Table Talk · November 29, 2023
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Holiday filled with love, laughter, and great food! While many exhibitors, owners and breeders hit the road for dog shows–and celebrating the holiday with fellow fanciers on the road–some of us were blessed to stay home and enjoy the holiday in our pj’s. Either is great as long as you were able to spend the holiday with those you love.
Millions of people tune in each year to watch the National Dog Show broadcast on NBC on Thanksgiving Day. The broadcast shows the group judging of the Saturday benched show hosted by the The Kennel Club of Philadelphia. This year, the show had a record entry of nearly 1,900 dogs. This broadcast is so important for our sport. The number of people that televised dog shows reach is amazing. As a great example, let us not forget our friend Elliott Wentzel who was introduced to dog shows via the National Dog Show broadcast a few years back. He is now one of our favorite stewards! There are many more stories like this which only confirm how important these televised dog shows are to the survival of our sport.
While I am sure the general public thoroughly enjoyed this year’s broadcast, they didn’t see much of the actual dog show. There were only a select few individual exams shown and, in my opinion, some of the information provided about the breeds selected was not accurate. I believe there were even fewer dogs shown during the broadcast this year than last. I have heard the excuse that there is not enough time to show more individual dogs due to the 2-hour broadcast time, but I think there could be a better balance so more of the dog show could be included. Fortunately, the public does not know any better, but why not optimize the opportunity to give a real “picture” of what a dog show is so the viewers learn something? They did not show the Reserve Best In Show winner again this year; and whether one agrees with the RBIS award or not, it is still an important part of AKC shows. It seems to me that not showing the judge awarding Reserve Best In Show is disrespectful to the RBIS winner.
Congratulations to the Kennel Club of Philadelphia for putting on an outstanding benched show, which is currently the last of its kind in the nation!
The American Kennel Club has released a statement regarding the canine flu/upper respiratory infection spreading across the country. They recommend the following:
- Keep dogs up to date on vaccines and avoid contact with other dogs
- If your dog has been exposed to a dog with an upper respiratory illness but is not showing symptoms, it is recommended the dog be quarantined for a minimum of 2 weeks.
- If your dog has been exposed to a dog with an upper respiratory illness and is showing symptoms, it is recommended you quarantine that dog for 4 weeks after symptoms have subsided.
- Do not take your dog to any events if it is showing any signs of illness such as coughing, sneezing, wheezing, nasal discharge, lack of energy or difficulty breathing.
In summary, if your dog is ill, or even slightly ‘off’, please leave them home and separate from your other dogs.
The AKC recommends that judges allow exhibitors to show mouths. If you encounter a judge that does not take this approach, respectfully request that you show the mouth yourself. If you have any issues, request the Executive Field Representative.
The Fiesta Cluster was held at Westworld in Scottsdale, Arizona this past weekend. This year, the show was held in a great building with a cement floor. All exhibitors that I spoke with were very happy with this year’s venue and hope to return to the same location next year.
In addition to putting on a great cluster, The Scottsdale Dog Fanciers Association has worked very hard to support Juniors. They now have a Juniors Club, and the Juniors Club put on a match this year at the cluster. They also held a dog judging event where Juniors were able to judge a class of dogs. I will chat with Pam Peat and Mari-Beth O’Neill in Orlando to discuss how Scottsdale has developed their program. Stay tuned for this informative Table Talk Live segment!
Great news from the Progressive Dog Club! After 2 years of not having a show, they will be holding shows February 10 and 11, 2024 at the Sleepy Hollow Lodge in Tarrytown, NY. Entries close January 24th and Rau is the superintendent. I encourage toy dog exhibitors to attend these shows and support this iconic club. Progressive is one of those threads in the fabric of dog show history that we need to protect and cherish.
Paul Clas and Chrystal Murray, along with their little one are off to Paris for the ultimate holiday shopping experience! Have a great time and safe travels!
I hear Rodney Merry has returned home from the hospital. While he has some healing to do, he is on the mend! We look forward to seeing you back in the ring soon. Take it easy and get well. We will welcome you back when you are ready!
Our thoughts are with Dennis O’Connor as his mom was taken to the hospital via ambulance just before Thanksgiving. She had surgery to remove an abscess and hopefully will be home soon.
Handler Sue Cassel had to leave the shows in Chickasaw, Oklahoma early due as she was not feeling well. She ended up having a stroke while driving home and crashed her car. The dogs with her were not harmed. She was taken via ambulance to the regional hospital in Oklahoma City and was in ICU for a week, and has now been transported to a Shreveport rehabilitation facility for her recovery. Our thoughts go out to Sue during this difficult time. We hope you are back with us at the shows soon!
Fanciers celebrating birthdays this week include: Gregg Bohlke, Curtiss Smith, Desi Murphy, Jennifer Costantinidis, Jamie Souza-Bartlett, Bonnie Wagaman, Colton O’Shea, Matthew Hoagland, Diane Ehricht, Caleb Dean Tolley, Lexie Rogers-Munson, Scott Yeargin and Johnny Shoemaker. May you all have a wonderful birthday!
I leave you with the following thought in the spirit of the Thanksgiving Holiday:
When you wake up tomorrow, be thankful. Be thankful for your family. Be thankful for your friends. Be thankful for the life that you have, the roof over your head and the food you eat. Hold someone a little tighter, stay a little longer and tell someone you love them.
Be safe out there my friends! For those of you in a race, good luck to you! Don’t forget that Palm Springs entries close December 13th . Until next time…
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