Table Talk – October 31, 2018

Fall is in the air and you know what that means… Daylight Savings Time is ending. Sadly, we turn our clocks back this Sunday, November 4th at 2AM! Don’t miss your Sunday ring time, folks! Turn back your clocks before you go to bed Saturday night.

Entries for this year’s AKC National Championship dog show in Orlando close at noon on November 12th!!! If you have not yet made your grooming reservations, hotel reservations, etc., I suggest you take a moment and take care of the details. The lead-in shows on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday close on Wednesday, November 21st. The Superintendent for the lead-in shows is MB-F, and the AKC National Championship show on Saturday/Sunday is superintended by Onofrio dog shows.

Those of you who are unable to join us in Orlando can keep in touch with us, and parts of the show, via Table Talk Live! Yes, we will be there “Live from Orlando”. Stay tuned for more information.

As owners, we have a significant responsibility to our dogs to exercise caution when selecting a handler. Here are a few helpful hints to help ensure that you are making the best, safest choice for your dog:

• Do your due diligence. Ask as many questions about your potential handler from as many individuals as possible including current and former clients, judges, colleagues, etc. How much experience does handler have with your breed, and what type of experience is it? How long has this person handled dogs? Visit their kennel. You might even want to show up unannounced. Find out if the handler apprenticed with and for another handler. If so, how long? Talk to that person and get a referral.

• Check the potential handler’s rig and set-up for appropriate equipment, cleanliness, and how the dogs are cared for throughout the day, and at night!

• Make sure you understand how your dog will be cared for when not at dog shows: Will it be kept in a kennel situation? Turned out with other dogs? How frequently will the dog be exercised and fed? How much interaction during the week does the handler have with the dogs? Have you met the kennel help and do you have an understanding of how much experience they have?

• Make sure that expectations regarding communication are understood and agreed upon including how the dog is doing, reports from the show on weekends, etc.

• What is the handler’s access to veterinary care?

• Is the handler insured? They should have business insurance, not just homeowners and auto insurance.

These are the basic questions. The list should grow from here. Showing a dog should be fun for the dog and the owner(s). Attend a few shows and make sure that your dog is happy, and in top condition.

I have had conversations with many fanciers regarding the number of dog shows and their proximity. What IS the right number of dog shows? Are 4- and 5-day clusters too much? There are some who live in areas where they have several viable alternatives almost every weekend of the year. There are some, however, who live in areas where there are not as many alternatives. Given this, the blanket statement that there are too many dog shows may not be the most accurate statement. Please write to me at deb.cooper@caninechronicle.com with your thoughts regarding the number of dog shows, proximity of dog shows, and multi-day clusters. I will be writing a series of articles on the topic and share information I learned from AKC’s study about it as well.

Congratulations to Brittany Kettleson-Cornelius and her hubby David who have announced they are expecting a baby in May, 2019!

Scott Pfeil and Geno Sisneros are off to Bangkok, Thailand. Have a great time my friends, and post lots of photos! Jan Ritchie-Gladstone was off to China for a judging assignment, too.

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Dachshund fancier Franz Neuwirth from Lymphoma. Franz touched the lives of so many and will be sorely missed by the fancy and all who loved him.

David Fitzpatick checked in to let us know that his dear friend and longtime fancier Nancy Shapland passed away. Many in the sport remember Nancy as a familiar face at shows for decades. Our sympathies are with her family and friends at this difficult time.

Lovebirds Lisa and Harry Miller are celebrating a wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary my friends! May there be many more, happy, healthy years ahead.

Celebrating birthdays this week are: Susan Olsen, Andrea Montgomery, my partner-in-crime, Kathy Bilicich-Garcia, Katherine Wurz-Smoot, Alaina House (sweet 16!), Brenda Weiss, Peggy Browne, and Alberto (Eldorado) Montilla.

Be safe in your travels my friends, and please watch out for our new exhibitors and lend them a hand, or just a kind hello. Until next time…

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