Attorney Gives Up Full-Time Practice to Devote Time to Dog Sports

By Ranny Green, American Kennel Club

The phrase “going to the dogs” has a whole new meaning for Karen Scheiner. The Cherry Hill, New Jersey, resident practiced law for three decades but fell in love with dog sports along the way. In February 2017, she decided to leave her full-time practice so she could devote more time to training and competing.

From Divorce Law to Dog Sports

Legal work left Scheiner burnt out. “The practice of divorce law was not what I bargained for,” she explains. “Instead of feeling like I was helping people in need, I felt like a soldier, entering into a war zone at work. Each day turned into a battle over the kids, the house, money. Everyone was disgruntled and angry. There are no winners in divorce litigation, so at the end of the day, there is no prize. Because of the nature of negotiations, everyone has to give up something. There seemed to be no justice in the law.

“I needed to get away from it. And fortunately, at the end of each day, I was always able to come home to my dogs, who were always overjoyed to see me. What a welcome change!”

An Unexpected Introduction

Scheiner’s connection to dogs goes back decades. As an 18-year-old freshman at Beaver College, now known as Arcadia University, in Glenside, Pennsylvania, Scheiner attended a mandatory science assembly, and she had no idea what to expect. As it turns out, the presentation showed students the power of the canine nose. “The demonstration on the stage that day was life-altering for me. It showed a dog finding his owner’s scent article in a pile of ten similar-looking items. The dog never looked at the article,” she recalls, “just smelled it. And always got it right!”

That demonstration remained with her for the next decade, at which point she was beginning a career in law. “I wanted to get a dog and train that amazing feat,” she says. Her first breed would later be a Dachshund, which she characterizes “as an insane coincidence because it is the perfect breed for training scent articles. But I was oblivious to it at that point.”

Starting Out in the Dog World

Scheiner began training in dog sports. “I found an evening Obedience class and began training my dachshunds the routines of Novice and Open obedience,” she says. “I also trained my dachshunds to perform agility, since this is a really fun activity and great exercise for me, too.” Soon, she acquired another Dachshund and before long, she was working them both in

Advanced Obedience and Agility.

“As it happened, one year the AKC was announcing the top five dogs in agility who would be invited to the [American Kennel Club Agility] Invitational in Orlando, Florida,” she recalls.

“Out of curiosity, I checked the list, thinking that maybe I might know someone on it. But there, staring at me, was my name, and my dog’s name as number three in the country! I found that to be incredible, but very rewarding. This honor really sucked me into the sport, like never before. I began to spend more and more time training the dogs, hoping to get into the top in Obedience as well!”

Her target, however, was seeing her dogs replicate that biology nose exercise from college. After three years of training, en route to earning a Utility Dog (UD) title in Obedience, her Dachshund Rock Star managed to repeat the exercise in 2017. “It was an exhilarating feeling,” she confesses. Scheiner adds, “It took at least three years of training all of the other exercises until he would get it right. The year that he earned his Utility Dog title, Rock Star was number-two dachshund in the country. That accomplishment felt super sweet, like I had just grabbed the virtual brass ring.”

From Passion to Profession

As she became more immersed in dog training, finding time to practice law on a full-time basis became an issue. “As I became more and more submerged in training dogs, it became an issue for me to practice law as a partner in a firm,” Scheiner shares. “So I left the firm and opened my own private practice of law. That decision allowed me greater freedom to spend with the dogs.” She no longer has to “clock” her hours and can work as much or as little as she chooses.

“Although admittedly the financial end of training dogs is not nearly as lucrative as practicing law, there are always big choices that you have to make as you go through life,” Scheiner says. And her commitment to dog sports continues to fuel her passion. “As by nature, I am a rather competitive individual, the fact that my dogs were ranking in top dachshunds in obedience and agility in the country kept me involved in performance activities,” she says. “If you work hard, you should play hard, too,” she emphasizes. “Find an activity that you really love, and go for it!”

And she certainly has, as her resume in various events reflects. As a breeder, she exclusively breeds and shows Miniature Longhaired Dachshunds under the kennel name Harlequin Dachshunds. Scheiner notes, “I strive to produce dogs with outgoing temperament and that are very biddable and easy to train. Because of the depth of training and other activities in which I am involved in, my breeding program is limited to no more than one or two litters annually.”

Six years after leaving her practice, Scheiner competes in Conformation, AKC Rally, Obedience, AKC Scent Work, CAT Tests, Tracking, and Club Activities, so she’s always busy. In Conformation, she mostly handles her own dogs, many of which also participate in Obedience and AKC Rally. In addition to putting a Utility Dog title on her Dachshund, Rock Star, which is not as common for the breed, she has put Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) titles on several other Dachshunds. Scheiner trains and competes with her own dogs in Agility, getting multiple MACH and PACH titles on her Dachshunds, who also have Coursing Ability Test (CAT) titles. She has been training Rock Star for two years in Tracking, which requires a certification to earn a Versatile Companion Dog (VCD) title. “He is looking good in practice,” Scheiner says.

An Impressive Resume

Scheiner’s multi-talented Dachshunds have been competing in AKC Scent Work for about five years. Several compete in Masters and Detective level classes. In September 2022, Scheiner served as Scent Work trial chair for a Burlington County Kennel Club event. She has also organized and is chairing the first Scent Work Trial for the Dachshund Club of New Jersey, to be held in May 2023.

But her Dachshunds aren’t the only dogs she’s getting titles with. In 2020, she put a Utility Dog Excellent (UDX) on her Toy Poodle Pop-Tart. She began training Pop-Tart for an AKC Rally championship a year ago and says that Pop-Tart is nearly ready for the event. Pop-Tart has earned a MACH3 and competed in the 10th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Masters Agility Championship in New York City this May.

Scheiner’s accolades don’t stop at her participation in the ring. She is approved to judge Dachshunds of all coat types at AKC Conformation shows, as well as National OwnerHandler Series (NOHS) Hound competitions. In recent years, she has served as Trial Chair for Agility trials for the Burlington County Kennel Club in Moorestown, New Jersey, and she trains Rally classes at Pinelands Dog Training Center in Bordentown, New Jersey.

On top of this, Scheiner holds multiple roles in regional clubs. She is the corresponding secretary and newsletter editor for the Burlington County Kennel Club, corresponding secretary for the Poodle Obedience Training Center of Greater New York, and secretary for both the Dachshund Club of New Jersey and the South Jersey Agility Club.

Living a Well-Rounded Life www.dynadaux.com

Immersing herself in the dog world has continued on page 22...

Maverick won BOSV at the Dachshund Club of America National Specialty under breeder judge Mr. Eric Henningsen. Thank you for this great honor.

Maverick is the first Piebald Dachshund to receive a Variety Placement at the National Specialty as well as being THE TOP WINNING PIEBALD DACHSHUND OF ALL TIME!!!

We deeply appreciate all those judges, exhibitors and breeders who have been and continue to be so supportive of Maverick during his show career. It has been a joy to watch this young boy show his heart out.

Devotion to Dog Sports

continued from page 20 changed her life. Scheiner says, “My husband and kids now tell me that I am a different person. That I am not stressed or preoccupied thinking about a client, or a case in court. That I do not have to work seven days a week and feel like I’ve gone through the wringer each week.

According to the DCA bylaws, Article V, Section 3, the DCA Board of Directors, at the December 5th, 2022 Board meeting, selected a Nominating Committee for the 2023 Annual Elections. Members of the committee are Sandy Arnold (IN, Chair), Laura Abbott-Licht (KY), James Vier Hall (FL), Ryan Horvath (CA) and Paul Martin (WV). The Nominating Committee is responsible for nominating one candidate for each office and each vacant position on the Board of Directors, then submitting the slate of candidates to the membership for voting later this year. Anyone interested in running for a position should contact any member of the Nominating Committee no later than July 15th, 2023.

Dachshund Club of America

Outstanding Sportsmanship Award Nomination Form

Name of Person Being Nominated: Robert Schwalbe

Nomination Text:

For the past 16 years, Robert Schwalbe has been an amazing leader and volunteer across a wide spectrum of Dachshund Club of Metropolitan Atlanta, regional and DCA National activities. Initially, his focus was on field trials, earthdog events and conformation. He did everything from digging tunnels to RV parking to filling T-Shirt orders to cleaning bathrooms to developing Premium Lists to judging (including jumping in for judges who had to cancel at the last minute – meaning he unselfishly pulled his own dogs from competition).

Robert has always been a strong, “roll up your sleeves” kind of leader, taking on significant challenges to keep our dachshund community thriving. In 2009, he put together a model field trial seminar for DCA Nationals which included hands-on demonstrations to teach conformation dogs and their exhibitors how to follow scent lines. Over the years, he has delivered numerous judges training and mentoring services, resulting in over 20 new judges and 3 more dachshund clubs being licensed to host field trials. Robert has also served on the DCA Board of Directors and the

Instead, I have more time to spend and enjoy with my family, and I am a more pleasant person doing it. Furthermore, I don’t feel that I have to ‘fit in’ dog training in little windows of time, as I had done before.”

“The dog world is challenging, invigorating, and satisfying,” she says. “I am a different person today from the stressed one who was walking into the courtroom a decade ago. No

2023 DCA Nomination Committee:

Sandy Arnold, Chair 3709 E South Ct., Bloomington, IN 47401-4489 812-322-1842 • sandydcaboard@gmail.com

Laura Abbott-Licht 1020 Indian Trail, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342-1815 502-741-3964 • lalicht24@gmail.com

James Vier Hall 1375 Edgewood Ranch Road, Orlando, FL 32835-5113 407-765-2548 • thesleeperboy@aol.com matter what the sport, my approach is upbeat and positive. To keep it fun and motivating for the dogs, I love deploying games and toys in the mix. It always leaves them wanting more and builds a stronger bond in the process.”!

(A DCA member, Karen also periodically submits educational training articles for the newsletter)

Ryan Horvath 1259 Pine St., Oakland, CA 94607 412-305-5478 • homardachs@gmail.com

Paul Martin 30 Patent House Road, Charles Town, WV 25414 681-252-1245 • brando2@starpower.net

Alternate: Liz Heywood 2200 Cedar Terrace Rd., Lithia Springs, GA 30122 845-797-1281 • liz@starbarrack.net

DCA Performance Events Committee to help community members breed dachshunds who not only meet the dachshund standard but skillfully perform hunting tasks – the purpose of the breed.

In several emergency situations, Robert stepped forward, kept his cool and got the job done by accepting personal liability for dachshund events so they wouldn’t have to be cancelled. Overnight, he paid for grounds, supplies, food and beverages while quickly getting new contracts in place. Once, when the Secretary of a DCA Agility and Obedience Trials quit without notice, he stepped in to chair these events and quickly found a new Secretary and equipment, despite never having been to an Agility or Obedience Trial before.

Robert has been an incredible innovator. He developed a “handicapped scoring grid” (based on dog age) so older dogs who are no longer competitive can still enjoy field trialing. When no one else came forward, he volunteered to upgrade the DCA Website to a new platform and operating system which could support new online processes developed during his tenure (e.g. online donations, dues payments and sponsorship fundraising). He also took on the task of managing finances for the DCA Health & Welfare Trust Fund which funds dachshund research.

Robert is a well respected judge in both conformation and field trialing, with ethical standards beyond reproach. To avoid conflicts of interest, in 2009-2010, Robert spearheaded the policy of judges not showing their own dogs at DCA events in which they are judging. This has impacted Robert’s own dogs for many years: Robert judged the DCA National Field Trials in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and will judge wirehairs at the DCA conformation show in 2024.

It is hard to find a DCA member who has this depth and range of Outstanding Sportsmanship and selfless service across so many years. We would be honored to have him as our first recipient of this prestigious award.

CH. Kordachs’ Christmas Cowboy v. Talisman MSD X Kordachs’ Chocolate

Sunday MSC

Breeder/Owner/Handler: A.Janelle McCord

Kordachs’

Miniature Dachshunds since 1947 Kordachs@gmail.com

Thanks to judges:

Sulie Greendale Paveza, TN Valley KC 11/6/22

BOV, 3 point major

Anne Barlow, Dayton KC 11/18/22

WD, 4 point major

Carolyn Herbel, Central IN KC 2/3/23

WD, 2 points

Aubrey Nash, CODC Specialty 4/21/23

WD, BW, 4 point major

Robert Robinson, Dan Emmett KC 4/22/23

WD, BW, 5 point major

Breeders: Mary Ellen Byrne, Lucy Granowicz

In 3 weekends out as a special, BB has had some very nice wins: BISS Badger Dachshund Club, Dr. Edna K Martin

BOS-Breed Badger Dachshund Club, James Donohue

BOS-Breed Dachshund Club of St. Louis, Dan Harrison

Owner/Handler: Sandy Arnold

CHIC# Pending

AKC Breeder of Merit-Silver Bloomington, IN • 812-322-1842

Award of Merit, DCA Host Show, Sherrill Snyder

Award of Merit, DCA National, Lorraine Simmons

(GCH

At freshly 6 months of age Autumn was 2nd in the Bred By Exhibitor Puppy Bitch class at the DCA Host Show under BreederJudge Sherrill Snyder and at the National Specialty under Breeder-Judge Lorraine Simmons.

Autumn was Bred By Sandy Arnold-Jarbsy Dachshunds and Melissa Heymann-HiRoad Hounds She is owned by Melissa Heymann, Sandy Arnold and Lotus Sapitula

Melissa Heymann mzheymann@gmail.com

Breeder/Owner/ Handler: Sandy Arnold AKC Breeder of Merit-Silver Bloomington, IN • 812-322-1842

(GCH Patriot Von Links x GCHB Jarbsy’s Feel It Still BCAT)

Winner’s Dog/Best of Winners – DCA Host Show, Sherrill Snyder

Winner’s Dog/Best of Winners – DCA National, Lorraine Simmons

BOS-V in Sweepstakes – DCA National, Cheryl Snedaker-Sims

At 13 months, “Hustle” finished his Championship at his 3rd show. Many thanks to Lucy Granowicz for letting me use “Blaze.” CHIC# Pending

“Penny” is shown finishing her AKC Championship with another 5 point specialty major at the Dachshund Club of America Host specialty under breeder-judge Mrs. Frances (Marci) H. Forrester. She went on to be awarded a fabulous First Award of Merit win at the Dachshund Club of America National specialty under breeder-judge Mr. Eric Henningsen. Wow!!!

A big thank you to Lisa Reeder Fisher at DCA for her expert handing of Penny! Penny’s Mom, Cissy, also did us proud by winning First Award of Merit at the DCA Host specialty & Select Bitch at Dachshund Club of America National!!!

“Jane” is shown winning Winners Bitch & Best of Winners at the Dachshund Club of America National specialty under breeder-judge Mr. Eric Henningsen!!! She went on to win Best Bred By Exhibitor in Breed under breeder-judge Mrs. Lorraine Simmons!!!

Alta Bassett

March 11, 1932 ~ June 1, 2022

Rosemary Berardino

July 5, 1933 – December 31, 2022