The American Kennel Club is pleased to announce that Daryl Hendricks has been hired as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective January 5, 2013. He will begin employment on November 12, 2012. “Daryl brings a broad business management background to AKC, with extensive experience managing large teams in operational settings and handling budgetary responsibilities,” said Dennis [...]
The lesson of the story: our sport needs a total revamping to turn it around so we can halt the continuing moral and financial decline, the egregious loss of our children’s participation, and once more, rebrand purebred dog conformation events as a family spectator sport because kids love horses and kids love dogs.
by Fran Reisman Ch. Thaon’s Mowgli has broken the record for most specialties won by the same dog at the Afghan Hound Club of America’s Specialty Show. He did this in four straight shows piloted by his breeder/owner/handler Jay Hafford. Mowgli is owned by Jay, James Blanchard and Ann Sterner. The judge was Helen Stein. [...]
New York equips you with survival skills, no extra training required. It’s also a town of animal lovers who do not tolerate nonsense. Last week, these factors ensured that NY dogs weathered Hurricane Sandy as well as their owners.
Julian could have achieved the same experience by going into the field with his dog. For the woods (and the fields and the marshes) are full of people (and their dogs) that meet the description “unusual” and “colorful.”
A year ago my breed standard was changed to include the undocked tail. This action was the eventual result of a judge’s excusal of two European dogs because they had natural tails. The standard at that time simply said, “Tail is docked.” The judge obviously had a very strong aversion to undocked tails. To say that the standard change raised hackles would be a gross understatement. We were accused by many of pandering to the Animal Rights’ groups when in fact it was done to accommodate dogs coming in from FCI countries where docking of tails is no longer legal. We were accused of disavowing our terrier heritage when in fact we viewed it as an opportunity to further clarify tail set-on and carriage. Where the old standard said, “…well set on, carried gaily but never over the back,” it now reads, “Tail is set on high. Docked tail preferred. Whether docked or natural, the tail is carried 90º from the back, either straight or with a slight curve forward. Any deviation from this ideal is to be penalized accordingly.” I would note here the European dogs that were excused would meet the criteria of today’s standard…tails were well set and carried with a slight curve forward.
During the last few years we have heard more and more about the Summer night shows in Split, Croatia. All those who have been before seem to have had a great time so we decided to enter as it only meant missing one of the series of UK Summer Championship Shows.
By Pilar Kuhn I had a conversation recently with a colleague about dogs and showing and she shared that her father had Thoroughbred horses while she was growing up. Our conversation became rather equine-centric for a stint. This was not the first “horse” conversation I’d had with dog show colleagues. There are many of us [...]
By Fran Reisman The show must go on… I keep thinking how so few people here at this Specialty seem to have any idea as to what has happened and continues to happen on the East Coast. Here it’s all about the show… I am very happy to report that the Afghan breed is still [...]
My goodness, it seems our dog society has been up in arms as of late about the Parent Club Reserve Winners receiving three point majors
