Resolution Roadmap for Conflict

People who find themselves in conflict rarely choose to address the problem. This is akin to taking a trip without checking out the best route to your destination.

People who find themselves in conflict rarely choose to address the problem. This is akin to taking a trip without checking out the best route to your destination.

We all have stories we have been told, but cannot reveal the source. Here is one of those stories that has to be told. Unfortunately, we can’t reveal the storyteller.

When you ask dog people what dogs have meant to them, the responses have a common theme—dogs aren’t an “interest”—they are a passion. And what have dogs given them? The most common response is “everything!”

By the early 1950s breeding and showing dogs had become a popular American pastime and owning an AKC registered purebred dog was the gold standard.

If you’re on Facebook, you may have seen a post that went viral. It’s a picture of a sign posted at the entrance to the 4-6 month puppy competition in Perry, GA. The post, at this writing, has over 800 shares and dozens of positive comments, which speaks to what exhibitors and some (many? most?) judges feel this competition should be. Disclaimer: it was my ring and my sign. I love this competition and created the sign because the puppies need to have a good experience, so I want the handlers to have as much fun as I’m having.

How many of you have contributed to the AKCPAC? The AKC Canine Legislation Support Fund (CLSF)? Both groups work tirelessly to help educate candidates (PAC) and incumbents (CLSF) on the desired rights and responsibilities purebred dog owners and breeders want to see implemented or sustained.

The Pharaoh Hound resembles the dogs represented in ancient Egyptian temples, but its more recent historical home was the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea. The National Dog of Malta, the breed is known there as Kelb tal-Fenek, the dog of the rabbit, and is used for rabbit hunting. When the breed was introduced to the United Kingdom in the 1960s, it was renamed to “Pharaoh Hound.”

The Shakers were a religious order founded in 1774 by an English factory worker named Ann Lee. (They were actually called the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, but their practice of ecstatic dancing earned them the more memorable name of “Shakers.”)

Have you ever stopped to think about what a wondrous thing a dog’s nose is? And, not just because it is the perfect target for a kiss when we want to tell a dog how proud we are of them or how much we love them?

Prepare to read blasphemy. I am not a huge fan of today’s AKC Junior Showmanship competition. Yes, I want Juniors in the sport. And yes, Jr. Showmanship has created Juniors who can outhandle most adults, many of whom have gone on to be leaders in the sport and successful professional handlers. The sport not only produces young people with superior handling skills, but also with heightened poise, confidence and sportsmanship outside the ring. So what’s not to like?