New AKC Owner-Handler Series

The American Kennel Club is launching a new event in 2012 that will take place at select dog shows around the country – the AKC Owner-Handler Series.

Owner-handlers make up the majority of show entries and these people are the core of the conformation dog fancy. With this new program, AKC is going to spotlight the owner-handler by acknowledging the large amount of times and tremendous dedication that these people put into their dogs.

The AKC Owner-Handler Series will take place after Best of Breed judging in each breed ring. This competition will be open to all non-professional owner-handlers, whether experienced or novice. To be entered in this part of the competition, all dogs' eligibility must be indicated by checking the Owner-Handler box on the official AKC entry form at the time of entering the dog show. Once entered, the entrant will be marked as Owner-Handler eligible with an asterisk (*) in both the steward's book and the show catalog.

How does the selection process work? Here’s the information from the AKC: Owner-Handler Best of Breed will be selected from the dogs that are eligible to compete in the Best of Breed competition including Winners Dog and Winners Bitch. If the Best of Breed/Variety winner is Owner-Handler eligible, it will automatically be Owner-Handler Best of Breed/Variety. If BOB is ineligible and Best of Opposite Sex is eligible, BOS will compete against the eligible Best of Breed dogs of the other sex. If the BOB and BOS winners are both ineligible, the judge will choose Owner-Handler Best of Breed from the eligible Selects and eligible WD or WB. If one of the Selects is eligible, the judge will excuse dogs of the same sex as the Select and judge the remaining dogs of the opposite sex including the eligible WD or WB. If the BOB, BOS and Selects are not eligible, the judge may choose any eligible dog remaining in the ring.


Based on points from Breed, Group and Best in Show wins accrued throughout the year, AKC will rank the dogs and invite the top owner-handled exhibits to a special year-end event where they will be able to compete for a Best Owner-Handler Award.

AKC Owner-Handler Series Point Scale: (Note: Owner-Handler Series points do not contribute to championship points)
Best in Show
100
Group 1
30
Group 2
20
Group 3
15
Group 4
10
Best of Breed
5

The AKC is hoping that many Owner-Handlers will take part in this new series and they look forward to your feedback about the new Series. They plan to add shows featuring this new event throughout the year, so stay tuned for updates on www.akc.org.

The first events in the 2012 AKC Owner-Handler Series will take place at:
Dog Fanciers Association of Oregon – January 21st
Oakland County Kennel Club – January 21st
Sahuaro State Kennel Club – February 4th
Colorado Kennel Club – February 19th
International Kennel Club of Chicago – February 26th
Ft. Worth Kennel Club – March 24th
Atlanta Kennel Club – April 14th
Greenwich Kennel Club – June 9th

If you have any questions or feedback to share about the AKC Owner-Handler Series, AKC encourages you to contact Bri Tesarz at glt@akc.org or 919-816-3514.

And don't forget to mark your calendars for the ABC Television Network broadcast of the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship on 4 February 2012. Check your local listings for airtimes.  

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Marketing the AKC Eukanuba National Championship 2011

My name is Kathleen and I’m a marketing junkie. Why is this something I’m sharing on this page? I’m sharing because I got to see P&G Pet Care in action at the AKC Eukanuba National Championship. What a treat! Seeing the Minnesota dogs in action at the show was an added bonus!

As part of the event, I found out how the Eukanuba name came into being. The name Eukanuba (pronounced “U-Ca-noo-bah”) originated in the 1940s as a lyrical expression (think Jazz) describing something “supreme.” When Eukanuba founder Paul F. Iams was looking for an unusual and memorable name that had significant meaning for the superior quality of his new brand, he chose the word Eukanuba.

The event itself is the “ultimate dog event” that showcases all 167 AKC recognized breeds and varieties with the events coming to a climax on Sunday night with the naming of the National Champion. On the way to the Sunday night event, there are lots of dog experiences to be had. While wandering around the venue I was able to take in dock diving, obedience, herding demonstrations, Police Dog competitions, agility, meet the breeds, conformation and general canine entertainment. I think I walked about 15-miles a day!

This is a joint event with P&G and the AKC so there are unique and combined purposes in play during the event. P&G focuses on breeders, breeds and sharing their leadership and research into canine nutrition. Yes, this is a large company which some people find distasteful, but as a large corporation they are able to invest significant funds into development of products and programs for dog lovers.

AKC promotes awareness and hopes to encourage more people to participate in conformation dog shows by spotlighting events like Junior Showmanship, Agility, Obedience and Canine Good Citizen. The AKC was promoting the benefits of purebred dog ownership and AKC registration while extolling the virtues of the human/dog bond and the importance of responsible dog ownership.

I’ve been showing animals for my entire life, and I am always amazed at the scope of this event. The 2011 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, AKC National Obedience Invitational and AKC Agility Invitational featured nearly 5,000 dogs, hundreds of vendors, and tons of fun! Being held in in Orlando, Orange County, Florida this is really an event for the entire family! This location offers easy in-and-out flights for dogs and is a wonderful family vacation area so plan on coming to Florida early or staying after the show to get the most out of your travels.

AKC/EUKANUBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BY THE NUMBERS

• 173 AKC recognized breeds are entered to compete.
• The largest entries include:
  • 64 Boston Terriers
  • 61 Vizslas
  • 58 French Bulldogs
  • 57 Rhodesian Ridgebacks
  • 56 Retrievers (Labrador)
  • 51 Australian Shepherds
  • 50 Havanese
  • 50 Retrievers (Golden)
  • 48 Dachshunds (Longhaired)
  • 46 Rottweilers
  • 45 Pugs
  • 44 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
  • 44 Border Collies
• The newest breeds to compete include:
  • 3 American English Coonhounds
  • 5 Entlebucher Mountain Dogs
  • 9 Finnish Lapphunds
  • 8 Cesky Terriers
  • 11 Norwegian Lundehunds
  • 12 Xoloitzcuintli
• All 14 AKC Miscellaneous Breeds will be represented.
• More than 130 “Veterans” (between 7 & 12 years old) are entered.
• AKC Meet the Breeds® will feature 166 breeds at decorated booths staffed by experts. (Sat. & Sun. from 10 am to 4 pm)
• By group, entry totals are: Sporting – 637; Hound – 526; Working – 605; Terrier – 441; Toy – 527; Non-Sporting – 469, Herding – 491 and Miscellaneous – 68
• Dogs from 44 countries will compete in the Eukanuba World Challenge including Mexico, Australia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The Eukanuba World Challenge is a one-of-a-kind event offering top dogs from around the world, and the winner of the Eukanuba Breeders’ Stakes, the opportunity to compete for the title of “Eukanuba World Challenge Champion” and a total of $15,000 in prize money.
• Judge Mrs. Polly Smith of St. Stephens Church, Virginia will select the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Best in Show (BIS) winner. The owner(s) of the BIS winner will receive more than $50,000 while the breeder(s) of the Best in Show winner will be awarded $15,000.
• Mr. James Reynolds of Nepean, Ontario, Canada will select Best Bred-By Exhibitor in Show from among 1,328 dogs (35% of the total entry) entered in the Bred-by-Exhibitor (dogs being shown by their owner/breeder) competition, who will be eligible to win the $15,000 cash prize. Same-day streaming video coverage of all regular and bred-by groups and evening events will be provided on akc.org.
• 159 youngsters, ages 9-17, who have met high academic standards and qualification criteria based on year-round competition, will compete in Junior Showmanship.
• Mrs. Zena Thorn Andrews, also a renowned breeder/judge of Dachshunds, will replace Tamas Jakkel to judge Dachshunds (Longhaired).
• Ms. Carla M.S. Molinari will judge Sari Brewster Tietjen’s entire assignment.

AGILITY AND OBEDIENCE INVITATIONALS BY THE NUMBERS

• 592 entries in the AKC Agility Invitational - 157 breeds from 46 states. Eukanuba and J & J Dog are proud sponsors of the AKC Agility Invitational.
• 146 entries in the AKC National Obedience Invitational - 55 breeds from 33 states and Canada. Eukanuba and J & J Dog are proud sponsors of the AKC National Obedience Invitational.
• 50 Juniors competing at the AKC National Juniors Agility Competition on Friday, Dec. 16th (8 am to 11 am).
• 48 Juniors competing at the AKC National Juniors Obedience Competition on Saturday, Dec. 17th (8 am to 3 pm).
• 9 All-American Dogs competing in Agility and 6 in Obedience.

You’ll be able to watch the show event broadcast on ABC Network Television on Saturday, 4 February 2012. (Keep an eye on the press risers to see me shooting pictures of the evening events.)

Email me anytime, follow me on Twitter, tell me your story, and please subscribe to my Examiner - Dogs column! 

AKC dog show conformation classes explained

Image: Riley (via cell phone)

This past weekend at the Land O’Lakes Kennel Club dog show at the River Centre, I got to have fun introducing a 10-year-old and a 40-year-old to the wonderful world of dog shows. Sharing my love of animals and the related venues with someone is one of my favorite moments! My horse mentor, Fran Reker liked this quote, Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.~Robert Louis Stevenson 


Once I started explaining to these two what was going on at the show, there were other folks that joined in the peanut gallery – of course everyone is welcome! Because we were sitting near the group rings, these questions were mostly about conformation showing.

Let’s start with the word. It is spelled “conformation” and is directly related to how well the dogs conform to the established breed type or breed standard. It is not “confirmation” like rite of initiation in Christian churches or in a different direction, hotel reservations.


In conformation classes there are a number of classes available at most dog shows. This will be explained using AKC classes, but there are other kennel clubs that also offer dog shows. Males and females compete separately within their respective breeds, in seven regular classes. The following classes are offered, and are divided by sex.  

Puppy - For dogs between six and twelve months of age, that are not yet champions. This class is sometimes broken into more age groups which are designated as 6-9 month – puppy, 9-12 month puppy and 12-18 month puppy. The dogs entered in these classes are not yet champions.  This is an optional class.

Twelve-To-Eighteen Months - For dogs twelve to eighteen months of age, that are not yet champions. This is also an optional class.

Novice - For dogs six months of age and over, which have not – before the entry closing date -- won 3 first prizes in the Novice Class, a first prize in Bred-by-Exhibitor, American-bred, or Open Classes, nor one or more points toward their championship. This is an optional class.

Amateur-Owner-Handler – For dogs that are at least six months of age that are not champions. This is a class for owners that have never been a professional dog handler, an AKC approved conformation judge, or employed as an assistant to a professional handler. This is an optional class.

Bred By Exhibitor – This is a class for dogs that are exhibited by their owner and breeder, that are not yet champions. This is an optional class.

American-Bred - For dogs born in the United States from a mating which took place in the United States, that are not yet champions. This is a mandatory class.

Open - For any dog of the breed, at least 6 months of age. This is a mandatory class.

After these classes are judged, all the dogs that won first place in a class compete again to see who the best of the winning dogs is. Males and females are judged separately. Only the best male (Winners Dog) and the best female (Winners Bitch) receive championship points. The Winners Dog and Winners Bitch then compete with the champions for the Best of Breed award. At the end of the Best of Breed Competition, three awards are usually given:

Best of Breed - the dog judged as the best in its breed category.
Best of Winners - the dog judged as the better of the Winners Dog and Winners Bitch.
Best of Opposite Sex - the best dog that is the opposite sex to the Best of Breed winner.


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Veterinarian Speaks Out on PETA and Westminster

Thank you Libbye Miller DVM for stating:

"Adorable mixed breeds" get cancer, epilepsy, allergies, heart
disease, and orthopedic problems just like purebreds. I see it every
day in my veterinary practice but mixed breed dogs aren't tracked like
the purebreds so they have a reputation as "healthier" that is actually
undeserved in many cases.

It is so sad that a lot of folks, including young veterinarians these
days, buy into the "hybrid vigor" baloney. The vet schools have been
infiltrated by the Animal Rights Extremists, who are teaching them this
junk science in order to push their agenda.

All animals have a certain amount of genetic load, which is to say
there is absolutely no animal without some genetic problem of some sort
of another. Know anyone who wears glasses? Has allergies? Thyroid
problems? Weak knees? Flat feet? A skin condition? Arthritis? A gap
between their front teeth? These are all genetic imperfections.

No human is genetically "clean." Neither is any individual of any
species on earth. So this idea that dogs should not be bred because
they might have a genetic problem, and that breeders are somehow "evil"
for breeding them, is ridiculous. Every single individual of every
single species has at least a few genetic conditions.

To use PeTA's logic, all breeding of all kinds (including having human
babies) should halt immediately. And to be honest, Ingrid Newkirk (the
woman who founded PeTA) does believe exactly that. She thinks that
humans should become extinct, along with dogs, cats, etc. This
ridiculous scenario is precisely what she would like to see happen.
So folks, if that is what you want...if you agree with Ingrid
Newkirk's whacky views, send your hard earned money to PeTA. They will
help to ensure you are not able to own a dog or cat or hamster or any
other pet in the future. They will see to it that you can't eat meat or
fish or eggs or any type of animal-based nutrition. They will work to
shut down places like Sea World, the zoos, etc. so you cannot observe
the many wonderful animals on the Earth. Eventually, once they
accomplish these things, they may turn their efforts to making it
illegal for humans to procreate.

If you don't agree with their extremist views, wise up and start
supporting those who truly do love, care for and enjoy interaction with
other species here on our little blue planet.

The fanciers of the breeds, those you see exhibiting their dogs at
Westminster and other dog shows, work very hard to eliminate serious
genetic conditions. They screen their breeding stock with every
available test. They research pedigrees before breeding into other
lines, to check for similar clearances in those animals. They
contribute money to research organizations to further the work being
done to track down genetic problems. They contribute blood, cell
samples, etc. from their own animals to help with DNA and genome
studies. They have made great progress so far, and they continue to
work hard at it.

Are there unethical breeders? Certainly, there are. Just as in any
group of humans, you will find the good and the bad. United States VP
Elect Joe Biden, for example, managed to find a not so good one when he
got his new German Shepherd puppy. I don't know who did his research
for him, but they obviously didn't do their homework if they were
looking for a responsible breeder. Joe has the right to get his dog
from whomever he wishes, but if he was trying to set an example of
purchasing from a responsible hobby breeder he went off the track this
time. That's too bad, but it was his choice.

Unfortunately, breeders like that may be a lot easier to find because
of their high volume and high profile. If you are looking for a nice
family pet from a breeder who will be there for you forever, you need
to do due diligence. You won't get that from a pet store. You won't get
that from the guy selling dogs out of his pickup truck in the WalMart
parking lot. You won't get that support from a high-volume breeder,
either. Yes, it takes a little more time and effort to find someone who
really cares and does all the work to breed the healthiest, happiest
puppies possible and then stands behind those puppies.

This is a living being that will be part of your family, hopefully,
for many years. Isn't it worth a bit of effort to find a breeder who
will be there for you and that puppy forever?

And guess what? Shows like Westminster are a very valuable resource
for finding breeders who do care and who use the best possible
practices, as well as for learning more about the various breeds.

Bravo to USA Network for broadcasting the Westminster Kennel Club show
all these years. May they enjoy continued success through the ongoing
inclusion of such programs. I will be eagerly watching this year's
show!"

Libbye Miller DVM

Additional Information:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/01/dog-show-fans-t.html

PeTA versus the Dog Show

http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2007/02/transvestite-terriers-of-westminster.html

http://www.theonion.com/content/files/images/Westminster-Best.jpg Image