Pure Dog Talk

New Legislative Advocate in Our Corner Robert Miller and a WPG puppy named Hoss. Robert Miller, AKC’s new legislative analyst and outreach coordinator, is a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon breeder of merit and hunter. His background in legislative work and public information is being put to use on the west coast to provide proactive involvement with fanciers. Legislation is constantly popping up that affects everyone’s ability to do what they want with their dogs, or even have the dog they want, Miller said. Fight for your rights “It’s important to recognize that you have to pay attention to that kind of stuff,” Miller warned. “There’s no one fell swoop that will take away all your dog rights. But you’re going to have a lot of little pieces, chips, death by a thousand cuts. Eventually you’ll say I want to get this kind of dog and you can’t because there is breed specific legislation, which is basically animal profiling. There’s a lot of laws that come up, sometimes well-intentioned, that have unintended consequences.” Miller’s role is to reach out to fanciers, to encourage them to pay attention and speak up. “We depend on our dog people. They need to contact us when something pops up at the local level,” Miller said. Miller encouraged folks to take a look at the Toolbox (https://www.akc.org/clubs-delegates/government-relations/toolbox/) on the Government Relations website. “Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone,” Miller advised. “If legislators know it’s coming from constituents, they pay attention, they listen. Local people carry more weight with legislators than AKC. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We can help you develop things that are germane to your specific district.” It comes down to someone trying to tell you what you can and can’t do with your animals, Miller noted. “Having animals and using them is a basic human right. People have had dogs for thousands of years. There is this recent sentiment that that is abusive. We believe you should be able to have the dog you want,” Miller said. Get ahead of the curve AKC is taking a more proactive approach with this new position. “Being able to respond quickly is advantageous for all dog owners. I’m visiting local kennel clubs. I’ll do whatever it takes to solve the problem or provide education,” Miller offered. “Make friends with local legislators. They’re people just like you and I. Drop by the office. Get to know who they are. The squeaky wheel really does get listened to. Be civil and get to the point.” The average legislator is probably not an expert on dogs, Miller observed. “If you are involved with dogs, you know a lot. They (elected officials) like it when someone can share their expertise.” The people who would like to take our rights away are very active, Miller reiterated. “We need to pull a page out of their playbook. Get proactive. Do things. Run for an office, if that’s something you think you want to do.” And don’t miss Allison Foley’s Tip of the Week from the Leading Edge Dog Show Academy. Potato starch? Who knew…. Be sure to support our newest advertiser, www.showdogz.org  

Andrew Brace on Pedigrees, Critiques and Skillful Handlers In the third and final installment of my interview with international dogman Andrew Brace, he shared his knowledge on reading pedigrees, writing judge’s critiques and the definition of expert presentation in a wide-ranging and brutally honest discussion. Our conversation also touched on the influence of animal rights extremism on the UK’s “high profile breeds” vet checks. Brace additionally noted the correlation between health issues in our breeds and the increasing tendency for breeders to “take Mother Nature’s job from her.” Andrew Brace last showed a dog at Crufts 2000 when he retired having handled his BIS winning Beagle, UK Ch Dialynne Tolliver of Tragband. Breed the best to the best to get the best “Dedicated breeders are constantly aiming to improve their stock,” Brace said. “Those breeders who think breeding a winner is simply a matter of mating a winning bitch to a winning dog fail to realize the value and implications of the pedigree and do not understand what a valuable breeding tool this is. “You need to be able to read a pedigree. This is where the truly great breeders score. The pedigree supplies valuable information – provided the reader has researched the dogs who appear in it. (Master) breeders study a pedigree of at least five generations. If they don’t know all the dogs in it personally, they’ll research them by seeking out photographs or simply asking older breeders who are still around exactly where these dogs scored and failed. “In this way they build up a comprehensive picture of their dog’s ancestry. They will, over a period of time, be able to assess what faults and virtues lie behind their breeding stock. And, perhaps more importantly, establish which dogs were responsible for producing them,” Brace said. “Correct is not produced by mating two extremes,” Brace added. “A potential parent who lacks in one area should be mated to a dog that excels in that failing. A dog that’s slightly straight behind will not produce perfect rear angulation by mating it to a dog that is hopelessly over angulated. Its chosen mate should have correct angulation.” “Winning” dog is not always the same as “best” dog “We have focused on show dogs,” Brace said. “In many breeds, this has meant that dogs that are perhaps a little exaggerated in one way or another have taken the eye of the judge over the dogs who are maybe more correctly balanced or constructed because they have a little sense of drama about them. “It is our responsibility as judges to reward the correct dog over those dogs that have probably won a ton of best in shows by virtue of the fact that they fly around the ring with their long necks, gay tails and dripping in hair.” Useful written critiques “When writing critiques, I think it’s essential to detail the dog’s outstanding virtues but also mention any obvious shortcomings, which can always be done tactfully,” Brace said. “For example, ‘Head like a bucket’ and ‘prefer a cleaner backskull’ – they mean the same thing, but one is more palatable. It isn’t necessary to describe the dog from head to tail but, concentrate major pluses and minuses.” Listen to renowned judge Ginny Lyne on this topic. Merge into the background Andrew Brace judging the American Pointer Club 2007 National Specialty. BOB Ch Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry, handled by Michael Scott. “It is little wonder that some of your most successful handlers go on to become outstanding judges,” Brace noted. “The thought process is exactly the same.

SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE ALERT Wednesday, 6/27 at 9 a.m., the Dallas City Council will consider a proposal that ALL dogs impounded in the city be altered before being returned to the owner. The current law has exceptions for show and performance dogs. This proposal is seeking to do away with that exception. Show Up and Speak Up in Dallas, TX “With the recent incident of a stolen van with show dogs, imagine if those dogs were required to be sterilized before being returned to owners,” said Sheila Goffe, AKC Vice President of Government Relations. “These dogs are the future of our blood lines, the future of our breeds. These are not the dogs that are creating what are legitimate problems in the city.” AKC Government relations has detailed information available here with location, contact names, numbers and emails, talking points and more. Goffe noted that responsible dog owners want to be part of the community to help the city with the dog issues it has. “Responsible dog owners aren’t the problem. Going after them isn’t the solution. This is a solution in search of a problem.” Tips and recommendations from Goffe, most of which are applicable in any similar legislative circumstance: * You are a resident or you travel through Dallas. You are very concerned about the potential of a dog becoming loose by accident or mishap that you will not be able to have returned intact. * In 2017, 1100 AKC events were held in the state of Texas. * 150,000 dogs participated in AKC events in Texas just last year. * Large dog show weekends bring $1.7 million to community. * People who have breeding licenses, showing dogs aren’t the problem. * Spaying/neutering a dog owned by another person can be considered taking property. These dogs are valuable property, we appreciate them being treated as such. * One size doesn’t fit all. * First offense. Not an appropriate response. * Boston and Houston have both considered and decided against this type of proposal. * Physical bodies are what count. Call instead of email. * Show up! It makes more of an impact. They need to see, visually, that there are a lot of people out there who care. In an election year, especially, that drives home the point. * Stand or sit together. Wear clothing or color that makes identifiable as a group. Sign in on a topic. Make it known why you are there. * Speaking on behalf of xyz kennel club and the x number of members. * Several bullet points, each person focus on one point – 1-3 minutes to speak. Share a story about how this can impact you personally. * Be respectful. * Show reasoned argument why proposal isn’t good for the community. * Suggest alternative. “We’d like to help you, we have services to offer, invite to dog show. Develop a relationship. We’re the dog experts.” “Our opponents always have representation at these meetings. It is crucial for us to show up and show the strength of our convictions,” Goffe said. “Many people who are involved in shelters and rescue, their hearts are in a good place. They are under-resourced, understaffed and frustrated. We support the good work of shelters. We just want to explain the difference, the nuance between responsible owners and irresponsible ones.”

Behind the Scenes Peek at the Masters Brace (center) moderating a panel with Michael Canalizo, Mary Dukes, Peter Green and a young handler from Europe. In the second installment of my interview with international dogman Andrew Brace, he shares his personal memories of masters in the sport. His observations and interactions with Anne Rogers Clark, Pat Trotter, Jason Lynn, Frank Sabella, Michael Canalizo, Mary Dukes and more are legend unto themselves. Brace wrote for top dog magazines from an early age. He had a weekly column in the UK’s Dog World for more than 30 years and later a column in DogNews. He was co-author with Clark of the International Encyclopedia of Dogs, authored several books on his own, hosted television programs and has interviewed world-renowned legends in the sport. Anne Rogers Clark with one of her many, many "finds".... 6 month old Cruiser, who would become BIS/BISS DC/AFC JetSet's RagTop Day at Scotia, JH, CD... handled by Laura Reeves. Bred by Jane (Reeves) Bonaccorso. Owned by Tom & Jodi Quesnell. Memories of legends He offers a particularly intimate portrait of his work with Mrs. Clark, interviewing her and writing the Enclyopedia. “She was extremely frank about all her doubts and fears,” Brace said. “She explained that it was her husband Jim who really created the image everyone got to see. Jim built her up to be a much more self-confident woman who stood tall and proud and eventually got to the stage that everyone wanted to be Annie’s gang. Annie was without doubt the most complex person I’ve ever met. A total one-off.” In his many media gigs, Brace interviewed top members of the sport, including Mrs. Trotter. “Pat is such a charismatic lady with infinite knowledge,” Brace said. “One of those people who can just articulate her thoughts so perfectly. Pearls of wisdom just drop from her lips one after the other.” Brace leading the Master Class with Jason Lynn and Frank Sabella He also moderated a series of Master Classes, including one with Mr. Lynn and Mr. Sabella. “Jason was always kind of the quiet guy in the background,” Brace noted. “I was totally amazed. People were just spellbound.” “When I was a teenager, my friends had posters of pop stars or footballers on their bedroom walls,” Brace recalled. “I, of course, had the famous photo of Frank (Sabella) in a tight white vest on Malibu Beach with Command Performance the white standard poodle in midair. At that time, little did I think I would ever meet this legend, much less become one of his closest friends.” Brace with his early idol and later friend, Frank Sabella. Currently on a hiatus from judging while taking care of his aging mother, Brace said he misses the chance to “find” a great dog, often as a youngster. He partially makes up for it with the occasional litter evaluation. “I just adore looking at puppies. I like to see them at 8 weeks as they tend to be in proportion. I want to see them just stroll around yard. In this way, you can see overall shape, how the puppy carries itself, where it puts its feet down. You can see how it interacts with its littermates. So really those qualities we look for in a show dog are there from the start. Every once a while you see something strutting around the yard that just has that extra something, you think yeah…. And then you watch it blossom. That is the future.” Join us Thursday for our final installment in this wonderful series. I’ve included links to a few of Brace’s books below.

“Totally Obsessed with Dogs” and Finding Quality Born to a long tradition of dogmen from Wales, Andrew Brace acquired his first Boxer in 1963 and began judging in the UK while still a young man. A strong voice in the international purebred dog community today, Brace is a long-time breeder, Best in Show judge and author. Andrew Brace about to judge the European Semi-Final of the Eukanuba World Challenge at the Split Summer Night Shows in Croatia “I was totally obsessed with dogs ever since I can remember,” Brace said. As a child he was immersed in the purebred dog scene, stewarding, traveling, reading dog books and joining dog clubs. One of his favorite early memories, after learning his beloved Bruce the Boxer was monorchid and couldn’t be shown, is being given the job of “Honorary Veterinary Steward” -- holding the towel for the veterinarian who was checking dogs in for the ring. Match shows create community The UK today, Brace said, has 27 all-breeds championship shows, with only five have championship points available for every recognized breed. Many more matches and open shows, where championship points are not awarded, are available. Brace noted that these shows offer a “social exercise” for the exhibitors where they can enjoy a day out and meet up with their friends. Mentors offer a step up Andrew Brace with his “idol and mentor”,Nigel Aubrey Jones, pictured at the dinnerthat followed one the Kennel ReviewTournaments of Champions, held at thePontchartrain Hotel in Detroit. “If people are honest,” Brace said, “they all will admit they had help, from their elders and betters. People who gave them a step up. I’m very conscious to try and help young people I see who have a spart, as other people helped me.” Brace counts fellow Welshman and famed Pekingese breeder Nigel Aubrey Jones as the guiding influence in his life. “Nigel was a genius. He was my idol and my mentor,” Brace said. “I learned so much from him. He was my biggest critic and greatest supporter. He and Bill Taylor were remarkable gentlemen. Their quest for perfection in breeding Pekingese changed the breed worldwide. To be honest there isn’t a day goes by I don’t miss Nigel.” An eye for a dog Andrew Brace judging Best in Breeders Sweepstakes at Santa Barbara Kennel Club. Things were not very scientific in becoming a judge, Brace noted. “It was very much about being identified as having an eye for a dog and then refining it through careful study and experience,” Brace said. The UK had many large kennels in those days, Brace added. “I would ask breeders if I could visit to learn about breed. People were always welcoming and keen to share their knowledge, being ruthlessly honest about (the dogs’) faults and virtues.” “Quality is the difference between pottery and porcelain” “Nigel drummed in to me the need to have quality in the dogs we reward,” Brace said. “You won’t find the word quality in any breed standard, but it is the one vital ingredient that we all need in our top winning dogs.” Brace’s judging advice: * Always look at the overall picture when assessing a dog, rather than dissecting and evaluating individual details. * The secret is to find virtues. * Always stand back from a lineup of dogs and study silhouettes. Join us next week when Mr. Brace shares his knowledge on successful dog breeding.

One Person Making a Difference In just five years of existence, the sport of Barnhunt has taken off like wildfire. Founder Robin Nuttall, the archetype of “one person can make a difference,” said she created the sport to test the natural instincts of her new Miniature Pinscher. A Doberman Pinscher fancier for many years, Nuttall was accustomed to working her dogs in various sports after they finished their championships. When she acquired her first MinPin to have a smaller agility dog, she discovered they weren’t allowed to compete in AKC’s Earthdog testing. Prove Working Ability As she researched the breed more, she discovered they are an old breed, older than Dobermans, and their original job was to rid homes and properties of vermin like rats and mice. Find the rat! “I wanted to prove he had the ability to do the job he was bred to do,” Nuttall said. “His aptitude (training with friends who did Earthdog) was amazing.” “The important thing people need to understand about Barnhunt,” Nuttall said, “is that every decision was based on instinct testing for vermin dogs. We welcome all dogs, but at the core of the sport and why it was created, it is a working instinct test.” Ironically, the year after Nuttall created the first Barnhunt tests, AKC approved MinPins for Earthdog competition. “If MinPins had been an approved Earthdog breed, Barnhunt would not exist,” Nuttall said. Independent Organization Barnhunt ribbons for Bearded Collie The Barnhunt Association is an independent organization. While Barnhunt is not an AKC sport, competitors can earn titles recognized by AKC, UKC and CKC, Nuttall noted. “I have to say, AKC has been amazing and has helped contribute to our success through their support and endorsement,” Nuttall said. Like most competitive dog sports, Barnhunt features progressive levels of difficulty. “One of the basic tenets of the sport,” Nuttall said, “is that the rats we use are not harmed. We have a lot of protection for the rats. They are kept safe in heavy duty aerated tubes. Our rats are pets first, but they like small dark spaces.” Barnhunt seeks to recreate real vermin hunting experiences in which the dogs have to go in small dark spaces. The dogs have to go in to 18-inch wide tunnels that are only as tall as a bale of hay. They have to climb on the straw bales and indicate where the rats are hidden. “This is a gateway sport,” Nuttall said. “We have a lot of folks who started in barnhunt, who had never done anything with their dogs, who move on to other sports… how we treat people (at our events) has a huge impact on whether these people stay involved.” Learn more at https://www.barnhunt.com/ … And listen to our podcast to hear Robin Nuttall’s passion, joy and advocacy for this fun new event. Stay tuned next week when Allison Foley will be back with more of her Tip of the Week from the Leading Edge Dog Show Academy. Barnhunt Association We are not a purebred dog registry, so whatever the owner says the dog is, that's what goes down. We accept purebred breeds registered with the AKC/AKC FSS, UKC, FCI, KC, and Canadian KC. If it is not registerable with any of those organizations, then it is registered as a mixed/cross breed. For that reason, our stats show more mixes than any other breed type. But as of today, here are our top 20 in registrations. Mixed/Cross Breed 3759 Border Collie 1239 Australian Shepherd 1214 Doberman Pinscher 892 German Shepherd Dog 881 Jack Russell Terrier 863

Jason Taylor and Jerry O'Connell star in Orlando at AKC National Championship by Royal Canin. Taylor as Asst Show Chair and O'Connell antics with the dogs.

Laura Reeves Sings her own version of 12 Puppies of Christmas and the joys that puppies bring. Happy Holidays from Pure Dog Talk.

Lorrie Carlton, Bichon Frise breeder of "Flynn", GCH Belle Creek’s All I Care About Is Love, came to her breeding program with a background in sporting, hound and working breeds. Her firmly ingrained focus on structure and movement has continued through more than 40 years.

Katie Bernardin and her rise to the top with Ty the Giant Schnauzer exemplifies strong mentorship, patience, and hard work.

Corey Benedict at Purina ProPlan, oversees the Show Dog of the Year Awards presented by Purina and Dog News Magazine in February during the Westminster Kennel Club weekend in New York City.

Laura Reeves guests on Dog Show Mentor with Lee Whittier. Lee graciously shared the interview with our Pure Dog Talk listeners.

What if dogs are really kissing cousins to wolves, not direct descendants? Dawn of the Dog author Jan Koler-Matznick reveals new research or origins of dogs

Scent Work is an accessible sport for handlers and dogs that builds on the one thing ALL dogs do well — sniffing. AKC’s brand new Scent Work program, and the events from which it is derived, are amongst the fastest growing sports in purebred dogs. We visited with some of the judges and participants in this new game to bring our listeners in depth and up to date information.

Junior Showmanship Lessons - An interview with Gillian McKim, an "aging-out" junior handler on what she learned from dogs, dog shows, and junior showmanship.