Although dogs have been our companions for millennia, we have to guess at what prehistoric dogs looked like exactly. One thing we do know for sure, though, is the work they did. They followed the prey, drove the flocks and herds, guarded livestock and defended their owners’ property.
World War II marked the biggest philosophical overhaul this sport is ever likely to see. It was the moment that Americans truly began perceiving dogs in human terms. They were beloved family members capable of unimaginable heroics. They started to get some respect. And more pertinent to this deal, AKC suddenly started getting some respect.
This year, the World Dog Show was held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It was four days, but the first was an all-breed show called the Beneflux Winner.
Moving through our lives in Dogdom is an organic process. We start at one place, acquiring a dog. Over time we morph. We may get another. Perhaps we decide to show our dogs in a single event, a few, or many.
First, I want to thank AKC for the National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS), and encourage all Owner-Handlers to show their dogs in the NOHS. The NOHS is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your dog, improve your skills, exhibit, and increase your confidence in the sport.
For most of us, it has been decades since our initial pure bred breed was recognized by the AKC and introduced to the Fancy. Imagine, for a moment, you were one of the pioneers in your initial breed working diligently to organize, creating your breed’s parent club, drafting its standard and, ultimately, having your breed recorded in AKC’s Stud Book. This Herculean task is occurring now for almost eighty breeds.
We asked 3 experienced AKC judges 2 questions about current issues affecting our sport. Here’s what they had to say…
Recently, my wife and I were sitting ringside watching Junior Showmanship when we heard a mother say to her daughter, “You’re not here to have fun, you are here to win.” The child had been engaged in what appeared to be a very pleasant conversation with a friend before being called to the ring.
Possibly, it undermines the extravagant fantasies of a legion of aspirants. But the truth is—as every bona fide dog expert will freely admit…yes, sometimes even they find them- selves out of their depth in this unpredictable doggy universe.
