Pure Dog Talk

AKC Vet at the Junction of Tradition and the New Millennium Dr. Jerry Klein at the AKC Museum of the Dog Jerry Klein, AKC’s Chief Veterinary Officer, is at the junction of tradition and the new millennium. AKC created the position in 2015 to serve as a focal point for outreach to fanciers, veterinarians and the general public. Klein shares his history and journey in purebred dogs. Klein started as a kid in the ‘50s with a “pet store” Wire Fox Terrier that he showed at his local show three years running in the Novice class. “I learned a lot,” Klein said. After observing poor sportsmanship at the show, he noted that “Learning how not to be was as important as learning how to show the dog.” Exhibitor, owner, breeder, judge and veterinarian, Klein brings well-rounded experience to his role. He works with Diane Brown at the Canine Health Foundation and with Mari-Beth O’Neil in her veterinary outreach work, as well as recording “Ask the Expert” episodes for AKC TV. AKC is an organization steeped in tradition, Klein said, that is working hard to bring its message into the new millennium. “The best times are not behind us, but hopefully ahead of us,” Klein said. “We need to think of the future with a positive attitude.” One area that Klein emphasizes is the inclusive nature of the purebred dog community. “I always felt welcome in the dog world,” Klein said. “It’s so inclusive. I knew I was gay from a very early age. I saw dog shows as my way out. We are judged by what we bring to the table. If we breed quality dogs, we’ll be respected.” Klein also noted that veterinary medicine has changed a lot in recent years. “They can do more, but it is more expensive,” Klein said. This leads Klein to advocate strongly for pet insurance. As veterinary medicine parallels the quality of human medicine, we can't "be stuck with our heads in the '50s," he noted.

Type vs Style in the Saint Bernard: Breeders’ Discussion Panel Host Laura Reeves moderated a Breeders’ Discussion Panel at the 2018 Saint Bernard Club of America National Specialty. Three long-time breeders talk type versus style in this fascinating conversation. Type defines a breed. Style informs the breeders' understanding of the standard. A conversation with successful breeders provides information that’s applicable across all breeds. From descriptions of developing a breeding program that establishes a recognizable style, to addressing specific pieces of the standard, this wide-ranging conversation is inspiring, enlightening and entertaining. The standard defines the Saint Bernard as "proportionally tall and powerful". What does that mean to the breeders? Interpreting the standard from three different perspectives provides unending opportunities for learning. For example, the Saint Bernard standard has no description of correct movement or gait. By understanding the breed history, these breeders apply function to form to answer the question. Listen to the Pure Dog Talk interview with breeder judge Joan Zelinski for more in-depth conversation about the breed. The breed standard is included below for listeners to follow along. Official Standard of the Saint Bernard Shorthaired General Appearance: Powerful, proportionately tall figure, strong and muscular in every part, with powerful head and most intelligent expression. In dogs with a dark mask the expression appears more stern, but never ill-natured. Head: Like the whole body, very powerful and imposing. The massive skull is wide, slightly arched and the sides slope in a gentle curve into the very strongly developed, high cheek bones. Occiput only moderately developed. The supra-orbital ridge is very strongly developed and forms nearly a right angle with the long axis of the head. Deeply imbedded between the eyes and starting at the root of the muzzle, a furrow runs over the whole skull. It is strongly marked in the first half, gradually disappearing toward the base of the occiput. The lines at the sides of the head diverge considerably from the outer corner of the eyes toward the back of the head. The skin of the forehead, above the eyes, forms rather noticeable wrinkles, more or less pronounced, which converge toward the furrow. Especially when the dog is alert or at attention the wrinkles are more visible without in the least giving the impression of morosity. Too strongly developed wrinkles are not desired. The slope from the skull to the muzzle is sudden and rather steep. The muzzle is short, does not taper, and the vertical depth at the root of the muzzle must be greater than the length of the muzzle. The bridge of the muzzle is not arched, but straight; in some dogs, occasionally, slightly broken. A rather wide, well-marked, shallow furrow runs from the root of the muzzle over the entire bridge of the muzzle to the nose. The flews of the upper jaw are strongly developed, not sharply cut, but turning in a beautiful curve into the lower edge, and slightly overhanging. The flews of the lower jaw must not be deeply pendant. The teeth should be sound and strong and should meet in either a scissors or an even bite; the scissors bite being preferable. The undershot bite, although sometimes found with good specimens, is not desirable. The overshot bite is a fault. A black roof to the mouth is desirable. Nose (Schwamm) - Very substantial, broad, with wide open nostrils, and, like the lips, always black. Ears - Of medium size, rather high set, with very strongly developed burr (Muschel) at the base. They stand slightly away from the head at the base,

Veterinary Ethics and Building a Relationship with Your Vet Dr. Marty Greer, DVM, JD, president of the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics visits with Host Laura Reeves about how breeders and veterinarians can work together for a positive outcome. “Vets are not held in as high esteem as they have been in the past," Greer said. "And that’s concerning to me. As veterinarians, we touch so many people in a positive way. It’s truly a calling. It’s not just a job that you get in your car and drive there. It has to be a passion, people don’t get rich doing this.” Too much Dr. Google "Communication is a really important piece," Greer said. "Many vets and staff are introverts by nature. Honest open frank communication is the best way to handle any situation." Greer recommends that if owners have a particular opinion on diet, vaccines, etc they need to interview vets to find someone they enjoy working with, even if it means driving further. "Bring ideas but listen to what vet has to say," Greer said. "Start a conversation that is a give and take." Greer noted that up to 30 percent of dogs going to an emergency clinic don’t have good outcomes. She adds that while a client may not have the relationship with the doctor at an emergency or specialty clinic, but these hospitals can do amazing things with new medical procedures. "Develop a relationship with your vet, even the staff at a local emergency clinic, before you have a crisis," Greer recommended. Fear Free Medicine Greer also suggested that clients check in to some of the methods to condition dogs to quietly accept treatment and handling for a better outcome in any situation, emergent or standard practice. Telemedicine is a huge, up and coming service, Greer said. While it inherently has some draw backs, she noted that this is the next frontier of veterinary medicine. "There are multiple services where vets can do real-time, long-distance consultation," Greer said. "Seismic changes will be happening in the next couple years, with the AVMA releasing new policies recently." Other resources referenced in this podcast: Debra Hamilton's mediation services: https://puredogtalk.com/finding-common-ground-to-grow-the-purebred-dog-fancy-pure-dog-talk/ Dr. Karen Overall: https://puredogtalk.com/dr-karen-overall-temperament-vs-geneticspure-dog-talk/

Dachshund Field Trials and Earthdog Tests Preserve Instinct Dachshund breeder and field judge Jennifer Milosavljevic shares the excitement of Dachshund field trials and Earthdog tests. The Dachshund is first and foremost a hunting breed. Hunters created the breed and by competing in Dachshund field trials, breeders and owners work to preserve the breed. Dachshund field trials have the objective to “track the game,” meaning to follow a scent trail that a rabbit or hare has left behind. The goal is not to actually catch any prey and no animals are harmed in field trials. Dachshunds being released in a brace at a field trial. “The gallery lines up and in a line walks forward beating the brush,” Milosavljevic said. “Once a hare is spotted you yell “Tally Ho.”” Dogs run in packs of two (called a “brace”) and are judged on their ability to search and explore; to pursue and keep control of a trail; the accuracy in trailing; obedience to commands; their “willingness to go to earth” (into a tunnel or underground); courage; and more. “… aggression was utilized back in the day when the Dachshund was created to fight the badger and any other critters that burrowed underground in the farmers' fields,” Milosavljevic said. “When you think about it, it takes a lot of courage to go down a tunnel or flush out game that may be larger than you. That type of aggression is no longer desired or needed in any ethical breeding program. However, the ability to hunt or find game is a sought-after trait in many breeding programs.” Working a scent line at a dachshund field trial. “I have learned to identify early the dogs that I want in my breeding program,” Milosavljevic said. “Those that have the natural hunting ability. As a breeder and an exhibitor, I have found that keeping the form and function of the dog along with conformation is where I want to be. Conformationally, sound dogs are the building blocks of a breeding program, however, failing to breed in or keep natural instincts may be a disservice to the breed, no matter what breed.” Jennifer Milosavljevic is an AKC Field Trial and Earthdog judge. She resides in Kalama, WA. She owned her first Dachshund at 11 years old. She breeds, owns and shows miniature smooth Dachshund and occasionally a standard or miniature longhair. She is a member of the Dachshund Club of America, the Cascade Dachshund club and the Dachshund Fanciers of Southwestern Washington. https://www.akc.org/sports/field-events-hounds/dachshund-field-trials/ https://www.akc.org/sports/earthdog/ Carlos Puig and the DC Dachshund That Won the Group at WKC

John Reeve-Newson: Be Kind and Show Good Manners John Reeve-Newson graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1964 and soon after that returned to Toronto to establish The Animal Clinics One and Two, where he is still in active practice. He was also the founder of the Veterinary Emergency and Referral Clinic Partnership of Toronto, the first veterinary emergency clinic established in Canada. In 2006, Reeve-Newson founded the Companion Animal Wellness Foundation, a registered charity that provides funding assistance for the treatment of the critically ill or injured pets of those financially disadvantaged. In 2014, he was made a Companion of the Order of Caring Canadians by the Governor-General. Richard Meen and Am. Can. Ch Kishniga The Tempest, "Sebastian" With Dr. Richard Meen, they established Kishniga Kennels in 1971. In 1977 Ch. Kishniga’s Desert Song, a Borzoi, bred by Reeve-Newson and Meen, and shown by Meen, was Canada’s top dog all breeds. The following year “Moustache,” as he was called, was exhibited in the USA and was number two hound in the USA. He is still the record holder for the breed with forty-seven all breed BIS in Canada and the USA to his credit. His brother “Dalgarth” was the youngest of his breed to win a BIS, which he did at nine months of age. As a judge, Reeve-Newson remembers how he was treated as a newcomer and endeavors always to be polite and respectful of all exhibitors and dogs. “Even if a dog isn’t good, (the dogs) don’t know it,” Reeve-Newson said. “They deserve as much of your attention as a great dog. They deserve to be treated with manners and politeness.” Reeve-Newson will be judging at the World Dog Show in China next week. While the show venue has received criticism, Reeve-Newson believes in leading by example. “You’re not going to change anything unless you go and show them a good example,” Reeve-Newson said. “Staying home yapping your mouth off isn’t going to do any good.

Karelian Bear Dogs Saving Lives in Washington Nick Jorg is an officer in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife who works with Karelian Bear Dogs to manage bears and large predators in a non-lethal way. The Wildlife Service Dog (WSD) Program was established to provide an additional non-lethal option for resolving conflicts between humans and potentially dangerous wildlife. WSDs and their handlers respond to such conflicts. They also educate and assist citizens to reduce future conflicts. Five working Karelian Bear Dogs are helping investigate poaching cases, providing a deterrent to bears growing a little too comfortable with civilization, and even assisting police in a homicide investigation. The Karelian bear dog has been bred and used for centuries by hunters and farmers in Finland and Russia, but today they fill a unique role with the department. Among their many jobs: * Responding to complaints of problem bears and mountain lions throughout Washington. * Assisting in “hard releases,” a non-lethal process designed to restore a bear’s natural fear of humans. * Detecting and locating poached wildlife and other evidence. * Visiting schools and public events around the state to help share WDFW’s mission. "The Karelian Bear Dog Program is 100 percent supported by private donations. Because this is a budget-neutral program, no funds are paid from the WDFW agency budget. By donating today, you can help support the mission of these hardworking dogs." To make a donation, send a check or money order to: WDFW – KBD Fund 16018 Mill Creek Boulevard Mill Creek, WA 98012 For more information: https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/enforcement/KBD https://seattledogshow.org/2014/01/theyre-athletes-trackers-and-agency-ambassadors-karelian-bear-dogs-do-it-on-the-publics-donations/

Richard Lopaschuk on Form and Function, Education and Judging Richard Lopaschuk, an all-breeds judge from Canada, said his priority in the ring is form and function. “All these breeds have a specific function,” Lopaschuk said. “If the form doesn’t match what they’re supposed to do, that’s how I assess what I have in the ring.” Richard and Nancy Lopaschuk, 54 years married and involved in purebred dogs. Lopaschuk and his wife Nancy started in dogs 54 years ago with a German Shepherd Dog they showed in obedience. Like many other breeders, they competed in their first fun match, won a ribbon and were hooked for life. They bred GSD for 25 years, later moving in to Miniature Schnauzers, Cairn Terriers and most recently Papillons. The Lopaschuk family stayed deeply involved in breeding, showing, judging, founding kennel clubs and competing in performance events with their dogs. Health testing, Lopaschuk said, was always a priority for their dogs in breeding programs. One of their first Papillons participated in initial testing to develop a marker for PRA in the breed. Don’t be a drive-by dog enthusiast “If you want to get in to show dog scene,” Lopaschuk said, “sit around the ring from 8 a.m. til best in show. Observe as many breeds as you possibly can. Watch the breed you like for several days. Get a perspective. Decide whether you’re going to be compatible with that breed.” All-breeds judge Richard Lopaschuk from Canada judging best in show. The difficulty with people today, Lopaschuk noted, is that when the breed is finished, they go home. They have no idea of perspective regarding other dogs in the ring. “Novice handlers often have excellent dogs,” Lopaschuk said. “I don’t care how it’s handled. I sometimes see younger dogs that need to be trained. But I won’t *not* put up just because of the training, if the conformation is better.” Education is the key Lopaschuk said long time breeders and clubs need to educate anybody that’s interested in owning a dog, make sure they buy the right dog, and know what they have to do to develop a great pet.

Brian Cordova on Poodles, PCA and the Definition of “Poodly” Brian Cordova and Daniel Chavez with CH DANFOUR AVALON after winning Best of Breed at PCA. Miniature Poodle breeder Brian Cordova visits with host Laura Reeves about all things “poodly,” PCA (hint, Christmas in April!) and meeting “god.” Poodle Club of America, currently hosted at Purina Farms in Missouri, in the early days was an outdoor event on the East Coast, for many years in Maryland. Cordova said the decorations at Purina Farms will make it seem like the dogs are being shown at a park, but with the convenience of being indoors. Poodles, while attracting luminaries of purebred dogs, can be controversial, Cordova said, because of the trim. The continental clip, which served a function for the breed when retrieving waterfowl, is just window dressing he added. “Ignore the trim and look at the legs and bones and what you’d judge on any other dog,” Cordova said. “The dog has to be sound. The rest of it is just fancy. When you say 'poodly,' people know what that means. It's carriage and distinction." Cordova shows Cha Cha, Ch. Bragabout Dancing Mistress to RWB under "god" Anne Rogers Clark, at PCA. "Cha Cha was a group winner from the classes and was RWB here at PCA in a Gigantic entry of toy bitches. She was defeated by a Delorch bitch from Am. Bred who then won BOV handled by Diane Artigues," Cordova said. Cordova remembers his singular visit to the home of Anne Rogers Clark, while he was an apprentice for legendary handler Tim Brazier. The team was showing Clark’s Poodles at the time. There, on “god’s” refrigerator, was a picture of Cordova with Mrs. Clark’s dog. “It was spine tingling,” Cordova said. Much of the excitement in Poodles today surrounds the Standard variety, but Cordova said miniatures used to be the popular variety. “There would be hundreds of (miniatures) entered everywhere,” Cordova said. “But PRA blindness decimated the variety. They really took a tough turn.” Fortunately, he said miniatures had largely separate gene pools for black/brown and white colors. Breeders were able to cross the color gene pools to help clear the problems and build back. When testing for PRA became available, Cordova said that made a huge difference for the variety. Cordova shared PCA memories going back 30 years of dogs and people. He vividly describes a memory of standing on a field dripping in sweat, watching miniatures, while the judge ran two outstanding bitches of the day against each other. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBZJMbC2xEI&fbclid=IwAR3i4x5ZqaLMIo4s7SCBwpwKfDBagseB6i1WCfGqHtKq5YhRIlJvB0vUnJ8

Pat Hastings Wants to Make YOU a Winner With New Book Pat Hastings awarding Best of Breed at one of four Doberman Pinscher Club of America national specialties she has judged. Author, breeder, handler, judge. Pat Hastings has worn an array of hats in the dog world. Her new book “Let’s Make You a Winner: A Judge’s Perspective on Showing Dogs” is the most recent offering in what she calls a sort of accidental journey. "Puppy Puzzle," Hastings first and most well-known project, started with structural engineers. Separating hearts from minds enables people to see the structure. It isn’t difficult to understand, Hastings said, but dog people have failed to see the obvious. “Whether it’s dog breeding or bridges, if you don’t build them for the purpose you use them, they break.” The more we learn, the more our dogs benefit Pat Hastings' new book, "Let's Make You a Winner" is available for purchase at her website. Hastings noted that one critical “engineering” concept that made an impact on her was that a majority of breeds have three natural balance points. “The head must be above the topline, the neck must be in front of front legs, and the rear slightly behind,” Hastings said. “The better made the dog is, the easier for it to stand still.” Another “blinding flash of the obvious” Hastings describes learning regards front assemblies. “Everybody talks about short upper arms. It’s really easy when you realize that the prosternum is always in a direct line with the point of shoulder,” Hastings noted. “I have never done a seminar in my life that I didn’t learn something,” Hastings added. Frustration prompted new book “As a judge it is frustrating to not be able to put up a nice owner handled dog because they haven’t done anything right. They haven’t raised it, trained it or conditioned it to win. They could be doing so much more winning if they would learn how to do all of it. “It’s really frustrating to hear people complaining about handlers winning. The handler isn’t what’s beating them. The whole package is winning,” Hastings noted. “There are a lot of really good dogs out there that should be doing more winning, but somebody needs to teach them.” All of Hastings books, DVDs and more are available at her website: https://www.dogfolk.com/

Hunting Poodles at Poodle Club of America... No, Really! Jaci Bowman hunting with two standard poodles Jaci Bowman, owner, trainer and handler of hunting Poodles, joins host Laura Reeves to talk about retrieving, upland bird hunting and the history of poodle participation in hunt tests. Bowman began hunting with her poodles in the 1990s. She said that Poodle Club of America originally created a working certificate for the breed, but later poodles were accepted to compete in AKC licensed retriever hunt tests. Three years ago, poodles were also approved to participate in AKC’s hunting tests for spaniels. From the PCA website: “Upland hunting traditionally consists of walking through the fields, locating birds, flushing them out of cover, and shooting and retrieving them. Upland hunting varies widely from the sparse vegetation of the high desert, to the high cover of corn fields, to the dense cover of fence rows, to woodlands. The type of bird varies, based on the habitat. Game birds include pheasant, chukar, partridge, woodcock, doves, various kinds of quail and grouse, and pigeons. With all of them, a good dog makes a valued hunting partner, a role that poodles have been filling for a long, long time.” Poodle History The breed was developed to hunt in marshes, with ancestry tracing to the Irish Water Spaniel, Bowman noted. As a result, they aren’t what she thinks of as “non-slip” retrievers like Labradors and Chesapeakes that were developed exclusively for retrieving downed waterfowl. Not Just Show Dogs Jaci Bowman competing in the hunting class at PCA in 2018. Her dog shows the "modified" trim that is acceptable for AKC shows and makes it easier for dogs to go from field to show ring. PCA national events feature a working certificate test, a retriever test and a spaniel test, along with an opportunity to introduce new dogs and owners to the sport. Bowman said even though the field events are held before the dog show, newly popular “modified” trims enable dogs to transition from one to the other easily. Many of the dogs competing in the field tests are also show champions and compete in other performance venues like agility and obedience as well.

Trafficking in Deadly Diseases from Foreign “Rescues” Our guest blog post today is from Nancy Melone, with additional information about the deadly diseases arriving with foreign "rescues." Thank you for this outstanding research Nancy! Protecting North American Dogs from Imported Disease Pathogens: The Cases of Dog Flu and Distemper* By Nancy Melone, PhD, ThornCreek Bernese, Reg’d. and Eendenkoi Kooikerhondjes Abstract: Protecting dogs and people from imported disease pathogens is a difficult and never-ending task requiring international cooperation and continued vigilance. The recent cases of dog flu and distemper offer vivid examples of the costs, both financial and emotional, of failure to responsibly import animals. This article describes the obstacles to such protection and the process of tracking and identifying unknown pathogens using dog flu and distemper as examples. Protecting companion animals in the US from infectious organisms brought in by imported companion animals is not easy. Unlike the importation of food animals (e.g., cattle, sheep) which is overseen by the US Department of Agriculture, there is no federal oversight over the importation of companion animals. The only requirement for dogs entering the US or Canada is a rabies certificate. As became terrifyingly clear when several dogs imported from India, Iran, and Egypt were found to be rabid despite being “vaccinated,” fake rabies certificates are easy to obtain in some countries. Absent federal oversight, Professor Edward Dubovi, Director of the Virology Laboratory at Cornell University’s Animal Health Diagnostic Center, says, “It’s a 50-state free-for-all with regard to [importing] companion animals. It’s a very unsatisfactory situation if you’re trying to control infectious diseases in our domestic cats and dogs.” The advent and popularity of international dog rescue and increased international and interstate trafficking of dogs has ushered in a new set of animal and human health concerns among infectious disease specialists, veterinarians, physicians, and epidemiologists as well as pet owners and breeders. Companion animals, in particular the family dog, are often seen as sentinels for known and unknown diseases in humans. They are the proverbial canary in the mineshaft. When dogs are imported from around the globe, they can become vectors of diseases that have never been seen in North America. Even diseases that have been eradicated and not seen in the US for decades may pose problems because of drug resistance. Many imported animals, particularly those rescued from underdeveloped or poor nations, enter North America with inadequate veterinary screening, veterinary care, or the benefit of basic vaccination protocols typical of dogs living in the US or Canada. In countries where dogs are raised for meat and regulation of antibiotics is poor, the risk of importing antibiotic-resistant pathogens is very high. Other factors further amplify disease risk, including, but not limited to, international rescue organizations who fail to develop and follow proper quarantine, disinfection and vaccination protocols. However well-intentioned, these rescue efforts put North American dogs at risk of foreign strains of potentially drug-resistant or unknown disease. Diagnosis of sick dogs becomes even more complicated in the case of unknown diseases, because if you have never seen or do not know what you are looking for, it is often hard to find it and when you do, it is often too late. To the extent imported dogs bring in unknown pathogens that are communicable to humans breeders, dog owners, rescuers, veterinarians, and adopters and their extended families are at potential risk. The Case of Dog Flu As many dog owners may recall, a primary focus in the last decade was the containment of two strains (H3N8 and H3N2) of the Canine Influenza Virus (CIV).

All the News That's Fit to Record Welcome to Pure Dog Talk’s “News” Report for Monday, April 1, 2019. I’m your host Laura Reeves. We start today’s show with a brand new report that the Labrador Retriever, America’s most popular dog for, like, a million years running, will be the star of the show at a specialty featuring more than ONE THOUSAND Labs, all wagging their tails in sync, at the Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac. This mind-boggling event, held April 8-12 in Fredrick Maryland features, amongst any number of amazing opportunities to be bruised by a Labrador tail, a *stud dog auction* ---- just think! High bidder wins what?? Swimmers!!! Here at Pure Dog Talk, twice a week we bring our listeners all the news that’s fit to record in regards to our canine companions. And next on the list of major announcements for today is the GALA Poodle Club of America *hunting* entry! Before the Labs even finish up in Maryland, the Poodles take to the field in Missouri! Listen in next week when I talk with an actual goddess of hunting poodles! Hunting Poodles Come to Missouri Anyone who ever had any doubt, Poodles are *clearly* a superior species! This is clearly proven by their ability to carry themselves with dignity no matter what kind of crazy trim their owners opt for… But also because Poodles can earn titles in BOTH a spaniel hunt test (flushing) AND a retriever hunt test (retrieving), in addition to working certificate tests, and, for those who just can’t believe a floofy show dog can be a bird dog too, they offer the opportunity for field aptitude evaluation! We promise this will be better than reading the Mueller report! PS I know a WHOLE bunch of my fans are “in” to murder podcasts… just *sayin* !!! While I KNOW the organizers will work hard to make this a “genteel” exercise, facts are facts…. Bird dogs’ (of which poodles are one) *natural instinct* is to HUNT and DISPATCH prey for dinner….. “Dog murders duck in Missouri” is a headline for which you should be mentally prepared… PCA says: Bring your dog in a flat buckle-type collar and your dog’s favorite toy and see if training to be a retriever is for YOU! We’ll supply the information and any other equipment such as long lines, birds (big and small), wings, bumpers, duck calls, etc. We’ll start by outlining the basics of retriever training, move on to play retrieving with your dog and continue with an introduction to birds. Come watch Poodles at work on land in the morning, experience the basics of retriever training at mid-day and stay to watch Poodles tackle the water in the afternoon. Be sure to bring a chair and water for your dog!” In 2017 *34* poodles were entered in the national hunt tests. So the next time you see a poodle all dressed up with places to be in the show ring, shaved and sculpted and sprayed to the nines, remember that half those 34 dogs passed their tests, even at the master level, and of those, four were also show champions! And THAT is NOT an April Fool’s joke! Meanwhile, in one short month, on May 1, we'll be celebrating National Purebred Dog Day, a day we enjoy the diversity of our breeds like the Pug, a small version of the Mastiff used in battle, though the Pug had the unique position of attacking ankles and not horses, according to NPDD founder, Susi Szeremy. We also celebrate Spinone Italiano, which my mother and I saw for the first time -- sometime in the ‘80s -- in the international encyclopedia of dogs and proclaimed “LOOK! It’s what happens when you have an accident with the wirehair and the Clumber”!!! And no, they are NOT ice cream cones! Speaking of Clumber Spaniels, www.National Purebred Dog Day.com is the place you can go to find out, for SURE, that these really *aren’t* called Cucumbers, Clumsies or Cumberlands….

Pam Bruce: Crime Scene Investigator and Dog Show Judge Pamela Bruce, Canadian and AKC judge. Canadian and AKC judge Pam Bruce recounts her background working as a police investigator for the elite Special Victims Unit in Toronto in part two of her interview with host Laura Reeves. Bruce, a cancer survivor herself, (10 years ago in April she was given three weeks to live) reminds us that dog shows are not curing cancer or solving world peace. Dog people are fascinating Bruce was a real-life Mariska Hargitay in Toronto. Her professional life and dog life frequently intertwined in cases in which Dr. Richard Meen (CKC/AKC judge and long-time breeder) was called as an expert witness in cases dealing with young offenders in which she was the lead investigator. “When I first came on (police work), there was a horse and a woman assigned to every platoon,” Bruce said. “Women were assigned to strip searches, sex assault and child abuse cases. They gave us the janitor's closet to change in.” Bruce spent only a year in uniform. Fascinated by sex offenders and dangerous offenders, she went back to school and specialized in DNA. In another dog show and professional crossover, Bruce finds her “resting bitch face,” while useful in interviewing dangerous offenders, comes across as stern in the show ring. “I learned it in interviews,” Bruce said “because you’re going in with dangerous offenders – all male – who know they can take you on physically, but are really interested in taking you on mentally.” Do the research “I am frequently shocked by the fact that exhibitors don’t know who they’re showing to. They don’t do their research to find out what the judge’s background in dogs is,” Bruce said. “I have never once enabled anyone to speak badly to me about any dog,” Bruce noted. “And I’ve never denied a dog based on who’s on the leash – it doesn’t work that way.” Listen to part one of the interview from last week.

Herding Dogs: “Eye,” Competition and Genetic Instinct Tammy Van Deusen works with Shetland Sheepdogs in herding trials. Herding dog trainer and Shetland Sheepdog breeder Tammy Van Deusen joins host Laura Reeves to share her knowledge. "Give 'em the Eye" We talk about “eye” contact, the way Border Collies and Kelpies control stock, versus “loose eye” breeds such as Shelties and the Belgian breeds, that control the stock with their movement. Van Deusen takes us through all of the testing options, what they are and how to train for them. And most importantly, she talks about the loss of genetic instinct in herding breeds. Van Deusen’s first advice is to find a good instructor. Check out the facility before you sign up, she said. She works with clients who want to see if their dog has herding instinct. She’ll often give them three to four lessons with her “school sheep” to see if the dog will “turn on” to stock. If the dog doesn’t have a lot of drive on stock, Van Deusen said, it can still be successful in other performance sports like agility and obedience. A Sheltie working stock to bring them to the handler. One of the characteristics Van Deusen is looking for in the dogs is whether they are just chasing versus herding the stock to turn and bring it to you. “Too much prey drive won’t make a good herding dog,” she noted. Start proving natural instinct Different breeds work stock differently, Van Deusen said. Certain breeds, like Rottweilers and Corgis, are considered “drovers” – driving the stock forward. Border Collies and Kelpies, with their intense “eye” and low bodies were developed for working huge fields of stock to gather and bring *toward* the handler. The basic farm dog breeds, like Shelties, Tervuren and others, were developed to serve a more multi-purpose function. “Herding judging should be about the sheep,” Van Deusen said. “They’re looking at the path the sheep are taking, are the sheep calm, more so than the dog. How the stock is moving is what the dog is doing. A good herding run is like watching paint dry. Running stock is running meat off the animals and stressing them out. A dog that works too fast, too intense, loses the rancher money.” Genetic loss of performance skills and inherited instinct Shelties work are considered "loose eye, upright" herding breeds who work stock with their movement instead of intense eye contact. Border Collies have been bred for one thing for thousands of years, Van Deusen noted. As such, the breed’s basic instinct remains strong. “A lot of breeds, people don’t care anymore about the herding piece,” Van Deusen said. “In two generations, you can lose instinct. I don’t think people realize that.”    

Pam Bruce: Memories and the Essence of Style in Purebred Dogs Pam Bruce and Michael Canalizo get groovy at Woofstock. Pam Bruce, fourth generation Canadian dog fancier, joins host Laura Reeves in part one of a wide-ranging very personal interview on history, people, judging, breeding and the essence of “style” in purebred dogs. The quintessential dog person, Bruce shares stories and humor and insight reminiscing about the legends of the sport – Michelle Billings, Jane Forsyth, Anne Rogers Clark, Michael Canalizo, Ginny Lyne, Dick Meen and many more. Bruce finished her first dog, a Maltese, at four years old. Her family owned Maltese and later Lhasas. Perhaps best known for her association with Canalizo and the Grandeur Afghans, Bruce breeds Airedales today. Bruce and Canalizo in competition with Ch. Tryst of Grandeur and Ch. Yours Truly of Grandeur. Allowed to Brush In a lifetime of “doing hair,” both brushing and hand stripping, she finds that the two coat types develop balance. “You brush away and pull towards, so the actions balance each other out.” Steeped in the tradition of learning from the ground up, Bruce talks about the tasks that she was “allowed” to do as a young girl. Generational standing gave her no “out” on the grunt work. Being trusted with tasks like cleaning pens and brushing dogs was an “earned” privilege. Being the first person at the dog show was a badge of honor, Bruce noted. Describing her work day as an assistant with one particular handler, she would have all toy dogs bathed before 8 am, dry them in order of their ring time and then work through the bath and blowout of the poodles, Afghan and Lhasa. Pam Bruce showing Ch. Yours Truly of Grandeur to Best in Show. Bruce describes the origin of her understanding of focus, being meticulous, and taking care of the dogs first. “One thing I learned,” Bruce said. “I don’t remember a bad word being said about anyone or their dogs. Everybody has a talent and something to bring to the table. You should never ever speak of anyone poorly because together we make up what is this passion for all of us, which is this sport.” Teamwork to keep breeding dogs As one of the few remaining active connections to the days of big kennels, Bruce continues to emphasize dog shows as an evaluation of breeding stock. “Those big working kennels had numbers,” Bruce said, “but that afforded us the ability to learn the quality (of the dogs).” Pam Bruce with her homebred Airedale. Lacking those facilities in today’s society, Bruce said teamwork picks up the slack. Sharing in a network of other Airedale breeders, “I can go back to the people working with me and get what I need.” “Breeding is about the artform, the intrinsic qualities of the breeds,” Bruce said. “The best indicator of what you’re going to get is what you’ve had. Quality begets quality. You need to have foresight. I’m always breeding three generations ahead.”