Sometimes it can take years to know what judge to show under. You can rely on the knowledge of other experienced competitors, and even that can be wrong. Learn what the breed standard says, and not what you fantasize it to be. The only way to succeed is to look objectively at how to achieve […]

AKC Gazette breed column: West Highland White Terriers Very often, dog fanciers will gravitate toward some features in their dogs more than others. It’s understandable. There’s a downside, however. One can get carried away with a specific feature to the point of tolerating glaring blemishes, while genuine virtues go ignored. We’ve all heard about “tooth fairies,” “size […]

AKC Gazette breed column, Wire Fox Terriers: There is no reason that an owner-handler cannot compete with professional handlers and do some winning. You have a lovely dog who should be shown. You are not sure you can afford a professional handler, and you wonder if you should show him yourself. There is no reason that […]

  Finishing touches are being applied to Monroe County Fairgrounds; Monroe, Michigan for the annual dog show, hosted this July holiday weekend by Ann Arbor Kennel Club. From Friday July 3rd through Sunday 5th more than two thousand dogs will compete in Conformation, Rally, Obedience and Barn Hunt. For the first time ever, Dock Diving […]

For purposes of imposing a consistent format at dog shows, the AKC family of breeds is divided into seven groups. The hounds, terriers, and toy dogs each have their own group. The herding dogs that move livestock are grouped together, and so are the big working dogs that pull, protect, patrol, and do other heavy work. Likewise, sporting dogs, […]

With a joyful bark and bound, Philo, a 5-year-old Samoyed, pressed his shoulders against his padded harness. Behind him, a cart loaded with gray concrete cinder blocks slowly moved forward, as his handler called out, “Work, work, work.” On that day, Philo pulled a load of more than 1,800 pounds—winning the event at Doggie U […]

I’m not a fan of country music, but as I begin writing this column, from the radio in the next room the song “The Gambler” is crooning, “The secret to survivin’ is knowing what to throw away, and knowing what to keep.” Choosing a brood bitch is a bit of a gamble. Whether acquiring your […]

Laura Haas has loved bringing puppies into the world for as long as she can remember. As a child through young adulthood, she helped her family with their hobby of breeding German Shepherd Dogs. She stopped the endeavor after she married and started raising a family of her own. But an encounter with a new […]

The short-legged but muscular Cesky Terrier is relatively rare in the United States, with less than 600 dogs to be found in the country. These fairly small terriers are sensitive and full of energy, but are not quite as excitable as some other terrier breeds. Cesky is pronounced "chess-key" after the breed’s country of origin, […]

As all dog breeders know, you’re only as good as your latest generation. After all, those promising newbies are the ones on which you build your future. The sport of dogs is governed by the same principle: Newcomers in all venues — from conformation to obedience to agility, not to mention breeding — are vitally […]