One of the things that I noticed during the 15 or so years that I judged all three types of AKC hunt tests was that dogs seem to have perfect timing for when they royally mess things up. Things they’ve never done in training suddenly pop up, frequently in the most spectacular fashion, when the money’s on the line in a test. This seems to be especially true if dog and handler are within one orange ribbon of a title.
A hot topic these past few months, with the long awaited return of dog shows occurring, has been the judging panels. Why are many of the same judges appearing consistently at the few shows available for exhibitors? With more shows open for entries now, what will be the effects of these repetitions? Has the time come to look at the pros and cons of the suspension–due to COVID–of the 30 day/200 miles between assignments for judges? Read through what our panel of judges has to say on these issues and more. You will find their opinions worthy of serious consideration.
In Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, overachiever Odysseus leaves home for 20 years to fight in the Trojan War and find his way home without GPS. All because a gaggle of goddesses were quarreling over who would get The Golden Apple for being the fairest of them all. With the quarrel turning into an all-out war, it would have been profoundly unsafe, and bad form, for Odysseus to bring his infant son, Telemachus, along for the journey. So he left little Telemachus under the supervision of an old and trusted friend whose name just happened to be Mentor.
A Resource for Dog Owners, Breeders, and Veterinary Professionals. Sponsored by the AKC Canine Health Foundation and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.
I want to share this true story that happens every day. This is from “The Dog Merchants” Facebook Feed, as reported by CBS news, Chicago. This happens because people can’t find us. Unfortunately, when this happens, people think they’ve been scammed by…breeders (see below).
Let’s do a reality check. If we can be really honest with ourselves, we have been on an emotional rollercoaster for more than six months now. Just like the rollercoaster ride at a favorite amusement park, our daily lives share those same ups and downs. Excitement or anticipation best describes how we feel at the beginning of the ride. That first surge as the cars climb the metal structure heading for the peak brings a burst of pleasure or concern. Heading straight down into the depths of the steel valley below either feels screamingly fun or scary beyond words. By the end of the fifteen minutes of terror or delight, off we go. Some of us are eager to go on the same ride again. Others swear, never again. Our reactions are personal–reflections of who we are.
The “Curvature of the Spine” illustrates a dynamic representation of the vertebral spine. The vertebral spine is composed of the Cervical spine, the Thoracic spine and the Lumbar spine, extending from the head to the tail, known as the Topline.
Technology seems to slowly, steadily pervade every corner of life. For instance, how often did algorithms come up in conversation ten years ago? Now there’s an algorithm capable of calculating and forecasting every quirk and fancy of human nature. Clearly, I am skeptical but I think I can make a pretty good case with the Boston Terrier. All that data concerning past performance, risk assessment, and mathematical probabilities goes right out the window.
As if we don’t have enough problems…now we can also dwell on the unsavory practice of puppy laundering. Just like traditional money laundering, it’s everywhere if you look for it. And being in the dog biz…we are attuned to that inexplicable recent phenomenon of these new (politically correct) “rescue centers” that bear an uncanny resemblance to the pet shop retailers that decamped in recent years. And business is brisk.
Remember watching the Charlie Brown cartoon TV shows? The kids in the show could all converse normally, but when an adult was talking it sounded like, “Wah wah waaah wah wah.” Whaaaa? Somehow it managed to make some sort of sense and, in good sitcom fashion, everything worked out well in the end.
