Looking out my window and watching the heavy snow continue to fall while I write this week’s column, I cannot help but think of our friends in California who are suffering horrible devastation and loss from the fires in Southern California. Some have had to pack up their animals and the belongings they can get together to flee the fast-moving fires, while others are waiting to see which way it moves. They wait to see if they are the next to receive an evacuation order to move to safety. As a community, we support each other. So many have posted on social media offering their homes and facilities to those who must move out of harm’s way. While it is very difficult to count your blessings at a time like this, please know that if you are affected by these horrible fires, your community of dog fanciers is here to support you. It can be difficult to ask for help. Please do not hesitate to seek assistance from those in the dog show community.

Take The Lead helps with disasters such as the fires in Southern California. Please do not hesitate to reach out to them. The phone number for Take the Lead is 800-814-1123, or you can go to their website at www.takethelead.org.

There are many drop-off locations in the affected areas where people can leave supplies for those in need. The shelters and facilities that are taking in dogs need all the help that they can get! Leashes, bedding, food, bowls, crates, and other supplies are desperately needed. This is an opportunity to clean out your equipment and donate it to a much-needed cause!

Week 1 of Brooksville is in the books! Everyone looked very cold! The days of frozen poop scoops are upon us, my friends. Best of luck to all for Week 2! Stay warm.

It is hard to believe that Westminster is less than one month away. By now, I hope that you have all made your travel arrangements. One of the great advantages of being back in the city is there are countless hotels; so, if you let your hotel reservations slip through the cracks, now’s the time to get a room. If you have not yet ordered your tickets for the Take The Lead fundraising party on Monday night following groups at Madison Square Garden, go to their website and order your tickets now. New York City is once again going to the dogs! Congratulations to Westminster President Donald Sturz and his crew for making this happen.

Pilar Kuhn, Owner/Operator of Casa Fairview Canines has been hard at work negotiating rates for shipping your dogs, so if you have not made your arrangements for Westminster, I encourage you to reach out to her. She is an expert at getting dogs safely to your destination via air travel. If you need her help, email her at info@casafairviewk9s.com – but do not wait as timing is critical.

Best wishes to my Purina colleague, Cheryl Purcell, who is getting a new knee this week. Cheryl is another addition to the bionic crew! Heal quickly, my friend! We look forward to having you back.

My good friend Gina Weiser had surgery this week and is currently recovering. Anyone who knows Gina knows that it will be difficult for her to allow people to help her, as she is always the one helping others. Get well quickly, my friend, we have many more adventures ahead of us!

Please remember this, my friends. The year is young. Take time to enjoy your journey. Love what you do and do what you love. Don’t give up on the difficult dogs–they will teach you something you never knew you needed to know!

The next stop in my journey is the Rose City Classic in Portland. Please stop by the Purina booth and say hi if you are there.

Happy Anniversary to Richard and Kimberly Hall Green! May you two lovebirds have many more wonderful years ahead!

Fanciers celebrating birthdays this week include:  Karen Livingston, Maggie Peat, Edwardo Jordan, Tina Dugan, Rhanda Glenn, Cheslie Pickett-Smithey, Connie Wagner, Courtney Kniola, Nancy Liebes, Maddie McCue, Amy Kiell-Green, Ava Hata and Lisa Moller. Enjoy your special day and may there be many more to come.

Be safe out there my friends! Road conditions can change in an instant. When in doubt, STOP!

Until next time…

RIP RANNY GREEN
By David Frei

My great and longtime (50+ years) friend, Ranny Green, passed this morning (9/9) after a long battle with cancer.

Ranny was Talented, accomplished and everyone’s friend. Quite simply, he was an all-around good guy.

I am going to share many of the great things he did in his life, but first this. I have spent a lot of time with cancer patients in my therapy dog work through the years at the Ronald McDonald House NY, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and a lot of other places. All of them were, in some fashion, warriors in the fight against this horrible disease.

A quote from ESPN’s Stuart Scott, as he neared the end of his life battle with cancer, will live on with me and especially now. Even though Stuart didn’t know Ranny, I can’t help but feel that he was talking about Ranny when he said words to this effect:

“You don’t have to let cancer beat you. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live.”

That was Ranny. The ultimate warrior.

I saw and heard this in him for the past 3 years of “WE GOT THIS” defiance which continued through a life that was supposed to have already been ended. I heard it from him constantly in our visits at Fred Hutch Cancer Center and Swedish Cancer Center in Seattle, and finally, at his home last Thursday.

Cancer didn’t beat you, Ranny. You just ran out of time.

Visit Ranny’s Facebook page and read about how he touched people in his world. Remember him in your prayers, remember his daughters Stacy and Tamara and the entire family.

RANNY GREEN: Seattle Times pet columnist; AKC features columnist; Seattle Kennel Club publicist; President and Hall of Fame member of the Dog Writers Association of America; Publicist and press room supervisor, Westminster Kennel Club; Board member, Angel On A Leash… and much more.

Show: Pug Dog Club of America
Location: Spokane, WA
Date: Saturday, September 7, 2024
Judge: Mrs. Keven Birdwell
Dog Reg: GCHS Winsome N Nirvana’s Lil Nitro Gummy Bear [Dog]
Breed: Pug
Handler: Susie Olivera
Owner: V Flatley & E Veltman
Breeder: E Veltman & V Cox

The Canine Chronicle would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Memorial Day holiday.

Have a great day while honoring those who have fallen while in service to our country.

Photos by Tanner and Sarah Congleton, Congleton Photography

May your Easter basket be filled with joy, happiness, and peace this season and always.

We wish you a blessed Easter Sunday.

How are you celebrating Easter with your dog? If you are doing an Easter egg hunt, dressing up, or celebrating with your dog in any way – we would love to see it and share with our readers! Email Gia at gia.garofalo@caninechronicle.com with your photos! 

Show Name: Biewer Terrier Club of America #2
Location: Waukesha, WI
Date: Sunday, July 31, 2022
Judge: Mr. Benson Ray
Dog Reg: GCHB Windsongs Lightning Strykes Twice [Dog]
Breed: Biewer Terrier
Handler: Daryl Martin
Owner: R Popkey
Breeder: D Billings

As I reflect on this year’s Westminster Kennel Club Best In Show line-up, the depth of quality is impressive. Four of the seven group winners were Breeder/Owner/Handled! Nothing makes me happier than to see hard working handlers be able to show dogs that they have bred and co-own! As I watched Donald Sturz Jr. survey that line-up, I was glad that an individual with his depth of knowledge and expertise was tasked with selecting Best In Show and Reserve Best In Show at the 146^th Westminster Kennel Club dog show. What a tough job he had, and he handled it with great finesse. Congratulations on a job well done.

I have heard many comments from owner-handlers over the past week that “those owner-handlers in the Best In Show line-up at Westminster are not owner-handlers like “we” are owner-handlers. Frankly, I do not understand their thought process. Those handlers in Wednesday night’s BIS lineup started at the same point–many years ago–as those so critical of them. Hard work, dedication and sacrifice, along with a great dog, propelled ALL of the handlers into the Best In Show lineup at Westminster! The success of each of those hard working, dedicated exhibitors should be an inspiration to us all. I hope that we can all continue to learn from those that are successful. We need to be supportive of those that do well. We should aspire to reach that same level of success. Congratulations to every handler for achieving the dream of being among the last seven unbeaten dogs at the show.

Best In Show this year was won by Trumpet and his Breeder/Owner/Handler Heather Buehner. It is the first time that a Bloodhound was chosen. The winning dog and handler are required to attend a media tour the following day. They are also required to educate the public not only about the breed, but about the sport of purebred dogs. Congratulations to Heather for this spectacular win!

Thanks to those who took time to visit with me and participate in our Table Talk Live! Coverage at Lyndhurst. Some dog fanciers who were unable to attend have reached out to say thank you for sharing!  I’m resting up so I can bring you more great Table Talk Live! Coverage in July–this time from the Houston World Series of Dog Shows held July 20-24! Houston has become one of my favorite shows, and while some fanciers are road weary after a four-week journey through Texas, I always enjoy celebrating the end of the march with great friends, and the fancy as a whole.

For those who missed our coverage in New York, you can find the Table Talk Live! coverage and Elaine Lessig’s Closet Confidential coverage on our Canine Chronicle Facebook page, www.caninechronicle.com and caninechronicle.tv

As I am still recovering from Westminster week, I would be remiss if I did not give a shout-out to the die-hard road warriors actually made it to shows on Thursday! You guys are the epitome of dedication. Your amazing energy and stamina are truly incredible.

I was happy to see that Liz Tobin was back in the ring after a 2½ year hiatus from showing that was necessitated by health problems. There’s nothing like jumping in for one of the biggest, most important shows of the year, my friend! Welcome back! You were missed.

Several parent clubs are looking for alternative venues where they can hold regional and national specialties. Those of you who are looking out West–Colorado specifically–should check out Colton and Heather Johnson’s new facility, Under the Sun Dog Training in Colorado Springs (www.utsdog.com). This state-of-the-art facility can accommodate about 200 dogs per day, RVs, grooming, etc.! Located right off the highway, there are several dog friendly hotels and restaurants very close to the venue. Stay tuned as Table Talk Live! visits with Colton about this amazing facility and what it has to offer specialty clubs. Contact Colton or Heather for more information or to check availability.

Happy anniversary to Mark Bettis and Tabatha Buckley-Bettis who are celebrating number 8! It seems like just yesterday you love birds tied the knot. May the two of you enjoy many more happy, healthy years to come!

Fanciers celebrating birthdays this week are:  Cully Leck, Angela Booth, Greg McCarthy, Marietta Singleton, Robin Greenslade, Maripi Wooldridge, Bruce Schwartz, Tracy Szaras, Victoria Cornish, Lisa Porter, Terri Galle, George Marquis and Ashlie Whitmore. Enjoy your special day my friends. May there be many more great years to come!

Please remember this my friends:  Never regret a day in your life. Good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience, worst days give you lessons, and the best days give you memories! Enjoy the moment!

Be safe out there, my friends. To those of you beginning the Texas march in Oklahoma City this weekend, please remember to pace yourselves! I’ll see you soon! Until next time…