Progressive Dog Club Rises Again!

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174 – March, 2024

By Amy Fernandez

As far as dog clubs go, Progressive truly lived up to its name simply by daring to demand AKC recognition. Comprised of dedicated Toy breed lovers, they were fed up with the entrenched attitudes of judges and show committees. Their breeds deserved equal consideration at shows, so they decided to revise the playing field.

Needless to say, AKC didn’t exactly jump for joy when presented with their demand for an exclusive Toy breed group show. But that formidable crew was not backing down. They had the financial means and the political clout and the AKC board knew this was a losing battle. Group shows have since become a mainstay of AKC events and Progressive Dog Club has just clocked in its 98th successful show.

Still, like every other club, Progressive has faced a rough road in recent years. Covid restrictions complicated show schedules generally but from our perspective, the biggest issue has been Westminster’s drastic change of date and venue. That basically pulled the rug out from under Progessive in 2020. For years, the club’s coveted February date and location virtually ensured the show’s success. Held the Friday prior to Westminster at the Pennsylvania Hotel, the shabby grandeur of the PennTop Ballroom reliably attracted very large, highly competitive international entries as well as legions of Toy breed judges seeking to expand their education. Judges mentoring also became a regular feature of the shows.

?Then everything fell apart. Progressive Dog Club disappeared from the radar for three years. Clubs typically nail down their show dates and venues a year or two in advance. And there’s a financial risk attached to that long-range planning, a fact that has nearly bankrupted several clubs over the last few years.

Click here to read the complete article
174 – March, 2024

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Posted by AnthonyA on Mar 15 2024. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.