“Author Archive”
For centuries man has used various methods to improve the performance of their dogs. History is full of examples that demonstrate the importance of nutrition and experiences during early life to improve our dogs. Today we know much more about what can and should be done during the first year of life. In the early breeding programs, the entire process of selection was founded on the belief that performance was inherited. By the 1950s, researchers proved that other variables, such as nutrition and early stimulation, were important, especially when it was discovered that the immaturity of a newborn is susceptible and responsive to a restricted but important class of stimuli. During the past 25 years research has continued to advance new information on how supplements and nutrition can be used during the fetal stage. The following is a review of the literature that summarizes and uncovers some interesting facts about the importance of early life.
February 24th, 2015 | Posted in Current Articles,Editorial,Featured | Read More »
The German Shorthaired Pointer grows in popularity each year, and it is the third most popular Sporting breed, thirteenth ranked among all breeds, according to the most recent AKC registration statistics. It is a breed with sufficient breeder-judges to invite and a breed that is easy to outline, with a short coat and a typically full profile stack – two features that help improve a survey.
February 23rd, 2015 | Posted in Current Articles,Editorial,Featured | Read More »
The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 15th Annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship to be held in Orlando, Fla. on Saturday, Dec. 12 and Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015.
February 22nd, 2015 | Posted in Current Articles,Editorial,Featured | Read More »
The 75th Anniversary GRCA National Specialty, “Shades of Gold”, is one for the record books. The National took place in three different states, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina, over nine days, which included overlapping events. If they had all been held consecutively it would have taken 15 days just for the tests, trials and shows themselves. 48 judges filled 53 judging positions.
February 21st, 2015 | Posted in Current Articles,Editorial,Featured | Read More »
AKC’s early decades redefined the phrase “bumpy ride”. An endless barrage of personal, political, and financial disasters repeatedly threatened to bring down the curtain. Thankfully, things seemed to settle down by the early 1920s – then the president abruptly resigned three months into his second term.
February 20th, 2015 | Posted in Current Articles,Editorial,Featured | Read More »
Check out more Westminster Kennel Club Around the Ring Galleries in The April Issue of the Canine Chronicle. Follow us on Facebook @ The Canine Chronicle…
February 19th, 2015 | Posted in Around The Ring Galleries | Read More »
The pack has expanded! The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) announced that the Spanish Water Dog, Cirneco dell’Etna, Bergamasco, and Boerboel gained full AKC recognition. This brings AKC’s roster of recognized breeds to 184.
February 19th, 2015 | Posted in Current Articles,Editorial,Featured | Read More »
Eight years is a considerable stretch. Just ask anyone doing time in a federal or state prison. Among the problems associated with incarceration are such issues as anxiety, hypervigilance, confusion–questioning what is real and what isn’t, losing touch with what’s happening in the outside world and frustration. I can personally attest that these issues occur having once been the unwilling guest of the government in my real job as a journalist when I and my reporting partner on a story declined to obey a judge’s order to reveal the source of our information and the judge found our refusal to be contemptible.
Strangely enough, I find myself experiencing deja vu with some of these same issues surfacing now that I’m again dealing with a puppy after having enjoyed an eight year hiatus with my house populated by sensible grown-up dogs. It goes without saying that I’ve had to relearn a LOT of things and along the way have become anxious, hypervigilant, confused, found myself losing touch with just about anything not having something to do with puppy raising and experiencing some serious frustration.
February 18th, 2015 | Posted in Current Articles,Editorial,Featured | Read More »
Attending Westminster is often feels like entering a battle zone. No amount of preparation can offset the inevitable mental and physical challenges prepackaged with the experience. Therefore, an uplifting, encouraging anecdote might provide a timely perk for everyone entering the fray on this frigid Monday.
February 17th, 2015 | Posted in Current Articles,Editorial,Featured | Read More »
I bought my first show dog in 1971. He became a Champion and attained his CD. He sired two litters. Ttttthat’s all folks! Many years later, I remember when my breeding partner and I started to x-ray our breeding stock for Hip Dysplasia. Our finished bitch was x-rayed by the local vet. “It’s fine”, he told us. “No need to send it in. It’s just a waste of money.“ About two years later, I was devastated when our promising young male pick of the litter was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. My partner, however, was in denial. She was sure that this was not genetic. Both his parents had been x-rayed. After all, he did fall off the grooming table that time when he was a pup. The fall must have caused this problem. I was not so easily dissuaded and insisted that we x-ray his littermates. More than one pup turned out to be dysplastic. I bought a copy of Fred Lanting’s first book on Canine Hip Dysplasia and insisted on a second opinion on the dam’s x-rays. Yup, she was dysplastic, too. I had learned a lesson in the value of testing AND the importance of good information. What I did not know and could never have foreseen was how dramatically the world of responsible dog breeding was to change.
February 17th, 2015 | Posted in Current Articles,Editorial,Featured | Read More »
