“Author Archive”
Stories written by AnthonyA

In 1932, the Westbury Kennel Association offered the first “Children’s Handling Class.” It was an idea that had been percolating for years, as children accompanying their parents to shows were bored and restless. Leonard Brumby, Sr., then the President of the Professional Handlers’ Association, came up with the idea of a special class for these youngsters that would be both entertaining and educational. At first, the judges were local celebrities, told to base their choices on the child’s ability to present the dog “quietly, proficiently and to its best advantage.” Later, professional handlers and then AKC judges judged the classes, often on the spur of the moment. Junior Showmanship has been a Westminster fixture since 1935, with a Westminster Best Junior win being the golden fleece of the sport. In 1951, the competition was renamed “Junior Showmanship.” More changes were to come as the sport gained in popularity. The AKC began offering scholarships and added performance and companion events to Junior eligibility.
February 20th, 2023 | Posted in Current Articles,Featured | Read More »

Thank you for the work you do on behalf of your breed and your club members. As owners of your breed’s Standard, we know you take seriously the education of those who will be judging your breed and we appreciate the gravity with which you choose your Judges Education Committee members.
February 19th, 2023 | Posted in Current Articles,Featured | Read More »

She is a beautifully built bitch, but if I cannot examine her, I cannot consider her,” the judge said to the handler. Just minutes later, the handler is heard telling her husband, “She may be no good for showing, but we can breed her and have a great litter of puppies.” While stewarding at all-breed shows, I have witnessed a similar exchange at least once a year for the past forty years. In contrast, how rare is it for an owner to realize that a bitch that has a very nice show win record may be totally unsuitable for breeding.
February 18th, 2023 | Posted in Current Articles,Featured | Read More »

Join Michael Hill in his exciting series “INFLUENCERS.” Michael will be hosting dog show enthusiasts, handlers, breeders, and judges as they reveal who has impacted them the most. This series will touch upon how influential mentors are and how they shape not only individuals but the future of the dog show world. Next, in the series is […]
February 17th, 2023 | Posted in Featured,Videos | Read More »

Click here to read the complete article 134 – February, 2023 By Caroline Coile photos by Rhonda Cassidy & Michael McGuire The International Kennel Club of Chicago: To anyone who’s been around awhile, it’s one of the Big Ones, the ones you plan for, travel for, and wait for all year. It’s one filled with […]
February 17th, 2023 | Posted in Current Articles,Featured | Read More »

In December, I was lucky enough to interview two of our current “greats,” icons to many, each with decades of experience in dogs. For February, I shifted toward the next generation by interviewing twenty-year-old Riley Capton, a first generation handler who boasts numerous achievements in recent years. After successes such as being ranked the #1 Terrier Junior in 2019 and 2020 and placing at Westminster, Riley has continued to work for handlers and is making a new name for herself as a junior’s judge. She currently attends California Polytechnic State University for undergraduate studies in Animal Science on the Pre-Veterinary track. When she is not at college, she works as a veterinary intern under Dr. Dana Bleifer. I asked her the same questions, and she offers a similar but new perspective on the issues.
February 16th, 2023 | Posted in Current Articles,Featured | Read More »

Will Alexander Drops Some Knowledge About What’s Happening in the Sport of Dogs. It’s Deep… It’s Humorous… It’s Provocative… It’s Will Unfiltered! Will Alexander has an in-depth conversation with Pat Blenkey & Brian Casey. Click here to watch on Canine Chronicle TV!
February 15th, 2023 | Posted in Featured,Videos | Read More »

“As time goes by…” This is the phrase that my primary care doctor uses as she explains a particular test result or new nagging ache. I find it a very acceptable way to say that I’m not 40 (or 50 or 60) anymore!
February 15th, 2023 | Posted in Current Articles,Featured | Read More »

During the years immediately after university graduation, I got to know a number of Navy and Marine Corps fighter pilots. A recurring “mantra” with these pilots was the need to always maintain “situational awareness,” one element of which is how aware is the pilot of what’s happening to him/her and his/her airplane at the moment and what will be happening in the future. This is of particular importance to fighter pilots since, to lose situational awareness, particularly in a combat situation, can cause a Strike Eagle, Fighting Falcon, Raptor, Hornet or Tomcat driver to have a very bad day indeed.
February 14th, 2023 | Posted in Current Articles,Featured | Read More »

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health analyzed data from more than 46,000 dogs representing over 300 breeds in an attempt to isolate lineage-specific behaviors and ultimately, the genes responsible for them. The data included whole-genome data from over 4000 purebred, mixed-breed and semi-feral dogs, as well as wild canids.
February 13th, 2023 | Posted in Current Articles,Featured | Read More »