As I volunteered at a scent work trial recently, I watched some really great teams compete, and saw some really poor teams compete. While watching, I realized that the difference between the great teams and the poor teams in scent work was the same as the difference between a good professional handler team and an average (or worse) owner-handler team in conformation.
I have been involved in dog shows as an exhibitor and breeder over the past 25+ years and recently was introduced to one of the Miscellaneous breeds. Once I got involved with the Foundation Stock Service, some of the things that have been bothering me for several years all of a sudden came back to me and started making sense. AKC has the responsibility of keeping the records for the breeds, but I have always been under the impression that the breed clubs are the keepers of the breeds. Am I mistaken?
If you’ve seen the movie “Best in Show,” you may remember the handler who was really showing himself—not his Shih Tzu. Iconic handler George Alston would have no patience with this type of handler, and probably doesn’t think much of being called an ‘icon.’
Breed standards are truly simple in that they describe the correct construction, proper movement and requisite soundness demanded in the ideal dog of its breed.
Recently some individuals were asked what they thought of the effect, if any, that the AKC Code of Sportsmanship is having upon how members of the Fancy conduct themselves and interact with each other nowadays. Quite obviously the intent was to find out, or get some idea, as to whether or not it is generally felt that a positive impact has been generated by its adoption. The overall tenor of the responses was, interestingly and perhaps not unsurprisingly, rather negative with opinions expressed that, in all likelihood, this has made very little difference in how people behave.
I WANT TO HIRE JUDGES THAT ARE NICE TO THE EXHIBITORS AND JUDGE THE DOGS! This phrase was said by a person that hires judges for their show. Well, guess what folks… judges want to judge exhibitors who are nice to them and who evaluate their own dogs, honestly.
During the recent enforced lockdown–with shops, malls and attractions out of bounds–I suppose a lot of us spent the time cleaning and tidying up our homes and gardens. Well, that was my firm intention when I climbed up into our untidy loft space; however, I soon got distracted by heaps of dusty books and old photo albums.
On numerous occasions, I have wished that my dogs would show just half the animation and interest in the show ring as they do when I merely pick up a shotgun. For Bo, my current Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the shotgun isn’t even necessary. He starts barking, whining, “aarooing” and dancing when I take my hunting boots out of the closet. Oh, all my champions have liked the treats, the happy talk and Stan and Jane Flowers, their professional handlers in the show ring. They’ve been successful show dogs with group wins both north and south of the U.S./Canada border and one even owned a Canadian BIS.
Take a moment. Count the number of face masks you have. Are you surprised both by the amount, and variety, of masks you now possess? Over these past many months, like so many of us, I have purchased and acquired a wide array of facial masks. Honestly, it was something to which I had never given a single thought. Now, finding the correct size to fit my small face, to make it easy to wear for hours and, of course, to look good, has been a challenge. Just being able to find masks with comfortable ear loops took far more effort than I ever would have imagined. Too many of them hurt the back of my ears and caused my pierced earring backs to fall off. I’ve been told that I am not the only one who has lost a favorite earring that way! Fortunately, mine was recovered.
So many breed historians make fanciful claims of ancient lineage for their respective breeds but for the Italian Greyhound such boasts could well contain more than a grain of truth. This little dog can claim a common ancestry with the greyhound and the mummified body of a ‘miniature greyhound’ has been found in the tomb of a Pharaoh.
