By Michael Canalizo

The basic premise of all dog shows should be that of their origin: the “comparison of breeding stock.” The best place for that to happen is (and should be) the specialty show. Every national breed club hosts a yearly event unique to that breed. Naturally, the size and scope of a breed factors into the level of what the club can bring forth. Some are week-long extravaganzas that offer everything you can imagine: performance events, obedience, agility, rally, Fast CAT, and breed-specific events like hunt tests, lure coursing, cart or weight pulling–you get the idea. The smaller “low-entry” breeds might have to hold a “designated specialty” as part of an all-breed club, and that might limit some of the extra events. All will have conformation classes and maybe a Futurity/Maturity, Sweepstakes, 4–6 Puppy, Brace/Team Classes, Stud Dog, Brood Bitch, Best Puppy, Best Bred-by-Exhibitor, and Juniors. Some will go to the extreme with very, very specific classes for Best Head, Best Movement, etc. All that is just what is offered for dogs to compete with each other. There is also a litany of other things to partake in at a specialty: health clinics, breeder seminars, grooming demos, and judges’ education, just to name a few.

Now, let’s do a deeper dive into why these events need to continue as viable offerings.

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178 – June, 2026

]]> https://caninechronicle.com/current-articles/did-you-know-specialties-are-special/feed/ 0 https://caninechronicle.com/current-articles/around-the-rings-cherry-blossom-cluster/ https://caninechronicle.com/current-articles/around-the-rings-cherry-blossom-cluster/#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:09 +0000 https://caninechronicle.com/?p=360974 Click here to read the complete article
242 – June, 2026

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242 – June, 2026

By Caroline Coile

Who is the most important person in your breed? The icon who has judged the National Specialty in every country? The celebrity handler known for piloting winner after winner to record after record? The backer who enables worthy dogs to be seen in the ring? The breeder of the most champions? The well-known owner-handler? The president of the parent club? Judges’ Education coordinator? Research guru? Rescue saint? Every one of these people can lay claim to being vitally important, and perhaps even the most important. But the truth is, you don’t have to be any of these people to have a profound influence on your breed. You just have to care.

True, the acclaimed judge seems to be perched at the top, admired by all. But in the end, who he points to doesn’t influence the breed all that much. Sure, a few more people may breed to a National Specialty winner, and a certain style may, in turn, come into greater favor, but even though her decision may cause elation for some and anger for others, it’s not going to determine the survival of the breed.

Pro handlers often become the most recognized faces of a breed, especially one in which they specialize. New judges often come to them for education, or unconsciously come to think of whatever dog they’re piloting as being an icon of the breed. They may groom in a style that becomes emulated by others. Many professionals are breeders of that breed, and bound by their love of that breed to “first, do no harm.” But others may not be as familiar with breed priorities and may be prompted more by their need to promote their charge than to preserve the breed. But even if they change the style, their deeds won’t determine whether or not a breed prospers.

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168 – June, 2026

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By Heather Stein

There is a certain kind of man who grows up in the thunder of engines and somehow finds his rhythm in silence. Phil Booth is that kind of man.

His story does not begin in a manicured show ring. It begins in the grit and velocity of American motorsport, where timing is measured in fractions, mistakes are unforgiving, and excellence is not a mood but a method.

Phil grew up beside his father, Wally Booth, one of the early forces in Pro Stock drag racing. Wally became known for taking American Motors machinery into a class dominated by Chevrolet, Ford, and Chrysler products, a kind of four-wheeled underdog story built on engineering nerve and competitive stubbornness. He and partner Dick Arons helped put AMC Gremlins and Hornets into serious Pro Stock conversation, and Wally was later named among the 2012 inductees to the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

For young Phil, the racetrack was not a weekend outing. It was childhood.

“My father started his racing career shortly after I was born,” he recalls. “So, through my entire childhood and young adult life, drag racing was just part of life.”

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152 – June, 2026

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148 – June, 2026

Curated By Elaine Lessig

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138 – June, 2026

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By William Given

If you are not winning your class as often as you would like, you can. To win more in Junior Showmanship, you should focus on skill development, plan and conduct consistent and engaging practices with your ring partner, and develop a competitive mindset that allows you to prioritize your effort and personal growth in the sport over just winning. Also, if you practice good sportsmanship and take ownership of your successes and failures, the wins will come to you.

Have Fun

Having fun is a crucial component of the Junior Showmanship experience because it helps to improve your physical and mental health, encourages long-term participation in the sport, and helps you develop not only your handling skills, but other essential life skills as well. If you are competing in Junior Showmanship and having fun, you are more likely to stay engaged, practice more effectively, develop your handling skills more rapidly, and build positive, lifelong relationships.

Why is having fun important while you are competing in the sport of Junior Showmanship? Having fun serves to:

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130 – June, 2026