Earthdog Tests

Earthdog Tests are a non-competitive way to measure the natural aptitude and trained underground hunting behaviors of small Terriers and Dachshunds.  You can enter your dog if he or she is of an eligible breed, whether or not you have registration papers.

For novices, there is Introduction to Quarry, which teaches both dogs and their families about the sport and what is involved.  Junior Earthdog requires the dog to travel a 30-foot den with at least three right angle turns in 30 seconds and work the rats at the end of the tunnel for 60 seconds.  Senior Earthdog adds distractions such as a false exit.  Master Earthdog includes having the dog hunt his way to the den at the start of the test.  In addition, the Master Earthdog test includes two obstacles which the dog must overcome inside the den.

Your reward at each level is a ribbon.  Your dog’s reward is exercise and a day of fun playing with the other dogs.  I’m not sure what the rats get out of it.

Tracking

Tracking is classified by the American Kennel Club as a Companion Event because it allows you to spend some quality time with your favorite four-legged buddy.  It is non-competitive and helps your dog hone search and rescue skills.  Like Earthdog Tests, your dog must be a purebred, but does not have to be registered with the AKC.  There are no specifications as to the particular breeds eligible – all are welcome as long as they are purebred.  Think your dog’s got a great sniffer?  Tracking might be just the sport for you.

The dog is put into a harness on a 20 – 40 foot lead and taken to an open grassy field where he simply follows his nose along a scent trail to find the items previously laid down by officials – sort of a doggie Easter Egg Hunt.  Novices must take a class first and be certified as a Tracking Dog before attempting events.  A typical Tracking Dog course is between 440 and 500 yards and contains 3 – 5 changes in direction.  There are no obstacles and the first thirty yards are marked with flags to get you started off in the right direction.  There is no time limit as long as the dog stays on the trail.

Once your dog has earned his Tracking Dog (TD) status, he can advance through Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX) and Variable Surface Tracking (VST) to become a Champion Tracker when all three awards have been earned.  For the TDX title, the trail become harder to follow, with longer distances, more turns, diversionary tracks, and older scent trails. Variable Surface Tracking includes dropped items of different textures such as leather, cloth, plastic, and metal, and requires the dog to travel over several types of surfaces to test his or her ability to work in an urban environment.

Rally

Another of the AKC Companion Events, Rally is a companion to the more rigorous obedience competitions.  The dog is led through a course of 10 – 20 stations, with each station having a sign indicating an exercise to be performed.  Exercises might include things like turning in a circle, jumping from a platform, and backing up with the dog in the heel position.

Novices begin on an easier course with fewer stations, more interaction between the handler and the dog, and easier exercises.  Advanced competitors have more difficult exercises and the dogs are worked off-lead.  The highest level of Rally, known as Excellent, may have as many as 20 stations and handlers are not permitted to encourage the dog other than by verbal command.

At the start of each competition, each team has 100 points.  Deductions result from incomplete or incorrect performance on one or more of the stations.  Any team who finishes the course with at least 70 points retained is said to have a qualifying performance.  Teams are ranked according to the number of points they retain.  If two or more teams earn the same score, the one with the shortest time on the course is the winner.

Lure Coursing

For sighthounds like Greyhounds, Afghans, Borzois, and Whippets, the AKC has an exciting sport called Lure Coursing.   The event is open to all eligible purebreds,  whether or not they are registered with the AKC.

Lure coursing is a sport for sighthounds.

Lure coursing is not a competitive sport, although there may be more than one dog running the course at a time.  The goal is for each dog to complete the course successfully, not necessarily to beat the other dogs.  Success is defined as chasing a white plastic lure that runs along a wire for 600 to 800 yards in an open field.

For novices, the Junior Courser title offers a 600-yard course with four turns, through which the dog runs off-leash and solo.  At the Senior Courser level, your dog must run with at least one other dog.  From there, the dog can compete in Open Stakes to earn a Field Championship Title, a Master Courser Title, and finally a Lure Courser Excellent Title, which comes in levels such as LCX I, LCX II, LCX III as the dog earns progressively more points over the course of his or her career.

Field & Hunting Trials

For scent hounds, the AKC offers a number of different events meant to hone and showcase your dog’s ability to hunt.  Events are divided according to the type of hunter your dog is, such as pointer, retriever,  or spaniel.  Follow the links to see eligible breeds.  There are also separate trials for Beagles, Basset Hounds, and Dachshunds.

If you’re new to this, pointers corner the prey then literally stop and point to it, retrievers bring back the dead prey from land or water, spaniels typically flush out the prey (although they also retrieve it), and hounds corner the prey then bay to tell the hunter where they are.

Trials may be field-based where the action is simulated, while hunting trials include actual prey such as birds, rabbits, or squirrels.  For more information on all of the scent hound trials, search for a club near you.

If you have a herding dog, herding trials may be the sport for you.

Herding

The last of the performance sports from the AKC is herding.  In this event, eligible breeds are judged on their ability to control and drive livestock.  The first test is a measure of instinct, where the judge looks at the dog’s ability to respond appropriately to commands while in the presence of livestock such as goats, sheep, ducks, geese, or turkeys.  The dog must demonstrate a stop and must come back to the handler upon command.   Further levels of accomplishment indicate the dog’s ability to move and control the livestock around pylons, gates, and fence posts on the course.

For all of these sports, there are minimum age requirements meant to protect your dog while he is a puppy, and various other rules and eligibility requirements.  The best way to find out about each sport is to attend an event and watch the dogs in action.  In many cases, you can bring your own dog to watch an event, and talk to the competitors to find out if the sport would be a good fit for you and your dog.  Find a club near you and go out to see the action!

Before the trip

Before you plan to take your dog on a trip, give some thought to whether or not the dog will actually enjoy this.  Although it’s true that most dogs would rather spend time with the family than anywhere else, if your dog is elderly or if he gets car sick, taking a long trip may not be his cup of tea.  Investigate other options like in-home pet sitting, visiting grandma, or camping at a doggie spa before deciding to take the dog along with you.

During the planning stages of your trip, take the time to make sure your dog is up-to-date on all shots.  A visit to the vet can check your dog’s overall health, review his shot record, and check to see if any special vaccines are required to protect your dog in the part of the country to which you’ll be traveling.

Check your supplies.  You will need, at a minimum, a harness or seatbelt if you will not be crating your dog for the trip, food, water, dishes (collapsible dishes work well in the car), a sturdy leash and collar for rest stops, poop bags to clean up messes, and supplies to clean up any accidents the dog might have in the car.  Make sure you have room for all of this inside your vehicle – no Romney-esque dog crates on the roof.

Check your dog’s ID tags.  The tag should be legible and should include a way to contact you while you’re on the road.  If the current tag includes only your home phone number, you’ll be out of luck when your dog gets lost at the beach.  If your dog has a medical condition such as diabetes, you might also include that information on the tag so any good Samaritan that finds the dog can provide the proper care until they find you.  If it’s time for a new tag, check out the innovative designs available.

In the car

The safest way for a dog to travel is in a crate.  If you don’t think you can stand crating your dog for the trip, invest in a good seatbelt or harness.  Letting your dog roam the car while you’re driving isn’t safe for the dog or for you.  Loose dogs can create distractions that take your eyes off the road, and they become projectiles in the event of a crash.  You wouldn’t let your two-legged kids ride un-belted; don’t let your four-leggers do it either.

Take frequent breaks to allow your dog to stretch, run, and do his business.  Pay attention to the posted rules wherever you stop – most rest areas have designated dog break areas.  And for goodness sake, clean up after your dog – your mama doesn’t work here, and it’s the maid’s day off.

When you make overnight stops, ask about the pet policy of the places you’ll be staying.  There is often a pet deposit which may or may not be refundable, and there may be rules about supervision such as not leaving dogs unattended in your room.

When you arrive

Again, make sure you know the pet policies at your destination.  National parks often have leash laws or may outright ban pets from visiting.  Campgrounds may have rules governing off-leash areas.  Even grandma may have some guidelines regarding visiting pets.

Check your dog’s tags again to make sure they are securely fastened to his color and legible.  You don’t want your dog to become the next Milo or Otis, walking thousands of miles to get home after becoming separated from your family.

Unless you are 110% sure your dog will stay with you, keep him on the leash, in the crate, or inside a secure fence.

There may be places you’d like to visit that don’t allow dogs.  Make sure you carve out some time each day to spend with your dog, even if he can’t be included in the day’s activities.  You wanted to bring him along – make sure you make the trip as fun for him as it is for you.

If you’ll be too busy doing tourist stuff, you might be better of to just leave the dog at home.  It’s not going to be any more fun for him to be stuck alone in a hotel room than it would be for him to be stuck at a boarding facility.  At least at the kennel, he can visit with other dogs and get some playtime with the staff.

Time for first quarter wrap-up.

The first quarter of the year is always exciting, with three of the biggest competitions coming one right after the other.  Here’s a quick wrap-up of Westminster, Crufts, and the Iditarod.

136th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Show

The great grandaddy of all conformance shows, Westminster Kennel Club’s All-Breed Show was held on February 13th and 14th.  One of the biggest stories to come from the show was Maverick, a rescued Weimarener who went from CraigsList to the Garden.  His owner is currently writing a book chronicling this impressive feat, which you can preview on Facebook.

Winning dogs include:

• Cinders, a Wire-Haired Dachshund who took the Hound Group
• Emily, an Irish Setter and winner of the Sporting Dogs Group
• Fifi, a Doberman who won the Working Group
• Ian, a Non-Sporting Dalmation
• Cappy, a German Shepherd who won the Herding Group
• Chelsey, a Kerry Blue who took the Terrier Group
• Malachy, the Pekingese winner of the Toy Group, who later went on to become Best in Show

The Crufts Show (March 8th – 11th)

The Crufts show is similar to Westminster as far as the conformance portion, but there are many other events at Crufts including agility, a dance contest, and a talent show.  Videos of all the fun are available on the Crufts site, as well as on YouTube.

For conformance, winners include:

• Whistlestop’s Elements of Magic, and Irish Water Spaniel who won the Gundog group
• Ragus Merry Gentleman, a Norwich who won the Terrier Group
• Old English Sheepdog Bottomshaker My Secret, winner of the Pastoral Group
• Borzoi Rothesby Sholwood Snow Hawk who took the Hound Group
• Toy Group winner Belliver Unexpected Dream, a Pomeranian
• The Newfoundland King of Helluland Feel the Win, who was crowned Best in Group for working dogs.
• Lhasa Apso Zentarr Elizabeth, winning the Utility Group and later the Best in Show

Iditarod (March 3rd – 19th)

By now, nearly everyone knows that Dallas Seavey, age 25, was the youngest musher ever to win “The Last Great Race on Earth.”  But there are so many more stories behind the stories that made up this year’s Iditarod.

Brent Sass was proclaimed 2012′s Iditarod Rookie of the Year when he was the first rookie to pass under the famed Burled Arch in Nome.

For the third year in a row, no dogs died during the race.  In fact, Scott Janssen, known as the Mushing Mortician, performed successful mouth-to-snout CPR on one of his dogs when the animal became unresponsive along the course.

Dogs who are looking too thin or overly tired usually get to ride on the sled to the next checkpoint, where they are checked by a vet before being airlifted back home.  Along the way, they may even stay a day or two enjoying the hospitality of the state of Alaska while being cared for by the inmates at the Hiland Mountain Correctional Center.

When the entire team struggles, the musher may even choose to scratch from the race.  For example, Pat Moon said he dropped out because his dogs “weren’t having any fun.”

Similarly, Lance Mackey was asked why he was running in the middle of the pack (he finished 22nd) rather than in his customary place closer to the front.  His reply was that he always “runs his dogs first, and the race second.”

According to Mike Davis, a vet at the University of Oklahoma and an exercise physiologist, dogs are the ultimate endurance athletes.  In the space of just 48 hours, a dog can change his metabolism to eliminate his dependence on energy reserves such as fat. Dogs are much quicker than humans at moving energy into muscle cells where it can be put to immediate use.  In spite of this efficiency, these athletes must consume an enormous number of calories during the race.  Each dog eats as much as 12,000 calories every day during the event, the equivalent of 50 Big Macs.

So, could any other animal do this?  I’m not sure, but according to Jeff Valdez, “Cats are smarter than dogs.  You can’t get eight cats to pull a sled through the snow.”

Even small dogs with aggressive tendencies can spell trouble.

Separating Aggression from Exuberance

If your dog jumps up to greet people he may knock them over, but that doesn’t count as aggression.  Even growling or barking can indicate wariness or excitement, but not necessarily aggression.

To judge aggression, you need to do some careful observations of your dog.  There are three key indicators:  posture, hackles, and muzzle.  An aggressive dog’s posture typically includes leaning or lunging forward, possibly bending the legs to put the belly close to the ground, and the tail level with the body, held still.  This stance prepares the dog to spring forward if there is a need to take the offensive.

The hackles, or the fur along the top of the neck, typically stands up when a dog feels threatened.  The purpose of the raised hackles is to make the dog appear larger and, by extension, scarier to whomever is approaching.

Aggression is also indicated by bared teeth with a crinkled muzzle.  Some dog show their teeth when they’re happy, but there is no associated wrinkling of the muzzle.  The muzzle is a much better indicator of aggression than simply the showing of teeth.

Passive dogs, by contrast, will often show a posture of leaning back, preparing the dog for retreat.  The tail is often held low or even curled under, and the hackles and muzzle are not raised.

One word of caution:  fear is a common trigger for aggression, and a fearful dog may appear passive.  This is where you must know your dog, or at least learn his “tells” quickly.  If your dog goes from a fearful, passive stance directly to aggression (biting or attacking) even one time, you should consider your dog as potentially aggressive.

What About Provocation?

It’s true, many dogs become aggressive only after being provoked.  However, because you may or may not know everything that will provoke your dog, you’ll need to work on anti-aggression measures to mitigate what the law will consider a known risk.  If you are sued following a dog bite, and your dog has bitten even one person or animal in the past, any court in the country will likely say that you “knew or should have known” that the dog could be vicious and should have taken proper precautions.

Whether that means that the dog only goes outside when you are also out there to prevent the neighbor kids from throwing rocks, or if you don’t take your dog off of your property without a muzzle, you must do something to show that you are attempting to mitigate the risk of attack.

Socialization

The very best way to prevent aggression is to socialize your dog at a very young age.  Socialization includes exposing your dog to a wide variety of stimuli and coaching him to give only appropriate responses.

For example, start by simply taking your puppy for a walk around the neighborhood and noticing what he reacts to, both good and bad.  When he reacts well, such as by looking to you for guidance or by ignoring things that are inappropriate, reward him with attention and praise.  When he over-reacts to something by barking or lunging, give a short tug on the leash and a sharp “no!”

Next, purposely expose your dog to the things that get him overly-excited, and reward small steps toward ignoring them.  If on first exposure, he drags you after a squirrel for 30 yards, and on the 2nd try he only chases until he reaches the end of his leash, praise him for stopping, even if he continues to bark or raise his hackles.  Keep exposing him to squirrels and rewarding each small step toward an acceptable response until he is capable of either ignoring or giving a minimal reaction to squirrels.

Be patient and make sure you have realistic expectations.  A Beagle who has been bred for generations to track bunnies may or may not ever accomplish being able to totally ignore them.  But you may be able to take that same Beagle and teach him to ignore the ducks at your local park.

Aggression towards strangers can be trained out of most dogs.

Preventing Stranger Aggression in Older Dogs

Although it’s a popular expression, it is totally untrue that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”  It’s never too late for your dog to learn to deal with his fears and other triggers for aggressive reactions.  Use positive training methods such as what we outlined above, and you will eventually get there.

Prevention vs. Cure

If your dog is aggressive to the point where he is injuring people or other animals, you will need to make a decision as to whether or not you can afford the additional liability.  You may want to add a dog rider to your homeowner’s policy or take out umbrella coverage.  If you cannot afford the additional coverage, you may want to consider giving up the dog.  You may choose to voluntarily surrender the animal to a shelter or rescue, in which case you MUST advise them that the dog has had previous aggression issues.  Don’t risk having the dog re-homed with a child who could be seriously injured or even killed.

If you decide to keep your dog, there are steps you can take to lessen the risk of injury while you are working on socialization.  Consider some of the following:

• Taller fence
• Locked gate
• Shorter, fixed-length leash (no retractables)
• Choke chain rather than flat collar
• Baby gates across doorways to rooms with exterior exits, to block escape into the yard
• Muzzle
• Crate to keep the dog separate from guests
• Limited exposure to upsetting stimuli

Not all plants are safe for dogs.

Fruits and Vegetables 

This one was surprising to me.  I’ve always given apple cores to my dogs, but apparently the stems, leaves, and seeds of apple trees contain cyanide which can cause your dog to have breathing difficulties and go into shock.  Symptoms include brick red mucous membranes on the gums, dilated pupils, and panting.  In addition to apple trees, the trees that give us apricots, plums, peaches, and cherries also present a cyanide problem.

Avocado plants can cause huge problems in other animals where they inflame mammary glands and can produce fluid around the heart.  In dogs, however, they are not as much of a problem, causing only vomiting and diarrhea.

Fig plants including the weeping fig and the Indian rubber plant can cause dermatitis when touched, and oral irritation when eaten.

Rhubarb plants can contain soluble calcium oxalates which will induce kidney failure in dogs.  So, if you’re baking me a pie, please keep the rhubarb in a part of the yard where your dog can’t get to it.

Non-flowering plants 

California ivy, branching ivy, glacier ivy, needlepoint ivy, sweetheart ivy, and English ivy can all cause a problem for your pooch.  The foliage is more toxic than the berries, and causes vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

For those of you in California, if you’re growing your own medical marijuana, you should know that you need to keep it away from your dog.  The THC in pot causes prolonged depression, vomiting, incoordination, dilated pupils, low body temperature and low blood pressure.  In rare cases, it can lead to seizures, coma, and even death.  No word on whether or not munchies are involved.

The nicotine in tobacco plants can cause your dog to become hyper-excitable, then depressed.  Vomiting, incoordination, and paralysis may be followed by death.

Flowers

The lovely chrysanthemum – who knew?  It has many toxins that can irritate your dog’s tummy, causing vomiting and diarrhea, as well as dermatitis and incoordination.  And daisies are actually a part of the mum family, so they cause the same problems.

If you live where the weather has been unseasonably warm this spring, you may be seeing your daffodils coming up soon.  These plants contain alkaloids and lycorine that can reduce your dog’s blood pressure, causing tremors and heart rhythm problems.  Early symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea, while eating a bunch of the bulbs can cause convulsions.  Watch out if you have diggers!

The lovely iris plant, also known as a snake lily or water flag, can cause vomiting, excessive drooling, and diarrhea.  Most of the lily family causes similar problems, as do tulips.

The desert rose, in my opinion, the prettiest cactus ever, must be kept away from your dog as well.  This plant contains digitalis (a common heart medication) which can fatally interfere with the heartbeat of a healthy dog.  The foxglove plant also contains digitalis.

Geraniums can cause your dog to stop eating and may irritate the skin.

Morning glories can cause GI upset as well as agitation, tremors, and disorientation.  The seeds can also cause hallucination.

I guess I’ve been lucky.  My dogs have always chewed on my rhododendron shrub, but now I find out it is highly toxic.  Ingestion of even a few leaves can cause depression of the central nervous system and circulatory system resulting in death.

Sweet pea flowers, although beautiful, can make your dog become lethargic and weak.  Early symptoms include pacing and rubbing of the head against the ground.

What to do if your dog eats a toxic plant? 

The best way to prevent your dog from being poisoned by your garden is to simply put the garden outside the fence or out of reach of the end of the chain.  If you’re out of your own yard, keep your dog on-leash to prevent any accidental exposure at the park or even in your neighbor’s yard.

If you suspect your dog has eaten a poisonous plant, contact your regular veterinarian, your local emergency vet, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.  Be aware that the poison control center may charge you a consultation fee of $65.

Non-toxic plants 

Just so you know, if you don’t have any room for a garden outside of your dog’s reach, consider the following plants, which are non-toxic.

• Most varieties of squash
• African violets
• Alyssum
• Christmas Orchid
• Bamboo
• Orange daylilly
• Beets
• Wild hyacinth
• Boston fern
• Bachelor buttons
• Gerber daisies
• Grape hyacinth
• Jacob’s ladder
• Mistletoe Cactus
• Nasturtium
• Muskmelon
• Petunias
• Roses (other than the problem with thorns)
• Zinnias

Interestingly, poison ivy, oak, and sumac are non-toxic to dogs.  OK – not that you would purposely grow these, but good to know it won’t hurt your dog to get into these on walks through the woods.  However, beware that these plants produce an oil which can get on your dog if he brushes against the leaves.  If you then come into contact with the oil when petting or grooming your dog, and if you’re allergic, you will break out just as if you had touched the plant yourself.  If you suspect your dog has come into contact with posion ivy, oak, or sumac, wear gloves and long sleeves while you thoroughly bathe your dog.  You might want to add some Dawn dishwashing liquid to your usual shampoo to bust through the oil.

The ASPCA site also shows pictures of all of the toxic and non-toxic plants,  which can be helpful if your thumb is more brown than green.

What’s wrong with real beer for dogs?

The major problem with commercially-made or even homemade beer, is the hops.  When a dog ingests hops, he or she may develop malignant hyperthermia,  which can be fatal.  Malignant hyperthermia causes an extremely high temperature and brutal muscle contractions.  For some reason, Greyhounds seem to be particularly susceptible to this disease, which is seen far more commonly in pigs than in dogs (when they haven’t been exposed to hops).

The dog will begin to pant heavily, and you may notice a rapid heartbeat as high as 200 beats per minute.  The dog’s temperature can rise as much as two degrees every minute.  This is a true veterinary emergency, and you should immediately take your dog to an emergency vet.

The emergency vet will likely pump the dog’s stomach, put him or her in a cool bath, and hydrate with intravenous fluids.  Dantrolene sodium is the only known treatment medication, but it is very expensive and can be hard to find in an emergency.  In most cases, the dog dies before the drug can be given.

Commercially-made dog beer

The king of dog beers is undoubtedly Bowser Beer, which pretty much pioneered the field.  Their claim to fame, other than being first, is that their dog beer doesn’t contain commercial meat broth which might contain salt, fat, MSG, and onions, all of which can be toxic to dogs.  Bowser Beer also makes treats to go with their varied flavors of beer, and offers custom labels featuring your dog’s face.  On the custom label you can even choose a brew name, such as Blue Dane Ale or I Don’t Give a Shitzu Brew.

Bowser Beer, made by an Arizona company called The 3 Busy Dogs, is available at dog boutiques and bakeries nationwide.

There is also a brand known simply as Dog Beer which is available only online if you don’t happen to live in New South Wales.

Both brands emphasize that they are non-carbonated and non-alcoholic.

Homemade brew

Making dog beer at home is much easier than you might think because you don’t need to let dog beer sit and ferment like you would human beer.  The thing that makes dog beer similar to beer is the malt barley, which incidentally is high in B-vitamins.  If you’re big into organics, you can buy barley and malt it yourself, following these DIY instructions.  Otherwise, you can purchase a barley malt extract in syrup or powder form from your local brewing supply store or online at sites such as Homebrew Heaven.

In human beer, about 90% of the recipe is water, and you could do that for your dog’s beer, too.  However, most dogs will prefer having stock as the liquid ingredient.  You can save the flavored water left behind after you boil some chicken, ribs, or beef bones, as long as you don’t add any herbs or spices while you’re cooking.  If desired, you can strain out the small pieces of meat left behind, but your dog would probably prefer it if you left them in.  If you want to buy commercial stock, look for low sodium varieties, and check the ingredient label to make sure there’s not a ton of MSG, onions, or garlic.

Pour your stock into a saucepan or stock pot, depending on how much you are making.  I’d recommend starting with a small quantity to try out your process, as well as to see if your dog likes the brew.  Add 5 tablespoons of malted barley for each quart of stock.  Stir while heating to boiling.  Make sure the barley powder is fully dissolved or the barley syrup is mixed well with the stock.   Cool the mixture to room temperature.

At this point, if you want to, you can add other vitamins and supplements like glucosamine or fish oil, even your dog’s medications.  Just make sure the mixture is at room temperature before you add anything, as heat can inactivate some medications.

If you’re making this beer specifically for your St. Patrick’s day celebration, add some green food coloring for that extra-festive touch.

Pour the mixture into bottles or a pitcher, depending on how much like a beer your dog will want his beverage to look.  You can make labels reflecting your brew’s inspiration or dog’s name if you’re feeling creative.  Refrigerate until served, either alone or poured over your dog’s food as gravy.  Alternatively, you can freeze the beer into beer-cubes for a special treat on extra hot days.

Approved by 3 out of 4 dogs!

Pekingese Malachy, Best in Show Westminster 2012

The 2012 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is now in the history books.  In case you missed all of the hullabaloo, here are the winners.

In the Hound Group: 

Judge:  Ms. Patricia Laurans

Best in Group:  Wirehaired Dachshund GCH Raydachs Playing with Fire V Gleishorbach SW, better known as Cinders.  Bred by James I Sakoda, Maria Sakoda, Jessica Smith and Shirley Ray, Cinders was bornAugust 17, 2008out of CH Raydachs Great Balls of Fire and CH Gleishorbach Whistler’s Heidi.  She is owned by Shirley Ray, Maria Sakoda, and James Sakoda.

Group 2 went to GCH Jodell Boogie Back toTexas, bred by Delberta Gogulski and owned by Janice Hayes and Donna Moore.  This PBGV was bornAugust 7, 2006out of CH Gebeba Texas True Grit and CH Jodell’s Boomerang.

Group 3 was taken by Starline’s Chanel, a Whippet bred by Lori Lawrence, Carey Lawrence, and Dianne Bowen, and owned by Lori Lawrence, Carey Lawrence, and Nicole Lawrence.

Group 4 went to GCH Vin-Melca’s The Norseman, a Norwegian Elkhound bred by Vicki L Vermillion and Patricia V Trotter.

In the Toy Group:  

Judge:  Mr. Tim Catterson

Best in Group:  CH Palacegarden Malachy, a Pekingese born onJanuary 24, 2008.  The dog was bred by Jim & Jean Smith, out of Palacegarden McCafferty and Palacegarden Tansy.  He is owned by Iris Love,S Middlebrooks, and D Fitzpatrick.

Group 2 went to the Affenpinscher named GCH Banana Joe V. Tani Kazari, born onMarch 30, 2007.  He was bred by Mieke Cooymans out of Kyleakin Space Cowboy and Bling Bling V Tani Kazari and is owned by Zoila Truesdale  and Mieke Cooymans.

Group 3 was won by GCH Marlex Classic Red Glare, a Miniature Pinscher bred by Carole A Mohr-Rio and owned by Leah Monte and Armando Angelbello.

Finishing out the toy group, fourth place went to GCH Wind Dancer Jenstar Backstage Pass.  This Silky Terrier was bred by Teresa Galegos and Linda Hurt.

In the Non-Sporting Group:

Judge:  Mr. Randy Garren

Best in Group:  Ian, more formally known as GCH Spotlights Ruffian, a Dalmatian born onMarch 2, 2007.  He was bred by Connie Wagner out of CH Spotlight Scandalous and CH Spotlight Splendid, and is owned by Jim and Barbara Lyons.

Second place went to GCH Vaje’s Miss Jayne Hathaway, a Chinese Shar-Pei, born onFebruary 18, 2007out of CH Vaje’s Crew Cut and CH Vaje’s The Villianess Ursula.  Bred and owned by Jeff and Vicki Mauk.

Group 3 was won by GCH Windsor Bihar Chasing Rainbows, a Lowchen bred by Margaret Cropsey and Carol A Strong.  His parents were CH Bihar Ivytree ‘NMarshvu Louis and CH West WindBiharI’m Just Jane.  He is currently owned by the breeders, as well as by Gillian Robertson and Daniel Cunningham.

And finally, fourth place went to a miniature Poodle named GCH Surrey Sugar Baby.  This little girl was bred by Kaz Hosaka and is owned by Ron Scott and Debbie Burke.

In the Herding Group:  

Judge:  Mr. HoustonClark

Best in Group was taken by the German Shepherd GCH Babheim’s Captain Crunch, better known as Cap.  He was born onMarch 10, 2007, bred by Carlos Navarro out of CH Kenlyn Aries V HiCliff and CH Prima Bulerina of Edan.  Current ownership:  James & Sheree Moses, Deborah Stern, Janet Lange, Carlos Navarro, and Maria Desc.

Group 2 went to Bouviers des Flandres GCH Quiche’s Grand Finale, born onNovember 8, 2007from the breed pair CH Quiche’s Eye of the Storm and Quiche’s Zena Warrior Princess.  Breeder:  Elaine & Louise Paquette.  Owners:  Daniel and Julianna Garrison and Elaine Paquette.

Third place went to CH Bugaboo’s Big Shot, and Old English Sheepdog bred by Douglas and Michaelanne Johnson and Bridgette Callahan out of CH Bugaboo’s American Idol and Bugaboo’s Bedazzeled.

Group 4 was won by CH Mystic Ava Gardner, a Shetland Sheepdog bred by Tracy Tuff.

In the Sporting Group:          

Judge:  Mr. W. Terry Stacy

Best in Group went to GCH Shadagee Caught Red Handed, an Irish Setter who goes by the call name of Emily.  She was bornNovember 15, 2006after being bred by Debbie and Tommy Burk and Ellen Bieler out of CH Kerry-Eire Believable and CH Jewelset Sunnyside Up.  She is currently owned by Debra Burke and Nancy Lee Connor.

Group 2 was won by the German Wirehaired Pointer named GCH Mt. View’s Ripsnortersilvercharm.  Bred by Helen George and Claire and Kelly Wisch, he was bornSeptember 4, 2006out of CH Ripsnorter’s Thunderhart and CHMountain View’s Next Strike.  He is owned by Claire & Kelly Wisch.

GCH Wynmoor Champagne Supernova, an English Springer Spaniel, took third place.  He was bred by Billie andErinKerfoot out ofCH Autumfire Park Avenueand CH Gilchrist Wynmoor Lexus.

Group 4 went to an Irish Water Spaniel named GCH Whistlestop’s Riley on Fire, bred by Colleen McDaniel and Stacy J. Duncan. 

In the Working Group:           

Judge:  Ms. Betty Regina Leininger

A Doberman Pinscher named GCH Protocol’s Veni Vidi Vici, better known as Fifi, won Best in Group.  Breeders Jocelyn and Kevin Mullins brought her out of CH Foxfire All Star and CH Protocol’s American Dream CDX RN AX AXJ XF onMay 28, 2008.  She is co-owned by Suzy and Dick Lundy, as well as by the breeders.

Group 2 was earned by GCH Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream, a Boxer born onMay 28, 2007.  A product of a match between CH Brookwood’s Place of Dreams and Winfalls I’ve Got Style, this gorgeous dog was bred by Tina Porter and Lee Stanton and is owned by Debbie McCarroll, Mark Fagan, Mrs. Jack Billhardt and Sergio Tenenbaum.

Group 3 went to GCH Catanyas Latin Lover, an Alaskan Malamute bred by P. J. Kendrick out of CH Silverice’s Borne Identity and Catanya’s Girls Night Out.

Fourth place was taken by CGH Pepper Tree Zorro V Morgenwald, a Standard Schnauzer bred by Earl and Arden Hoist.

In the Terrier Group:           

Judge:  Mr. William F. Potter

First place was won by GCH Perrisblu Kennislain’s Chelsey, who answers to the call name of Chelsey.  She was born onSeptember 9, 2007, a product of Perrisblu Emperor and Perrisblu Miss Ele.  Her breeders were B & S Laing, and she is currently owned by Ed, Lynn, Candace, and Brock Yingling and Phil Davies.

Group 2 went to GCH Slyfox Sneak’s A Peek, the Smooth Fox Terrier bred by Joan and Mark Taggart.  He was born onJanuary 11, 2008out of CH Raybills Olympic Medal and CH Slyfox Sneak’s Up on You RN.  He is owned by James W Smith.

Third place was earned by CH Cragsmoor Buddy Goodman, a beautiful Skye Terrier bred by Eugene Z Zaphiris and Matthew H Stander out of CH of Skyeline Albatros and CH Cragsmoor Good as Can Be.

Group 4 was won by GCH Castle Rock’s Sbigstaff Mad About You, the American Staffordshire Terrier born onJuly 5, 2008from breeders Laszle Sliz Nagy and Dayna Pesenti. 

Best in Show:           

Judge:  Ms. Cindy Vogels

The 136^th winner of Westminster Kennel Club’s top honor was the Pekingese, CH Palacegarden Malachy!  Congratulations to breeders Jim and Jean Smith and owners Iris Love,S Middlebrooks, and D Fitzpatrick! 

So, if you were keeping track of my predictions from the last issue of Straight Poop.  Only two (the Pug and the Weimeraner) of my 21 picks even made it to the Group competitions, and no, neither of them won.

Did you make any predictions?  How’d you do?

Ceremonial start of the Iditarod.

This is a busy time in the dog world.  We’re right smack in the middle between the Westminstershow and the upcoming Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.  Here’s a preview of the race, which starts on the first Saturday in March, the 3^rd.

History of the Iditarod

The Iditarod Trail had been used by Native Alaskans for hundreds of years before the Gold Rush inNome in 1898, but it became an important supply link between Nome and the rest of the world when miners began to populate the state.  From October to June, the northern ports of Alaska were too icy to allow steamships to travel freely, so the ability of dog sleds to traverse over great distances provided people with a way to survive the long, dark winters.

Mushing was also an immensely popular sport.  The All-Alaska Sweepstakes was started in 1908 by Allan Alexander Allan, running 408 miles roundtrip from Nome to Candle, and was responsible for the introduction of Siberian Huskies into Alaska in 1910.  Huskies soon began to replace the Alaskan Malamute and the various mongrels which had been used in the past.  The annual race was discontinued at the start of World War I.

However, in 1925, the city of Nome experienced a diphtheria epidemic, and the necessary anti-toxin was in Anchorage, more than 1,000 miles away.  For the first 300 miles, the serum was transported by train from Anchorage to Nenana.  The “Great Race of Mercy” continued as a relay of twenty mushers and over 100 dogs who brought the serum across the frozen tundra.  Norwegian Gunnar Kaasen, with his lead dog Balto, arrived in Nome with the anti-toxin on February 2^nd, five and a half days after the life-saving serum had left Nenana.

Although Kaasen and Balto are the folk heroes of the race, most mushers know that Leonhard Seppala and Togo were the true heroes, crossing the longest and most hazardous part of the route.  To commemorate their bravery, Dorothy G. Page and Joe Redington Sr. organized a race in 1967, covering just 25 miles of the original Iditarod Trail near Anchorage.  Fifty-eight racers competed for a prize purse of $25,000.

The following year, there was not enough snow to hold a race, and in 1969, the small prize purse of $1,000 only attracted 12 mushers.  The idea of a race following the Iditarod trail died a natural death.  It was resurrected just four years later, after more than a year of planning by Redington and school teachers Gleo Huyck and Tom Johnson.  The 1973 race was the first one which would be recognizable as a modern Iditarod Trail Race, running over 1,000 miles.  Organizers were soon able to attract both mushers and sponsors, and the race has grown to be the largest sporting event in the state of Alaska.

The Ceremonial Start

There is much history and tradition steeped in the official start of the race, even though it has no impact on the eventual outcome.  A five-block section of Fourth Avenue in downtown Anchorage is barricaded, and snow is shipped in by truck to cover the route from Anchorage to the first checkpoint.

After a ribbon-cutting ceremony, an honorary musher chosen for his or her contribution to the dog-sledding world starts out at 10:00 am Alaskan Standard Time.  Start times are staggered two minutes apart, and each racer is given a choice of start times, taking turns picking in the order of registration.

Because this part of the race does not count toward the mushers’ eventual scored time, the mushers are free to relax as they travel through downtown Anchorage, waving to the crowds of people gathered to see them off.  It’s one of the few places where spectators can watch the race.

Saturday night is the last night of rest for the teams.  Once the race begins again on Sunday, the only down time is during the mandatory rest periods.  Each musher can choose which checkpoint to use for his major rest break.  The only requirement is that each team take on 24-hour rest break at some point.  There are also two 8-hour rest breaks.  For these breaks, a limited number of check points may be used, ensuring that the breaks are spread out over the course of the race.

On Sunday, the real work begins.  Teams leave the checkpoint in Willow in the same order in which they arrived, starting at 2:00 pm and departing two minutes apart.  The “starting differential” (e.g. the time between when the first team leaves and when each subsequent team leaves) is made up after the mandatory 24-hour rest stop.

For example, if your team was sixth in line to leave, your departure time would be 2:12 pm.  The last team to leave might go at 3:12 pm.  After the 24-hour rest period, the last starting team gets to leave as soon as their 24-hours are up.  You, on the other hand would have to wait an additional hour after your 24 hours, in order to make up for the starting differential.   Similarly, the first team to have  left Willow would stay at the checkpoint where they took their long  rest for 25 hours and 12 minutes to make up their starting differential. 

The Iditarod Route 

The distance everyone associates with the race is 1,049 miles, which is really just a symbolic figure rather than the actual distance.  The “1,0″ stands for the fact that the race has always been over 1,000 miles until this year, and the “49″ symbolizes Alaska’s being the 49^th state.  However, due to trail conditions, weather, and other factors, the actual length of the race varies from year to year.

The trail between Anchorage and Ophir runs for about 444 miles, then splits into two routes (northern and southern), which rejoin at Kaltag.  From there, the united trail runs another 441 miles to Nome.  For the first four years, only the northern route was used, with the southern route being added in 1977 to include more small villages in the excitement and economic boost of the race.  As it happens, the actual town ofIditarodis along the southern route.

Source: Iditarod.com

This year, as it does in every even-numbered year, the race follows the northern route from Anchorage to Nome.  However, the course has been shortened to 975 miles this year by a few changes to the Ceremonial and restart locations.

The Ceremonial Start on Saturday, March 3^rd will be in downtown Anchorage, as always, but it will end this time 11 miles later at the Campbell Airstrip rather than at Eagle River.  The mushers will then move their dogs and equipment by truck to Willow, rather than Wasilla, for the restart on March 4^th.  (I have no information on whether this has anything to do with Wasilla’s claim to fame, the Palin family, or not.)

From Willow, the route is basically the same as always, allowing for trail conditions.  During the first 100 miles of the route, the major hazard is moose!  In past years, teams have been run off the trail, and dogs have been seriously injured by the huge animals who wander through “moose alley.”

Once the route reaches Skwentna, the moose are generally off the trail, but the terrain takes a major turn for the worse.  Along Happy River Gorge, mushers must balance precariously along the side of a thickly wooded incline.  The trail continues to climb into the mountains, where blizzard conditions often erase trail markers.  At one point, the trail drops 1,000 feet in elevation over the course of just five miles just before arriving in Rohn.

Leaving Rohn, the trail goes through the Farewell Burn, site of a massive 1976 wildfire that left fallen timbers and debris hazards which still persist.  The largest checkpoint on the interior section of the route is at McGrath, population 401.

The two routes diverge at Ophir, the northern route passing through Cripple, Ruby,Galena, and Nulato; the southern route through Iditarod, Shageluk, Anvik, Grayling, andEagle Island.  The routes then join together again at Kaltag.

The so-called “last dash” takes the mushers and their dogs along the northern shores of the Bering Sea through Unalakleet, Koyuk, Golovin, and the town of Safety.  The official finish line is the famous burled arch in Nome, officially known as the Red “Fox”Olson Trail Monument.  A widow’s lamp hanging from the arch is not extinguished until the last racer crosses the finish line, usually less than 10 days after the start of the race.

The Mushers

Due to the hazards and extreme conditions experienced along the trail, only mushers who have completed at least three smaller races can participate in the Iditarod.  Some are professional mushers, making their living by racing, breeding, and selling sled dogs.  Others have regular jobs and take a break from them to compete.  Check out this year’s musher profiles on the official Iditarod website.

Sign marking the end of the Iditarod race.

The Dogs

According to the official rules,  each team starts the race with at least 12 and no more than 16 dogs.  At least 6 dogs must be on the towline when the sled crosses the finish line.  Treatment of the dogs during this physically grueling race has become a point of contention for some.  Race officials have included rules meant to protect the dogs, but scarcely a year goes by that one of the dogs isn’t maimed or killed along the route.

The rules state that dogs must be maintained in good condition, but cannot be brought into shelters except for medical examination or treatment.  Any action or inaction which causes preventable pain or suffering to a dog is expressly forbidden, and a dog who is noted to be in critical condition can cause the musher to be held at a checkpoint for up to eight hours while an investigation is completed.

Dogs are examined both prior to and after the race, during which time their general health is evaluated and they are checked for drugs.  Vaccinations must be up-to-date, and micro-chips are inserted to track the dogs throughout the race.

A dog who dies during the race must be carried to a checkpoint so that the cause of death can be determined.  If the dog is determined to have died from cruel, inhumane, or abusive treatment, the musher is disqualified from the race.

Check out pictures of people and dogs getting prepared for this year’s race.

Your dog deserves a special treat on Valentine's Day too.

10.  Take a nice long walk.  As mild as the weather has been this winter, there aren’t a lot of excuses for not taking walks.  It’s great for your health, as well as for your dog’s.  So, brush the dust off that leash and head out.  Start with a short walk so neither one of you gets sore, then build up distance and time each day.  Commit to walking every day – both your dog and you will feel better!

9.  Groom your dog.  No, this doesn’t necessarily imply a bath, so you needn’t upset the dog by putting him in the tub.  But, what dog doesn’t look better after a good brushing?  Maybe a pretty pink bandana or some bows for the hair?  (OK, for a boy dog maybe that’s not such a great way to celebrate the holiday.)  A dog who looks good, automatically feels good, so spend a little time with the brush.  It’s a great bonding experience!

8.  Give him a special treat.  Visit a dog bakery and get some special cookies with a Valentine’s Day theme.  Even better, make something homemade.   You can easily adapt these Christmas Cookie recipes for Valentine’s Day.

7.  Make a homemade meal.  We all know dogs crave people food.  How else to explain counter-surfing?  But, a lot of our food simply isn’t suitable for dogs, causing digestive upset or even poisoning the animal.  That doesn’t mean you can’t treat your dog to something special on holidays.  You can make a special meal out of many ingredients you probably already have in your home such as leftover meat (unseasoned), eggs (shell and all), vegetables, oatmeal, and canned fish.  Mix it all together and put it in the dog’s dish.  He’ll think he died and went to heaven!  If you can’t bring yourself to cook for your dog, just try deviating from his normal meal.  If your dog normally eats kibble, try adding some moist food or even giving him a whole meal of just soft, moist canned food.  It will make the day more special.

6.  Visit a dog park.  Let your dog spend some time off-leash and with other four-legged friends.  It’s a great way to exercise the dog, and can be lots of fun for you, too, as you meet others who love canines.

5.  Invest in a few days of day care.  If you have to be at work all day, consider giving your dog a gift certificate for a day pass to doggie day care.  He can play with the other dogs, as well as with the staff, and is guaranteed to come home plum tuckered.

4.  Hire a dog walker.  Again, if you can’t be home with your dog, make sure someone gives him some attention during the day.  He will definitely appreciate the exercise, as well as the companionship and the opportunity to relieve himself.

3.  Buy a new toy.  Whether it’s a simple tug rope or chew toy or even just the bottom part of a pair of cut-off jeans, dogs always appreciate new toys.  Puzzle toys are a big hit because they allow you to hide a treat inside, giving your dog some mental stimulation while he tries to find the food.

2.  Go to the ice cream stand.  Even though it might be cold out, dogs love ice cream anyways.  Most ice cream stands carry a “puppy cone” or a cone for babies which will be just perfect for your dog, no matter what age.  Just make sure it’s vanilla so it won’t hurt the pooch’s tummy.

1.  Cuddle with the dog while watching the last half of the Westminster Kennel Club show on the 14^th.  Make sure your dog knows he’s your champion, even if he hasn’t gotten you to the Garden.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours from the whole Straight Poop staff!

The Westminster Kennel Club Show is coming. Are you ready?

I’ll give you my top three dogs in each group here, then I’ll be live-blogging during the event and will pick a Best in Show from among the actual group winners.  To get to the Best in Show judging, each dog needs to win his or her breed competition, then win the group.  Although the breed judging is not typically televised, the group shows will be shown as follows:

• Monday, February 13:  8 – 9 pm on USA Network, then 9 – 11 pm on CNBC for the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding groups.
• Tuesday, February 14:  8 – 11 pm on USA Network for the Sporting, Working, and Terrier Groups, followed by the Best in Show judging.

Remember, CH means the dog has earned enough show points to be designated as a Champion, while GCH means that a Grand Championship has been achieved.

The Hound Group

My favorite group goes first!  I think one of these three dogs will proceed to Best in Show:  an Afghan, a 13-inch Beagle, or a Bloodhound.

GCH Thaon’s Mowgli took Best of Breed in the Afghan ring at last year’s Westminster show.  This beautiful black dog is the son of Am CH Thaon’s Wannadance and Am CH Thaon’s Cybil, and was named by Canine Chronicle as the top Afghan Hound in the United States in both 2010 and 2011.  In 2010, he took second in the Canine Chronicle’s All Breed list.  In addition, he won Best Bred by Exhibitor in the Hound Group at the 2011 AKC/Eukanuba National Championships.  Quite an impressive resume!

GCH CH Barrister’s Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend, who goes by the call name Carat, is a tri-color 13-inch Beagle.  She was bred by Betsy Manifold and Dennis Dollar in Escondido, California where she was born in October, 2009.  She is co-owned by Betsy Manifold and Shawn Robblee.  Carat has most recently won Best of Breed at the San Fernando Kennel Club and at the Kennel Club of Palm Springs.

GCH CH Flessner’s International Harvester, better known as Harvey, is a beautiful Black and Tan Bloodhound out of CH Bacchus du Noble Limier and CH Jo-Li’s Uncommon Treasure.  At nearly four years old, Harvey stands 28 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs 140 pounds, and is described as having a “wonderful, playful personality.”  He earned his Grand Championship in July of 2010.

The Toy Group

Coming right after the big ole’ hounds, these dogs will look especially tiny.  This group includes breeds like the Havanese, Maltese, Min Pin, Papillon, Pekingese, and Yorkie.  Many of them would make great floor mops!   My picks for the top three are a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a Pomeranian, and a Pug.

GCH CH Sheeba Mark Twain  is such a cute little brown and white Cavalier!  One would think his call name would be Marky-Mark, but no, it’s Tom Tom.  (Go figure.)  His sire is CH Sheeba Emerald King and his dam is CH Sheeba Over the Rainbow.  He won Best in Show at the All Breed competition at Monmouth Kennel Club in May, 2011, competing with over 1600 other dogs.

Born in August, 2009, GCH CH Dreamweavers Dirty Dancing is a Pomeranian with attitude!  Called by the name of Johnny, this dog was ranked # 4 in the country in 2011.  He took Winner’s Dog and Best of Winners in seven shows in 2010 to achieve his championship points.  Johnny was bred by the sister/brother team of Linda Pelz and Michael Wells, who breed primarily for their own show dogs, but occasionally have a few dogs for sale such as 6-year old Tango.

Anybody remember the old Bruce Hornsby song that went “that’s just the way it is…some things will never change.”  Maybe that’s what led Kent Meyer and Sheila Kessler of Kenshei Pugs to this dog’s name.  Better known as Walter, GCH Kenshei’s That’s the Way It Is, is the breeders’ first grand champion.  Walter earned his championship at the tender age of 11 months.  He is owned by Martha Feltenstein and shown by Diego Garcia, and Walter earned an Award of Merit at last year’s Westminster show.

The Non-Sporting Group

The Bulldog, the Shar-Pei, the Boston Terrier, the Dalmation, and the Poodle are all part of the Non-Sporting Group.  Which ones will you see called out as winners?  I’m betting on a Bichone Frise, a Chow-Chow, and a Shiba Inu.

In another bow to the music world, GCH Dognews Got to Get You Into My Life is a snow white Bichon from MiaBella Bichons in Richmond, Texas.  Answering to the name of Phil (not Ringo, John, Paul, or George), he is owned by Sheryl L. Kapella and Kyojng-Soo Shin.  His parents are CH Dognews of Jack FCI and CH Risgae’s International Affair. 

I love it when a dog’s call name is cleverly related to his registered name.  Check this out:  GCH CH Dreamland’s American Revolution  answers to the name of Jefferson.  Is that not too cute?  (For those of you who aren’t from the USA, Thomas Jefferson wrote our Declaration of Independence and was the 3^rd President of the United States.)  But I digress.  This beautiful lion-dog was invited to compete at the 2010 AKC Eukanuba National Championship and won Best Bred by Exhibitor award before he even reached the age of 14 months.

GCH CH Fanfair’s Without a Trace at Glenchester, more familiarly known as Tracer, was ranked the #3 Shiba Inu in the country in 2011.  His parents are CH Akio Chousei Sou Morningstar and CH Fanfair’s Esprit d’Corps at Euber, and he was bred at Glenchester Kennels in Vandalia, Ohio.  He has multiple Best in Show wins in the UK and won an Award of Merit at the 2009 Westminster show.

The Herding Group

The hard-working herders include a wide assortment of cattle dogs, shepherds, and sheep dogs, but I think we’ll see an Australian Shepherd, a Rough Collie, and a Sheltie at the top of this group.

GCH CH Myshara’s Dream Girl truly is a dream.  She’s a beautiful tri-color Australian Shepherd out of CH Starswept’s High Flying at Hisaw and Briarbrook’s I’m Too Sexy.  Owned by Sharon Fontanini, “Beyonce” took Best of Breed last year at Westminster.

GCH CH Sylvan Argent It’s All About Me is a Rough Coated Collie, apparently with expensive tastes since her call name is Gucci.  The same honey-colored tan as Lassie, Gucci is the daughter of CH Sylvan’s Above and Beyond and CH Argent Hot Hot Hot.

GCH CH Kylene Eden the Dragonslayer, better known as Thomas, comes to the Garden from beautiful Mobile, Alabama out of CH Halstor Cindahope Trueheart and CH Eden Lakesides’s Advantage.  He has 18 Best in Show wins and 445 Best of Breed wins.

Sporting Group

This group consists of the dogs used in hunting, primarily spaniels, retrievers, setters, and pointers.  Although I am partial to Vizslas, I didn’t include one in my top three.  (sad face).  Instead, I look for a Flat Coated Retriever, a Golden Retriever, and a Weimaraner to take the top three spots.

GCH CHValhala Born on the 4^th of July really was born on Independence Day, in 2007.  This Flat-Coated Retriever answers to the name of Cruise.  (Get it?  Tom Cruise starred in the movie Born on the 4^th of July.)  His parents are CH Grousemoor Frozen In Time and CH Valhala Angel Of Hawknest, and he was bred by Lori Nicolosi & Marla Doheny in Madison, CT.

GCH CH Gemini Fallchase The Butler Did It, answers to the name of Cody.  He was named the Number One Golden Retriever in 2011 in both Breed and All-Breed.  Check out Cody’s Facebook page.

GCH CH Northwoods Send Money Honey is better known as Schatze, after the gold-digger Schatze Page in the movie How to Marry a Millionaire.  This dog keeps piling up the wins, with one of her judges even saying, “This is a dog that could run all day in the field.  This is what a Weimaraner should look like!”  Watch her win 1^st place at the Howard County Dog Show in 2010.

The Working Group

GCH CH Kontoki’s A Bend in the Road comes running when you yell for Benson.  He is bred, owned, and handled by Thomas Oelschlager, who has eight Best in Breed winners at previous Westminster shows.  Tommy O knows Huskies, and he has this to say about Benson:  “[He] is the absolute sun that greets me each and every morning when my eyes open. He is my 24 hour constant companion, and those close to me can publicly attest to that statement.  Everyday, he fills my eyes and mind with his love for life and all that surrounds him, his love to learn and his love of me.
I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed showing any of my dogs as much as I have presenting “Benson” to the fancy.”
Gamegard’s Rhythm of the Rain goes by the name of Cadey.  She won Best of Opposite Sex at both the 2010 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship and the 2011 Westminster show.  Cadey is a little younger than many of the other invitees to this year’s show.  She was born in December of 2008, out of CH Gamegard’s Chisum and CH Kreeksides ZippityDoDa.  Look for her to be handled by Jessy Sutton.

GCH CH Pouch Cove’s Head of State will be competing with the Newfoundlands.  It must be the year to honor our third President, as this dog is also known as Jefferson.  He has won Best in Show on 13 occasions, and Specialty Best of Breeds  at 14 shows.  Jefferson was even featured in Newf Tide as the Top Producing Sire of 2008.

The Terrier Group

Last but not least, we come to the mighty Terriers.  Look for a Norwich, a Scottie, and a Skye to come out on top.

Norwich Terrier  GCH CH Foxwood Chasing A Dream answers to the name of Dreamer.  This little cutie took the 1st Award Of Excellence, Best Bred-By, and A Bred-By Group 4 at the 2011 Eukanuba International Championship Show.  Breeder Kathy Mines says that Dreamer “exemplifies the true working terrier with great reach and drive, covering ground with a purpose.”

Continuing our salute to music, GCH CH Mcvan’s Sentimental Journey is a Scottie with a beautiful wheat-colored coat.  Although Frankie was shown only on a limited basis in 2011, he ended the year as one of the top five Scottish Terriers in both breed and group points.

GCH CH Gleanntan Glindathegoodwitch, AKA Glinda has the characteristic silky black coat of the Skye Terrier.  She is the first female Skye to have won a Grand Championship.  She’s a little older than many of her co-competitors, having been born in August of 2004.  She took Best of Opposite Sex honors at Westminster in 2010 and 2011.

So, there you have it!  Tune in to the big show February 13^th and 14^th, and keep checking our blog for instant updates as each breed group is judged.  (Keep a copy of this article handy so you can see how I did with my predictions!)