From the end of the ninth century, the early inhabitants of Hungary – the Magyars – kept their sheepdogs in the lowlands of the Carpathian Mountains. Only in the second half of the 19th century was the breeding of pedigree dogs begun, on the initiative of Count István Széchenyi (1791-1860), politician, theorist, writer and the founder of the Hungarian Academy of Science.
MRS. JANE FORSYTH HEADS THE
MORRIS & ESSEX 2015 PANEL AS BEST IN SHOW JUDGE
Question:
What Do Some Kennel Clubs and the United States Government Have In Common?
Answer:
Neither of them knows how to work together for the benefit of their constituents.
Puppies and young dogs are well-known for assuming an amazing array of extraordinarily unappealing shapes and sizes before they reach any sort of fixed maturity. You may look at a very handsome and promising youngster that has a good many outstanding qualities one day, only to find a month later that he has gone completely course.
Nothing has captured the attention of the dog show world quite as effectively as social media…
It is an invaluable tool for keeping in touch with fellow breeders and owners/handlers who have our dogs. The quick and easy exchange of information on ring timing, assistance, emergency coverage and engaging immediate help for a dog or person who goes down, is invaluable. Many a life has been saved due to the quick actions taken via a post or directions obtained off Google+!
John Berger says, “Without ethics, man has no future,” and the same can be said of dog shows. A code of ethics allows organizations to communicate ideas such as rules a group must follow or personal ideals of right and wrong, but no matter the definition, people understand a code of ethics differently because they have contrasting opinions on morality. The dog fancy needs the AKC Code of Sportsmanship (approved by the board in 2006) to communicate the sport’s guidelines for behavior.
Here we go again. I know the end of the year is closing in because AKC is performing the annual changing of the Judging Approval Process. Just like the annual waterfowl migration south, or the daily changing of the guard at Buckingham?Palacie, it appears that AKC feels the need to change the approval process for judges on what seems to be a yearly basis.
The FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale), the World Canine Organization, includes 87 member countries and contract partners (one member per country). Each issues its own pedigrees and trains its own judges. The FCI ensures that the pedigrees and judges are mutually recognized by all FCI members. Recognition of a breed by the FCI means that in almost every European country, that breed can be awarded FCI championship prizes.
It’s truly amazing that some breeds manage to surmount the hurdles along their path to recognition. DNA analysis confirms that the Shih Tzu, Tibetan Terrier, and Lhasa Apso rank among the world’s most ancient breeds. Their histories have been entwined for centuries in the East. Unfortunately, that also became the case when they arrived in the West – thanks to possibly the biggest train wreck in kennel club history.
Some of you may be considering applying to the American Kennel Club to become a licensed judge of your breed. The American Kennel Club has certain requirements for initial applicants. The requirements include: complete six stewarding assignments and six judging assignments at sanctioned or specialty matches, sweepstakes, futurities or open shows. You must meet the AKC’s occupational eligibility requirements and attend a Basic Judging Institute. You must also successfully complete the Anatomy, Procedural and Junior Showmanship “open book” written exams.
