Table Talk · April 10, 2024
I am at the Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac Specialty this week bringing you Table Talk Live! coverage of the largest dog specialty in the world! This year “the Potomac” has 645 dogs accounting for 958 entries including 65 obedience competitors and 71 rally entrants. Wow! That entry is larger than some all-breed shows! “The Potomac” attracts dogs and fanciers from all over the world. They also have a foreign dog competition in which all non-US dogs are eligible to compete.
The educational opportunities are amazing, and I am told that several of our top AKC judges will be attending. Ringside mentoring will be available Tuesday through Friday.
Table Talk Live! will have coverage of the show and interesting interviews with some of the most knowledgeable fanciers in Labradors. Be sure to check out the Canine Chronicle Facebook page, website and Canine Chronicle TV throughout the week and join in the fun!
The Steel City Kennel Club in Northwest Indiana received notification from their venue just three weeks prior to their show that an error was made and the buildings they normally hold their show in were double-booked and not available. The club worked hard to come up with an alternative plan to hold the shows as scheduled. While it may not be ideal, an outdoor area was secured. Please cross your fingers for decent weather next weekend as the volunteers of the club have worked tirelessly to solve a problem that was out of their control. If you are entered in the Steel City shows, please bring your warm clothes and a positive attitude!
If you have not yet had the opportunity, please take the time to watch the Table Talk Live! segment with Sunrise Service Dogs founders Colton and Heather Johnson and Executive Director Laura Edwards (https://caninechronicle.com/featured/deb-cooper-talks-about-sunrise-service-dogs/). The segment gives a great overview of the program, and you can even watch Perry–the Service Dog in training–do a demonstration. Colton, Heather and Laura talk about the current fund-raising match campaign made possible by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia, and the awesome Raise the Woof fundraising shindig which will be held at the Under the Sun Training and Day Care Facility in Colorado Springs on May 18th. For more information, be sure to check out the website at www.sunriseservicedogs.org.
There has been a great deal of discussion recently about the proper ring procedure for measuring a dog. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- The wicket can be called by any exhibitor, or the judge, for a dog that may be over the height restriction as outlined in the breed standard.
- The Rules, Policies and Guidelines for AKC judges instructs judges that they can measure a dog only once. If the dog cannot be measured, the judge must excuse the dog. If the dog is either over or under the height requirements for that breed–which is determined by the measurement of the dog–the judge must disqualify the dog.
- If there is a question regarding the procedure used to measure the dog, that issue should be addressed with the AKC Representative AFTER judging.
- It is the judge’s determination–not the handler’s–about where the top of the withers is located.
- The measurement cannot be disputed in the ring, and the exhibitor cannot instruct the judge how to measure the dog.
- A dog can be disqualified for “measuring out” three times. After three disqualifications for height the dog is permanently disqualified.
- Questions about measurement, procedure, etc. should be directed to the AKC Representative.
Congratulations to Sarah Congleton and Benjamin Houston who recently got engaged!!! Best wishes to the two of you for an awesome life together filled with love and happiness!
Happy Anniversary to Suzie Schafer and Danny Tappen, Jr. May the two of you have many more wonderful years together with your canine friends by your side.
Fanciers celebrating birthdays this week include Susie Olivera, Carla Sanchez, Will Alexander, BJ Whitlow, Kathy Guerra, Roxanne Chumbley, Robin Stansell, Lynn Comstock, Melinda Lyon, Pam Peat, Shea Skinner, Jen Milani, Kayla Bruner-Byers, Pat Luce, Ken Wall, Aaron Wilkerson, Betty Jo Pyle and Howie Huber, III. I hope all of you have the BEST day!!!
He is Your Friend, Your Partner, Your Defender, YOUR DOG. You are His Life, His Love, His Leader. As you head to the ring please remember: Your dog gets absolutely nothing out of being competitive for you. Of course, dogs are bred for specific jobs, or they’re bred to be athletic to a certain degree. They have no idea how much money is added to the “pot”. They have no idea that this is a qualifier. They have no idea this is the National.
DESPITE us, DESPITE our nerves, our flaws, our incorrect cues, our huge emotions, they get the job done to their very best ability. Even when we fail them by letting our emotions get in the way, they come back, and they try again. FOR US. If only we could all be so understanding.
To think that a dog is forgiving and flexible enough to put up with the repetition of practice, the intense nerves of the handler, the stress of traveling, and they will still meet you at the end of their lead ready to go is mind blowing!
If you haven’t done so lately, THANK YOUR DOG.
If you’re successful, thank the dogs that put you there and made you successful in our sport. Thank the dogs that gave everything they had simply because you asked them to do so. If you are still on the journey for success, thank the dogs that made you fall in love with your sport and who helped give you the confidence to want to learn more and be better. Next time you head to the ring, no matter what ring it is, leave your ego at the door and THANK YOUR DOG!!!
THANK YOU all for “hanging out” with me every Wednesday! I appreciate every one of you! Be safe out there and I look forward to seeing you soon! Until next time…
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