Dog News, July 4, 2014

Dog News The Digest Volume 30, Issue 26

Of American Dogs $5.00

July 4, 2014

Dog News 3

Dog News Contents • July 4, 2014 10 Editorial 14 Irving’s Impressions: The Secrecy Of Kennel Club Boards By Ronnie Irving 18 Babbling: Do You Have To Be Cruel To Be Kind? By Geir Flyckt-Pedersen 22 Question Of The Week By Matthew H. Stander 26 A Different Perspective: A Day In The Life Of Flossi Floohimer, Or, Show Ring Relay And Other Adventures By Linda More 30 Brace Yourself: The Root Cause of Exhibitors’ Dissatisfaction In The U.K. By Andrew Brace 34 Bests Of The Week 38 Ten Questions Asked of Holly Leftwich 42 In Memoriam: Diane McGivern 44 The AKC Recognizes Titles Awarded By North American Diving Dogs, LLC By Sharon Pflaumer 46 Judges Are People, Too By Carlotta Cooper 50 A Thought To Consider: Observing Authority In Action By Seymour Weiss 54 Off The Leash: Location and Publicity By Shaun Coen 56 The 2014 Tibetan Terrier National Specialty By Elise Kind 62 Amok Goes The Judges L, The Queen Mary Classic,

Amsterdam Not Orlando, Diane McGivern And More By Matthew H. Stander 66 As Time Goes By: Newfoundland Club Of America National Specialty By Barbara Finch 76 Oh, Oh, Oregon: Flat-Coated Retriever National Specialty By Ruth Marsh and Dee Turkelson 108 handlers directory 90 The Gossip Column By Eugene Z. Zaphiris 110 subscription rates

94 Click: Little Fort Kennel Club By Booth Photography 112 classified advertising 100 Click: Long Beach KC & KC of Beverly Hills By Eugene Zaphiris 114 advertising rates 104 Click: The Way We Were By Eugene Zaphiris POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DOG NEWS, 1115 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10010 106 Letters To The Editor

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.

4 Dog News

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

“Justa” ON THE MOVE...

GCh. Windtrotter’s Von Fischer Justa Dorable Daughter of “Lincoln,”Ch. Cilleine Masquerade, The Top Winning Brussels Griffon in History Pictured winning another Group Placement Our appreciation to Judge Mr. Randy Garren.

Co-Owners and Breeders Donna Hois & Peggy Fischer

Handled By Scott Sommer Dog News 5

Dog News Cover Story - JULY 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 SALES REPS

Karen Justin dognewskaren@aol.com

Leslie Simis dognewsleslie@aol.com GENERAL TELEPHONE

212 807.7100 x588 FAX NUMBER: 212 675.5994 EMAIL ADDRESS

dognews@harris-pub.com

*

FIVE

**

www.dognews.com facebook.com/dognewsmagazine twiiter: @dognewsmagazine SUBSCRIPTIONS

Ian Miller 212 462.9624 Contributing Editors Sharon Anderson • Andrew Brace Agnes Buchwald • Patricia Gail Burnham Shaun Coen • Carlotta Cooper Geoff Corish • Michael Faulkner Merry Fitzgerald, DVM • Denise Flaim Geir Flyckt - Pedersen • Allison Foley Yossi Guy • Ronnie Irving • Roz Kramer John Mandeville • Sidney Marx Linda More • 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.

6 Dog News

SILVER GCH. CYPRESS BAY’S BIG SUR

AMERICA’S # 1* NEWFOUNDLAND...

BIG SUR, BIG FUN!

THE FUN CONTINUES:

...BACK-TO-BACK GROUP FIRSTS THIS WEEK! Our Appreciation To Judges Dr. John Reeve-Newson & Mrs. Sulie Greendale-Paveza

*Breed Points, All Systems

Owners Bill & Karen Caesar Breeder Deb Thornton • Cypress Bay Handlers Sam & Karen Mammano, Akc Reg. 585.727.1912 Assisted By Vesta Rash

Dog News 7

— e r o m e e S e h t or f t i r a e h L e t ’s Judge u o y k n a Th Dowling l e i n a D D r.

First p u o r G e for th rve and Rese ow h Best in S

8 Dog News

W , d e R

! e u l B d n a e t i h

u Judge o y k n a h T W. B a y n e s i w e L .

Mr ding for awar S e e m o r e o w. h Best In S

Multiple Best In Show Winner • Multiple Specialty Best of Breed Winner

Am. GCh. & Can. Ch. Hil-N-Don & Canyonwood Seemore Of Me A Top Ten* Sporting Dog • Number Two* English Springer Spaniel

Ow ner Si l sby S . Pel i ssero Shado w H i l l ES S Santa Barbara, C a l i f o rni a

B re e d e r Don n a H o ffm a n H i l - N - Do n ES S

Co - Own e r J a yn e Cro u c h Ca n yo n wo o d ES S

Ex c l us ive Ha ndle r fo r Sha do w Hill: Elle n Co tting ha m 360 247-6717

*C.C. All Breed

Dog News 9

HAPPY FOURTH TO ALL By the time most of you receive this Issue of DOG NEWS the July 4th celebration of our country’s birth will be coming to somewhat of a close. But the fact is that this is a 365-day celebration which should take place 24/7 as we all exalt in our country’s great largess and freedoms of every kind under which we all live. Please accept the wishes of all of us at DOG NEWS as we enter yet another year in our country’s long and glorious history.

NATIONAL SHOWS???

A THING OF THE PAST As the number of National Shows diminish in direct proportion to the large number of All-Breed Shows held annually one must shake one’s head in despair as no longer do exhibitors seem to travel the country nationwide to exhibit at pre-eminent National shows. It’s the number of shows on a weekend that lure many exhibitors and not the prestige and allure associated with wins at individual shows which count any more. True Westminster and the AKC/ Eukanuba events continue to stand out both nationally and internationally as does the Montgomery Terrier all-breed event.

But what has happened to the allure and excitement of the competitions that once mattered so much to so many of us for International, Westchester, Detroit, Santa Barbara, and/or Philadelphia to name but a few of the shows which have lost or been diminished in this national appeal factor.

Today Houston to an extent has expanded its role in our show giving world and Santa Barbara is making somewhat of an attempt to do so as well. Remember the days when East would meet West at prestige type events? Long gone as the exhibitor today is more interested in accumulating points at four or five-day competitions than being awarded a prestigious ribbon at an exceptional event. Maybe those so involved in some of the ridiculous postings on the Judge’s e-line would be better taking a refresher course in how great and meaningful certain shows and events were than in worrying about how they will get more breeds, and who is winning the points a professional or a handler.

These pages were under the impression that it was the dog being judged and

the recognition of a dog’s greatness was certainly more meaningful to the every day exhibitor than knocking off four days of shows against the same competition day after day. Let’s revive the national show for sure and do away or limit some of these five, and six-day circuits which act to feed the point frenzy instead of recognizing the true worth of an individual exhibit.

FIELD REP EXAGGERATIONS Some of the remarks being written on the judge’s e-line about the role of the Field Rep in breed approval situations are so beyond belief that one must ask whether or not the supervisors of the this e-line are in contact with reality. The latest absurdity posted and forwarded onto these pages revolved around a judge who claimed to have been told by a Field Rep unless h/she put up the dogs that appear in the magazines they are not doing their job or words to that effect.

In order to validate these charges shouldn’t it be necessary for the judge making this sort of claim to name the alleged Field Rep abuser? These sorts of generalities posted as fact on the judges’ e-line must be dismissed for lack of credibility. Yet not only are they posted but they are taken as fact by some of those on the e-line and repeated. This judges e-line needs supervision or needs to be re-evaluated.

Why even a Board member has gotten on and released information said to be privy to Boardroom discussions. These pages only get to see the posts when they are sent in but unlike the Delegate e-line, which allows for dissemination of its postings the judge’s e-line postings are deemed copyrighted. This makes the printing of same very difficult but at the same time it requires the owners or administrators of this e-line to be all the more observant to be sure that factual misstatements are not being posted.

in Show or for your club’s next Match Show. Sort of falls into those areas in which AKC is attempting to excel which is earning extra outside income for the corporation. This idea is more appealing than the recent Royal Canin appeal issued by AKC to registered German Shepherd breeders telling them of AKC’s endorsement of this particular pet food. It was surprising to these pages to find AKC endorsing a particular food but then a lot of things going on at AKC these days in held by shock and/or awe in the eyes of these pages.

ONLINE SALE OF LIVESTOCK Apparently there is a hardy debate among farmers on the Internet as to whether they should stop going to auctions but instead show photographs of their animals online and have the auction carried out over the Internet. Vigorously some people took the side of the argument saying that nothing could replace going to the auction mart and looking the cattle “in the flesh.”

Others said that the on-line version was much more convenient. Sound familiar as the Canine College develops and computer software is being purchased by AKC to set up some sort of approval for judges? But what about the sale of pups, too, on the Internet. Years ago an old-time handler admonished me never buy a dog from a photo--go see it first. Taken to its fullest conclusions why hold dog shows at all? Do them online saving all sorts of monies and show your dog on Facebook or some other form of social media. Think of the moneys to be saved if certain people did not have to fly their dogs to get the points! Of course there are those who would love this idea--from where we sit it’s all flesh and blood and once these new techniques are adopted the whole purpose of competing at dog shows goes right down the drain.

AKC IS SELLING TROPHIES NOW

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Came across our desk today an announcement that AKC is selling BFF fun trophy boxes at a cost of $40 (full value $60), which includes a fleece blanket, a Megalast bone and other fun quality toys and treats for your pup. May not be a bad idea for special attractions like Best Puppy

The passing of the very brilliant Diane McGivern, wife of multi-group judge Bud McGivern, is greeted sadly by these pages. Diane was a unique lady who will be missed by all of those who knew her.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Bud and their daughter Ryan.

E d i t or i a l

10 Dog News

Dog News 11

B I N G O 12 Dog News

g n i t a r b e l Ce s ’ y r t n u o Our C ! e c n e d n e Indep

BEST IN SHOW

Judge Mr. James Reynolds Number One Bichon All Systems Number Five* Non Sporting Dog 2014 Westminster Best of Breed Winner 2013 & 2014 Bichon Frise Club of America National Specialty Winner

Best In Show & Specialty Best in Show Winner

GCh. SAKS Winning Card Breeders Roberta Bleecker Shirley Hamilton

Owned by Sarah Ayers Cecelia Ruggles, High Ridge Kieth and Sandra Hanson, Saks

Presented By Scott Sommer *The Dog News Top Ten List

Dog News 13

Irving’s

Impressions

By Ronnie Irving

THE SECRECY OF KENNEL CLUB BOARDS

T

he subject of kennel clubs and their tendency to embrace ‘secrecy’ seems to have arisen again. The Dog News Editorial a couple of weeks ago levelled the accusation that the current AKC Chairman: “reacts similarly to past Board Chairmen by being as closed mouthed as possible”, and added: “In the past these pages have been critical of the Board as a whole for being so very secretive.”

As someone who wrote for weekly canine journals before becoming Chairman of TKC and who then went back to the writing aspect after leaving that position, I guess I must almost be uniquely placed to see both sides of the argument about board confidentiality! In fact when I joined the Board of TKC the then chairman expressed his grave concerns and said that I was just a ‘poacher turned gamekeeper.’ I’m sure that if he was still around he would now be saying that I had turned ‘poacher’ again.

But I guess that the position taken by the recent Dog News Editorial is quite naturally the default position that members of the press are bound to take when it comes to matters of openness or transparency, or whatever you want to call it. They are quite rightly always going to want to have more and more information ever more promptly. They are also always inevitably going to want to find out some of the more 14 Dog News

interesting and intriguing aspects of what thinking went into which decision, who was on what side and who said what.

That’s a natural reaction and indeed it is the principal job that the press is there to do.

MANAGING THE NEWS

Those on the other side of the fence, those who take the decisions and those who have to carry them out, will doubtless always naturally argue for giving out less information and for attempting to ‘manage’ the information that gets out into the public domain. There is no doubt that this doesn’t just apply to kennel clubs alone – it applies to most organisations these days. Governments, corporations and even famous individuals nearly all take the same view and want to be in command of’ what is publicly known about them and about their actions and their thinking.

But of course in the modern world of twenty-four hour rolling news, social media and smart-phones that can record and transmit news or photographs around the world in a trice, the job of those trying to ‘control’ the information that gets out into the public domain becomes more and more difficult.

I have to say that when I came into the office of Chairman I was determined that TKC would be more open than it had been in the past. It had never issued a written annual report; its chairman had never openly written a column giving his views in the Kennel Gazette; it had forbidden the canine press from attending and reporting on even its General Meetings (the equivalent of AKC Delegates Meetings); it had even tried to prevent Dog News from using the word ‘Crufts’ because it disapproved of something the paper had said about the show. (To the extent that Dog News even started to refer to Crufts as the ‘C’ word!);

it had never sent a booth to a dog show to represent it; it had never opened its art collection to the outside world; and it had never organised public meetings to answer questions from the Fancy generally.

MEMBERS OF TKC

By the time I had left office at the end of nine years these issues had all been remedied. The KC was by then publicly issuing a detailed annual report; there was a monthly ‘From the Chairman’ article in the Kennel Gazette; the canine press were now permitted to attend and report on general meetings; TKC’s booth was attending about a third of all the general championship shows in the country; a public Art Gallery was opened in TKC to show off its art; six town hall type meetings were being held every year and open to the public so as to answer questions on any subject; and finally not only was Dog News now ‘good news’ at TKC but its Editor-in-Chief Eugene Z. Zaphiris and its Contributing Editor Matthew H. Stander were now full members of TKC! AN OBJECTIVE NOT ACHIEVED

However there was at least one objective which I had initially wanted to achieve that didn’t in the end happen. That was that I had toyed with the idea of publishing the Minutes of TKC’s Board Meetings. I had been aware that the AKC had the reputation of publishing its minutes and thought – why should we at TKC Continued on page 64

Dog News 15

16 Dog News

Dog News 17

BAbbling DO YOU HAVE TO BE CRUEL TO BE KIND?

By Geir Flyckt-Pedersen

Y

es, at least some of the time.

Just make sure you are not making really stupid mistakes.

To be taken seriously anyone who judges dogs must prove competence, genuine interest and integrity in addition to having the courage to stand for what they believe in!

I dislike any situation which in any way may discredit this wonderful hobby, which for so many of us is basically our life.

We all make mistakes at times, but there are mistakes and then honest mistakes…!

One of the most unbelievable scenarios I ever heard of took place in southern Europe some 40 plus years ago. Three consecutive shows were held, but in 3 different places and actually 2 countries. The 2 first days had the same Best in Show winner, a terrier if my memory serves me right. Evidently a lovely dog that received everybody’s praise.

The third show was across the border- and the breed entry in the BIS winning dogs breed was the same: 2 - a dog and a bitch. At this show the breed was first in the ring at 8 in the morning and much to the surprise, but also joy, of the bitch owner who had already been Best of Opposite the previous days, the Best in Show winner never entered the breed ring. Finally, finally she would be able to compete in the Big Ring!!

She enters the ring, puts her dog on the table, does a triangleand the judge comes up, shakes her hand saying: Well done, you’re Best of Opposite!!!

She didn’t believe her ears, saying: You mean of course Best of Breed, as I’m the only one here?

No, was the reply: I watched the breed and the groups yesterday, thought the dog was far superior to your bitch, so told the han18 Dog News

dler he could skip the breed as it was scheduled so early and come straight for the Group in the afternoon!

This is a true story, but I cannot remember what happened next, although I think the male won another Best on the third day.

Today some of the best organized shows in Europe can be found in these areas, but in days gone by, many of these shows had no organization at all. You knew the location of the show, but when you got there at the time judging was supposed to start: No dogs and no signs of any show. Then after a while a guy turned up with some ropes, made a ring, put up a little tent- and then dogs and exhibitors slowly drizzled in and the show could start with just a couple of hours delay.

As you probably know we have no Field Reps in Europe, so none of these so infamous Bench Show “Trials” we hear of over here. If any complaints, you really cannot do much else than write to the club or kennel club after the show, but of course if the club’s President was the perpetrator nothing happened.

And sadly that happened on more than one occasion!

But why the headline: You have to be cruel etc.?

I have during the last couple of years had the opportunity to judge dogs in a few European countries where the grading system still is in use. As much as I don’t particularly enjoy dictating them, in most cases, required critiques- I find it liberating to eliminate a dog of inferior quality from further competition by grading it Very Good instead of Excellent. Without having to explain to a Field Rep or anybody else why you did so.

But evidently I am getting old and live in the past. We had in my days a system of First, Second and Third in Quality- or even a Zero! which required the dog to basically be untypical for its breed.

Only the dogs graded First went on to compete in the winners classand then you decided if any of the dogs were of Champion quality and you could give your Certificate to the winner and CK (certificate quality) to as many of the remaining First prize winners as you wanted.

I had this system worked into my brain- and immediately by looking at a dog I could decide where it belonged.

Evidently things have changed over the last 30 years or so as so many of the dogs I more or less automatically graded Very Good proved to have very impressive records and even more impressive titles.

Seeing all those “unworthy” champions made me wonder what has happened- and more than that – what is going to happen –in so many breeds if we keep lowering the standard of expectation and just hand out Certificates or even points as freebees?

Over the last couple of years I have attended many shows in this country, sometimes judging and sometimes just spectating and it has really hit me how many times dogs have won qualifying points when they shouldn’t have.

A few times I have questioned the judge of the day- and the answer: Well, it was just a single point. Or it was not a major. But still you have decided to sign a document saying you think this dog is of champion quality…and then hope the owner is not asking for a photo!

There is no doubt that the quality in many breeds varies greatly from Continued on page 68

Dog News 19

20 Dog News

Dog News 21

Do you consciously favor the professional handler over the amateur-owner handler?

CHuCK WINSLOW We as judges hear this discussed very frequently. I can say with great conviction and enormous clarity, absolutely not.

RONALD MENAKER Absolutely not. I favor what I believe is the dog that best represents its breed on that day.

Helen Lee James In today’s world, I cannot believe there are any judges who would admit to consciously selecting winners based upon the fame and success of a dog’s handler.

No, I could not do so. I judge dogs, not handlers.

All of us who receive numerous magazines with full page spreads of the current winners and their famous handlers are often on sensory overload. And we may try to remember if a pictured winner is truly the same dog we last saw and put up.

Years ago when I first started judging, I well remember some of the “old timers” who staunchly believed that judges owed wins to the professional handlers because “they are the ones who keep the sport alive and growing”. And how well I remember the fireworks and ugly feelings between the Licensed Handlers and the Outlaw Handlers of that time.

Today, chances are the successful professional frequently wins due to knowledge and experience. He or she knows which dog of which type to show under which judge.

LIZ MUTHARD Absolutely not....I am judging the dogs, not the handlers, and in fact, often I think I am putting up a dog shown by an amateur-owner only to learn later that the handler was a professional... A professional handler may have an advantage in presentation vs. a novice owner, but seasoned owner-handlers can, and in many cases do, present their dogs just as well, if not better....it is the dog that is being evaluated and rewarded, and the occupation of the person at the end of the leash means nothing to me.

22 Dog News

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

By Matthew H. Stander

Toddie and Houston Clark Of course not. The pros do have an edge on the OH in that they can pick and choose what dogs to show; some choose wisely and some do not. As a former pro handler I resented my dog being chosen because I was known and on the other hand I resented not being chosen for the same reason. Those who truly judge dogs don’t consider the handler or lack thereof. We knew who knew dogs and knew what to take to good and consistent judges.

CHARLES OLVIS We are judging dogs not people.

The idea is the best animal wins no matter who shows it period. I personally put up just as many owner handlers as professional handlers.

It’s who ever has the best dog that day.

KeKe Kahn I really do not favor anyone anymore as I feel the so-called professionals are not real pros because a great majority of people charging have not taken the time to learn their craft from the true pros. I absolutely only care about the dog/ the standard/ and the day of the show. Very simple formula.

Polly D. Smith By the implication of your question are you suggesting that we should or are supposed to be judging People instead of Livestock? The only thing I consciously favor when evaluating livestock as a judge is to judge them according to the standard, history, and purpose of the breed.

Jane Forsyth Certainly not.

Dog News 23

ALL BREED BEST IN SHOW

WINS THE 2014 SILKY TERRIER CLUB OF AMERICA TOP TWENTY SHOWCASE

*Dog News Top Ten Breed and All Breed (Toy) Lists Through May 2014

i d e J

#1 SILKY TERRIER*

MANY, MANY THANKS TO THE THREE LOVELY LADIES WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE! HANDLER JUDGE MS. KELLIE L. MILLER BREEDER JUDGE MS. TARIANNE TERRAZAS .

TOY JUDGE MS. JOANNE (JAN) N. PAULK .

Jedi Is Owned By: Margaret Hodge • Kathleen Gilbert • Margaret Gagliardi • Pam Laperruque ~ Conditioned 24 Dog News

GCH. KARISMA HEART AND SOUL

i d e J

#1 SILKY TERRIER* WINS Best of Breed AT THE 2014 SILKY TERRIER CLUB OF AMERICA NATIONAL SPECIALTY! (FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW)

OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION TO MR. TIMOTHY S. ROBBINS FOR THIS HONOR TO WIN THE NATIONAL IS TO US THE EPITOME OF ACHEIVEMENT, TO WIN IT TWICE IS BEYOND SPECIAL...

And Presented By: Pam Laperruque • centarra@hotmail.com ~ Bred By: Akc Breeder Of Merit Kathleen Gilbert Dog News 25

A Different

By Linda More

Perspective A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JUDGE FLOSSI FLOOHIMER, or, Show Ring Relay and Other Adventures...

Disclaimer: Flossi hastens to inform her readers that this is a compilation of judging Adventures experienced

by Herself and fellow judges…..and some of the circumstances have been changed to “protect the innocent.”

Hi there, I’m Flossi Floohimer, dog show judge, and I’m going to take you with me for a day at the dog show. Let’s see, where should I start. This show is run by a club that has worked hard with breed clubs to attract designated specialties and supported entries, so it should be a great day of nice size entries and good dogs. It’s a big, spread out show site with some rings indoors and some outside. Well one of the drawbacks is that some of the judges are scheduled to change rings often so the exhibitors can just stay where they are for the weekend. Indeed I noticed last night when reviewing my breed standards that I am in four different rings……hopefully they are close together so I don ‘t waste a lot of time “commuting”…….let’s have a look at the show diagram. Oh dear. One would think, wouldn’t one, that whoever sits in some office making up these schedules would also take a look at the ring layout and allow time for judges to travel from one end of the site to the other? It’s not, after all, as if we have some “Beam me up Scotty” transporter! At least this well run club has golf carts to shuttle people around…….

Well, I am starting at 8:00 in an indoor ring today, 38 dogs to judge, and then at 9:30, off to a specialty outdoors.

Oh how nice, I see I’ve been given Mr. Tom Terrific Steward (hereafter, TS, thank you fellow judge MF for the notion of using initials, such a time saver) and that will make my morning go ever so smoothly. Smallish entries in these 26 Dog News

time to wait, how shall I rearrange the first few breeds, all is going well, ring pattern…..move the table here, “what’s that ma’am? You have a dog send the dogs down and back there. in the next class, all right, hurry back, OK, now we can start again. Oh, here we’ll be waiting for you”…….TS and are the cleanup people, and see how I agree that it’s thoughtful of exhibientertained all the dogs are watching tors to let us know they have to switch the activity! Kind of cute, except for the dogs…….now where DID she go? Out ones that are horrified that Some Other to the parking lot? The next building?

Dog Did That!

The next town? Oh, at last, here she OK, cleanup is done, back to the comes, rushing through the crowd. original ring pattern, next breed……

“Take a breath, ma’am, and just put ”This is your first dog show? How wonyour dog there, we were about to derful! No, please don’t be nervous, send out a search party, chuckle.” Oh look around you, we were all new once, dear, the dog looks quite disheveled all these other people in the ring had a and anxious and so does his person. first dog show too, and all the judges It’s very nice that people bring muldid as well. And we‘re still tiple entries but why don’t “Oh, here are here! So just have fun tothey also think ahead and day, you will never have have someone hold the next the cleanup another first time.” All right dog ready at ringside? Don’t they realize they are handipeople, and everyone, around the ring please, and set the first dog capping their own dog? OK, see how up at the corner. Now look well, that wasted several minutes. entertained all at that, Wannabe A Star Handler has set her dog I forgot to tell you, we the dogs are up nowhere near the desare also doing the Ownerspot, obviously has Handler Series today, which watching the ignated not bothered to watch the takes extra time, but thankfully TS is on top of things activity! Kind of previous exhibitors. “Miss, as usual and so far, so good. cute, except for please put your dog right there, where all the others Next breed…….”No, no, have been.” “Now straight the ones that please just let the dog stay and back please.” right where he is until he’s are horrified down “Yes, straight down to that done, so he can’t spread it that Some corner there, and straight all around the……” ……oh back to me” (pointing, and dear, too late. “Don’t get Other Dog secret gnashing of teeth). upset, these things hapOh dear, again? This pen….no, please don’t try to Did That!” ring must be cursed, that’s clean it up yourself, usually the fourth dog to decide I would welcome your offer to join the great poop but in this case we’re going to need parade..….TS, maybe we should just the shovel, bucket and mop…..” TS ask the cleanup people to park right has of course already called for cleanhere, chuckle! With that, and a handful up. In the meantime, those two mats Continued on page 72 are out of commission, so let’s see, no

Dog News 27

*

*

28 Dog News *CC All Breed

Dog News 29

Brace Yourself The Root Cause of Exhibitors’ Dissatisfaction in the U.K.

By ANDREW BRACE

There has recently been much publicity given to the fact that dog show entries in the UK are dwindling, that new people are not entering the sport and staying with it and we have comparatively few young people seriously involved in many breeds.

30 Dog News

At Blackpool Andrew Brace awarded Dianne Smith her first ever CC with her homebred black Pomeranian male, Wishingate Dark Secret, and later BOB. He then won a strong Toy Group under Richard Haynes and finished off the weekend by taking Reserve BIS under Ernie Paterson. Photo by the Author.

T

he Kennel Club has now set up a working party to canvas opinion as to what can be done to stem the tide and if my informants are correct I am told this group has three years to come to some conclusions. Three years? Why so long?

In the first instance we need to look dispassionately at the role of the dog show in modern society. Originally it was a vehicle which deliberately set out to give breeders the opportunity to exhibit and compare breeding stock. Seeing other breeders’ dogs at a show enabled breeders to determine what was available in the way of stud dogs, who was producing what, and the old breeders were very much of the stockman variety, as were the judges of the day who in many cases often judged other forms of livestock.

Now I am talking about an age when pregnant bitches were not pumped full of additives, left to whelp on straw in unheated kennels without supervision, weakly puppies in which the dam had no interest were allowed to fade away naturally and only the fittest survived. To our present day political correctnessobsessed society this may seem cruel and heartless but I have always subscribed to the theory that nature knows best, and was taught by a lost generation who took a very hard line on breeding principles. If a bitch

won’t have anything to do with a new-born it is for a very good reason ... there is usually something seriously wrong with it. Today life must be preserved at all costs. The veterinary profession will happily take thousands of pounds off an emotional owner to keep something alive which would be better off being humanely euthanized. They cannot believe that breeders would allow puppies to die (let alone be culled) and sad to say, when many who produce puppies are “hobby breeders”, a sickly puppy which can be saved and reared can mean a sale for $2,000 – which translates into a sunny holiday or a deposit on a new car. These self-same puppies will often eventually end up in the gene pool for the same financial reasons and people wonder why we now seem to have so many hereditary problems that had never appeared before?

Today dog shows are not just about large-scale breeders monitoring breeding stock. In the main they are social events where dog owners meet up with their friends, some of whom are more committed to allied activities such as obedience, agility and flyball. To us conformation purists the whole essence of the dog show has been lost. However we need to look at the root cause of exhibitors’ dissatisfaction and – put Continued on page 86

Dog News 31

m o d e e r F

“

”

The Best of Times...

32 Dog News

Best In Specialty Show & Multiple Best In Show Winner

GCh. Sandpiper’s Let Freedom Ring SDHF The Number One* Golden Retriever All Systems

Owned by: Toyomi Tsumura Bred by: Patty Pace

Handled by: Bruce & Tara Schultz Assisted by: Casandra Clark & Daniel Magee

*All Systems

Dog News 33

OF Bests THE WEEK Wampanoag Kennel Club Thursday & Sunday Old English Sheepdog

GCh. Bugaboo’s Picture Perfect

Judge Mr. David Ojalvo Judge Mr. Enrique Fillipini Owners Ron Scott, Debbie Burke and Heather and Colton Johnson Handler Colton Johnson

Lawton Dog Fanciers Association Wednesday & Thursday Oklahoma City Kennel Club - Sunday Portuguese Water Dog

GCh. Claircreek Impression De Matisse

Judge Mrs. Gloria Geringer Judge Mr. Clay Coady Judge Mrs. Charlotte P. Patterson Owners Milan Lint, Peggy Helming & Donna Gottdenker Handler Michael Scott Dayton Kennel Club - Sunday Whippet

GCh. Sporting Fields Shameless Judge Mrs. Joan P. Scott Owners Barbara Call, Jane Cooney-Waterhouse, Dionne Butt, Amanda Giles Handler Amanda Giles

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: 212 462-9588 Email: dognews@harris-pub.com 34 Dog News

Lost Coast Kennel Club I, II, III Smooth Fox Terrier

Ch. Absolutely Talk Of The Town Judge Mr. Charles Olvis Judge Mrs. Pat Trotter Judge Mrs. Liz Muthard Owners J.W. Smith, Edward Boyes Handler Edward Boyes Tidewater Kennel Club of Virginia Sunday & Monday Pomeranian

GCh. Starfire’s Spank Me Hard Call Me Crazy Judge Mr. Kent Delaney Judge Dr. Gareth Morgan-Jones Owners Jose Cabrera, Fabian Arienti & Margo Koga Handler Tony Cabrera Virginia Terrier Club Southern Maryland Kennel Club Skye Terrier

Ch. Cragsmoor Goodtime Charlie Judge Mr. Desmond Murphy Judge Mr. Dennis Gallant Owners Victor Malzoni, Jr. Handler Larry Cornelius Lima Kennel Club - Sunday 15” Beagle

Ch. Torquay Midnight Victory Judge Ms. Bonnie Linnell Clarke Owners Fernando Pelaez, Marcelo Chagas, Mr. & Mrs. Marco Flavio Botelho and Dr. Roger P. Travis Handler Marcelo Chagas Kanadasaga Kennel Club Chenango Valley Kennel Club Del Otse Nango Kennel Club Shih Tzu

GCh. Hallmark Jolei Rocket Power Judge Mrs. Sulie Greendale Paveza Judge Mrs. Marylou Kniola Judge Mrs. Patricia Hess Owners Patricia Hearst Shaw, Luke and Diane Ehricht Handler Luke Ehricht Continued on page 107

Dog News 35

36 Dog News

Dog News 37

23 6 8 7 10 45

1

How did you decide on your kennel name?

What was your most disappointing dog show loss?

My kennel name is BadgerDen the same as my mother’s.

I liked the continuity of carrying it on.

Who is/was your mentor in dogs?

My mother Michelle Badger.

What was your most important dog show win?

That would be a toss-up between winning the Mastiff National and my first Finnish Spitz National.

9

The last book you read?

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

All the above.

Probably the Harry Potter Series.

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

Win!

That would be the year that Michael Brantley lost Otterhounds at Westminster.

I was working with Michael at the time, and we were very hopeful that this stunning dog would get to the group judge who liked him.

Can you forgive and forget?

I can definitely forgive but don’t think it’s smart to forget.

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

Christopher Keith and Susie Kipp.

Questions ASKED OF:

Holly Leftwich

You would like to be remembered as?

A genuine and honest person who truly cares about people and dogs.

BORN: LUBBOCK, TX • RESIDES: LUBBOCK, TX • MARITAL STATUS: SINGLE • ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: SAGITTARIUS 38 Dog News

Dog News 39

*

*Number Two overall, The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed

In Memoriam

Diane McGivern 1939 ~ 2014 42 Dog News

Dog News 43

The AKC Recognizes Titles Awarded

By North America Diving Dogs, LLC

By Sharon Pflaumer • PHOTOS: SNIDOW K9 PHOTOGRAPHY

E

ver since dogs were selectively bred and probably even long before that, they’ve been jumping into rivers, ponds and lakes to retrieve objects.

The behavior didn’t become an official sport where dogs jump for distance or height off of a dock into a body of water until 1997 however. That’s when the first dock diving exhibition was held at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge.

DockDogs, Inc., which is credited with formalizing dock diving competitions, held its first event at the ESPN Great Outdoor Games in 2000.

Although it was intended to be a "filler" between two other events, spectators numbered in the thousands. Gridlock around the venue was so bad traffic was

stopped by police for several blocks.

The intense popularity of the sport early on spurred the founding of numerous organizations that held dock diving competitions across the United States and in other countries.

For example, Splash Dogs was established here in 2003. And Ultimate Air Dogs (UAD) was founded in 2005

by Milt Wilcox, the famous former Detroit Tigers Pitcher. The United Kennel Club (UKC) partnered with UAD; then, recognized competitions held by Splash Dogs two years later in 2007. Since then numerous regional and local dock diving organizations also have been formed. Dallas Air Dogs in Dallas, TX, was among them.

Ch. Aquarius Wally World v Sandia RN BN CA DS ATT WAC CGCA TDI (Wally), breed: Doberman Pinscher, owner: Zelda Cassanova – Senior title/Air Retrieve Division. (Note the bumper hung from a pole.)

44 Dog News

It was founded by Debra Markwardt in 2012.

She got involved with dock diving eight years earlier when her Doberman Pinscher, Quantum’s Supreme Justice, NA, OAJ, XF, CAX (Justice), demonstrated a natural aptitude for the sport by repeatedly jumping into the pond in front of her house. Markwardt began competing with Justice at events held by a dock diving organization in the DallasFort Worth area. When the organization stopped holding events two years later, Justice went back to jumping into ponds and lakes for fun. Her son, Quantum’s Cannonball v Tazzman CAX (Connor), proved he also had natural dock diving ability a few years later. He competed at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Eastern Regionals in 2013 and placed 2nd in the Fetch-It competition.

Given that Markwardt knew Connor had a lot of potential. So, she bought a pool, built a dock, founded Dallas Air Dogs and began holding dock diving competitions. This led to an affiliation with another dog registry, which Markwardt ended last fall because she was unhappy with the rules for competition. Not one to be easily deterred, she founded a second dock diving organization, North America Diving Dogs, LLC (NADD). In September 2013, she approached the American Kennel Club with the hope of developing a new program that would address the concerns she shared with many others involved in the sport.

Doc Tee's Starship Enterprise DE (Lil Tex), breed: Labrador Retriever, owner: Sandy Goodson – Elite title/Air Retrieve Division. In Air Retrieve competition, the bumper is hung on a pole rather than tossed into the water.

AKC recognition

“The AKC looked at the sport of dock diving in the past but hadn’t reached any conclusion about how best to proceed in regard to it,” says Doug Ljungren, AKC Vice President of Sports and Events.

“Then, NADD President Debra Markwardt approached us with some ideas that were interesting. This led to on-going discussions, which eventually culminated in an agreement where the AKC recognizes titles earned at NADD events. We feel NADD will provide safe, enjoyable events that are structured to meet the needs of all dogs and their owners. The AKC is pleased to be associated with this exciting sport that can be enjoyed by all.”

In order for owners to have their NADD titles recognized by the AKC, which officially began on May 31, 2014, they must do the following. First, they must complete the AKC Title Recognition form.

(See http://images.akc.org/pdf/titles/ dock_diving/application.pdf). Next, they must send it to the AKC along with a copy of their dog’s NADD Title Certificate and a $20 processing fee to cover the cost of recording the title and issuing an AKC Title Certificate. Owners also must include their dog’s AKC number, which may be in one of three forms: AKC purebred registration number; PAL (Purebred Alternative Listing) number; or AKC Canine Partners listing number.

NADD rules

Markwardt believes the program developed as a result of NADD’s affiliation with the AKC incorporates the best of all of the dock diving organizations. For example, it addresses her foremost Continued on page 98

Above: Quantum’s Cannonball v Tazzman CA NS (Connor), breed: Doberman Pinscher, owner: Debra Markwardt – Senior title/Distance Jumping Division.

Right: Debra Markwardt with her “water dog” Connor.

Below: Quantum’s Cannonball v Tazzman CAX (Connor), owned by Debra Markwardt, competed at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Eastern Regionals in 2013 and placed 2nd in the Fetch-It competition.

Ch. El Mesquital Vlucan CD BN RE NA NAP NJP CAX DN CGCA (Vulcan), owner: Ron Ackerman – Novice title/Air Retrieve Division. (Note the bumper hung from a pole.)

Dog News 45

Judges Are People, Too Speaking as a very small breeder, I am always astonished to find that I now have friends and contemporaries who are judges. I can remember when I first started showing dogs and I had the impression that judges were lofty, all-knowing beings who had been “in dogs” for decades.

By Carlotta Cooper

I

was afraid to look sideways at a judge in those days, much less speak to one outside the ring. Sure, over the years I made friends with a few judges. I discovered they were people like everyone else. But my respect for the job they do remains.

Most of the judges I know today seem to fall in the breeder-judge category. As you can guess, these judges have come up through the ranks and have many friends in their breeds. They’re often popular people in their breeds with extensive contacts.

They may have had well-known stud dogs or had dogs that did well at specialties, for example.

Unfortunately, I have heard more than one of these breeder-judges say that they feel compelled to stop making public comments about dogs or wins by friends.

For example, if they are on Facebook, they feel that they should not “Like” a photo of a dog or congratulate someone publicly.

Although AKC doesn’t spell out rules of propriety for judges in most cases, they do encourage judges to avoid the appearance 46 Dog News

of impropriety or conflict of interest. That’s understandable. However, I think you can take things too far when you require judges to cut off their friendships, especially breeder-judges. Breeder-judges are in many ways the bedrock of our sport. They know their breeds inside and out – better than any other judges. Is it really improper for a breeder-judge to “Like” a photo of a winning dog? Or to congratulate a friend on winning points or a group placement?

Yes, it’s probably true that a breederjudge might potentially judge the dog in the photo someday so “liking” the photo – does what? Gives the impression that the dog would have an unfair advantage over other entries? I don’t really think so.

A judge probably has many friends and could “like” the photos of 50 dogs that might potentially enter under him or her.

(I can easily like the photos of 50 friends’ dogs in a day.) Unless a judge only likes the photos of one particular dog or one particular exhibitor, I don’t think there is an appearance of impropriety. The judge is not really expressing a preference. They are only showing general support.

Is the judge soliciting an entry? Again, I don’t think so. How many people check to see where a dog is being shown before they “like” a photo or congratulate someone?

Who knows if the dog will ever be entered under a particular breeder-judge? If the

judge is based in California and the dog is usually shown in the northeast, the chances of the judge encountering the dog are not that great in most cases.

Most clubs are not eager to pay long-distance travel expenses these days unless it’s a specialty.

And judges don’t usually need to solicit entries for specialties.

I suppose Exhibitor A in New York could get on a plane with their dog and fly to Sacramento in order to show to Judge B just because Judge B liked their dog on Facebook but – really?

Is a judge promoting a particular dog by “liking” him or congratulating the owner?

Again, this seems doubtful to me. A judge gives his real opinion when he judges the dog in competition. An owner can advertise that opinion all he or she wants with a win photo. A judge who “likes” your dog on Facebook can’t compare to a judge who has judged your dog at a show. Is someone going to take out a full-page ad in a show magazine to announce: “Judge B “LIKED” Ch. Fancy Pants on Facebook!”? I kind of doubt it.

Does it really matter if your 80 friends see that Judge B liked the photo of your dog on Facebook?

What is that going to do for you?

We already know that close friends and people who have had recent business transactions with judges cannot show to them.

Those rules make sense. But to discourage breeder-judges from congratulating a friend or liking a dog in their breed on social media is going too far, in my opinion. Breeder-judges are typically an integral part of a breed community and they should not be removed from discussions about the breed or from interacting with their fellow breeders because of a mistaken sense of impropriety. This is not because their opinions carry so much more weight than anyone else’s but because they are part of the breed community and each breed needs them to contribute.

If we continue to remove breederjudges from the conversation in a breed, we are left with fewer and fewer knowledgeable people in each breed, and that’s not good for our dogs.

Dog News 47

*

Dog News 49 *The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed points

AThought To Consider Observing Authority in Action

by Seymour Weiss

Just recently I had the pleasure of standing at ringside while a recently minted addition to the judges’ ranks passed on a large entry of a breed with which he was intimately familiar. Actually, pleasure was not a strong enough word. It was a true joy observing this man interpreting and applying the standard and coming out “spot on” in his placements.

While, for obvious reasons, I will not mention the judge by name, I genuinely believe he will prove an asset to the judging community and to the sport as a whole. The gentleman of whom I write was a professional handler before launching his new career; and he was impressively good at what he did. As a handler, he was good for the dog sport and in turn the dog sport was good for him. For many years he worked hard, learned well and maximized every advantage to come his way. Today, the result is a polished new judge, self-assured and with the potential to enrich the gene pool of every breed for which he is approved.

It is said that a judge indicates the level of his or her expertise by how they go over a dog. In watching this expert in action, it was obvious that he knows his business uncommonly well. In his ring the standard appeared to read itself. All that was necessary was to watch his hands, his eyes and note his decisions. It was observing authority in action. To watch him was to learn. As an aside, it was gratifying to see that he complimented the quality of the entire class, including the dogs that were not placed. Win or lose, every exhibitor this day was well and truly judged. Ask your50 Dog News

self, how often does that happen?

But how many, in the ring or outside of it, gained by watching? Not nearly enough is the short answer. Too many are so focused on their own dogs, or their friends’ dogs, that they lose objectivity. For those, the win is all that matters – deserved or not.

So it’s not just the points that are lost, but also the opportunity to learn and in so doing to improve one’s dogs in the long term.

So far as this observer is concerned, that opportunity to learn is a win-win regardless of a ribbon’s color.

You show your dog; you win and are understandably gratified. You don’t win and you look for reasons. If you find the valid ones and work to do better next time, you have a goal worth achieving. If you do achieve that goal, you can justifiably consider yourself an asset to the dog fancy as a whole.

What are the valid reasons for not winning? If you show a dog that, in the opinion of the judge on this day, does not answer its standard, it does not merit a reward. It may be that your dog comes up short in an area that is especially important to that judge. An individual once unsuccessfully showed her dog to a highly respected judge of that breed. After finishing out of the ribbons, the judge asked the owner if she was aware that the dog had incomplete dentition.

The owner said that she was indeed aware of her dog’s blemish and, undeterred, she showed her dog the next day. The second judge apparently was not put off by her dog’s shortcoming as it won its class, took the major to finish, got Best of Winners and prevailed over the bitch specials for Best of Opposite Sex. A defeat or a victory is only one person’s opinion on

one day. The best we can do is face our disappointments with sportsmanship and maturity. We may elect not to show this dog under the first judge again and that makes sense. No one shows a dog to lose.

Suppose you show a dog that is not in competitive condition on the day. If your judge is, like the fellow I described at the start of these observations, a former handler you have only yourself to blame for showing a dog that is not ready. It might be a world beater in a month or so, but if it’s not deserving on the day, keep it in the kennel until it is.

What about the dog that does everything wrong? In Sir Walter Scott’s novel, Guy Mannering, Dandie Dinmont observed that “…beast or body, education should aye be minded…” While the old farmer probably never showed a dog in his life, he understood that a certain level of performance was required if a dog was to be considered useful.

Applying this to us and now, what judge could be faulted for penalizing a dog that acted like a landed fish while being examined. What judge would willingly expose him or herself to possible injury to ascertain complete dentition or sexual soundness? What if the judge was on Plavix?

Judges are not expected to risk life and limb to evaluate the dogs brought before them. It’s up to the exhibitors to be sure the dogs they show can be approached and evaluated as is required in the ring. There is a plethora of opportunities to train a dog in order to make the most of its potential for stage presence. The exhibitor who fudges this requirement is solely responsible for dropping the ball, simple as that.

Going back to the judge who inspired this narrative, there was a time when professional handlers were approved to judge independent specialties on a case by case basis.

Their performance was intriguing and reflected their absolute need to know dogs in the minutest detail if they wanted to feed themselves and their families. While times have surely changed, those who must know dogs for the most basic reasons can still show their brilliance to a perceptive fancy.

Today, many who have traded the arm band for the judge’s badge have much to teach us. It remains for us to take advantage of this collective experience to enhance our own contribution to the conformation dog sport.

Thank you for reading.

“You show your dog; you win and are understandably gratified.

You don’t win and you look for reasons. If you find the valid ones and work to do better next time, you have a goal worth achieving.

If you do achieve that goal, you can justifiably consider yourself an asset to the dog fancy as a whole.”

Dog News 51

52 Dog News

*

Four

** ***

*Number Three overall, The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed *Number Two overall, The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed & All Breed ***The Dog News Top Ten List

While

the Real Estate Committee headed by Ron Menaker researches whether to move, consolidate or leave the American Kennel Club’s locations in New York, NY and Raleigh, NC where they are when their respective leases expire in 2019 and 2020 it is hopefully taking note of how purebred dog owners and breeders are being treated in whatever state they ultimately decide to maintain or establish operations, not only from legislators but by the mainstream media as well. Political relationships can be fickle and the AKC’s attempts to curry favor with legislators aren’t always successful or long-lived, which is the nature of the business when dealing with powerful lobbyist groups and high turnover rates due to election cycles. Despite the success of its Canines on the Capital Day recently held in Raleigh, in which legislators and the general public interacted with all sorts of canines from military dogs to therapy dogs to agility dogs while learning about AKC events, the North Carolina House passed a budget that would transfer oversight of the Animal Welfare Act from the Department of Agriculture, which has an expertise in animal care and conditions, houses the State Veterinarian and is headed by an elected official, to the Department of Public Safety, which has no experience in animal husbandry and is supervised by an appointed official who could then regulate breeders in the state. Also included in the budget is a new definition of “pet dealer” that would require licensing and inspections based solely on the number of intact females one owns regardless of whether or not they breed them.

On the positive side in New York, the New York General Assembly has been actively seeking to criminalize pet theft and increase the penalties for pet abduction. On the negative, measures that seek to regulate anyone other than a shelter who transfers a dog in NYC as a “pet store” and another that seeks to require that any animal transferred to an owner be spayed or neutered have received preliminary hearings in the City Council Health Committee. New York City has hosted mas-

sive pet adoption marathons, including one last month in Union Square Park where more than 90 animal shelters and rescue groups provided 3,500 animals that were adopted free of charge, but it will not host a Meet The Breeds event, which allowed the general public and legislators to see and learn about purebred dogs and the AKC up close and personal, this calendar year. That event has been moved to coincide with Westminster week festivities in February 2015, which may prove a boon to the Westminster Kennel Club, which continues to meet and in many respects exceed expectations and receive positive publicity, but the lack of a second tent pole event to promote purebred dogs over several days in New York City is a huge loss for the AKC and for the Big Apple’s purebred dog breeders and enthusiasts, who seem to be taking a backseat to the shelter dog movement.

Like the canine legislation battle, the PR and publicity fight is also an ongoing, often uphill struggle, as the push to adopt shelter dogs over purchasing purebred dogs continues to gain momentum and presents a threat to not only AKC registrations but the very future of the purebred breeder, the backbone of the sport. Obviously, there must be a demand for purebred dogs in order for the breeder, who continues to face considerable hurdles, to survive. In that respect, the venerable New York Times has been of little help to the AKC’s cause, as it regularly features articles that denounce purebred dogs and breeders, while by and large giving organizations like the Humane Society of the United States a free pass. Pleas to the Times to investigate the HSUS’ fund-raising methods and its disbursement of funds have largely gone unanswered, while the Gray Continued on page 96

off

54 Dog News

Location and Publicity

by SHAUN COEN

appy Hobbit H . h s GC

e l l i v s i u Lo r e g g u l S

Lightly shown, but well regarded.

Slugger is a Multiple Group Placing Border Terrier.

He is shown here in one of his placements under Judge Ms. Sharol Candace Way at the Ladies Kennel Association of America.

Breeder Pat Ross and Sandra L. Gillen tailgaiters@aol.com

Handled by: Brian P. Meindl, M.Ed. roxbri209@aol.com Dog News 55

PHOTO BY RANDY & KINDRA SOLOMON

The 2014 Tibetan Terrier National Specialty 56 Dog News

The 2014 Tibetan Terrier National Specialty was held May 28th thru the 30th in Loveland, Colorado at the lovely Embassy Suites Hotel at Centerra.

A couple of miles from the hotel is Centerra shopping area, where both dogs and their people could browse in quaint shops and stroll in the adjoining sculpture park with its majestic African sculptures.

by Elise Kind • photos by robert kreis

S

tanding in front of the hotel, guests had a wonderful view of rugged Rocky Mountain National Park, with its snow covered peaks only about twentyfive miles from the hotel. It was the perfect setting for a mountain dog Tibetan Terrier national specialty.

Over the Memorial Day weekend TTCA members were encouraged to participate in other shows in the area. Central Wyoming Kennel Club in Casper had its all breed show on the Friday and Saturday of the holiday weekend, while Laramie Kennel Club rounded out the weekend with its all breed show on Sunday and Monday.

To complete the weekend, there was an excellent agility event in Lakewood, Colorado.

The specialty itself began on Wednesday, May 28th with a morning of rally and obedience judging. Pat Maynard did an admirable job of judging both rally and obedience classes.

After lunch, Dr. Suzanne Hetts, well-known animal behaviorist, gave an interesting talk on bringing up that wonderful, cute, little puppy to be an asset to your family and the community. She discussed how we can understand animal behavior and learn to prevent problems, and lastly, how to resolve problems that are already present.

The afternoon ended with a fun demonstration on nose work with your dog. All dogs can do nose work and have a good time. Megan Donovan, the seminar’s presenter, demonstrated nose work with an experienced worker, a novice from the audience, and a puppy that had had no training at all. All the Tibetan Terriers seemed to have had a good time finding where the treat or scent was hidden and were extremely proud of themselves.

The day ended with the fun and exciting Invitational Evening of Champions. The top 20 champions were judged by AKC Judge Robert Shreve, Handler Judge Jennifer Smith, and Breeder Judge Andrea Reiman. These judges found GCH CH Ri Lee’s Stellar Performance owned

by Nikkie Kinziger the Invitational Winner. Those at the Invitational dinner had an opportunity to vote for the top champion they liked. This year’s People’s Choice Award went to GCH. Pandan Ashlyn’s Meeka At Honeycreek owned by Amy

Soderman, Jane Martin, and Ron Jaramillo.

Thursday brought Sweepstakes with breeder, owner, handler AKC Judge Bill Lee judging the competition. His choice for Puppy Best in Sweeps went to KiMik’s Knock Knock Knock, owned by Mikki DeMers, Lois DeMers, and Dina Planche, from the 9-month and under 12-month bitch class. Best of Opposite Sex went to Teeshas Cute Chix Dig Baker, owned by Susan Van Hecke, from the 9 months and under 12 months dog class. Next Mr. Lee turned his attention to judging Veteran Sweepstakes.

Best in Veteran Sweeps went to GCH CH Salishan Princess of the Wind CGCA, from the 7 years and under 9 years class, and owned by Janet and Harold Slothower. For Best of Opposite Sex, from the 11 years and under 13 years, Mr. Lee chose CH Shakira’s The Road Warrior ROM, owned by Brenda Peters.

Next, well known TT breeder, owner, handler Margy Pankiewicz judged Futurity. The Grand Futurity winner and the Best Puppy in Futurity was Moonrise The Sky’s The Limit, from the 12 months and under 15 months dog class, and owned by Andrew and Karen Payne.

After the judging for the day was finished, Lauren Fox, obedience and rally teacher, gathered TT’s and their owners together for a class on dancing with your dog. Both dogs and their people had a wonderful time learning the latest moves demonstrated

by Lauren and her Tibetan Terrier Diamond. Everyone, including the dogs, left the ballroom with a happy little walk.

Friday brought the judging of the Conformation Classes with esteemed British judge and TT breeder Pat Tempest. For Best Puppy, she chose Salishan High Tower Effortless owned by Karen Tower, Savannah Livingston, and Megan Livingston.

The Bred-By-Exhibitor class always has strong competition and this year was no different. This year’s Bred-By-Exhibitor was won

by Sunclipse Skyfire owned

by Ron Wiley and Marge Wiley. For Best Veteran

Mrs. Tempest chose CH Falamandus Kool Mama owned by Lynn and Mike Allway, M.L. Lafler, and Joel Coffey.

Winner’s Dog was Ri Lee’s Legendary Performance, from the open dog class, and owned by Nikkie Kinziger.

Winner’s Bitch was Tibicinan Patricia Joli owned by Amy Soderman.

Select Dog was CH KiMik’s Who Dunnit owned by Mikki De Mers, Lois De Mers, and Dina Planche, while Select Bitch was awarded to Janet and Harold Slothower’s GCH CH Salishan Princess of the Wind.

Mrs. Tempest chose Ri Lee’s Legendary performance owned

by Nikkie Kinziger as Best of Winners. Her Judge’s Awards of Merit went to GCH CH Barnstorm Sim-Pas’s Caught on the Fly By Dzine owned by Lynn Meyer and Michael Allway, P. Bernardo, and M.L. Lafler, GCH CH Bluvali Players Paradigm owned by Brian Leonard and Marjorie A. Wikerd, GCH CH Ri Lee’s Stellar Performance owned by Nikkie Kinziger, and last was CH Dreammaker Salishan’s Savannah Smiles owned by Janet and Harold Slothower.

Mrs. Tempest finished her judging for the day by awarding Best of Opposite Sex to Karen Tower and Savannah Livingston’s CH Salishan On My Gosh It’s Josh. Her final selection was, of course, Best of Breed, which went to CH KiMik’s Putting It Together owned by Dina Planche, Mikki DeMers, and Lois DeMers.

During the annual dinner that Friday evening, Mrs. Tempest commented on the Tibetan Terriers she judged. She praised the American dogs for their good structure and beauty.

Their wonderful double coats were much in evidence. One problem Tibetan Terriers have had since they set paws on American soil is with their teeth. Mrs. Tempest told breeders to breed for a wider mouth and the problem with teeth will correct itself.

The last activity of this year’s specialty was participation in the supported entry at the Flat Iron’s All-Breed shows in Longmont, Colorado. It was the “capper” to a busy, fun week of showing, educational seminars, and classes. On to Boxborough, Massachusetts in 2015.

Dog News 57

*

58 Dog News

*# 6 overall, The Dog News Top Ten List - Breed points

60 Dog News

Dog News 61

o

AMOK GOES THE JUDGES L, THE QUEEN MARY CLASSIC, AMSTERDAM NOT ORLANDO, DIANE McGIVERN...

And

M re b y M atthe w H . S tander

Photos of BEVERLY HILLS & LONG BEACH SHOWS

by Eugene Z. Zaphiris

I

am not an approved AKC judge. I think but am not positive that I am occupationally ineligible under the current policies of the Board but am not totally sure since in the past they seemed to have approved (not licensed mind you--keep in mind no one is an AKC licensed judge but merely approved to adjudicate at its shows) other people in similar occupational situations to me.

I have never understood why these people ever warranted these exceptions nor for that matter why they wanted to judge in the first place. To my way of thinking I would not want that “Tasmanian Hound” owner to know what I really thought of their exhibit particularly when the owner is spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars promoting this dog in the magazine I work for or own.

To me that’s just good common business sense. I suppose that some people just think their opinion about a breed or groups of breeds is so critical so as to alter other outcomes but just like all opinions about judging or judges or anywhere in between you get 50 different answers to the same problem you raise with 50 different people. That’s why AKC needs a take-charge individual or com-

62 Dog News

mittee to settle and arrive at a policy for all the problems being raised on the Judges L line. I have been sent every bloody posting which I understand is copyrighted and can’t or anyhow should not be reused but believe me some of the ideas are mindblowingly ignorant. It’s just too bad AKC did not come up with a Bob Smith type Committee to handle the situation. While the Smith Committee solutions were hardly perfect at least they gave a base and a foundation from which to work. Keeping the Garvin recommendations under wraps was counter productive particularly in light of the ill-conceived mandate relative to the NOHS. AKC, which by Constitution and ByLaws is required to establish judging requirements, must act from strength in these areas and while suggestions are always nice to have the final say must come from its top officials. Right now the postings on the judges e line are so out of hand that unless someone from AKC takes a strong stand in the matter one must fear that the inmates will shortly be running the asylum.

Continued on page 111

Salishan Tibetan Terriers Congratulates Their 2014 TTCA National Specialty Winners:

Salishan Hightower Effortless Reserve Winner’s Dog (3 pt Major) Best Puppy

Ch. Salishan Oh My Gosh It’s Josh Best of Opposite

BGCh. Salishan Princess of the Wind CGCA Select Bitch • Best Veteran in Sweepstakes Best Brood Bitch • Best Brace

Ch. DreamMaker Salishan’s Savannah Smiles Award of Merit • Best Brace

Judges: Mrs.Patricia Tempest (Conformation Classes) • Mr. Bill Lee (Sweepstakes) Owner/Handler: Hightower Tibetan Terriers • Karen Tower, Savannah Livingston, Megan Livingston Breeders: Salishan Tibetan Terriers • Susan and Gary Carr Breeder/Owner/Handler: DreamMaker Tibetan Terriers • Janet and Jay Slothower Dog News 63

Irving’s

Impressions Continued FROM

page 14

be any different? I then started to study the issue in rather greater detail.

What I found was that though the AKC Board Minutes were indeed published, those minutes were of a much more ‘sanitised’ nature than the minutes that TKC Board in the UK kept for its internal use. The AKC Minutes, though they did give details of how people voted on various issues and indicated which board member proposed what, actually only gave out the information that it chose to make public. These minutes were littered with broad brush or obfuscating expressions such as some of those contained in the most recent AKC Board Minutes: “Mr. Sprung gave a status report on previous Action Items assigned to the Staff as well as an introduction of new initiatives.” or: “Margaret Poindexter, General Counsel, participated in this portion of the meeting. She presented a status report on pending litigation and other activities for the months of....” or even: There was an Executive Session to discuss sensitive business matters. Nothing was reported out of this session.”

I am sure that it is very interesting to know that Dennis Sprung and Margaret Poindexter were present at the meetings or that that ‘sensitive issues’ were discussed - but it is not really very revealing. It reminds me of the accountant-bashing story of the man piloting a hot air balloon who discovers that he has wandered off course and is hopelessly lost. He descends to a lower altitude and locates a man on the ground. He lowers the balloon further and shouts, “Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?” The man below says, “Yes, you are in a hot air balloon, about thirty feet above this field.” “You must be an accountant,” says the balloonist. “Yes I am” replies the man. “And how did you know that?” “Well” says the balloonist, “what you tell me is technically correct, but of no use to man nor beast!” Some of the AKC Board minutes in my view reside firmly in that category of being technically correct, but of no use to man nor beast.

64 Dog News

A MATTER OF PRESENTATION

However, still believing that TKC maybe ought to be seen to publish its minutes I started to think more carefully about the issue. A detailed analysis was carried out of what TKC did and what the AKC did about making public the results of their board decisions.

We discovered that we did indeed already publish all of the decisions made at TKC Board meetings but not in the form of formal minutes. We used the minutes to produce lists of all of the decisions made at the meetings and these lists were already all being published in announcement form in the monthly Kennel Gazette. To that extent TKC was already giving out pretty well the same information as the AKC. The differences were little more than a matter of presentation That does not of course answer the question – is that enough information and are the two kennel clubs actually being transparent and open enough in this modern day and age? As you can imagine my view, albeit as an exgamekeeper now turned poacher, is that yes indeed in the main they are sufficiently open. I gave the matter a good deal of thought when I was Chairman and decided that we had got the balance about right – and believe that the AKC probably has too. It’s just that the AKC by publishing the information in a ‘sanitised’ minutes format, actually makes it a bit more obvious what it is and what it is not telling the outside world about. What the press needs to remember is that there are a number of circumstances which demand that certain aspects of board proceedings must be kept confidential. It would obviously be damaging to issue too much sensitive information about a number of areas. For example exposing all issues relating to employees and employee relations would often be clearly prejudicial to the interests of the organisation. Equally, to publicly expose the strength or weakness of the kennel clubs’ position in respect of various legal cases would be foolish in the extreme. So also it would be unwise

to give details of the detailed strategic thinking on the finances and commercial aspects – namely the business aspects – of the work of the two respective kennel clubs. That would enable competitors to gain commercial advantage over the kennel club concerned.

And finally I am sure that all of us would want the debate and the ‘cut and thrust’ of that debate to be as powerful and open as possible among the board members of our respective kennel club organisations. Surely that is what results in the best decisions. For that reason and to encourage frank and effective debate, my view is that it is right for a good deal of what goes on at board meetings to remain confidential. I know that for our respective democratic institutions in the Houses of Congress and the Houses of Parliament, open debate is what is relied upon and is considered essential. But does this always result in the best decisions being made? Does it not sometimes inhibit good debate on the one hand and encourage people to grandstand and take views simply to curry favour on the other hand - rather than make the right decisions?

BEST TO JUDGE BY ACTS RATHER THAN WORDS

There were also moves at times to allow the canine press to attend board meetings of TKC. I admit to being tempted by the idea but on reflection came to the conclusion that it would not have been sensible and would have inhibited proper and deep consideration of many of the issues in hand. Having served on organisations where such meetings are attended by the public and on others where they are not, I can tell you that the level of frankness of debate and the attacking of the real issues, are in my view much more effectively dealt with where the meetings are held in private.

Striking a balance is, as always, the right way to proceed. My own view is that there are better ways to get the right results other than giving open access to board meetings. Frequent open town hall type meetings where questions can be posed and kennel club answers can be given by the chairman and senior board members and staff, are in my view the best way forward. Added to that, frequent interviews given to the canine press are another good way forward.

But by far the best way to judge kennel clubs is not by listening to what they say but it is instead best to judge them by looking at what they actually do.

ymer D

“

“

• Multiple Group Placing • Extremely Limited Showing • A Top Five* Tibetan Terrier

Best In Specialty Show Winning

GCh. Bluvali Players Paradigm Award of Merit at the Tibetan Terrier Club of America National Specialty under Breeder Judge Mrs. Patricia “Pat” Tempest

Specialty Best of Breed at the Tibetan Terrier Club of America MidAtlantic Regional Specialty under Breeder Judge Mrs. Kathleen Ronald, pictured.

Dymer also won Best of Breed at the Tibetan Terrier Club of America supported entry the same weekend as Regional under Judge Mr. Peter Green (Best of Breed Three out of Three shows that weekend)

Breeder: Margie Wikerd Owners: Brian Leonard & Margie Wikerd Presented by: Brian Leonard & David Murray *The Dog News Top Ten List

Dog News 65

Time went by very quickly at the Newfoundland Club of America National Specialty held in April at the Lancaster Host Resort and Conference Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

From Monday and Tuesday’s draft tests, hosted by the Southeastern Newfoundland Club, to the Best of Breed held on Saturday afternoon, all attendees participated in a very busy schedule.

Congratulations to Monday’s and Tuesday’s new DD and TDD titlists. Tuesday also included a 4-6 puppy event, judged by breeder judge, Brenda Santiago. After a lot of wiggles and fun, Seabrook’s Pre Conceived Notion Pouch Cove was the winner. A Canine Good Citizen Test was also held on Tuesday.

Tuesday and Wednesday featured Obedience/Rally trials, with Wednesday being the official National Specialty trial.

HIT on Tuesday and Wednesday both was Ch Nashau-Auke’s Big Country UD RA WRD DD. Wednesday also featured Sweepstakes, both Puppy and Veteran, judged by Kim Griffith, Lou Ann Lenner and Bill Matlock. Best in Sweepstakes was Old Bay’s Oahu Astaire N At and Best in Veteran Sweepstakes was CH Haytee’s Something to Talk About Nuvo.

Throughout the judging, special events were held during the

lunch break; Honors Parade on Wednesday, Living Legends on Thursday and Rescue Parade on Friday.

Thursday, Houston Clark judged an entry of 141 dogs with Winners Dog being Old Bays Lead Me to Temptation; Reserve Winners Dog was MississippiMissouri Opportunity Knocks.

Friday Nancy Liebes judged an entry of 145 bitches with Winners Bitch being Shadrack’s OMG; Reserve Winners Bitch was Southwind’s Pouch Cove Rumour Has It. Saturday the exciting Best Junior Handler event was judge by Paula Nykiel prior to the breed. Becker Reep of Weaverville, NC took the honors; way to go Becker! Paula continued on after juniors to Best of Breed judging. Several cuts were made before Paula cut the field to 14 dogs and 14 bitches and the WD and WB. BOB went to GCH Heartsease King of The Jungle, a Select winner last year and BOS to last year’s BOB winner, GCH Pouch Cove’s Seabrook Enough Said.

Winners Bitch was BOW. AKC Select dog was CH Bear n’ Minds Code of Honor and AKC Select bitch was CH Haytee’s

Something to Talk About Nuvo, who was also selected Best in Veteran Sweepstakes.

Not all our time was spent at the ring. A Welcome Reception was held Tuesday night, and a very informative program on “elbow anomaly” was held on Wednesday evening. This is a problem that many Newf breeders have faced. Thursday night was our Top Twenty Conformation affair. Held with the theme of “Survivor,” a great time was had by all. The winner was GCH Cypress Bay JL Snazzy Story at Avalon Bey with the Peoples Choice being GCH Sunvalley’s It’s As Simple As ABC. Friday night featured our annual Auction, where many lovely Newf items went home with new owners.

A new event to the NCA National was held after BOB was chosen where all present were invited to toast the winners and enjoy some lovely hors d’oeuvres. The Banquet followed in the evening, where next year’s National Specialty was announced by Show Chair, Donna Thibault.

The 2015 National, hosted by the Newfoundland Club of New England, will be held in Warwick, RI at the Crowne Plaza beginning on May 8th.

See you there!

As Time Goes By...

By Barbara Finch • photos by Kikuko Chang

66 Dog News

Dog News 67

Photo by rob gerity PHOTO BY ROB GERITY

Continued FROM page 18

state to state and from East to West- and if I may take the liberty to suggest that if you haven’t already done it prior to applying for a new breed there should be a recommendation that all new judges attend the breed’s National Specialty or at least a specialty with substantial entries.

If you year after year judge some terrier breeds around the country your expected standard will in many breeds slowly move in the wrong direction. So a yearly visit to Montgomery would hopefully be the cure and give you a fresh idea of what mediocrity is- and what should really be required to deserve the title of champion and understand what the word quality means within each breed.

Quality relating to a Staffordshire Bull Terrier means something totally different from Quality in say a Wire Fox Terrier.

I have over the years watched things going down hill. In this country the breed clubs own the standard- and in days gone by the clubs were ruled by competent and knowledgeable breeders with a solid background enabling them to understand the vital points of the breed. Today so many clubs are in the hands of amateurs with a very limited background and experience, which sadly shows in many breeds and even their standards.

What, however, makes this hobby so wonderful is among other things that judges see things so very differently and from different perspectives.

Which is fine provided the difference is based on educated knowledge and real interest.

Just recently I judged one of “my own” breeds I ended up with a BOW that had everything and was an outstanding specimen of his breed. I would not change a single part of him- apart from size. Well above the standard, which was not on the list of DQs. But despite his size I know he would be able to go to ground without problems as long as his “head” had the

68 Dog News

right attitude and desire to do so.

Over a 4-day circuit I had to watch in pain this dog being defeated by very ordinary competitors- as the other 3 judges did it the easy way and penalized him for size without giving him sufficient credit for scoring in every other department. I just could not believe what was happening.

Reading the standard for so many breeds, you have the impression that whoever put it together took for granted you had some solid knowledge of the breed already.

Look at the Greyhound standard, probably the most basic standard of them all, without

too long legs on a WFT as much as he disliked short legs on a girl. But then of course, he was married to Liz… Do you understand the term “Heavy legged” as was how my mentor and ideal Ernie Sharpe wanted his Airedales and Wires… No room for tall or rangy individuals It might be kind of an intrusion to take every opportunity to rectify what seems to me as the road to ruin for Wire Fox Terriers. But this breed, which was always the ultimate terrier breed where the best ones were on the verge of exaggeration in some way, is slowly, but surely becoming just another breed of terriers.

I think it was Jean Hopwood who once said to me: Remember a WFT head can never be too long or too lean, eyes and ears never too small, neck never too long, back never too short. As long as it is all in balance, has a perfect mouth, uses the ears correctly, can move and is in BALANCE! In other words the Extreme of the terrier breeds on verge of exaggeration!

When a new all rounder writes in her critique of a WFT: Lovely square head! Another commenting on a group of Scottish terriers she has just judged that she thinks some of the tails are docked too short….!!! Or the comment that a WFT was beaten because his foreface was longer than his back skull…Or being asked if that WFT bitch hasn’t got too much return of upper arm…?

Indications that we still have a long way to go. A lot to teach and a lot to learn!

But try not to let mediocrity rule the world! Require some quality, but be certain you know what that encompasses for each and every breed.

And for the future of so many breeds: You Have to Be Cruel To Be Kind!

BAbbling DO YOU HAVE TO BE CRUEL TO BE KIND? any in depth explanation of anything. Maybe that’s the way to go?? Leave everything up to the individual imagination?

My good friend, the late Ralph Parsons, breeder of all those great RP Greyhounds, always quoted the old description of a proper Greyhound: Headed like a Snake.

Necked like a Drake. Backed like a Beam. Sided like a Bream.

Footed like a Cat and Tailed like a Drake.

Urging that this was a much clearer picture of the breed than what the standard managed to give.

And regarding Fox Terriers my late friend, Joe Cartledge’s description of a WFT included: Headed (and necked I think) like a Duchess with the Bottom of a Milkmaid.

He would despair if he saw the number of plain, common, too short and unexpressive heads we see in the ring these days. The Milkmaid Bottoms are hard to find, but it doesn’t seem to matter.

Joe also said that he disliked

“George”

#1 Newfoundland in Breed Points in the USA* #3 Newfoundland in All –Breed Points in the USA*

Best In Specialty Show 2014 Newfoundland Club of America National Specialty under Judge Mrs. Paula Nykiel, pictured Award of Merit 2013 Newfoundland Club of America National Specialty under Judge Mr. William Shelton

Multiple Best In Specialty Show, Multiple Best In Show

Am. & Can. Silver GCh. Heartsease King Of The Jungle

Owners: M. Joan Casler, Lynne Anderson, Pamela Jackson and Jill Latchaw Breeder: M. Joan Casler Handler: David Bullett George is Landseer recessive and available at stud to approved bitches Contact jlatchaw@pcjlawinc.com • 925-286-8700

Best In Show wins under Judges Mr. Rick Fehler, Mr. David Patterson, Mrs. Lynn Storeshaw and Col. Joe B. Purkiser Multiple Group Wins and Placements.

*CC SYSTEM

Dog News 69

*

70 Dog News

*The Dog News Top Ten List - All Breed points

Dog News 71

A Different

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JUDGE FLOSSI FLOOHIMER, or, Show Ring Relay and Other Adventures...

Perspective Continued FROM page 26

of other exhibitors with multiple entries they must go find, then find the dog’s leash, then find the armband, then brush the dog, and finally enter the ring, plus the NOHS, we are now on the edge of late. No, actually we have slipped over the said edge, and here is the next judge assigned to this ring, waiting patiently to come in. “No, I am so sorry, I do not have time to wait for the photographer to get here, as I must find my way to my next ring, but I will be at the show all day and will be happy to do photos later….” I hate to do that to the exhibitors, but just now there’s really no option. “Thank you TS for stewarding, it’s been a pleasure, hope the rest of your day is less filled with poop!”

N

ow, where is that next ring???? Is that the one way across the field? Yup. Golf cart anywhere?

Hmmm, they must be busy, I’m already late, better start walking. We’re walking, we’re walking, it’s over here somewhere …….ahah! Now 10 minutes behind the 9:30 start time (why couldn’t the sweeps judge be like many other sweeps judges and run late?). Look at the ring and decide what pattern to use, talk to the new stewards (NS1 and 2, and they are very nice but New, read that “eager but inexperienced,” supplied by the breed club) about how I prefer things to be done, get out the judge’s book, and let’s have the first class in the ring.

NS1, please don’t wait after each number for each dog to come in, just call all the numbers and let’s get things moving, it’s already 15 minutes past our scheduled start time.

(And please, try to stay out of the way while I examine each dog……)

Time for the Winners class…..NS1, please let’s line them up with the youngest puppies at the end of the line, not up front…..that 6-9 puppy doesn’t really want to walk yet…….. and Winners Dog today will be number 33. Yes, I need the second place dog from that class….no, it wasn’t the Open class, it was the Bred-by class, so we need number 29, not 45.

And so on to the class bitches, and 72 Dog News

some of these are very lovely indeed. never have actually been to a dog OK, Best of Breed is finally done, show! Either that, or he or she has forwhat a nice group of specials that was! gotten what the reality is……

And I am glad there were two Awards OK, we are now vacating this speof Merit to give out because there were cialty ring about 25 minutes later than many deserving entries. Now NS 1 and scheduled…… 10 or 15 minutes lost to 2, we need to do the Owner-Handler ring cleanup, disorganized exhibitors, competition. Yes, those would be the and travel, and then arranging the new ones with the asterisk, or perhaps a ring and stewards before we could start separate list in your steward’s catathe first specialty class, and another 10 log….you should have been given a or 15 lost to the NOHS, inexperienced sheet explaining how to do it….oh you stewarding, and extra classes. The next were, but you are having trouble uncommuting judge is at the gate…… derstanding it? Yes, it can be a bit conand the Ring Relay Domino Effect is in fusing. No, I can’t look at the catalog full play. to help you on this. Oh dear. “What’s Photos? Oh dear. I am supposed to that sir, you say you’re not an owner of be in another ring (my third) about 25 this dog, you are helping your friend minutes ago to do ONE Toy Mancheswho had to run to another ring after ter……..well, it’s a Toy ring, and rather showing this dog in the specials class? than have the exhibitor of this one very OK, sorry, but you are exportable dog come to me, I cused.” Yes, NS1, I know must commute to that toy ring they entered the NOHS “What’s that sir, in the building over yonder. but you see, the dog must you say you’re One would think, wouldn’t be handled in the ring, one……….nope, to quote not an owner Emily Latella, never mind! “I at this time, by an owner.

Why is the Reserve Dog of this dog, am so sorry, but I will be here in here? The Winners Dog all day and will be happy to is in here too and he has you are helping do photos later…….and you already defeated the Re- your friend who can have your dogs all nicely serve so the Reserve is not rested and looking great. “ had to run to eligible. What, NS2? You The Toy Manchester exsay this lady says she is hibitor and ring steward are another ring very pleasant and underthe owner of this dog she is showing so she should after showing standing about the delay and be in here, but the dog exhibitor offers that she this dog in the the is not one of those listed would have been happy to for NOHS? “Ma’am, did specials class? bring the dog to my previous you check the box on your ring. We agree this meeting OK, sorry, at a far off ring for a single enentry form? You actually have to opt in to the but you are try makes no sense! At least NOHS by checking the in this ring, there is no “next excused.” judge” waiting to start after box……better luck next time. I’m sorry, but for I finish the one dog. No, that today, you are excused.” judge is off enjoying lunch.

Finally! Now on to Best Puppy, Best LUNCH! Oh my, I guess I have barely Bred-by Exhibitor, and Best Veteran.

15 minutes to go get lunch. Where is NS1 and 2 have actually managed to lunch, anyway? Check that diagram, oriround up the eligible dogs (4 puppies, ent oneself to present position, look for 2 bred by, and 3 veterans) for both, mirgolf cart, yes! There is a golf cart and a acles do happen! But one would think, smiling club member. Thank you, thank wouldn’t one, that the person writing you. Lunch is a bit of a ride but after a the judging program would allow exfew minutes we are there at last and I tra time for these extra classes totaling can take 7 minutes to eat and then off in this entry 9 dogs, they generally go to my fourth ring, back in the building quickly because the dogs have already where I started the morning. Bolting my been judged once, but the classes are lunch I see a couple other commuting still not instantaneous……well if you judges who are evidently also short of thought that, you would be wrong. time, gobbling their food and racing What we do all think is that whoever away. A pity as the club has presented that schedule writer is, he or she must Continued on page 82

TODD

Possessing Correct Breed Type, Correct Movement, and Flawless Temperament.

GrCh. SunValleys It’s As Simple As ABC Newfoundland Club of America Top Twenty

Owned and handled by Brooke Moore Beck Co-owned and groomed to perfection by Karen Moore Anchorbay Newfoundlands Pierceton, Indiana 574-551-1478 Breeder/Co-owner Lou Ann Lenner Sun Valley Newfoundlands 570-286-9972

CHIC # 87922

Some of Todd’s accomplishments: • Multiple Specialty Wins • Best of Opposite Sex at the 2013 National Specialty • Award of Merit at Eukanuba and Winner of the Owner Handler Working Group • Award of Merit at the 2014 National Specialty • Peoples Choice award at the 2014 National Specialty Top 20 Dog News 73

*

*

*CC Breed points

74 Dog News

*

*CC Breed points

Dog News 75

The Pacific Northwest is known for beautiful rugged coasts, variety of wildlife and now, holding terrific Flat Coated Retriever Nationals!

Oh,Oh, Oregon!

00 Dog News

by Ruth Marsh and Dee Turkelson Photos by Chris Butler

T

he FCRSA revisited the Linn county fairgrounds in early June of 2014. The club had held a national there in 2008. The grounds are perfectly positioned in Albany, Oregon. Close by are vineyards, scenic covered bridges and lots of wagging tails!

The specialty week was jammed with events in the field, obedience and rally rings, agility and confirmation classes; there was even a CGC test. The Linn County Fair & Expo Center has played host to our National before and for those returning, the first thing on the check list was the fabulous Cinnamon Twists. Thanks to Sherry and her cooks, they kept many of us happy in the morning.

The Field events started off the week on Sat 31 May. We had a Junior, Senior and Master hunt test. We had beautiful weather, sunny and cool, with nice breezes. The grounds were lovely, as were the ducks. On Sunday, we had the club tests, Working Certificate (WC) and Working Certificate Excellent (WCX), the newcomer stake and the puppy stake.

The WC and WCX are pass / fail events, while the others are competitive. There were 36 WC passes and 4 WCX passes.

There were 2 MH passes, 5 SH passes and 37 JH passes. The tests were over rugged terrain with challenging water marks. Judges for the tests were Brian and Cindy Meyer, Keven and Pam Bunnell, Mary Beth Lamb and Elaine Brock. The weather remained rain free, but slightly overcast, giving us a cooler day than Saturday. The qualifying and placement ribbons were given out at the field banquet on Sunday evening. The ribbons were gorgeous!

Monday was a very busy day. It began with Agility in a nice arena adjacent to the main show building. We had two rings, allowing course building in one while the other was running dogs.

The entry was large and the courses reasonable for Flat-Coats and again the rosettes were very nice!

The indoor facilities at the Linn County fairgrounds made for a great place to show dogs in all venues. The obedience events, judged by Chris Primmer and Christopher Cornell,

Continued on page 109

Dog News 77

Let theWorld The July 25th Issue of

Dog News at the

World Dog Show

Helsinki, Finland August 8, 9, 10, 2014 Showcase your dogs and breeding on the International Stage 78 Dog News

Know!

July 25th, 2014

Dog News

World Dog Show Issue Advertising Deadline:

Friday, July 18, 2014

Dog News 79

*

80 Dog News

*Number Three overall, The Dog News Top Ten List Breed & All Breed

Dog News 81

A Different

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JUDGE FLOSSI FLOOHIMER, or, Show Ring Relay and Other Adventures...

Perspective Continued FROM page 72

what appears to be, if only we had time to taste it, an excellent lunch!

As it is, while modesty prevents me from dwelling on the subject, it has been difficult enough to take time for a “rest stop.”

Happy day, another friendly club member is waiting with a golf cart and off we go to the last ring of the ring-around-a –rosy relay schedule. Another new (to me) steward with whom to discuss procedure and ring pattern, and we are good to go. I’ve been looking forward to this next entry of a very low entry, relatively new breed because there are actually five entered…. one dog and four bitches.

Most likely the exhibitors have created a major for themselves but who can blame them, the breed has such low numbers it’s the only way they can make points. But just seeing five will be interesting. OK, the one dog is decent quality, a bit untrained but the exhibitor is trying his best. Now for the bitches….. well, my judge’s book tells me all four are in four separate classes.

OK, a lady brings in the first one, a cheerful but apparently untrained puppy. And the same lady brings in the second bitch, while a not very tall someone at ringside hangs on the other three. And the same lady brings in the third one…and the fourth. Now for Winners. The lady stays in the ring with the last one she brought, and waits. I wait, and the steward calls the other three.

The lady looks blank. Finally the man with the lone class dog hands the dog to the young person gripping the other bitches, grabs one and an armband, and enters the ring. Now they both wait expectantly. “Ma’am, sir, we do need the other two bitches in for this Winners class.” “Yes, I see that your daughter has her hands full holding three dogs, but you really must get the two other bitches in here. No, I’m sorry, the steward cannot show one of them.” My steward calls for volunteers and finally two kind hearted people waiting ringside with another breed offer to help, park their own dogs with another exhibitor, and each takes one of 82 Dog News

Now I’m walking, I’m walking, the semi-trained bitches. And wouldn’t back down onto the field to the Group you know, the one I like best is one of rings. There sure enough is a large these last two and it does well with the crowd of exhibitors with dogs waiting substitute pilot. The lady herself must to get photos, along with group winbe content with Reserve on her exhibit. ners and placers and their respective Happily for all concerned the Winners judges. This is going to take quite a Dog is quite worthy of Best of Winners long time! I’m sure some exhibitors and all seem satisfied. I chat with the have given up on the idea of lady afterwards about planning ahead when bringing Well sir, even getting a win picture. I can’t help but wonder……..how multiple entries and the neif he were the fair IS a schedule like this to cessity for all class winners to come in to the Winners right color for all concerned? Yes, the exhibitors get to have their breed class; she nods and smiles, this class, I’m stay in the same ring……it’s says she’s pretty new (as if we wouldn’t have guessed!) and sorry but the a very nice idea, but without adjusting for the unintended promises to do better in the rules will not consequences, what is the future.

What about the judge allow you to cost? who is short of time….does ust when I think all is under control do that…well, he or she rush through judging the nice specialty because and we are more or yes, we can the schedule did not allow less on schedule… call the Field time for commuting and per……..”Sir, this is the the NOHS? How about open tricolor class, Rep to help haps the exhibitors who all paid and what you have here is a sable dog……what sir? You explain this.” the same entry fee….aren’t they entitled to equal time showed the tri dog in Bred-by for each dog, not some hurby mistake, and he went secried perusal? What about the ond, and you actually had enphotographers….how many photos tered the sable in Bred-by, so now you did they not get to take because the want to show the sable dog in the class schedule was written as if all the rings the tri dog was entered in…….Well sir, were clumped closely together (or as even if he were the right color for this if judges had a Star Trek transporter at class, I’m sorry but the rules will not altheir disposal) and as if there were no low you to do that………well, yes, we NOHS or extra specialty awards and can call the Field Rep to help explain classes? Or as if no dog ever made this.” Several minutes elapse waiting a total mess of a ring…..well, those for the already busy Field Rep to make things do happen! But the rest is withher way from, no doubt, the farthest in human control. (You notice I didn’t reaches of the show site, and several bother to mention the nomadic commore minutes pass while she patiently muting judges because having spent explains the situation and the rules today with me, you know how it goes to the exhibitor. He is not happy but for them!) Show chairs, especially you seems finally to understand, accepting who work hard to get breed clubs to the bad news better from her than from support your show and enhance your a mere judge. The steward and I can entries, you can make this better by only wonder how he mixed up the two, making sure the judging schedule very different looking dogs………and allows a little extra time for commutwe go on to the bitch classes. ing, for NOHS, and so on. Of course And at last, I am finished with my that message must be conveyed to breeds, but yet another commuting the office staffer who produces the judge is waiting patiently at the ring schedule, but you can do that. After gate, having been dispossessed of his all, you put on a great show, and you outdoor ring where Groups are comcan make it even better. mencing. Yep, the Domino Effect is still Judge Flossi Floohimer has had making itself felt. “Photos? Of course, her say, for now, and thanks you for but we can’t do them here as this ring your time. will still be busy…meet me at the photographer’s setup by the group ring.”

J

Dog News 83

America’s Number One Skye Terrier All Systems Number One* Among All Terrier Breeds Number Three* Among All Breeds *

ch. cragsmoor good time

handled by larry cornelius marcelo veras owned by victor malzoni, jr. *The Dog News Top Ten List

84 Dog News

best in show

judge mrs. cindy vogels

Dog News 85

Brace Yourself The Root Cause of Exhibitors’ Dissatisfaction in the U.K. Continued FROM page 30

plainly – it is the absence of a level playing field.

I recently judged Pomeranians at Blackpool where I found the most exquisite black male in the Post Graduate class. This means that he had not won more than five first prizes at Championship shows – yet he was two years old!

This dog impressed me from the moment he walked into the ring for his quality, type, compactness, demeanour and carriage. On the table he proved a revelation. Not only did he have a firm body and correct coat, he stood on four great legs and had the most incredible mouth – a full and perfect scissor bite with big white teeth! I was getting used to opening mouths and seeing a handful of rice-grains that appeared to have been thrown in haphazardly! On the move he was sound, buoyant and positive and his colour was the jettest of blacks.

He ended up winning the CC & BOB by a considerable margin.

Chatting to his owner afterwards I was depressed to hear this very modest lady say that she didn’t expect to win CCs as she wasn’t “a face” (an expression I hate).

This was evidently the lady’s first ever CC. I had never met her until that Friday. I then began to wonder if she is typical of exhibitors who feel that CCs will always 86 Dog News

elude them because of their perceived standing. Evidently Dianne has been in the breed for just three years and considers herself a novice. When she had regained her composure and dried away her tears, having gone on to win not only the Toy Group but then Reserve BIS, she informed me that she has a background in farming and horses. This explains why she obviously understands soundness and balance.

(The dog in question she bred herself, which must have made the win all the sweeter.)

What is now bothering me is that so many people actually find this story so hugely newsworthy … that someone who has been in her breed for just three years has had a major win with an exceptional dog.

Are people really so convinced that this sport has deteriorated to just judging people rather than dogs?

I have been awarding CCs for 37 years but even now I can be surprised.

If this is a widespread feeling amongst exhibitors it is little wonder that entries are dropping and more and more people are becoming disillusioned.

Judging purebred dogs carries a huge responsibility to judge THE DOGS without any other consideration. The best dog in the opinion of the judge should win – friend or foe, seasoned professional or rank novice – it is not rocket science PROVIDED you have the knowledge to make an informed decision.

I put a posting on Facebook after Blackpool which posed this question and was staggered by the response.

Evidently a huge percentage of exhibitors believe that Challenge Certificates are automatically the province of a “charmed circle” (to use an expression coined many years ago by the late and wonderfully outspoken Audrey Dallison), and sadly it does appear that some highly successful exhibitors believe they have a divine right to the

“Are people really so convinced that this sport has deteriorated to just judging people rather than dogs?”

Kennel Club’s large green cards, regardless of the quality of the dogs they exhibit. Let’s not beat about the bush, no one has any right to any awards – only the dogs by virtue of their merits.

Sheila Atter’s recent column in DOG WORLD on bullying within the sport made for depressing reading but sadly everything she wrote was true. Whilst some breeds are welcoming of newcomers, many are not and some seasoned exhibitors can be downright hostile to novices, especially if they have the good fortune to make their debut with a decent dog.

Obviously the vast majority of new exhibitors will not be lucky enough to get hold of a great one with which they can begin their exhibiting career, but sometimes they are. That dog may not enjoy the same level of sophistication in handling and presentation as some of its inferior rivals but the really great judges will see beyond these superficial aspects and still be able to recognise a diamond in the rough.

As Sheila points out, thanks to the social media, everyone is now fair game for bullying – exhibitors, breeders and judges alike. It is amazing how courageous people can be behind a keyboard and so many think nothing of bashing away with their accusations, accusations they would never dream of making face-to-face.

Please don’t think I am knocking the success of established breeders who have dedicated years to developing a strong kennel or bloodline.

Oftentimes when they win the CC it will be totally justified as their dog is the best on the day and testament to their proven skill as breeders. However we have all seen cases where high profile exhibitors have deliberately attempted to dupe ineffectual judges by producing a dog for the first time in Open, sometimes of a similar colour to a current winner but not of the same quality, and the judge is stupid enough to fall for it.

When I began in dogs it was well known that some judges were “crooks” inasmuch that they actually sold CCs for hard cash … often euphemistically referred to as “a drink”.

I believe those days are long gone, but we do still see CCs blatantly exchanged between breeder-judges, and top awards handed out for purely political reasons.

Continued on page 92

Dog News The Digest

Of American Dogs

Presents Our Calendar of National Specialty Coverage

 The Issue of July 11th, 2014  Belgian Malinois & Irish Setters

contact Leslie Simis: dognewsleslie@aol.com

Irish Water Spaniels

contact Karen Justin: dognewskaren@aol.com

 The Issue of July 18th, 2014  Tibetan Spaniels

contact Leslie Simis: dognewsleslie@aol.com

Australian Terriers

contact Karen Justin: dognewskaren@aol.com

Q We offer a special discount rate of $500.00 for a full page color and $225.00 for a full page black and white ad for the breeds listed above to participate in these issues.

Anyone in the breeds listed above may advertise in these sections.

Dog News 87

Beat the summer heat…

It’s all cool at the

Keystone Cluster August 8, 9, 10, 2014

Penn Ridge Kennel Club August 8 & 9, 2014

Great Venue

Harrisburg Kennel Club August 10, 2014

PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA

Great Indoors, Air-Conditioned, We ekend Free Grooming Space For All Plenty of Parking

3 Rally & 3 Obedience Trials!!!!

Fun For Everyone!

BIS $$$$ each day Friday - $300; Saturday- $1000; Sunday - $500 Prizes & Vendor Bucks – Armband draw each day for cash & prizes Refreshments each day including Pizza Party on Saturday “Chuck a Duck” for Take the Lead Rally on Friday & Sunday, Obedience on Saturday & Sunday

Majors!

Majors!

Majors !

Wear your lucky Hawaiian Islands outfit for “dress up day” on Saturday, August 9th and join us for a great time in “Hawaii” at the fundraiser after the show.

Vendors - contact: sunup1001@gmail.com

88 Dog News

Closing date for entries: Wednesday, July 23, 2014 Superintendent: Rau Dog Shows, PO Box 6898, Reading, PA 19601 610-376-1880 • FAX: 610-376-4939

S umm er I n H awaii C asi n o N igh t !

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Life’s a Gamble, Take a Chance in

“Hawaii” Casino Evening benefits Take the Lead, the AKC Scholarship Fund and the Harrisburg K9 Unit

15

Raffle Ticket

included with ea s ch

Admission!

Wear your lucky Hawaiian Islands outfit for “dress up day” on Saturday, August 9th and join us for a great time in “Hawaii” at the fundraiser after the show.

Decorate your set up in the Hawaiian Islands theme---prizes awarded!!!

NEW THIS YEAR.... LIVE ENTERTAINMENT!!

For your admission donation of $75, you will receive dinner, prize ticket and “funny money” to try your luck at games of chance. If you run out of luck, you can purchase more “funny money” or if you choose, you can just buy prize tickets with additional donations. There will also be a DJ to provide music for dancing and just sitting & relaxing. At the end of the gaming time, turn in your play money for more real prize tickets…all prizes will be raffled “Chinese Auction” style…

Every ticket stands an equal chance of winning.

This year’s great prizes start with: FIRST PRIZE of $5,000!!! and other prizes, which to date include a week’s stay at a Mexican resort, Salmon fishing adventure, Flat Screen TV, IPad, Cluster packages, electronics, Ad in Dog News, OFA package, Photo package, ad in the Canine Chronicle & the Working/Herding Digest, photo shoot with Miguel, and many more..the prize list is growing each week!

Many Thanks To The Sponsors And Those Who Have Donated Items To Help Make This Event Possible!!

For advance ticket purchase, please send your check or money order payable to “PRKC Charitable Foundation” with “Casino Night” on the subject line to: Charles Olvis • 12040 Country Mill Dr. • Bristow, VA 20136 Prepaid tickets can be picked up at the door to the Casino Event on Saturday, August 9th, 2014 Dog News 89

o s ip s G column the

BY EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS

L

ast week I reported that the highlight event of the AKC/ EUKANUBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, the very popular INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE, was pulled from the dog show. Now an official announcement has been made by EUKANUBA about them withdrawing the event. The American Kennel Club has yet to publicly address the loss, maybe they are still trying to figure out what to put in its place. Anyway as I wrote last week, the International Challenge will be held in Amsterdam on the same day as the AKC dog show in December. ANDREW BRACE, who has done the commentary for Eukanuba in the past, is on the judging panel this year. It’s hard to be in two places at once, even for ANDREW, so I suspect that Orlando will trump Amsterdam in December. Congratulations to CHRIS & DANA BRYSON BENN on the birth of their daughter CANICA-ANN BENN. One of the most gracious and smartest women I have had the pleasure to know, DIANE MCGIVERN, passed away this week.

A breeder of Vizslas with her husband, multiple group judge BUD MCGIVERN, she enjoyed a full life outside of pure bred dogs. A former member of the Board of Regents in the state of New York (regents are elected by the state legislature and are responsible for the general supervision of all educational activities), she was a professor and head of the Nursing division of New York University. She was a lady whose name was mentioned by those who knew her as someone who would have added great all around knowledge to the Board of Directors of

90 Dog News

the American Kennel Club. Her loss is immeasurable and we send our deepest sympathies to her husband BUD and their daughter RYAN. A memorial service will be held at 11 A.M. on Thursday, July 8th at Christ Episcopal Church, 78 Frank Avenue Staten Island, NY 718.727.6100.

Miniature poodle breeder and non sporting group judge ROY PRADO has passed away at the age of 82, following a long illness. In addition to his judging he was a director of the South Bay Kennel Club. ROY and his one-time partner BERNIE HAVER bred miniature and toy poodles under the Pravers prefix. He leaves a sister and as per his request there will be no services. Happy Anniversaries to PAT & DON RODGERS and LAURA & CHARLIE COOMES. Celebrating Birthdays MARIPI WOOLDRIDGE, BRUCE SCHWARTZ, JOSHUA DESROSIERS, BOB SHARP, PHYLLIS WRIGHT, DELORES BURKHOLDER, LINDA ROWELL, MARK THRELFALL, CANDY CARSWELL, MICHELLE STEELE, LAURA KING, JENNIE WORNALL RANGEL, BILL DOTY, MATTHEW BETTIS and his dad JIMMY BETTIS, MARY ELLEN THOMAS, ROBIN GREENSLADE, KATHY MCINDOE, TERRI GALLE, HEIDI GERVAIS, FRED BASSETT, DANA GABEL, GRACE ACOSTA, SULIE GREENSLADE-PAVEZA, BOB SHREVE and TRACY SZARAS, who is about to walk down the aisle when she marries LUIS ABREU in coming weeks…Congratulations and best wishes to the soon to be newlyweds.

Dog News 91

Brace Yourself The Root Cause of Exhibitors’ Dissatisfaction in the U.K. Continued FROM page 86

We then come to open abuse of the system, and the ease with which some people happily bypass KC Rules and Regulations. It is very difficult in our small country when two members of a family or partnership are genuinely and actively involved with a kennel to legislate so that one cannot exhibit their breed when the other is judging another, or a group, but human greed knows no bounds and we have now become accustomed to what is laughingly referred to as “the cosmetic transfer”. Even when we see blatant examples of rule-bending there is no attempt at discretion by the perpetrators. If one spouse happens to win BOB at a show where their other half has been judging in another ring, is it perhaps a little tactless to sit at the top table next to the show chairman to watch what is in reality (if not in the eyes of the KC Registration Department) their dog competing in the group?

Is it surprising that exhibitors get hot under the collar when they witness a judge giving a top award to someone with whom they have owned dogs in partnership, albeit in another breed?

There is the law, and then there is the essence of the law.

A while back Frank Kane wrote a brilliant article in DOG WORLD about the pressures that exist for 92 Dog News

new judges, pressures that are never addressed at any seminars, be they given by the Kennel Club or breed clubs.

Judges need to be TAUGHT that they must judge every single dog as if they had never seen it, or its handler, before.

They need to be TAUGHT that not every “top” handler will automatically have a top dog and that not every rank novice will be showing mediocrity. At my seminars I often pose the hypothetical question, how many judges would - if they had what was the perfect mature dog in a Novice class with a handler they had never seen before - have the courage and knowledge to award it the CC & BOB? In truth it is very few.

It is a well-known fact that some would-be judges when cutting their teeth at Open shows deliberately “look after” breed club officials or committee, as they are worried that judging correctly will impede their career. This is diseased thinking of the highest degree and to quote my late mentor Nigel Aubrey-Jones, “once you have been guilty of ‘convenience judging’, you are lost for all time.”

Then we come to the age of dogs that should win CCs. Some judges automatically stick with their Open class winners (remember we have no Champion or Specials class in the UK) regardless of the quality of the dogs in the lower classes. Puppies may be immature but when their quality, type and construction is superior to the older competition then they should be rewarded accordingly. Furthermore how many judges take the winners of the Veteran class seriously when it comes to awarding the CC? Some seem to treat this as some kind of novelty class where the day ends with a First and don’t give them any further serious consideration when they can often be the best dog on the day.

H

aving read the opinions of so many exhibitors over the past week I am convinced more than ever that the root cause of dissatisfaction is the lack of impartial judging and too many awards being made for the wrong reasons. We do have some excellent judges in this country, both breeder-judges and those who award CCs in many breeds, who are known for walking into the ring and doing an honest and knowledgeable job but sadly they seem to be in the minority.

There is nothing clever in demoting a top winning dog merely to appear popular with the masses, just as it’s not smart to promote an inferior dog to an

award it does not merit. There is absolutely nothing wrong in handing a dear friend a Challenge Certificate if they happen to be handling the best dog on the day, and the same goes for rewarding a dog that is sired by the judge’s stud dog – IF, and it is a very big IF, the dog is deserving.

Justice must be done and must be seen to be done but the more we expect the exhibitors who are viewed as nothing more than cannon fodder by the people at the top (who were all once rank novices themselves remember) to have their noses rubbed in it by game-playing, rulebending and dishonest judging, the less we can expect new people to join our wonderful hobby and stay with it.

In the USA

things are slightly different. Whereas the sport in the UK is dominated by owner-handlers and breeder-judges, the USA sees far more professional handlers and many more multi-breed judges. The size of your country is vast and so the sport is not as incestuous. That said, you still have many beautiful dogs that are owner-handled and often they are in the classes. Obviously I am well acquainted with many of America’s leading handlers and class some of them as close friends, so close in fact that they understand that when I judge I will do my level best to find the best dogs regardless of who happens to be handling them.

I remember judging at one particular show in the USA a while back and it so happened that in three breeds over the weekend I had BOB winners that I considered exceptional, but were evidently owner-handled and in the classes.

I watched with interest the group judging and it was painfully obvious that all three were walked past at speed without so much as a second glance, whilst well known handlers were cut with what appeared to my ringside eye to be obviously inferior animals. Obviously generalisation is dangerous and perhaps I was unlucky with the three group judges I happened to be watching, but it left me with a very uncomfortable feeling.

As fewer people are attending dog shows (the ringside at some of our major Championship shows when BIS comes to be judged can be painfully thin these days), we need an incentive for people to come join us and stay with us.

The first incentive has to be the knowledge that, whoever they are, their dogs will be judged knowledgeably and impartially. Without that premise we are lost for all time.

More “Hellos” for The Kitty!

Our sincere thanks to Judge Mrs. Helen Lee James (pictured) and all the Judges who have recognized The Kitty with recent Group Wins and Placements.

• Multiple Hound Group Winner • • Nationally- ranked 13” Bitch 2012, 2013 (#1 Bitch All-Breed*) & 2014 •

Bronze GCh. Vinla’s L.A. Ink – “Kat” Owned by Julie Lux & Kevin Brooks Presented by Julie Lux & Paul Catterson www.deluxehounds.net *Number four overall, The Dog News Top Ten List

Dog News 93

CLICK Li ttl e Fort K en n e l Club

P h o t o s B y B OOTH P HOTO G R A P HY

94 Dog News

Dog News 95

off Location and Publicity

Continued FROM page 54

Lady regularly provides a forum to espouse the virtues of adopting shelter dogs in its pages. The Times recently published an op-ed piece that basically lauded the interstate trafficking of shelter dogs, which all but avoided the shady underworld of these transactions. Days later, a second feature story appeared championing one of Arizona’s most popular exports: Chihuahuas. Stray Chihuahuas are overrunning the streets of Phoenix, and filling up shelters in San Antonio and Los Angeles, and are being hauled across country in the backs of trucks to meet the demand in Northeastern states, and to Idaho and Montana, where there are waiting lists to adopt them. Make no mistake, there is money to be made in the shelter business and for some their motives are strictly profit driven with the health and quality of the dogs less important than the bottom line. (That’s not to paint all involved with the rescue or rehoming of dogs with the same broad brush, as there are many legitimate organizations and people whose intentions are pure in these endeavors and their charitable work is to be commended). Neither account in the Times analyzed the vicious shelter cycle or questioned the motives of some of those involved, nor did they report on the health or final result of these interstate and out of the country adoptions. What are the

96 Dog News

fate, health and temperaments of those animals? Do owners spend thousands of dollars trying to rehabilitate them? Are those efforts successful? Are the dogs returned to shelters or shuttled to other shelters in other states? How many of the dogs are ultimately euthanized? Truth is, millions of dogs are euthanized every year in shelters in the U.S. There are far too many one-sided reports in the mainstream media gushing about the wonders and merits of adopting a shelter dog and far too little about responsible purebred breeders and animal husbandry. That, coupled with detrimental canine legislation, are but some of the challenges that reputable breeders and the AKC are facing today.

Whether the Real Estate Committee recommends to move, consolidate or keep the status quo, it’s hoped that the AKC will retool efforts to enlighten legislators and take its message to the public in a more forceful manner, not just with cutesy photos on web pages and tactics to generate ‘likes’ on Facebook, but with bold pronouncements instead of weak defenses about being the victim of yet another hatchet job, yellow journalism or creative editing by the mainstream media, i.e., the NY Times, HBO, or the Today Show, all of which recently produced negative

portrayals of the AKC. The AKC needs to control the conversation amongst the masses wherever it decides to call home and not just preach to the choir by emailing its constituents press releases and posting statuses to Facebook.

It’s wonderful that people are engaged with the AKC’s social media tools and the general public finds photos of puppies adorable but do they know where to find a reputable breeder? They sure know where to find their local animal shelter even if they aren’t aware that it’s not affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States or that The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (the ASPCA) is separate from local SPCAs. The AKC does many good deeds, from fighting and promoting legislation on the local, state and national levels to funding research through its Canine Health Foundation to providing aid to K9 groups and assistance to Search and Rescue organizations and disaster relief and grants to local clubs but if a dog poops in the woods an no one sees or gets a whiff of it…well, that’s exactly the point. There’s nothing wrong with thumping your chest once in a while to bring attention to good deeds. The AKC needs to get its message out beyond its insular bubble, reach a broader audience and if it can’t quite control the conversation, at least change or start one. It shouldn’t be content to sit back and let organizations like HumaneWatch.org take on the HSUS in the mainstream media with fullpage advertisements in USA Today or people like Diana Culp (a former director of education for the HSUS) write op-ed pieces which get published in the New York Post and West Virginia Gazette that shed light on the HSUS’ questionable fund-raising tactics and urge those who really want to help shelter animals to give to their local shelters instead. If these groups and people can take their message to the masses, why can’t the AKC? It’s often said that the three most important factors of real estate are location, location, location; the same can be said for product placement and publicity.

Amateur Owner Handler Best in Show Winner All-Breed Group Winner and Multiple Group Placer

s

s

Gr. Ch. Kelleyz Black Denim and Motorcycle Boots “Levi”

Sire: Ch. Four-T’s Steel Toed Boot “Floyd” Dam: Ch. Kelleyz Bille Holiday v Bev’s “Jazz” OFA Hips Good, Elbows: Normal, Heart: Normal, Eyes: Normal, DM: Carrier, Bernergarde #: 80414

We want to thank all of the Judges who have appreciated Levi’s Type, Correct Movement, Structure, Athleticism & His Sweet, Goofy Personality.

Thanks to Donna Kelley, Barbara Casciole & Fred and Karon Thomas for our beautiful puppy!

We are looking forward to Levi’s future.

Owners: Valerie Haverfield and Sherri Nogales Indianland Mountain Dogs indianlandmountaindogs.com Val - 425-864-3350 Sherri - 509- 808-6135 In The East and West of Washington State Breeders: Donna Kelley and Barbara Casciole Handler: Valerie Haverfield Dog News 97

The AKC Recognizes Titles Awarded

By North America Diving Dogs, LLC Continued FROM page 45

concern: the way in which qualifying jumps are awarded for titles, i.e., the number of qualifying jumps each dog completes is reset to zero at the beginning of each year by other organizations.

“Qualifying jumps are important because the more a dog accumulates, the higher the title it is awarded,” she says. “If owners want to earn a higher title in competition during the next year then their dogs would have to do that many more qualifying jumps under the rules of other organizations. Every qualifying jump counts under NADD rules however, because the total number is never reset.”

NADD’s small dog exception is another key difference. Large dogs have dominated the sport up until now because the rules of other organizations require dogs of all sizes to jump the same distances to earn the same titles. Under NADD rules small dogs have different distance requirements. Thus it offers two competition classes: Open for dogs that are 16 inches or more at the withers and Lap for dogs that are less than 16 inches.

“A small breed like a Boston Terrier probably isn’t going to be able to jump 24 ft. to earn an Elite title,” Markwardt says. “NADD regulations are written such that an 18 ft. jump for a small dog is the equivalent of 24 ft. jump for a large dog. The small dog rule is the only exception made in NADD jumping requirements. We hope this encourages owners of more small dogs to become involved in the sport.”

Another difference between NADD and other organizations is the rule specifying that only one person may be on the dock when a dog is jumping. NADD allows up to two persons to be on the dock: 98 Dog News

Germelhaus' Charcoal DJ (Coal), breed: Schipperke, owner: Dianne Davis – Junior title/Distance Jumping Division/Lap Dog Class. Note: All other photos are of Open Class competition.

one to hold the dog if it doesn’t know how to Sit/Stay and another to throw the toy to be retrieved. This change was made to encourage the participation of more beginner dogs.

(To encourage the participation of more mixed breed dogs, NADD will waive the cost of every dog’s first jump.)

NADD competitions

NADD sanctions dock diving events held in the U.S., Mexico and Canada at various facilities that have pools and docks. It has two divisions in which owners and their dogs may compete for titles: Distance Jumping and Air Retrieve.

In Distance Jumping competition, each dog jumps into the water twice to retrieve a bumper that was tossed in. The farthest distance jumped between the two is considered each dog’s qualifying jump.

A division title is earned by accumulating five qualifying jumps within the division.

There are five titles ranging from Novice to Elite. After earning the initial division title, dogs can earn advanced and excellent level titles by doing additional qualifying jumps.

In Air Retrieve competition, each dog jumps off the dock twice in order to “grab” a bumper hung on a pole rather than tossed into the water. The bumper is hung 4 ft. above the water’s surface and is moved farther out at 1 ft. increments. A dog earns one qualifying grab toward a title based on its longest grab. A division title is earned by accumulating five qualifying grabs. There are five titles ranging from Novice to Elite. After earning the initial division title, dogs can earn advanced and excellent level titles by doing additional qualifying grabs.

Eligibility and other requirements “All dogs regardless of breed or mix, which are at least six months of age, are eligible to compete. Owners at least 7 years of age also are eligible. The

minimum requirements for standard pool size are 17 ft. X 41 ft. Although pools are 54 inches deep, they only are filled to the 48 inches mark. The dock must be a minimum of 7 ft. X 38 ft,” Markwardt says.

A floatable toy, such as a ball or bumper, is used in competition. The latter is preferred because it’s larger and, therefore, easier for dogs to see and grab. In Distance Jumping competition, the person throwing the toy must throw it with precision so the dog thinks it can catch it.

Competition classes are referred to as Splashes and include up to 40 dogs. NADD events have up to four Splashes and one Air Retrieve per day. Each dog entered in a Splash is allowed to jump twice and the distance of each jump is recorded. The farthest distance jumped between the two is considered the dog’s qualifying jump as already stated.

“Depending upon the distance jumped, the dog is awarded one of the 5 legs needed to earn a title. If the dog jumps 9 ft. for example; then, it would be awarded one of the five legs needed to earn a Novice title.

If it jumps 12 ft.; then, it would be awarded one of the five legs needed to earn a Junior title. If it jumps between 20 ft. and 23 ft. 11 inches; then, it would be awarded one of the five legs needed to earn the Master title.”

For a complete listing of NADD titles, visit http://northamericadivingdogs.com/ titles/ Dogs can enter up to two Splashes at an event but don’t compete on the basis of titles they earned at previous competitions.

“The dogs compete against themselves rather than each other. Each time they jump, they try to jump farther than they did the last time,” Markwardt says.

Training

One might think a water retrieving sporting breed would have the advantage over other breeds but that’s not necessarily the case.

“Dobermans can excel at the sport despite the fact they’re not commonly Continued on page 102

Quality Northeast

S

cotch

Multiple Group Placing

FLASH rd Group Thui burn A Lewiston-l Club Kenne Judge Thank youHartinger Mrs. Paula Sire: Ch. Somerri Samoa Super Snoop

Dam: GCh. Somerri Jamieson’s Sea Whiskey

Thank You Judge Mr. Lawrence Terricone for this Group Placing and recognizing his qualities. Scotch won an Award of Merit under Norwegian Judge Mr. Kjell Oybakken at the 2014 Norwegian Elkhound National Specialty.

Ch. Somerri Scotch Make It A Double Owned & Bred by Handled by SOMERRI KENNELS Jamieson Lewis Laura Hall Lewis 53 YEARS with 14 Generations of Norwegian Elkhounds Laura Hall Lewis Bea Hall & Ed Hall & Laura Lewis & Alice Lewis & Holly Lewis Merrimack, NH wwww.somerrikennels.com Dog News 99

CLICK

L o n g B e a ch Ke nn el Cl u b & Ken n el Club of Bever l y H il ls Photos By EUGENE Z. ZAPHIRIS

100 Dog News

Dog News 101

The AKC Recognizes Titles Awarded

By North America Diving Dogs, LLC

Ch. Matilija Make Mine A Dbl At LegaSea CDX RA JH NA NAJ OF DN (Jack), breed: Labrador Retriever, owner: Barbara Eberhardt – Novice title/Distance Jumping Division.

Continued FROM page 98

thought of as water dogs. After members of the Doberman Pinscher Club of Dallas saw how well my dog Connor was doing in competition, many of them got involved with their dogs. As a result, 25% of the dogs at our last trial were Dobermans,” Markwardt says.

Obviously, a fear of water impedes any dog’s potential in dock diving competition.

When they are afraid of water, it’s because their owners didn’t introduce them to it properly and teach them how to swim according to Markwardt, who trained more than 400 dogs for dock diving last year.

Once dogs learn how to swim, almost any breed or mix enjoys the sport. It’s all about building their confidence, she says.

“At my facility, puppies are introduced to water as early as 8 weeks of age.

Beginner dogs are required to wear a life vest that supports them in the water.

It keeps them from flipping into panic mode and developing a bad association.

Sometimes, I get into the water and help support them until I see they’re paddling with their back feet. Once they’re doing that, I have their owner stand on the ramp and call them so they learn to swim a little ways at a time.

“After that we take them up on the dock, which is positioned 2 ft. above the water. Then, each owner tosses a toy into the water while encouraging his dog to run and jump off of the dock and retrieve it. When the dog’s confidence kicks in, it does. If dogs are toy motivated, it’s a real plus because they’re willing to do anything to get it,” Markwardt says.

In addition to training, Markwardt says dogs need to be conditioned physically if owners plan to compete with them at advanced levels.

“Dogs competing at the Elite level do roadwork, weight pull and other exercises that develop their rear end musculature.

A well-muscled rear end gives them a powerful take off that propels them farther across the pool,” she says.

For more information about the NADD and the AKC’s recognition of its titles, visit the following websites: http:// northamericadivingdogs.com/ and https://www.akc.org/press_center/article. cfm?article_id=5505.

102 Dog News

Ch. Hylander’s Lennoxlove A Knights Tale BN RE AX MXJ OF CAA DJ (Geoffrey), breed: Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, owner: Ellen Jackson – Junior title/Distance Jumping Division.

Ch. O's Godiva Signature CA DJ (Perrin), breed: Doberman Pinscher, Owner: Mallori Nickerson – Junior title/Distance Jumping Division.

Déjà vu’s Everyone Wants to be Me OA AXJ NF (Envy), breed: Australian Shepherd, owner: Dana Peel Gill – Master title/Distance Jumping Division.

SG Bhairavi vom Dopheide IOP3 KKL1 DM (Trix), breed: German Shepherd, owner: Dianne Davis – Master title/Distance Jumping Division.

Dog News 103

104 Dog News

Dog News 105

Letters To

The Editor

Dog News will consider all letters for publication but reserves the right to edit these as required. Letters will not be considered for publication unless full name and contact details are supplied, including telephone number. Letters may be mailed to Dog News 1115 Broadway NY, NY 10010 or emailed to dognews@harris-pub.com.

EUKANUBA WORLD CHALLENGE This is the statement that was released by the Eukanuba World Challenge organizers in Europe July 1: “This year’s EWC Finals will be hosted at the ‘Amsterdam Winner Show’ (13-14 December 2014) in the Netherlands.

The idea of bringing the EWC Finals to Europe has been discussed since the early years of the Competition. In alignment with the AKC, FCI and TKC it has been decided that now is the right time for such change. More details to follow soon.”

- Jose Luis Ibanez, Commercial Leader Eukanuba Breeder & Vet Business for Europe and EWC Show Chair.

The AENC has been proud to host the Eukanuba World Challenge as a Special Attraction event for the past 7 years. Moving the World Challenge finals does not affect the ongoing plans for AKC/

Eukanuba National Championship events. Planning for the 2014 AENC show in Orlando is well underway, and we’ll be releasing details about this year’s event in the coming weeks.

Jason Taylor Asst. Show Chairman, AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Sr. Communications Manager - Iams, Eukanuba and Natura Pet Foods Mason, OH Ed. Note: It has been reported to these pages that AKC was presented the move to Amsterdam after the fact and indeed did not participate in the decision. It is correct however AKC acquiesced to the decision.

ONLINE REGISTRATION GLITCH Have you ever registered a dog online? If not, the next time you have a dog to register, do it online (or sit with someone who does it for you.)

We just registered a puppy we bred. Since there’s a co-breeder, we went through the “New Owner” process, not the Litter Owner one. So this is the same thing Average Joe Puppy Buyer would do. (Note: for a couple of years in my career, I managed an internal website and as a result, went to conferences on website usability.)

There was no particular problem

with the mechanics of getting it done. You fill in the necessary owner, dog information. But before you get to the payment, you get offered all of the “packages”…certified pedigrees, etc.

You get offered the credit card.

Then you get another page of additional services…lifetime “training”, microchip registration; somehow, I accidentally clicked on the lifetime training and saw my $40 registration jump to $80…and finding where to get rid of it wasn’t easy. Finally you get to the page to pay.

I would never tell any of my owners to register online as a result of this. I could see them thinking it’s just some ridiculous marketing scheme, it’s costing me a lot more than I expected and since this is just a pet, why do I even care if he’s registered.

An interesting question to ask AKC: what are their statistics on “shopping cart abandons”?

And how do they follow up?

Shopping cart abandons are every e-retailer’s worry…it means they got people in the store, got them to decide to buy and then for some reason, they didn’t pull out their wallets and left.

That is something that is

“Hey,are where areall they off to?”

“Hey, where they offallto?”

“Oh, they’re part of the English invasion…apparently…”

“Oh, they’re part of the English invasion…apparently…”

106 Dog News

commonly tracked very very closely in the online world. First, companies want to make sure the software is working. Second, if it is working, they want to know if there’s something in the design causing it…meaning is the customer confused and just says f**k it. Third, what else in the process may be causing the dissatisfaction…pop up offers, etc. Finally, does it come down to the products themselves. They can see some of this in the statistics but they typically have to follow up to the customer.

Personally, I think the answer is #3 but I would be curious if anyone at AKC is even thinking about it or looking at it.

This sounds picky and maybe it’s just me...but…they can do all the stuff they want to get people interested but if they are making it too hard or too annoying to do the registrations, then all the marketing is useless.

Pam Mandeville Somerset, NJ ENGLISH TOY SPANIELS: THE CAVALIER AND KING CHARLES SPANIEL IN ART The Kennel Club Art Gallery has announced the opening of its latest exhibition, which features two of the UK’s most popular and well-loved breeds: the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and King Charles Spaniel.

Visitors will be able to view over 180 items representing these breeds through paintings, engravings, sculptures, photographs and ephemera. Important historical items will be on show, representing not only the sustained popularity of these breeds, but also their development.

A celebration of both breeds, this exhibition brings together items that have never been shown together before, ranging from 18th century pieces through to work by contemporary artists and craftspeople working today. Amongst all the notable pieces are works by historically important artists Cecil Aldin, George Cole, Maud Earl and Frances Fairman, as well as significant contemporary artists Paul Doyle, Maria Heskins, Diane Campbell-Watson and Anne Reddaway.

Ciara Farrell, Kennel Club Library and Collections Manager said: “Toy Spaniels have been providing comfort and companionship for hundreds of years, so it’s no wonder they rank amongst Britain’s most popular and best loved breeds. This exhibition is a celebration of the enduring appeal of these charming little companions.”

The exhibition also contains many three-dimensional items including bronzes

by T Hingre, PJ Mene and Charles Valton, together with a strong ceramic presence of Parian, Royal Copenhagen and Royal Doulton pieces.

The exhibition will run from 14th July 2014 until 9th January 2015 and can be viewed by appointment Monday – Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm.

For more information or to make an appointment to visit the exhibition, please contact the Art Gallery at: artgallery@thekennelclub.org.uk or telephone 020 7518 1064.

Please view the Kennel Club Art Gallery website page for more information on this and future exhibitions: www.thekennelclub.org.uk/artgallery.

Laura Quickfall London, England

OF Bests THE WEEK Continued FROM page 34

Clackamas Kennel Club - Saturday Field Spaniel

GCh. Promenade Pay It Forward

Hockamock Kennel Club - Saturday English Setter

GCh. Weymouths En Fuego

Judge Dr. Daniel Dowling Owners Jane Chopson, Jane Schildman, and Nicki Kuhn Handler Elizabeth Jordan Nelson

Judge Mr. Robert L Vandiver Owner Penny & Tony DiSiena, Glen & Sue Godley, Sandra Nordstrom Handler Katie Shepard

Clackamas Kennel Club - Sunday Australian Shepherd

Kennel Club of Beverly Hills - Sunday Long Beach Kennel Club - Monday Pomeranian

GCh. Copper Hills No Reservations Judge Mr. Robin Stansell Owner Sharon Rapadas and Nancy Resetar Handler Larry Fenner Southern Maryland Kennel Club German Shorthaired Pointer

GCh. Robin Crest Edelmarke Investigator

Judge Mr. Nathaniel Horn Owners Terry M. DePietro, Thomas J. Feneis, Charlene Trost Handler Gwen DeMilta

GCh. Mythical Traveling In Style Judge Mr. Dan Ericsson Judge Mr. Edd Bivin Owner Nady Godbout Handler Noble Inglett Bell Vernon Kennel Club - Sunday Boxer

GCh. R And G N Hunter Creeks Mystical Attraction Judge Mr. Ralph Ambrosio Owners Albert Chan, Ronald Ang Handler Kimberlie Steele Gamero

Sandusky Kennel Club - Thursday German Shepherd Dog

GCh. Lockenhaus’ Rumor Has It v.

Kenlyn

Judge Mrs. Donna J. Buxton Owners Pamela McElheney, Kent Boyles, Anthony & Mary Beth DeRose, and Deborah Stern Handlers Kent Boyles & Liz Oster

Dog News 107

5.15

Alfonso Escobedo

623.326.6501 escor84@hotmail.com

Ashlie Whitmore

206.617.1555 eisha16@hotmail.com 6.15

Professional Dog Handlers

3.15

4.15

6.15

108 Dog News

Oh,Oh, regon!

O Continued FROM page 77

had 69 obedience dogs entered with a total of 83 and 62 rally dogs with entries totaling 68. At the end of the competition, High in Trial was earned

by Grousemoor First Sign of Spring UD GN, owned by Bonnie Behrmann and Helen Szostak, out of the Open B class.

High Combined was won by OTCH CH Folly’s On Going Fairy Tale UD6 OGM; owners are Lance Kruse and Tracy Kerns.

Conformation events began with breeder-judge Shelly Marx. The always poignant veteran sweeps were a delight, it was great to see so many veterans moving well and very happy to be there showing! Best Veteran in Sweepstakes was GCH Whatzthat Headliner CD JH, owned by breeder Jeanne Allen and Garolis Salomeja. Best of Opposite in Sweepstakes was GCH Flatford Comic Relief MH, bred and owned by Mary and Marvin Farwell as well as Todd Farwell and Karen Welke. The puppy sweeps was full of silliness and signs of good things to come! Best Puppy in Sweepstakes was Citrus Hill Shasta Tarocco, bred and owned by Tracy Tennison and Joyce Brackney, and Best Opposite in Puppy Sweepstakes was Artic Sun Pursuit For Perfection bred by Lori Kunz and owned by Deb and Sarah Brown.

Ms. Marx also had the pleasure of judging the Junior Handler classes.

There were some very promising handlers competing for the title!

Ultimately, Best Junior Handler was Jeannette Mueller with GCH Wincliff’s Odyssey Me Now, from the open junior class.

Under Judge Sid Marx, the popular Gundog sweepstakes showed true versatility. These dogs have to have AKC hunting titles to be eligible. Best in Gundog Sweepstakes was GCH Swallowsflight Enjoy Boogy WC JH, breeder is L Galdermans and owned by Traci Spires, Wayne and Michelle Heikes, BOSS was Flatterhaft Nike Everclear JH, breeder is Anneli Karlsoon and owned

by Marilyn Wilcox and Cheryl Kistner.

Regular classes were judged by longtime breeder-judge, Kurt Anderson. Mr. Anderson eventually selected WD from the BBE class, Coastalight In Hot Pursuit, breeder/owner Wendy Tisdall and RWD also came from the BBE class, Blazingstar Tinbergen, breeder/owner Liz Saunder and Andy Hurly.

In another round of tough judging, Mr. Anderson went over the bitch classes. WB was found in the 12-15 mos. class.

Wingmaster Olly Olly Oxen Free, owner Xan Latta and bred

by Maureen Kolasa. Reserve winners came from the open class, Athercroft Quiche My Grits, owners Donna Slavin, Chris Abbott, Dee Turkelson and Ruth Marsh and bred by Athercroft Knl Reg. As a Flat Coat fancier, there is something special about the Breed judging at your National!

Judge Anderson ran a very efficient ring, kept everyone on their toes and started his sorting.

His final lineup was BOB GCH Windy Hill Dance To The Music, breeder/owner Dr. Robert and Sonja Rickert, LM Seloff and M Bettis. BW was Wingmaster

Olly Olly Oxen Free; BOS was CH Heronbeck Obsidian Stout TD AX MJX, owner Victoria Peterson, John Lovegrove, L Spangler and bred by L Spangler, L Crowson. SEL dog was GCH Bertschire Independence JH RN, owner Christine Teneralli and Andrea Holsinger, bred by A Holsinger, K Goulding and N Cavallo.

SEL bitch was GCH Glenwan’s Sidney on Lanier BN RA SHU CD, breeder/ owner Wanda Middlebrooks and Cathy Pullian.

After judging, Mr. Anderson reported, “I was delighted with the quality of the puppies and was thrilled with both the quality and quantity of many outstanding veterans. Being invited to judge the national specialty is one of the highest honors that a breeder judge can receive!”

The end of the festivities was celebrated with the banquet featuring Affaire Catering and Sherry with her Cinnamon Twist creating staff! A very nice ribbon was given to all dogs that had qualified or placed in at least three events at the National. Over thirty ribbons were issued, highlighting the incredible versatility of our breed. Final item to the week was the inductees to the Hall of Fame:

GCH MACH Athercroft Sweet S’melon CDX BN GN RA JH MXS MJS MXP MJP T2B OF NFP WC RBIS/BISS GCH Blazin’s Joie de Vivre CDX JH WCX CH MACH2 Fireside’s Illegal HiStakes Gambling CDX RN JH WC AmCh BIS Can CHEX MOTCH BISS MBIS Fishercreek’s A Star Is Born JH UD RN Can JH WC Ch. Whatzthat Karasail Hot Like Me UD JH AX OAJ WCX CGC Ch. Wingmaster Live Free CDX SH WCX AX MXJ Everyone said their congratulations and goodbyes, hugs were passed around and in unison said “Meet Me in St. Louis” at Purina Farms. Until next year!

Dog News 109

110 Dog News

AMOK GOES THE JUDGES L, THE QUEEN MARY CLASSIC, AMSTERDAM NOT ORLANDO, DIANE McGIVERN...

Continued FROM page 62

o

And

M re

Returned to the Queen Mary Park for the Beverly Hills and Long Beach shows. Venue of course had not changed and was as lovely as ever.

I was wrong last week when I wrote they limited the show to 1,000 dogs-there were in fact a little over 1,300 dogs participating. More than that I am not too sure how it would have gone done. Weather was hotter this weekend in late afternoon but took a longer time for the fog or haze to burn off, which was pleasant indeed.

The shows seemed to run well and of course the rings are beautifully sized-grass is yellow due to the heat in California. I presume just as the club’s have to use the Queen Mary Hotel to get to use the Park itself the food concessions come with the park as well.

The servers could not be nicer nor more helpful. Too bad the menu is so limited particularly for those spending any length of time there but that’s the price dog show events pay to get better venues. Bests both nights was a lovely Pom with Reserve the first night going to the top winning Field Spaniel and the last night to a beautifully shaped Whippet. Line-ups in most groups were more than acceptable and I think a pretty good time was had by most in attendance.

We heard about Eukanuba Eu-

rope moving the Eukanuba World Wide Competition from Orlando to Amsterdam starting this year too late for me to comment about this change in my column at any rate.

Surprisingly as of this writing, which is July 1st, AKC has not made any public comment. Eukanuba’s is in this week’s Letters To The Editor. Candidly I never was the greatest fan of the event primarily because I thought so many of the foreign dogs representing some of their respective countries were somewhat below our standards.

I always thought the American dog excelled but perhaps I was “countryblind”. Nonetheless with each year’s presentation the event grew more Continued on page 113

Dog News 111

Saving Dog Show Relationships One Dog at a Time

Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton

30 year dog show enthusiast, attorney and mediator At HLM we provide the dog show fancy with a mediation platform on which to work through difficulties and misunderstandings in a timely and cost effective manner.

Neutral support that is solution oriented and confidential.

Call HLM to solve your problems on your own terms.

Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton Hamilton Law & Mediation, PLLC Address conflicts between people involving animals through mediation.

Tel. 914.273.1085 • www.hamiltonlawandmediation.com

email: dhamilton@hamiltonlawandmediation.com • Blog: hamiltonlawandmediation.blogspot.com Twitter - @HLawMediation • Linked in: www.linkedin.hamilton@hamiltonlawandmediation.com

12.14

Fabulous upscale home

in Oak Ridge NC on 4 secluded acres.

8 outdoor shaded runs, garage allows for 7+, 5x9 interior runs.

• $474,900 •

Please visit http://www.zillow.com/ homedetails/5103-Old-Forge-Ln-OakRidge-NC-27310/6018779_zpid/ for all the details.

9.14

336-340-7526

112 Dog News

6.14

Looking For An Experienced & Responsible Dog Person To Manage & Run Our Boarding Kennel While We Attend Dog Shows Live In & Salary Resumes to: BONNIE BRIAR KENNEL

Bergit & Hans Kabel • 11779 Sheldon Street Sun Valley CA 91352-1506 kennel 818-767-3330 • cell 818-324-7632 bergithans@aol.com 12.14

5.14

7.14

HELP WANTED

HAMILTON LAW AND MEDIATION (HLM)

AMOK GOES THE JUDGES L, THE QUEEN MARY CLASSIC, AMSTERDAM NOT ORLANDO, DIANE McGIVERN...

o

And

M re

Continued FROM page 111

and more welcomed and powerful so that in certain American circles and definitely in many European circles it came to be one of the major highlights of the show. I mean Eukanuba Europe paid all expenses in the competition from flying the dogs and owners to the States to putting them up and absorbing all expenses. No inexpensive deal was that for sure! So when the sale to Mars was announced many people expected some cutbacks not the least of which was in this area since for years now EE has been talking about some sort of rotation. But now between no more tv, no more invitations to compete, no worldwide international competition, what’s the sense of AKC even running the AENC show at all is a question being asked.

T

he passing of Bud McGivern’s wife Diane is a major blow to all who loved them both. Diane was not as visible a person on the show scene as was Bud--she did not judge-- but her input into their most successful Vizsla breeding program was known nationally if not internationally. She was the head of Nursing at NYU and appointed by the State Legislature to the post of Regent in New York State, one of the highest recognitions New York State confers on any of its citizens. When the post of President at AKC opened years before Judi Daniels was so honored I always hoped that AKC would have had the good sense to offer Diane McGivern its Presidency. She was a brilliant person in all walks of life and was an easy-going, charming person with whom to pass time.

Our love and prayers of course to Bud and their daughter Ryan in these very sad moments of times.

Dog News 113

Commercial Rate Card Available Upon Request

114 Dog News

*CC System