A well-respected judge once said “a ‘show dog’ is not a breed.” Very true—to win, a dog should first fit the breed standard. If he doesn’t, how well he shows should not be relevant. However, it is undeniable that once in the ring, the dog does need to show. Nowhere is this more important than at a show on the scale of Westminster, where the best compete against the best.
There was a chill in the air outside, but inside the Jacobs Center there was the warmth of the comradery of spaniel enthusiasts as the American Spaniel Club held its 98 Flushing Spaniel Show in Knoxville, Tennessee in January.
The 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on February 12 and 13 had an entry of more than 2,800 dogs in 201 breeds and varieties.
There is something that borders on masochism about living north of the 40th parallel during the period from say mid- November through the Ides of March and sometimes even later. It is during these months that Boreas, the purple-winged god of winter, sweeps down from the mountains freezing the air with his icy breath.
Many Americans ignore their persistent feelings of anxiety, helplessness, fear and anger. In the dog world most of us know at least one person who has expressed a problem known to produce stress, isolation, fatigue or the fear of failure.
Table Talk interview with Jacqueline and Terry Stacy – Part 1
Seemingly, everyone knows someone who has an unorganized stash of receipts tucked away in a shoebox. It could be a breeder or vendor who has them buried in the back of a desk drawer or a dog club where they are stockpiled in a filing cabinet in some corner of the Treasurer’s garage.
David Frei was inducted into the DWAA Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions to the field.
They are currently seeing in the conformation and perform- ance arenas. From this passion can spring disagreements and misunderstandings about what makes a better dog.
Exhibitors and spectators buy show catalogs for a number of reasons. The primary one is to obtain and retain a record of each show. Which dogs were en- tered, who won, who showed, and who judged are all questions that get answered by marking a catalog.
