Star Power – How Do We Get Celebs to Help Our Sport?
Let’s face it: As much as we want to promote purebred dogs because of their predictable tendencies and health, that’s not why the typical person chooses one.
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Breed Priorities – Shiba Inu
The Shiba Inu is the smallest of the native Japanese breeds. It shares many features with the Akita, also from Japan: triangular eyes, erect triangular ears that tilt forward following the arch of the neck, the high-set tail carried over the back, and clear and rich color. (Note: The Shiba is not and should not look like a little Akita.) The Shiba has distinct breed type characteristics.
Ann Seranne – A Recipe for Greatness
Every once in awhile, thanks to fate or faultless timing, a book arrives at an almost prescient moment, when everyone seems to be seeking expert guidance to light the way forward. Ann Seranne’s classic, The Joy of Breeding Your Own Show Dog, was one of those books. The title certainly sets the timeline, but, at least in this quadrant of the universe, sex wasn’t the only big discovery going on at that moment. The sport was riding an unprecedented and seemingly endless crest of popularity. Those spiking numbers represented legions of fanatical novices entering the game. They provided energy and enthusiasm that would power the sport to previously unimaginable heights. Annual registrations topping a million; shows topping 5,000 entries. New, wildly successful kennels sprouted like weeds in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. Many spawned bloodlines that endure to this day.
When Perseverance Is Important for Both Dogs and Their Owners
It is nearly as certain as death and taxes that if you do enough performance or field activities with enough dogs, sooner or later you will have a dog that seemingly has developed an unsolvable problem in that sport. Sometimes that issue will be so serious as to cause the dog to be unsuccessful in that activity. When that happens, if the dog is willing to keep trying, it is important to not give up on the dog because somewhere, somehow there may be something that will enable you and the dog to overcome that obstacle and succeed.
The First Domesticated Dogs?
Over the past 20 years our knowledge of the canine species has exceeded all of the cumulative information amassed in the previous two centuries. Researchers have improved tools and protocols, along with far more efficient ways to glean significant facts from the resultant mountain of data.
Breed Priorities – Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Ireland is the home of many wonderful and beautiful breeds. For many years the sporting and hunting dogs were reserved for the upper classes. Several terriers were used as general purpose farm dogs, including the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, the Kerry Blue Terrier, and the Irish Terrier. The Wheaten is distinguished by his coat – wheaten colored, soft, silky, and wavy. Temperamentally, they are also less feisty than some other terriers. Wheatens are currently the second most popular terrier based on 2019 AKC registration statistics.
Windholme Kennel: Putting Greyhounds on the Map
Today’s dog game reflects our piecemeal, fragmented lives. Forever dividing our time, energy, and interest between a multitude of demands. Fanciers often comment on the continually changing crowds in their respective breeds, an observation supported by AKC statistics confirming that the average exhibitor bails out after five years.
The Best Breed in The World? – The History of the ‘American Gentleman’ The Boston Terrier
Americans are sometimes, quite wrongly in my opinion, accused of being rather boastful folk, bragging that they have the ‘biggest this’ and the ‘very best of that’. However, if any American were to claim that their nation was responsible for creating the best breed of dog in the world, I as a proud Englishman would have to humbly concur.
Belgrave Joe – Remains from a Different Day
His skeleton was mounted by his last owner, Luke Turner, a dedicated Fox Terrier breeder who wanted to ensure that future Fox Terrier breeders understood the proportion and symmetry that Belgrave Joe transmitted to the breed.
Retriever Field Trials – The Early Days
Averell Harriman faced many tests and triumphs during his long, varied career. Surprisingly, he considered a 1936 retriever field trial one of his most challenging ordeals. At AKC’s request, it was held at his posh Sands Point estate on Long Island’s gold coast. The Great Gatsby perfectly portrayed its aristocratic cachet during that era. The trial was organized by Harriman’s brother-in-law, Charley Lawrence, and his friends Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Field, which indicates the exclusive nature of the 1930s retriever world.
