb This response is limited......my arthritic fingers don’t type with ease or accuracy. While baking an apple pie I saw most of the NBC offering. The quality of the entry was impressive, although the lengthy commercials were distracting. You did get a brief glimpse of each dog in the group individually, but the close-ups
were of only a very few. In the limited “dog time” the announcers did a decent job explaining breed characteristics and functions. All adding up to a limited plus for pure bred dogs. I was unaware of the existence of the evening broadcast, but would love to see a clarification of the “eight million”. How many of these are “Feline”? ANSWERED BUT DIDn’T WATCH SHOWS: Rod Herner This is the first time in many years that I have missed watching the National Dog Show. I was in transit to Thanksgiving dinner with my grandchildren in the Poconos. I do think that it is marvelous that the dog show has secured such a wonderful time slot just after the Macy’s Parade on NBC. I get more favorable comments about this show from my family, friends and grooming clients than from any other. The KC of Philadelphia members do it right by running many ads prior to the airing of the show. Kudos to all of them! Positive exposure like this is priceless! Jon Cole Sorry, did not see either program. I was flying. Joe Purkhiser Sorry, Thanksgiving was a family day for us. We watched neither of the programs. Jackson Secrets Sorry, I did not watch either, and I will just keep my thoughts to myself. Kerrie Kuper Have not watched either program, did record the National dog show for later viewing. Gary Doerge Sorry, but I was unable to watch either broadcast. I really should not comment without being fully informed. Merry Millner We were busy with family so we did not see either so I am afraid I am not much help!!!!! Robert Schroll As I only watch the Philadelphia dog show I don’t feel that I can comment on the question. William Taylor Sorry to be late in answering. Too much on my mind I guess. I did not see either of the programs so cannot give an opinion.
Best In Show, Multiple Reserve Best In Show, Multiple Reserve Owner Handler Best In Show, Multiple Group Winner
GCh. Remedi’s Churchill Downs
e n o s y r e v u E s f e h s i u R ondeWrful Holiday Season! aW
2015 #2 Breed/#1 Breed Male Sussex Spaniel 2015 #2 OH Sussex Spaniel • 2015 #4 All Breed With limited showing & Owner Handled *
*
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Much Appreciation To Those Judges Who Have Awarded Rufus’s Quality Breed Type & Movement. Owner ~ Mary Jo Marsh Breeder ~ Debbi Miller ~ remedisussexspaniels.org *The Dog News Top Ten List
Dog News 93
‘Tis The Season:
Gifts For Dog Lovers Continued FROM page 30
of these books as gifts. A few things have changed in ring protocol over the years but these books are still incredibly useful. If you’re at a dog show, you can often find vendors with some of these older books in good condition or you can find them online.
Other gifts
If you are looking for gifts for children, there are a multitude of great movies about dogs and most of them have made the transition to current viewing technologies. Milo & Otis, the Beethoven movies, The Incredible Journey and its remake Homeward
Bound: The Incredible Journey, Turner and Hooch, Lassie Come Home, A Dog of Flanders, The Biscuit Eater, The Call of the Wild, Marley & Me, Hachiko, 101 Dalmatians, Big Red (a personal favorite), and Old Yeller (if you can stand it). And who doesn’t love Lady and the Tramp? And there are more. Most of these movies are suitable for younger children or watching with parental guidance if the subject matter is too intense. There are lots of great purebred dogs in these movies, too. You can also find lots of breedthemed gifts online. I personally must own every item ever made that features a picture of an English Setter – an umbrella, coasters, jewelry, clothes, a blanket, pajamas, a tote bag, keychains, and the list goes on. I’m a sucker for breed items and I know a lot of other people are, too. They make great gifts and you can usually find something that fits your budget. If you decide to give a breed item as a gift, try to choose something that actually looks like the breed. I won a necklace at a raffle once that was supposed to be an English Setter and I swear it’s a Dalmatian. People know the difference when they have a breed.
Gifts for dogs
Your dog will certainly be expecting some special cookies or treats and maybe a few 94 Dog News
new toys when he sees you opening your own presents. You can always make your dog some homemade dog cookies but if time is short, I always like cookies from Three Dog Bakery. I think they are my dogs’ favorite cookies but opinions may vary. You can usually find a good selection of extra special dog cookies and treats online and at boutique pet stores. If your dog’s toys are looking ratty and you have been repairing them, it’s definitely time for some new toys. (My dogs take every favorite toy to the backyard and sooner or later I forget to bring them inside so they get ruined.) Every dog is different but you can always find a good selection of stuffed (plush) animals, balls, chew toys, and other old favorites. If your dog is especially bad about ripping the stuffing out of toys, you might want to consider stuffing-free toys. There is less mess to clean up. Dogs arguably have just as much fun with a stuffing-free toy since they can still carry them around and tug on them as usual. Be sure to choose the chew toy that is best for your dog. Some dogs are more active chewers than others and can decimate a nice rubber ball in minutes. Balls should always be too large for your particular dog to swallow since this could lead to choking. People will probably always debate whether dogs should have rawhides and what kind. I believe the current thinking is that if you want to give your dog rawhides you should buy the ones that use USDA-inspected beef; and the rawhides should be sterilized. Also, you should watch and supervise while your dog chews. For safety
reasons, take the chew away when it gets slimy so your dog doesn’t tear off little pieces and swallow them. You can put it in the freezer and let it re-harden so you can give it back to your dog in a day or two. This way he can continue to enjoy it without running the risk of choking on small pieces of the rawhide. Dental chews have become very popular for dogs in recent years. They come in different textures. Nubby chews, for instance, are said to help massage a dog’s gums. You can add doggy toothpaste to some dental chews – an easy way to get your dog to brush his teeth. There are lots of fun interactive toys for dogs, too, that can make a great gift. Toys like the Buster Cube requires your dog to roll it and play with it so it will dispense treats. Nina Ottoson puzzles are great for dogs. The dog has to figure out how the puzzle works and move particular pieces to find the treat. You can even make these puzzles more difficult as your dog figures out the easier levels. Of course, the best gift you can give your dog is usually just spending time with him.
Whew!
The days may be short, but there’s a lot to do. Christmas, Hanukkah, the winter solstice – whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year, they can all zap your energy. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and get to spend some quality time with your dogs and loved ones. And, in the new year, may your girls have beautiful, healthy litters and all of your dogs win the ribbons you want.
Dog News 95
THE STANDARD POODLE Continued FROM page 44
For Anita Justinus, who owns Isaac (Ch MACH Dassin Hillwood Soul Man CD BN RA MXS MJS XF T2B THD CGC ADD), the choice is also agility but she adds rally to the mix. “Poodles are very intelligent and the more experiences they have, the better companions they become. It is incredibly rewarding to see how easily they excel at many different activities. They are forever surprising us. They are not just pretty faces. They are energetic, athletic animals who want to please. Their success is due to their intelligence, work ethic and temperament. They are just a joy to teach!” “Poodles are probably the most versatile breed in the world and that’s saying a lot. They are smart and athletic. Some are driven, some are laid back, some are in between but all are very people focused and respond well to training. There literally is a place and activity for every type of Poodle. The breed has excelled in agility, the field, obedience, lure coursing, herding, barn hunt, tracking and as therapy dogs and each of these activities are appropriate for the spectrum of correct Poodle temperament. Poodles from the earliest time in the breed’s history were used to do whatever was needed by their owners and thus they became a jack-of-all-trades breed. I do field work, where we compete against a bar set very high by the specialist retriever breeds, Labradors, Goldens, Chesapeakes, etc, and conformation with my Standard Poodles. We tried agility but a slow handler with a fast dog is not a particularly good combination,” said Joyce Carelli, who owns MacGregor (HR Ch Carlyn Hard Spun SH WCX UIC) and Janie (SHR Ch Carlyn Calamity Jane JH NA WCX.) While the breed is known for its versatility, that doesn’t mean there aren’t issues that face Poodle owners participating in the various dog sports. “We have problems with water retrieves,” said Gelbmann. “This is not due to a lack of desire on the part of Poodles but mainly the result of fashion in the show ring which is producing a lot of Poodles that are very straight in the shoulder and 96 Dog News
have long necks. I’m an AKC field judge and a rehab specialist and I’m also seeing this in Labradors as breeders of field Labs have become focused on breeding for speed. Upright shoulders, as opposed to a layback angle, reduce the dog’s ability to reach resulting in less efficient swimming ability. Shoulder injuries are the primary injury I’m seeing. In agility, the shoulder angle of a dog can also be a problem because the straighter the shoulder, the more prone the dog can be to shoulder stress and injury. Another issue is that Poodles have been bred away from their original purpose as duck dogs for many generations so they are not genetically hard-wired to hunt like most of the sporting breeds. However, this is changing as more Poodle owners are returning to the field. As long as we’re on the subject of conformation, a professional handler is a necessity if you plan to show a Poodle. The show ring is very political and it is difficult for most amateur handlers to get points on a dog. Also, maintaining the Poodle coat for the show ring requires meticulous care. If you do field work, Tye is the first of my dogs that was sent to a professional retriever trainer but you can’t send a Poodle to just any professional trainer because you cannot train a Standard Poodle the way you train a Labrador because of the Poodle’s intelligence. They won’t tolerate unclear or inconsistent training and they can outsmart you. Another reason for sending him to a pro is that it is an unfortunate fact that in order to be competitive in the hunt test program these days, particularly at the master level, a dog has to be trained every day. Most amateurs are not capable of maintaining that kind of schedule and that is especially true if you have a job and a family.” For Justinus, the issue was rally. “Because we are a team, a sport that is difficult for one member becomes difficult for the other. For us it has been rally. The first hurdle was to identify the problems. When we began rally practice Isaac had been thoroughly enjoying agility. In agility, he was encouraged to leave my side and perform an obstacle on his own. Rally
Janie (SHR Ch Carlyn Calamity Jane JH NA WCX) hits the water with the kind of authority that all retriever owners like to see.
In a Canadian wheat field, Tye (HRCH Ch Lemerle Silk Tie CD MH WCX UWCX HPCX) displays some of his master hunter abilities by tracking down and retrieving a wounded pintail drake for owner Lin Gelbmann.
required him to contain his enthusiasm while he still performed at my side. This was difficult for him. You have to find the right balance between the dog and the handler. Our most problem sports are those that require self-control and/or repetition. Watching a successful team makes any sport look easy but we know that their success is the result of a lot of hard work, patience and love.” Carelli had a Standard Poodle that was just a so-so show dog until an interesting answer was found. “Some dogs are much more enthusiastic about one activity or another. We had one who needed just a few more points to finish her chamContinued on page 98
Dog News 97
THE STANDARD POODLE Continued FROM page 96
pionship. While the opportunities to finish her just seemed to drag on and on, she was totally bored sitting at home so we started doing agility and field work with her in full show coat, mind you. She loved the field work so much I convinced her handler to take a dried duck wing in the show ring to use as bait to get her excited about showing because prior to that, she wasn’t the most animated dog in the ring. The duck wing worked like a dream with her. I wouldn’t be surprised if Ann Rairigh still has the wing in her tack box. One problem has always been that if you want a dog to have both a conformation and a field title, training for field activities has to take a back seat until you can shave their hair off. What this means is that you are almost always
showing the dog first, usually during their first two years, and doing field work later. Unfortunately, this is also a critical training time for field work and you can never make that up that loss later in the dog’s life. However, we continue to do field work with our Poodles because we believe it is an important way to avoid the kind of show/field split we’ve seen with other sporting breeds. Field bred Labradors look nothing like the description in their standard and Goldens are just as split. Cockers in the show ring look totally different from those in the field and the list goes on and on. Unless we want that to happen to Poodles, it is important we maintain their historical function along with their physical
Tye is also very good at finding and flushing upland birds.
For Isaac (Ch MACH Dassin Hillwood Soul Man CD BN RA MXS MJS XF T2B THD CGC ADD) and his owner Anita Justinus, agility was a breeze but issues surfaced when they switched to rally.
A successful team makes any sport look easy but their success is the result of a lot of hard work, patience and love as Isaac shows doing the weave poles on an agility course. 98 Dog News
appearance. Breeding to our written standard, which, by the way, is a great one, will keep the breed looking and performing admirably in the future.” “A Poodle that meets the standard should have the correct conformation for all the things the breed has historically done–hunting, swimming, jumping, retrieving, running, just being a great overall athlete,” said DuBay. “These abilities correlate in the various titles that are available. When Poodles are titled in more than one discipline, it also affirms and strengthens a particular blood line.” Standard Poodle fanciers face several challenges, not the least of which, according to Carelli, are health issues. “We are cursed with various health problems, some of which can be tested for and some cannot. It is imperative that breeders be brutally honest about their breeding stock if we want to see a healthy breed in the next ten to 20 years. The second issue we face is structural. Front assemblies have been a problem for some time and poor feet are starting to creep in as well. Dentition and bites, critical for retrieving work, cannot be ignored or just fixed to pass on to the next generation.” “As I see it, we face three major problems,” said Gelbmann. “The first is the breed’s reputation. They are seen as frilly show dogs with goofy haircuts. In fact, they have wonderful temperaments, are very loyal to their owners and they make great family members. The second is that the breed is unknown to most hunters. For someone who wants a hunting dog but doesn’t want to have to sweep up a lot of dog hair, a Poodle is a great solution. Finally, the growing popularity of “doodles.” It is important to remember that these ‘designer dogs’ are still just mutts. The doodle hybrids are genetic wild cards and you never know what personality or physical characteristics will surface in them. For example, if someone wants a nonshedding dog, get a purebred that is genetically programmed to not shed and has a known health history. Until multiple generations of breeding have eliminated the shedding gene, doodles shed.”
Dog News 99
By Virginia Rowland
Photos by Chris Caviness Photography and cavinessphoto.com
T
he French Bulldog Club of America’s 2015 National was held the second week of October at the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport in Louisville, Kentucky. It included an Independent Specialty, followed by the National Specialty, which offered in addition to breed/sweepstakes completion, obedience and rally, and agility, and a 4 - 6 month Beginner Puppy Competition. The Crowne Plaza is a wonderful site for a National and has been used by other breed clubs in 2015 for their Nationals including the Samoyeds and Poms. The staff is very dog friendly and willing to work on any special issues/problems that may occur. I am sure they liked having as guests small shorthaired dogs. If there is one shortcoming at this location, there is not much place on the hotel property to walk a dog, but own100 Dog News
ers found places behind the hotel to exercise their dogs. For people coming in RVs their vehicles were parked across the street from the hotel in the Expo property and arrangements could be made to rent golf carts to enhance navigation to and from the hotel. FBDCA was fortunate to have two very talented, hard-working co-chairs: Donna Stoffer and Dr. Schott Holmes. When Onofrio the show superintendent was unable to send a representative to the show, Scott stepped in and served as the Show Secretary. It was wonderful to have a number of hard working members from the Louisville area who helped us plan for the National and were very busy during the week of the show to make sure everything
went smoothly: Billy Huntington, Robert Smith, Stephen Miller, Kathy White McNatt, David Johnson, Sandee White, Melanie Starr, Carol O’Bryant and Jason Huff. Special thanks to Susan Neidlinger, our show treasurer, and her husband who designed the beautiful logo. The hotel already has matting and FBDCA was able to get other ring equipment from the Louisville Kennel Club. We could not find a local club or training center to rent/loan us obedience and rally equipment so that had to be brought from Massachusetts. Agility was held off site at a local training center that had its own equipment. Judging started Monday with Obedience and Rally judged by Richard Strong. There were 23 entries in obedience and 29 in Rally. High in Trial from the Novice B class with a score of 194 was Ch. Rivertrace Ruff Rider BN owned by Suzanne J Lewitzke & Carol A Given. Frenchies really enjoy do-
ing Rally, a number of classes were offered including Rally Pairs - where there were three entries; and Rally Tem where there were two entries. Highest Combined Score in Advanced B and Excellent B was MACH5 Brutus CDX RE MXC2 MJB3 OF CGC owned by Michelle Hrnchar. Monday evening the FBDCA Kentucky Derby Hat & Mint Julep Welcome Party drew a huge attendance and a lot of beautiful hats! The judging of the Independent Specialty started on Monday and concluded Tuesday. The judge was Paul Pearce, a breeder judge from England. Best of Breed was Gch Ch Qazara Ti Amo a brindle female breeder-owner handled by Diane Burvee. This showy female will be two in December. Best of Winners was a black masked fawn male from Canada from the Bred By class bred/owned by Karen Cram: Karendon’s Enviabull. Best of Opposite was Ch Makaodc Robobull Catatumbo cowed by James Dalton and the dog’s breeder from Venezuela Diego Celis, another young brindle born June 2014. Tuesday evening Cindy Stansell judged 4-6 month Beginner Puppy Competition. From an entry of 30 beautiful puppies she selected TX Star’s The Party Never Ends owned and exhibited by Nancy Shaw. On Wednesday, sweepstakes was judged by Joyce Mitchell form Lebanon, Oregon. She had an entry of 144 dogs, from which she selected Makaodc Ixora Robobull Fablehaft from the 6 to 9 month class bred and owned by Diego Celis from Venezuela Best in Sweepstakes, and Eltorro’s Beau Esprit Libre Best of Opposite, which was entered in the 12 months and under 15 months class. He is bred by Linda Maingot and owned by Diego Celis. Best Veteran in Specialty Sweepstake was awarded to CH Shore’s Looks R Everything owned by Marion Hulick, A Rosenstein & B Orr and Best of Opposite Sex in Vet-
eran Specialty Sweepstakes: CH Suirac’s Deal Or No Deal owned by Debbie Lynn Ecarius. Agility was held off site on Wednesday. This was the 4th year that agility has been offered at an FBDCA National, the second time in an all-breed format (which makes the trial a profitable event). There were 15 French Bulldogs entered, accounting for 45 total runs. The trial was held in Flyods Knobs, IN at Flying Feet- a beautiful indoor dog facility in Louisville. Judge Laura English (IN) was a delight to work for through the four classes (FAST, T2B, Standard & Jumpers). The club sponsored High-Scoring Masters Agility awards for both Regular and Preferred divisions. Michelle Hrnchar & Brutus (MACH5 Brutus CDX RE MXC2 MJS3 OF) repeated their win in the Regular division from 2014. Newcomers Charlene Kaye & Blitzen (Steward of St. Nick’s Sleigh AXP AJP XFP) won the Preferred division. The French Bulldog winners were Michelle Hrnchar & MACH5 Brutus CDX RE MXC2 MJS3 OF CGC and Charlene Kaye with Blitzen (Steward of St. Nick’s Sleigh AXP AJP XFP). Blitzen is also Charlene’s service dog (she suffers from Multiple Sclerosis), and they were an inspiration to us all both in and out of the ring! We d n e s d ay evening was the Top Twenty. Congratulations to chair Becky Smith and her committee on putting on such an elegant and smooth running event. Judges were Robert Hutton all breed judge, Karen Cram breeder judge, and Vinny Schettino ‘mystery judge’. Winner was Gch Ch Highwood’s Guilty Pleasure owned by Sheryl Baird. Breeder’s choice was a local dog GCh Ch. Peche Mignon Elementary My Dear bred and co-owned by Robert Smith and Stephen Miller, and co-owned by Debra and Kenneth Mattingly. At the National in breed competition there was total of 364 dogs and 582 entries. Thursday morning, breeder judge Janice Pardue from Kingsburg, CA, judged the class dogs. This was Mrs. Pardue’s first assignment at a FBDCA National. She is a long time member of FBDCA
Awards at the FRENCH BULLDOG National Best of Breed:
GCh. JCRV-Klasse Warrior Raising The Banner Owned by Nancy Shaw and Handled by Larry Cornelius Best of Opposite Sex:
GCh. Iacta Alea Est De La Bete
Owned by Patricia Hearst-Shaw and Breeders Blake Hamman & Peter Photos Handled by Jodi Longmire Best Veteran:
Ch. Shore Lookin’ Good
Owned by Barbara Orr, Marion Hullick & Alexandra Rosenstein Winners Dog/Best of Winners:
Karendon’s Enviable
Bred/Owned by Karen E. Cram Winners Bitch:
Simphuni Les Peches Et A La Creme
Owned by Sandee White & Desmond Simpson Best Puppy:
Rickly’s Wonton Kandu It To Bayouridge
Owned by Rick Ly & Mary Klein Best Bred By Exhibitor:
Karendon’s Enviable
Bred/Owned by Karen E. Cram
and a bitch she co-owned Ch Obsession dell Akiris won BOB at the 2000 FBDCA National. Thursday afternoon, Joe Gregory judged class bitches. He is very popular with French owners having previously judged the 1999 National. In the afternoon for those who didn’t need to stay at the hotel to show their dogs, there were afternoon trips to the Evan Williams Bourbon Tour and the Kentucky Derby Horse Museum offered. Friday morning Mrs. Pardue started by judging Junior Showmanship. Best Junior was Terrance D Waterhouse from the Open Senior class. Joe Gregory returned to judge 16 Veteran Bitches. Mrs. Pardue returned to judge Best of Breed - 77 dogs and 53 bitches were entered. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this National a success. Next year the National will be held at the Alexis Park in Las Vegas. Dog News 101
The 2015 Thanksgiving Classic Cluster Continued FROM page 52
cancelled out for the rest of the weekend on Thursday. Both were judging full loads all four days, so this really caused some consternation replacing them on such short notice. Another judge did not make it for his Friday morning assignment. The cluster can always count on Tom Davies, Ed Lyons and Dorie Crowe to rise to the occasion and quietly and efficiently solve the problems. The cluster extends a big thanks and much gratitude to Fred Ferris (who gave up his weekend of golf), Jim Covey (who was on a busman’s holiday at the Cluster) and all of the judges who stepped up to the circumstance and took over the assignments in order for the shows to go off pretty much as scheduled. Meredith Johnson- Snyder was a great trooper and a committed dog show judge. She was bitten in the ring by an exhibit just before lunch on Friday and had to go to the Emergency Room. (The paramedic on duty at the show had to force her to go to the ER because she did not want to stop judging and miss her afternoon assignment.) After getting stitches, she returned and judged the next two days. She kept a smile on her face and not once did she lament about the incident. She is a true lady and 100% a dog person. I think most of you will remember the television show, “Dallas”. Remember when J.R. was shot and for the whole summer hiatus of the show, everyone asked the question of “Who shot J.R?” Well the question of the weekend and subject of much laughter was “Who took the basket of tea bags from the show hospitality table?” Unlike “Dallas”, we never found out and so it is a question that we will never have an answer to. Sunday night club members packed-up, put everything in the truck to go back to the storage shed and limped out of the building tired and exhausted, but with a sense of pride that their four clubs had put on another great cluster despite the minor inconveniences that they had to contend with. Much credit for a successful Cluster can be attributed to the Show Chairmen: Jane Wilkinson (Holyoke), Dennis Vendrillo (South Windsor), Ed Lyons (Windham County) and Tom Davies
(Springfield) and the Cluster chair, who kept the shows successfully operational, despite the glitches. The chief stewards for the four days, Laurie Maulucci and Abby Patrizio, did a superb job of getting the stewards and keeping the rings running. Some of the stewards were held up in traffic on the second day of the cluster because the Interstate was shut down due to a bad accident and yet all of the rings were able to open on time and the show started on time, thanks to their good management. I only mention these glitches because they were small problems that could have been big ones if the cluster had not had very good, experienced and non-flappable show committees, show secretaries and AKC reps. working together. These little unforeseen problems can and do happen at every show at one time or another and when they do, all you can do is take them in stride, fix them and go on with the show. The Thanksgiving Classic Cluster did this most admirably. Obedience and Rally were in the Mallary Building. Kevin Thomas was chief steward for all four days. Beverly Haramut ran the Holyoke trials; Lee Gerrish did double duty for Windham County and South Windsor Kennel Clubs; and Laurie Merritt, and Joyce Lak ran Springfield Kennel Club’s trials. The cluster added a new special event this year hosting an AKC Obedience trial for the 4-H kids in the Better Living Center on Sunday. This was very well received by parents and kids. By doing this as a separate trial from the Obedience and Rally trials in the Mallary Building, the cluster was able to keep the costs to the clubs and the 4-H participants to a minimum. Jane Wilkinson was the show secretary. Nine 4-H exhibitors got their first leg towards an AKC title (six Beginner Novice A, two Pre-Novice and one Novice A). It is hoped that with the kids getting their first leg towards an Obedi-
ence title, this will be an incentive for them to continue in Obedience competition. The judge was Donna Blews-Pappas, who donated her adjudication to the cause. I think there was an entry of 17. Several of the entrants said that they had wanted to enter an AKC Obedience Trial but were intimidated by the thought that they would be competing with adults. Maybe we should consider a junior’s program for Obedience, Rally and Agility just as we have in conformation. Friday, Canine Good Citizen and AKC Community Canine Advanced Good Citizenship Testing were offered; Laurie LaValle and Tibby Chase were the approved CGC evaluators. Eighteen dogs earned titles. On Saturday and Sunday there was a Well Dog Eye Clinic (Dr. Alexandra van der Woerdt was the examining Ophthalmologist) and an On-site Semen Collection offered by Dr. William Truesdale. Additionally, there was a Microchip Implant Clinic and an Auscultation Clinic. The cluster also again held a special feature for German Shepherd Dogs in memory of Fred Olsen. Specialty judges and a double ring were provided to the exhibitors. There was a large number of vendors, thanks to Roberta Davies, the vendor chair. In addition to the Owner Handler Series and the Four to Six Month Puppy Classes offered each day, the Thursday show offered Best Bred By, the Friday Show offered Best Puppy, the Saturday Show offered Best Veteran and the Sunday show hosted the Best of the Best, which I will tell you more about later. Barbara Ohmann and Pat Lejman were at the shows again this year with the AKC Booth. Barbara and Pat manned it together Thursday and Friday, but then Pat had to hold down the fort on Saturday and Sunday as Barbara was manning the “My Dog Can Do That” area. This has proven to be a very popular activity for the community. AKC sends e-mails to people who Continued on page 104
102 Dog News
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*#7 overall, The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed
Dog News 103
The 2015 Thanksgiving Classic Cluster Continued FROM page 102
have recently registered a dog and invites them to come and participate. They do come, they do get interested and they seem to have a good time. Barbara has a list of training facilities in the New England area that she gives out to those interested in pursuing this activity. Everything done at the cluster is hosted by all four clubs, regardless of what day it takes place. The four cubs share in the work and the expense of the special events. On Saturday the cluster hosted a Junior Handling Competition for the 4-H kids as a Non-Regular Class so that they could show their Canine Partners. (Most of the dogs were pure bred and all were very obviously much loved by their young owners.) Forty-eight 4-H kids were entered and Michael Work was the judge. Ed Lyons was the Show Secretary for this event. On Sunday, we held the Obedience Trial for the 4-H kids as mentioned earlier. I strongly encourage all clubs to try to involve these youngsters in their shows. All of the 4-H clubs in New England were invited to come. The cluster has been doing this for several years and it has proven to be very popular. It brings in a new group of dog lovers, some of who have never been interested in AKC competition prior to this experience. Many clubs claim that their membership is aging out, here is a great resource. Please remember, when the kids get involved in an activity, so do their parents. Also, on Saturday was the Handlers of Tomorrow (HOT) clinic. The show shuts down for an hour at noon and all of the judges and their stewards go to lunch. The AKC Registered Handlers come into the rings and work with the kids in groups of three or four. Patty Proctor and her helpers organize this event and the kids and their parents love it. This is for all the young people, no age requirement, including the 4-H youngsters. It is a nice way to introduce the younger kids into our Junior Program and to help the older ones improve their handling skills. I think that Laurie Maulucci summed it up better than anything that I could say; “We had 68 juniors on Saturday attend the AKC/ RHP (Registered Handlers Program) clinic with their dogs. They received mentoring in the ring from the professional handlers who gave up their lunch break to spend time with the kids. The cluster clubs provide a boxed lunch for the kids, and then Jackets for Juniors invites them to browse the hundreds of items of clothing brought in on racks and take whatever they want at no charge. Words are inadequate 104 Dog News
when attempting to describe the look on their faces.” They also are given a “goody bag”. The cluster does not have any junior events or classes on school days, so, as you can see, the Saturday and Sunday shows (when the cluster is not Thanksgiving weekend) are really jam packed with activities for our next generation of dog people. The four clubs sponsor the Northeast Junior Handler of the Year competition on Saturday. To be eligible to compete, a junior must have won a first place in two or more Open Classes at AKC member or licensed shows held between November 1, 2014 and October 31, 2015. They must be at least 9 years old at the time of each qualifying win and they must be a resident of CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VT. The first place winner receives a thousand dollar scholarship, second place, a five hundred dollar scholarship, third place, a three hundred dollar scholarship and fourth place receives a two hundred dollar scholarship for their higher education. The Northeast Junior Handler for 2015 was Colleen Longley handling her Tibetan Spaniel; 2nd place was awarded to Charlotte Gagliard handling her Pembroke Welsh Corgis; third place went to Joshua Frenia handling his Smooth Dachshund and fourth place went to Danielle Meyers handling her Rottweiler. Ed Lyons officiated. Congratulations to all. One of the highlights of our cluster each year is the awarding of the William J. Trainor Award. This is a very special award that the cluster gives out. Each year the member clubs of the cluster recognize someone that they feel has made outstanding contributions to the sport of dogs for “Meritorious Service to the Dog World Signifying the Ideals Manifested by William J. Trainor” and give them an award in Bill’s memory. Past winners have been Grace Brewin, the first recipient, followed by Wendell Sammet, Fred Olson, Dr. Robert Smith, Tom Davies, David and Peggy Wampold, Mari-Beth O’Neill, Virginia Perry Gardiner and Anna Goulet, Patty Proctor, Ed Lyons, Charlotte Clem McGowan,
Penny Kretchmer, Ron Menaker, Rick Krieger, Barbara Ohmann, and John Ashbey. The person who received the award this year was most deserving and I think a credit to our dog world family. Carol Morse, steward extraordinaire. Bill used to say that you have to give back to the sport, you cannot just take from it and Carol certainly gives back to the sport in so many ways. She stewards for almost every show in the Northeast, she is always cheerful and always willing to pitch in and work. She is a very special lady. The cluster also recognized Michael Maulucci for all that he has done for our Jackets for Junior’s Program. (He owns several Battiston’s Cleaners in Avon and Farmington, CT). Michael takes all of the gently used clothing donated throughout the year and cleans each item, makes minor repairs, stores the clothing and then sends everything on racks to the show to be given out to the juniors. In short, he makes the Jacket for Juniors Program possible and the cluster is very appreciative of what he does for our juniors. The Best of the Best on Sunday night after Best in Show (mentioned earlier) is actually the Grace Brewin Memorial Competition and is one of my favorite cluster special events. To be eligible to compete, the dog has to be entered all four days, have won Best in Show at least one of the days or have won four group placements over the four days. All of the dogs are great dogs and the handlers are really competing against each other as to who can best sell their dog to the judge. Great dogs and great handlers, what more can I say. The judge this year was the talented Johnny Shoemaker, well known for his many sequined hats and he knows how to put on a great show. The judge is not announced prior to judging. The Top Dog of the Cluster was awarded to the Boxer, GCH Mephisto’s Speak Of The Devil handled by Diego Fernando Garcia. The pair got a rosette and a check for $500.00 and much applause. It was a very eventful and busy cluster weekend and the only way that all of the above could be accomplished was by the four clubs working together, sharing the work, sharing the expenses and sharing the headaches. Members of the four clubs worked all four days, not just for their club. I might tell you that in doing this, the members have gotten to be good friends and work together on everything, not just the cluster. They support each other in everything each club does. We need to all work together for the advancement of our sport and for the continuation of it. If you have not contacted your cable provider and asked them to carry the new FidoTV channel, I urge you to do so. Hopefully, we will see you all in Orlando.
Dog Shows of Central Florida Continued FROM page 56
One hour north, the Greater Ocala Dog Club owns their own showgrounds, 40 acres of fields and forest on level ground in Marion County. Greater Ocala and Seminole Dog Fanciers Association did a four-show weekend. Greater Ocala Club president Phil Briasco was cool and smiling as he greeted the many out-of-state judges and exhibitors. On Thursday, Best in Show went to the Boxer from New York, Ch. Vixyo’s Golden Hammer, judged by Dr. Carol White-Moser. On Friday the 13th, winner of Best in Show was a smooth Dachshund bred, owned and handled by Arvind DeBraganca, Ch. Passport What Did You Say SS. Arvind said, “I was so happy my wife Joyce was there to see this win! This bitch has won other Bests, but we were always out of town. This time, Joyce was right at ringside. There were a lot of tears.” Saturday’s Best in Show went to Shih Tzu Ch. Hallmark Jolei Rocket Power owned by Patricia Hearst Shaw and Luke and Diane Ehricht, judged by the thoroughly nice Czech judge with the unpronounceable name, Attila Czegledi. On Sunday, the Boxer doubled his total by once again going Best, this time under Judge Dorothy Collier. A Whippet owned by local veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Brisbois came from Open Bitch 106 Dog News
class to win a highly competitive Best of Breed on Saturday, then won the Hound Group, then went on to Reserve Best in Show! Every owner’s dream – all the way from Open Class to the Best in Show ring. A win like this keeps the dream alive for everyone. The bitch was shown by her breeder, Debbie Butt. After all those brilliant wins Saturday evening, the bitch had to be absent on Sunday from the competition because her hard-working owner was called in to perform emergency surgery on one of Debbie’s Border Collies. Anatolian Shepherd Dog fanciers organized to hold an unofficial supported entry on the weekend. 15 Anatolians were entered, a huge number for this very low entry breed. Deborah Grunnah’s Ch. Island Farm’s Heathrow won the breed Saturday and Patrea Pabst’s Ch. Alaturkay Demeter at Thunderpas won Sunday. While Anatolian entries at shows are low, the dogs have proven useful to owners of small dogs as well as farm owners. Debi Grunnah said that the dog’s most important job is as a livestock protector. While living in Wisconsin, she said, “coyotes suddenly invaded our horse farm and my neighbor’s horse farms. It was horrible. People were finding foals dead in the fields. I got my first Anatolian and we never had another
problem. One day one of my neighbors called and said, ‘Your dog is over here.’ He was such a good livestock guardian that he decided to protect not only my horses but my neighbors’ horses, too.” Now Debi lives in Ocala, where in addition to coyotes, there are bobcats. But they are not a problem at Island Farm. “My Anatolians protect my horses and my Havanese,” she said. Anatolians have one unfortunate habit; they like to roam. Breeder Rollins Wykle came from Idaho to join the Florida Anatolian fanciers and explained how her invisible fence is set and reset by satellite so that she can form a barrier around her grazing cattle that will keep her five Anatolians in. She used to lose several baby calves every year to coyotes. Now that she has Anatolians, the tables are turned; her dogs have brought as many as four coyote carcasses at a time onto her porch, their offering to their owner. The Anatolian I bought to do the job came from a chicken farm near Tallahassee where her parents protect a flock from hawks. From almost the moment she arrived, Zevah started to patrol the property. She likes to lie on the highest knoll and keep watch over the small dogs. She constantly watches the trees, where the hawks hide. No bird of prey has dared to come down on the property since she arrived. She takes the job very seriously; if small dogs run out into the yard, she goes, too, even when she was trying to catch a nap on the kitchen floor.
Dog News 107
TheRoad To The Roses
Continued FROM page 64
Vanderbilt’s Yabba Dabba Do from the 12-15 month dog class as Best in Sweeps and 15-18 month bitch Ivory Storm’s Arctic Point as Best of Opposite from a strong entry of 102. There were a total of 50 entered in the various Working Sweepstakes classes and Best in Sweeps was awarded to Novice Dog class entry GCH Echo’s Prince of Denmark RN PT THD WS and Best of Opposite was GCH Oakbrook’s Cream of the Crop from the Advanced Bitch class. On Wednesday night the Breeder’s Education Committee put on a wonderful seminar presented by Dr. Margaret Root Kustritz, DVM, PhD, DACT. Dr. Kustritz presented on“Breeding / Whelping Complications/Whelping, Neonatal Care & the Stud Dog”. This committee does a great job every year of putting on an informative seminar and this year was no exception. The regular classes were kicked off on Thursday with the Dog classes being judged by breeder judge Sakura Moses. 65 dogs were entered to compete for Winners Dog. In the end Ubor Zane’s Silver Tourmaline, RN,CGC won the American Bred class and Winners Dog, along with the 5 points that come with it. 9 – 12 month old Kyser Bearr’s Galactic Guardian of Samkist went Reserve Winners Dog from American Bred – good enough for a 3 point major. Sakura also judged the Veteran Dog and Working Dog classes as well as the Stud Dog class which was won by CH Arctic Fox Get the Led Out. 108 Dog News
During the lunch break on Thursday there was a special activity geared towards the younger attendees – Tiny Tot Showmanship. What was lacking in participation was made up for in cuteness as Brielle Nieman took Sachi through the patterns under the guidance of Debby Janhke. Also held on Thursday were the Parade of Titleholder and Parade of Repeat Performers (AKA the Rescue Parade). And the first of two days of health clinics saw owners getting cardiology checks and tattoos. Friday was another full day of judging as the girls took their turn in the ring under the discerning eye of Judge Pat Hastings. The bitch entry was substantially larger than the dogs at 116. When all was said and done Vanderbilt N Plrmist Kiss This was awarded Winners Bitch (and 5 pts) from the Open class and Hoof ‘N Paw’s Because The Knight At Moonstar getting Reserve (and her own 3 pts). Mrs. Hastings rewarded Ch. White Magic’s My Girl with the Best Brood Bitch ribbon and also judged a quality Veteran and Working entry. The other activities for the day were the judges education, a Junior Handling seminar presented by Mary NortonAugustus, and a CERF clinic. Friday finished with the annual auction banquet with yours truly serving as the evening’s auctioneer. The dinner was preceded by a Derby Hat contest which saw many unique creations competing for “Best in Show”. The bidding was lively and many very nice items went to new homes with the happy, successful bidders. The judging culminated with the Best of Breed competition on Saturday with breeder judge Jeanne Nonhof having the honor of deciding who was the best amongst the 71 dogs and 65 bitches entered. First
up in the morning though was the Junior Handler competition which was won by Carly McNeillie. After many hours of judging and several rounds of cuts and more cuts, the dog that came out on top was GCH White Eagle’s The Sky’s the Limit for Alpine Glo. Best of Opposite was awarded to CH. Metaks Miss Demeanor. Selects went to GCH. Pebblesrun Play It Again Ham (D) and CH. Trailblazer’s Lasting Legacy (B). Best of Winners was the Winners Bitch, Vanderbilt N Plrmist Kiss This. Awards of Merit were given to GCH. Ala-Kasam’s Spirit Of The Snow (D), CH. Arctic Fox Get The Led Out (D), GCH. Articcross N Chatanika’s Ok Easy Does It (B), GCH. Daystar’s Pardon My French (D), GCH. Hawkwinds Emerald Storm,CA,CGC,RN,WS (B) (also our Best Veteran), GCH. Elfenbein Hudson Hornet,CGC (D), CH. Elfenbein Testarossa (B), CH. Polar Mist Kick’n Up A Storm (D), CH. Seadog’s Ocean Harbor (D), CH. Supernova Got My Mojo Workin (D), CH. Vanderbilt’s Fantasy Kiss (B), GCH. White Eagle’s Celectial Navigator (D), GCH. White Magic’s Gets The Girls (D), along with our Winners Dog Ubor Zane’s Silver Tourmaline, RN,CGC The week ended with our Annual Awards Banquet. Two of the honors handed out recognized members for their contribution to the club and the breed. The AKC Outstanding Sportsmanship Award was given to Gary Griffin for his contribution to the sport of purebred dogs and his embodiment of good sportsmanship. The Bob and Dolly Award is given to the individual or couple who has shown a long term love and commitment to the breed and to the club like that of the Award’s namesakes. This year there were actually two handed out. One to long time breeder, judge and general cheerleader for the breed Karen McFarlane. The other was given posthumously to Heidi Nieman, a respected breeder and mentor who was taken from us far too soon. It was a busy and fun filled week. Show Chair Jean Clough and her team did a wonderful job and put on a great show. We are looking forward to seeing everyone in Oregon next year.
Dog News 109
Gibraltar By Desmond J. Murphy It was about the beginning of September that I got a message on Facebook from Lawrence Llamas asking if I might possibly be free for their dates. Immediately I reached for my calendar and was so pleased I had this weekend available. Another judge had to cancel and I could do all the breeds this person was scheduled to judge. This was one of only two weekends I had free for several months and going to Gibraltar would be a new experience for me. I always enjoy going to places in the world that I have never been before. The club wanted to purchase the airfare and I could approve of the routing. I quickly learned Gibraltar is a very difficult country to get to. The only airlines that fly into Gibraltar come out of England. Myself and two other English judges were the only judges that were able to fly into Gibraltar. All of the other judges had to fly into Malaga, Spain, which is about an hour and a half to two hours drive to Gibraltar, depending on the traffic at the border crossing. The whole country only has a population of roughly 29,000 and is still a British territory. It is only about a forty-five minute ferry ride across the ocean to Morocco. So many people do not even know where the country is exactly located, but most people recognize the saying "The Rock of Gibraltar". The whole country is less than six square kilometers. This is the only place in Europe where monkeys range free in a semi-wild state reflecting the Rock's rich natural history, which flourishes in a sub-tropical climate. It is actually located on the tip of the Iberian Peninsula, overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar and linked to the Spanish mainland by a narrow isthmus. It was decided the best way for me to get there would be from Newark to Heathrow and then on to Gibraltar. British Airways only has on flight a day from Heathrow to Gibraltar so it meant Monday night I would have to stay at a hotel at Heathrow. Going over we landed in Heathrow out on the tarmac and had to wait for busses to make a lengthy drive time to Terminal 5. My connection was out of Terminal 3, which meant another lengthily bus ride. If one has to make connections at Heathrow from one terminal to another they should have at least a two-hour connecting time period. I arrived around 4 PM on Thursday and cleared immigration fairly fast and was greeted by a charming member of the club to drive me to the hotel, which was less than a ten minute drive. The host hotel was the Sunborn Yacht Hotel in the bay. It was built as a hotel and it appears as a very luxurious ship. Everything about the hotel was Five Star. After traveling for so long and sleeping on the plane overnight, my first priority was a shower and fresh clothes. Around 7 PM, Andrew Brace arrived at the hotel and I was 110 Dog News
summoned to the lobby to help with luggage due to his shoulder injury. I am sure he just felt I would be more entertaining than the bellboy. At 8 PM, Andrew and I and some of the committee met in the lobby for dinner. There were several wonderful restaurants within a one-minute walking distance of the hotel. Each evening we had dinner in a different restaurant and one night right in the hotel. All of them offered fabulous cuisine. Since the venue was about a five-minute walk from the hotel, the judges enjoyed a very nice lunch at the hotel. Friday morning Lawrence took Andrew and me to see the beautiful view from the Rock. We visited a charming couple who have recently started to breed White Swiss Shepherds. It is always refreshing to see new people coming into the sport with a fresh passion for the sport. Not being a breakfast eater, nor was Andres, we were quite hungry after our visit to the legendary Rock. Upon our arrival back at the hotel many of the other judges were arriving from their flights into Malago. Andrew Brace, Dan Ericisson, Hans Lethinen, Johan Juslin, Cathy and Sean Delmar, me and several others enjoyed a lovely lunch on the seventh deck. Being such an international group it was interesting to learn the news from different corners of the globe. Friday afternoon around 4 PM, several of the judges went off on an organized tour to see the Rock and the legendary monkeys. I walked around the surrounding beautiful area of the yacht and enjoyed being in such a perfect climate. I also walked over to the venue that was just several blocks away, which enabled me the next morning to guide the majority of the judges to the venue. Friday evening at 8 PM the judges and committee walked over to one of the fabulous nearby restaurants, which offered a private dining room for a very large group of guests. The appetizers kept arriving and arriving and it was difficult to save room for the entree. Thursday evening after a cocktail I had ordered some red wine with my meal. Since I was the only one drinking red, I was embarrassed not to finish the bottle, so Friday evening I was very careful to specifically order a glass of wine. Saturday morning at 9 AM all the judges met in the lobby to walk to the venue for 9:30 judging. Knowing the way, I became the leader of the pack. It has become the exception when a GPS is not needed to find a venue. Upon arriving at the venue, Lawrence and several others of the committee greeted us. Very promptly we were united with our appropriate stewards who assisted us with our rings. There were about six rings inside and very many outside. I was pleasantly surprised to have my ring start exactly on time. The only hold-ups
INTERNATION
42nd & 43rd Dog Show
were a few times to wait for an exhibit that usually was absent anyway. On Saturday I only had 86 dogs to judge. This consisted of about 20 Shar Pei of which the overall quality was very good. The winning BOB bitch can be competitive anywhere in the world today. Afghans had 14 and would be on a par with the average show in the States. There were 12 Whippets and I was surprised that the depth of quality was not a bit stronger. There was only 1 Greyhound. The rest of my assignment consisted of various Terrier breeds with small entries. There were 7 Bedlingtons and some of very good quality. Only 4 Norfolk, but 2 of them were top quality. Having an entry of only 86 dogs and no critiques to write, I was finished around one o'clock. I passed on the lovely lunch that was offered at the hotel in order to be able to watch the Bull Terrier and Mini Bull specialties. They call the specialties Monographics and several breeds offered these shows. Justine Monaghan, a lovely English lady now living in this area, judged these specialties. Bull Terriers had an entry of 45 and I believe Minis about 20. Having a tremendous passion for these two breeds, it was a great treat to be able to watch them. Spain has been known to produce good Bull Terriers, Minis and also Frenchies. There is a Spanish bred White Bull Terrier that has already done tremendous winning in the states. He won three BIS to finish his championship. At this show, there was good depth of quality in both Bull Terriers and Minis. The one big difference was that some of the Bull Terriers were shown in rather poor condition. Their coats were stained and had calluses on their legs. The top quality ones were shown in good condition. The judges were selected for BIS both nights by the exhibitors. When the exhibitors entered the show they cast a vote on which judge they wanted to judge BIS. It was certainly very unique. The very charming Hassi Assenmacher, from Germany, got the vote for Saturday and Andrew Brace, of England, for Sunday. Hassi is an extremely highly thought of lady who comes from Dobermans. Even though nearly all of the breed judging was finished by two o'clock the show did not end until close to 7 PM on Saturday. Like most shows in Europe, the finals consist of Best Brace, Best Breeder, Best Minor Puppy, Best Puppy, Best Veteran, etc. All the breeds compete in the final ring, they are not judged together at the group level. Time wise the only way this is possible is that all the finals and 10
FCI groups are prejudged in a separate ring. This way when they enter the main ring the judges can pull out just a few of them. Then judge them and place them very quickly. Here in the States as we are adding new breeds so quickly to each group, we will most likely have to prejudge the groups. I have been to shows here in the States where foreign judges have asked if they need to examine and move all the dogs. I believe most judges will agree as the group enters the ring that many of the dogs they realize are not competitive, especially when you have judged them at the breed level and awarded them BOB in very light competition. Hassi had a very nice final group of 10 group winners. Third place went to a Spanish Water Dog and second Best went to a Border Collie. It was no surprise the Yorkie was chosen as the BIS winner. This magnificent little Yorkie stole the show. I have never in my life seen a Yorkie that shows like this. Even if he was not as good as he is, Yorkie breeders should breed to him in hopes he might pass on his temperament. Saturday evening dinner was scheduled for 8:30 PM in the main dining room of the hotel. Once again it was an evening filled with wonderful cuisine and super company. Again many wonderful appetizers were served before we enjoyed a very lavish buffet. My Sunday assignment started with 61 Dobermans, then 38 Staffie Bulls and finished with 18 Yorkies. I was scheduled for two hours to judge the 61 Dobes, but was better than half an hour late when I finished them. To start with, it was a slow process to get them into the ring and lined up in catalogue order. This did not happen the previous day or the two breeds I judged after Dobes. I knew the vast majority of the Dobes would be European type dogs and would be so different from anything one sees in the Western Hemisphere or Asia. They are a much, much heavier type with very sloping toplines. The huge difference is the style in the way they are shown. The handlers, as a whole, do not set them up, but let them free stack focusing on double handlers. Most of them were not very well lead broken and it was very difficult to assess their movement. They all had wonderful temperaments to the point when trying to examine them, many wanted to jump on me or play with me. A few males did show some aggression towards other males. Nearly all of them were docked and cropped. I thought more of them would be shown with ears and tails. I was surprised that all the classes were separated by color. I judged all Black & Tans and awarded Best Black and then started to judge all the Reds. The winning Blacks and Reds competed for the final BOB winner. My eventual BOB was a dog that had a very pleasing head, nice square body and moved well in all directions. He was in super hard condition and showed to perfection. I suspected he might have been of American breeding, but learned he was bred in Argentina. He was not quite as much dog as some of the Argentinean males. Apparently he was BOW at our AKC/Eukanuba show this past year under Terry Hundt. Karl-Erik Johansson of Sweden judged Group 2 and being a European
judge, I was surprised when he awarded him first in the group. I was told Hassi Assenmachaer, the Dobe expert from Germany, had only awarded him fourth in the Open Class the day before. I am sure most German judges would find him not to be enough dog. I greatly enjoyed judging the Staffie Bulls. There was a lot of depth of quality and some decisions were very close. It is a breed that is very consistent worldwide. One of the nicest things about judging this breed is that the dogs and exhibitors are always in an upbeat mood. They all, man and beast, enjoy their time in the ring. The last breed I judged over the weekend was Yorkies and it was such an extreme pleasure to judge the dog that went Best the night before. Having seen the way he could move, I knew he had to be made quite well. It was a treat to actually judge this dog. Such a beautiful head and expression, four good legs, dead level topline, correct color and texture of coat and nice spring of rib. The most outstanding feature is his super attitude either on the move or just standing on his own. Words cannot express what a great show dog he is. Sunday Andrew Brace had the honor of doing Best. Of the ten group winners from the night before, the lineup was a bit different. The Border Collie, Spanish Water Dog and Standard Poodle did not win their breeds. While in Milan for the World Show, I had the great fortune to see and go over a Chow that captivated me. Having first gotten involved with Chows close to fifty years ago, I feel he is one of the best I have ever seen. I was so pleased here in Gibraltar when Andrew made him BIS in such a tough final. I truly believe this dog should win at any level anywhere in the world today. Having owned and shown many top ones, I feel I am very hard to please and I cannot express just how much this dog thrills me. The very exciting Yorkie was the runner up for Best and the third Best was the Doberman. Many of us felt for third you could go several different ways, but the Chow and the Yorkie appeared to be the two favorites. I have to mention that the Chow has the most wonderful attitude and is shown in top coat and hard condition. Sunday night at 8:30 PM we all gathered at another wonderful restaurant for again a fabulous meal. Not having to get up early Monday morning made for a very relaxing evening. My flight was not until five on Monday afternoon so I was able to enjoy a leisurely Monday morning and have a nice lunch with Andrew. People ask me if I do not mind these long flights. Europe really is not much father than my going to the West Coast. Some Asian assignments that require better than twenty hours flying time each way are certainly not easy. As a student of dogs, I greatly appreciate the opportunities to judge overseas. First we get to see how dogs appear in their native lands and see just how much we in the States have improved or radically changed them. Two classic examples are Goldens and English Springers. It gives one a chance to discuss dogs with people who see breeds in a different light. It also makes us realize what the sport used to be like here in the States before we were driven by the rating systems. I do think as a whole exhibitors enjoy the shows more than the average person here does. I, myself, seem to have more fun in foreign lands. Lawrence Llamas and his hard working committee have to be congratulated on staging such a wonderful event. Everything about the entire weekend was done with great style.
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Very Important Dog People Continued FROM page 68
or posture of the subject. Luciane Peixoto is certainly one of the few of the gifted ones who do this with great mastery. The sensibility of this young artist is present in every work she exposes. A native of Boa Vista, capital city to the small northern Brazialian State of Rondonia, nested in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, 10 years ago Ms. Peixoto moved about 2,000 miles south to Mairiporã, a relatively calm city in the state of São Paulo, the most important industrial and commercial area in South America. The change was colossal, both in terms of population density and access to things only a pulsing, vibrant metropolis can offer like cultural events of all kinds. She chose a town close enough to the great city to allow easy reach of what it had to offer, but at the same time far enough to allow for a more suburban lifestyle, the single most important factor in choosing Mairiporã was that the city had no restrictions on how many animals can be kept in a residence. 112 dog news
In her own words:
“I discovered my inclination for drawing, and painting when still in elementary school. It was kind of funny and surprising for me as a little kid to perceive that I was doing naturally something which other kids could not do. My drawing and painting was spontaneous and I considered it a hobby and after classes pastime. I also had great interest in any kind of craftsmanship. I was only ten years old when I began to attend sewing, knitting and crocheting classes with much older ladies. I liked the classes and learned rapidly. I was glad to share my new skills with my classmates and school friends. Very soon my school’s director invited me to teach craft classes in exchange for paint, canvases and brushes, as well as other materials that I could use in my crafts. It was my symbolic salary. I loved all I’ve learned and I cherished my position as a teacher, but I had this continuous “call” in my mind,
coming from the beloved “old classical painters” as Velazquez, Rembrandt, El Greco, and DaVinci. I spent days in museums wandering, mystified about how this great masters could do such incredibly marvelous work? Finally my future was defined, and the doors to my trade opened when I first met my art teacher, Prof. Mauricio Takiguthi. I was 15 years old and was having painting classes in a small art school close to home. One day my teacher sat with me for a conversation and told me she was sorry but her and the other teachers had nothing more they could teach me. I was very upset and left the room really disturbed. Trying to cool down I went to the office where I found some art books and magazines. Suddenly I saw “the one” that changed my life. It was a booklet with oil paintings of dogs all made by the same author: Mauricio Takighuti. I was so impressed that at night I dreamt about the picture of an amazing Doberman painting as real as I had never seen beContinued on page 114
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Very Important Dog People
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fore. Next morning I asked my sister to help me locate the artist. After a few days she found him and finally we called Mr. Takighuti. My sister Alessandra is always my great help. She is 8 years older than me and never doubted that I have both the talent and the capacity. Many times I became disappointed and hurt, wanting to stop, but she always gave me the reassurance to never give up. The artist was very kind and accepted to talk with us personally on a later date. I was happy and nervous but never expected the reaction I provoked when he realized how young I was. He was very clear explaining that his classes weren’t directed to young amateurs but only for professionals interested in perfecting their skills. He advised me that to become a student in his academy one had to have discipline, total dedication, and persistency, qualities expected to be found in older, mature people, not in a teen aged girl. I was so disappointed that I began to cry. My sister begged, insisted with the master to give me a chance. I was so desperate and sad, that the Professor ended up accepting to give me a chance. This happened about 10 years ago and after having passed all the phases and classes I am still there not as a student anymore but as a colleague, and a friend. In the academy I relax, exchange information with fellow artists, and have the chance to spend some quality time with my mentor and dear friend Mr. Takighuti. At my home I have music playing all the time while I work: Chopin, Vivaldi, Mozart, Paganini and other classic composers keep me company. 114 dog news
We are three siblings my sister, who sings, my musician brother (for some time he had a small orchestra) and me, the painter. It is not easy to make a living from one’s art; my siblings use their skills as a hobby and are dedicated to other endeavors. My work is solitary and I am deeply concentrated, always focusing in the model. Painting has always been a private thing to me, I never had the feeling that it should be seen by anyone while at work, I paint because I need to paint. Professor Mauricio was a vital part at the first professional steps of my life. He always insisted that I should sell my paintings mainly because the artwork doesn’t really belong to the artist, artworks need to have their “feet”, they can’t be hidden in a dark atelier, and they must go to places where I could not take them by myself. When I am working the only company I allow in the atelier are my dogs and cats, they are with me not only when I work but always and everywhere. About 6 years ago, a few months before I got my first order, my father passed away. The person I most wanted to show that I succeeded was not here to
see it. He and my mom gave us the liberty to choose whatever we wanted to do as long as it would make us happy. I always liked to dance and had ballet classes but never thought about ballet as my profession. Instead, martial arts make me happy. Since early age I had taekwondo, boxing, kungfu, and muay thai classes, but today I exercise at a Jiu Jitsu academy. I spend a long time seated in front of the canvas so I need some physical exercise to maintain myself in good shape. I inherited my insane love for animals from my dad. We always had animals at our home; birds, monkeys, dogs, cats, you name it. Dad gave me my first dog - a mutt – that I simply adored, later a Pinscher, followed by a Dachshund, a Husky, and a German Shepherd . At my 15th birthday my sister gave me a ChowChow, my companion until today. My animal’s well being is one of the most important factors of my life. When I began painting my first interest was the human figure, painting dogs came later after having all this full time contact with my own dogs. Painting dogs is my way to express my passion for them, always searching for perfection, knowing that this search never ends. Often a client brings a photo of my future subject. I prefer to take the photo, but it doesn’t always happens like that, but whenever possible I want to see the dog personally to check the coloring and the details of the coat’s quality. Thanks to the dogs I had the chance to meet people, who started as clients and today are dear friends, people such as Ana Paola Diniz, owner of the Malabo Kennel, my first client who has many of my paintings. Flavio Franco and Flavio Nobel from the Art Deco Kennel went from clients, to dear friends and part of my life. As you see the dog world captured my art and the dog people captured my heart. Every day I open my eyes I thank the Almighty for the gift of living with, for and from my art, painting people and animals in general, and especially dogs and cats.” Luciane Peixoto is a very special young lady. She lives comfortably in a house shared with a Chow-Chow, five English Toy Spaniels, a sixteen year-old Miniature Pinscher, and three cats.
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Judges Choice - The Bulldog Continued FROM page 72
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NUMBER TWO Longhaired Dachshund *
Thank you Breeder Judge Ms. Georjan Bridger
Thank you Judge Mrs. Joan Luna Liebes
Thank You Judge Mrs. Patricia A. Gabosch
Our Appreciation to all the Judges and Dillinger’s fans for making 2015 a GREAT Year
Best In Specialty - Reserve Best In Show - Multiple Group Winner
GCh. Dachshire You Got Me Nantucket, SL Owner: Rhoda Weinman • Nantucket Island, MA Breeder: Cheryl Snedaker-Sims • AKC Breeder of Merit • Dachshire Dachshunds Presented by: Angela L. Lloyd • AKC Registered Handler • Assisted by: Erin Nesbitt • AKC Registered Apprentice *The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed
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Kortrijk2015 Story & Photos By Karl Donvil
W
ith 3231 entries nothing was alarming for the committee of one of the most successful shows of Belgium. For years this show has attracted over 3000 dogs from all over Europe and a lot from the United Kingdom. This year 23 countries were represented and 202 UK entries were counted. About half of the entries were Belgian dogs, France, nearby, had 842 entries, the Netherlands 368 and Germany 139. Two dogs were entered from Israel while the other countries had entered in general only a few dogs. If the committee would focus more on these countries, it would be possible to attract a thousand entries more. Maybe a special title could help. It is strange that so many countries are represented by only a couple of dogs, even when these countries are not that far away. Kortrijk is within easy reach with an important highway almost crossing the town. But I suppose the committee members have been thinking this over many times and it is probably not easy in a country known for not giving away Championship titles for free. In the committee many things have changed, although not visible for the exhibitor. Mr. Jose Misselyn died. He was the last founding member of this glorious club and show. Bruno Misselyn, his grandson, stepped aside as president due to his job, but he remains in the committee. The new president is Mr. JoĂŤl Vanlerberghe, who always was the driving spirit of the Show itself. The whole committee has always been very special as the majority are related to each other in a direct or more remote way. Mr. Vanlerberghe is very proud of his show and new things will appear for sure in the coming years. Kortrijk has often been a pioneer in cynology and that was the case again this edition. All results were collected and transferred by tablet directly from the rings and immediately put online. And it worked perfectly. But also the results of the finals in the main ring were online almost in real time. There was also a new entry gate for the visitors that use to visit the show in big numbers. Regarding visitors Kortrijk is the best known and most frequented show in Belgium. Visitors don't come only from the neighborhood but from all parts of the country, from France and from other countries too. The Eurodogshow is also one of the most popular and best known Continental shows in Britain and alike continentals dream to visit Crufts, UK dog people dream to participate in Kortrijk. Many visitors means many trade stands, 67! All these stand holders are glad to come and in general they all go home satisfied, happy to come back next year. This is the result of the popularity of this show and it's many visitors. Visitors are so important and too often forgotten. They contribute in the success of a show. Shows are meant to promote pure bred dogs. Exhibitors don't need
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to be introduced to pure bred dogs, it's the common unfamiliar visitors that need to be attracted. Kortrijk is serving this purpose anyway! The big main ring was animated all day long with several demonstrations and side competitions like Fly Ball, Frisbee, Doggy Dance and Assistance dogs for disabled people. New was a demonstration of Hiatsu for dogs, a relaxing and pain relieving therapy. Due to a double booking part of the usual halls was not available and for this reason 6 rings were placed in hall XXL. Besides some exhibitors who were confused in finding these halls it caused no serious problems. Maybe the visitors were missing a part of the show because of this, but probably without being aware of it. It will be OK again next year. Kortrijk's international reputation is also projected in its international judging panel. Thirty-eight Judges were invited from no less than 17 different countries. Only 5 of them were Belgian judges. Thirty-eight is a lot but considering that 23 of them only judged one day of the weekend explains a lot. Together with the 15 judges who officiated both days, we have 53 equivalents to divide the 3231 entries, resulting in an average of 60.9 dogs /judge/ day, which is very good. Leuven had 85.5 entries/judge/day, which was outstanding, Luxembourg Autumn 64.65 and Libramont only 38. 60 Dogs/judge/day is well in the comfort zone. On Saturday Mme Anne Marie Class from France had a very nice entry of 86 dogs. She is specialized in big Molossers and breeder of Mastiffs herself, but here it were the 46 Dogues de Bordeaux that made the biggest contribution to her success. Mr. Van Hummelen from Belgium had 47 Leonberger, a very nice number. The second best score of Saturday came from Mr. Oskar Kelemen from Serbia. 45 Boxers, 53 Rottweilers, a number longtime not seen in Belgium, and a few other breeds made him finish the day after 128 judgings. With another 49 entries on Sunday he finished 4th in the weekend ranking. Mrs. Adrian Griffa from Italy was third with a total of 181. On Saturday she had no less than 138 dogs, the highest day-score of the weekend. Mr. Milan Krinke from the Czech Republic had an impressive number of Great Danes, 101. He was the best scoring judge of the weekend because Sunday gave him no time to relax with another 93 dogs to judge. A good result also for Mr. Goran Bodegärd from Sweden who had 124 dogs in total of which 75 on Saturday. Mr. Volker ShÜn from Germany judged Malamutes, Akitas and Shibas and that was good for 87 entries. Mrs. Marja Talviite from Finland helped him judge Group 5 breeds. She had 134 entries on Saturday and 56 on Sunday. The 41 Miniature Spitzes were certainly responsible for these nice scores. Mr. Zeferino Silva from Portugal had the popular Chinese Cresteds, 48, and 51 Pugs and finished his weekend after inspecting 151 dogs. Mrs.
Gitty Schwab from Luxembourg judged all the dachshunds, 70 in total. Mr. Guy Kips,also from Luxembourg, who judged on Sunday only, had 83 entries thanks to 66 Border Collies. All the Poodles were for Mr. Mikael Nilsson from Sweden. He had 73 in total. His compatriot Mrs. Brigitta Hasselgren judged all the Pinshers and Schnauzers and she had 75. Mrs. Nancy Liebes was invited from the States to judge 56 American Staffordshires. Tom Hehir from Ireland was given the Staffordshire Bull Terriers. He had 84 and along with a few other breeds he had the best score of Sunday, 109 entries. Derek Teylor from England, was asked to judge the Golden Retrievers. He had a good entry of 81. Mr. Thomasz Kuszyk from Poland had also 81 entries, his 52 whippets helped him to get this good score. A last remarkable score was for Mr. Roland Dierendonck from Belgium who managed to get 47 German Shepherd to Kortrijk and that is an unusually high number for a regular-all-breed -non-German-Shepherd-specialty-show. Mrs. Liliane De Ridder, Belgian all rounder, was on term to judge Best In Show of this prestigious big show. She had 61 Chihuahuas on Saturday and another 69 dogs on Sunday. A good average and relaxing enough to focus on her big task, judging the finals. All ten dogs were placed and all Saturday winners returned on Sunday to compete. All 3 best placed winners were winning dogs from Saturday that returned on Sunday for the finals. A Chihuahua shorthair took the 3rd place. It was "J-Megan My Pride And Joy", a 5 year-old Belgian bred bitch that was entered in Champion Class, where she defeated 24 opponents. Thus, Mrs. De Ridder gave the chance to Mr. Dirk Spruyt to make her Best of Group. JMegan was undoubtedly one of Mrs. De Ridder's favorites. Mr. Rigaux is the proud owner. "Minioso's Bear Balinor At Worthysway" is an American Akita Champion, UK bred and owned by Mr. Worthington, but living in Belgium and handled by Mrs. Nancy Daponte. This 3 year-old Champion Male had concurrence from 19 competitors, but Mr. Grunheid Jean-Louis from France gave him the ticket to go through and win his group under Mr. Vincent O'Brien from Ireland. And that left us with our winner, a Dachshund! Indeed, a decision that many enjoyed, as Dachshunds are often put somewhere behind, while Dachshunds are a breed that cannot hide faults under a big coat and that have an anomaly, short legs. Although Dachshunds have lots of fans, they have no glamorous appearance compared to many other breeds. And all this makes this win so nice, even courageous. His name "Ch. Gennarino Della Costa D'Amalfi" betrays its origin, being one of the few entries from Italy. He is 2 1/2 years old, bred by Julie Ruel and owned by De Taddeo Pascal. He is a Standard Rauhaar and it was Mrs. Gitty Schwab who judged him and also gave him the ticket of Best of Group. This win proves that even for a Dachshund it is worth coming back for the finals. Edition 53 of this show will be on 19 & 20 of November 2016. Follow all the news on www.eurodogshow.be and see you then. Dog News 121
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*#9 overall, The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed
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Dragon
in Sheep’s
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Spot, he was probably better but had less luck in the big competitions.
How do you choose a dog?
You look into the dog’s head, study the way they react with sheep. As a pup, you tend to go for something that you like the look of, not too hyper but sensible and solid. I don’t like a pup that’s all over you and clingy, but is happy to be calm and thinking. In training you teach them to listen properly, they need a strong head to obey all the commands. It’s the same with sportsmen, the ones that reach the top are mentally strong to work all the time. If a dog is not strong enough to take all the training, it will not turn out properly.
At what age would you prefer to take a dog?
At 5-7 months upwards. Other dogs never start till they’re 12 months. You never know. One of the dogs I have very high hopes for, I gave him away at 8 months, I got him back and gave him to someone else and he then started to work. Now he’s 14 months and perfectly trained, but that’s very uncommon.
What about upbringing?
You can spoil a pup, but at the end of the day, if they have it, the right upbringing is not that important but other dogs need to be introduced to sheep as puppies. You look for the natural instinct on the sheep and the ability to work without attacking them. Basically, you are just controlling the natural instinct, so when the dog shows his instinct, you introduce the stop and flank commands. The reward is letting the dog work. You introduce the commands with your body movements to the sheep. If you send the dog in a certain way, you close the other side and he learns through a repetitive, consistent process. You must give it the command at the right time so it really understands. 126 Dog News
How many commands does a dog need to know?
The basics are the stop, flanks, walk on (approach the sheep) and “that’ll do” to make it stop working. That’s mainly what farmers would use. For higher ranked work you probably have about three times those commands. It gets a lot more intricate. The basics are quite universal but not all people use the other commands but they are quite universal too.
At what stage do you introduce whistling?
You introduce whistling along with the oral commands, but I do it after they learn the oral commands. I have three sets of whistles so I can work three dogs together, even though they all have the same vocal commands. Every person has his own whistles – using the mouth or artificial whistles. When things are going well, I like to whistle, but if they are moving too fast or doing something wrong I use my voice to emphasize the reprimand. One of my dogs today was not listening very well so I shouted at him.
What do you do with a dog that is too strong?
I use a long line and a lot of body pressure. It’s more a question of connection with the dog. Many people chase their dog with a stick and shout, but that’s not a thing I do. You can put a lot of pressure to make the dog work properly but you have to know how to release pressure so they enjoy working.
Is there anything about the dog’s conformation that interests you?
You want a dog of the right build, the physical structure. Many people like prick ears. It’s the same with a girl, if you want. My perfect dog would be light boned, semi-coated dog with a tail that never moves. I’ve never found my perfect dog yet. I wouldn’t really want light colored eyes, but if it had all the other abilities you could overlook it. I don’t want a dog with a faulty mouth because I want to breed from good dogs. Continued FROM page 128
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*The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed
Dog News 127
Dragon
in Sheep’s
Clothing
Continued FROM page 126
Is there any difference between males and females? No difference in work. However, everybody likes to find a good stud dog and a bitch just does her job. People are looking for good stud dogs because you can make a lot of money with them.
I noticed your dogs don’t bark.
If a dog barks at a trial it would be instant disqualification.
What is the sheepdog trial world like?
There are not too many youngsters. For many years I was one of the youngest, but now I’m 34 and there are younger people. Many start out in their teens and then stop for university, have a family and come back 20 years later. Most are in their 50s upwards. There are people in their 70s and even over 80. It’s not so physically difficult if you know what you are doing. Many people would rather not put the time and energy into training so they buy a finished dog from me.
How do you choose which trial to take part in?
You go for the important ones, nationals and international. During July, August and September you could go to a trial almost every day. I just pick out not more than one a week.
Where are you in the ranking now?
At last year’s world championship I was reserve World Champion. I was also reserve British Champion. I was beaten twice this year and last year. However, I am very consistent. I sleep well the night before a trial. In years gone by I was very nervous days before the date and would go sleepless the night before. In the competition itself you are
in a zone of your own, focus on what you are doing. As soon as you walk to the post and your time starts you are definitely in a zone.
Do you watch videos?
Just recently, but I know every move of the run, every command, right through the run, for the next couple of weeks. Those important trials stick in your mind and you know what you’ve done right and what needs to be improved.
What is the main difference when you’re judging?
You make even less friends than as a competitor. Most people want to compete at the big trials, they don’t want to judge. Every judge has his own opinion. You have a set number of points for every element on the course. Sometimes, the top five may be split on about one point, so it’s up to the judge. Not anyone can become a judge. You cannot learn it just sitting round the table. You need to learn through experience. If you run well at trials and people know you understand what is needed to run a dog you might be approached to come and judge. I would rather compete than judge. Last week I judged the Scottish championship and the week before the Irish, and that’s a big honor.
Are the trials in the States similar?
Yes, the trials are similar and many Americans come to Europe for trials. I have been there several times conducting seminars.
Do you think your son will follow in your footsteps?
I hope not. My partner and my dad take the best dogs and I have to train them and run other dogs. I’d love to see him do it but I will not pressure him into it. The poor lad gets dragged to all the trials so he may get sick of it eventually.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
Probably the same as I am now. All being well, I have a new farm, family and dogs and trialing and at the moment that’s my life. I am a builder by trade and until the last couple of years I had a building firm with a lot of employees. In 2008 I won the international which meant I did a lot of traveling to teach. People would ask me about dogs and could I find them what they wanted. That’s when it all took off. I was only keeping an eye on the builders, so when the dog business grew I have people working for me on that and have finished with building. 128 Dog News
F
LORIDA….RABIES CERTIFICATES! Remember you might be stopped as you enter the State of Florida, on your way to Orlando, to see if the dogs you are carrying have been inoculated and have current certificates. Florida enacted this new law of spot checking owing to the rabies breakout in racing Greyhounds. They are said to stop all vans, box trucks and rental vans. They do not stop motorhomes. If you are stopped and do not have the proper certificates there is a heavy fine. It is still not too late to order tickets for the WESTMINSTER THEATRE BENEFIT on Friday, February 12th to attend a performance of the new musical SCHOOL OF ROCK followed by dinner at the 21 CLUB. For information and reservations see the advertisement in this issue of DOG NEWS. Handler LARRY CORNELIUS continues to be sidelined as he recovers from retina reattachment surgery. Big news, with a major change of the dog shows on Long Island. The WESTBURY KENNEL ASSOCIATION is moving to Thursday, May 19th joining the back to back Friday and Saturday LADIES KENNEL ASSOICATION OF AMERICA and the Sunday, LONG ISLAND KENNEL CLUB. This makes a four-day weekend on one of the most picturesque show venues, Planting Fields, the old COE family estate in Oyster Bay. We were saddened to hear that Norwich Terrier breeder HELEN BRANN passed away. A former president of the Norwich & Norfolk Terrier Club of America (when those two breeds were under one parent club) she also was a successful breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses. In her professional life, she owned her own literary agency, representing some of the world’s most famous writers and people in the arts like STEPHEN SONDHEIM, FRAN LEBOWITZ, ROD MCKUEN and MAYA ANGELOU. DAVID RAMSEY, whose stamp on the Bedlington Terrier breed dominated the terrier group, passed away from the cancer that
130 Dog News
he was fighting for some time. His Willow Wind prefix was on many a top winner. Sadly, his success was marred by controversy that brought a ten-year suspension. Not on the scene for the last decade, DAVID recently started to attend several dog shows, as his ten-year suspension had ended. Celebrating Birthdays… CAROL MILLAR, GARY DOERGE, DESI MURPHY, JUDY HARRINGTON, HARRIETTE BORSUCH, DOTTIE “THE CANDY LADY” DAVIS, GARY STEELE, BETSY CONWAY, POLLY LAMARINE, DONNA JOHNSTON, EVELYN RECHLER, BILL RECHLER, CLAIRE NEWCOMBE, CLINT LIVINGSTON, EVAN THRELFALL, PAUL SPECTOR, CATHI DIGIACOMO, ERIC RINGLE, BOB FUTH, JANE DOTY, SHARON KROGH, DAVID KROGH, PATTI PROCTOR, SAM MCDONALD, GWEN MEYER, ED THOMASON, HEATHER REKOW, ASHLEY CUZZOLINO, REMY SMITH-LEWIS, ADRIAN GHIONE, JESSY SUTTON, ROXANNE SUTTON, MARCELO SANTIAGO, DAWNE DEELEY, KIMBERLIE STEELEGAMARO, OSCAR QUIROS, JOHNNY SHOEMAKER, LORI LAWRENCE, KEKE KAHN, MARTI JOHNSON and last but not least MARGARET POINDEXTER.
the Gossip column By Eugene Z. Zaphiris
*
*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed
Dog News 131
CLiCK Mid-OHIO CLUSTER
PHOTOS By booth photography
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Dog News 133
NATIONAL DOG SHOW RATINGS, BLUE BUFFALO/PURINA, TERM LIMITS...
M RE And
Continued FROM page 80
more difficult task for AKC’s future telecast of its own show on FidoTV to reach a comparable audience in size and diversity although AKC’s program will be live as opposed to the taped version of NBC’s. FidoTV of course is in its infancy and I have seen no “pr” alerting the general public as to the existence of the pending broadcast by AKC or by the station itself. Candidly I cannot find nor get FidoTV but a friend of mine who watches it occasionally, more out of curiosity about AKC’s relationship with FidoTV than interest in the programming (I mean who really wants to watch any station 24/7 devoted to any single topic even if it is dogs--enough is enough I would think), has reported that so far there is a basic program theme of hooking people up with rescue dogs although of late some signs of change have occurred pushing the purebred dog as well. What direction this relationship will develop into will be interesting to watch particularly if AKC has the financial input into FidoTV I believe it has made. Nonetheless one has to be made aware of the existence of the AENC program before one can watch it. I will say Pat Cruz made a decent attempt at alerting a segment of the dog world to what is going on with FidoTV and the AENC. Whether this was her job or not really should not be the issue--at least she did something, which as far as I am aware has not done.
It was reported on the Internet blog of “poisonedpets” that a major admission by Blue Buffalo in the lawsuit brought by Purina against them calls into question and seriously damages if not totally undermines Blue’s actual position and according to this report makes it sound as though the Judge MUST rule in favor of
134 Dog News
Purina and against Blue. Here is what was reported in that blog. “Blue Buffalo admitted the truth in court yesterday: A “substantial” and “material” portion of Blue Buffalo pet food sold over the past several years contained poultry byproduct meal, despite pervasive advertising claims to the contrary. Blue Buffalo asked the Court for additional time to file an Amended Complaint in the litigation, naming its ingredient suppliers as Defendants. The admission came almost one year to the day when Purina filed a lawsuit against Blue Buffalo for false advertising after testing revealed the presence of poultry by-product meal in some of Blue Buffalo’s top selling pet foods. In its original suit, Purina alleged independent tests showed that Blue Buffalo uses chicken by-products, egg shells, rice hulls and artificial preservatives in its products — despite claims to the contrary. Blue Buffalo has continued to make claims in its advertising that none of its pet foods contains animal by-products thereby implying that Blue pet foods are healthier for pets than competitive foods that contain by-products. A lab report by Windsor Laboratories, which Purina submitted in the civil lawsuit, alleged several of Blue Buffalo’s pet foods contained poultry by-product meal which contained “between 22 and 24 % poultry byproduct meal, egg shell and raw feather.” The report then blasts the hell out of Blue that’s for sure. What the eventual verdict will be remains uncertain but these developments certainly are a major victory within the trial itself for the Purina organization.
W
ell the Delegates are due to vote at their meeting on whether or not to continue with term limits or to do away with them. While I am firmly against term limits in most situations and certainly 100% against them in the business world the language submitted in this instant has the immediate effect of benefiting two sitting Board Members so that they can run to remain on the Board in the election of the class of 2021 in 2017! Whether or not this was the intent of the Club submitting the change to do away with term limits or not this is one of the most egregious power attempts to preserve sitting board members’ seats ever perpetuated upon the Fancy! I urge all to reconsider a change in the existing language so that all Delegates are treated equally else to vote to continue the existing term limit language.
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Letters to the Editor EXPLORATORY CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS COMMITTEE This letter from Mr. Crowley was in response to Matt Stander’s request for an explanation as to when this Committee was formed and is printed with Mr. Crowley’s permission. It was the Exploratory Constitution and Bylaws Committee formed in 1998.The committee members were: Ron Menaker, Chair, Edd Bivin, Ralph Del Deo, John Honing, C. Alan Nicks, Tom Powers, Stanley Saltzman, David Merriam as Board liaison, and Al Cheure, Jim Crowley and Bob Slay as staff liaisons. Later Nina Schaefer was added as the Chair of the Delegate bylaws committee, and John Ronald was added as the Chair of what was then the Delegate Strategic Planning Committee, which later became the Delegate Advocacy and Advancement Committee. It focused on the Bylaws sections regarding Governance and Disciple, as well as making many housekeeping recommendations. Among the many committee recommendations adopted effective in 2001 , which I remember, were: · Going from 12 to 13 Board members ( to avoid a repeat the 6-6 absolute deadlock that existed in the mid 90’s) · Term limits for Board members · Instead of requiring monthly Board meetings, there were to be at least 8 regular Board Meetings a year · The President made an ex officio non-voting Board member · Requiring someone to be off the AKC Board for a year before being eligible for employment with AKC or any AKC affiliate · Having disciplinary penalties imposed by Trial Boards, using Board approved guidelines, rather than the Board · Providing that a former AKC employee could never be appointed to a Trial Board and that someone would have to be off the AKC board for three years before being eligible to be on a Trial Board. · Having appeals from decisions of event committees heard by a Trial Board rather than by the AKC Board · Having appeals from Trial Board decisions heard by an Appeal trial Board rather than by the AKC Board · The Board was only to elect the 4 Executive officers ( President, COO, Executive Secretary, CFO), with the VPs appointed by the President. · Allowed for the suspension of some privileges, e.g. event privileges only, instead of the all or nothing suspension from all privileges regardless of the offence. Jim Crowley AKC
november 2015 american kennel club President’s letter Each year, we celebrate the core of our sport at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship (AENC): our breeders. The Best Bred-By Exhibitor in Show competition continues to make up a large percentage of the AENC entry, with cash prizes for the winners. We honor seven stellar breeding programs that have greatly contributed to the sport in our annual AKC Breeder of the Year presentation (read more about this year’s Group Honorees here). Parent Club breeders and members are the stars of the show at AKC Meet the Breeds®, where they generously donate their time to educate the public about their breed and the sport. We want to continue offering recognition and learning opportunities for our AKC breeders, the best of the best. This year, with our partners at EUKANUBA™ Dog Foods, we’re presenting the AKC/Eukanuba Canine Breeder Excellence Seminar, powered by Royal Canin and the Theriogenology Foundation, on Friday, December 11 at the Orange County Convention Center. All breeders are welcome, from first-timers to longtime fanciers. Presentations will cover reproductive nutrition, breeding methods to facilitate pregnancy, improving breeding success through the use of health databases and an overview of the rapidly increasing development of new genetic tests. For more information about the seminar, visit the Theriogenology Foundation website at http://bit. ly/1NHKrrK or contact Roberta Norris at roberta@ franzmgt.com or 334-395-4666. This year’s National Championship has drawn a record entry, so we hope you’ll be joining us. If you can’t, please tune in via livestream or the television broadcast. Coverage will be available on www.akc. org and live.eukanuba.com, and will be aired live on Saturday and Sunday evenings on FidoTV on DISH (channel 245; check your local listings). Hope you enjoy the show. Sincerely, Dennis B. Sprung President and CEO WEBINAR ON ITCHY DOGS Did you miss last week’s webinar on Itchy Dogs: Causes and Treatment Options with Dr. Andrew Hillier, BVSc, MANZCVS, DACVD, senior veterinary specialist at Zoetis? Good news! Vetvine, our partner in this educational series, has made the presentation available for on demand viewing. Free registration is required. In this highly informative and engaging webinar, dog lovers can learn about the causes of itch in dogs and what can be done to help reduce skin irritation and improve the quality of life for dogs with chronic skin disease. The three other webinars from our 2015 series are available on our website. Learn more about canine cancer, joint health in dogs, and the importance
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of mental and physical stimulation in dogs by viewing them on demand. Thank you for joining us for this series. We look forward to bringing you more educational webinars in 2016! AKC Canine Health Foundation Raleigh, NC INVEST IN PROTECTING PUREBRED DOGS WITH AKC’S CANINE LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT FUND Investing for the future is the best way to protect against unknown risks that lie ahead. When it comes to you and your club’s charitable spending, few investments match the value of the Canine Legislative Support Fund. Donations to the AKC Canine Legislative Support Fund (CLSF) help furnish additional resources that help AKC expand the scope of influence of its Government Relations team and of purebred dog breeders, owners, and clubs through additional political, advocacy, and educational initiatives, including: Formal representation (lobbying) in Congress and key statehouses. Educational programs for legislators and the public about responsible and fair policies for dog breeding and ownership. Grassroots advocacy training for clubs and federations. The AKC Government Relations Legislative Conference. Development and delivery of online/downloadable and in-person advocacy presentations. Conference calls to help dog owners comply with new laws and regulations. The Bebout Award for Leadership in Canine Legislation, which recognizes federations and owner/breeder organizations actively involved in educating legislators and working to preserve the rights of responsible dog breeders and owners. Legislator of the Year Awards and other outreach to help you build bridges with your legislators. Grants and assistance for clubs participating in public education and advocacy initiatives. Assistance with state-wide lobby days. With political changes likely coming across the country next year, now is the best time to invest in a solid defense against animal extremism that threatens the future of our dogs. We hope your club will consider financially supporting the CLSF. It’s easy for you and/or your club to make a contribution to the Canine Legislative Support Fund: To make a contribution online, go to www.akc. org/clubpresidentschallenge and submit the required identification and payment information. To mail a contribution by check, download and complete this form; mail it with a check made to “AKC Canine Legislative Support Fund”; and send to 8051 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27617. Sheila Goffe AKC Government Relations Dept. Dog News 141
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