On The Cover
Multiple Best in Show · Multiple Reserve Best in Show · Multiple Best in Specialty Show · 2021 National Specialty Winner
GCHG Southport’s Ares God Of War
#1 Mastiff* – All-Breed & Breed and #6 Working Dog*
Home » Current Articles
You are browsing entries filed in “Current Articles”
The Great Ones – Pekingese Ch. Chik T’Sun of Caversham
Have you ever stood at ringside and felt the hair on your arms stand on end as you watched an unknown dog move around the ring? Has a certain dog literally taken your breath away, as its superb breed type oozed from its every pore while gaiting past you? Have you ever watched a dog and felt the present slip away, replaced by the very history of its breed–so effortlessly illustrated in both body and soul?
Where The Buck Stops
President Harry S. Truman had a sign on his desk during his administration. It said, “The buck stops here.” He meant it as a reminder to himself and the world that there was no one else to whom responsibility could be passed for decisions, large and small. While something might circulate around the government for awhile, when it finally reached the Oval Office, the president, whoever he was, had to decide.
A Real-Life Lassie Story
So, here’s a “Real-life Lassie” story, to quote a New Hampshire State Trooper who was on the scene the night of Monday, January 3 when the drama unfolded.
Mixed Breeds In The Wild
Mating mistakes may just have a valid place in the canine universe. We have all heard those unicorn tales about the accidental breeding that produced the showstopper, and yeah, mainly they are on par with flying horses. But a recent bit of revelatory DNA investigation seems to lend a bit of legitimacy to that beloved myth.
Officially, the red wolf has been considered extinct in the wild since 1980.
Corky Vroom – Never Give Up
It all began with a 10 year-old boy practicing handling techniques in his family’s yard after school. Most junior handlers probably would have focused on their own skills – taking even strides, mastering the smooth transfer of the lead from hand to hand. For Charles “Corky” Vroom, the practice sessions had a deeper purpose. He wanted to understand the dogs – their structure, how they moved, and how their minds worked.
AKC Reunite Donates Over Half A Million Dollars To Police Departments In 2021
- Grants Matched Through Adopt A K-9 Cop Program -
Everything You Need To Know About the All-Breed & Breed Stats
Stats, statistics, or rankings–whatever you want to call them–tend to create excitement and anxiety for those in our sport. Exhibitors, owners, breeders and handlers attempt to calculate points every month. They keep spread sheets, notes, and check for updates to their dog’s record. In the end, they wait at the computer around the middle of each month waiting for the new stats to post.
A Culture of Questioning Integrity Instead of Knowledge
As a wise man from north of the border once said: “judging is not a matter of sharing our opinions, it’s a matter of sharing our knowledge.” When those of us who have been in the sport all or most of our lives take on the responsibility to judge, we don’t take it lightly. There is an expectation that judges have decades of knowledge stored in their mind and reflected in their eyes. They should have serious experience and the willingness to continually learn. Their knowledge should be earned, processed, and ready to impart. I believe that to a reasonable human extent, all of that is true. Moreover, it is a wonderful goal. How we are allowed to share that knowledge and learn more is, in my opinion, a growing concern.
We’ll Never Forget The Colonel – Jerry Weiss
Some judges are notorious for their prickly ring demeanor. Yes, judging is a demanding task, but it also requires a modicum of empathy for the exhibitors paying for that expert opinion. Unfortunately, more than a few novice exhibitors leave the ring, the sport, and the entire world of purebred dogs thanks to one mortifying experience in that realm. That brings me to Jerry Weiss. A casual glance at Col. Jerry H. Weiss, U.S.M.C. presiding over his ring would instantly brace anyone for the worst. He ran his ring with military precision, which was true to character. But that’s where any semblance of intimidating formality ended. Jerry greeted every exhibitor like a friend and every dog received his patient attention. Win or lose, showing to Jerry was a positive experience.
