This is not what I had in mind to think about this month, but sometimes you really have to go with your heart! I wrote the most of following soon after the loss of my eleven year-old German Shepherd Dog, “Silver”. I added to it and wanted to share my thoughts with you.
This is a very personal story. I don’t usually write about Sylvia and me, but the subject of this article jumped into my head last night as I was sitting at the monthly meeting of the all-breed club of which I have been a member for 26 years. I have served this club in several positions, as show chair, judges’ hospitality chair, secretary, president, vice president and long-term delegate to the American Kennel Club.
Today, every parent club grapples with their breed’s relative popularity. Positions at either end of the spectrum present substantial threats to overall genetic integrity. Managing this ongoing challenge/nightmare is tricky business but at least we have some signposts to achieve a happy middle ground. The Airedale’s fluctuating fortunes provided many of those insights. Recapping the ordeal for the ATCA 1960 Yearbook, Airedale breeder/former ATCA president Harold Florsheim said, “In 1925 Airedales reached their peak of popularity, but within a mere five years had slipped from their high point to a very low one.” That low rung on the ladder is never pleasant, but nothing hurts more than a sudden plunge from the top.
Anyone managing a multiple-dog household knows the standard Q&A when asked about their canine housemates. Initial shock is inevitably followed by commiseration about the amount of work it entails. That’s true in some respects – more nails to cut, more dishes to wash. Of course, our dogs repay this in countless intangible ways. A recent experience made me realize this fact, and understand that some of these benefits cease to register on our mental radar.
By the time you read these words, another Morris & Essex Kennel Club show will be in the books. This year’s entry topped 4,100 dogs; a significant increase over the 3,000+ dogs entered in 2005. This quinquennial show has become the hottest ticket in dogs over the past 15 years for many reasons.
By Amy Fernandez Last week Youtube was ablaze with the sensational footage of a French Bulldog successfully chasing a trio of curious black bears out of her backyard territory. Fearless, scrappy 20 pound Jules stood her ground and didn’t hesitate for a second as she confronted one and then another, baiting and harassing them until […]
By Sandi Weldon “I am so disappointed and hurt. Today at the show, I brought my niece to teach her how to show shelties. It was her first time in the ring. I also brought my 12 year old daughter who has shown but hasn’t been in the ring in a few months. When my […]
By Amy Fernandez Bigger and better seems to be the ongoing mantra of AKC shows and it’s almost impossible to recall when entries typically hovered around 400-500. But that was the reality until the 1950s with a few notable exceptions, as Arthur Fredrick Jones explained to his Gazette readers in July 1951. “Purebred enthusiasts of […]
By Amy Fernandez We’re all familiar with that exclusive group of two-time Westminster winners. Only a handful of top dogs have pulled it off since 1907. It’s a rare achievement, thanks to the show’s size and level of competition. In that respect, it had only one American rival. For much of its 43 year history […]
