By Michael Canalizo

The basic premise of all dog shows should be that of their origin: the “comparison of breeding stock.” The best place for that to happen is (and should be) the specialty show. Every national breed club hosts a yearly event unique to that breed. Naturally, the size and scope of a breed factors into the level of what the club can bring forth. Some are week-long extravaganzas that offer everything you can imagine: performance events, obedience, agility, rally, Fast CAT, and breed-specific events like hunt tests, lure coursing, cart or weight pulling–you get the idea. The smaller “low-entry” breeds might have to hold a “designated specialty” as part of an all-breed club, and that might limit some of the extra events. All will have conformation classes and maybe a Futurity/Maturity, Sweepstakes, 4–6 Puppy, Brace/Team Classes, Stud Dog, Brood Bitch, Best Puppy, Best Bred-by-Exhibitor, and Juniors. Some will go to the extreme with very, very specific classes for Best Head, Best Movement, etc. All that is just what is offered for dogs to compete with each other. There is also a litany of other things to partake in at a specialty: health clinics, breeder seminars, grooming demos, and judges’ education, just to name a few.

Now, let’s do a deeper dive into why these events need to continue as viable offerings.

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178 – June, 2026

]]> https://caninechronicle.com/current-articles/did-you-know-specialties-are-special/feed/ 0 https://caninechronicle.com/current-articles/around-the-rings-cherry-blossom-cluster/ https://caninechronicle.com/current-articles/around-the-rings-cherry-blossom-cluster/#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:09 +0000 https://caninechronicle.com/?p=360974 Click here to read the complete article
242 – June, 2026

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242 – June, 2026

By Caroline Coile

Who is the most important person in your breed? The icon who has judged the National Specialty in every country? The celebrity handler known for piloting winner after winner to record after record? The backer who enables worthy dogs to be seen in the ring? The breeder of the most champions? The well-known owner-handler? The president of the parent club? Judges’ Education coordinator? Research guru? Rescue saint? Every one of these people can lay claim to being vitally important, and perhaps even the most important. But the truth is, you don’t have to be any of these people to have a profound influence on your breed. You just have to care.

True, the acclaimed judge seems to be perched at the top, admired by all. But in the end, who he points to doesn’t influence the breed all that much. Sure, a few more people may breed to a National Specialty winner, and a certain style may, in turn, come into greater favor, but even though her decision may cause elation for some and anger for others, it’s not going to determine the survival of the breed.

Pro handlers often become the most recognized faces of a breed, especially one in which they specialize. New judges often come to them for education, or unconsciously come to think of whatever dog they’re piloting as being an icon of the breed. They may groom in a style that becomes emulated by others. Many professionals are breeders of that breed, and bound by their love of that breed to “first, do no harm.” But others may not be as familiar with breed priorities and may be prompted more by their need to promote their charge than to preserve the breed. But even if they change the style, their deeds won’t determine whether or not a breed prospers.

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168 – June, 2026

By Heather Stein

There is a certain kind of man who grows up in the thunder of engines and somehow finds his rhythm in silence. Phil Booth is that kind of man.

His story does not begin in a manicured show ring. It begins in the grit and velocity of American motorsport, where timing is measured in fractions, mistakes are unforgiving, and excellence is not a mood but a method.

Phil grew up beside his father, Wally Booth, one of the early forces in Pro Stock drag racing. Wally became known for taking American Motors machinery into a class dominated by Chevrolet, Ford, and Chrysler products, a kind of four-wheeled underdog story built on engineering nerve and competitive stubbornness. He and partner Dick Arons helped put AMC Gremlins and Hornets into serious Pro Stock conversation, and Wally was later named among the 2012 inductees to the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

For young Phil, the racetrack was not a weekend outing. It was childhood.

“My father started his racing career shortly after I was born,” he recalls. “So, through my entire childhood and young adult life, drag racing was just part of life.”

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152 – June, 2026

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148 – June, 2026

Curated By Elaine Lessig

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138 – June, 2026

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By William Given

If you are not winning your class as often as you would like, you can. To win more in Junior Showmanship, you should focus on skill development, plan and conduct consistent and engaging practices with your ring partner, and develop a competitive mindset that allows you to prioritize your effort and personal growth in the sport over just winning. Also, if you practice good sportsmanship and take ownership of your successes and failures, the wins will come to you.

Have Fun

Having fun is a crucial component of the Junior Showmanship experience because it helps to improve your physical and mental health, encourages long-term participation in the sport, and helps you develop not only your handling skills, but other essential life skills as well. If you are competing in Junior Showmanship and having fun, you are more likely to stay engaged, practice more effectively, develop your handling skills more rapidly, and build positive, lifelong relationships.

Why is having fun important while you are competing in the sport of Junior Showmanship? Having fun serves to:

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130 – June, 2026

The American Kennel Club (AKC) recommends that all dog owners, or anyone who works with dogs, learn about NWS and stay updated on developments.  Additionally, anyone potentially engaging in interstate transportation with dogs—including owners, AKC event competitors, professional handlers, and interstate transporters, including those that are part of shelter and rescue operations—should become familiar with new health requirements imposed to help prevent further spread of the pest.  

About New World Screwworm

NWS is a parasitic fly whose larvae burrow into the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, typically through an open wound, causing painful wounds, serious infection, and sometimes death. It can affect livestock, wildlife, pets, and occasionally dogs, which may be at risk if they have open wounds or if they come into contact with infested animals or contaminated areas. People are also susceptible to NWS larvae.

Despite being eradicated from the U.S. in 1966, NWS remained prevalent in countries throughout the western hemisphere. Following an increase in the number of cases identified in Central America in 2023, NWS was identified in southern Mexico in 2024. When models predicted NWS would enter the U.S. in 2025, USDA invested heavily in tools to address NWS, including expediting the targeted and aerial release of sterile screwworm flies, increased trapping for screwworm files along the southern U.S. border and just outside of the area where sterile flies have been released, implementing NWS surveillance and management strategies in wildlife, and conducting outreach in local areas. Similar strategies were successfully used to eradicate screwworm from the U.S. in 1966 and to eliminate a small outbreak of screwworm in the Florida Keys in 2017. USDA also ensured that the National Veterinary Stockpile was supplied with treatments, equipment, and logistics to support the nation’s response to NWS.

Thankfully, screwworms do not infest meat, fruit, vegetables, or other food sources. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) ensures that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe and properly labeled. Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), FSIS inspection personnel must inspect all eligible animal species unless they are exempt or covered by a state inspection program.

2026 NWS Confirmed Cases

Click here to view Confirmed Detections of New World Screwworm (by USDA, updated in real time).

Federal and State Responses to NWS

Federal and state officials are responding to NWS by creating or maintaining 20-km infested zones around confirmed detections and imposing quarantines, movement controls, and heightened surveillance in those zones. Some states have created their own rules and restrictions for animals. These should be of particular importance to anyone who engages in interstate travel with dogs.

NEW WORLD SCREWWORM 2026—INTERSTATE ANIMAL MOVEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Compiled by AKC; updated daily, M-F, if needed. Last updated 6/10/26.

• ARKANSAS: (1) For animals originating from an NWS affected area, Arkansas now requires a state entry permit plus an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (iCVI) issued within seven (7) days of entry. The iCVI must state that the animals were inspected and found free of screwworm infestation. (2) All warm-blooded animals from Texas must be accompanied by an CVI dated within seven (7) days of entry into Arkansas, which must include the following statement: “All animals were inspected and found free of evidence of NWS infestation.”
• LOUISIANA: (1) Any species traveling from an NWS-lnfested State, but not originating from or transiting through an NWS-lnfested Zone, may enter Louisiana with an Official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (OCVI/CVI) that includes the statement: ”All animals in shipment do not originate from or transit through an NWS-lnfested Zone.” The OCVI/CVI shall not be valid for more than seven (7) days from the date of veterinary inspection. (2) Any species originating from or traveling through an NWS-lnfested Zone, may enter Louisiana only if the following requirements are met: Meet all movement requirements established by the state of origin; obtain a permit from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry/Office of Animal Health and Food Safety; and be accompanied by an OCVI/CVI stating, “All animals listed were individually inspected and found free of evidence of NWS infestation.” The OCVI/CVI shall be valid for no more than seven (7) days from the date of veterinary inspection.
• MISSOURI: (1) Any domestic animal originating from a state with an infested zone, but not within an infested zone, can enter Missouri with a Certificate of Veterinary inspection (CVI) that includes the statement “All animals were inspected and found free of evidence of NWS infestation and have not originated from or transited through a NWS infested zone.” (2) Any domestic animal originating from within an infested zone must meet the movement requirements for the state of origin and obtain both an entry permit from the Missouri State Veterinarian’s office and a CVI that includes the statement, “All animals were inspected and found free of evidence of NWS infestation.”
• TEXAS: Quarantine and movement-control orders for warm-blooded animals in the infested zone have been issued. Animals generally may not move out of the zone without prior authorization and inspection.

Steps Dog Owners Can Take to Prevent New World Screwworm Infestation

According to USDA, dog owners should take the following steps to help prevent the spread of NWS:

• Watch for signs of NWS, including irritated behavior, head shaking, smell of decay, and presence of fly larvae (maggots) in wounds. Seek immediate veterinary intervention if you suspect your dog is experiencing an NWS infestation.
• Treat the umbilical cords of newborn animals, and all wounds immediately, with an approved insecticide.
• Protect dogs from other wound-causing parasites like ticks. Oral and topical flea and tick preventatives containing afoxolaner, lotilaner, or sarolaner actively prevent and treat NWS larval infestations in pets.
• Make sure pets traveling internationally are inspected for screwworm.
• In addition to state-level general interstate dog movement regulations, comply with federal and state animal movement restrictions created to prevent the spread of screwworm (above).

Future Updates on NWS

AKC will continue to provide updates on NWS cases and public health requirements as information is released.  Bookmark this page for quick access to this information, which will be updated daily, Monday through Friday, if developments so warrant.

For more information, go to www.screwworm.gov; or email AKC Government Relations at doglaw@akc.org.

The 2026 event will showcase top canine athletes from across the country and feature popular competitions, including Best Bred-by-Exhibitor. The championship will again be held alongside the AKC Agility Invitational, Obedience Classic, and AKC RACH Invitational. Junior competitions in Conformation, Agility, Obedience, and Rally will also be offered, along with the North America Diving Dogs (NADD) Santa Splash.

Dr. Thomas M. Davies of Brimfield, Massachusetts, will serve as Best in Show judge. Mr. David J. Kirkland of Sanford, North Carolina, will judge Best Bred-by-Exhibitor in Show.

“The AKC National Championship continues to bring together the best of the best—exceptional canine athletes, exhibitors, and judges,” said Gina M. DiNardo, AKC President and Show Chair. “We are honored to have AKC Chairman Dr. Thomas Davies and Mr. David Kirkland leading the 26th show. It promises to be an exciting and highly competitive event.”

Judges for the seven variety groups and the Miscellaneous Classes at the AKC National Championship are:

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120 – June, 2026