It’s pretty well established that many health-related breakthroughs result from researching canine diseases. Our meticulously documented pedigree data makes them the ideal species for tracking suspected genetic disorders, many of which plague both our species.
As we near the end of arguably the worst year most of us have ever lived through, we have hope that the future will be far kinder, happier, and safer for all of us.
Dogs were inseparable from the entertainment business long before Hollywood started cranking out screen idols like Lassie and Strongheart.
Green is a former handler and current AKC judge based in Pinehurst, North Carolina, which her mother called “God’s country,” and she describes as “a little bit of New England nestled into the sand hills.” Like many I’ve spoken with, dogs are bred in the bone—she’s the daughter of two judges, started with Pointers and Boxers as a junior, but says she pretty much likes all breeds, whether she’s handling or judging. The current canine household is certainly a mixed bag—a German Shepherd, a whippet, and a toy Manchester Terrier.
Speaking as someone who has endured the AKC club approval process, I can assure you that it’s a joyride…Not! Obviously, AKC’s first consideration from a survival standpoint is legality, and luckily this sport never lacks legal expertise. That said, most clubs use AKC’s preformatted template for their constitution and bylaws, which streamlines the process and ensures that all new clubs hew a close line.
Last year I wrote about the fascinating history of the Cocker Spaniel and today I write about its close relative, the Springer Spaniel.
The Bichon Frise is one member of the Bichon family of dogs that also includes the Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Havanese, Mal-tese, Löwchen, and Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka. All are small and friendly, with long hair that mostly doesn’t shed, drop ears, short muzzles, and with tails carried over their backs when moving. The Bichon Frise is unique in the family with the curly coat.
There are actually people in this country who don’t hunt birds with a dog. I have to confess that I’ll never understand those folks.
Let us pay tribute to our foreign and American breeders of the past. The men whose painstaking work for generations helped to create our breeds of today.
Today we find ourselves in a catch 22 situation. AKC guidelines say we judges should not speak to exhibitors except for the usual pleasantries – good day, yes, it is a hot one, etc…This makes it kind of difficult to sneak messages under the table to inform the exhibitor of our honest opinion of their stock. I believe we need to inform the exhibitors better, or we will continue to see a decline in show entries and breeding stock.
