22 – You Have a Voice: Pat Laurans – Power of the AKC Delegate Role
AKC Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
Pat Laurans has been an active and enthusiastic member of the dog show world since 1963. She began as an exhibitor, became an assistant handler and eventually was awarded an AKC All Breed Handler’s license. Under the kennel name of Laurwyn she bred and owned German Wirehaired Pointers, including four National Specialty and three Best in Show winners, as well as many Top Producers.
Pat’s service to the dog community extends beyond the show ring and whelping box. She has been a Delegate to the American Kennel Club representing the GWPCA since 1980.
Elected to the AKC Board of Directors in 1996, Pat served on the Board Events and Clubs Committee, Board Discipline Review Committee, Board and Staff Junior Showmanship Scholarship Review Committee and as Board Liaison to the Parent Club Committee. As a Board member she proposed the concept of a breeders education program and served as Chair of The Breeder’s Education Committee that developed the program and produced the document that the AKC has sent out as a model to all Parent clubs. When she retired from the AKC Board in 2000 she was elected to the AKC Parent Club Committee and then elected by the committee to serve as its Chair. This committee represents all National (Parent) Breed clubs.
She also is vice chairman of the Take the Lead foundation and a founder of the American Dog Show Judges Association. A longtime advocate of Junior Showmanship, Pat has been active in the AKC Junior Scholarship program since 1996.
An AKC licensed judge since 1982, Pat is approved to judge Best in Show, Sporting, Hound, Working and Herding Groups; most of the toy group and juniors . She has judged throughout the United States and in Australia, England (the GWP National and the Working Group show), Ireland, Japan, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. She has also judged numerous National Specialties and at the Westminster Kennel Club 11 times.
21 – Norma Smith: Footsteps of George Alston
Norma Smith: Helping Owner Handlers
A protege of the renowned George Alston, Norma Smith provides owner handlers the opportunity to improve and become competitive through her two-day handling seminars. Professional Handler with 250 Best in Show wins, Norma has handled top dogs for both the rich and famous, and for the everyday owner.
20 – Bomb Proof Your Puppy: Dr. Gayle Watkins
Final Episode from Dr. Gayle Watkins
How to socialize and prepare your puppy during the critical sensitive period up to 16 weeks of age. Understand the difference between Startle and Fear, what age they occur, how to train Following, and create great temperaments for life.
19 – AKC Judge Suzanne Dillin: Speaks the Hard Truth
Mrs. Suzanne Dillin
AKC Judge, Vintage Breeder of Pugs and English Cockers, and Animal Artist, speaks the hard truth, straight to the point on a variety of subjects.
Standards, mentors, clubs, breeders, linebreeding, stories of favorite dogs that epitomize the love of this sport… and more in this captivating interview.
Recorded at AKC Nationals in Orlando, Florida
18 – Jr Handler to Pro: 10 Tips to Beat the Odds
Junior Showmanship is the training ground for future professional handlers and judges. Laura Reeves, PHA, and second-generation breeder, reveals 10 tips to consider when making the jump from junior to pro.
AKC Breeder of Merit and Member of the Professional Handlers Association, Laura is a second-generation breeder of German Wirehaired Pointers. As a professional journalist, Laura’s weekly column “As the Wheels Turn” can be seen on Best in Show Daily.
17 – Dr. Gayle Watkins: Transition Period in Puppies – Part 3
Dr Gayle Watkins has been breeding and showing multipurpose golden retrievers for 38 years under the kennel name Gaylan’s. Driven by a passion for science, she has taken her background as both a researcher and teacher, and applied it to breed and raise healthy, stable dogs. With the help of hundreds of wonderful Gaylan’s owners, Gayle has produced nearly 70 conformation, obedience, agility, tracking, and rally champions, as well as many Qualified-All-Age field trial goldens and master hunters. She was recently recognized by the AKC as one of the 2016 Breeders of the Year for performance sports. Gayle lives in the mountains of western North Carolina with her husband and longtime breeding partner, Andy Chmar, and her beloved dogs.
Avidog was born from a desire to make a difference in the world of dogs! Co-breeders Gayle Watkins, Marcy Burke and Lise Pratt launched Avidog to provide accessible, science-based, professional education to dog breeders around the world. Through its courses, webinars, seminars and products like their world-famous Adventure Box, Avidog helps breeders and puppy owners bring out the very best in every puppy. Whether you are looking to produce national breed or performance champions, working, service or companion dogs, applying Avidog’s Transformational Puppy Rearing and Evaluation systems to your breeding program will help you reach your personal breeding goals.
16 – Bill Shelton: How to Create a Family of Dogs
AKC Judge and Breeder Mr. William Shelton – Coventry Corgis
Bill Shelton, a long time breeder of Pembroke Welsh Corgis, lecturer on Canine Anatomy, dog writer, is also an advocate of preservation breeders and the future of our breed’s gene pools.
Dr. Beckie Williams – Coventry Corgis – obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University in 1985. She practices in Yorba Linda, CA and has a special interest in reproduction – breeding, whelping and neonatal car.
Coventry Corgis is renowned for generations of Championship Pembroke Welsh Corgis, and received the Winkie Award for Breeder of the Year in 2013.
Bill Shelton and Dr. “Beckie” also share a mutual interest in the restoration of their classic Craftsman homes in a National Historic District.
15 – Become a Master Handler – the 4 Levels of Handling
Mentor Monday
Laura Reeves returns with another insightful lesson on the 4 Levels of Handling and How to Become a Master Handler.
Beginner, Experienced, Competitive, and Master Handlers each face unique learning opportunities, problems, and competition.
Planning Steps to Success appropriate to your level of handling is the key.
Enjoy the show as Laura coaches four handlers, each at a different level.
14 – Dr. Gayle Watkins #2 – Breeder’s Guide to Neonatal Puppies
Dr. Gayle Watkins – Part 2
Gayle continues providing the latest research for Breeders with this episode on the Neonatal period of puppy development/
Dr Gayle Watkins has been breeding and showing multipurpose golden retrievers for 38 years under the kennel name Gaylan’s. Driven by a passion for science, she has taken her background as both a researcher and teacher, and applied it to breed and raise healthy, stable dogs. With the help of hundreds of wonderful Gaylan’s owners, Gayle has produced nearly 70 conformation, obedience, agility, tracking, and rally champions, as well as many Qualified-All-Age field trial goldens and master hunters. She was recently recognized by the AKC as one of the 2016 Breeders of the Year for performance sports. Gayle lives in the mountains of western North Carolina with her husband and longtime breeding partner, Andy Chmar, and her beloved dogs.
13 – Legendary AKC Judge Virgina (Ginny) Lyne
AKC Judge Virginia Lyne
AKC Judge Virginia Lyne Takes Us to School! Miss Lyne, with almost 50 years of judging, speaks directly to judges and exhibitors on fascination with dogs, critiques, hands on training, judges study groups, breed comparisons and joy.
Recorded Live at AKC Nationals in Orlando, Florida.
Hosted by Laura Reeves.
Virginia Lyne, of Saanichton, B.C., Canada, grew up in many different countries, following her father who was involved in the oil business. She was born in Borneo and lived in Trinidad, Australia, Jamaica, Colombia and Texas.
After college and a year in Great Britain, she came home with a black and white English Cocker Spaniel that became the foundation of Ranzfel English Cockers. Obedience attracted her initially, and she taught classes for many years. Breeding continued under the Ranzfel prefix with many champions and Best in Show winners being successful in both Canada and the US.
Ms. Lyne began judging in Canada in 1969 and got her AKC license two years later. She has been an AKC all-breed judge since 1979. Ms. Lyne has judged across North America and around the world.
Past president of the Canadian Dog Judges Association and a member of the Dog Judges Association of America, Lyne served on the executive boards of the English Cocker Spaniel Club of America and English Cocker Spaniel Club of Canada. Ms. Lyne has written extensively about English Cockers, and has been a moderator and presenter at judges’ education seminars on both sides of the border.
Ms. Lyne’s life work was education. She retired in 1996 after 35 years in secondary school education, teaching English and working as a guidance counselor. Probably as a result of this background, she is committed to judges education and has been active in seminar presentations and judges training for many years.
We are thrilled the inimitable Ms. Lyne has joined us for a chat during the AKC National Championship. She shares her thoughts on judges education, the future for exhibitors and her fascination with all dogs, even those she about whom she remarks, “Darling, your mommy loves you.”