Posts by Laura Reeves
192 – AKC President Dennis Sprung on Public Outreach
AKC President Dennis Sprung on Public Outreach
AKC President & CEO Dennis Sprung joins the presentation of BIS at the 2017 AKCNC in Orland, Fla.
President and Chief Operating Officer of the American Kennel Club since 2003, Dennis Sprung has ardently pursued projects designed to share the message of the human-canine bond.
Starting in dogs with the Afghan Hounds of Grandeur in the late 1960s, Sprung was mentored by the legendary Sunny Shay. Shay laid the foundation for his education in dogs, Sprung said. At a time when the famous Long Island kennel housed over 100 dogs, he routinely interacted with everything from puppies to veterans.
Inspiring Dreams for Everyone
“She was one of a kind,” Sprung said. “A true character in the sport. Sunny was unique, in many ways, but particularly in that she was a Breeder Owner Handler. Shirkhan’s first BIS in 1957 was at Westminster Kennel Club.” (For more history and stories about Sunny Shay and the Grandeur Afghans, listen to Michael Canalizo at https://puredogtalk.com/canalizo-ghosts-of-the-past-and-breeding-for-the-future-pure-dog-talk/)
Sharing the Human-Canine Bond
Shortly after Sprung started working for AKC as an Executive Field Rep in 1989, he proposed to the Board of Directors the program that became the AKC Humane Fund. His vision was to create an additional vehicle to serve as outreach to the public, sharing the message of the human-canine bond. The AKC Humane Fund has now grown to include grant making for parent club breed rescue, scholarships, funding for domestic violence shelters that allow pets and assistance in cases of natural disaster. (https://www.akchumanefund.org/)
Art as Outreach
Sprung is involved with the AKC Museum of Dog as a member of original planning committee and former board member. He is actively working with AKC staff to help the museum move back to NYC from its location near St. Louis, Missouri for the last 31 years. “The museum is one of the finest collections of sporting art in the world. It pays respect to our breeds and our traditions in the sport. With a location one block from Grand Central terminal, where they have 22 million visitors annually, the opportunity to grow purebred dogs is endless.” (https://www.akc.org/museum-of-the-dog/)
Sprung joins a presentation for working K9s.
On the night following the 9/11 attacks, Sprung had a brain storm.
“AKC was able to donate a portable x-ray machine and a large quantity of supplies,” Sprung said. “These were delivered by me to Ground Zero, on that very corner with smoke still rising… I’ll never forget that.”
He resolved to create a public art exhibition and fundraising opportunity. From this was born DOGNY. Honoring the search & rescue dog and handler teams, 112 dog statues were placed around New York City. In all, more than $3.5 million was raised for Search & Rescue groups nationwide. (https://www.akc.org/dogny/)
“I have to tell you. Credit goes to our entire fancy,” Sprung said. “Springfield Kennel Club was the first donor. Corporate America came through and worked with us, but our fancy was with us every step of the way.”
Building from that concept, AKC Reunite was developed, spearheaded by Delegate Pat Laurans.
“The AKC family is providing what’s needed to save dogs throughout the country,” Sprung said. The fundraising effort has placed 67 trailers across the nation. (http://www.akcreunite.org/)
“I think one of the most important things we can do is to not only look inward, but also look outward,” Sprung said. “We need to focus on our core constituency, on our mission of registration and events. But we also have to communicate with the public. We have to educate them. Be consistent in our messaging. Be transparent and continue to do the right thing. …There’s many societal changes that are affecting all of us. We’ve lost a lot of sites (for dog shows). This is no longer rural America. We have to address the fact that there are a number of territories that no longer offer point shows. We have to continue to work together.”
191 — Love the Breeds: German Shorthaired Pointer Roundtable
German Engineered for Versatility
German Shorthaired Pointers are “energetic and athletic,” “full of vim and vigor” and “need a little room to burn off energy *every* day,” according to the experts.
PureDogTalk caught up with three long-time GSP breeders at their national specialty show in Boise, Idaho in May. Char Rutar, AKC Conformation judge, Bob Straight, AKC Field Trial judge and David Nauer, AKC Agility judge, whose wife, Karen, judged the national specialty.
Living with German Shorthaired Pointers
You’re not buying a maniac, the breeders said, but the breed is built to work for a long time with tremendous endurance. They are high drive and high energy. Biddability, the dog’s willingness to work for its owner, is a key quality for which breeders strive.
“People need to be aware of how they will enjoy life with this breed,” Straight said. Nauer added that owners can choose a variety of venues to vent the breed’s energy. Jogs, hiking, hunting, agility, dock diving, scent work, and tracking are all games these dogs like to play.
All three of our experts agreed that a dog’s structure is the key for its longevity in active sports. “Your pick conformation dog is my pick agility dog also,” Nauer said.
“They are extremely people-oriented,” Rutar noted. “While there are differences in bloodlines, they aren’t as needy as some hunting breeds.”
Hunting with GSP
“If I had half the energy these dogs have in the field, I’d control the world,” Straight said. “Talk to the breeder,” Rutar added. “Find out what makes the breeder tick and you will find out what is important to them in their dogs.” Straight, agreed, noting that buyers should ask the right questions of the breeder to get the right match with the type of hunting dog they want.
From “All Age” field trial dogs, those that show the maximum independence when the handler is on horseback, to “meat dogs” that work close to a walking handler, Shorthairs offer a working style for every hunter.
Healthy dogs
“It’s important to deal with a breeder who will guarantee the health of dog,” Straight noted. “The breeder should warrant that the dogs have met the (GSPCA) health testing requirements.”
The national club recommends that breeders test for health hips, hearts, eyes, elbows, and a genetic disease called CD.
“Shorthairs are relatively healthy,” Rutar said. “We’ve seen some epilepsy. Some cancers pop up. A few heart problems. These are all there at a pretty manageable level. Breeders have religiously been screening hips for at least 30 years.”
A note from your host: The human race is the least inbred mammalian species in the world. WE have all these diseases. Breeders can mitigate the incidence with ethics and responsibility.
The BEST thing about GSP?
- Enthusiasm at whatever they do.
- Versatile hunter, versatile companion.
- They exude joy.
Parent Club Website:
Notable moments in GSP Conformation history:
https://www.si.com/vault/1974/02/25/617716/he-pointed-the-way-at-westminster
Allison Foley’s Leading Edge Dog Show Academy Tip of the Week
Grooming the dog so it’s comfortable for you, might make the dog uncomfortable. Allison gives us her tips on how to avoid battles on the grooming table.
190 – Leptospirosis symptoms, treatments and prevention
Dr. Marty Greer
Leptospirosis symptoms, treatments and prevention
Dr. Marty Greer, DVM, JD joins us again for our monthly Veterinary Voice. Our topic this month is the potentially deadly zoonotic disease, leptospirosis.
Resurgent disease
Aka Lepto, this bacterial infection is found primarily in areas of standing water and within about 18 months of major flooding. Desert and dry regions see very little of the disease. Greer said the veterinary community is seeing a resurgence in this dangerous infection.
A spirochete bacteria, Lepto looks like a corkscrew under a microscope. The actual physical shape of the bug is instrumental in how it impacts the host. These little creatures burrow into tissue, primarily in the liver and kidney. They can frequently live *undetected* in the host for years. The germs are shed in the urine of affected animals.
Lepto bacteria are transmitted through mucus membranes. Livestock and wildlife are the primary points of exposure for our dogs. Pets who trot out to do their business and investigate overnight visitors in the yard are at risk just as much as hunting dogs.
Symptoms
This is a zoonotic disease (communicable to humans as well as animals) which may cause any and or all of the following symptoms in our pets:
- Drink more,
- urinate more,
- vomiting,
- diarrhea,
- maybe even a cough….
- High liver enzymes and high kidney values on same blood panel…
- fever,
- lethargic,
- jaundice (yellow),
- lower appetite,
- stiff/painful…
“The problem is, these symptoms are common to other diseases,” Greer said. “The dogs can be asymptomatic to critically ill.”
Prevention
Greer advocates for a three-year vaccine protocol for viral diseases like distemper and parvo. But she strongly encourages her clients to incorporate a one-year plan for the bacterial diseases such as leptospirosis and bordatella.
“We see (lepto) primarily in the spring and fall,” Greer said. “But you have to test specifically for it to know for sure what’s going on. The vaccines we have available today are safer and far more effective than they were 10-15 years ago,” making them far less likely to cause a vaccine reaction and more likely to prevent all of the strains of the disease.
Diagnosis
Lepto can be diagnosed specifically only with a DNA test drawn from urine when the dog is acutely sick. This test seeks to identify the actual DNA of the bacteria. A blood test also can determine titers for lepto. What this titer seeks is to look for the actual disease instead of *immunity* to the disease through vaccination.
Treatment
Greer said an ultrasound to determine kidney/liver involvement can be needed. And antibiotics, either doxycycline and/or amoxicillin, may be prescribed.
Since lepto can be asymptomatic and can spread quickly to remaining dogs (and children or adults) in a kennel/household, proper diagnosis, prevention or treatment are imperative.
Greer recommends this vaccination guideline (link below) to help determine what a dog may or may not need for the specific lifestyle it pursues.
https://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/aaha_guidelines/aahas_canine_vaccination_guidelines.aspx
189 – Ins and Outs of RV Parking at Dog Events
RV Parking Crews Not “Parking Nazis”
Bert and Bruce Rettick, dog show RV parking mavens in Northern California, share their knowledge and advice about safe parking of rigs at events.
“We take the responsibility off of club members,” Bert said. “If you take two or three club members and put them out in an RV parking lot, it’s taking away from doing other things. Club membership is diminishing. There’s just not the bodies to do the work.”
The couple have been dog show exhibitors for more than 30 years. Bruce started helping out parking crews while Bert was showing their Boxers and Boston Terriers. Eventually, clubs began asking him to take on the responsibilities of managing parking.
In their years of working this particular niche of the dog show world, the Retticks have developed important checklist items.
Safety First
“This is a village out here,” Bert said. “We look out for one another. Safety. RVs all placed in the same direction if you have to evacuate. Aisles wide enough for a fire truck or ambulance to get in. Generators are in the same direction. Exhaust pipes are required on generators. Driving cars in and out of the RV parking lot during show hours is a safety issue. Parking two rigs awning to awning can leave water heaters butted against each other on the other sides, which can cause explosions from propane. We need to be proactive not reactive.”
Parking Location Doesn’t Determine Results
Bert noted that while she hears complaints about favoritism in parking, business is business.
“You are just as important with your one dog as people are with 20 dogs,” Bert said. “But from a business decision, 20 dogs three spaces closer makes their job easier also. My bottom line, you can win a BIS no matter where you’re parked. The judge doesn’t ask if you’re in 1A or the day of show lot before pointing.”
Kennel clubs, according to AKC rules, do not have to offer RV parking, Bert said. It’s up to each club. Handicapped parking doesn’t necessarily mean close to ring, she added. “We try to make sure they have a flat surface to get to the ring. Handicapped parking means we will accommodate exhibitors to get to the ring as safely as possible.”
“We do the best we can with what we have to work with. I hope people take time to think about the bigger picture,” Bruce said. “Without the exhibitors, the dog show doesn’t happen. You gotta be kind to your people.”
Just Be Nice!
On the other hand, a little niceness to the parking people goes a long way.
“We can control a lot of things, but Mother Nature is not one of them. A little more patience, a little more understanding. There are reasons, sometimes, that exhibitors may not be aware of that can hold up parking,” Bruce said.
Tip of the Week
Remember to listen to the end for Allison Foley’s Tip of the Week from Leading Edge Dog Show Academy! Allison is talking about SPACE and how to use it wisely in the show ring.
Breeders Voice: Looking to the Juniors: Taking a Chance on Love | Pure Dog Talk
When responsible breeders, professional handlers and Junior Handlers work together, beautiful things can happen. The following is a story submitted by Pure Dog Talk listener Rylee Carlon. It’s a story of desire and heartbreak, redemption and joy. I hope you find it as touching as I did.
Read Full Post188 – Bruce Schultz’s Secret – Be Happy for the Other Guy
Bruce Schultz’s Secret to Success and Longevity – Be Happy for the Other Guy
Bruce Schultz is a living legend in the world of professional handlers. Still actively showing dogs, Schultz said the secret to his longevity is being happy for the winner.
“You’ve gotta be happy for the other person,” Schultz said. “I think that’s why I’ve lasted so long. I know there’s good dogs out there besides my dogs. I’m happy for the people who win, like they should be happy for me.”
Dreams of a Young Man
Professional handler Bruce Schultz with Gordon Setter. Photo credit Sharon Carvalho.
As a kid, Schultz loved hunting. His first really good hunting dog was a German Shorthaired Pointer he bought for $50 from the breeder after it was returned by the original owner. “He was so dedicated and so smart. I shot many a pheasant over that dog.”
But his dream was to own an Irish Setter. He bought his first from a breeder in Phoenix. “We found a litter in the newspaper,” Schultz said. In those days, advertising dogs in the local newspaper was standard practice. The breeder was an obedience competitor, so Schultz worked his new puppy in obedience, earning a CD on him at nine months old.
As he traveled to shows in Arizona and Southern California for obedience competition, Schultz watched the conformation classes also.
Conformation Looks Easy!
“My first impression of conformation was ‘These guys don’t have to do anything but run around the ring, pose their dogs and somebody points at them,’” Schultz said. “‘Obedience we have to work at it. We have a judge that scores you and if you make a mistake you’re outta there!’”
He eventually bought a couple Irish Setter bitches and began showing them in conformation. Over time, people started asking him to show their dogs. This was at the time handlers had to be licensed by the American Kennel Club in order to charge a handling fee. “I got really hooked on it, started showing more dogs and here I am.”
Bruce Schultz with Bloodhound owned by Susan Hamil. Photo credit Sharon Carvalho
Schultz became a licensed professional handler in the late ‘70s, right before AKC ended the practice.
Record Setting Career
“I’ve been very, very lucky with the dogs I’ve shown,” Schultz said. Amongst his records is piloting the top-winning GSP in the history of the breed. Brittania, BIS/BISS/NSC Can Ch DC NMK’s Brittania V. Sibelstein HOF won 50 BIS and 150 Group 1 awards in two years in the 1980s. His next top special, the English setter bitch, Ch Goodtime’s Silk Teddy, had the same record and won three national specialties, also in just over two years.
The ideal “specials” campaign, Schultz said, is usually 2 ½ years.
“It depends on the dog. There are dogs that love it. Every dog is totally different,” Schultz said. “You not only have to think of the owners, you want to do it, the dog wanting to do it. Those two dogs could have gone further but I figured ‘hey, I did enough with ‘em in the time period.’”
Running for number one, Schultz said, is time-consuming and mentally and physically draining. Keeping the dog mentally capable of doing it is the biggest challenge.
Friends AND Competitors
But the importance of maintaining friendships and friendly competition, even at the highest stakes level, is one of Schultz’ critical observations. He reminisces about his Border Collie going second in the group at Westminster Kennel Club behind his friend Jimmy Moses’ German Shepherd Dogs for years.
“Never beat him at the Garden,” Schultz laughed. “I beat him one time in the group. I still remember the show! It was Snake River, Idaho. But we’ve remained friends over the years. Business is business.”
Chris Terrell, breeder, owner, handler of the WKC BIS winning Afghan Hound Pepsi, Ch. Kabik’s The Challenger (https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/16/sports/afghan-westminster-best-in-show.html), was another of Schultz’ friends. Terrell, an amateur owner handler, and Schultz frequently socialized after competing head to head in the best in show ring.
“Pepsi is one of my favorite dogs of all time,” Schultz said. “Chris and I traveled together. Whoever won, won.”
Schultz noted that he has concerns with a lot of the newer handlers because they “expect to win every show, no matter what they bring in the ring. They think everything has to be fixed for them. Why don’t you just show the dogs. We used to have fish fries, steak fries, people mingled.”
Learn From the Past
Looking to the past, Schultz observed, is imperative to learning for newer exhibitors.
“They have got to look into the past. Who did what, what were the great dogs,” Schultz noted. “They don’t study pedigrees, they just go out and breed. They don’t have clue of who the grandparents are. Grandparents are a huge influence on the get.
“…Good breeders of the past studied pedigrees. They knew the backgrounds of the dogs. They studied their breeds. The good dogs in different breeds, those breeders are still on top of their pedigrees.”
Listen to the podcast to hear Schultz’ Tips for Winning When the Chips are Down and his fascinating Dream Best in Show Lineup! This list of dogs from the ‘50s through present day is delicious. Sneak peak, can you name this dog?
Learn about one of Schultz’ long-time clients, Susan Hamil, and her Bloodhounds in PureDogTalk episode 64: https://puredogtalk.com/64-bloodhound-mantrailing-and-canine-health-foundation-tick-program-with-susan-hamil-2/
187 – Reznik Pt. 2: Ad Design Success, Reading & Dreaming
Ad Design Success, Reading & Dreaming
Magazine editor and writer Allan Reznik is back with part two of his fun and helpful interview. His advertising “best practices” tips are outstanding suggestions about when to advertise and how to design a successful ad. His Reading List recommendations are insightful and his Dream BIS lineup is a fascinating stroll through dog show history.
The best uses for advertising, Reznik said, are:
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Promote a newly recognized or rare breed.
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Catch judges’ attention.
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Break through at the group level.
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Introduce a new dog to the fancy.
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Launch a dog’s career.
“Judges sometimes need to “give themselves permission” to recognize or acknowledge a dog,” Reznik said. “If that ceiling is broken, other judges will follow suit. … Advertising is going to be, for better or for worse, a successful way to get the dog noticed.”
Reznik added that, when it comes to ad design, “I think some ads are more successful than others. I’m always a believer that less is more.”
Many ad designers, Reznik noted, are young. They forget the age of average judge, which isn’t. “This isn’t Vanity Fair. This isn’t Vogue. The ads can be chic or glamorous, but if you can’t find the name of dog or breeder you’re doing yourself a disservice.”
A candid photo that captures the spirit of the dog and the relationship between dog and handler is always a great idea, Reznik said. “That’s just advertising gold.”
On the other hand, Reznik noted that an ad that quotes the standard alongside the dog is “terribly pretentious. It belittles a judge.”
He also advocated for National Breed clubs to create ads, particularly for new or rare breeds.
“Parent clubs can run a series of ads in which they zero in each month on a detail of a dog,” Reznik said. “I don’t think a single exhibitor should be the one entrusted to educate judges.”
Reznik’s Top Three Favorite Dog Books:
Reznik’s caveat: EVERYONE should own Pat Trotter’s “Born to Win” and Ric Beauchamp’s “Solving the Mysteries of Breed Type.”
Humor – “Dog Eat Dog, A Very Human Book About Dogs and Dog Shows” by Jane and Michael Stern https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Eat-Human-About-Shows/dp/0684838923
Glossy – “The Dog Show” by William F. Stifle. https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Show-125-Years-Westminster/dp/1592282636
Dream BIS lineup
This is a MUST listen to lineup! Reznik puts a lot of thought into the dogs, the owners, and the handlers on this incredible list. Hint: Here are a few pictures. Can you identify the dogs?
And check out Allison Foley’s Tip of the Week from the Leading Edge Dog Show Academy. Whiskers on show dogs: yes or no?
186 — Canalizo: Ghosts of the Past and Breeding for the Future
Ghosts of the Past and Breeding for the Future
Legendary breeder, handler, and dog man, Michael Canalizo is most associated with the Afghan Hounds of Grandeur. He handled the iconic Afghan bitch, Ch. Tryst of Grandeur, to the pinnacle of all-time top-winning hound. He spoke with PureDogTalk about breeding, handling, history, and the wave of the future.
“You’ll See the World”
His mother is Lee Canalizo, also now an AKC judge. When Michael was young, his self-described middle-class family wanted a companion dog. They sought out Sunny Shay, who had just won Best in Show at Westminster Kennel Club with Ch. Shirkhan of Grandeur in 1957.
When Michael’s father asked which puppy Shay recommended they buy, her response was, “Honey, take the show dog, you’ll see the world.” And, Canalizo said, they have.
They first attended match shows with their dog, which Canalizo noted, were significantly different events in that era.
“Match shows were huge in the ‘60s,” Canalizo said. “They’d have 1,000 dogs on a weekend.”
“Kid Vicious”
The very focused and determined young Canalizo was given the nickname “Kid Vicious,” not because he was mean, he noted, but due to his intense concentration. “I was this little guy in a suit and tie.” His handling career started early, winning his first regular group with a class bitch when he was about 13 years old.
The Canalizos maintained a life-long relationship with Shay, becoming close friends. When she formed a business partnership with successful real estate developer Roger Rechler, Michael was hired to show the Grandeur Afghans.
This flourishing partnership was haunted by the devastation. On the 20th anniversary of Shirkhan’s WKC win, while Shay and friends attended a gala party at Rechler’s home, her kennel was burned down. Many dogs died in the arson fire, started, according to Canalizo, by neighbors who objected to the kennel in what had become a residential area.
Fortunately, many of the best of the Grandeur hounds were at the Rechler home to be showcased during the party. Shay eventually died in the ring, showing Ch. Boy Blu of Grandeur. Lee Canalizo was with Shay at the show that day. In those pre-cel phone days, Canalizo of course had no idea what had happened. He said he came home from a match judging assignment to the phone ringing off the hook.
“She brought me 40 years in the dog sport in the five years I was with her,” Canalizo said. “Sunny didn’t do anything by the book. She was haphazard. When Shirkhan died, at 17, she went scrambling to breed to his sons.”
After Shay died, Rechler closed the kennel to public stud. Shay was proud to have developed what she called, “A pure strain within the breed.” Canalizo noted that Shay’s first litter, born in 1941, went back to the breed’s first imports to this country.
Breeding Better Dogs
The Grandeur breeding program followed closely the “thoroughbred” formula described by Lloyd Brackett in a series of articles published in book form by Dog World Magazine in 1961. In this principle, Canalizo said, you breed a bitch to a male whose sire is the same as the mother’s sire.
Canalizo strongly advocates this line breeding theory, but he adds that breeders today have significant advantages.
“Frozen semen,” Canalizo said. “We’re in position to rewrite the probability of how to breed dogs. In those days we inbred because we couldn’t breed to a dog 20 years after it was viable. You bred to what was alive, viable and accessible. You had a very short shelf life. I’m not so sure we aren’t on the cusp of creating a new way to breed dogs.”
Ghosts and Magic
Canalizo’s “Dream BIS Lineup” came with fabulous, intimate stories about each of the dogs he selected — from eye contact across the Morris & Essex ring with Mick, the Kerry Blue Terrier, to a flash of sun on a gloomy day that spotlit his own dog in a Best In Show lineup of all black dogs near Sunny Shay’s final resting place.
Listen to Canalizo’s descriptions of these amazing dogs of the past, and which one wins Best in Show in his mind. And why! For more insight and conversation with Canalizo, read this excellent interview with Bo Bengston.
http://sighthoundreview.com/images/SR_10Wi_Michael_Canalizo_interview_9_.pdf
For additional information about “Brackett’s Formula”, read this detailed article from Carmen Battaglia.
185 — Allan Reznik on Magazine and Advertising Tips
Allan Reznik on Magazine and Advertising Tips
An affinity for stray dogs and a random encounter with Dog World magazine brought Allan Reznik into a lifetime of dogs. He talked his father into dropping him off at a dog show in Montreal, at age 12. An Afghan exhibitor recognized his interest, and sent him in the ring with one of her dogs, where he won the class. The die was cast, as it were.
Afghans and Tibetan Spaniels suit his temperament, Reznik said. “I don’t do well with clingy people or clingy dogs. So these are a good fit for me.”
Writer, editor, and seeing the world
As a writer and editor, Reznik eventually was hired as editor-in-chief of the same Dog World magazine that originally sparked his love of purebred dogs and where his first articles were published.
Now that he is no longer working as a dog magazine editor, Reznik is beginning his judging career.
“My poor parents thought this was a phase. Well, that phase took me to California, got me on TV, and just has given me an amazing life,” Reznik said. “All those magical names I’d memorized in Dog World magazine became my peers and people I respected.
“The kids who were born into dog show families hate it for the most part. Those of us who weren’t born in to dog families love it, crave it. It’s like running away to join the circus. And you can’t wait for the day until you come of age and have an apartment and can start making up in numbers what you lacked over the years.”
Working as a color commentator on television, Reznik said he had many opportunities to talk about why the predictability of a purebred is a very good thing.
“A lot of people put more consideration into buying a toaster than when buying a dog. I try to explain why it’s important to go to a dog show and see all the breeds. Find a breeder with whom you have a connection. Get a great mentor for the life of the dog,” Reznik said.
Changes in media and advertising over the decades
Reznik noted that originally three types of magazines were the norm. Entry-level magazines like Dog World and Popular Dogs had classified ads for breeders. Single-breed and group magazines were meant for peers in the breed. The ads featured extensive pedigrees. Glossy show dog magazines like Ken-l Review and Dog News as monthly were the pinnacle.
“With the arrival of the internet, many of the entry-level magazines have gone away. So many breed magazines have folded because breeders use websites as a more economical way to advertise,” Reznik observed.
While he acknowledged the appeal of digital magazines and advertising for newer exhibitors, Reznik opined, “All you need is a power failure and suddenly e-magazines are less useful than reading a print magazine by flashlight. I like to think there will always be a place for books and print magazines.”
Ads have become sleeker, more sophisticated, Reznik said.
“Those ads used to be exceptions, now they’re the rule. Copy is minimal. There is little contact information. The win is front and center. Graphically and aesthetically ads have become more glamorous, but also more overt.”
An ad with a full-page head study and just a call name can send a negative subliminal message, Reznik added.
“Some people consider those ads cold, not user-friendly. I think we need to be cognizant of that. You can be more successful or less successful based on how the ads are put together,” Reznik warned.
I hope you enjoy this fun and lilting conversation. Join us next week for Part 2 when Reznik shares his memories of some of the great dogs of the past.
And don’t forget to listen for Allison Foley’s Tip of the Week on dematting!
184 – Merriam: Guts and Governance, the Bull Terrier, Breeders
“Guts and Governance” of purebred dogs, the Bull Terrier, and Breeders
Hon. David Merriam was given a White Bull Terrier in 1953. “Gigi” was the gift that keeps on giving, starting a 65-year love affair with the breed and purebred dogs.
When Merriam was given Gigi, he had some Collies. “They were not very good collies, conformation-wise,” he said. “Then I was given this bull terrier and she won quite a bit,” he added, in regard to why he’d chosen the Bull Terrier breed. “And winning is better than losing. They grow on you. You become very chauvinistic about them.”
Judging Similarities in Court or in the Ring
Merriam was a trial court judge in Southern California for 20 years and president of the Golden State Bull Terrier Club while still in law school.
“There’s a similarity in judging law cases and dog shows,” said Merriam, who presided over Best in Show at Westminster Kennel Club in 2015. “Each has a standard. AKC has a standard for each breed. In the courts the standard is known as the law. In the courts you receive evidence… testimony or physical evidence. In a dog show the evidence is the dogs in front of you. What you see and feel and the application of the standard to those animals.”
History and Judging of Bull Terriers
The essence of the Bull Terrier is the head, Merriam noted. “It’s an egg-shaped head. It’s only commonly been found in the last 20 years or so. Heads have improved enormously. Alva Rosenberg said, ‘Close your eyes, put your hand on the head. It should feel like a velvet egg.’”
The breed was developed as the *white* bull terrier, Merriam said. “Those devoted to the White Bull Terrier thought the Colored dogs were mongrels,” he added. “It wasn’t until the late 1930s that the Colored Bull Terrier was imported to the US from England. There were huge fights within the bull terrier club and the American Kennel Club about recognition of the variety. “Colored (bull terrier) development was slow. It wasn’t until the ‘70s that the quality began to be developed,” he observed.
“It’s been a successful marriage,” Merriam said of the two varieties. He remarked on some problems associated with white bull terriers, including deafness and skin problems. Research by the BAER hearing test program showed that “(In) white to white (breedings), one-third of the litter would have some hearing deficiency. White to colored that went down to 6 percent.”
BTCA presented the information to breeders, who then found value in the Colored variety and began using them in breeding programs. “If you give competent breeders the tools and the information, they’ll help correct the situation,” Merriam said.
Guts and Governance
As a long-time AKC delegate and past Chairman of the Board of Directors, Merriam noted that the “guts” of the sport is at the level of the next dog show and the next breeding.
“The governance of it, whether in the delegate body or the Board of Directors, is of lesser interest to all the people here at the dog show,” Merriam said. “How many exhibitors or breeders read the minutes of the board meetings? They only become aware of those when a new regulation comes down.”
Calling himself a “traditionalist,” Merriam challenged some of the ideas and directions of the American Kennel Club.
“If I were king, I would divide the kennel club,” Merriam stated. “I would have the traditional part of conformation and field trials in one group and then I would have all of the other (companion events) in another group. … Each of the two organizations would have to support themselves.”
“The most important thing,” Merriam said in summary, “is that each breed has a coterie of outstanding breeders. They are what moves the breed ahead. Nothing that AKC does change that.”
We hope you enjoy this thought-provoking, challenging, and fascinating conversation with one of the legends of our sport.