Looking Back With Lee

If it’s September…it must be Raleigh!

About Responsible Dog Ownership…
When we aim to help dogs to have a better, happier life, we have to explore what causes most of the problems that can crop up. And also where most of the problems stem from originally.

This intriguing oil-on-canvas painting depicts a seated, smartly dressed man – a “Sacramento Indian” – two Dalmatians, a cock and a hen, in a charming landscape with a river and mountain in the background.

Planning for your dogs in your will…
While at a conference in Portland, Oregon, I met with women in the pet industry and presented my MAAP Program, Navigating Short and Long Term Care Plans for Your Beloved Companions.

It was major network news when the world learned that Uggie the beloved Jack Russell Terrier had succumbed to advanced cancer on Wednesday August 7. His banner headline came via the role of Jack the Dog in the acclaimed 2012 silent film The Artist, which won five Oscars including Best Picture. Countless rave reviews acknowledged Uggie as the anchor point of the film’s success.

The recent passing of Jane Forsyth left me with a whirlwind of thoughts, not only about the historic importance she and Bob hold in our sport, but also about the way Mrs. Forsyth influenced so many of the top exhibitors and judges who grace the show ring today.

I can feel the warmth of your head on my foot down under my desk as the keyboard for my computer clicks along typing this. I could just tell you these things but then no one would know except the two of us. Written words always seem more permanent and somehow more meaningful although perhaps that’s just my bias since I make my living putting words on paper.

Junior Showmanship draws its share of Westminster fans, but it generally doesn’t rank among the main attractions. This year was different. Regardless of whether you follow Juniors, every aspect of this competition was so unexpectedly bizarre, it simply commandeered the dog world’s attention. Topping that list was the winning breed, the Bedlington Terrier dog, GCH Lamz Let Them Eat Cake CA. His littermate, GCH Lamz Strike A Pose RN CAA CGC, had already gone Breed earlier that day. And their dam had taken an AOM.

Among other things, breakthroughs in genetic research have revolutionized dog breeding. It’s removed the guesswork from many aspects of the job, thus allowing us to focus on our real task of creating a living work of art. Since the first canine disease mutation was identified back in 1989, researchers have documented hundreds of mutated alleles that can signal a hereditary predisposition to various health issues.