Dog News, April 4, 2014

Dog News The Digest

Of American Dogs

Volume 30, Issue 14

$5.00

April 4, 2014

*The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed points

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Dog News Contents • April 4, 2014 10 Editorial 14 The Way It Is: March Madness Or Not By Sari Brewster Tietjen 18 Inside The Sport: Heads Up/Heed The Warning! By Pat Trotter 22 Question of the Week By Matthew H. Stander 26 Irving’s Impressions: Relocation of KC Activities By Ronnie Irving 30 Veterinary Topics By Connie Vanacore 34 Bests Of The Week 38 Ten Questions Asked of Terry Smith 42 AKC CHF Podcasts Transcribed: Cryopreservation of Canine Semen 44 Record-Breaking Dog Art By Nick Waters 46 Off The Leash: No Fools This April By Shaun Coen 50 April Fool’s Day, That Russian Letter And More By Matthew H. Stander

56 A “Certain Elegance”: The Great Pyrenees By MJ Nelson

70 Rare Breeds Of The World: Grand Mastin de Borinquen or Puerto Rican Mastiff By Agnes Buchwald 74 FCI Chubu International - Japan By Desmond J. Murphy 80 American Pomeranian Club National Specialty By Victoria Oelerich

104 Click: March Madness Cluster By JC Photography

112 handlers directory 114 subscription rates 116 classified advertising 118 advertising rates

108 Click: The Way We Were By Patricia Spear

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DOG NEWS, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010

88 March Fever At Crufts By Yossi Guy 100 The Gossip Column By Eugene Z. Zaphiris

DOG NEWS (ISSN 0886-2133) is published weekly except the last two weeks in December by Harris Publications, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010. Periodical Postage paid at New York.

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All advertisements are copyrighted and owned by DOG NEWS, Harris Publications, unless received camera-ready. Permission to reprint must be requested in writing.

TEAM GUS The Year Of Gus… Just Reaching His Prime...

...And Hitting His Stride!

Multiple Best In Show, National Specialty Best In Show

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

Bred By: Kristin Kleeman Robyn & Kenneth Toth

Presented By Scott Sommer Dog News 5

Dog News Cover Story - APRIL 4, 2014

PUBLISHER

STANLEY R. HARRIS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS CREATIVE DIRECTOR

SEAN KEVIN GAFFNEY ADVERTISING MANAGERS

SHAUN COEN Y. CHRISTOPHER KING ACCOUNTING

STEPHANIE BONILLA GENERAL TELEPHONE

212 807.7100 x588 FAX NUMBER

212 675.5994 EMAIL ADDRESS

dognews@harris-pub.com www.dognews.com facebook.com/thedognews SUBSCRIPTIONS

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

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

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A NEW FORMAT Through the past plus 28 years or so of DOG NEWS weekly print publication lifetime we have altered the look of our publication from a strictly black and white newsprint folded newspaper to a stapled held together two color issue to a perfect bound four color publication to a slicker papered magazine type presentation offering incredibly produced four color reproductions keeping the size intact for about 20 of those years to a publication approximately 10 x 14. Times change though and with the new instant communications challenges it behooves DOG NEWS to reduce the size of the issue to 9 x 12, which is still larger than any other dog publication issued. The paper and color will remain the same as will our Editorial standards and our weekly print status. This mechanical change will make “the book” easier to handle and ship and will result in a “greener” publication for us all. Look for some other changes affecting our Web Site in the immediate future as we continue to mail on a weekly basis to all conformation judges with more than one breed and to those judges who have adjudicated at an AKC licensed show within the last three years. Change can be good and this is an example where this particular format change will be mutually beneficial to us all as we continue our devotion and concern for the welfare and health of the purebred dog specifically as well as all dogs in general.

ANOTHER $300,000 QUESTION AKC within the last several months has announced grants of $100,000 each to three Veterinary Schools, Auburn, UC-Davis and Penn/Vet, to establish new residencies for veterinary specialists who will merge science and the breeding practices of dogs in a hopeful attempt to have a greater understanding and expertise in the reproduction area of the purebred dog. Called an investment in the future by AKC’s Board Chairman and funded by AKC and administered by the Theriogenology Foundation, a joint committee of the two organizations has been formed to help in the breeding of dogs and to eventually improve both canine health and the predictability factors alleged to be one of the major values in owning and breeding the purebred dog. (In the future for the sake of ease these pages will refer to these grants as Therio residency or just use the word Therio in general.) Apparently AKC’s relationship with the Therio foundation can be traced back to at least 1998 with AKC acting as a gold supporter for a Therio Seminar held in 2003. A Therio specialist obviously has contact with breeders and requires these breeders to keep his or

her business going but one must ask whether or not these sorts of grants create a stronger relationship between AKC and the Vet Schools themselves, a goal AKC has been attempting for years to establish. Certainly the Vet Outreach Program, which has been curtailed

by AKC, created much more of a contact with Veterinary students to ensure in the long run a better understanding and appreciation of the selectively bred purebred dog than will the Therio project. The cutting down of scholarships for the Veterinary Outreach Program funded through CAR was in the opinion of these pages a serious error. Certainly it cost a lot less too to push the Veterinary Outreach Program than the Therio Residencies. This is a lot of money to be spending for what looks to be a smallish type return. One would have thought this type project would have been better handled through AKC’s CHF too but it certainly is strange that AKC could find these sorts of monies for grants for Therio but could not find any money to directly grant to its own health foundation. Indeed no one at CHF was ever contacted about the Therio initiative with which to begin! Strange proceedings to follow and extremely difficult to comprehend!

AND WHY PENN/VET For the last several years these pages have questioned the financial support AKC gives to Penn/Vet when the faculty of that school is so negative about AKC itself and so extremely supportive of HSUS. Tufts and Penn/Vet are notorious critics of AKC and the purebred breeder and supporters of HSUS. AKC just seems to turn its cheek and accept these criticisms without either defending itself or taking steps in retaliation. Penn/Vet, headed

by Dean Joan Hendricks, the Gilbert A. Kahn recipient of a seat at the school, makes lukewarm defenses of AKC but rarely if ever takes issue with the critics from within the school itself. Leading contributors to that unfair and prejudiced Bulldog NEW YORK TIMES article written by Benoit Denizet-Lewis (who most recently did some kind of feeble expose about Homosexuality in that same Magazine Section) were associated with Penn/Vet and the U of P and if not defended by Dean Hendricks were neither reprimanded by her for their roles in that article notwithstanding the many requests to her to so act made by DOG NEWS and or its writers. Similarly without the interference of DOG NEWS the HSUS Conference held three or so years ago, partially under the auspices of Penn/Vet and/or the same Professors at U of P so supportive of HSUS would never have changed its logos nor support mechanisms without the intervention of DOG NEWS and/ or its writers either. Certainly these pages

appreciate and support the right of any individual to speak out for that in which they believe. But that doesn’t mean that the people they are so heavily criticizing--the AKC and its breeders in this instance-- should REWARD its critics by giving them financial grants. If AKC believes so strongly in the Therio grants how about giving the monies to real friends--not enemies!!!

GENETIC DIVERSITY The European obsession with genetic diversity in breeding has reached new heights of ridiculousness when two lions and their cubs were recently euthanized at the Copenhagen Zoo in order to clear the path for the arrival of a new young male lion. The zoo justified the killings of the two parents and their cubs on the grounds of genetic purity and conservation, noting that the new lion would invariably prey on the cubs, while there was a RISK that the older male might try to breed one of the young lions which were his own offspring. This would have given the rise to inbreeding was the statement from the zoo. What happens to the pride in Nature one must ask? And this attitude unfortunately applies in too many European countries to the breeding of dogs as well. How close is too close to breed dogs in Finland one must ask and in the other Scandinavian countries as well. This escalating set of breeding prohibitions pushed in Europe and the UK today too are causing certain breeds to be labeled endangered for sure. The vast majority of the breeds known today were created by conscious selection and combinations of existing breeds which sometimes took years to develop. Not only does AKC need to educate the general public about the positive factors of line and or inbreedings but it needs to teach the concerned breeders the advantages as well as disadvantages and how to use the breedings intelligently.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK It’s always tempting to accept invitations to have your dog televised but as a general caveat be cautious in these areas since one rarely knows what the true motives of the production company maybe-to make you and or your dog or breed look ridiculous is often the motivating factor. There is a casting call out there for breeders, owners and handlers of dogs by a pc called Punched In The Head. Several readers and people have asked us to warn our readers about the motives of the people involved therein. Looking at its website some of its goals are rather questionable to be nice about it so use care and caution when and if you are approached by these people or any other production company as well.

E d i t or i a l

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Thewayit is March Madness Or Not

By SARI BREWSTER tIETJEN

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ell, here we go again!

At its March meeting, the Board of Directors unanimously voted “. . . to appoint a Real Estate Operations Committee to be chaired by Ron Menaker. Mr. Menaker is to determine who is to serve on the committee. The committee is to consider all possible alternatives, including the options of one or multiple locations, and where such facility or facilities should be located.”

This is being done at this time in preparation for when AKC’s leases expire in 2019 for both its New York City and Raleigh, NC locations.

Those of us who have been around for while look at this as déjà vu, we have been there before and it was a bitterly fought, acrimonious battle. There were those – often influenced by existing AKC personnel at the time (some of whom are still employees of AKC) – who wanted the two separate offices in NYC and NC to remain; and then there were others looking at long-range issues who wanted the two offices combined into one.

In 1996, AKC commissioned Kelly, Legan & Gerard, Inc, a NYC firm specializing in corporation location strategy and site selection, to explore AKC’s different options. KLG considered 16 possible sites around the country and narrowed this field to four, which they examined in depth from all angles.

These four were: the continued headquarters in NYC with back offices in Raleigh; a consolidation of all offices in Raleigh; a consolidation or split to Saratoga, NY; and a consolidation of all offices in Lexington, KY at the Horse Park.

In reading the report, it was implied that whatever AKC did, it should combine both offices with a stipulation that any continued split offices should be short-term in nature. Based on all their studies, KLG believed that Raleigh-Durham and Lexington were the two stron14 Dog News

gest candidates. Lexington was strongly favored because of the advantages that the Horse Park offered, the monetary incentives, the ability to bring the Dog Museum there and to provide for a centering of all AKC activities around what they termed as a “National Showcase for the Dog.” Raleigh-Durham was favored because of stability of the workplace, process improvement and whether or not AKC was willing to downscale or forego other elements of AKC activities.

The fight over Lexington and Raleigh as possible consolidated sites was personal, nasty and left a bitter taste in the mouth for some of those involved that has lasted for years. Even the writers in this publication were on opposite sides and a “war of words” ensued.

In the end, by a narrow vote and last minute change of a vote by a particular Director, the Board decided to let the status quo remain – headquarters in NYC, back offices in Raleigh. All of this was for naught!

of a committee, who, in turn, is empowered to select its other members. This is a good move because it means there is a recognition that the status quo, which has existed for too many years, is no longer viable. The lavish NYC offices are but a shadow of themselves with many cubicles empty, offices shut and the beautiful library opened only by appointment; the Raleigh facility – which is a fairly new address for AKC – also has a lot of empty space – to say nothing of being operationally in disarray with the departure of the Chief Operating Officer and low morale.

By and large, the dog people – who represent the nuts-andbones of the operation – are unhappy with the present situation. They believe there are too many people in a position of authority who do not possess any background in the sport and therefore have little understanding of the business, as well as the passion and emotions of its participants.

This results in erroneous decisions, rude personal contacts and outright errors. There is a cultural issue that needs addressing and should be evaluated by the Committee when contemplating any move or consolidation of offices.

One hopes that this appointment by AKC’s Board does not just represent another “March Madness” to be – in the end – ignored as it was in the late 1990s for personal reasons that had little to do with sound business judgment or what was best for the organization in the long run!

“The lavish NYC offices are but a shadow of themselves with many cubicles empty, offices shut and the beautiful library opened only by appointment...”

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o, here we go again – this time will the Board make a decision based on fact and not personalities; will it honestly explore and consider all aspects; will it look long-range in terms of what is good for the organization as a whole; and will it be brave enough to do what they know in their hearts is right for the sport. All of these are questions that must be asked and answered before time and money is spent on examining possibilities.

AKC has entered the first step.

The Board did appoint the Chairman

wind, rain or shine it’s

ch. cragsmoor good time

this past weekend back to back best in shows

handled by larry cornelius marcelo veras owned by victor malzoni, jr.

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under judges mr. desmond murphy and mrs. ruth zimmerman

judges mr. desmond murphy and mrs. gloria geringer

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Inside The Sport

By Pat Trotter

HEADS UP/HEED THE WARNING!

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ant a wake up call? Read the March 20 article in The New York Times reporting an ugly picture of horse racing in a documentary video based on an undercover agent of PETA’s (hidden) camera work and observations that condemn the entire sport. The young woman providing this damning material got a job in the barn of a very prominent trainer and during her four-month tenure secretly filmed and recorded information for PETA to condense and use in the short video.

According to sources, her seven hours of camera work resulted in a less than 10-minute video using selected excerpts to paint the worst possible picture of horse racing. (Something similar to this has been done at least twice within our world of dogs-once with the BBC and once with Bravo). Unfortunately, it seems some of the report was bona fide and revealed careless treatment of horses by personnel in the trainer’s employ

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including the dreadful condition of a wellknown horse’s feet even as he continued to race. The video included graphics of a horse breaking down (this film was taken elsewhere) to support PETA’s goal to ban horse racing along with every other activity related to animals.

Pictures of veterinarians with needles that could have been delivering protective inoculations were used to infer all horses are drugged and mistreatment of animals is widespread. In other words, PETA continues to make advances in its plan to get all animals out of our lives in any way it can. And how do we know when they will secretly put together a similar film designed to show our wonderful world of dogs as dreadful?

In the latest issue of The Bloodhorse, Erik Mitchell states: “Embracing the story as the full truth about horse racing is wrong, but dismissing the story solely as the fabrication of radicals also would be wrong.”

This astute horseman and journalist goes on to say that the industry needs to pay at“Pictures of tention and lists many obstacles facing all of veterinarians us in today’s world. In with needles essence, Mitchell emthat could braces the ideas of have been healthier horses given delivering better conditioning programs, and rested protective when sore rather than inoculations medicated. He points were used out that owners must to infer all do more than just pay the bills-they need to horses are make it their business drugged and to evaluate the fitness of their animals mistreatment and find out what the of animals is animals are given and widespread.” why. Continued on page 54

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Do You Think It Appropriate For Kennel Club Officers, Board Or Club Members To Exhibit At Their Home Shows And Or Cluster Events?

Sharon and David Krogh We do not think it is appropriate for any club member or steward to show at their home shows and or cluster events. Our club has been approved to hold AKC approved/sanctioned shows for 25 years, yes we are young club. However, from the beginning our members voted to not show at our shows. This is a give back weekend and our club believes in giving back to the sport. As a judge there is nothing worse than someone stewarding for us and the next day or even that afternoon walking in our ring as an exhibitor. The stewards we hire at our shows do not exhibit on the two days of our event. Our shows are about 2000 dogs per day, and we need every member to step forward and work!

Mareth Kipp At one time I would have said no to this question. However, having a small active membership with the majority of them still showing their dogs, we found it necessary to lift this restriction. We were having difficulty getting people to even run for office in our club because of it. We no longer host a Judges Dinner so there is no opportunity for people to schmooze with the judges. Many of our active members WANT to show at “their show” because of their families and friends who attend the show. We have not had a problem since we lifted the restriction. I appreciate clubs who still honor it, but it just wasn’t working for us. Sorry Esme and Al, I know how you would have answered this question, “But Times They Are a Changin’.”

AL KRAUSE It certainly is their right to do so unless the bylaws of the club prohibit them from doing so. However, in my opinion, it is in very poor taste to do so.

Steve Hayden Our kennel club allows the members to exhibit at their own show. Personally I don’t like it. If they win at the group level or BIS it always looks bad. The perception is that the win has been fixed. We do not allow members who exhibit to eat with the judges or come into the hospitality room.

Those on the judges selection committee, show chair, and President do not show. In a perfect world, members would give up the two days of showing and work the show to help keep the expenses down to a minimum. robert indeglia I do not think that officers, board members or members of the show committee should exhibit at their home or cluster events. I do think that club members should be allowed to show. I think it is particularly important for newer and younger club members to be involved with the dog showing and be an active part of the event for the future of the dog game.

Nancy S. Hafner NO , I DEFINITELY find it a conflict of interest for Show Chairs, Assistant Show Chairs Officers ( anyone that lives in the same household such as Husband or Wife or Child and/or Handler) or any club member who is a working member at the show being seen wearing a badge or special shirt or jacket that identifies they are members of such show giving club. Every CLUB needs those who are active in the local club to work at one’s own show. This is one of the reasons you see on Premium List whom or who will not be showing their own dog at the show. Some even go as far as to say, no dogs will be shown that are owned by or co/ owned by any Officer or Show Chairs to cover handlers showing one of their dogs at the show.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK james white NO! There are numerous other dog shows where they may exhibit. It also gives an appearance ( whether truthfully or not) of impropriety. The job of the club members is to make sure the show runs smoothly and handle any problems that may occur over the course of the day.

Nathaniel Horn It’s better not to. I suppose if you don’t win it’s ok. If you win it doesn’t appear tasteful. Also puts judges in a tough situation. I as a judge feel uncomfortable when a person is helping judges in the hospitality room and then that person turns up in the ring exhibiting. The club I am in publishes that no members will exhibit at our show. In a cluster show it is more common for a member of one show in a cluster to show at the other shows in the cluster.

Bottom line, we judges must judge the dogs and not consider who the exhibitors are. This is just one of many situations where what is appropriate can be subjected to criticism.

Judi Bendt I don’t think anyone in direct contact with the judge they are showing to should enter into the ring. However some clubs are small enough and remote enough, that their home show may be one of the few they can attend.

Therefore I see no problem with them entering and having someone else show their dog for them. Clubs need all the entries they can get as well as workers.

By Matthew H. Stander

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Klaus Anselm It is not appropriate for any club members to exhibit at their own show. In addition to the perceived conflict of interest there is too much to do to run a show smoothly. As far as clusters go, officers, committee or board members should not exhibit their dogs or have them shown, all for the same reason. Other club members could exhibit if they had no interaction or commitments with the judges on the panel.

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Irving’s

Impressions

By Ronnie Irving

RELOCATION OF KC ACTIVITIES

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o the time has come around again for the AKC to look at its corporate office arrangements and the AKC Board has started its discussions to decide on the location or locations that it will occupy when some of its existing leases run out in 2019. I see that it has been reported that the Board has appointed a Real Estate Operations Committee chaired by Ron Menaker to consider possible alternatives including the options of either one or multiple locations, and where such a facility or facilities ought to be located. The DOG NEWS Editorial announcing the study suggests to the Committee: “Certainly a visit to the UK to see how its Kennel Club handles its split operation in London and the outlying countryside would be an ideal place to begin the study one would think and then develop our particular needs to meet our individual needs and obligations.”

Whether or not such a visit is necessary, TKC’s experiences and the thought processes it has had to go through over the years, may perhaps be of interest. There have been several occasions in the past when TKC in the UK has had to look at such issues. Fortunately for TKC this has never been caused by lease issues because it has the good fortune to own its London Mayfair headquarters property outright, and has done so for many years. But the two occasions in my time at TKC where location was an issue were caused by two separate things. Firstly by the fact that space was running out. The second reason to consider the topic was that offers were received from third parties to buy TKC’s London property for development purposes. Indeed this has eventually resulted last year 26 Dog News

in the Club agreeing to move its London base a couple of hundred yards down the same street from where it is at the moment. In the new premises which are due to be ready by the end of 2015, they will have a brand new and slightly bigger custom designed building - also owned outright.

But the Club has also received £12 million ($19.0 million) in cash in the process.

REFURBISHMENT NEEDED Funnily enough, the first time the matter of a possible move came up was several years ago when TKC only had a London operation and had no other activities elsewhere. The prospective property buyers wanted TKC to move away from its current area completely. The matter had to be put to the Members for a decision. They came back with a resounding ‘No’ but also said that they felt that not only did they want to keep the main facility in London, but they also, by the way, felt that the London premises ought to be improved and refurbished. So as a result of this, far from TKC Board having a deal which would have allowed it to buy premises elsewhere and a large amount of cash to spend besides, instead it had to find a slew of money to refurbish and alter its existing building instead!

But as it happens at that stage the Board decided to step back and take an even more fundamental look at TKC’s operations and requirements.

The situation for the TKC was then and still is of course rather different from the situation for the AKC. TKC in London has club

rooms which members can use for social purposes. There are, and always have been, a Members Bar and a Dining Room at TKC which Members and their guests can use on weekdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. There was also the Library that was able to be used both by KC Members and by other dog enthusiasts who want to use it as a reference point. TKC also has and had an extensive collection of art and other canine memorabilia housed in London.

The space for meetings and also in the office parts of the London building were all becoming inadequate for the expanding operations and activities in which TKC was involved. Indeed they were actually beginning to burst at the seams! Besides all of that, it was becoming more and more difficult in that part of central London to recruit and retain really good people to take part in many sections of TKC’s regular operations such as data input and call centre activities.

SOCIAL AND MEETING FACILITIES So a working group was set up to study the situation and recommend just how to proceed.

As a result the decision was made at that stage to do a number of things. It was of course necessary to leave the social side of the KC in Mayfair in London – that’s what the members had indicated they wanted. Thereafter an analysis was carried out to establish which of the KC departments ought to stay in London and which could easily and sensibly be moved elsewhere. As far as the art collection, book collection and library were concerned it was clear that they needed to remain in Continued on page 58

Twist

Reserve Best In Show Gold AKC GCH & CH & CKCSC USA CH Piccadil’s Twist & Shout, CD, BN, RN, RA

Thank you Mr. James Reynolds for this Reserve Best In Show win at the CKCSC-USA show

Multiple Specialty & Group First Winner in AKC Multiple Best In Show Winner in the CKCSC- USA Bred, Owned, and Shown by: Owner/ Handler Janet York Dog News 27

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By Connie Vanacore

Jerky Treats Updates

Topics Bringing Dogs From War Zones

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here was quite a flap in magazines and newspapers recently about well-meaning soldiers bringing abandoned pets from European war zones. It is a practice generally disapproved by the veterinary community, because of the danger of animals transported to the United States that are carrying communicable disease.

In a recent letter to the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association by a member of the US Army Veterinary Corps, the writer cautioned of the potentially serious consequences of adopting these animals. The animals, which may not show signs of illness when they are transported to this country, may be harboring communicable diseases that could infect their American hosts, both animal and human.

Veterinarians should be aware of these risks and, where possible, try to persuade their clients against bringing in abandoned animals from other countries. There are plenty of animals in the United States in need of adoption without exposing our animals and people to the possibility of contracting sometimes fatal disease.

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AKC Foundation Seeks Research Proposals

The

AKC Canine Health Foundation has issued a call for research proposals on dermatology and allergic skin disease, reproduction, musculoskeletal and neurological systems, ophthalmology, general canine health and obesity, development of an accurate diagnostic assay for canine hypothyroidism and management strategies to prevent transmission of infectious disease in dogs. Most of these project proposals come as a result of individual breed clubs requesting research in these areas, usually because one or more of these problems exist within their breeds. In some diseases clubs can work together to identify common problems, so that researchers are able to identify them across breed lines. In identifying common problems over several breeds it is possible for clubs to donate research funds that would help more than one breed overcome particular issues. This would provide a larger source of funding for any scientific studies undertaken through the auspices of CHF.

One hopes with all the warnings about feeding jerky treats to one’s pets that these potentially hazardous products have been discarded from store shelves and pet owners’ cupboards. The FDA continues to investigate illnesses associated with these treats, with over 1500 reports from veterinarians and owners whose dogs have been made ill by these treats. FDA is still following up on many of these reports. The FDA is trying to document brands, other foods and medications from veterinarians and pet owners to better pinpoint the cause of disease linked to these foods. The best advice for pet owners is to stay away from these treats. They surely are not necessary for the wellbeing of anyone’s pets.

World

Veterinary Day

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orld Veterinary Day is being celebrated on April 26th to highlight the role of veterinarians in animal welfare. Falling on the last Saturday of April each year two organizations involved in animal health choose a theme for the event.

The World Veterinary Association and the World Organization for Animal Health offer a $1,000 World Veterinary Day Award for the most successful celebration of the occasion by a national veterinary association working alone or in cooperation with other veterinary groups. The theme of this year’s event is to promote animal welfare services for the benefit of all animals and society.

In 2013 The South African Veterinary Association won the award for best promoting awareness of vaccination as a means to prevent disease.

Information about World Veterinary Day and the prestigious award is available at www.worldvet.org.

Continued On page 62

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FLASH Reserve Best In Show, Group First & Group Second Kern County Kennel Club

Best In Show Reserve Best In Show/Best In Specialty Show

GCh. Sandpiper’s Let Freedom Ring SDHF The Number One* Golden Retriever A Top Ten* Sporting Dog Owned by: Toyomi Tsumura Bred by: Patty Pace

Handled by: Bruce & Tara Schultz Assisted by: Casandra Clark & Daniel Magee *The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed

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OF Bests THE WEEK Columbia Kennel Club Greater Monroe Kennel Club Salisbury North Carolina Kennel Club Portuguese Water Dog

GCh. Claircreek Impression De Matisse

Judge Mrs. Francine W. Schwartz Judge Mr. Norman B. Kenney Judge Mr. Warner Cespedes Owners Milan Lint, Peggy Helming & Donna Gottdenker Handler Michael Scott Columbia Kennel Club - Thursday Smooth Coat Chihuahua

GCh. Sonnus Filho (Sanchez) Judge Mr. Peter Frost Owners Janet and James Moses and Romulo Sanchez Handler Erika Lanasa

Chintimini Kennel Club - Sunday Field Spaniel

GCh. Promenades Pay it Forward Judge Mr. David Kittredge Owners Jane Chopson, Jane Schildman, and Nicki Kuhn Handler Elizabeth Jordan Nelson

To report a AKC All Breed Best In Show or National Specialty Win Call, Fax or Email before 12:00 Noon Tuesday. Fax: 212 675-5994 • Phone: 212 4629588 Email: dognews@harris-pub.com 34 Dog News

Brazos Valley Kennel Club Doberman Pinscher

GCh. Dezperado’s Hallelujah Judge Mr. Tomas Gomez Owners Jacquie & Allan Wendt & Hillary Zimmerman Handler Linda George

Kern County Kennel Club - Saturday & Sunday Miniature Pinscher

GCh. Marlex Classic Red Glare

Judge Mrs. Sharon Krogh Judge Mrs. Ann Hearn Owners Leah Monte and Armando Angelbello Handler Armando Angelbello Brazos Valley Kennel Club - Saturday Pembroke Welsh Corgi

GCh. Aubrey’s Moon River

Judge Mrs. Lorraine Bisso Owners Cynthia & Vincent Savioli Handler Sherri S. Hurst Scotts Bluff Kennel Club - Saturday & Sunday Puli

GCh. Cordmaker Topsy Turvy Judge Mr. Jon Cole Judge Mrs. Barbara D. Alderman Owners Jackie Beaudoin, Sue Huebner & Penny Kelly Handler Linda Pitts Continued on page 117

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How did you decide on your kennel name?

What was your most disappointing dog show loss?

As a former dance teacher I decided to use the name Stage as my kennel name.

When my #1 Mastiff bitch didn’t get anything at the Garden.

Who is/was your mentor in dogs?

Mrs. Anne Rogers Clark.

Can you forgive and forget?

Which two people would you have face off on “Survivor”?

I can forgive but I don’t forget.

What was your most important dog show win?

Wood Wornall and Eddie Boyes.

The first BIS on my first Mastiff special.

Questions ASKED OF:

The last book you read?

You get your news from CNN, Fox News, PBS, local or none?

CNN.

Since I never have time to read it might be a book given me some time ago by Mrs. Clark.

Terry Smith

Would you rather judge or win best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club?

Win.

You would like to be remembered as?

A caring and giving person who took the time to help others.

BORN: HOUSTON, TX • RESIdES: BEEBE, AR • ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: AQUARIUS 38 Dog News

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40 Dog News

Dog News 41

AKC CHF Podcasts Transcribed

Cryopreservation of Canine Semen The following interview was originally released as a podcast by the AKC Canine Health Foundation on March 27, 2014. If you prefer to listen to the interview visit www.akcchf.org/podcasts.

In this interview we are talking with Dr. Kit Kampschmidt of Brittmoore Animal Hospital in Houston Texas, about cryopreservation of canine semen.

Dr. Kampschmidt received his DVM from Oklahoma State University in 1983. He has developed a special interest in canine reproduction and semen cryopreservation.

He is a nationally recognized authority in these areas and serves as a consultant to other veterinarians through the Veterinary Information Network.

He has been an invited speaker for national veterinary meetings, state and local veterinary associations, and many breed clubs. He has trained veterinarians from all over the United States and the world in canine semen freezing and artificial insemination techniques. He is a member of the Harris County Veterinary Medical Association, Texas Veterinary Medical Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, and American Animal Hospital Association and currently serves on the board of directors for the Society for Theriogenology.

AKC CANINE HEALTH FOUNDATION (CHF): If a breeder wants to cryopreserve semen it is likely they are saving it long term for artificial insemination or are going to ship it domestically or internationally. Shipping semen is a topic we will cover in the next podcast in our series, but can you tell us about basic health information a stud dog owner should have in place before they consider cryopreserving semen?

Dr. Kit Kampschmidt: Any stud dog considered for long term preservation of his semen should of course be in good health and a good body condition. He should be current on all vaccinations, especially rabies vaccination. He should have all the health clearances recommended for his breed, this may include OFA, PennHIP, and CERF eye exams. It could also mean that he has had genetic testing performed for defects that are problems within his breed. All dogs should be tested for Brucellosis.

The AKC requires that registered dogs must have a DNA profile on file with the AKC, this is performed

on a cheek swab, and most stud dogs who have been producing litters already have one on file with the AKC. If not, this can easily be obtained at the time of semen collection.

And I should mention that if the semen is going to be shipped internationally, or it is even considered that it may be shipped internationally, he should have testing done (or serum saved for testing) for diseases like rabies, Brucellosis, and Leptospirosis through a certified veterinary laboratory. Kim Hesler will explain in detail the ins and outs of shipping canine frozen semen internationally in the next CHF podcast. Suffice it to say that all these tests and preparations take time, so it is very important to plan well in advance for the collection and for an international shipment of frozen canine semen.

CHF: We recently did a very informative podcast with Dr. William Schultz of Schultz Veterinary Clinic in Okemos, Michigan who helped us understand semen collection. If we pick up where Dr. Schultz left off and we have semen we would like to preserve long term for shipment and artificial insemination, what do we do first to assess quality of semen to make sure it is worth preserving?

Kampschmidt: Once the semen is collected its quality is assessed in a number of ways.

The first and most obvious is motility. A drop of the semen is evaluated on a microscope, usually within a few minutes of collection. The percentage of Continued on page 78

42 Dog News

Dog News 43

RECORD-BREAK I F In 1999 Sotheby’s in New

York set a new record for the highest price ever paid at auction for a dog picture. It was a life-size oil of a Newfoundland

by George Stubbs (1724-1806) and fetched $3.6m.

ast forward fourteen years and move across the Atlantic to Christie’s in London to their Victorian and British Impressionist sale in December and it was another painting of a Newfoundland that was setting records.

It was a breathtakingly life-size portrait of Neptune by Sir Edwin Landseer (18021973), which he painted in 1824 and exhibited at the Royal Academy the same year. It was expected to fetch between £300,000 and £500,000 and attracted considerable interest finally selling at the top end of the estimate for £470,000 (£566,500 including buyer’s premium) to an anonymous buyer, a record auction.

Probably no other artist helped to popularise a breed more than Sir Edwin Landseer did with the Newfoundland.

The white and black adopted his name

and his Distinguished Member of the Humane Society, now on loan to the Kennel Club, is one of the most iconic of all 19th century dog paintings and has never been on the open market.

Landseer visited the breed on many occasions, being introduced to it by Neptune’s owner William Ellis Gosling (1794-1834), who was one of Landseer’s early patrons. Gosling was heir to Gosling’s Bank, situated in Fleet Street and whose family’s London home was in Portland Place. However, he did not live to inherit the bank as he predeceased his father by only three weeks.

William Gosling never married, instead he enjoyed a comfortable life as a bachelor of means about town and a connoisseur of contemporary art.

Photo: Christie’s Images Ltd.

44 Dog News

K ING DOG ART

Photo: Sotheby’s London

BY NICK WATERS

Neptune was his constant companion and Landseer included the dog first in Canine Friends, which he painted in 1822 when he was only twenty. It has always been said that Neptune was also included in the animal subject picture The Twa Dogs now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, illustrating the poem by Robert Burns of the same name, however the markings are dissimilar to those in Neptune’s actual portrait.

The collaboration between Landseer and Gosling was an unusually fortuitous one. Gosling enabled Landseer to produce monumental attention-grabbing works which secured his reputation at the very start of his career, whilst at the same time recording Gosling’s affection for his remarkable companion. Landseer’s portrait of Neptune is the

most important of all his early dog studies.

A published engraving by Edwin’s elder brother Thomas (1793 or 1794-1880) of the head and shoulders of a Newfoundland was either taken from this portrait or one that is now lost.

Thomas, like his father, was deaf.

Neptune’s picture was framed with oak timbers salvaged from H.M.S. Téméraire, the warship that fought alongside Lord Nelson’s Victory in the battle of Trafalgar. The picture had been kept in the family for a number of generations until 1986 when it first appeared at auction at Sotheby’s, New York. It appeared at auction for the third time in New York in 2007 when Christie’s offered it with an estimate of $800,000-1.2m. It failed to sell but got away after the sale to the vendor who recently decided to sell it.

“The collaboration between Landseer and Gosling was an unusually fortuitous one.”

A

lso in December across London, Sotheby’s in their C o n n o i s s e u r ’s Collection sale sold an oil on panel of a Blenheim Toy Spaniel painted in 1776 by George Stubbs. A striking image with a rich tonal quality where the artist had employed a dark wooded background and a strongly lit foreground subject, a style Stubbs usually adopted for his depiction of more exotic animals. The picture was probably intended as a Royal Academy exhibit. It found a buyer at £1.2m (hammer), the lower end of its estimate but still one of the highest prices ever seen for a dog picture by Stubbs.

Dog News 45

calendar may have The read April 1st but it was no April Fool’s gag in Mary-

land as the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee convened this past Tuesday to consider a measure that would ban breedspecific legislation. House Bill 422 would prohibit counties and municipalities from enacting laws that ban the ownership of specific breeds, stating that a dog may not be declared potentially dangerous based solely on the dog’s “breed, type or heritage.” The semantics are important, as any dog can be potentially dangerous and this law correctly allows for counties and municipalities to enact laws relating to dogs declared dangerous based on the dog’s actions, not its breed or if it bears resemblance to what are often thought to be dangerous breeds.

The Maryland measure is further evidence of the country’s trending away from BSL. South Dakota also just passed a law prohibiting local governments from passing BSL and last week the Utah Legislature sent a bill to Governor Gary Herbert that would prohibit municipalities in the state from adopting or enforcing any breed-specific policy and rendering any current breed-specific policy void. All are encouraged to urge Utah’s Gov. Herbert to join the growing list of enlightened officials who are coming to the realization that BSL, akin to racial profiling, is unfair and unsuccessful.

Other states also actively considering implementing statewide bans on local governments from enacting BSL are Georgia, Missouri, Vermont and Washington. With South Dakota now onboard it joins ranks with these states in the union that already prohibit local governments from enacting BSL: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada,

New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia. These 18 states, from north to south, east to west, and in the heart of the country, represent positive, progressive change on an issue that continues to divide despite the mounting evidence suggesting that BSL is an ill-advised attempt to corral dangerous dogs. Efforts must be made to encourage responsible dog ownership and enforce existing laws and emphasis must be placed on the deeds of the dogs and not the breeds. Even if you don’t reside in the states that are contemplating these measures, if you participate in dog events in these areas or vacation there with your dogs, let legislators know where you stand on the issue.

AKC’s APRIL FOOLS I suspected it was the handiwork of new Vice President of Marketing and Communications Chris Walker, the social media guru climbing the ranks at the AKC, that was responsible for the registry’s online announcement this past Tuesday that the AKC was introducing three new breeds for 2014, but he assured me that he wasn’t that funny and suggested it may have been the creation of VP Gina DiNardo or one of her crew.

Clicking on the link brought browsers to the ‘WOOFipedia’ page of the AKC, which was designed with the intention of providing newsworthy dog items in a fun, family friendly way, announcing the three new breeds: the Hipster Hound, a terrier from Portland now seen in Williamsburg, Brooklyn that prefers to live in artists’ lofts; the Chi-Rex, the result of dinosaur DNA being introduced to the Chihuahua; and the PomPomeranian, which resembled a cheerleader’s pom-pom. Yes, the oft-considered stodgy, elitist AKC was partaking in an April Fool’s prank.

off No Fools This April

by SHAUN COEN

46 Dog News

his Chairman’s Report In from January 24, 2014, Alan Kalter wrote, “WOOFi-

pedia, a digital/mobile platform soft-launched in November 2012, is AKC’s solution for the younger generation to both learn about breeds and responsible dog ownership, as well as share engaging moments and activities between them and their dog.” Based on that description I had assumed that the targeted audience for the WOOFipedia page would be a demographic too young to get the April Fool’s gag references to Hipsters and celebrities such as Lena Dunham, the full figured hyphenate known for shedding her clothes on the R-rated HBO series, Girls, which she created, writes and stars in.

However, according to Chris Walker, “…the primary audience is 25-34 year old females, with 16-24 the second best represented demographic,” age groups that would get those references and hopefully engage more in the site and all things doggy related that the AKC has to offer. In that regards, the prank – and the WOOFipedia page in general — appears to be a success, but whether or not those views turn into income remains to be seen. According to Walker, “WOOFipedia had 309,586 unique visitors for the month of March, with approximately two million total page views for the month and the average user visiting five pages on each visit.

The site continues to grow month over month” and by the close of the business day on Tuesday the specific April Fool’s article had “26,751 views and 2778 shares on social media – across Facebook, Twitter and Google+ which is bringing in 80% of the traffic to the page.”

One certainly can’t fault the AKC for trying to broaden its audience — in fact, it is to be commended for ramping up efforts to bring new dog lovers under the AKC umbrella. Whether or not these efforts result in new purebred dog owners registering their dogs and litters with the AKC or participating in conformation events is unknown, but at the very least they provide an entry platform to the general public and an opportunity

to educate people about responsible dog ownership and breeding and opens the door for their participation in events such as agility. It also offers an opportunity to enlighten more of the dog loving general public about the important and abundant canine legislation issues that threaten the ability to own and breed all dogs — purebreds and mixed breeds alike — and about the good works of the AKC, the AKC Humane Fund and the AKC Canine Health Foundation, which also benefit the well-being of all dogs. The April Fool’s gag takes a page out of the AR playbook but it also offers an entryway to educate John Q. Public about the real agendas of organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States and PETA. There are links on the main WOOFipedia page that ask questions of potential dog owners, offer advice on where they should look to find a dog, and provide questions they should ask to discover if they are dealing with a responsible breeder.

There are also tales of pets that became show dogs and links to the AKC store, which offers a DVD on dog care and training, membership in the AKC GoodDog! Helpline (for $79.99) and the Reggie Box assortment of dog treats for $40. These are new products for which Mr. Walker is responsible for marketing, and although only a handful of sales have been made so far (the site officially went live on March 31st), there are plans to roll out new products in the next three months. “The feeling internally is that WOOFipedia is acting as a predominantly consumer site and this store can expose certain AKC products and a simple POS to consumers who maybe don’t visit AKC.org,” said Walker.

So, gags aside, in the areas of creating a heightened presence on social media outlets and creating conversation about canines, it’s clear that in these areas Mr. Walker, Ms. DiNardo and their teams are no fools.

Time will tell if these products and publicity stunts will turn into a big payoff for the non-profit.

Multiple Group Winner

DJ

Multiple Group Placer

Thank You Judge Mr. Robert E. Hall for this Group Fourth Placement!

Bronze GCh. Karina’s You Can’t Stop The Beat Breeders/Owners Vickie L. Louie & Chase Waddell Karina Keeshonden www.karinakees.com

Expertly and Lovingly Presented by Jill Bell

Dog News 47

48 Dog News

Dog News 49

o

And

M re APRIL FOOL’S DAY, THAT RUSSIAN LETTER ...

by Matthew H. Stander s I write this column partially on April Fool’s A Day and partly on the

day which follows I have to wonder just what is a joke and what is reality. I guess AKC’s WOOFipedia announced three new AKC breeds as a form of jokethen some AKC Delegate announced on Facebook that AKC was becoming a part of the FCI. For some reason AKC felt compelled to answer this ridiculous statement instead of ignoring it altogether.

Why Jim Crowley would be designated to answer the comments is almost as a big a mystery as why Chris Walker would have announced the three new breeds (or someone working for him did).

Personally I would relieve the Delegate who spread that kind of misinformation about AKC and the FCI from their Delegate Seat immediately!!!

Unless of course this too was an April Fool’s prank for which I fell! I almost hope that was the case. It’s as though the $300,000 stipends being offered to the three Veterinary Schools to establish NEW seats in reproductive medicine are more deserving than the CHF which certainly is in

50 Dog News

need of the monies to establish general health grants which is being denied them under the Kalter Board unless donations are made for the first time to CHF with which to begin. Should AKC be so firm and disestablish itself from both the Museum of the Dog and the CHF one must ask or is this all part of the April Fool’s celebration with which to begin. Why not ask the CFO Mr. Farnsworth about all this movement of monies within the organization and then see what kind of April Fool’s answer from him would be forthcoming. Have you tried finding anything of real disclosure from the recently released Annual Report of AKC? That’s more of an April Fool’s joke than announcing the three new breeds on WOOFipedia.

And where is the Board in all this? Most people too brow beaten to take a public stand I would say but for the exception here and there which appear in the Board Minutes on occasion. Am I dismayed-that’s being nice about it but of course Mr. Kalter’s reaction to me would be that I am being leaked this information. Leaks my foot-just study the actions of this Board and come up with any conclusion but that this is the most secretive Board we’ve had at AKC in years and if not secretive then not forthcoming for sure. A Judges Task Force Committee establishes a calendar for work in progress and never lives up to it AND never even reports anything at all--too worried about what they would

say prior to the elections that’s for sure. And whatever happened to the Hunte money owed to AKC or the monies owed by the NKGC for that matter? Just try and find those monies in the Annual Report-good luck to you and the Indians in the 2014 pennant race is what I have say to these people who hold unnecessary and multiple meetings which result in nothing of substance happening whatsoever. Since the By-laws require 8 meetings a year why not call your Monday meetings one day and your Tuesday meetings the other day--that would be two days in one month and the Board could still get the stipends they have awarded themselves and reduce the cost and time of these phony two-day affairs and reduce the actual time spent to four days instead of eight. hen Harvey Fierstein first penned his Op-Ed in the W July 21st issue of the New York

Times condemning Putin’s antigay policies in Russia towards gays or people who were supportive of gay people and who were foreign-not even Russian-- just coming into visit that country-- DOG NEWS and this writer took the position that his policy was so discriminatory that dog show people should not accept invitations to judge in Russia for any shows and that the FCI should withdraw its so-called World Show from Moscow in 2016 as well. We remain firm in that belief notwithstanding the feeble attempt as indicated in the letter published last week by the President of the Russian Kennel Club that this law was merely an attempt to prevent pedophilia by gay men against children in Russia. What a load of crap that position is! Is someone trying to tell me that pedophilia is strictly a gay problem--just look at our own sport and the sorry allegations whether true or not brought against one of our very own and tell me that is strictly a gay problem. If you are a foreigner under Putin’s law who enters Russia and are merely sympathetic to any gay causes or people who are gay you are subject to arrest and detention for a two or three-week period of time. In

“Leaks my foot-just study the actions of this Board and come up with any conclusion but that this is the most secretive Board we’ve had at AKC in years and if not secretive then not forthcoming for sure.”

Continued on page 115

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*Number 14 overall, CC All Breed points

Dog News 51

52 Dog News

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Dog News 53

Inside The Sport

judges do factor in the fitness and condition of the exhibits.

Even as animal rights terrorists continue to attack, we are heartened by the fact that wonderful dogs are being used in television commercials on a regular basis; dogs are continually shown as willing helpmates during times of disaster; and dogs are our strongest allies in standing up for the right to own, breed and show animals. We never know when someone who wants to work with us might have sinContinued FROM page 18 ister motives. The fact is that New York’s Aqueduct Race if all of us could be as warm, Track is monitoring horses friendly and loving as dogs, closer than ever before and is our ranks would be closed stepping up all security at the against those who want to be April 5th Wood Memorial Race our enemies. for three year-olds. Eleven winAlso in the same maganers of this race have gone on zine (The Bloodhorse) was the to win the Kentucky Derby the following quote by Mandy following month. Horses will Haskin that could certainly be be under constant guard for applied to our world: “People several days prior to the race say horse racing is a dying and even their food and water sport. It can’t die while we’re supplies are subject to check all still breathing life into it.” by security forces. Exactly how Breathing life into our all of this public scrutiny affects sport is a goal worthy of us us as dog lovers in unclear, all. Reach out to young peoyet we do need to heed the ple and draw them into our warning. Although most dog circle. Help newbies perfect handlers/exhibitors as well as their skills at grooming and horse trainers take better care presenting their exhibit. Try of their charges than they do to join clubs and help aging of themselves, we must colmembers do the physical work lectively exercise constant vigiinvolved with staging dog lance. Such vigilance means shows. Join training classes acknowledging that in addias instructors and students. tion to having every animal in Participate in public relations our care receive the very activities that promote best of care; we portray “Breathing the goodness of Man’s ourselves to the public Friend. In other life into Best as the responsible indiwords, share more of viduals who truly love our sport yourself as a testimoour dogs that we indeed is a goal nial to your appreciaare. Furthermore, when worthy of tion for the dog-who splitting hairs on a deciall of himself/ us all.” shares sion between two dogs, herself with you.

54 Dog News

THIS & THAT

Certainly the eight shows we attended on consecutive weekends in Kentucky and California are reminiscent of the “good old days” of dog shows and testify to the life breathed into our sport.

With large entries of class dogs to challenge the best, majors were plentiful and quality dogs sought them. Such seldom-seen depth resulting from thousands of dogs entered rather than hundreds is much appreciated by judges, spectators and exhibitors as well as kennel clubs. Staging these events is a tremendous job for club officials and requires many cooperative efforts to run efficiently and smoothly.

Judges find themselves splitting hairs to make tough calls and hope that all concerned realize that a “quality loss” is often more important than a “meaningless win.” When one considers that the ringside gets to evaluate several worthy specimens and perhaps prefers the second or third dog to the winner, it truly is food for thought.

Furthermore, such stimulating decisions where one can prioritize differently depending on which traits and nuances of the breed are most emphasized returns the true meaning of the dog show as the venue to select breeding stock.

GCh. Beechcroft Midnight Rose’s

Group First

Judge Mr. Desmond J. Murphy

SEL Bitch at the “Garden”

Judge Ms. Bonnie P. Threlfall

And then there is Baccara’s March Madness: Group Fourth Group Second Group Third Group Third Group Second Group Second Group Second

Judge Ms. Bonnie P. Threlfall Judge Mr. Robert D. Ennis Judge Mrs. Karen C. Wilson Judge Mr. Michael H. Faulkner Judge Mrs. Paula Nykiel Judge Mrs. Kathleen Steen Judge Dr. Michael J. Woods

Owned and Bred By: Mary & Michael Wiest; Beechcroft Labradors

Thank you, Thank you Judges for an incredible two months

Presented By: Fabian Negron Dog News 55

THE GREAT PYRENEES

A

Certain ” Elegance

“

by M.J. Nelson

During

Smoke (Ch Int’l Ch Mistral’s Doing Things MyWay UD RAE TDI ATT DD DDX BDD VX), Charlotte Bascom’s Great Pyrenees, loved draft work and had both a draft dog excellent title and a brace draft dog title.

Smoke also proved that Great Pyrenees can excel in obedience earning his UD title 56 Dog News

the reign of Louis XIV of France, the “Sun King,” during the late 1600s, a great white dog of the mountains attracted the attention of the Dauphin, Louis Quatorze’s eldest son Louis, and the heir to the throne. So enamored of the breed was young Louis that he persuaded his father to designate the breed as the Royal Dog of France, which made the Montagne des Pyrénées or Great Pyrenees a most soughtafter companion for the French nobility. While the breed had earned renown as the guardian of the Chateax of Lourdes as early as the beginning of the 15th century, the dogs were equally at home guarding the humble mountain shepherd’s flocks and his family. When not protecting the sheep, “Le Patou,” which means “shepherd” in Old French, was likely to be found occupying the mat at the front door of the shepherd’s home. This love of sheep and their owner’s family remains a strong trait in the breed today as the Great Pyr gets along well with other animals in the family and their working dog background is proving to be very useful in a number of dog sports. The fact that they are big, white, handsome dogs with an elegant air about them, a “certain elegance,” just adds to the package.

“The Great Pyrenees was bred to be independent and think for themselves as they guarded and wandered with their flocks of sheep or herds of livestock. To be a successful guardian, they also needed to be athletic.

When you combine this physical attribute with their intelligence, they can be very versatile and adapt to many different activities. Their size and physical build makes them wonderful

draft dogs and their size and gentle nature makes them exceptional in therapy work,” said Nancy Wood Taber, owner of Ailo (GCh Calurian Ailo Mountain Sage RA DD VX CGC THD HOF), who was best-of-breed at the 2013 Great Pyrenees Club of America’s national specialty.

“Too many people think the Great Pyrenees is not a smart dog because many of them do not excel at a wide variety of dog sports. That is far from the truth. This is a very intelligent breed and as such, they are a big challenge for many people. They are also independent thinkers and if you are not keeping everything fun for them, they will shut down because they do not see a need to keep doing things over and over that are not fun. Many owners do not know how to channel the skills of the Great Pyrenees in a variety of dog sports and they become frustrated and give up. If their owner will make the effort, the intelligence of the breed and their desire to be with their owners makes them capable of being successful in a wide variety of dog sports,” said Jo Stubbs, whose dog Flynn (GCh UKC/Int’l Nat Ch Valle d’Aspe Scandalous Affair CD RAE NAP GN BN CGC URO1 UAGII VX HOF) has obedience, rally and agility titles in addition to his conformation championships.

“You really have to keep things interesting and fresh for these dogs,” said Charlotte Bascom, whose dog Smoke (Ch Int’l Ch Mistral’s Doing Things MyWay UD RAE TDI ATT DD DDX BDD VX) loved draft work and had both a draft dog excellent title and a brace draft dog title. “A Great Pyrenees will perform an activity he THINKS is correct by his standards but may be incorrect by the rules of the game. This is a thinking breed that forever has had to work alone without any input by man.

You have to keep things short with a lot of praise and positive feedback. You can never act bored or uninterested. If the dog performs an exercise incorrectly, you have to figure out why they did it

that way and then help them figure out how to do it correctly. You have to be smarter than your dog, which is not always easy. You can’t just tell a Pyr the correct way and expect him to do it without thinking about it first. You have to remember that a Pyr was working for generations by himself and now we expect him to listen to us with no questions asked? It’s just not in their nature to do things this way.

This is one reason why Pyrs seem to like draft work. They see it as working, it’s outdoors and everything is interesting because it is never the same. Even in a draft test, the different exercises are in different order and with a different look.”

One problem with being a relatively rare breed is that many

Nancy Taber’s Great Pyrenees Ailo (GCh Calurian Ailo Mountain Sage RA DD VX CGC THD HOF) was best-of-breed at the 2013 Great Pyrenees Club of America’s national specialty. times judges do not have a lot of understanding of a breed, what it was developed to do and what it is capable of doing. “One of the biggest issues I encountered was in conformation where it was an obstacle to success to have a dog

in condition. I know it sounds odd but so many judges commented that ‘The dog needs to have more weight.’ Since I try to keep my dogs in condition not only for performance but also for their overall health, I don’t bring overweight dogs in the ring. If judges would truly understand what a dog was bred to do, they would know that an overweight Great Pyrenees cannot chase down predators. In performance events, I consistently have people, judges included, asking if I actually have a Great Pyrenees in agility or comment that the breed can’t do agility. I have even had judges ask why, if I like obedience, rally or agility, I don’t get a dog that would enjoy doing these things. They don’t have any idea how much my dogs really like these events.

Since they don’t see many Great Pyrenees in dog sports, they just don’t realize what they can do. I spend a lot of time politely trying to educate people why it is important to keep a dog in good condition, that they are performance dogs in addition to being a show dog.

Usually once I convey this info, many judges are very complementary of the dog’s condition. I think too many people view this breed as just a livestock guardian and they are not showing the many abilities the breed has. They are incredible therapy dogs, service dogs and indoor companion family dogs but very few people see this side of the breed. I really think this leads to a lot of misconceptions about the breed,” said Stubbs.

For Taber and her dog Ailo, draft work was the most Continued on page 106

Dog News 57

Irving’s

Impressions Continued FROM page 26

London because that was where the public and the members expected them to be and where they were most accessible to their ‘customers’.

Then came the meeting-room facilities. Despite outsiders often suggesting that as far as TKC Board Meetings and the various Sub Committee meetings were concerned they could be held elsewhere, it was firmly agreed that, however much we might like it to be otherwise, London was an easier place for access than anywhere else in the UK from a transportation point of view. Train services and airplane access made it far easier for committee members to go from all parts of the UK to London than to any other area of the country. So the decision was made that meeting room facilities and meetings had to be based mainly there. Today TKC also has a further place were KC meetings are held in the centre of the country next to TKC’s exhibition hall at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire.

But that facility is mostly used for meetings and training sessions at which people have to attend with their dogs and have to use their cars to get there rather than public transport. Access for dogs in London is really not very easy.

KEEP LONDON BASE FOR CERTAIN ACTIVITIES Then came the most difficult decisions - namely which of the operating departments of TKC should be moved out of London and which should be kept in the capital. This is a complex subject because it involves a whole range of ramifications which have to be considered. Firstly you have to decide which location is really the best place for the various tasks to be carried out. But you also have to consider just how many of your existing personnel you would be able to retain if you moved and how easy it would be to replicate their skills if existing employees and managers decided that they didn’t want to move. I guess that the AKC previously had to consider 58 Dog News

similar issues when it moved some of its operations to Raleigh some years ago.

In the UK, the decision was eventually made to keep certain departments firmly in London and to move others out to new offices that were eventually found in Aylesbury, which is a town about an hour north of London by train or an hour and a half away by car.

In the end, the decision was not as difficult as we had imagined it might be. It was clear that those departments that related closely to the work of the various KC sub committees ought to stay in London. That was because the committees themselves would be meeting in London and therefore needed sensibly to be serviced by staff based in London. So the shows, judges, field trials, performance events and Crufts departments stayed in the capital.

The other departments that it was decided should also remain in the city, were those that needed to inter-relate with the world outside the sport. The headquarters of the main veterinary organisations and most of the canine related charities are based in London.

So are the national media and the government department DEFRA (the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs – roughly the equivalent of USDA) with which TKC has most contact – along of course with the politicians who need to be kept informed about canine matters from the point of view of TKC, dog breeders and the Fancy. It was always said that the KC’s London headquarters are close enough to the Houses of Parliament that if a Member of Parliament is having lunch at the KC and the division bell goes in the House of Commons to say that a vote is about to be taken, the MP would be able to get back to the house in time to vote!

All of that thinking meant that TKC’s press office, public relations and marketing departments needed to remain housed in the London headquarters.

DATA INPUT When it came to the departments that didn’t need to relate regularly to the Board or its sub committees, and didn’t need to communicate regularly with or lobby other opinion formers – then that was a different story. It was decided that they could be moved out of town without causing any great disadvantage. So it was determined that the departments that should move were those that dealt with dog registrations, transfers of dog ownership, canine insurance and the Petlog business which records the details that relate to many of the dogs and cats in the UK that are microchipped for reunification purposes. As it happened the skills required for these jobs which were mainly data input, IT and callcentre type operations, were also rather more easy to recruit for - out of town in Aylesbury than they were in London and so there was in fact a double benefit from the move.

Some people felt that the data input ‘outpost’ that was moving to Aylesbury would have been better if it had moved much further afield to a part of the county where employment costs were less and lease costs for the offices would be lower. However it was felt that such a more distant location would bring with it a further disadvantage. Namely that although the Registration, Transfer and Data Input Departments didn’t need to relate to politicians or directly on a regular basis with TKC’s Sub committees they did need to remain clearly as a fully integrated part of the overall KC management team. To be too far away might allow the ‘outpost’ to become too much of an ‘outpost’ and not be integrated enough with the main KC operations. For that reason being based only just over an hour away brought with it the advantage of being able to manage the operation as a true part of the overall KC team, and not let it become just a satellite with different management styles and a different management attitude.

IT SEEMS TO WORK I am probably biased, but in the main I think that the decisions we took in those days before the moves and changes, were the right ones. The out of town operations have probably never been more efficient and customer-friendly for those wishing to use TKC’s registration facilities. And the departments remaining in London are, I think, still feeling the benefit of being close to those with whom they do most of their business – the outside world and the Sub Committees of the Board.

Are there any lessons here for the AKC? Who knows - but I will watch with interest to see the future results of their deliberations and the rationale for their recommendations.

ij n a S

Like His Gait, Sanji Floated Effortlessly To His Championship Picking Up Five Best of Breeds and Two Group Placements. On His First Weekend Out He Continued This Forward Movement With Another Group Third!

Ch. Mahogany’s Gallant Spirit V Charley Owner Deborah Denis • www.mahoganystbernards.com Exclusive Handler Jennifer Bittner Dog News 59

MUY BIEN SONNITO! Mex./Am. Ch Sonnus Filho (Sanchez) We are very honored by Sonnito’s First Month With Erika 11 Group First Wins 5 All Breed Best In Shows 2 Reserve Best In Shows 2 Specialty Best In Shows Thank You to all the Judges for Sonnito’s wonderful welcome to the U.S. Saw Mill River Kennel Club Best In Show - Judge Ms. Deborah Anthony Group First - Judge Mr. Alfred J. Ferruggiaro Lancaster Kennel Club Best In Show & Group First - Judge Ms. Beverly Capstick Owners James and Janet Moses 60 Dog News

Presented By Erika Lanasa 443 744-6300

Breeder/Owner Romulo Sanchez Torres

Dog News 61

Veterinary Topics Continued FROM page 30

Veterinarians and Students Took Part in the 20162 AVMA Legislative Fly-In

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n February 9-11 100 veterinary students and veterinarians gathered in Washington, DC to take part of the 2014 Legislative Fly-In. 71 in the participants were students, representing almost every veterinary college in the United States. Other participants were members of the AVMA Board of Directors and veterinarians from throughout the country. This FlyIn gives AVMA members and veterinary students an opportunity to come to the US Capitol to meet legislators and to become engaged in the legislative process. Presently there is only one veterinarian in Congress, Dr. Ted Yoho of Florida. Kansas Senator Jerry Moran has a daughter who is a student at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

In other academic news AVMA has signed a formal memorandum of understanding with the National Association of Federal Veterinarians and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine to promote veterinary careers in public service and corporate practice. This partnership seeks to educate Congress and human resource managers within the federal government about the wide range of job opportunities that veterinarians are qualified to fill. Several studies have shown gaps in positions where veterinarians will be needed to provide expertise in issues such as public health, biomedical research, laboratory investigations, pathology, epidemiology, and food animal service. Dr. Ron DeHaven, AVMA’s CEO, said that it is important to recruit veterinarians with the technical expertise and scientific know-how to fill a critical need in public and corporate practice. Dr. DeHaven said in a memorandum that it is essential that veterinary students be made aware of the job opportunities available to them outside the traditional clinic setting. This memorandum of understanding will remain in force for an indefinite term.

62 Dog News

Acupuncture Group Admitted to AVMA HouSe of Delegates

AVMA

has admitted the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture into the AVMA House of Delegates. The president of the AAVA, Ken Ninomiya, DVM, CVA said that his organization’s mission is “ the advancement of veterinary acupuncture through traditional Chinese veterinary medicine and traditional Asian medicine through education, research and leadership.”

 Top Ten Toxins 

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has issued its top ten toxins for 2013. Not that anyone would want to be in this “top 10” but here they are, for your information and precautions.

1. Prescription medications for humans: the worst are heart medications, antidepression medications and pain medications.

6. Veterinary products, which often have been flavored to appeal to pets.

2. Insecticides, especially for cats, who lick themselves all over.

7. Rodenticides, intended to kill mice and other rodents. Make sure they are well out of reach of any dog or cat, or any other animal you don’t wish to kill!

3. Over the counter medications, such as aspirin products or the like, fish oils, herbal medications.

Ibuprofen medications are particularly dangerous.

4. Household products, such as cleaning solutions or powders.

5. People food, including onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, and sugar substitutes. Don’t forget chocolate, which when eaten in large enough quantities may cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, elevated heart rates and even seizures. The darker the chocolate, the worse the effects.

8. Plants. Particularly lilies. When ingested they can quickly cause kidney failure.

9. Lawn and garden products such as fertilizers and bone meal.

10. Any type of household cleanser, used to mop floors or dust furniture.

Another potential toxin is Tea tree oil, a clear to pale yellow oil with a camphor-like smell that is extracted from the leaves of a tree native to Australia, similar to the myrtle tree in the United States. It is used for skin infections that afflict people, but has spilled over into veterinary use. Undiluted tea tree oil is so potent that it presents a hazard even during transportation. Even a drop or two of the stuff applied to a pet can cause harm. There is no antidote to tea tree poisoning, so no matter who the guru is that might recommend it for your pet, don’t use it!

Continued On page 66

GCh. Gladiator S Zolotogo Grada The Number Two Black Russian Terrier All Systems

Handler: Michael Holland Breeder Svetlana Zolotova Moscow

Consistent Group Placements Shown Occasionally

Owner Sarah E. Gaunt Chattanooga, TN

Dog News 63

64 Dog News

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*The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed

Dog News 65

Veterinary Topics Continued FROM page 62

American Heartworm Society Guidelines The American Heartworm Society (AHS) has revised its guidelines for dogs and cats in response to changes in heartworm medication resistance. The American Heartworm Society announced updates to its guidelines for administration of heartworm prevention. According to updated information there is a documented presence of “resistant subpopulations of heartworms.� This has prompted the American Heartworm Society to place additional emphasis on the importance of yearround administration of heartworm preventatives. One of the main tenets of heartworm prevention is to make certain that veterinarians and their clients are aware that in certain areas of the country all at-risk animals are on prevention all year round.

AHS recommends antigen testing as the most sensitive diagnostic method when screening. The organization recommends that microfilaria testing be done at the same time as antigen testing to determine the stage of heartworms if they are present. In addition, new guidelines recommend that administration of a macrocyclic lactone preventive coupled with doxycyclone to suppress the growth of heartworms in the body, weaken adult heartworms and decrease post-treatment complications. Obviously, everyone should talk to their veterinarians. It seems logical, because of the wet weather throughout the country, that it will be a banner year for mosquito-borne diseases. Revised protocols for heartworm prevention and treatment can be found at the website www.heartwormsociety.org.

New Test for Early Detection of Parvo Researchers at Kansas State University Diagnostic Laboratory have developed a method of detecting a newer, emerging strain of parvovirus. Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious disease that causes hemorrhagic disease, particularly in unvaccinated dogs and puppies. A new test has been developed to detect the virus strain that might be causing the disease. Veterinarians can send samples for testing to Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic laboratory, 1800 Denison Ave, Manhattan, KS 65506. This writer has been made aware of possible parvo cases showing up in dogs that have been at the Eastern shows this early Spring. Make

sure your dogs have had current parvo vaccine administered. Any dogs that have shown symptoms of disease should not be present at any shows, indoors or out. It seems really ridiculous to have to mention this, but apparently dogs have been shown, either with the illness or before. How important is a point or two when so many dogs could be infected?

Being outdoors at the shows does not mean that dogs, and especially puppies, are immune from catching diseases.

Have respect for fellow competitors. You would want the same for your dogs. Be safe, be aware, be respectful of other exhibitors and spectators and everyone will have a good outdoor show season, wherever you are.

Blue-Green Algae Toxicosis

A

lthough it is a bit early to think about diving into ponds, algae may be present as soon as the ice goes out, or earlier depending upon where you live.

Dogs, particularly those who like to swim and are naturally attracted to ponds and water, are prone to diving in to cool off. Blue-green algae are microscopic organisms that form colonies in water under favorable conditions.

Stagnant water, fertilizer run-off, marsh lands without access to water turnover are likely areas in which algae thrive. There are several types of algae that can produce illness in animals, even death in some cases. The signs of possible blue-green algae poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy, liver failure and death. The lethal dose of toxins produced in the body is not known and few cases of poisoning have been documented in the United States. There are no widely available, inexpensive tests to confirm blue-green algae poisoning, but common sense would indicate that if your dog has been swimming in algae-living water it should be taken to a veterinarian quickly and treated as if it had ingested poisonous plant materials.

R e so u rc e s : DVM, February, March 2014; JAVMA, April 1, 2014; Veterinary Medicine, February 2014, March 2014; Spot Speaks, March 24, 2014; Your Dog, April 2014 66 Dog News

Reign Group First • Thank you Judge Mrs. Patricia Trotter

Best In Specialty Show Winning

GCh. Encore’s Sovereign Owned by Bruce and Mary Jo Andreu Jan Mumford

d

Handled by Cheryl Cates Encore Boxers Dog News 67

68 Dog News

s n i g e B o c s Bo h t i w 4 201

! g n A Ba

Select Dog Westminster Kennel Club

Thank you Judge Tim Catterson for this honor

Back to Back Group Firsts

Thank you Judge Ms. Jocelyn Gagne

Thank you Judge Ms. Dianne P. Miller

The Best In Show Winning

Ch. Alfredrich Indigo Dark Roast of Robbsdale (L) Expertly handled by Andrew & Abba Mansfield

Owned by Tim Robbins & Edward Osowski *The Dog News Top Ten List - All

Dog News 69

Flamenco Beach

I

always thought of Puerto Rico as a “different” part of the US. Of course that is true, but it is not as simple as that. Besides having a lovely Puerto Rican friend, Alma Rivera I. Alvarez, who is naturally a dog person, Senor Rafael de Santiago*, the new President of the Federation Internationale Cynologique, is also a native of this amazing country. Mr. Santiago holding this important position in an interesting way turns an American citizen into the FCI President. Also many South, Central and North American fanciers would never miss the great Exposicion De Las Americas y El Caribe of San Juan, Puerto Rico popular Dog Show. Having

such a tight relationship with the US I decided to take a glimpse at this special country, with its particular personality; the magical Puerto Rico.

The current political status of Puerto Rico is the result of various activities within both the United States and Puerto Rican governments. Politically, Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, which according to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Insular Cases is “a territory appurtenant and belonging to the United States, but not a part of the United States.”

At the November 6, 2012, non-binding referendum on the status question, 61% favored statehood as the preferred alternative. In 2006, and again in 2009 and 2011, The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization called for the United States to expedite the process to allow self-determination in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is a territory (Commonwealth) of the United States of America and has common citizenship, currency and defense. As citizens, Puerto Ricans do not require a work visa (also known as green cards) to

RA E BOfRTheEEDS

by Agnes Buchwald

World

live and/or work in the United States. In 2011 The President’s Task Force on Puerto Rico at the White House clarified that, under the Commonwealth option, Puerto Rico would remain, as it is today, subject to the Territory Clause of the U.S. Constitution.” Puerto FCI President Ricans consider Mr. Rafael de themselves American Santiago but are fiercely proud of their island and their culture. They don’t usually call themselves Americans or “Americanos”, but “Puertorriqueños” or “Boricuas”. (from Wikipedia).

This is a small résumé to make the ones who (as me) were not very familiar to this situation evolving the status between USA and Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is technically a part of the United States because this is a U.S. territory and its people are U.S. citizens. The official currency is the U.S. dollar, and Puerto Ricans serve in the U.S. armed forces.

Aside the political situation, this magnificent place has the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope located in the hills of Arecibo.** The dish measures a thousand feet in diameter and spans about 20 acres, and is also the most sensitive radio telescope in the world.

Puerto Rico is the homeland of the incredible coquí, a tiny tree frog that emits a lovely melody. This mini frog is a one inch-long amphibian and it is the much loved symbol of Puerto Rico.

The famous rum is the island’s most important export, and the base ingredient in many of Puerto Rico’s best cocktails. Bacardi and Don Q are the largest producers on the island, and Puerto Rico is the only rum-producer in the world to maintain a minimum aging law for its rum.

The country has a marvelous architectural heritage. The Church Iglesia de San José was built in the 1530s in San Juan and is the second oldest church in the western hemisphere. Also famous is the beautiful Catedral de San Juan, the most important religious landmark in Puerto Rico originally built in the 1520s, which guards the remains of Ponce de León.

Puerto Rico for its incredible beaches is a favorite Caribbean destination. From beaches with black, magnetic sand to idyllic spots, with tranquil waters, the country has incredible shores as for instance the popular Culebra Flamenco Beach.

Grand Mastin De Borinquen -or- Puerto Rican Mastiff 70 Dog News

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uerto Rico is the birth place of hundreds of famous actors, such as my favorite Benicio del Toro, Rita Moreno, Erik Estrada, Joaquin Phoenix and many more. Singers such as Ricky Martin, and Mark Anthony, authors, poets, and a long list of Miss Universe laureates as 2006 Zuleyka Rivera also call it home. Puerto Rico is very rich culturally speaking, and also worth to mention the long list of personages involved in several fields of sport especially baseball, football, and boxing. From the Taino Indians we inherited the words for hurricane (Huracán) and barbecue (Barbacoa). They were also the creators of the hammock.

In 1851, Governor Juan de la Pezuela Cevallos founded the Royal Academy of Belles Letters. The academy hired primary school teachers, formulated school curriculums, and held literary contests that promoted the intellectual and literary progress of the island. In 1858, the telegraph was introduced into the island with the assistance of Samuel Morse, when he installed a line in the town of Arroyo, at Hacienda La Enriqueta. (www.caribbeanbusinesspr. com/about_puerto.../puerto_rico_ history.ph) On November 19th of 1493 Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Puerto Rico. At this time the island was populated by Taíno indians who were fishermen, and agriculturalists as well, they called their island Borikén (Land of the Valiant Lord). Unfortunately the Taíno culture, as most of the South, North and Central American Indian cultures disappeared, mostly in the wars with the invaders and of diseases brought by the conquerors (Spanish in Puerto Rico’s case).

The Spanish named the island San Juan Bautista, in honor of St. John the Baptist, and the capital Puerto Rico, but the names were switched. The capital city became San Juan and the island Puerto Rico. In 1508, the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León colonized, and became the island’s first Spanish governor. The Taino chieftain Agüebaná greeted Ponce de León and his army maintained the peace between the indians and the Spaniards, but the Spaniards enslaved

the natives, and hundreds of Taíno indians died because of the cruel treatment of the Spaniards. Finally the Taíno revolt of 1511 failed and many indians committed suicide and many escaped to the central mountain range. It was thought that the Tainos were totally exterminated but recently DNA studies proved that in the mountains the survivors melted into the local population.

Friar Bartolomé In 1512, de las Casas, who accompanied Ponce de León to the

New World, protested the Spanish merciless treatment of the Taínos, but the settlers proved that they needed the manpower in the mines, the fortifications, and also to work in the newly born sugar industry. Friar Bartolomés’ fight in many ways secured the freedom of the island natives, but the Spanish Kingdom, to stop the reclamations, allowed the settlers to import from Africa 12 slaves each. This decision was the very first step into the slave trade in the Americas. By 1555 the number of slaves in Puerto Rico went from 1,500 and in 1530 to 15,000. On June 25, 1835 Queen María Cristina abolished the slave trade to Spanish colonies.

In 1521, concerned about threats from European enemies, Spain began to build massive walls around San Juan, to enforce its local forts, El Morro, San Cristóbal, and San Gerónimo, which combined were the island’s successful defenses. Due to its localization Puerto Rico was a very important military post during the wars between Spain and other European powers during the 16th to the 18th centuries.

In 1900, the island was hit by San Ciriaco, one of the most destructive hurricanes in the history of the island.

The hurricane caused thousands of deaths and an enormous economic crisis. At the same year the Congress

passed a decree which decided that Puerto Rico would have a civilian government under U.S. rule. The 18th century brought besides the hurricane, droughts, plagues, and the constant threat of attack to Puerto Rico. The European powers’ intention was capturing Spain’s possessions in the New World. Puerto Rico was the passage from Europe to Cuba, Mexico, Central America, and the northern territories of South America.

In 1901 with the inauguration of Gov. Charles H. Allen, the U.S. civilian government on the island begins. In 1906, the new Unionist Party won the elections to the Legislative Assembly and sent Tulio Larrinaga to Washington as Resident Commissioner. In 1915, a delegation from Puerto Rico, accompanied by Gov. Arthur Yagerto Washington, D.C., to request Congress grant the island more autonomy. In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson signed the JonesShafroth Act granting Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship.

In WWII about 350,000 Puerto Ricans registered for military service.

After the war returning soldiers began a heavy migration from Puerto Rico to the U.S. mainland in search of better jobs. In 1945 there were 13,000 Puerto Ricans living in New York City, and in the mid-1960s there were over 1 million. In 1946 President Harry S. Truman appointed the island’s first Puerto Rican-born governor, Jesus T. Piñero. The next year, the U.S. granted Puerto Rico the right to democratically elect its governor.

In 1952, Puerto Rico acquires the right to establish its own government and constitution, and is declared a semiautonomous commonwealth territory of the U.S. on July 25. What followed was a 20-year period of unprecedented economic development, as the new local government heavily promoted Continued on page 110

Dog News 71

Photo BY Paula Smith

“C liffy ”

GCh. Wildfire On The Edge Owned by Gayle Bontecou - Gayleward Bred By Angela Pickett and Cheslie Pickett Handled by Joy Barbieri 72 Dog News

Thank you Judge Mr. Robert Ennis

Thank you Judge Mr. William Devilleneuve

Thank you Judge Mr. Desmond Murphy Dog News 73

March 1st & 2nd, 2014

FCl Chubu T

he Narita airport of Tokyo is only a 14-hour flight from Newark, which makes the shows in the Tokyo area a nice easy flight for me. Often for some of the very far off Asian destinations my connection is through Narita. With most foreign assignments the details of the show are a bit vague. This club was very good in supplying the arrival details and informing us the show would be outdoors and could be extremely cold being on the ocean. Originally the club had asked the foreign judges to give a seminar on Monday, the day after the show. Several weeks before the show

74 Dog News

the venue had to be changed and the seminar would not be possible to do. Like all foreign assignments it is best to arrive at least one day early to let the body adjust to a drastic time change.

To arrive in Japan on Thursday, means leaving mid day Wednesday due to losing a day going over, but gaining a day coming home.

The club gave us very detailed instructions on how to get to the hotel from the airport.

Exiting the arrival hall there was a clearly marked booth to buy a ticket for the bus to the hotel. Outside within a very short distance was where the different buses pulled up. The bus to our Washington Hotel only made three stops all within a short distance of each other. The first stop was a major train station and the Washington Hotel. The bus we were told would be about an hour to an hour and a half. When we departed the airport I was surprised how little traffic was on the highway. As we approached the city limits of Tokyo, the traffic became extremely heavy. The hotel from the airport took a shade more than 2 hours.

It was quite a culture shock when I entered the main entrance of the hotel. I had never seen anything like it. The entrance area contained an office that sold bus tickets, another booth selling train tickets, a car rental agency, a 7/11 store, shops of various natures, etc. I had the feeling I was in the middle of Grand Central Station. An information booth directed me to the annex where I would be staying. After finding the check-in desk in the annex, I was anxious to get to my smoking room.

When I opened the door to my room I quickly realized how Japan utilizes small space. My large suitcase just barely rolled through the narrow hall to the bed. Once I hung up my clothes in the tiny closet, I found the only place my suitcase could be stored was on the bed. Putting it up on its side would leave enough room for my body to sleep.

Not having any drawers or shelves meant placing some things on the floor.

While still organizing my belongings the phone rang and the organizers were summoning me for dinner. The Asian judge had not arrived yet so Thursday evening it was just Adrian del Castillo from Spain, Bo Skalin from Sweden, Shellie Marshall from Australia, me and the young lady in charge of our travel arrangements. We dined

lnternational in one of the many hotel restaurants. This was a Japanese restaurant and it offered wonderful Kobe beef. I took an immediate liking to the three judges I would be spending the next five days with. I had never met Shellie Marshall before, but within an hour realized we had so many close mutual friends from different corners of the globe.

During dinner the club told me I would have a smoking room tomorrow. I was very confused since I already had one. It was not until after dinner, while in the elevator with the other judges I was told we would be leaving in the morning to move to another city where the show would be held. Friday morning after breakfast we departed on a tour of the city. The first stop was a tour where you could enjoy a view of the entire city of Tokyo. I thought we were at the top when it was announced we were going to higher level which required more tickets purchased. This tour reminded me of the 101 Building in Taipei. Asia has most of the tallest towers of the world today. Before leaving the big city, I experienced a first in my life. That being a short tour of a famous shrine and temple, but we were in authentic rickshaws. They were actually pulled by men running and not pedaling the carts. The cart Shellie and I were in was pulled by a gentleman whose hobby is running, so his workplace gives him a chance to run all day long. Around 3:30 we gathered in the van to go into the city where the show would take place. It was roughly about a two and a half hour drive without much traffic.

Around 6:30 Friday we arrived at a beautiful resort and I was so pleased to settle into a very large room with a nice view of the tennis courts. Being winter I only saw a handful of young people braving the chilly courts.

Friday all the Japanese judges arrived and a lot of the club officers so it was a large gathering for dinner. The courses were very small portions,

“It was quite a culture shock when I entered the main entrance of the hotel. I had never seen anything like it.�

I always enjoy Japan so much.

The food, the country, the people and the dogs are always a great experience.

Each time I have judged in Japan, it has been a very memorable experience. So when I got the invitation to judge March 1st and 2nd, I was so happy I had the dates free.

Actually Japan is very good about hiring the judges well in advance.

By Desmond J. Murphy

Continued on page 84

Dog News 75

76 Dog News

Dog News 77

AKC CHF Podcasts Transcribed

Cryopreservation of Canine Semen

Continued FROM page 42

progressively motile spermatozoa is then estimated. Many laboratories may also utilize a computer assisted technology, known as CASA, to analyze the sperm. Once it is determined that sperm are present and that they are motile, the total number of sperm present in the ejaculate, or total sperm count, is determined.

And finally a sample of the semen is stained and individual sperm cells are examined under high magnification by a trained technician to assess their morphology. Abnormally shaped or formed sperm cells may be motile but unable to fertilize an egg. These three factors, total count, progressive motility and sperm morphology; are then evaluated to determine if the semen sample is of adequate quality for freezing. All of these factors may change with each sperm sample collected so it is important that they be evaluated with every collection that will be frozen. These are also the criteria used, along with the physical examination of the dog and his reproductive organs, for Breeding Soundness Examinations we routinely perform on stud dogs, especially those showing any indication of infertility.

CHF: Why does the semen quantity and quality change from collection to collection?

Kampschmidt: That is an excellent question, while we can’t know all the factors that may affect sperm count and quality, we do know that certain external and internal factors can have short and long term effects. External factors such as the dogs housing conditions and husbandry, environmental changes such 78 Dog News

as exposure to extremely cold temperatures or extreme heat and humidity like we experience here in Texas in the summer months, certainly diet can have an effect, his exposure to females in heat, as well as the number and frequency of semen collections or natural breedings being performed.

The internal factors we consider are things such as his age, weight, body condition, and exposure to parasites and diseases. In general, a young mature dog (2-4 years of age) will have a higher sperm count and better quality semen than older or immature dogs. General health status is very important. An ill or stressed dog will rarely produce good quality semen. It can take as long as 3- 6 months following recovery from illness or marked stress for the ejaculate to return to normal. Some medications, both prescription and over the counter, can affect sperm production.

Size has a big effect; large breeds produce more sperm cells than smaller breeds. Toy breeds will often need to have semen collections done several times to store enough sperm to breed one bitch, whereas a large or giant breed might produce enough sperm in one collection to inseminate multiple bitches.

It is the number of sperm cells, not the volume of the collection that is important. Disposition and temperament also have an effect. In general an experienced stud dog produces better semen quality than one who doesn’t fully understand the collection process and what is expected of him. It may be advisable to have a young or inexperienced dog collected once or twice prior to having semen stored in order to acclimate him to the process. If

the stud dog is shy or nervous, his semen numbers may be poor and freezing the collection won’t be recommended. In addition, a dog that is accustomed to having people around and being handled while breeding will fare better when having semen collected.

We strive to imitate the natural breeding process for any semen collection attempt – a bitch in heat standing in front of the stud dog assists the collection process.

CHF: How does semen quality affect outcome of a breeding?

Kampschmidt: One thing I like to make sure that breeders understand is that poor quality semen does not produce poorer quality puppies. In the absence of the risk of infectious disease transmission, which is practically eliminated when using frozen semen, the only effect on outcome is the chance of a pregnancy and size of the litter. Poor quality semen has a lesser chance of fertilizing eggs. Once the sperm has successfully transferred its genetic payload into the ovum, its job is complete, the rest is up to the female and the quality of the genetic material transferred.

When using good quality frozen semen, inseminated at the proper time and in the proper way, it is the female that determines the size of the litter by the number of eggs she ovulates.

CHF: If semen is not of high enough quality what do you recommend?

Kampschmidt: If a dog is producing motile sperm cells, it may be useful to attempt to freeze his semen. Generally, if semen numbers and/or quality are compromised, only a small quantity of viable sperm cells will be stored. While this will may give someone an “insurance policy” bank of semen, every attempt should be made to either breed

“...it is important to have a record of semen ownership, if the stud dog is co-owned it is important that the co-owners agree before freezing who will be the owner of the semen.” the stud with fresh semen or improve semen quality and freeze again at a later date. If a reason for the poor semen quality is not obvious, as in the advanced age or condition of the dog, every attempt should be made to assess all the factors that may be affecting the stud’s fertility. A full veterinary and reproductive work-up may be recommended, and hopefully a successful treatment plan can be outlined.

CHF: What kind of paperwork and record keeping are required or recommended to store a dog’s semen?

Kampschmidt: A copy of the stud’s individual registration papers and positive identification including microchip or tattoo are usually required. All stud owners’ signatures must be obtained so that we may file appropriate paperwork with the stud dog’s registration body. We discussed the need for disease testing and having a DNA profile on record.

Maintaining a record of your semen inventory and where it is stored is important. Record any transfers and uses of the straws. In addition to these things it is important to have a record of semen ownership, if the stud dog is co-owned it is important that the coowners agree before freezing who will be the owner of the semen. If semen is transferred for breeding or changes in ownership occur, those records must be maintained by the storage facilities and by the semen owners.

CHF: Can you walk us through the steps of semen cryopreservation?

Kampschmidt: Immediately after the collection, the semen is evaluated microscopically as we discussed earlier. If the quality is acceptable for freezing, the sample is then extended with a buffer solution that protects the cells during the freezing and thawing processes.

Basically, these buffers contain cryoprotectants which prevent ice crystals from damaging the cell membranes. They also contain ingredients that provide energy to the sperm cells during freezing and after the thaw. Most buffers also contain antibiotics.

After the buffer is added, the sample is then placed into an equilibration unit in which it is slowly cooled. A sperm count is then performed and the sample is further diluted to a uniform concentration. The refrigerated and diluted semen sample is then divided into multiple individually labeled straws – the number of straws is determined by the initial sperm count. After a gradual cooling the actual freezing process takes place over liquid nitrogen vapors.

All the straws are then rapidly plunged into liquid nitrogen and packaged into goblets and onto canes for long term storage.

Finally, one “partially filled” straw is thawed and examined for post-freeze motility and quality.

An acceptable post thaw motility may be anywhere from 40 to 80 or even 90% – this means that 4090% of the original sperm cells have survived the freeze and thaw process. From combining all these factors, we determine the number of straws needed for an individual breeding.

CHF: How much semen will be stored from each collection?

Kampschmidt: The number of straws stored is directly dependent on the stud dog’s sperm count. The quantity and quality of semen produced in one ejaculate can vary, sometimes considerably in a short period of time from dog to dog and collection to collection. The number of breedings obtained depends not only on the sperm count, but also on the quality and post-freeze motility. Therefore one individual breeding unit may use a different number of straws from one date than from another date the same dog was frozen.

CHF: How many straws should a breeder expect to need per breeding?

Kampschmidt: The quantity of straws required depends upon the quality of the collection including morphology and motility and the concentration of the sperm per ml. For the reasons we previously discussed, it can vary. But in general the range is from 2 to 6 straws per breeding. So on average, 4 straws are used per breeding. It is important when purchasing frozen semen for use in breeding a bitch to know all the criteria used in determining the number of straws per breeding and to remember that there are different packaging protocols and breeding recommendations used in the canine semen freezing industry. At this time we do not have a standardized protocol, so remember that a “straw” does not equal a “breeding” and that one “straw” does not even always equal another “straw”.

CHF: Dr. Kampschmidt, thank you so much for this valuable information.

For our listeners, our corporate alliance Zoetis provides many services discussed here today. Information about these services can be found at zoetisus.com/caninerepro.

Dog News 79

80 Dog News

A bevy of awesome trophy ribbons.

American Pomeranian Club National Specialty • Louisville, Kentucky • March 8-12, 2014

BY Victoria Oelerich President, APC

T

he American Pomeranian Club held Ch. Hi Times What The Inferno, its National Specialty in Louisville, handled by Curtiss Smith, Kentucky on March 8-12th at the Holi- was awarded day Inn, Hurstebourne. The Specialty Best of Breed was extremely well attended boasting the by Judge largest entry seen in many years. Not only was Mrs. Vicki the entry large, but the entry was drawn from Abbott a diverse domestic and international contingent of Pom enthusiasts making it particularly gratifying.

The club was delighted to welcome Pomeranian enthusiasts from all over the world. Visitors from at least twelve countries became eager participants in all of our events. There was spite of that limitation the trial ran 84 runs per an air of international camaraderie, all beday over two days with 29 of the entrants being cause of the shared love for Pomeranians.

Pomeranians. It was a thrill to watch those little This year APC hosted its “First Annual dogs smiling from ear to ear as they performed Agility Trial” at the Flying Feet Agility, their little hearts out. This idea has been under LLC Center in Floyd Knobs, Indiana.

EnPam Campbell Dziuk consideration for years but this year, because of tries were open to all toy breeds and in Puppy Match Judge a core group of dedicated, ambitious individuals, it finally came to fruition.

Back at the Holiday Inn on Sunday afterContinued on page 92

Agility people socializing at Flying Feet LLC Center.

Home made quilt.

Dog News 81

82 Dog News

Dog News 83

FCl Chubu lnternational Continued FROM page 75

but they kept coming and coming.

The dog folk basically had the dining room to ourselves. The alcohol in different forms flowed and all were in a very jovial mood. We all retired to our rooms well before midnight since we had a long day of sightseeing and fabulous dining. Upon checking in on Friday, we were presented with our breakfast coupons for the next three days. Just a few of us would be eating breakfast Saturday. The hotel was not preparing a buffet breakfast. Friday at check-in they asked if we would be wanting an Asian or Western breakfast. After a short ride we arrived at the venue which was adjoining the Pacific Ocean. It was gray and very chilly, but we were all prepared for the weather conditions. Luckily around noon the sun came out and we were able to remove several of our layers of protection from the elements.

Japan always offers wonderful hospitality, wonderful cuisine, but as judges, most importantly, wonderful dogs to evaluate. Japan is the only country of the world that the two sexes do not compete against each other. It is only at the very end of the show where Best King and Best Queen compete against each other. This means that there are groups for the different ages for Puppy, Junior and Adult.

Being that FCI has ten groups that makes 30 separate groups for males and 30 different groups for females.

That totals 60 groups plus the six Best competitions. This means 66 different groups and Bests are completed before the run off between Best and Queen.

This also means with all the group placements, 250 exhibitors can go home with more than a BOB ribbon. Here in the States we only have 28 exhibitors able to win or place in the groups. This means close to 9 times as many exhibitors

go home winners. Most people enter a dog show with the hope of winning something. The average exhibitor in the States realizes their chance of winning a major or BOB are slim odds. The odds are very, very slim that the average exhibitor will place in a group in the states. The chances are getting fewer as each group has more and more and more new breeds competing. As the AKC has expanded the size of the groups it would be logical to offer more placements in each group.

Friday was a national show with 500 dogs and Sunday was an International show and entry was 50% larger or a total of 750 competing.

Friday the main part of my assignment was roughly 45 Poodles, Dobes, Boxers, Mini Schnauzers and a few Sporting breeds.

The Latin and Asian countries see very few sporting dogs, with the exception of Labs and Goldens. Of the entire Poodle entry, there were only 3 Standards and 2 Minis. It is always a great pleasure to judge Toy Poodles in Japan. Besides the legendary “Smash” Kennels, there are other breeders producing Toy Poodles. I normally think of White having the top quality. Here on the trip there

“Japan always offers wonderful hospitality, wonderful cuisine, but as judges, most importantly, wonderful dogs to evaluate.”

84 Dog News

was much more depth of quality in blacks. Besides the BOB champion bitch, there were two outstanding young black bitches that I believe might be sisters. These two young bitches, I would imagine, will be at PCA and Tochie will have big hopes for them. I had a hard time deciding between these two black bitches, to the point I put both back on the table to re-examine them. My eventual winner pushed the black champion bitch for BOB. Earlier in the day, I judged Dobes and it always amazes me how consistent the breed is in every country of the world today, except Europe. The so called American type has the same strengths and sorry to say, the same shortcomings. It was just like the Dobes I judged in Manila several weeks earlier. Front assemblies are so universally lacking around the world today. The Mini Schnauzers with FCI shows are in the Working group. The quality of Mini Schnauzers has always been very strong in Japan. I was very taken by a young dog that is sired by Ch Allaruth Just Kidding V Sole Baye, the dog Bergit Kabel has broken all records with in the US.

S

aturday I had the pleasure of judging Best. My Best King was a Pembroke Corgi. This very handsome dog, Balmy Winds JP Jake, won the breed one of the days over at AKC/Eukanuba weekend in December. Pembrokes have become very strong in Japan. I got to watch the breed being judged one day and thought there was a lot of depth of quality. On Sunday, I awarded a young bitch the top spot in the puppy or Junior Best.

My Reserve King was a young Borzoi that is not fully mature, but has a lot of virtue. For Best Queen it was a difficult decision between the fabulous black Toy Poodle and a Borzoi bitch. The Toy Poo-

dle, due to the weather, acted a bit unsteady on the move and gave the lovely Borzoi the edge.

The best represented Japan in the World Challenge this past year. She is owned in Japan by Mai Ozeki and bred and coowned by Marcella Zobel and Robin Stachon in California. Borzoi have always been one of the strongest breeds in Japan. When I judged the World Challenge in 2010 I sent a Borzoi representing Japan to the finals. This wonderful Borzoi, known as “Hunter”, was First Runner-up in the World Challenge under the queen of Portugal, Carla Molinari. After Best Queen was judged there was the runoff between Best King and Queen. The Borzoi bitch became the ultimate BIS winner.

This was the first time I had ever given a Borzoi BIS. Saturday retreating back to the lovely resort, we had quick time to take off our layers of clothing and a quick hot shower. Another fabulous dinner was presented to us and everyone was in a very festive mood. Due to the weather conditions and judging in a foreign land, we all appreciated a good night’s sleep.

Waking up Sunday morning it was already raining slightly. It was to clear up around mid day, but around 1 PM, the rains worsened. Luckily for me most of my assignment was finished by the time the heavy rains started. I started the day with Terriers, which also in FCI includes Yorkies. The overall quality was very good. I was sorry to not have judged Russell Terriers.

There were several that did very well in the groups under me. Ja-

M pan has become a leader in breeding top Russells. My Best King in the Terrier group went to a Russell. I fell in love with a wire bitch bred by Hiroshi Tsuyuki. She is a little sister to a male Dana Bryson is campaigning here in the States. There were 22 Yorkies and several nice ones, but as a whole they were quite lacking in virtues.

My last breed of the day was 42 Goldens.

They were all of American type and on a par with what we see in the States. I must say, my Best King and Best Queen could compete well here in the States. Like in the US, they also need to improve on heads, front assemblies and proper length of leg.

Bo Skalin had the pleasure of judging Best. He put up the lovely black Toy Poodle bitch.

I was pleased to see her being more steady on the move than she had been for me the night before. It was interesting how very similar Bo and I judged the Toy Poodles.

Sunday after the show we were happy to get in the van and retreat to the resort. Only Bo, Shellie, Adrian and the gentleman from South Korea, Mr. Kwon Sang Kook, and a few of the show organizers like Yoshimi Suzuki were there. It was nice to have a very quiet relaxing evening over dinner. Since we finished dinner at a reasonable time we all retreated to a room for Karaoke. It was a small room and we were the only players for the evening.

Since Monday was to be a relaxing day of touring none of us were in a rush to retire. The Karaoke made for such a fun evening.

“After a wonderful lunch, our friends took us out to their kennel to see all the dogs and the beautiful kennel out in the countryside.”

o n d a y morning we departed the beautiful resort for a day of touring and a leisurely lunch. It was about three hours drive back to Tokyo where we would spend the night, before flying out Tuesday. Monday turned out to be so beautiful, weather wise, and made for enjoyable touring. We were judging a couple hours West of Tokyo and it was a part of Japan that none of us had experienced before. After touring a national landmark we dined in a fabulous private dining room with a breathtaking view. We arrived back at the Washington Hotel around six o’clock and were feeling well rested from napping on the long drive back to Tokyo.

Shortly after settling in to our rooms, Adrian, Bo, Shellie and I decided to walk the beautiful area and find a place for dinner. We found a charming small restaurant that specialized in Hibachi. We all enjoyed cooking our dinner right at the table.

Shellie and I were not departing from Narita until early Tuesday evening. This gave us a chance to enjoy another day of Tokyo.

We took a bus around 9 o’clock back to Narita and were able to store our bags since we could not check in so early. Before noon some friends met us at the airport and took Shellie and I to a great steakhouse close to the airport. After a wonderful lunch, our friends took us out to their kennel to see all the dogs and the beautiful kennel out in the countryside.

I have to thank the club and all the exhibitors for making my trip to Japan a very memorable experience. I am already looking forward to seeing many of my friends from Japan in Helsinki for the World Dog Show in August.

Dog News 85

Danny Burns Up

Multiple Thai Best In Show, Multiple

Ch. HiTimes What Owners: Bonnie Bird and Udomisin Littichaikun

86 Dog News

Kentucky!

Pictured winning Best of Breed at the Pomeranian Club National Specialty!

Special thanks to Judge Mrs. Vicki Abbott for this tremendous honor. *

Danny followed this wonderful win with Four consecutive Supported Breed Wins, a Group First and Three Group Placements!

Our thanks to Judges Mr. James Fredriksen, Mrs. Cindy Vogels, Mr. William Usherwood & Mr. Charles Trotter for the breed wins and Mrs. Charlotte Patterson for the Group First.

T American Best In Show N he umber One Toy

The Inferno Breeders: J. Carcsole and A. Carcasole

*

Presented By: Curtiss Smith

*The Dog News Top Ten List

Dog News 87

March Fever Steve Dean, chairman of the Kennel Club: “Crufts is where dog shows began”

Winner of the terrier group, Ch. King Arthur Van Foliny Home

Every March, that same feeling envelops me: excitement that starts at the pit of my stomach and gradually rises to my scalp, causing it to tingle. It joins me at the airport, flies with me to Birmingham and reaches its peak when I enter the NEC – the British National Exhibition Center, the venue for the “World’s Greatest Dog Show” as the organizers very modestly call their event.

STORY & photos by Yossi Guy

Lucy Watts and Molly, winners of Friends for Life

The BIS Standard Poodle posing with the historic trophy

The girls wanted to come, Jolie and Karlie with their souvenirs 88 Dog News

at Crufts The Pomeranian stall in the Discover Dogs section – the public is encouraged to pat the dogs and get acquainted with the breed

The Pomeranian winner of the toy group

The flamboyant Josie Carter, her daughter Kelly Pearce and their dog, Queenie

Agility in the Arena, one of the sports that draw crowds to Crufts

Yes,

I do lose some sleep over a local show and am very happy to go to a European Winner or World Winner show, but there is something about Crufts that makes it THE event to attend. In the following article I will try to find out what makes it so with the help of various organizers, judges, exhibitors and visitors.

One of the most promi-

nent aspects of Crufts is the huge amount of stalls that fill the five enormous halls near the rings. Many people come for the shopping and many of the business owners are there year after year despite the very high prices.

Among the various people that caught my eye were a couple of women with a small dog, all dressed up in very fancy costumes, glitterContinued on page 96

Irish Wolfhound winner of the hound group

One of the more exciting sports – flyball Dog News 89

90 Dog News

Dog News 91

American Pomeranian Club National Specialty Continued FROM page 81

noon the kick-off event, an AKC Sanctioned puppy match with the well respected handler Pam Campbell judging, got under way.

There were 55 puppy entries, which filled out the afternoon nicely as everyone got to see each other’s future upcoming prospects. Following the match, all were invited to an evening of good friends and good food for the annual Hospitality “Meet and Greet”.

M

onday morning bright and early the obedience and rally classes began judged

by Ms. Nancy Withers. Obedience and rally entries were high this year with a total of 32 poms being competed at varying levels.

The dedication to training was so apparent as you watched those dogs proudly go through their paces. In addition to the competitive classes the club offered the ability for our poms to get their Canine Good Citizen titles thanks to Margaret McKee and Barbara McKlatchey, who presided over that aspect of the event. This was also a first for our National.

After lunch, Sweepstakes judging began with 110 puppies competing for Grand Sweeps. An unfortunate turn of events left our scheduled judge, beloved club member and pom breeder, Ms. Charlotte Creed, unable to attend. A judge change brought Mr. Noble Inglett, a high profile participant in our breed, to judge. As competition came to a close an exhibitor all the way from Japan became the winner of Grand Sweepstakes. 9-12 month bitch Bunnybean Moonlight Sonata, bred by H. Gon Kim and shown by Mun Ju Kim, came away with the ribbon.

The schedule of events was full to the brim as usual. People scurried around getting dogs ex-ed and fed as preparation for the big Monday night event was being staged. Monday night has always been the club’s Top Twenty. This year’s glamorous Top Twenty had 15, of the 20 dogs eligible, 92 Dog News

entered. All three judges were noted breeders of Pomeranians as well as, either handlers or licensed judges.

The People’s Choice Award went to GCH. Ragdoll’s Purple Heart owned by Bonnie Stetson and Mike and Shalon Parrott and bred by Mike and Shalon Parrott. The dog winning the Judge’s Choice Award went to BBIS. BISS. GCH CH Ac Dynasty Dreamworks owned by S. Freidas and F. Almeida and bred by Abel Choi.

Early Tuesday morning the day began with Ms. Aly Bell singing a goosebump raising rendition of the National Anthem. She is an amazing vocalist and she always helps to start the day on a spectacular note. This year’s judge was the well respected Mrs. Vicki Abbott. She went right to work with grace and efficiency as well as complete respect for dogs and exhibitors alike. By the afternoon the entry of 141 dogs was completed leaving Winner’s Dog awarded to the gorgeous open ROC dog Hi-Times Read My Lips bred by J. and A. Carcasole and owned and shown by Liya Emilianova from Russia.

The American Pomeranian Club is acutely focused on the health concerns within our breed. Each year a health seminar is provided to try and help our breeders keep abreast on issues of concern within the breed. The APC underwrote this year’s event in order to attempt to arm breeders with the tools needed to create educated, planned breedings going into the future. This year the APC was proud to present Jerold S. Bell DVM, Clinical Associate Professor of Genetics, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine speaking on the topic of “Statistical Analysis of Genetics”. It was a fascinating and enlightening 3-hour presentation that left breeders with much information to take back with them and then utilize within their own breeding programs.

Tuesday evening is always the Annual General Membership Meeting, which is the “nuts and bolts” meeting

where members roll up their sleeves and get to work on the running of the club. Morale within the club is very high and volunteers for committees and workers were abundant. Once the work was done it was then time to party until the wee hours with a “not to be believed” Karaoke Night. The APC has singers and dancers galore and do they know how to throw a party!

It was “crazy”, good fun.

W

ednesday morning was the judging of the belles of our breed, our beautiful bitches.

There were 98 bitches entered in total, including 15 Veteran bitches. Mrs. Abbott once again greeted each exhibitor with a smile as she worked through her entry. The final choice of the morning, for Winner’s Bitch, was Bunnybean Moonlight Sonata (again as she was the Grand Sweepstakes winner as well) bred by H. Gon Kim and owned and shown by Mun Ju Kim. She was a dazzling choice.

After an hour break to eat, rest or to simply regroup the ring convened once again to reveal 68 breathtaking Champions ready to compete for Best of Breed. Mrs. Abbott brought all 68 in to check armband numbers and the ring was so full there was barely room to breathe. Once that task was completed Mrs. Abbott split the entries into manageable groups and the real judging began. She went through group after group whittling down the numbers of contenders until there remained a last ring full of final candidates. In the end the Best of Breed went to Ch. Hi-Times What The Inferno owned by

Bonnie Bird and Udomisin Littichaikun, bred

by J. A. Carcasole and expertly presented by Curtiss Smith. Best of Opposite Sex went to Ch. Peperie Put It Simply bred and owned

by Peter Pettersen and beautifully shown by Pam Campbell. The Best of Winners went to Winner’s Bitch Bunnybean Moonlight Sonata bred by H. Jon Kim and owned and shown by Mun Ju Kim. The Veterans classes at the Pomeranian National Specialties are normally not very well attended. The number of Veterans shown usually run between 6-10 entries at the very most. This year as an enticement for people to enter their old dogs and bitches it was suggested that perhaps a large cash prize for Best Veteran and Best of Opposite Veteran might bring larger numbers in those classes. A movement began to solicit donations and within a very short time the goal of $1,000 for Best Veteran and $500 for Best of Opposite Veteran was reached. People within the club were behind the notion that in order to truly gauge a breeding program we needed to be able to assess the quality of health, soundness and quality of the older dogs and bitches. It is within them that you can see what really matters, that we as a community are breeding animals that can maintain their health and well being into their senior years. This year’s Veteran classes brought out a whopping 38 senior specimens. Mrs. Abbott gave these classes the dignity they deserved. With a rousing round of applause the Best Veteran went to GCH. CH Castile’s Endless Love, bred, owned, and exhibited

by Geno Sisneros. The Best of Opposite Sex To Best Veteran went to Pomland Pillow Talk owners Dewayne Ward and Debbie Macleod and bred by M. and F. Hueston.

It is another year to go down in the history books. It is another year’s National Specialty show that has come and gone. All of the people that make it happen can take a final sigh of relief as it has once again come to pass. But it will be just a brief respite before once again the planning will begin for the 2015 APC National Specialty to be held in Louisville, Kentucky.

“This year as an enticement for people to enter their old dogs and bitches it was suggested that perhaps a large cash prize for Best Veteran and Best of Opposite Veteran might bring larger numbers in those classes.”

Dog News 93

94 Dog News

Smokie Won Three Consecutive Regional Specialties In March. Thank You Judges Mr. Robert Hutton, Ms. Christy Nelson And Mr. Eugene Blake For Recognizing The True Breed Type And Outstanding Structure Of This Exquisite Dog!

National Specialty Winner

GCh. Voici Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire Multiple Best In Specialty Show, Multiple Group Winner Bred and Owned By Layle Griffioen, DVM Co-Owned By Karen Gibson Dog News 95

March Fever at Crufts Continued FROM page 89

ing with sequins and extremely eyecatching. They were Josie Carter, her daughter Kelly Pearce, and their dog, Queenie. The two own a dog boutique called Licks Ooh La La, in Surrey, where they sell outlandish dog products.

“We used to breed and show,” says Kelly. “We started to buy very expensive gear so we set up a company and sell products that are both glam and comfortable. Queenie is our model. A lot of our goods come from America due to the price and variety.

I’ve been doing dog shows since I was a child. I have been coming to Crufts for the past six years. In my opinion, what makes it special is that it is bigger and draws more people. It gives the buyer a chance to see if they can get a better price.”

“A lot of people recognize us and it’s nice to see familiar faces,” added Kelly Pearce. “We come every year on Friday to do our shopping and catch up on what’s new. On Saturday we watch the judging.”

One of the stall owners, an Irish businessman, said he makes a point of coming to Crufts particularly in years when the Irish economy is not at its peak. The four days of the show enable him to make enough revenue to keep going.

I caught up with what seemed to be mother, father and two young daughters but turned out to be aunt, father and daughter and friend. The two young girls, Jolie and Karlie, were very happy, carrying small dog dolls.

They were the reason the four had come to the show, says Hayley Moody, the aunt. “The daughter watched a program about puppies coming from Crufts and we decided to come at her request. We didn’t have any expectations. We really enjoyed the main arena with its interesting program, we loved the Golden Retriever performance there. The fact we were able to pat the dogs in Discover Dogs, not just

to watch the show dogs, also made it into a great experience and we will definitely come again.”

Amanda and Emily Crittenden, mother and daughter, came from Bedfordshire, one and a half hours’ drive. “We came because Emily wanted to see the dogs,” said Amanda.

“I was drawn to the little dogs,” said Emily. “Our dog is very active.

We are going to start doing agility in the summer. We looked for different things that would keep it occupied instead of chewing everything in sight.”

“The collaboration between Landseer and Gosling was an unusually fortuitous one.”

96 Dog News

You seem to have bought quite a lot of things, was there anything you decided to omit this time?

“We would have liked to have bought a big cage, but it was quite expensive,” replied Amanda.

What makes Crufts special, as you see it?

“What makes it special is the diversity, things you don’t find anywhere else,” said Emily.

Vanessa McAlpine, Kennel Club Events and Education Executive, heads the team that organizes Crufts. “The appeal is in the variety,” she says.

“There is something for everybody.

The shopping is also good. Since Discover Dogs they can also touch the dogs.”

Tell us a bit about yourself.

“I have had dogs all my life. I now have a Great Dane rescue, a 16-month-old female. My husband’s late son won the group at Crufts several years ago. I am no responsible for the Young Kennel Club and other programs in addition to Crufts.”

How do you work on Crufts?

“I’ve been in the KC for 36 years and have worked on Crufts for 26 years.

My motto is: if you stand still you won’t get anything. We’ve developed

new things, including the arena, Discover Dogs, people also like to see military dogs and Friends for Life. From the dog show aspect, the foreign dogs, mostly of high quality, have raised the standard here too.”

G

etting placed at Crufts is quite an achievement. The dogs all have to qualify, either at British championship shows or at foreign Crufts qualifier shows, producing an entry that is relatively high in quality. The number of entries is huge and in some breeds can reach 300-400 dogs, making the title “Crufts CC winner” or even a placing in the class something to be proud of.

Steve Dean, chairman of the Kennel Club, notes: “Crufts is the show of the Kennel Club, where dog shows began. It covers all aspects of the dog – not just showing, but agility, obedience and other things. We try to make the show attractive to the public by offering information about keeping dogs at the Discover Dogs section, providing various services and enabling dog lovers everywhere to have a great time.”

In the Shetland Sheepdog ring, there were two men in Scottish kilts: the judge and one of the competitors, Stephen Proctor, 32, from Scotland.

Do you remember your first time at Crufts? How many years ago was it, what did you know about it before and what was your impression then?

“My first Crufts was 1996,” recalls Stephen. “The first breed judging I watched was the Cocker Spaniel judging. The BOB winner, Ch. Canigou Cambrai, went on to win the gundog group and BIS. “I could not believe the size of the show and was a little overwhelmed, I had a great time. Little did I know that I would become

involved with Cockers, having handled them on a small level and live with a show champion!

“I did not sleep much that night and was so looking forward to the next day where I got to see my beloved Shetland Sheepdogs get judged by Joe and Nan Kirk.

“The quality on show that day was rather amazing, so many wonderful dogs, the two top winning shelties of all time Ch. Myriehewe Rosa Bleu and Ch Hers the Helmsman were exhibited, two stunning examples of the breed. The dog CC went to the beautiful Ch Keltihope Harvester, however the stunning Rosa Bleu went on to win BOB and the massive working group.”

Have your dogs achieved anything at Crufts and in what way is it different from other shows?

“I have showed two dogs at Crufts, Silent Whisper and this year my young tri boy Our Little Drummer Boy. This year I was delighted to get a place with my young dog.”

What makes Crufts such a unique event, in your eyes?

“The difference about Crufts is that there is always quality in depth and such an honor to just get placed! This show is different from any other; it’s a massive event and so much happening throughout the show: agility, trade standards, Discover Dogs and the pageantry of the BIS always make Crufts a show to remember. During my time in dogs, there have been 3 BIS winners that really stood out, the Kerry Blue Ch Torum Scarf Michael, the Hungarian Vizsla Aust, Ch/Ch Hungarung Bear it in Mind and this year’s BIS win-

ner the stunning Ch Afterglow Maverick Sabre. His handler Jason Lynn was at one with Dino and both gave a master class in showmanship and handling!”

Perhaps

o n e of the most moving moments at Crufts for the past few years has been the Friends for Life event in which the British public chooses a human-canine relationship that epitomizes the special bond between men and dogs. These heart-warming stories bring to center stage people with disabilities, whose very existence is an ongoing challenge, and the dog that came into their life and made it more bearable.

This time, I had the honor of talking to Lucy Watts from Essex who came with her dog Molly.

Lucy is bound to a wheelchair since she was diagnosed with a life-limiting rare genetic disease called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

The illness had left Lucy isolated, withdrawn and unhappy. When Molly the Cocker Spaniel came into her life things changed for the better.

“I like working Cocker Spaniels,” said Lucy. “I got her at 8 weeks. When I was choosing a puppy, most of them were friendly. But she stood on my lap and licked my face, so actually she chose me. She is learning to be an assistance dog, picks up things, fetches objects, helps pull off my sleeves when I want to undress, alerts someone if I’m on my own. We meet the trainer twice a month and then we practice on our own.

“I’ve always had rescue dogs,” continued Lucy. “I do voluntary work for charities, write and speak. I even gave a presentation to the British Parliament. I

talk about living with a chronic, life limiting condition.

“A couple of friends nominated me for Friends for Life,” explains Lucy. “It’s lovely to be here, it’s good for awareness Today a lot of people recognized me from the promos and I’m very happy to be here. My win today is just fantastic. It is just wonderful what Molly has done for me. She has given me a purpose, a reason to live, a reason to keep fighting and a reason to carry on.”

A

mong the people who have accompanied me to Crufts over the years were many for whom this was the first time. I came up with a silly name for them “Crufts virgins”, believing I had coined a new phrase. Well, it turns out the organizers use this same nickname.

The response from first-timers usually expresses their overwhelming impression of the venue, its extent and the variety of products in the trade stands. This year, an acquaintance spent the good part of $1,000 on various trinkets on the first day and had to borrow money for food the following days. Is he planning to come again? You bet your boots! And with a bigger budget too.

All the persons interviewed for this article ended their words with one thing – they would definitely return in years to come.

The human-canine bond has been brining people from all parts of the world to England every March since 1891. The thing many exhibitors and foreign visitors noted was the human aspect – meeting fellow breeders and friends. For “dog people” this is perhaps the most important aspect. For the “laymen” the attraction lies in the diversity. They can see everything relating to dogs, including things they had never seen before. As long as the organizers continue with their emphasis on providing something for everyone and keep coming up with additional ideas, the public will continue coming to what is not the World’s Greatest Dog Show but the World’s Greatest Dog Event.

“The human-canine bond has been brining people from all parts of the world to England every March since 1891. The thing many exhibitors and foreign visitors noted was the human aspect – meeting fellow breeders and friends.”

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o s ip s G column the

BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS

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t may not be June, but love is certainly in the air. Congratulations are in order for handlers TAMMY MIYAGAWA and LUKE SEIDLITZ, who have announced their engagement to be married. On June 1st, friends and family will gather in Myrtle Bach, South Carolina to attend the marriage of handlers SHELBY ROBERTS to LENNY BROWN. In July, handlers TRACY SZARAS and LUIZ ABREU plan to be married. Next week, friends of BETH SWEIGART will gather in Washington, Connecticut to help her celebrate her birthday…oh no, if you want to know how old she is, ask her or some of the invited guests that include TINA & BILL TRUESDALE, PAM & JOHN BEALE, ERNESTO LARA, ANGIE LLOYD, JANE & BOB FORSYTH, JOE VAUDO, LIZ TOBIN, AMY & ANDREW GREEN, MATT STANDER, NENNA & GEIR FLYCKTPEDERSEN, CHUCK WINSLOW, ROXIE & JESSY SUTTON and LETISHA WUBBELL. Racing around the show ring doesn’t bring large monetary rewards, but winning the Iditarod brought DALLAS SEAVEY a hefty $50,000 prize. He finished the race in eight days, 13 hours, four minutes and 19 seconds. This Saturday, friends and relatives will gather at the Miami home of the late WALTER GOODMAN to help celebrate a life well lived. Hosted by his longtime companion BOB FLANDERS there

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should be lots of laughs and tears.

The world of toy breeds in England and around the world has lost one of its most successful breeders. DI FRY, of Amantra fame, has passed away at 70 years of age. A breeder of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, King Charles Spaniels (known to us as English Toy Spaniels, why is another question) and Japanese Chins. Her passing and that of SHEALAGH WATERS of Maibee fame in 2011, leaves a large void in the breed. Celebrating Wedding Anniversaries…CHUCK & PAT TROTTER, RON & LINDA MATTSON, CHERYL & WAYNE CAVANAUGH, SHARON & DAVID KROGH and PATRICIA & JOSEF ULLOA. Celebrating Birthdays…

BETH SWEIGART, TIM THOMAS, C.R. BOYES, CHRIS JONES, BRIAN PHILLIPS, DON RODGERS, KEN MURRAY, JANE FLOWERS, KEVIN CHESTNUT, SALLY GEORGE, GWEN DEMILTA, CARLA SANCHEZ, RON SCOTT, JOAN LOGAN, DAVE FREI, MADELYN GOSS, MAKENA TARA MARKEY, ARLENE BENKO, WILL ALEXANDER, SHEA SKINNER, PERRY PHILLIPS, SARAH PERCHICK, ANDREW PEEL, KATHERINE SUTTEL, AARON WILKERSON, KEN WALL, ALAN WATERMAN, PEGGY MCGILL, SHELBY ROBERTS, EDNA MARTIN, JANICE SIMONDS, STAN MATSUMOTO, BARBARA OHMANN and TED SWEDALIA.

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rvey

He is a young dog just starting his specials career Shown being awarded Best of Opposite Sex at the 2014 Westminster Kennel Club

GCH TRISORTS SUMMER HARVEST PT Owners: Lisa Knock & Barbara Vitarelli 8600 Hampton Way Fairfax Station, VA 22039 Cell 703-424-5491

Breeder: TriSorts Lisa Knock & Barbara Vitarelli Dog News 101

You Can Help A Friend...

How a Club may support Take The Lead:

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lubs have been the keystones in enabling Take The Lead to provide education to members of the fancy, provide opportunities to support annual membership as well as opportunities for fund raising events in conjunction with their shows.

There are a myriad of ways in which a club may support Take The Lead. A Club may offer space to set up a membership and educational booth at their event. This may be expanded to be an opportunity to do different forms of fundraising activities. A popular fundraiser is “Chuck A Duck”. We have invested in flocks of ducks that we can provide to a club with the appropriate directions for rental. The size of the flock is 100 and the ducks are rented for $5 to attendees at the show. At an appointed time, usually before Groups start or BIS a children’s wading pool is placed in the center of the ring and all duck renters are assembled to Chuck their rented ducks. The duck landing closest to the center of the pond is the lucky winner of half of the rental pot. The ducks are numbered and each renter receives a card with their duck’s number allowing us to verify the winning duck tosser. Winners of the duck toss have been very generous, donating some or all of the winnings back to Take The Lead.

Raffles throughout the day at the Take The Lead Booth have become another means in which clubs and individuals can support the fundraising efforts. Clubs and members may coordinate theme baskets or items to donate to the raffle as well as solicit raffle items from the vendors attending their shows.

The creativity of the items donated to the raffles is amazing, ranging from the ever popular “ It is five o’clock somewhere” Cocktail themed baskets, to Margarita makers, “Coffee Makers”, Holiday themed baskets, regional baskets, and the ever popular wine assortments top the popularity list. A recent addition to the donations from area Reproductive Specialists has been an assortment of services including progesterone testing, semen collection and storage for a year, ever popular and incents client to purchase lots of tickets.

We have been fortunate to have continuous support from so many individuals and companies. Our appreciation to all who support our events and raffles with their wonderful, creative donations In the Northeast we are forever grateful for the artistic talent of Joan Scott who assists in putting together theme baskets and decorating the tables at multiple booths and events throughout the year.

What if your club wishes to hold an event to support Take The Lead? The inaugural event was a cocktail party held the Thursday night prior the Tuxedo Park Kennel Club show in September of 1993. This was followed by what has become the annual Holiday Party held in conjunction with Eastern Dog Club in early December.

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If a Club or Cluster wishes to be involved with coordinating an event in conjunction with their shows things to consider: space and location of the party, theme, and most importantly how the party will be underwritten to allow it to be a successful fundraiser.

One of the first fundraising parties which continue to be an annual Holiday party is held in conjunction with Eastern Dog Club.

The donation of baskets and raffle items grows each year. The theme and decorating for the party is coordinated by Joan Scott with her band of merry elves, Whitney Perry and Sue King, who transform the host locations to Holiday Celebrations! Everyone in New England looks forward to our annual holiday gathering.

The Take the Lead Board is fortunate to have as a member Michael Faulkner. His professional career includes fundraising and he has coordinated unique and fun parties, the most recent was at the Middle Peninsula Kennel Club of Virginia show this past January.

The show is held at the Richmond Raceway Complex, in Richmond,VA. Attendees participated in changing tires in a simulated pit stop to racing miniature cars on a track. Probably his greatest talent has been his skill as an auctioneer, including tripling the earnings for the evening when auctioning off a gourmet dinner prepared in your own home; complete with wine. Bidding was consistent between three attendees at the dinner, at the point when a generous donation was being offered; it was asked if all bidders would be willing to be winners at that point? As a result, Michael provided three gourmet dinners and raised a substantial donation for Take The Lead in one evening.

The Tar Heel Cluster in March has become an annual celebration for Take The Lead, with an extensive raffle table and on alternating years a party right on the Fair Grounds allowing easy access for everyone attending the shows. Live music and dancing the night away has become the theme!

The Harvest Moon cluster consisting of Del Valle Dog Club of Livermore and Skyline Kennel Club have hosted parties over the years including an auction of artwork created by members of the fancy and most recently a comedy night.

These are only a few examples of what has been done, the ideas for fun are endless, and it just takes some creativity and desire to create an evening of fun to benefit those in our sport who may need assistance.

Take The Lead appreciates the support that All Breed and Specialty Clubs have provided over the years which have provided camaraderie, good times and support to this worthwhile cause.

If your club has the interest to host a booth or coordinate an event please contact the office : Take The Lead PO Box 6353 Watertown, NY 13601 800-814-1123 FAX: 315-786-1874

Here’s How You Can Help A Friend...

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CLICK M ar c h M a d n e s s Clust e r

Photos by Booth Photography

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THE GREAT PYRENEES Continued FROM page 57

Flynn takes a jump on a rally course.

Flynn (GCh UKC/Int’l Nat Ch Valle d’Aspe Scandalous Affair CD RAE NAP GN BN CGC URO1 UAGII VX HOF), Jo Stubb’s Great Pyr, has obedience, rally and agility titles in addition to his conformation championships. difficult. “Not that Ailo didn’t take to draft work very quickly because he did but it took quite a bit of training time because I needed to take small steps to build his confidence with the cart. In draft dog work, if a dog lacks confidence and panics when hitched to a cart, they can easily be injured if they become tangled in the harness and cart equipment. When I started doing draft work with him, I practiced putting the harness on and backing up without being hitched to the cart. Another day, I would put the harness on him but then do obedience exercises. Once I knew he was comfortable and reliable with several parts of drafting, I would work on combining them. I tried to build on previous sessions until all the parts were completed. It was important to give him the time to build the proper muscling for draft work also. By the time I reached the level where he 106 Dog News

knew all the exercises and it was just a matter of practicing in public, he would proudly pull his cart on the bike paths or in parks. When he met another dog on the path, he would walk a little taller and exude the message that he was a working dog with a job to do and proud of it. The problem with Pyrs in a lot of dog sports is they see no reason to perform an exercise in a particular sport and so they don’t.

I’ve found that there is a limit to the number of repetitions that a Pyr will complete. Where a Golden Retriever is happy to retrieve over and over, a Pyr may be good for three or four repetitions before they shut down completely especially if they have successfully performed the exercise each time.

If pushed beyond their tolerance level, Pyrs will tend to get sloppy and make mistakes. Keeping a Pyr motivated to work enthusiastically and with precision is a challenge.

One issue that I had with Ailo was that he is an exceedingly friendly

dog. While this is an endearing trait in some circumstances, it was a real negative when he would decide to go visit the judge in the ring during competition,” said Taber.

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problem for Bascom has been one of the most basic obedience exercises, heeling.

“This is a very boring exercise for both the dogs and for me. So, I have had to make sure I do it in short, upbeat sessions. Most of the heeling I do now is a quick burst of maybe a minute or less with praise and a quick release if the dog is correct. Sometimes I only go a few steps and then praise and release. It’s important to do these different activities, however, as it shows good temperament because a dog has to be sound in both mind and body to do performance events.

We’re currently dealing with a lack of recognition by the national

breed club of titles in performance events. Yes, there are certificates of achievement but no special recognition for outstanding performance by individual dogs in performance events. The board of directors has also decided there will be no draft tests at the national specialty. This is a real shame and it appears the club’s current board is taking the club on a path back to the old way of conformation only. Great Pyrenees are a lot more than just show dogs.”

Another

issue facing the breed is owners with a “disposable dog mentality” that get a Pyr, according to Taber. “Too many Pyrs are winding up in shelters or in rescue programs because people were so enamored by the adorable little white fluffball puppy. That puppy then grows up to be a very large dog that exercises its guardian dog traits by endlessly barking or escaping fencing to satisfy their inbred wanderlust. When the cute little puppy becomes an adult, these formerly starry-eyed owners don’t want to take the time to train the dog, decide they can’t deal with the problems and dispose of them by way of rescue groups or shelters. We somehow need to emphasize to breeders that they absolutely have to do their best to educate prospective puppy buyers so these people understand the characteristics and challenges of living with an adult Pyr. One of the reasons I do several things with my dogs is the hope that someone who might not have ever considered training a dog will decide to take an obedience class. Multi-titled Pyrs present the perfect opportunity to educate the public about the breed and its capabilities.”

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Grand Mastin De Borinquen -or- Puerto Rican Mastiff

RA E BOfTheEEDS World

Continued FROM page 71

an industrialization program which attracted manufacturing plants from the U.S. mainland.

I promise that I tried to be as close as possible to the history of Puerto Rico as one can be, having to maintain the coherence in the tightest possible way. Do not make mistake this little island has a great history of a strong people, survivors of the oppression both of the elements, and humans as well. Certainly it would be surprising that in the constant guerrillas the Puerto Ricans wouldn’t have a strong help, a fierce warrior, a dog to be proud of; the Grand Mastin de Borinquen, also known as the Puerto Rican Mastiff, Mastin Borincano, Becerillo de Borinquen and Perro Barsino de Hacienda.

The Gran Mastin de Borinquen (means native from Borinquen the island original name) resulted from the crossbreeding of the local Perros Jibaros (the island’s native dogs) with Latin American Molossers and Spanish Mastiffs. This is a large massive breed of mastiff type dog that is believed to have originated in Puerto Rico during the Spanish colonial times.

The Spanish Mastiffs originated when the Phoenician maritime traders bought to Spain their molossers around 100 BC. Initially these dogs were used by the Spaniards as livestock guards but later on as efficient and tireless war dogs. With its Flamenco Beach

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The fort of San Juan

war dog ancestry it is not surprising for the Gran Mastin de Borinquen to be known as ferocious and to be utilized in the now prohibited rings, but they were kept mainly as guard and protection dog.

These dogs are noted for their incredible strength, and are perfectly capable of bringing down wild boars and any other big ferocious animals.

A Gran Mastin de Borinquen will fight other animals till the end. In their bloody past these types of dogs were used as gladiator dogs of the Spanish conquerors and their quarry were humans (which were mostly the indians and the slaves). During the time of the Spanish Encomendado, in the early 16th century these dogs helped the Spanish Kingdom in the colonization of Latin America. The Encomendado was the introduction of Christianity to the Taino indian population but in the reality was the enslavement of the natives.

Friar Bartolome de los Casas described these dogs as noble and courageous. That dog has been highly valued for its loyalty and protectiveness of its master. The importance of these Mastiffs in the Spanish x Indian wars are legendary.

The Spanish king rewarded the caretakers of these dogs with gold, food, and slaves showing His Majesty recognition for a job well done.

A Gran Mastin De Borinquen although its intimidating appearance would scare intruders (this is not a very amicable type of dog) is a noble and very loyal breed always eager to please its master. They easily adapt to the harsh conditions of Puerto Rico’s rain forest and the hot temperature of the plains and valleys. The Gran Mastin de Borinquen forms a strong relationship with humans but is not recommended to families with small children, the size alone is potentially dangerous, and they do not accept every kind of play or approach.

This breed definitely needs early socialization and obedience training; we can never forget that they are noted to be aggressive towards other animals, and strangers. Training them is not an easy task, because this is an intelligent but stubborn breed. The Borinquen Mastiff has been used as a guard dog, and has a well developed protective instinct, therefore the training to be a guardian will not be necessary. The slow and somewhat lazy movements are typical to mastiffs. The dog may prefer to lie around, rather than to run, but needs a good time of exercise every day. This breed is not for apartment living. The size requires a large space, but above all the dog loves to be in the outdoors.

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his respectable giant deserves not only the Puerto Ricans, but the whole world fanciers’ attention regarding the preservation, and conscientious breeding of these unique molossers.

In 1979 the Sociedad Cynologica Caribena (SCC) established this breed as an internationally recognized rare breed. Our dear readers can find the complete standard at http://www.abidogshows.com/ breeds/standards/Gran%20 Mastin%20de%20Borinquen. pdf (ABIDS is the All Breed International Dog Standard). *Rafael de Santiago, an FCI All Breed Judge, is a renowned name in the world of dogs. He has been involved with Kennel Clubs and the FCI for a number of years. Currently serving on the FCI as its President, he is also President of the Federacion Canofila de Puerto Rico. In 1997 he judged Best in Show at the FCI World Dog Show in San Juan. Mr. Santiago is one of the leading names synonymous with the world of dog shows; he has a long and highly successful history in dogs which spans over 4 decades.

In 1972, in partnership with Mr. Roberto Velez-Pico, he founded the world famous Radesa line of Afghan Hounds. This launched them onto the international dog show circuit, both as exhibitors and breeders. A noteworthy and well travelled Afghan, with many accolades, was Blue Boy do Vale Negro, campaigned by Rafael across the United States, Europe and Latin America.

Rafael de Santiago is an FCI all breed judge. Since 1984, he has judged in 5 continents at some of the most prestigious shows including The Westminster Kennel Club in New York.

Traveling worldwide to shows to fulfill judging assignments, Mr. Santiago still works in his capacity as the President of Imagen Optima, an Advertising and Public Relations agency in San Juan. **The observatory’s 1,000 ft (305 m) radio telescope is the world’s largest single-aperture telescope. It is used in three major areas of research: radio astronomy, aeronomy, and radar astronomy. Scientists who want to use the telescope submit proposals that are evaluated by an independent scientific board.

*

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M re APRIL FOOL’S DAY, THAT RUSSIAN LETTER ...

Continued FROM page 50

typical Putin fashion he deprives one and all of basic human rights and thinking and when I read Mr. Feirstein’s impassioned plea in the Times and sent it onto AKC I am thrilled to say both Alan and Dennis reacted--perhaps they had done so prior to my sending them this information--by writing both FCI and the Russian Kennel Club of their horror at this stance and demanding either a change in position or moving the show out of Russia. In my opinion they were 100% correct and the fact that the Kennel Club in the UK refused to take a similar stand and that the FCI acted as the feeble sister they are--since taking a different position would have jeopardized the income they get from the Eastern European KC’s was merely disgraceful! We printed the letter from the President of the Russian Kennel Club since we believe that in the great American tradition of freedom of speech all opinions are entitled to be heard. But let me tell you one thing presenting an opinion and agreeing with it are two entirely different things. And vive America--we are strong enough to listen and reject those false arguments contained in the Russian letter and stand up for that in which we believe. It is our strong opinion no American nor Western Judge from any county should accept assignments in Russia until this Putin law is reversed and changed that’s for sure!!! And of course when I first wrote on

the subject and it was me and DOG NEWS which wrote about it initially certain Board members claimed we were leaked the information and that was how we wrote about it first! Yeah sure reading THE NEW YORK TIMES is a leak--have you ever!!! glad to see that according to the Delegates Minutes (I now list Imywas sources, but not always!!!) Larry

Sorenson, the Delegate from DCA, asked AKC to check out with the Parent Clubs prior to shooting those breed specific video promotions. I must say that while the video I saw, and I have already written about this year either Editorially or in an AND MORE column, while visually pleasing was a most questionable documentary since not only did it carry an endorsement by AKC to buy puppies from the breeders involved, which is totally taboo, but someone at AKC certainly failed to do a breeders’ background check. The people involved are two extremely pleasant and nice people who love and care for their dogs as far as I know but whether they truly have the background in the breed to be singled out in that manner is questionable.

I do suppose that if this video was intended only for the general public the image presented was in keeping with the intent of the film but as a breed sort of endorsement for experienced long term breeders I think a mistake was made and that DCA had every right to voice its objections to AKC. Whether or not there was any impact remains to be seen since no comment followed the Delegate’s remarks. And

“The people involved are two extremely pleasant and nice people who love and care for their dogs as far as I know but whether they truly have the background in the breed to be singled out in that manner is questionable.”

no, Mr. Kalter, this was not leaked to me by anyone but YOU--you told me how great the video was at the AENC, which you presented or had presented at the December Delegates Meeting (I think it was) and on your endorsement I watched it and formed my own opinion. was really unhappy with what the Board adopted with regard to those showIgoers who fly their dogs as Service Dogs

when they are not so that the dogs can fly on the plane their owners. Although they condemned, most properly, the practice, nowhere was there any sort of penalty imposed nor even suggested! And it’s not just the service dog industry it’s the fact that roughly 13 million pets (not all dogs and not all by planes) traveled with their owners or a person called a handler (not in the sense of our use of the word handler) in the US last year-that’s up by three million over three years ago. If ON THE ROAD usually they are crated, which most pet travel websites recommend for safety--wonder how PETA reacts to that recommendation!

ON THE PLANE-there are usually three options--1) in the cabin and that’s where the service dog and or pet problem can arise 2) checked as luggage or 3) shipped as cargo. Where the pet will go can be determined by its size, weight, air temperature in the air and at points of departure and arrival. Usually when using crates they must meet the requirements of both the airlines and the International Air Transport’s Association requirements, which can of course lead to conflicting interpretations of the Rules by the people serving behind the centers when you go to ship a dog. Believe me FinnAir can be impossible to deal with but once they agree to take the dog the care they show is unbelievably good. UNDER THE SEAT costs usually $75 to $150 dollars one-way and the total weight including the crate is in the area of 20 pounds-book early as there are as you know restrictions of the number of animals in a cabin at one time. AS BAGGAGEcrates usually cost $200 and temperature regulations are enforced and the pick-up is where you get your luggage--problem of course is the delay factors involved with flying, which causes at the least agita and at the worse mammoth anxiety attacks. CARGO alternative for the really large animal can be a nightmare involving check-in at least 4 hours before hand and depending upon destination awfully expensive. There are of course private Courier Services as well as Pet Consultants who are alleged experts in the field of anything and everything concerning pet travels. Their fees start at $200 and how competent they are is up to you to decide!!

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OF Bests THE WEEK Continued FROM page 34

Heart of America Kennel Club - Sunday Claremore Kennel Club of Oklahoma - Sunday Standard Poodle

GCh. Dawin Hearts in Fire Mr. Edd Bivin Ms. Beth Sweigart Owner Linda Campbell Handler Sarah Perchick

Newnan Kennel Club Douglasville Kennel Club Skye Terrier

Ch. Cragsmoor Goodtime Charlie Judge Mr. Desmond Murphy Judge Mrs. Ruth Zimmerman Owners Victor Malzoni, Jr. Handler Larry Cornelius

Leavenworth Kennel Club Scottsbluff Kennel Club - Friday Brittany

GCh. Rainbow Splash’s Ruggedly Handsome

Judge Mrs. Gloria Geringer Judge Mrs. Charlotte Clem McGowan Owners Carolee Douglas, Jim & Alisa Andras, Kathy Hogan and Amanda Cone Handler Clint Livingston

Onondaga Kennel Association - Thursday 15” Beagle

GCh. Tashtins Lookin For Trouble Judge Mr. Timothy Robbins Owners Lori & Kaitlyn Crandlemire, Brody Cavanaugh, Eddie Dziuk Handler Will Alexander

Finger Lakes Kennel Club - Friday Central New York Kennel Club - Sunday Samoyed

GCh. Pebbles’ Run Play It Again Ham Judge Ms. Mike Macbeth Judge Mrs. Betty-Anne Stenmark Owner Amy Kiell-Green Handler Andrew Green

Packerland Kennel Club II - Sunday Dandie Dinmont Terrier

GCh. King’s Mtn. Angelina Ballerina Judge Ms. Gloria Kerr Owner Donna Chambers-Rau Handler Carlos J. Puig

Claremore Kennel Club of Oklahoma Miniature Bull Terrier

GCh. Dytona VIP

Judge Mr. Terry Stacy Owners Foxbriar Kennel & Marilyn Jacobs, Andrey Klishas & Eisabeth Feuz Handler Susie Olivera Clinton Kennel Club - Saturday Chesapeake Bay Retriever

GCh. Albriden’s The Show Must Go On

Judge Mr. William Gunn Owners Stephanie Larson DVM & Diane Baker Handler Diane Baker Dog News 117

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*The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed