From The Publisher

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10 – November/December, 2026

By Tom Grabe

Even though it was just under six years ago, the excitement surrounding the return to a semi-normal dog show schedule is a distant memory. I remember the shows held in Brooksville, Florida, in January, 2021, when entries topped 3,600. Those attending were thrilled to be showing again, seeing their friends, and competing in breed entries they hadn’t seen in a long time. Everyone had a smile on their face. Over the next few months, there were more shows in more locations, and a sense of normalcy once again pervaded the sport of purebred dogs. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for attitudes to change.

As time passed, the behaviors we saw before COVID began to reappear. Whether in person or online, rudeness reared its ugly head—this time with a vengeance. Everyone seemed to have something to say, and much of it wasn’t something others wanted to hear. Arguments, altercations, and surveillance led to what appeared to be an exponential increase in the number of bench show committee hearings held across the country. It was not uncommon to hear about five or more hearings being held during a typical cluster. Contrast that with the 1980s and ’90s, when bench show committee hearings were so rare that if one was held, the rest of the country knew about it.

I have written about the proliferation of bench show committee hearings over the past few years. My suggestion has been for exhibitors to develop thicker skin and shrug off much of what they hear at shows or see online. Apparently, that’s too much to ask, so AKC has finally stepped in with a possible solution—and it’s about time.

On October 21, 2026, AKC approved a $50 deposit requirement for filing a complaint at an event. The policy went into effect on November 1, 2026. A complaint must be verified by the complainant as true and accurate and must be accompanied by the deposit. This requirement applies to all event types. You can read the details on AKC’s website and Facebook pages.

My reaction? “Hallelujah!”

Click here to read the complete article
10 – November/December, 2026

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Posted by AnthonyA on Nov 6 2026. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.