On Friday, Feb. 1, at 5 p.m., I received a call that would change my life. "Hello, Ms. Stephenson?  This is Officer Penny with the Burleson County Animal Control.  We have your dog." We all cringe at the sound of those words. But this one was something else. “Officer Penny, where is Burleson County Animal […]

In the spirit of the holiday season, let’s stop for a moment to acknowledge the joy that the sport of conformation gives us every week of the year, and the people who contribute to that joy. Let’s be thankful for: Judges who are students of their dog breeds, know their standards, smile, and don’t look up […]

Breeders and handlers are a study in contrasts. Breeders are big-picture and behind-the-scenes, planning and studying for the future. Handlers, meanwhile,  are front and center, focused on the competition at hand and those split-second moments that can make or break a win. And of course, we all know what dog owners do. Sometimes, those three […]

A young family I know recently made a commitment to quality time by banning cell phones at the dinner table. It started as more of a dare than a serious lifestyle change. The husband is a marketing maven, the wife a high-powered lawyer, and the two kids own every electronic device on the market. One […]

As you work up a sweat with your huge, loose-jointed Mastiff puppy, trying to hold up his mid-section while keeping all four of his feet pointed in the same direction, it’s not surprising you’ll watch the Doberman Pinscher handler with a touch of envy. The Dobe glides around the ring, head held high, then nails […]

What do you think of when you hear the word Poodle? For many, it’s an overdone diva—big hair, polished toenails, and a phony French accent. Poodles are often described as “froufrou” dogs, a slur that means prissy and high-maintenance. The image has been widely embraced, even in the wonderful world of Disney, where dogs are […]

According to a friend, Dr. James Price McCain started exhibiting dogs in the 1930s to “relieve the nervous tension of his medical practice and perhaps most of all to participate in an activity in which his success or failure would be determined in merit, not solely upon the color of his skin.” Dr. McCain’s merit […]

The first step in navigating any culture is learning its etiquette: Never blow your nose at the dinner table in Japan, avoid public displays of affection in Sweden, and expect to encounter close talkers in Spain. A vibrant subculture in its own right, the dog-show world also has unspoken rules of conduct that might not […]

Spanning four days in Derby city, the Kentuckiana Cluster of Dog Shows in Louisville, Kentucky includes four days of dog shows hosted by the Mid-Kentucky Kennel Club, Evansville Kennel Club, Greater Louisville Training Club, and Louisville Kennel Club. More than 3,000 dogs will be shown during the four days of all-breed conformation shows. In addition […]

For however long we will be managing without dog shows, it’s vitally important that we remain engaged in our sport. Not only will it keep our own dogs ready to compete when the time comes, but it will do wonders for our morale, reminding us we are not alone in this situation. Here are some […]