The Bichon Frise is one member of the Bichon family of dogs that also includes the Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Havanese, Mal-tese, Löwchen, and Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka. All are small and friendly, with long hair that mostly doesn’t shed, drop ears, short muzzles, and with tails carried over their backs when moving. The Bichon Frise is unique in the family with the curly coat.
There are actually people in this country who don’t hunt birds with a dog. I have to confess that I’ll never understand those folks.
Gaining real breed knowledge means going beyond the typical requirements. We must find ways to ask ourselves questions, even questions without answers, to create our own set of master tools instead of relying on the beginner’s set. It’s necessary to learn from the knowledge of others, but without finding other ways to seek our own answers, we won’t be able to see the standards come alive on the page and in the ring.mn
I have been showing dogs for over 40 years. My mom and I bred Old English Sheepdogs. Later, I became involved with Bichon Frise while still in the Miscellaneous Class and continued with them once they became members of the Non-Sporting group. While living in New York I judged several all breed AKC-sanctioned Match shows. I had been showing Bulldogs for 20 years when I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about Barbet and knew it was the perfect breed for me! It is an honor and pleasure to be a part of the Barbet community.
At a dog show a couple of years ago I had been chatting with a fellow hunter about his plans for the fall when I was approached by a lady with an absolutely gorgeous Golden Retriever prancing along beside her. She introduced herself and said, “I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation about hunting this fall and I need some advice. I’ve never hunted, I’m scared to death of guns, I live in the city and have all my life. What’s more, a guy with field Goldens that I know told me that show Goldens are no good in the field, they don’t have any interest in hunting or birds. Despite all this against me, I’d really like to give it a try because Rex is about done being a show dog and I think I owe it to him to give him a chance to do what the breed is supposed to do. He has some dogs in his pedigree that have hunt test titles including a couple of master hunters. So, maybe he could hunt? Could you give me an idea of how I might find out and get started?”
The words of one breeder/exhibitor sum up the Barbet’s entrance into the AKC Sporting Group in January 2020: “I’ve dreamed of showing my Barbet in regular AKC competition for 10 years but I don’t think I allowed myself to think of how I would feel when that day actually came.”
Recently a show chairman was overheard to say, “I wish we’d just cancelled the show.” Wow! Can COVID-19 be causing that much grief? The answer is a resounding “yes.”
While the Berger Picard began competing in AKC’s herding group in July, 2015, it is one of the oldest of the French sheepdogs, tracing back perhaps over 2,000 years. It is related to other breeds from the area, including the Briard and Beauceron whose tails also end in a “J” hook, and possibly also to the Bouvier des Flandres and Belgian Laekenois. The World Wars were hard on northern France, and the Picard nearly died out. It was rebuilt after WWII using the most typical dogs that could be found.
February heralds only one thing for most dog lovers…the Westminster Show. And if there is one breed of dog that completely encapsulates the beauty, elegance, showmanship and sheer glamour that is required in a show dog, it surely has to be the Afghan Hound.
We have all heard this admonition, “You can’t have all your eggs in one basket.” No, you truly cannot. Life in the 21st Century has far too many demands for that to ever happen. I see the baskets lined up row by row in my own life. You must be seeing the same in yours. There are too many chores to do. The list of never-ending cleaning tasks competes with the attention needed for the financial details of our households. Meals necessitate planning, shopping, and cooking. Our families of humans and canines fill our days with obligations, organization, fun, and joy. It is all a balancing act. Yet, who can forget good old Humpty Dumpty? Eggs break.
