The dog show magazine celebrating the Toy Group of dog breeds - featuring articles, tips, and information provided with help from breeders, owners, handlers, club members, and judges.
NATIONAL SPECIALTYWINNING
GCHS CROWN JEWELROYAL TREASUREATADAUGEO TREASURE
THE RED RUSSIAN INVADING THE TOY GROUP!
FLASH! Back to Back Group 2’s under Larry Abbott and John Constantine
OWNERS: JOANN AND ROY KUSUMOTO BREEDER: TANYA ZHUKOVSKAYA
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RED IS THE NEW BLACK AND WHITE
M U LT I P L E G R O U P P L A C I N G
GCHB. ALFA LAVAL AYRON DOG
DELORES BURKHOLDER & RICHARD ALBEE
T H A N K Y O U J U D G E S
PRESENTED BY: DARYL MARTIN
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Ms. Christine Salyers Anderson
Ms. Inge Semenschin
Mrs. Shelly Hennessy
THANK YOU TO ALL JUDGES
BISS, Toy Group Winner GCHS CHWynDancer Silver Lining
TOP 5 CAVALIER 2018 *
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* TNT breed stats as of 5/31/18
THANK YOU JUDGES
Mr. Desmond Murphy | Columbia River Specialty BEST IN SHOW SPECIALTYWINNER MULTIPLE GROUPWINNER MULTIPLE PLACEMENTWINNER
BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED BY MR. LUKE SEIDLITZ & TEAM BRED BY DR. SUSAN BARRETT, DVM • www.wyndancercavaliers.com • wyndancercavaliers@yahoo.com OWNED BY SUSAN BARRETT, DVM • WynDancer Cavalier King Charles Spaniels • wyndancercavaliers.com
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GCHS PAMMER I AM I SAID OF KYLIN X GCH SONDRAS ROSE WONT YOU BE MINE
Bred/Owned By: LINDA DAVI & TAMMY LODIEN
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My Girl CH KYLINS LEXUS MY GIRLS TEMPATION AT SONDRA ROSE Bred & Owned By: Linda Davi, and Tammy Lodien Shown By: Tammy Lodien
Lincoln CH SONDRAS OVERDRIVE WITH OUR HOT ROD LINCOLN AT KYLIN Bred & Owned By: Linda Davi, and Tammy Lodien Shown By: Tammy Lodien
CH KYLIN GHOST RIDER AT SONDRA ROSE
WITH KAITLYN NICOLE PETERS
Brenda Matherly 2018 Nationals Reserve BIS Junior Handler & Award of Merit
Bred By: Linda Davi, Tammy Lodien, Kimberly and Dennis Gallenberg
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CONTENTS TABLE OF
AJ ARAPOVIC President aj@aramediagrp.com Office 512-686-3466 ext. 102 Cell 512-541-8128 HANIFA ARAPOVIC Vice President hanifa@aramediagrp.com 512-686-3466 ext. 104 Cell 512-541-8687 MICHAEL R. VERAS Chief Operating Officer michael@aramediagrp.com 512-686-3466 ext. 101 SAMANTHA ADKINS Production Co-Ordinator Advertiser Relations samantha@aramediagrp.com 512-686-3466 ext. 103 Being bonded with its human also makes the IG warm and cozy bed partner. Almost all of them appe to be genetically programmed to dive under the cove without having to be taught how to accomplish thi There is also no need to worry about an IG suffocatin while buried in a blanket or comforter. They will aut matically know how to come up for air when nece sary. Eight hours of sleep a night isn’t enough for mo IGs, so they will appreciate a clamshell or snuggie typ of dog bed that can be used for a snooze during th day–preferably sever l of these throughout the hom Beds the humans share with their IGs should never b those exaggeratedly high ones that some people lik for some reason. The lower the distance to the floo the better. An Asian style platform bed is safe an ideal. MAILING ADDRESS PO BOX 18567 TAMPA, FL 33679 IGs are not yappy like some other small breeds an a single dog is rarely a barker; but most are quite ge erous with their w ning big dog wo fs if somethin unusual occurs. They will respond in a different ma ner from one another to visual and audible stimuli. group of them can be easily set off to howl if somethin prompts it, an activity sometimes referred to by ado ing owners as “singing.” Neighbors tend to call something else. Once started, they aren’t easy to sto There are those who say the Italian Greyhound low in intelligence, but very likely these people a confusing intelligence with trainability. I find IGs be highly intelligent, although this varies considerab from dog to dog. Even the trainability level is qui good as long as the training is done with the prop mixture of positive reinforcement a d firmness. I‚I’v often been asked, since we have lived with IGs f nearly 50 years, what are their most common perso ality traits. This is extremely difficult to answer, sin there have been no two completely alike. I believ more than any other breed these dogs are truly ind viduals, which actually explains one of the factors their irresistible charm. TNT About the author: I acquired my first Italian Greyhoun in 1966 and have lived with from one to 18 of this breed any given time ever since. I have bred more than 70 AK champions under my La Scala kennel name. Currently a d of my breeding is the top Toy stud in Great Britain, and o of my dogs is behind many of the winning IGs in Brazil. In 1989 I was approved by the AKC to judge Itali Greyhounds and have judged breed specialties in Italy an Australia as well as several times in the United State including the National Specialty in 2003 and 2010. I will judging IGs in Japan in October along with the other T breeds for which I am approved. BONNIE GUGGENHEIM Editor/Advertising Director 512-971-3280 bonnie@aramediagrp.com DANIEL CARTIER Director, Social Media & Web Site daniel@aramediagrp.com JOSEPH NEIL McGINNIS III I have written four books about the Italian Greyhoun have been the IG breed columnist for the AKC Gazette sin 1977 and frequently write articles for other dog magazines. have served on the Judges' Education Committee for t Italian Greyhound Club of America, was one of the creato of the Illustrated Standard for the IG and am a past pre dent of the IGCA. Cur ently I'm the president of the Kenn Club of Palm Springs. Most importantly, I absolutely adore this breed and can imagine living without at least one or two of them. ARAMEDIA
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12 This Month in Top Notch Toys
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The Seven Secrets to Show Success Michael and Cathy Dugan 70
TNT All-Breed System
18 Toy Talk
71 72 73 74
Judging the 2018 Japanese Chin National Specialty C. Michael Benson
TNT Breed System
Bonnie Guggenheim
22 Things I’ve Learned Arvind deBraganca
Executive Editor Emeritus Chief Media Consultant editor@aramediagrp.com
Changes in Italian Greyhounds Lilian Barber
National Owner Handled System Top Toys
TOP NOTCH TOYS is published twelve times per year by AraMedia Group, Inc. PO Box 18567, Tampa, FL 33679. Postage paid at Omaha, Nebraska. No part of this publica- tion may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the editor. The opin- ions expressed in this publication either editoriawlly or in advertis- ing copy are those of the authors and do not necessarily constitute endorsement by the publishers. The editor reserves the right to reasonably edit all copy submitted. All articles become the property of the publishers. Subscription price for third class service in the United States: $75.00. Canadian and U.S. First Class: $110.00. Overseas rates upon request. Inquiries to: Michael R. Veras, COO, AraMedia Group Inc., PO Box 18567, Tampa FL 33678512 686 3466 ext 105 or michael@aramediagrp.com.
28 TNT Coming Attractions
Judging the Italian Greyhound Cecilia Resnick
Advertising and Subscription Rates
30 Toy Box
The Iggyfied Home Lilian S. Barber
Index to Advertisers
34 The 2018 AKC
Educational Summit – What Next! Jacqueline Fogel
TNT Top Twenty Toys
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a very correct Yorkie! THANKS VERY MUCH TO JUDGE STEVE KEATING FOR RECOGNIZING STRYKER. STRYKER IS A SELF-STACKING DREAM THAT LOVES TO SHOW OFF. one look & you can’t look away
STRIKE FORCE Stryker
GROUP PLACING GCH TYAVA’ S SUGARFOOT ’ S
AVA TYREE BREEDER TYAVA
VICKI EDWARDS OWNER/HANDLER SUGARFOOT
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ON THE COVER
*
*TNT BREED STATS AS OF 6/30/18
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NumberOne the W I N N I N G I TA L I A N G R E Y H O U N D *
thanks to
my handling team of Justin & Chesley Smithy for their artistic presentation & great care! the judges who are appreciating Vicky’s quality. She is everything an Italian Greyhound should be. & thanks to
OWNED BY LOIS MARCH
HANDLED BY JUSTIN & CHESLEY SMITHEY
Marchwind Italian Greyhounds | marchwindigs.net
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*TNT ALL BREED STATS AS OF 6/30/18
GCHB CH MARCHWIND SWEET VICTORY
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TOY TALK ETCETERA by Bonnie Guggenheim, TNT Advertising Director & Associate Editor
WHAT AND WHY OF TNT Breed Features
P lanning for Breed Features starts 2 or 3 months prior to the date we have dedicated to making your special breed the one TNT will focus on. We try and plan the month before your National Specialty when breeders and exhibitors are showing their best and most exciting to give the fancy a look at what they have accomplished in the previous year. I contact the National Board starting with the President and Correspond- ing Secretary with a letter explaining what TOP NOTCH TOYS is planning and request several articles. Most important to the majority of us is the article from the Judges Educa- tion Department. They often include articles that can be pulled up from the club website.
We solicit this information because judges new and experienced really appreciate input and knowledge from the Parent Club and we deem it im- portant that these articles come from people approved and often referred to me by the National club. Second, we like to include articles and photos from the club historian or breeders with the knowledge and years of experience to provide this important part of our breed feature. Often they include photos of the big winning and top producers as well as winners from the past…the further back the more we appreciate it. If you want a map to where you are go- ing you need to know where you have been and that applies to breeding and showing dogs.
The next question had to do with grooming. All the long coated breeds had wonderful examples of dogs in cute cut down clips to make living with them easier, unless you enjoy brushing and some people do. Most have puppies in the booth so people could see what they look like “from start to finish”. If your breed is great in Agility you and your club should promote it! There are lots of new opportunities from Barn Hunts and Trick dogs to Fly Ball and more. When your National club is called to provide information for our breed fea- tures I hope you will encourage them to participate. I’m always willing to help andmake it easy for participants. If there are people from the past you would like to see featured, discuss with your parent club and request your historian submit an article. Top Notch Toys is the “go to” place for judges, history buffs and anyone interested in your breed. With your help the breed feature can be one of the best ever in our Group Five, all Toy national magazine. Continued success with your breed clubs and your breed, remember… Inquiringminds want to know, so stay in touch! Win lots more.
Articles on living with the breed are critical to the success of the
breed features as many people ask you as a breeder or exhibitor
what they are like to live with as a house pet. At Meet The Breeds in New York and Orlando I focused on the Toy breeds— without fail the big- gest questions were what are they like to live with and are they easily potty trained.
Bonnie bonnie@aramediagrp.com 863.738.8848
©NIKKI THOMPSON GILLAND
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A
GCHG MBISS INTCH NATCH BAYSIDE’S BEGINNING, CGC, HOF, ROM
BREED & ALL-BREED* # 1 TMT
*TNT BREED AND ALL-BREED STATS AS OF 6/30/18
OWNED BY DIANNA TEXTER BAYSIDEMANCHESTERS.COM 925-382-1050
BRED BY DIANNA TEXTER & KAREN CORNELL
HANDLED BY TRINA & ADRIAN GHIONE
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OWNER HANDLER BEST IN SHOWWINNER Adam
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THINGS I’VE LEARNED
by Arvind deBraganca
A ll it takes is popularity to change the entire outline and essence of a breed. I guess if you keeping telling them incorrect is correct, they eventually buy it? Maybe if it wasn’t celebrated or rewarded things would revert to the norm? Many have lost focus and even more have no grasp nor understanding of the true purpose of our hobby. What is it you ask, simply it is the evaluation and selection of breeding stock that com- pares individual’s quality to a writ- ten standard. A standard set forth to promote and highlight structure for functionality of purpose. Most stan- dards have a General Appearance segment that incorporates original purpose and is followed by a blueprint of perfection. What is so difficult? It takes just one highly promoted, mediocre or improperly presented, animal to ruin the years of dedication and passion of vested preservation breeders. Did I just write that? Yes, yes I did and unapologetically. We have become a society of fads, instant gratification and emotions. No lon- ger interested in the work, patience, dedication, or the journey it takes to produce a consistent and discernible quality family of dogs. Along comes a handler with some reputation, a client with considerable funds and substan- tial numbers of adjudicators whom are “well read” and not necessar- ily well versed all working together to promote a generic animal with no dis- cernible faults but outstanding show- manship. Now you add the masses of instant gratification seeking, un- informed ribbon collectors and it
becomes a veritable three ring circus! Whatever do I mean? Really. Think aboutwhat isbeing lamentedvirtually without end. A keening that is affect- ing the core of this sport. Listen to the breeders, hear them. It is a murmur at shows, a social media topic and even a discussion of roundtables all around the country. Someone has to make it so and it is. What is “IT”? Running at full speed regardless of breed. You know, run fast and be famous. Free baiting every dog to be a Doberman? Showmanship is wonderful, but when it changes the essence of a breed? Make them all generic regardless of what is correct for temperament and purpose. A personal favorite, head high, arched neck and sloping topline for all. Umm, yeah that is a thing and I guess generic is the trend. Each devia- tion to bring forth generic as a norm becomes another problematic ob- stacle for preservationist breeders to overcome and teach away from. This brings me to a solution which is so simple to state and ever so difficult to implement. You need all parties to come together for each plays a role at the demise of what is correct and true. You need mentoring without prejudice or agenda, essentially going against human nature, for the greater good. Then you need students who strive for comprehension and reten- tion of provided knowledge. Students always seeking multiple views to form strong understanding and solidify fact. Adjudicators who will do their utmost to reward quality or do what is necessary when quality is not pres- ent; those who strive to be well versed
and not “well read.” Exhibitors know- ing and bringing quality to the ring without being so self-vested they can not see beyond their leads. All work- ing together make the simple possible. At this point you may be nodding in ascension, but what is causing the dis- connect? The answer is lack of follow through by each individual party or all parties simultaneously. So the battle rages on. One can hope the breeders take themselves, their mentees and judge’s education to task. Teach hallmarks and prioritize their importance, teach functionality of purpose andwhy it is imperative for upholding the written standard and teach adjudicators how to identify and determine the latter two lessons ef- fectively in a real world setting. Adju- dicators need to stop rushing through the process, in an attempt, to gain more status. Remember that you are here to promote dogs, our sport and to do no harm. You will not always have quality or options and then you must learn how to deny awards because it is your duty nay responsibility. Your decisions, level of commitment and attitude will affect exhibitor (old and new) and the breeds you have been given the responsibility to evaluate. Our goals should always be the same; promotion of sound, healthy, pur- posefully bred specimens that adhere to their written standard and always keeping functionality of purpose on the forefront. All working together will make a difference. All together we can salvage the sport and hobby we love and many have dedicated our lives to.
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M U L T I P L E G R O U P P L A C I N G
G C H C H B R O O K V I E W ' S E V E R D E A N Y V A R I GCHB CH TAPYOCA'S YANCEY AT BROOKVIEW (Y TCA TOP SIRE 2017) X MBISS GCHG CH BROOKVIEW'S REBEL YALE, ROM (Y TCA TOP DAM 2017)
SHE IS TYPE
SHE IS MOVEMENT SHE IS . . .
Yvari
CHIC # 123019 OFA Eyes - NORMAL OFA Patellas - NORMAL prcd-PRA - CLEAR
T H A N K YOU , J U D G E M R S . MU R R E L P U R K H I S E R !
ALWAYS BREEDER-OWNER HANDLED BY: MatinaE. Johnson BROOKVIEW YORKSHIRE TERRIERS www.brookviewyorkies.com
Y T C A T O P B R E E D E R 2 017 B KC B R E E D E R O F T H E Y E A R
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Small in Stature, Big in Attitude
owned by DONNA & RICKY BLEDSOE handled by TRACY POTTS G C H B B O L D I N G S I R L A N C E L O T O F C H E D O N Lance
bred by GARY BOLDING
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Always Beautiful and Warrior Ready
bred by PAULA McSWAIN handled by KEN LAMBERT G C H B C O N F E T T I ’ S X E N A WA R R I O R P R I N C E S S O F C H E D O N Xena T op N otch T oys , A ugust 2018 • 25 owned by DONNA & RICKY BLEDSOE
Windy
I N T R O D U C I N G
THANK YOU JUDGE MICHAEL CANALIZO HANDLERS: BARBARA BEISSEL, MARK BENSON & JANET ASLETT BREEDERS: BARBARA BEISSEL, MARK BENSON & JAMES DILLMAN BARBARABEISSEL@AOL.COM • BENDILLSILKYTERRIERS@JUNO.COM CH LAMPLIGHTER BENDILL TAIL WIND
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Timer THANK YOU JUDGE NANCY LIEBES
A L O H A
A TOP 20 SILKY * # 14 ALL-BREED * OWNER HANDLED: STEPHANIE DELICATA CH LAMPLIGHTER BENDILL ONE TAIL AT A TIME
BREEDERS: BARBARA BEISSEL, MARK BENSON & JAMES DILLMAN BARBARABEISSEL@AOL.COM • BENDILLSILKYTERRIERS@JUNO.COM
*TNT ALL BREED STATS AS OF 6/30/18
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COMING IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE: Pug Dog Club of America National Specialty October 1 st -6 th , 2018 The spotlight will be on Pugs with articles on history, Grooming, living with pugs and judging Pugs
Additional Specialties Manchester Club of America – Sept 2, Pekingese Club of America – Sept 13-16, Chihuahua Club of America – October 11-14
For advertising and preferred positions, contact BONNIE GUGGENHEIM, Advertising Director/Editor, bonnie@aramediagrp.com, 512-971-3280
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Percy Grand Champion Titania Bring On The Bubbly Ladies Kennel Association, group 3. Thank you judge Anne Ingram for recognizing this typey boy.
Classic Toy Dog Club of Western Massachusetts, BOB at a large supported entry. Thank you breeder judge Stephanie Abraham for this prestigious win.
Twin Brooks Kennel Club, Group 4. Thank you judge Lisa Warren for your compliments on this young boy.
a true toy spaniel of correct size. Always Breeder Owner Handled by Claudia Jones, Titania Cavaliers
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TOP NOTCH TOYS
TOYBOX
SUBMIT YOUR CUTE PHOTOS TO OUR TOYBOX DEPARTMENT. Any clear photo will do—black & white or color, regular photo or digital. (If sending digital images, send high resolution 300 DPI for best quality.) Please submit your name and the name of the dog. 30 • T op N otch T oys , A ugust 2018
BISA BISS GCHB Golden Castle’s Handsome Baron
*TNT all breed stats as of 6/30/18
Thank you Judges Mr. Dana Cline &Mrs. Sulie Greendale-Paveza (pictured above) for awarding Baron these prestigious wins. Also thank you to all the judges that have recognized Baron’s quality.
Owned by Jeon Seung Hwan
Exclusively Presented by Eolanda Lopez
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*TNT stats as of 3/31/18
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Echo Echo Echo G C H C H AU L A I T ’ S N OT A MOM E N T TOO S OO N
T H A N K Y O U J U DG E
C H A R L O T T E PAT T E R S ON
B E S T O F B R E E D , P E N I N S U L A DOG FA N C I E R S . MA R C H 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 S H E E P I TOM I Z E S T H E S TA N DA R D ; Type, Elegance, Outline &Movement. A L L I N A G R E AT S H OW I N G AT T I T U D E . T H E F U T U R E L OO K S B R I G H T .
BREEDERS: LORRAINE EBDON & JEANNIE LOVE | HANDLER: SALLY SMYTH | OWNERS: SOMMER STOCKINGER COLON, CLIFF COLON & LORRAINE EBDON
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THE 2018 AKC EDUCATIONAL SUMMIT— WHAT NEXT! by JACQUELINE FOGEL
T his June, the AKC hosted a one- day educational Summit for all member clubs. They encour- aged every club to send at least one representative and they sched- uled it for the day before a regularly scheduled delegate meeting in New Jersey, so many clubs had their del- egates attend. Other clubs sent vol- unteers to attend. The cost was nomi- nal—$75.00—and participants were given a gift bag from Royal Canin, lunch and summary materials. The Summit was well-attended with about 400 people representing clubs from every segment of the AKC’s venue of supported activities. Mostly the attending participants were in- vited to listen to presentations from AKC staff and volunteers who were prepared to talk about issues facing all-breed clubs and breeders specifi- cally. Mostly the audience listened to presentations, but after each presen- tation the audience was invited to ask questions of the presenters. Thank- fully, the moderators limited the time available for questions and the day progressed quite smoothly. My fu- ture hope is that they include time for break-out discussion sessions along with presentations. I came away from the meeting with a general sense that the AKC has finally begun to realize the challenges facing breeders who work in isolation from other breeders and all-breed clubs who struggle to find members, volun- teers and tools to help themkeep their
shows going. It is a good start and cer- tainly welcome. However, as I look at the aging populations that attend these meetings, I am worried that it may be too little too late and the AKC may not be devoting enough attention to these issues instead of things like Urban Doggie DayCare Centers. The size of the staff in each of the signifi- cant departments: club communica- tions, public education, club devel- opment and government relations is woefully small. In some cases, they have only two to three people work- ing throughout the country to assist the hundreds of clubs and thousands of breeders. We all understand tight budgets. And we all understand that if the sport of purebred dogs is going to continue, we need to find better ways to do things and communicate with the public. I think these departments will need to grow to become signifi- cant to our sport. Sport. I used that word twice in the last paragraph and it brought me back to a really great comment made dur- ing the Summit by Howard Soloman from the Bedlington Terrier Club of America. Howard raised an issue af- ter a presentation on Breed Preserva- tion. He wants us to consider whether or not our conformation shows should be considered a sport at all. All-breed shows are really not a sport in the sense that teams or individuals com- pete and winners are determined by an objective accumulation of points or scores, in a predeterminedmanner.
What we do is actually much more like the livestock events at county and state fairs or the adjudication of works of art at an art show. Howard’s com- ment suggested that if we returned to calling what we do an evaluation of livestock, then perhaps it might bring more credibility to the breed- ers who are professionally producing those animals who compete for rib- bons based upon the quality of their dogs. Right now the public thinks we host hundreds of beauty pageants and winners are just the lucky par- ticipants the judges find attractive enough to send to Westminster. I can understand why. We are not clear about the way judges examine and evaluate the dogs they see in relation to their breed standard. This is par- ticularly true in the Group judging, which is the venue most often seen by the largest number of TV spectators. We all accept that the professionals at county and state fairs understand the breeds they are judging and we accept their wisdom in the placements of the animals. That same level of under- standing is absent frompeople watch- ing dog judging. They think we are just picking the next “Dog of the Uni- verse,” in our pageants. We are having a lot of trouble sup- porting the concept of conformation dog shows as sport. The closest events I think resemble what we do are the Olympic free-style gymnastic or ice dancing competitions which include a lot of subjective scoring from a
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S I D D W I N S D A L L A S M I N I A T U R E P I N S C H E R S P E C I A L T Y
MULT I NAT IONAL SPECIALT Y WINNER & ABIS MULT I BISS GCH AZTEX MARCH–ON BUDDHA AND THE CHOCOLATE BOX
SIDD AND LARRY ARE PICTURED ABOVE RECEIVING BOB FROM TOY JUDGE MRS. ERIKA MOUREAU. THANKS TO MRS. MOUREAU FOR THE AMAZING WIN. THANKS ALSO FOR THE BOB AT THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH TOY DOG CLUB AWARDED BY BENSON RAY.
OWNER/HANDLERS: LARRY & PENNY DEWEY • BREEDER/OWNERS: CHRISTINE SMITH & DAN BAYLESS
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panel of judges representing several countries. At least there are panels of biased judges in these competitions and the highest and lowest scores are discarded, so one person’s opinion does not carry as much weight. In dog shows, winners are selected by only one person, with no controls on per- sonal biases. I do not mean this as a criticismof dog show judges. I person- ally believe most do an exceptional job of applying their knowledge of breed standards to their evaluations of breeds. It is more a critique of a sys- tem that opens up our competitions to harsh criticism from spectators, who refuse to view what we are do- ing as sport. The teamwho shoots the most baskets, has the most hits, or the person who scores the most points wins the game. In their minds sports are objective and dog shows are entirely subjective. If we are not a sport, but an evaluation of breeding stock, or an adjudication of an art form, then what is our next step in promoting our competitions? I would like to return to the original concept of dog shows that sold our venue as an evaluation of breeding stock. While I believe there is cer- tainly an element of art in the show part of what we do, I firmly believe the emphasis should be on the con- formation evaluation. Let the com- petitive dog grooming world worry about the artistic sculpting of hair. I want to see us evaluate the conforma- tion, structure and movement of our dogs. I want a championship to mean that these dogs have been judged and found to be worthy of continuing on in a breeding program. I like Howard’s idea of professionalizing breeders as the producers of quality livestock, not just people who walk around in left-handed circles with a cute dog. We need to be the experts the public and other professionals like veteri- narians turn to when they have ques- tions about our breeds. The animal rights organizations have been try- ing to demonize us for years and it’s time we stop allowing them to frame our issues and define who we are and what we do. The public needs to start
asking some real basic questions, like, “If all dogs are spayed and neutered, then where will the next generation of pets come from?” Isn’t it better that our pets be produced by profes- sionals who know what they are do- ing and take pride in the dogs they produce, rather than by people who just produce puppies for profit alone? Why is a dog intentionally bred to make money better than a dog inten- tionally bred to preserve breed-type and health? Howards comment apparently struck a nerve withmany of the delegates be- cause it generated a lot of discussion during the delegate meetings the next two days. Hopefully the delegates and other people who attended the Edu- cation Summit will take this and oth- er issues back to their clubs to begin some real substantive discussions. Now is a good time to start, while we still have a few people who want to continue breeding. Now is the time to connect in earnest with 4-H groups and FFA (Future Farmers of Amer- ica) and promote ourselves as breed- ers of quality livestock, not Mothers of Tots in Tiaras. As theEducationSummit progressed, it became clear to me that there has been a shift in perception both among breeders and with the AKC. We can no longer isolate ourselves from the wider public and we need to be bet- ter at allowing them in to see what we really do. The pet-loving public is not our enemy. In fact they are the people who are most likely to keep us from falling into extinction as they tire of the language of animal rights rescue and the heartbreak and ex- pense of living with poorly bred dogs. We need to educate them about the importance of finding professional breeders, not just professional dog sellers. We need to be proud of our professionalism and encourage young people to join us in our professional livestock breeding. The Summit also encouraged clubs to reach out to their show exhibitors to become club members and encour- aged shows to include venues like dock-diving, barn hunt and fast-CAT
to draw in spectators and perfor- mance event competitors. Our own club, Kettle Moraine Kennel Club added both dock-diving and barn hunt this year and our conformation entries increased by 200. We want to bring in a fast-Cat competition next year because a lot of our conforma- tion exhibitors are excited about that venue. We continue to invite the pub- lic in to see what we offer and we are beginning to make progress at getting the attention of the Milwaukee me- dia, though we could still use a lot of help in that department. For the first time in 20 years, I have allowed myself to feel the optimism of a future for professional dog breed- ing. I think the ship has turned. It was a long, slow slide into near oblivion, but I think perhaps a renaissance is near. Maybe we are not on the Titanic after all. The 2018Education Summit was a gateway event. The AKC TV channel will be playing segments of the event and I encourage people who could not attend to seek out the pro- gram. Clubs and breeders still need more help and AKC needs to grow the departments who help clubs, breeders and public relations. The AKC must be bold, now. It must go into troubled clubs and help mediate solutions to their problems and it must learn from the clubs who are growing organi- cally. They all need to get out of their offices in New York and Raleigh and attend the small shows in the Mid- west, South and Pacific northwest to see what’s really happening in the dog show world. The big, glitzy shows don’t tell the story, the small shows do. We invite you to attend our shows and our meetings and help us to tell our stories to a media that has been educated by animal rights activists. We invite the AKC to pave the way to- ward better relations with the schools and organizations that work with the kids who love livestock breeding. I think we finally have the AKC’s ear. Let’s just hope they keep listening and don’t become deaf to the clamor they are about to hear.
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OUR SOL EMN
I N T R O D U C I N G . . .
TO YOU !
Memorable Recognition in Venice Toy Group Two 250+ Toy Dogs Judge Mrs. Gloria Kerr
BETHANY VOICI POCKET FULL OF PROMISES
Our PROMISE Performs With Rarely Seen Distinguishing HIGH Stepping And FREE Gait! . Our PROMISE Delivers Ideal Elegance And Grace! Owned & Bred by: Karen Haren, Bethany Italian Greyhounds | Gresham, OR . Layle Griffioen, Voici Italian Greyhounds | Salt Lake City, UT Presented by: Harry Bennett & S. D. Rowan Jr., Merola Italian Greyhounds
T op N otch T oys , A ugust 2018 • 37
Oakhurst Spanky SILVER GRAND CHAMPION OAKHURST ’S GOOD MORNING CAPTAIN AMERICA
Spanky rock’n it in the Toy group among tough competition! Thank you Mr. Herner and Ms. Rayner for the group placements! Back-to-Back Group Placements
OAKHURST | MAR I BETH MI TCHELL BOPP | AKC BREEDER OF MER I T | YTCA TOP BREEDER 2017 | 412 - 310 - 5499
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Moose WE ' R E ON A W I L D R I D E TO T H E TO P W I T H MOO S E
GCHB CH ANGELHEART N ADORABULL ’S MOOSE ON THE LOOSE
CURRENTLY HIS RANKINGS INCLUDE: #9 BREED * #11 ALL BREED ** #1 NOHS BREED *** #12 NOHS TOP 100 ***
THANK YOU AKC JUDGE RUTH ZIMMERMAN
• MULTIPLE • OWNER HANDLED BIS & RBIS • MULTIPLE GROUP PLACEMENTS •
EXCLUSIVELY OWNER HANDLED BY KAREN MARIE DUPRAT • CO-OWNED BY BILL & PAULA FRAZIER, KAREN MARIE DUPRAT AND JANE CHAVEZ BRED BY BILL & PAULA FRAZIER • CANDID PHOTOS BY SANDY MOYER, Delaware Valley Havanese Club *TNT breed stats as of 6/30/ 18 | * *TNT al l breed stats as of 6/30/ 18 | * * *AKC NOHS stats as of 7/5/ 18 T op N otch T oys , A ugust 2018 • 39
UNDERSTANDING THE GAME THE SEVEN SECRETS TO SHOW SUCCESS
by Michael and Cathy Dugan
SO, YOU’VE DECIDED TO MAKE THE LEAP… By the time you have decided to compete at a high level at the big dog shows, you’ve already abandoned logic and reason and have drunk the kool-aid of the lure of competition. Ok, maybe a little dramatic, but not much. All of us started at some point on a fairly basic level. We loved our dogs, had fun with them, played with them, perhaps watched a dog show on television and sensed there was a whole other world out there that had to do with dogs. One of the many great positive ele- ments of purebred dogs and the shows is that everyone can find their own level of involvement and enjoyment. There are thousands of owners of purebred dogs who never compete with their dogs and are very comfortable and happy to live with their wonderful creatures. We never call our dogs “dogs”; we refer to them as fur-people and talk to them in sentences because we believe that PWDs are that smart. We work as hard to communicate that belief with our pet owners as we do our show homes because we want to owners to have a fabulous experience, no matter what level they have decided to play. Formany owners, showing their own dogs and competing just enough to get a championship ismore than enough. The dog world is a big tent with an activity suited to every desire and need. Wheth- er it’s conformation, agility, water trials, obedience, tracking, field trials, carting;
you name it, it’s all there for the new enthusiast. Even when you have made the personal commitment necessary to succeed at a high level in dog shows, you know it’s not going to last forever. After awild ridewithLadybug for three years, the existen- tial questions loomed: “Now
what!” Because we’ve had the chance to be involved in dog breeding and shows for over 30 years, we nowhave an oppor- tunity to continue to be involved in other ways. While we continue to breed dogs and compete, the AKC provides many opportunities for judging, ring stew- arding, involvement with breed and all-breed clubs, writing, being men- tors to our owners and others in the business and building a positive legacy from the success we have enjoyed. An important part of the commitment to participant in dog shows is an under- standing that the sport cannot survive unless we recruit, retain and mentor new owners. “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE GREAT- EST SHOW ON EARTH! IN THE CENTER RING…” The world of dog shows is a commu- nity much like the circus. Every week a collection of performers from the AKC, dogs, dog clubs, breeders, pet and show owners, judges, professional handlers,
show superintendents, the media, and dog food and product producers per- form. It is part of a $50 billion industry, but ultimately it is the circus. Every weekend, the performers break down the tents, put the animals into trucks and travel to the next show. Like the circus, this traveling show becomes tight-knit and protective of the world they produce week after week. For new owners, this carnival atmosphere can seem unfriendly and hard to penetrate. One of the problems of our sport is that new owners are not always welcomed as much as they should be, even though they are the lifeblood of the future of our sport. When you attend a major dog show it really does have the atmosphere of a three-ring circus. At any time, dogs are in the conformation ring, running through agility courses, doing obe- dience, tracking or whatever, while handlers and assistants are fever- ishly running back and forth to the rings. The ringmaster (the super- intendent) tries to keep everything happening simultaneously.
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Edee
G C H I N F I N I T I S T A R S F E L L O N A L A B A M A
rising on the charts!
O U R S T A R I S
Sincere appreciation to Judges Dr. Wanda V. Spediacci (pictured) & Mr. Daniel Augustus, Group 3, Memphis Toy Specialty.
OH Group 1 | Robert Hutton, Jim Fehring, Joao Machado Group 2 | Jeffrey Kestner, Group 3 | Denny Mounce
Co-Owned by Susan Nolen Brasher & Kim & Randy Frennier
Bred by Kim Frennier & Betty Jacrgensmyer
Owner Handled by Susan Nolen Brasher & Kim Frennier
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“For many decades, BEING SUCCESSFUL IN A BREED REQUIRED THAT AN OWNER BE PART OF THE “CLUB” AND RECEIVE THE blessing of the old guard in order to do well.”
curly or wavy, black, brown or white, big or small? Did judges show a prefer- ence for owner-handlers versus profes- sional handlers? We tracked all of this because even the most rigorous breed standards allow for variations in judg- ing and we were curious about whether favoritism existed. As a statistician, Mike was look- ing for those standard deviations from the norm. The result? We found that the vast majority of judges are consis- tent, well-versed in the standards and diligent. We noticed that the rare judge who was of course attracted the AKC representative at a show to provide advice and input about the process and didn’t last long. After 400 shows with Ladybug alone, the Law of Big Numbers kicked in. Over time and with enough shows every dog will get a fair chance to win. The trick is to go to enough shows. The more you show the more you win! If you have a truly great dog your success will amplify over time. How? Judges are human and have great memories. The more Ladybug won, the more interest and buzz she created assisted by tons of advertising. Before she retired after Westminster, Ladybug became the dog to beat in the Working Group; that’s where you want to be. ARE YOU THICK-SKINNED? Over the years we have developed great friendships and relationships with the other performers in the circus.
because judging in the ring looks so sub- jective to new competitors. Once you understand how long and arduous the process is to become an AKC judge, you begin to appreciate the skills and time and talent required. As Cathy was going through the pro- cess and now has multiple breeds, we have both attended many judges’ edu- cation seminars and training. We’ve had the chance to get to know other judges and get a reality check about the world of an AKC judge. More than one judge has talked about the fact that it took years and tens of thousands of dollars to get to the point where they started getting regular assignments. New provisional judges get paid practi- cally nothing if anything. Instead, a new judge flies across the country to get the honor of paying their own expenses and maybe get a free meal, and hopefully an entry big enough to be observed by the AKC rep. The next time you see a person judg- ing at any show, much less the big ones, appreciate that they spent years in the trenches getting there. There are over 3,000 AKC judges in the country but only a few hundred have been approved to judge a group or a best in show. We developed a program to track judges who were assigned to PWDs and examined how 350 judges over several years looked at our breed in the ring. Did some judges prefer lion coat cuts over retriever? Was there a bias about
While there are many avenues of competition available, we opted for conformation and performance work. For us, if we were going to make the kind of plunge of time andmoney neces- sary to win and promote our breed, the conformation ring made the most sense in terms of time, money and exposure. Performance work gives our owners another venue to work with their dogs. Television networks, pet food manu- facturers and pet products and services providers spend millions of dollars pro- moting and showing events like West- minster, focusing on conformation. When Ladybug won groups on national television it advanced the breed as well as our own kennel. And we figured out a way to succeed in a different model. For many decades, being successful in a breed required that an owner be part of the “club” and receive the blessing of the old guard in order to do well. While we honor the many breeders and competitors of the last century who have built the world of dog shows for their efforts and the foundation they have built, things are changing. WHAT ABOUT THOSE JUDGES, ANYWAY? As with any sport, fans love to blame the umpires, referees and judges if things don’t go the way they like. Dog shows are no different. If anything, judges get a lot of heat from the fancy
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BENJAMIN THAT AND REIGNINGS CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON G1rand C1hampion
PRESENTED BY B I L L Y H U N T I N G T O N BRED & OWNED BY V I K K I N I C H O L S O N K E L L Y , T O P H A T A N D T A I L S K E N N E L S G A I L B E R T R A N D , R E I G N I N G P O M S K E N N E L S
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“THE DOG RING IS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER FIELD OF COMPETITION. Success breeds jealousy, envy and downright hostility.”
into some minor controversy only to find themselves quoted the next day by a co-conspirator. Outside the ring, we’ve learned to avoid engagement in gossip about any- one. Besides, it’s amazing how much you learn just listening to someone run out of words and then divulging too much information. When people visit our kennel, we avoid comments about a fellow breeder even though we may know they may not be operating appro- priately. We can only control how we operate as a responsible kennel. It’s the AKC and breed club’s responsibility to put unethical breeders out of business, even though they will continue to breed no matter what. Remember the AKC only registers about one percent of all of the dogs in this country. For the other ninety-nine percent, anything goes! WELCOME TO THE BIG TOP! As a new or veteran dog enthusiast, understanding the world of dogs really is like a circus helps to put this world in perspective. Somebody wins, some- body loses, great champions are soon forgotten as new hot dogs knock them off their perch and we’re all off to the next show. The fact that some own- ers and kennels have consistent suc- cess is the thread that runs through the Big Top. Those owners/breeders have taken the time and resources to figure out the nuances of what appears to be chaos but is actually a highly orches- trated dance. Like any dance, it takes time to learn the steps and even more time to perform at the highest level. Enjoy the ride!
With our success came positive regard that was very gratifying. However… when you begin to win with your dog do not expect only love and adulation of your fellow breeders or the fancy. Human beings have a tendency to enjoy watching someone who has succeeded when they fail. Who did they think they are? The dog ring is no different than any other field of competition. Success breeds jealousy, envy and downright hostility. Because we don’t always win we have always tried to be gracious winners and losers. Watching a com- petitor stomp out of the ring is never fun to watch. We’ve talked a lot about developing goals and a strategy to achieve those goals. As with anything else in life stay- ing focused makes a huge difference. The distractions of those around you who resent your dog’s success can’t always be ignored but they can be used to remind you-you’re going in the right direction. Normally, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is a definition of insan- ity. In dog competition, insane as it is, developing a consistent breeding and show program will produce success. Like the early Ford’s Aviator dogs come in many colors as long as it’s mostly black. It’s part of the brand. ARE YOU CLOSED-MOUTH? The flip side of having a thick skin is keeping your mouth shut. To say that dog shows breed gossip, innuendo and petty comments, as well as show dogs, is an understatement. We have learned to be even better listeners the more successful we have become. We’ve watched fellow breeders get sucked
THE TRUTH ABOUT DOG SHOWS! • With some people, you just don’t have a chance… • If you talk about dogs, you’re a know-it-all; if you don’t, you’re a snob… • If you don’t stop to chat at a show, success has gone to your head; if you do, you’re a show-off… • If your dogs are at all the shows, you’re not letting others have a chance; if your dogs aren’t at all the shows, you’re afraid of the competition… • If your dog wins, you know the judges; if they don’t win, you know nothing about breeding… • If you win and thank the judge, you’re playing politics; if you win and don’t thank the judge, you’re rude… • If you lose and congratulate the winner, you’re a hypocrite; if you lose and don’t thank the winner you’re a poor sport… • If you’ve been breeding for less than 20 years, you’re a novice; if you’ve been breeding for more than 20 years, you should step down and let the newcomers have a chance… • If you use your own stud, you’re kennel blind; if you go outside for stud services, you don’t thinkmuch of your own breeding… • If you sell most of your pup- pies, they aren’t good enough to keep; if you keep them, you can’t find buyers…
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AKC N EW CHAMP I ON S K Y ’ S T H E L I M I T S L I P E T S K I H O Z E R
Sasha completed her AKC Championship in just one weekend earning three 5 point majors her second week- end out Going BOV over specials from the 6 to 9 class. With only 5 appearances in the ring she received 4 majors and a Puppy Group 1 and 4. This very promising puppy is proving early on that for her The Sky’s The Limit!
Owned by: Tina Bregman, OneLove Chihuahuas Bred by: Natalia Kostina, S Lipetskih Ozer, Russia Handled by: Michelle & Michael Scott
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JUDGING THE 2018 JAPANESE CHIN NATIONAL SPECIALTY by C. Michael Benson
I t was my great pleasure to have the opportunity to judge the national specialty for the Japanese Chin Club of America a second time. Dur- ing my 40 year involvement with the breed I have attended many Japanese Chin specialties, most of them as an exhibitor and often as an owner han- dler, and have seen the breed progress and regress. The national specialty is an event that combines competition, camaraderie, seeing old friends (and making new ones). It is also an event meant to gauge the condition of breed by viewing a small portion of the pop- ulation representing diverse areas of the U.S. and Canada. My thanks to all who entered dogs and to the handlers who brought them into my ring and to the club for providing the festive venue. For the most part my entry combined type and soundness on the same dogs. Most of the dogs moved well and temperaments were solid. Faces and heads, the hallmark of the breed,
affects the top lines. Most entries were well balanced and square ap- pearing and most moved freely with- out encumbrance. All entries were pleasingly marked and were in the colors described in our standard. Coats were correct but with a few that may be problematic down the road. In the classes there were several that will finish, probably with ease, and maybe finished already. I particularly liked the veterans and I want to note 40 years ago and even less a lot of our dogs did not make it much past eight. We are well past heart issues gener- ally now and it is nice to see older entries in the ring. The junior show- men were very competitive and the decision between the two was a diffi- cult one. Both deserve our praise and congratulations for doing a great job. I especially enjoyed the Best of Breed class. Lots of very fine exhibits in a line up that included all breed bests and specialty winners. You eventually run out of ribbons.
throughout were what one would ex- pect to see in an entry deep in qual- ity. Many of the entry had the correct head proportions showing proper eye size and placement, proper loca- tion and tilt of the nose, proper bite and nice wide muzzles. Ear sets were very good and most top skulls had the right amount of curve ear to ear. The Chin face and expression must be seen and evaluated from straight on. Those who free bait their dogs from a standing position should be cau- tioned not to have them looking up. The head should remain level looking straight ahead. There is often a fine line between what is acceptable structurally and what would be too course or too fine. There were a very small number of entries that were a bit course for me and some, mostly in the younger dogs that need to be a bit more (chest, rib spring). There were a few low tail sets with rear angulation to match which also
“THE NATIONAL SPECIALTY IS AN EVENT THAT combines competition, camaraderie, seeing old friends (and making new ones).”
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