Update on Respiratory Virus

As I posted on April 18, after returning home from an indoor all-breed kennel club dog show (see Possible Respiratory Virus Warning post for more info) I can confirm that we, in fact, had picked up a respiratory virus, a.k.a. Kennel Cough. We have two hounds symptomatic with a cough and nasal discharge and one or more others who are coughing without fever. We are temping everyone diligently because the strain originating in Chicago was and is both stealthy and a killer. As reported by my veterinarian, many dogs in that region were behaving normally and were asymptomatic of a cough yet had fevers, and sadly, some died as it was too late.

My veterinarian and I are pursuing a proactive but cautious approach, using Cephalexin on hound(s) with nasal discharge and temping them several times daily. Though we may be conservative, we urge caution against complacency, especially if it is possible that this is the Chicago strain.

One hound was on Cephalexin for four days and did not respond favorably nor quickly enough to our satisfaction, though his temperature was slightly above normal. Therefore, we chose to switch his antibiotic. Due to his being a yearling, age 21 months, I am cautious about using an antibiotic drug that may cause problems during the developing stages of growth in a dog under 18 months of age, such as Baytril or Ciprofloxacin. Though many people assume that the growth plates are closed by the age of 21 months, I believe, in my considered opinion, he is not entirely grown. In my experience, he still has not fully developed and appears quite youthful. So, instead, we are using a combination antibiotic, Clavamox, to treat the bacterial infection, without the risk to further, if any, growth stages. We did so at a significantly greater expense as the drug had to be purchased at our local pharmacy. Though it can be purchased online at a reputable, veterinary pharmacy, such as Drs. Foster & Smith, we did not have time to have it shipped. Notably, this antibiotic drug has a relatively short shelf-life, so we do not keep it on hand. To treat this particular hound's cough we are using Tramadol with good results.

For a wolfhound without nasal discharge nor temperature, we are not treating with any drugs, but again, we monitor their temperatures closely. In general, we will use a cough suppressant, an excellent choice being Robitussin DM. However, the administration is not easy and must be done carefully, so the hound does not aspirate the syrup. Lastly, I administer a good quality Probiotic in pill form to any hound being treated with antibiotic and I also increase all the wolfhound's Vitamin C supplement to as much as 4000 mg per day, given throughout the day and with food. Any questions, just ask.

Type or Soundness, Which Do You Choose?

A long time ago, in what seemed to be a different world from that of today's purebred dog conformation sport, conversations used to take place regarding type and soundness. Back then, we read magazine interviews with well-known judges and one paraphrased question often put to them was "Which would you choose, type or soundness?" As was usually the case, many all-breed judges replied, "You cannot have one without the other."

In these earlier times, there was some fluidity of type in a sundry, but not many, of the breeds. As we fast forward to today, this archetypal question should be reexamined. In general, many dogs have experienced vital losses in "characteristic qualities that distinguish their breed" (The Complete Dog Book) and particularly, the sport now comprises an unusual audience with the majority of participants having varying skill-sets.

Unfortunately, countless hobbyists are unschooled and therefore, define soundness in miscellaneous ways. They do not understand the science behind the function of the parts as do educated breeders long familiar with the academics of soundness. The concept, state or being sound is fittingly described by Edward Gilbert & Thelma Brown as "Soundness is fitness to function" in their famous book K-9 Structure & Terminology. They expand on the definition of soundness by adding that it is a dog who is fit to perform whatever function it is designed to carry out, and that unsoundness can be due to poor conformation, lack of coordination or condition.

An antithesis to this dictum, "soundness is fitness to function" would be, for example, a wolfhound specimen who, in the judges opinion, has a typical outline and gaits cleanly, coming and going. However, the dog has 'stuck-on' forequarters. This is a structural condition of inadequate shoulder angulation with the legs forwardly placed on the skeleton accompanied by a flat, or shallow prosternum indicating there is insufficient muscling. Thus, this dog is both unsound and atypical; he lacks breed type and the qualities essential to the breed standard.

The reasons are that a wolfhound’s chest is part of the dog's mass developed for impact and is a tool for wounding fierce game. Above all, a properly developed chest is necessary to prevent injury to the frontal portion of the dog's skeletal structure. When the wolfhound hunts and launches itself on the prey (typically on the backside of the neck) a lack of fill and forechest, along with incorrect forequarters (set too far forward), can maim the wolfhound as it hits the prey. If the impact is too jarring the Wolfhound may suffer disorientation, depending on the game, this may provide an opportunity for the hunted to turn on the hunter. This is an affirmed doctrine applicable to Sighthounds that hunt large game and is as old as time. It is a familiar requirement to the ancient Afghan Hound breed as well as the Northern Scenthound breed, the Norwegian Elkhound, that requires ‘fill’ to protect the dog from the harmful impact of hooves.

In former decades, unsound or bad forequarters had always been a leading issue throughout the breeds, but today this is not the case. Now, there are even more 'bad front ends', but interestingly the magnitude of so many has seemed to lessen their objectionability while increasing their permissibility. Go ahead and stand outside a conformation show ring and behold the number of poorly structured exhibits. Presently, many hobbyists wrongly conclude that the term 'soundness' only pertains to the gait action while coming and going; single or double tracking towards the observer, driving off while going away and the absence of lameness. Any variations while traveling, such as moving wide, padding, weaving in the front, and narrow or hockiness in the rear are faulty. Remarkably, to many a fancier, the term 'soundness' is subjective with many believing that a dog is sound as long as it moves cleanly. In reality, the true definition of soundness, as applied to canines, has been hijacked or in a sense has devolved.

Just a small percentage of exhibitors and judges understand that soundness relates to the whole construction of the dog, meaning correctly constructed forequarters and hindquarters. Faulty or otherwise unsound examples would be steep shoulders, stuck-on forequarters, straight upper arms, over-angulation of the stifle and or length of the tibia, steep or flat croups, etcetera.

However, we are faced with yet another dilemma: the era of generic show dogs. I am fond of challenging people to take photographs of selected breeds, then crop out the heads and show them to hobbyists. I believe numerous people would be unable to identify the breeds because a large number of dogs have become plain, they lack type. Just plain ole' vanilla. Breed type is a principal component in judging. Phenotype and the quintessence of a breed are what characterizes a dog from not just an average specimen, but from other breeds as well. Breeding programs and dogs who are lacking type, in my opinion, is a sobering misdeed. Judging and awarding those deficient in type is as well since judges can cause great harm to a breed.  Adjudicating is a responsibility that should never be taken lightly as losing breed essence is not trivial. Moreover, it can be very hard to recover.

By and large, all-breed dog show judges will fault a dog for less than ideal 'down and back' movement. To illustrate, Dog A embodies breed essence, therefore, is 'typey' but may move slightly wider while traveling towards a judge. Shamefully, this dog most probably will be undervalued as compared to Dog B, which is ordinary or not distinctive in appearance, yet single tracks cleanly. Or, if Dog A moved somewhat close behind as compared to Dog B whose hocks were parallel. In my year's of observation, there is a significantly greater tendency for all-breed judges to award generic Dog B over 'typey' Dog A.

This is why, in my opinion, the original question needs to be reexamined. If we are forced to identify with the limited and widespread interpretation of soundness today, then let it be said that even a mixed breed dog can move soundly. It is important to mention that I do not refer to, include nor forgive locomotive faults and failings such as sickle-hocked, padding, and hackney action, to name just a few. These are the obvious effects of unsound engineering.

Specialty breed judges are often guilty of the same type of adjudication as many all-breed judges. It is referred to as 'fault judging' as both sets of judges cannot see the forest for the trees. Often, we see these judges 'paint themselves into a corner,' having limited their choices to such an extent that they ended up with an apparent mishmash of specimens. Consequently, they have done a disservice to the breed. For instance, one time a specialty breed judge informed me that my bitch had "beautiful type, and was a gorgeous mover" but commented that she was moving slightly close behind and excused her from further competition. A situation like this is disheartening when a judge recognizes distinguishing characteristics that embody the breed's structure, gait, and shape but is unconcerned with awarding them.  

I wholly subscribe to the dictum 'soundness is fitness to function.' Nevertheless, I also believe that mediocrity is not a goal nor is ordinariness the level of the bar that determines success. Despite what is happening regularly at our dog show competitions.

I agree with Samuel Evans Ewing III, when in 1978, he stated the following:
“…if I had to choose between the two. I would go first to type and then to soundness. I think the soundness is determined somewhat by the type of the animal and its purpose in life.”

Possible Respiratory Virus Warning

A quick alert to everybody. Please be aware that after attending the Trap Falls Kennel Club on April 10, 2016, at the Eastern Exposition Center, otherwise known as the Big E, in Springfield Massachusetts one of my exhibited wolfhounds is symptomatic of kennel cough. Notably, this was our wolfhounds first indoor dog show, therefore, we had spent a great deal of time inside getting them acclimated to the environment as it provided valuable training. Normally, when I attend indoor dog shows I spend as little time inside as possible to limit my hounds exposure to potential viruses. 

We are in the beginning stages of this kennel cough, to the best of my observation, so the severity of this particular virus is still yet to be known. It could be a minor respiratory virus that will not require aggressive drug protocols. I will repost if it does become a much more serious viral infection. 

Toxins in Motel & Hotel Rooms

Recently, my husband and I attended an all-breed dog show and our ring time made it necessary for us to get a motel room the night before. Because we would not arrive until 11:00 PM and were checking out at around 6:30AM, I reserved a room at a budget hotel chain. It was only for 6 or 7 hours so why spend the extra money on a higher priced hotel room. It was here that I had growing concerns on an issue that I do not believe has even crossed people's minds: formaldehyde emissions from substandard flooring and furniture in budget motel accommodations.

This is a credible concern, especially for dog show exhibitors who frequently stay overnight in motels while traveling to distant dog shows. Although gasoline costs have lessened dramatically from several years back, many people try to save their hard-earned money and typically, the motel accommodation is the largest expense for dog show clusters or specialties. So, it is both sensible and natural that people choose a budget motel as inevitably, they spend most of the day at the dog show anyway and are only in their rooms in the evening. This budget motel we overnighted briefly in was fully booked with dog show exhibitors as is usually the case for many of the economical chains for weekend dog shows.

Everyone saves money, but, at what cost?

Here is the concern. Economical motel rooms commonly contain substandard quality furniture and on average, are usually smaller in size than mid-range hotels. Why does this matter? Formaldehyde emissions: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen. Many budget motel rooms are small and due to the lack of square footage, they have less ventilation. These tight quarters, combined with the low-grade furniture made of composite wood products and laminated flooring may have higher emissions of this colorless, flammable gas. Breathing in the air that has off-gassed formaldehyde can have adverse health effects. Even more, formaldehyde can and will continue off-gassing, polluting the indoor air for great lengths of time, though for how long is hotly disputed between the experts. Some say years, some say indefinitely, some say shorter durations.

According to the EPA: Formaldehyde is found in resins used in the manufacture of composite wood products (i.e., hardwood plywood, particleboard, and medium-density fiberboard). It is found in building materials and insulation and products such as glues, permanent press fabrics, paints and coatings, lacquers and finishes, and paper products, to name a few. Keep in mind that much economical furniture is composite products with veneer or laminate, all held together with added formaldehyde based glues then pressed together. Most people watched or had heard about the 60 Minutes segment that investigated a national flooring company, Lumber Liquidators. The investigators found that Lumber Liquidators' Chinese-made laminate flooring contained amounts of toxic formaldehyde that did not meet health and safety standards, in accordance with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulation. Currently, this is the only regulation in the country that reduces public exposure to formaldehyde through the establishment of strict emission performance standards.

How does this affect us? Many dog shows are held throughout the colder seasons, and people turn on the heat in their hotel room. According to the EPA, the rate at which formaldehyde is released is accelerated by heat and may also depend somewhat on the humidity level. The EPA recommends that people use air conditioning to control or reduce humidity which can help reduce formaldehyde emissions. They also recommend increasing ventilation which can be impossible in many motel accommodations. However, even with the air conditioning unit running, especially in such a tight quarters, this only helps to reduce, not eliminate the off-gassing. As we sleep, we breathe in this colorless gas in very close proximity to and parallel with the bed frame furniture, sometimes just inches away. Notably, we are also elevated just a few feet off the laminated floor. Formaldehyde causes irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat and can also cause symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and dizziness. Moreover, high levels of exposure may cause some types of cancers. 

Most likely many people are not aware of the exposures. It just dawned on me this past weekend. What to do about it? Well, there are no hotel industry guidelines that I can find on the subject, except for the American Hotel & Lodging Association's sustainable greening guidelines. But, we all know that green hotels are a significant minority and very hard to find. We may very well be stuck between a rock and a hard place. For those exhibitors who are frequent motel guests, if possible, staying in larger deluxe accommodations may be helpful. Also, using the air conditioner regardless of the season can decrease humidity in the room, although panting dogs will elevate this level back up again. I am not an environmental air quality expert but if you begin to experience symptoms of headaches, sinus and eye irritations you should alert hotel management and, if possible, be moved to another room. Keep in mind that even deluxe hotels may be newly furnished or had recently undergone renovations. If so, the room's renovations and furniture initially will contain higher emissions of formaldehyde via off-gassing, unless they were refurbished with organic wood furniture or carpeting, which is highly unlikely. Inquire when making reservations if a the motel or hotel has recently undergone restorations or improvements. You might base your decision then on the quality level of the hotel and the room size, such as a suite with greater square footage allowing for greater ventilation, or that has windows that can open.

Just know that the EPA currently has no national standards in place for formaldehyde in composite wood products. They are supposedly reviewing regulations. So, at present, there are no safeguards for your respiratory health while staying in any accommodations, unless of course, one resides in California.

The Front End

Lately, having returned from a specialty breed show, as well as an all-breed dog show, I am now, more than ever, flummoxed with the quality of purebred dogs. I will add more conversations and thoughts on several other topics, but this post is concerning the forequarter assembly. I am speechless about the condition of front ends on dogs.

I ask myself over and over again, the same questions. Do breeders not understand what comprises a correct, faultless, forequarter detailed for their breed? Do breeders not care about a front assembly? What's more, the judges themselves, ignore or are unable to recognize an unsound, faulty, just-plain-wrong, front end! For longtime fanciers who read this, they will recall the comprehensive conversations among hobbyists and judges, in all-breeds, which took place a decade and more past about forequarters. It was an ongoing hot topic issue. Magazines abounded with articles on the defective, bad front assemblies of purebred dogs at our conformation shows. You could not get away from it. Whenever you joined a conversation at a dog show, inevitably, the conversation turned to bad fronts. Still, here we are today with the same old issue. But, I believe it is even more pervasive now than 10-20 years ago.

I just don't get how a major anatomical abnormality has been neglected, disregarded and overlooked, to such an extent that, it has been deemed acceptable and has frequently been rewarded? Have we rewritten all the science books and literature on canine anatomy and I missed all the book signing events? Why didn't anyone tell me!?

Here I include an edited article I wrote several years ago that was published in the Canine Chronicle magazine, titled, "The Front End." It is not just a tedious discussion on shoulder layback or stuck-on fronts but rather; it talks about the outcomes of 'breeders' lacking anatomy education or concerns who are producing litters of puppies which they place into companion homes. A poorly informed, undiscerning breeder affects new pet owner’s lives. A breeder may be cultivating a bloodline of dogs that are structurally unsound and incorrect, or that have congenital defects such as poor muscle development. Due in large part to their lack of schooling, in some a willful lack of concern, the breeder is unaware of their dog's engineering problems, and the importance of the musculoskeletal system which affects, by way of perpetuation in their breeding programs, future quality of life. Incorrect angulation and poor assembly cause additional stress to tendons predisposing dogs to increased injuries to their bones, joints, muscle, tendons, ligaments, and feet. Inferior muscling or unbalanced muscling increases susceptibility to injury as well.

The repercussions, in almost all cases, are that the defects cause pain making it necessary for pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications over the course of a dog’s lifespan as they age and break down, due to poor conformation. I can only hope that my article makes a difference somehow and with someone.

The Front End

View fullsize

Here We Go Again, Foreign Dog Show Judges

Well, I am just back from a Specialty Breed Dog Show with another International Judge presiding over the judging competition, and all I can say is, here we go again! There are too many instances of foreign judges who are not familiar with AKC Procedures presiding over AKC dog show assignments. We are continuously running into the same problem, over and over again. I discussed this very topic in my previous Blog Post from February 20, 2016, titled "Foreign Judges" after attending the 2016 Westminster Kennel Club dog show.

International judges must be required, by the show giving clubs themselves, to be fully versed in the methods of awards as well as AKC Conformation Judges Guidelines & Rules. Although spectators, members, and exhibitors may assume that this is a common-sense expectation already enforced; it is not. I can assure you of that.

I cannot tell you how many times I have been to our breed specialty shows, as well as one or more all-breed shows, such as the recent 2016 Westminster Kennel Club dog show, and the foreign judges adjudication methods were chaotic and mixed-up. They appeared confused and discombobulated with our award procedures and this past weekend's specialty show was no different.

This international judge was flummoxed. Simple as that. Concluding his examination over the Best of Breed entries, the judge reduced the size of the class and in doing so, cut out all but one of his female Best of Breed entries. He also excused his Veteran winner(s) which, age-old etiquette, at least in our breed, is that you keep the Veteran class winners in the ring until the conclusion of judging. Even though the judge may not be considering them for the top awards, this is done as both a courtesy and as a show of respect. An exception to this protocol would include severe weather or hot & humid conditions that would make it unsafe for the Veterans to remain in the show ring. However, at this particular show and on this day, there were no weather-related issues.

After further deliberation, the judge prepared to award Best of Breed, but, first, an embarrassing announcement had to go out requesting all female Best of Breed entries to please return to the show ring! This was after several of those exhibitors had walked off already. For those who may not realize, the necessary call-back was to award Select Bitch. To do so, if quality warrants, the judge is to choose Select Bitch from the remaining champions, of that sex, in the ring (but you do not consider Winners Dog, Winners Bitch or Best of Winners as they are ineligible.) The problem was that he had already dismissed all the female champions. What mayhem.

So, the judge proceeds to award Best of Breed to the female champion entry from the original cut. Then, minutes and minutes ticked by as the judge consulted with the chief steward over at the judges table before reappearing to award his Best of Opposite Sex. Next, the judge attempts to award Select Dog to his Winners Dog as the Handler loudly reacts, and I paraphrase, "No, you cannot give me that, he is not a champion; you can only award that to a champion." Sheepishly, the judge withdraws the rosette, wholly flustered now and after another moment or two walks over and hands it to a male champion. He then awards his Select Female and then once again, returns to his Winners Dog to bestow on him his one Award of Merit!

This was an unfortunate mishandling of the situation. The disorganization was obvious, and spectators were vocal in their annoyance. It appeared as one or more exhibitors were vexed as well, and it was both awkward and painful to watch. By the way, for those asking what is the problem with awarding Winners Dog with an Award of Merit? There is no obstacle in doing so, however, consider that the judge had already lined up his cut of champion dogs that he deemed worthy of Best of Breed consideration. Then, after the earlier mix-ups and his visible puzzlement he alternatively gives it to Winners Dog. Thus, in doing so, he implies that his selections of champion hounds initially regarded for the top honor were not, in his opinion and on that day, deserving of an honorable mention.

Experienced exhibitors, as well as judges, shake their heads hearing stories like this. Some react by saying these instances demand skilled ring stewards to guide the international judge, keeping the momentum flowing while advising on the appropriate rules and proper etiquette. But, this does not happen! By all means, stewards and volunteer kennel club members work very hard but most of the ring stewards today are not thoroughly seasoned dog show exhibitors or AKC judges. Nor are they versed in AKC Conformation Guidelines and & Rules of Procedures. Why do we place the onus on a show steward who may or may not have an assertive or confident nature to speak up and interrupt the adjudication process? Some of these clubs today are lucky to have a warm body in the ring with the judge let alone a veteran knowledgeable with dog show rules and procedures.  

So, what then? Well, first, we must look to the international who accepted the judging assignment. I am bewildered why so many of the European and British judges are not schooled in AKC judging procedures long before they arrive for their assignment. Do they think they can just wing it? If it were me, I would be ashamed. Honestly, I would investigate and learn how to adjudicate properly in an unfamiliar judging system well before I showed up. Of course, none of this is to say that a judge cannot make a mistake. I know full well that on occasion, a judge can accidentally get mixed up due to extenuating circumstances. Indeed, it happened to me as I remember the event like yesterday. In 2010, I was assigned to judge Irish Wolfhounds at Pennsylvania's Bryn Mawr Kennel Club. After waiting around under a stuffy tent in 90-degree temperatures with a much higher heat index, I began judging. I was sweltering and light-headed and so, during a momentary heat induced state-of-confusion, as the Bred By Exhibitor bitch class was in a final gait, I pointed and mistakenly called the first place bitch "Winners Bitch." Even though I still had yet to judge my Open bitch class.

Mistakes happen, and they always will but in my past decades experience observing and showing under many international judges, it unquestionably is not a slip-up but undeniably, a clear lack of knowledge. Our frustration grows...

Looking Back

While researching material on my computer for a friend of mine I rediscovered this intriguing and somewhat humorous article I wrote in 2005, at the request of the Irish Wolfhound Club of England for their annual magazine. Wow, it brought me back in time. It is entertaining (in a dark way) in several parts as it describes trials & tribulations of dog show travel. It also provides insights into our breed. Revelations on the transformation our cherished breed has undergone during these past decades population bout. Physical alterations or transfigurations of the wolfhound that are, most definitely, not for the better. And they remain prominent today, 11 years later. I thought I'd share this article. You'll have to forgive the weak writing style, but I thought the sincerity of the original article was refreshing. Though I had to edit here and there for some clarity, it is almost in its original state. Again, the article was based in 2005, and I composed it just after New Years Day.

I first would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. In my previous role as Editor of the Irish Wolfhound Club of America’s Harp & Hound magazine, I had solicited articles on the overall state of the Irish Wolfhound breed. In turn, I am now writing for you, and I hope this is not too lengthy, but I wanted to share my experiences.

We just wound down from a busy summer and fall regional specialty season on the East Coast of the United States. The specialty show season began with the Irish Wolfhound Association of New England (IWANE) held at the end of July followed by the Irish Wolfhound Association of the Delaware Valley (IWADV) show in autumn. We finished out the year with the newest regional specialty show, the Irish Wolfhound Association of the Garden State (IWAGS). This year, I attended all three shows as I drove from my home in the mountains of Lake Placid, New York. Each specialty's round-trip driving times were anywhere from 10 to 15 hours plus, with two of these specialties only two weeks apart. I can honestly say I was tired and after one show; I was lucky to be alive! That story will come further down.

The U.S. is so large many of us are only able to see one another at regional specialty shows. It is great fun to see old acquaintances as we swap stories and experiences shared over cocktails or dinner. Many of us not had not seen each other for years, however; we settle back in as if it were only yesterday that we spoke. Here, I share my perspective on the hound's overall depth of quality at these three regional specialties, but first, let me narrate on some entertaining misadventures.

The IWANE show was held in Rhode Island July 31-August 1, 2005, and was again a tremendous success for the oldest IW club in the U.S.. Founded in 1934; IWANE held its Seventy-First Specialty with temperate weather and an entry of 163 dogs. Presiding over the show was Mrs. Jean Malley and Sweepstakes with Mrs. Jackie Carswell. The ladies (and Dave Malley) appeared to enjoy themselves especially after the show had ended with some fun dinner parties. If I may make a suggestion to those of you who may be asked to judge future IWANE shows; it falls within some of the warmest days of the season, so a great summer hat is indispensable to keep the hot summer sun off your head and it protects your eyes from the glare. The judge’s comfort is essential when going over many hounds in a two-day period and Jean bravely endured the sun. There may be readers who will state that a hat might scare young dogs or even adult hounds. However, one cannot use such an excuse to justify a skittish or shy hound. These hounds must have character, steadfastness and confidence, and a hat just does not qualify as a dangerous or frightening experience.

A point of note, this show was the opening saga of my misfortunes over the three-month regional specialty tour. We begin with our brand new, pricey tent weighing in at 71 pounds that my husband and I erected ringside. This tent had removable side panels, an awning for sun protection and roller shade for the hounds. On the second day, a strong wind gust came along out of nowhere (it was the only gust of wind that struck over the duration of the show) and blew our tent up off the ground and over my two 8-month-old puppies sleeping beneath it landing partially in the show ring. It turns out that my husband forgot to stake the tent down! It took almost six people to catch and wrestle the tent preventing it from blowing further, thus preventing a complete disaster as there were numerous other tents positioned within reach that contained wolfhounds. Thankfully, at that moment, there were no dogs in the ring when this occurred. As a result, our expensive tent was damaged beyond repair. In conjunction with the lack of shade now, there was a communication error concerning my check-out departure date from the show's headquarters hotel. The front desk mistakenly had me leaving one-day early resulting in a very stressful afternoon spent by my husband and the show chairman running around trying to persuade the fully booked hotel to allow me to stay. Remarkably, just before I was supposed to have vacated my room did the word finally come that they had a cancellation, and I could remain in my room for another day.

Moving on to the next specialty. The Delaware Valley Specialty show celebrated their 25th anniversary and was held October 9-10, 2005. Presiding over the show were Mr. Per Lundstrom and Sweepstakes with Ms. Jose Cornelisse with 237 dogs entered. Geographically, the Delaware Show is a more centrally located show in the US and, therefore, more accessible for exhibitors. Hence, the entries are larger than other regional specialties. My journey began with torrential rain showers and slick driving conditions and continued long after arrival at the show's headquarters hotel. It also rained during the show!

Oh boy, my specialty mishaps grew. This time, I was traveling alone without the help of my husband and due to the driving rain storms my trip took approximately nine hours, and I nearly turned back. After arriving, I had to exercise the hounds in the driving rain and despite my rain gear, I was soaked to the bone. In addition to my discomfort and travel ordeals, there were not enough ground floor rooms in the hotel for the exhibitors. So, my room was on the 2nd floor accessible only by an elevator with one glass wall. I had the difficulty of hauling up (in elevators) exercise pens, blankets and suitcases by myself and astonishingly, the hotel had only one luggage cart, and it was not available. With me were four, well-behaved wolfhounds ages eight years, a 6-month old and two 11-months of age. So that I could exit the hotel to exercise the hounds, I had to walk down a long corridor that led to the bank of elevators which seemed to take forever to arrive. While waiting for the elevators, I hopelessly tried to convince the three puppies not to relieve themselves on the carpet after a long night's sleep as they wound their leashes around my legs. Did I mention that none of my hounds had ever seen an elevator, let alone one with a glass wall? Once we made it down, we still had to rush down a long hallway to reach the exterior hotel doors and make a break for it through the cascading rain. It certainly is not pleasant staying in a hotel room with four, wet wolfhounds. Notwithstanding my personal calamities, the specialty judges seemed to enjoy themselves, and both were very courteous and friendly.

Finally, onto the last regional show of the year, IWAGS. This new club was holding its second Specialty Show on October 30-31st, 2005. Presiding over the judging was Mrs. Jenny Dove and Sweepstakes with the indomitable Lois Thomasson and an entry of 176 dogs. It was a fine show in a lovely location, and it appears that this specialty will enjoy a prosperous future. This particular specialty show stands out by offering Veteran dog classes by age classification as well as a Veteran Sweepstakes. The classes are defined as Bronze Class six years and under eight years; Silver Class is eight years up to nine years and finally, Gold Class nine years and over. Additionally, this specialty provides a non-regular Field Trial class (same status as the Veterans class) with the winner competing for Best of Breed as do the Veteran Class winners. For the experienced breeder, observing the veterans is necessary. The veterans are integral in how we plan our future breedings; they directly affect our success. They show the way as well as show us where we’ve been. To illustrate, I have observed veteran hounds that move with considerable difficulty moving at many specialty shows. How are we to improve the longevity and overall quality of the hounds without proper concentration on the breed’s current veterans who are the dams and sires of many hounds exhibited today? This show at the very least is making a determined effort to celebrate our veteran hounds.

As for my ongoing mishaps saga, it began with the first leg of my trip and continued downhill from there. Driving down, I noted that my 15-passenger, one-ton van's brakes seemed to be grinding. I arrived one day in advance of the show and brought the van in for a brake inspection. The verdict was that not only the front brake pads but also the brake rotors required repair. I replaced the brakes and was off to the show honestly believing that I averted any automotive tragedies. We enjoyed the show, despite an incident where my veteran bitch appeared to have a vehement disagreement with my yearling bitch, who was beginning estrus, nearly giving 20 of us heart attacks thinking that the young bitch was mortally wounded. Of course, nothing of the kind happened nor were there any wounds as apparently the Veteran female felt it necessary to put the young lassie in her place and it was all fury and no bite.

Ahh, the return trip home. Here begins the next leg of my adventure. Sincerely, this event was one of my most frightening, ever, and one I will never forget. On approach to a set of toll booths on a busy Interstate highway, I discovered that I had lost all my brakes. These were the same brakes that I replaced several days earlier. Fortunately, I was in the right-hand lane, and moreover, there was no car in front of me, so I was able to cruise through the toll booth without crashing as the van slowed to a stop after some distance. After waiting about two hours for a tow truck, I was brought to a nearby car dealership. This time, the verdict was that the brake lines were entirely corroded, and had to be replaced. Here I was, by myself, with four Wolfhounds, broken down many hours away from home with one female who was in the beginning of her season, and I had a young, immature male with me. Looking back, it seems comical now but in real time, it was anything but funny.

While the van was up on an elevator lift, I was in the parking lot with four wolfhounds. I heroically and desperately tried to hold the 12-month inexperienced male away from the young bitch in anestrus. Meanwhile, my other two wolfhounds circled my legs and attempted to pull my arms out of their sockets by going in different directions. Amazingly, during this time people walked up to me somehow oblivious to both my dilemma and my exasperation asking me the usual. “How much do they eat?” “What kind of dogs are they?” “You must have a big house!” “Put a saddle on it!” “Can I ride it?”

Yet, the most bizarre comment was still to come when a man shouted across the parking lot, “I’ll give you two-thousand dollars for the big one!” Needless to say, this was the last straw for me. I implored of several car salesmen, who magically appeared, to hold the three bitches while I marched into the service building and had the van lowered off the service lift. I put the young, 12-month old male back into the van and swoop, up he and the van went while I and the three bitches waited for nearly five hours as the vehicle was repaired. During this time, I received frequent updates from the servicemen as they were quite amused because my young male was frequently howling while he was in the van, up on a lift about eight feet in the air.  

To conclude this part of my saga, my van is now supposedly repaired, and I am told, finally, that the vehicle was ready. I loaded up my dogs and away we went, shaken but thankful we were not injured or possibly killed. Now it is dark out, and I had another 4 to 5-hour drive, including the Adirondack mountain roads, ahead of me. About one hour from home, at 11:00 p.m. in 20 degrees Fahrenheit weather, in the mountains with no cellular service and no nearby towns, I approached the highway exit ramp and quickly learned my brakes were, again, entirely gone! Now, I am in an especially bad area for this to happen. Many Wolfhound exhibitors may remember, as they attended the 1997 and 1998 Irish Wolfhound Club of America’s National Specialty in Lake Placid, that the roadway that lay ahead was carved through the mountain passes and could be unnerving, especially at night, as the first 10 miles has steep drops next to ravines. I persevered and white-knuckled the journey home, though very slowly in third gear at about 20 miles an hour. Without any doubt, this specialty show season was one for the record books, and that is how I finished up my 2005 summer and fall regional specialties.

I now will remark on our breed and its condition, but I first want to make a point. The United States or for that matter North America is an enormous continent. In it resides many, many wolfhounds and so with this vast size should come great possibilities. We, breeders, should be seeking the most exceptional quality in the least amount of breedings, as less equals more. Ordinarily, quality over quantity reigns but, in wolfhound breeding, unhappily, this is no longer the case, and now more is better. To offset this trend, careful planning and research in health, genetics and fundamental physical breed characteristics along with valuable mentor and peer knowledge can have positive results. The upshot being fewer litters with more quality hounds.

Henceforth, I shall comment and speak in generalities regarding the overall depth of quality of the Irish Wolfhound breed. My intent is simply to give the reader some perspective as to what I have observed, and I am not singling out any specific kennel or dog, nor am I saying there are a lack of positive qualities. To begin, much-needed attention should be paid to insufficient rear drive. Even though poor handling can affect a dog’s movement; an experienced observer can still assess locomotion. In conjunction with poor rear drive, there is a lack of reach in far too many of the hounds. I also observed both improper, flat toplines both in profile and the hounds losing their shape on the move. Type and silhouette without exaggeration are paramount to our breed. We see far too few hounds today having the correct type and shape of a rough-coated, Greyhound-like breed and also what’s called for in our standard "with great height at the shoulder” indicating proper leg length.

That is not to say we should disregard a smaller bitch that meets the breed standard of 30 inches or a powerful 32-inch dog that stands well over his ground if they have the increased ratio of leg length of a galloping sighthound with the requisite Greyhound-like shape. Would we as breeders and exhibitors condone or accept short-legged greyhounds? I have noted that along with the shorter leg length is exaggeration and overangulation. Hounds that are overdone. Several years back, while editor of the IWCA Harp & Hound magazine, I had set forth this very topic of discussion to my overseas correspondents. These included Jean Malley, Tim Finney and Francis McEvoy. It was an engaging dialogue that I found to be most interesting and constructive. Some breeders will disagree with me on this point, however; it is my belief that such overangulation can be obstructive, rather fashionable and coupled with short legs, it is incorrect. Moreover, I have observed overangulated hounds that “breakdown” as they age and who have difficulty gaiting, or in more severe cases, they developed significant instability or even paralysis. On a much more positive note: I will say that I was pleasantly surprised that I saw a very few shy hounds at the shows.

The 6 Pillars of Choosing Commercial Pet Foods

Some of the most popular material on my Ballyhara Irish Wolfhounds website is the page Irish Wolfhound Diet & Nutrition, which, of course, is not just applicable for wolfhounds but any dog whatsoever. Since some of my Readers do feed dry dog food, I thought it may be helpful to share information from Dr. Jean Dodds Tumblr Blog on commercial pet food published last week "The Six Pillars of Choosing Commercial Dog Food"  with an excerpt from her post.

The Six Pillars of Choosing Pet Food

1. Ingredients
a. What are they?
b. Will your pet have a sensitivity reaction to any of them?

2. Sourcing
a. Where do the ingredients come from?
b. Are the grains, potatoes and vegetable ingredients GMO-free and organic
c. Are the proteins grass-fed or free-range?
d. Where do the added vitamins and minerals originate?

See my two articles “Food Sourcing: Six tips when choosing your pet’s diet” and “GMO Foods and Mycotoxins in Pet Foods” for more information.

3. Processing – Do you want kibble, raw or dehydrated?
See my article “The Six Processed Forms of Dog and Cat Food”.

4. Manufacturing
a. Has the manufacturer had any recent recalls?
b. What do you know about their facilities and food handling practices?
c. Is the food made in the company’s own plant or in a plant making products for many or several food companies?

See my article “A Hush-Hush Topic: Mislabeled, undeclared, unidentified, or missing ingredients from pet foods”.

5. Additives
a. Are the preservatives natural or synthetic (artificial)?
b. Does it contain artificial colors?

See my blog post “The Cat That Ate the Kibble”.

6. Balanced
a. Is the food balanced for your pet?
b. If not, will you need to supplement or worry about vitamin and mineral toxicity?

See my article “Vitamin and Minerals – Supplementation and Overdoing It”.

Moreover, I think those people who do feed commercial dog food can find additional practical advice in another of Dr. Dodds post's Food Sourcing: Six Tips When Choosing Your Pet’s Diet

Here is a another brief but important excerpt from Dr. Dodds post:

Six Quick Tips

• Made in the XXX…Made in a certain country does not mean the ingredients were sourced from the same country or even surrounding countries. Animal proteins are especially of concern. If a company cannot unequivocally tell you from where the meat is sourced, stay away. Make sure the farming practices from the source country have a good and reliable record. 

• US Labeling
  - Cage Free: The phrases “cage free” and “free range” do not pertain to what the animal was fed, but how humanely it was raised. While cage free is definitely an improvement over Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO), the term is not regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). So, you will have to have faith that the producers are ethical in their claims. 
  - Free Range: In order to obtain labels bearing the claim “free range,” producers must provide a brief description of the housing conditions with the label, when it is submitted to USDA’s Labeling Program and Delivery Division (LPDD) for approval. The written description of the housing conditions is reviewed to ensure there is continuous, free access to the out-of-doors for over 51% of the animals’ lives, i.e., through their normal growing cycle. 
  - Grass-Fed: To use this on a label, the USDA requires farmers to ensure their animals have access to the outdoors during the grass growing season, which could be only six months out of the year in some states. The diet should be derived solely from forage consisting of grass (annual and perennial), forbs (e.g., legumes, Brassica), or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state. This is definitely preferred and we hope the USDA will make the guidelines more stringent. 

• Has this company had any recent food recalls? If so, what was the reason: ingredient sourcing or equipment? Has it been adequately addressed, as far as you can discern?

• Is the food declared to be free of wheat, corn and soy?

• Does the food contain rosemary or oregano (most pet foods do), which should not be fed if your dog is an epileptic.

• Remember that commercial dry foods can contain other ingredients than those declared on the label. So, if your dog appears not to tolerate the food you select, this could be one of the reasons.

I hope that this info helps even the most veteran breeder or dog enthusiasts in their efforts to supply the very best nutrition available for their dogs. 

It's All About the Money!

Our purebred dog conformation events have been transformed. The first sentence in the AKC Mission Statement is, “The American Kennel Club is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its Registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function.”  I would suggest “...and breeding for type and function” needs reconsideration and updating.

Just about everyone will agree that conformation dog shows no longer highlight the best breeding stock to perpetuate the breeds. Clearly, many of today’s breed exhibits are not products of breeding for type and function. Rather they are the results of breeding for the accepted and often sought after exaggerations and extremes which produce dysfunctional show dogs. Such as bird dogs with keels similar to a prow of a sailing boat; spaniels with incredibly domed skulls; dogs with necks like a swan; galloping sighthounds with short legs and level toplines; or shepherds standing on nearly horizontal metatarsal bones, to name just a few.

The breed ring is commonly a crapshoot. The exception to this rule is if a professional handler is exhibiting then this may improve the odds of winning. Breed metamorphosis usually influences the unknown or uncertain aspect of dog show adjudication’ by incompetent or uninformed judges. In my article “What Are They Looking For?” I discussed the lack of knowledge and capability for some judges to explain ‘why they did what they did’ after they quickly point to a dog(s) in a class for a win.

There are numerous, interesting articles by respected adjudicators who recognize and discuss the transmutations taking place throughout the breeds. We talk about the arbitrary state of judging, and though everyone hears what we say, it seems no one is LISTENING because nowadays, to win, extremes and or generics are how you have to play the game. It is àpropos to quote AKC Judge and long-time breeder Katie Gammill here.

“The best of the best or one that looks like the rest? Let’s be honest. Something called “preferred type” is flooding the rings today and in many breeds, it has little to do with the Breed Standard. When “current type” does not equal correctness, the best dog can lose because in many rings, the fatal flaw is being a stand-out. Should we just BREED TO WIN or should we BREED TO THE STANDARD and expect judges to judge to the Standard?”

There is an abundance of ‘show breeders’ these days whose primary goal is to breed litter after litter after litter, often selling many or even all pups as show prospects in their maniacal obsession to achieve the most number of AKC champions produced for their breed. This itself has become its individual competition. Some may consider me to be very old-fashioned, or out-of-touch in my attitude towards conformation dog shows. The truth is I am only interested in conserving the original purpose of purebred dog show competition, breeding for and preserving type and function and protecting a breeds welfare. Sadly, it appears that an overwhelming anxiety stokes some breeders modus operandi, this being 'who will buy their puppies' and 'who will breed to their stud dog(s).' Setting aside any principles for the sake of a win.

Our sport has shifted gears. In the all-breed ring it is about marketing, positioning your dog to reach the highest pinnacles of achievements. It is about public relations and money. Money spent on advantageous grooming products, shampoos, conditioners, gels, hair spray, colored chalk, enhancing powders, Snoods and blow dryers. It is about money spent on training, shipping and freighting dogs off to handler’s kennels for extended periods. It is about money spent on airfare for handlers/owners/dogs, private planes, luxury dog haulers/vehicles, Professional Handler fees or exclusive contracts, and $$$ magazine advertisements.  

Breed ring competition now is a contest about who has the disposable income and or time to campaign their dog to accumulate Grand Champion achievement levels. Group level competition is about who has even more affluence and time to achieve Top-Ten group rankings. As one advances to the all-breed ranking system, it is an entirely different ballgame and parlay. It comes down to money and sometimes perseverance -- as to which of the financiers, breeders and owner(s) have the most fortune to finance their All-Breed Top-Ten quest and yes, career. It is all about the money and all about coming out on top.

This edited article was published in a previous version on the Canine Chronicle website. Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=9751

While We Are on the Subject!

I know, I know, more info on airline travel. But wait! You are going to want to keep these Travel Tips titled, "7 Secret Passenger Rights" that many of us do not know about. One day they may come in handy! If you don't fly then pass them on to a friend...

TRAVEL TIPS

7 Secret Passenger Rights

We already feel like airlines are screwing us enough. Add long delays, overbooked flights, lost bags, and it turns into hell on runway. But there's a silver lining, if you know what to ask for. Here are seven ways to get even.
By Chelsea Bengier

Get refunded for bumping
It’s hard not to freak out when you’re bumped off an oversold flight. But remember this: you can get paid back. According to the Department of Transportation, if you get to your destination between one and two hours of your original arrival time on a domestic flight, or between one and four hours on an international trip, the airline owes you 200 percent of the one-way fare (up to $675). If you arrive more than four hours later than planned, you'll pocket 400 percent of the ticket (up to $1,350). Still can't believe it? An AirHelp study found that the average payout is $643.

Get cash not flight vouchers
Don't let an airline ever give you a voucher for a bumped flight, or any other inconvenience. Vouchers are like Monopoly money. They look good on paper, but they're not as useful in reality. Your best bet? Ask for cash or a check because credits almost always come with strings attached (i.e. blackout dates). So before you pass go, collect your $200 — in cash.

Opt out of a tarmac delay
So you're stuck on the runway, forced to watch Taken for the fifth time as the hours tick by. (No offense, Liam.) Lucky for you, you can't be held on a delayed plane for more than three hours on domestic flights or four hours on international routes (if you don't want to be at least). Airlines are also obligated to update passengers every 30 minutes, and serve food and water after a two-hour wait. Pass the pretzels.

RELATED: How to Travel Smart on Budget Airlines

Cancel tickets for free
Got a bad case of buyer's remorse? Don't worry, most airlines allow you to cancel or change your ticket within 24 hours for a full refund. In fact, on some carriers (like Southwest) you can even change plans until right before takeoff at no charge. But there are some exceptions. Take American Airlines: You can hold a ticket up to 24 hours, but once you book, you're locked in. Also, keep in mind that third-party sites like Kayak and Expedia have their own set of rules, too.

Pay back for itinerary changes
When flights are delayed, rescheduled or canceled (ahem, winter storm Jonas), many passengers are forced to rearrange transportation. In situations like these, the airline must either cover all the expenses and fees to reroute you or give you a full refund — even if you bought a non-refundable ticket or were rebooked on a different carrier. So, if the only seat left on the next flight out is first-class, it's yours without costing a cent. More champagne, please.

RELATED: 7 Ways to Avoid Bogus Travel Deals

Snag a hotel voucher
This will be the last time you'll ever have to sleep at the gate, or worse, on the terminal floor. Airlines are required to offer free accommodations if you're stuck overnight involuntarily. Just don't expect the Ritz. These hotel vouchers can be claimed at any time, meaning if you decide to stay with friends instead of a Holiday Inn, you are still entitled to the coupon. It's also worth asking if they'll cover meals as well.

Cash in for lost luggage
If your checked bag is lost, delayed or damaged, don't settle for the small $50 sum you're usually offered. Depending on how much your items were worth and how long your bags are MIA, you could be repaid up to $3,500 per passenger in liability for a domestic U.S. trip, and up to $1,675 on international flights. Hello, shopping spree.

Update on my Airline Travel Blog Post

Here is news worth sharing related to my Airline Travel post on March 11. Oh, the joys of airline travel! An old friend flew in from San Diego to the East Coast yesterday and on one leg of the trip another passenger was having emergency heart problems. Thankfully, there was a Doctor on board and reportedly stabilized the patient with the emergency equipment on board, but not without even more drama as the pilots warned all passengers that the flight was going to have to make an emergency landing.

Then on the second leg of this same trip, a passenger seated next to my friend was vomiting in her airsick bag nearly the whole flight! All the stewards did was to give her more airsick bags and club soda. Though, I sympathize with this ill person, it seems to me that the best course of action would have been to move them to one of the restrooms instead of leaving them to continuously wretch in front of and next to close quarter seatmates. Or, even temporarily place the ill person in the stewards flight seat outside the restroom.

How can you leave a passenger wretching like that in such cramped areas, particularly with the risk of other passengers getting sick due to the repulsive smell and sounds? Can you imagine? You are seated in a 17-inch wide airline seat and the person next to you is vomiting nearly the whole trip! I know I would not be able to stand it. Unbelievable, go ahead airlines -- make the seats even smaller.

The Disappearance of the Old-Guard

The Old Guard, canine husbandry’s authorities, are sadly leaving us. Indeed, as unfortunate as this is, it also leaves us with a very pressing issue. Many of the Old-Guard had an underlying foundation of knowledge of other species such as horses and cattle and were able to apply it efficiently and successfully to canine breeds. Their departures are especially worrisome when you consider who may be filling their ranks. Owner-handlers who, although after having many, many years of experience attending shows and breeding litters, nevertheless lack the discipline and intuition to understand fully animal husbandry, including canine husbandry and the study of various species anatomy. The architectural reference, ‘form ever follows function’ is essential to living, breathing working animals. As often is the case, many of those above ‘invested’ fanciers lack the intellect of the old-guard. Indeed, everyone can admit knowing, at least, one dog fancier who has exhibited and or bred dogs for decades who simply has not the ability, the finesse, the expertise to breed or recognize superior animals. A fact that does not take away from the accreditation of many reputable, honorable fanciers whose valuable participation over these many years has been indispensable. Preferably, and quite logically, it is an innocuous truth that all our ranks cannot be virtuoso’s in canine husbandry despite well-intended efforts.
 
I refer to livestock often in my writings on canines because it is extremely pertinent. In centuries past, authorities were exceptionally erudite in the development of horse and cattle breeding. Their knowledge was formidable and was not limited to livestock but, likewise, to dogs. Many of these arbiters developed and controlled almost all of our canine breeds except for a few whose origins reach into the mists of antiquity, so ancient that no records exist today as to their advancement. Their routine husbandry also involved canine reproduction, thereupon nearly all canine stock were selected carefully according to the dog’s purpose, performance, quarry, and terrain. It is safe to conclude that present-day canine fanciers are not so learned as these progenitors were.

Additionally, another troubling effect of the Old-Guard’s passing is our diminishing ranks evidenced by the significant loss in AKC dog registrations. This should concern everyone as our long-term replenishment rate is dismal. Apart from the younger professional handlers and assistants, we look at the familiar all-breed show ring today, and there is a majority of senior and middle-aged exhibitors. Keep foremost in mind that AKC data supposedly reveals that 80% of exhibitors are owner-handlers. For our sport to thrive and ensure continuity, we need the passion and participation of the younger generations. For many of us who have participated in the game for decades and who have raised families, it is the same old story. Many but not all of our children have grown up displaying little to no interest in the sport. In truth, some dog fanciers children, now adults, harbor resentment towards “the dogs” and are indifferent or even belittling of the sport. I can count on one hand the number of my acquaintances and friends’ children who participate in conformation dog shows. We have and are losing precious assets.

I am not suggesting that canine husbandry is going the way of the dodo bird as mankind’s bond with and love for canines is from time immemorial. There will always be corrupt, disreputable commercial puppy mills and auctions which will take up the reins and supply the American public with unhealthy, poor quality breed specimens raised in appalling conditions to satisfy and profit from the economics of supply and demand. Likewise, there will always be unscrupulous ‘backyard breeders’ and ‘show-mill breeders’ to fulfill the same purpose. I liken myself as a boutique breeder, and I have my self-imposed limitations as to the number of hounds we keep and when I breed, coupled with maintaining a healthy balance in my schedules of work, judging and exhibition. I, along with all the others like me, can only do so much. Perhaps we dedicated, knowledgeable, intuitive breeders will be the one’s going the way of the dodo bird.

This edited article first appeared on the Canine Chronicle website. Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=13789

Dog Show Judges & Airline Travel

Truthfully, I am relieved that I have not had to withstand airline travel, as of late, to reach dog show judging assignments as I watch the news reporting on in-flight brawls while other passengers record the events like they are watching wrestling matches. I am so glad that I am not up there. Just this morning, CBS This Morning show played a video capturing a brawl involving what appeared to be several women on a Spirits Airline flight. The altercation began, reportedly, over loud music. Certainly these are not everyday occurrences, but neither are they isolated as well. Nevertheless, these events unquestionably add to the torture of airline travel today.

Though, what is even more tortuous, besides being crammed in a plane with one or more strangers who might have a hair trigger temperament, is seat size and the lack of personal space. Personal space that has been shrinking and shrinking.

Nowadays, airline passengers are recommended to research first, before booking a reservation, to discover the dimensions of seat pitch and seat width on the flight they are interested in or a very unpleasant surprise could be forthcoming. Check out SeatGuru.com. If you do not think this is necessary, you are wrong as not all airline seats are alike. But, wait -- before looking at seat width, you need to check the model type of the aircraft for the flight you are interested in and then cross-reference it to Seat Guru's airline chart to assess seat pitch.

Seat pitch is important because it is the distance between the rows of seats at any given time. The more distance or higher the number, the better. CNN recently reported that seat pitch has been reduced over the years from 35 inches in the 1970s to ONLY 31 inches today. As a comparison, standard door openings are 32 inches wide. If you have not flown much, try an experiment by placing a chair in an interior door opening such as the bedroom. Turn the chair so that you are seated facing the doorjamb. Now imagine that the doorjamb is the back of another seat in front of you, and now you get the picture. That is how little room there is for your knees, but also, fellow passengers to climb over you to go to the bathroom!

Even more disturbing, USA Today published that discount flyers such as Spirit and Frontier are flying with seat pitches as small as 28 inches! That is only 28 inches of space between the rows of seats, which more importantly, may be unsafe. Apparently, the FAA has not tested any seats less than 29 inches of pitch in emergency evacuation procedures. If you cannot get out in time -- such as in a fire, your dead.

As for seat comfort, most airline seats measured widths are 17 to 18.5 inches wide. Even just one or two inches can make a HUGE difference. Unfortunately, just a small handful of mostly foreign airliners offer seats that are 19 or 20 inches wide. These widths are the same between short-haul -- less than six hours -- and long-haul economy class flights.

Just the thought of having to perform research on seat comfort and amenities -- if any -- on different airline carriers is enough to make your head hurt. Not to mention allotting the time out of your busy schedule to perform such mind-numbing research. Sure, you can pay extra to have the same economy seat but in a fire exit, an aisle seat or up near the bulkhead. It all comes down to the airlines intent to squeeze blood out of a stone. USA Today reports:

A business model that depends on making customers miserable, then giving them ways to pay their way out of pain, is a greater threat to fiscal health than limits on how much smaller seats can get.

Here is another reality check! A 17-inch wide airline seat is ONLY 1.5 inches wider than my MacBook laptop. The tape measure is set at 17 inches -- can you imagine planting your derriere on that for six hours?

Macbook laptop width of 15.5 inches compared to an airline seat width of 17 inches

A Holistic Approach to Anesthesia for Pets

Dr. Jean Dodds, DVM, new blog post, in case you have not read it, on a holistic approach to anesthesia for Pets by Shawn Messonnier, DVM, especially for teeth cleaning...

My friend and colleague, Dr. Shawn Messonnier, was very kind to pen this article on anesthesia for pets – particularly in regards to dental cleanings. Dr. Messonnier, a 1987 graduate of Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, opened Paws & Claws Animal Hospital in Plano, Texas, in 1991. He has written several articles for many of the top pet publications in the nation. - Jean Dodds, DVM

Most pets have periodontal disease that must be addressed. This involves cleaning the teeth, and a proper dental cleaning must be done under sedation/anesthesia in order to thoroughly treat the periodontal pockets below the gum line that accompany dental disease.

A holistic approach to anesthesia is a safe alternative to traditional anesthetics. The holistic approach allows minimal amounts of sedation/anesthesia to be used, minimizing risk to the patient, even in older dogs and cats, and ensuring a quick and complete recovery. We typically do dental cleanings and tumor removals using this approach on small and medium-sized dogs and cats 15 years of age and older without any harm to the pet! For larger and giant sized breeds, the age to be cautious with anesthesia can be 10-12years.

At my clinic in Plano, Texas, we’ve had great success using this holistic anesthetic approach, so much so that we get patients from around the area (and even from out of state) in order to minimize the risk of sedation and anesthesia. By using this approach we’ve been able to help even high risk patients have necessary surgery for cleaning the teeth and removing tumors.

The approach involves a proper pre-sedation evaluation, and choosing the right anesthetic based upon this evaluation. Tiny doses of sedatives/anesthetics are used, just enough to allow the pet to lightly sleep while the teeth are properly and thoroughly cleaned. With this approach, the pet is barely asleep, minimizing the risks so often seen with more traditional anesthesia (depressed heart and lung function, lowered body temperature, etc.) Once the procedure is finished the pet can go home fully awake (without the hangover effect so commonly seen with traditional anesthesia) and acting totally normal.

There is no reason your pet, even an older pet, shouldn’t have proper medical care just because of a fear of anesthesia. Please look into a more gentle, safe, and natural approach to anesthesia and surgery and your pet will not only survive but even thrive and awake healthier!

http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/139796181181/holistic-anesthesia-dental-dogs

Purebred Dog Breeding Practices

A friend of mine sent me a recent article from the Albany Times Union Newspaper titled, "Regulate Breeding Practices." For convenience sake, I scanned and included the article below. Presumably, this article is just one of the thousands that appear on a regular basis throughout the country damning purebred dogs. Most likely many dog fanciers dismissed it accordingly, as it is by yet another misinformed animal rights lackey bloviating about purebred dogs.

However, still, this journalist took it a step further by hopscotching amongst and weaving her various claims inducing Readers to believe that purebred dog genetic homogeneity is to blame for both the increase in the population of animal shelters and the euthanasia rates rising in her region. Wow, what a stretch of the imagination! So, why am I dignifying this particular column with commentary? Well, this article does touch upon several topics I have written about and published in the Canine Chronicle over these past years. One of which is a mighty issue, genetic isolationism, and was the theme of my article, "Stud Books," published October 2013.

First, though, I am not bestowing any plausibility on this columnist's piece as her manufactured claims include demands for more government oversight via legislation to regulate a purebred dog's appearance. In brief, she does not know what she is talking about, and clearly lacks credibility in this arena as her declarations are absurd. It also amazes me that the Editor cleared this piece for print. The article casts wildly from one impeachment to another, such as Westminster is merchandising purebred dogs, and asserting that a lack of legislative oversight is responsible for purebred dogs physical and behavioral health conditions. These samples are interwoven with her claim that animal shelters cannot keep up with the flow of dogs because "they are not backed by sensible rules." It is a mystery as to what rules she is alluding to but this plea reveals that she is likely uneducated that animal shelters are shipping dogs cross-country to fill vacancies in other regional animal shelters across the nation. Indeed, I have written on animal shelter statistics and the urban legends related to such in an article published in 2013, titled "Reducing Animal Overpopulation."

However, let's get back to the meatier topic, genetic isolationism, that I addressed at length in my previously mentioned article, "Stud Books." Go ahead and read the article again as it tackles a subject that may be unimaginable to many purebred dog hobbyists-- opening a breed stud book to incorporate cross breeding to a nearest relative(s) to save high-risk breeds. I wrote:

Our society is advancing through the early twenty-first century, making remarkable progress in innumerable fields of research and development, innovations, and technologies. We, as a society embrace these changes. We most certainly look forward to, even expect and demand the newest inventions, intelligence and capabilities.

As a paradox, though, dog fanciers convictions about canine husbandry, the mating, and production of offspring appear, on the whole, not to have evolved. Instead, over the years, dog fanciers way of thinking has, in certain cases, retrogressed. Our formed judgments, many of which are not necessarily based on facts, lack maturity and growth. Conventionally, we doggedly hold on to old beliefs that a closed stud book is the only guarantee to maintain purity and perpetuation of our breeds as they document parentage and pedigrees. The sanctity of the stud book is likened to that of a Bible. The truth that so many refuse to accept or admit is that a Stud Book is simply genetic isolationism, warts and all. Suggestions of crossbreeding or backcrossing go against everything we ‘know’ about purebred dogs and selective breeding. This is because the process of line and inbreeding to inherit genes, fix qualities and characteristics of a breed’s progenitors or foundation stock has been a consecrated practice for more than several centuries now. Modern breeding procedures and recording the descent of domesticated animals that were linked to a public registry developed during the eighteenth century, in the early parts of Britain’s Industrial Revolution. Once ingrained in canine societal doctrine, it has become nearly impossible to pry such tenet loose.

Someone needs to ask the big question so, here I go. If we do not consider opening stud books, now, for high-risk breeds suffering genetic problems as a result of very limited gene pool diversity, then when will we? Do we just kick the can down the road making it someone else's problem? Will it have to wait another twenty-five years when most of us are no longer around? What about in fifty years? Most likely, those breeds most affected now will be extinct by then. What about AKC's role in this controversy? As I have already detailed in "Stud Books," AKC has the final word on opening a breed stud book. Hypothetically, if a Parent Club application is denied, do we continue to permit a small, elite group of AKC elderly statesmen to determine the sanctity and justification of the Parent Club's petition to open their Stud Book to improve its breed welfare by limiting or even eliminating the expression of deadly health issues?  

For the record, I am not advocating opening every breed’s Stud Book, but there are compelling arguments for some breeds who are liable to suffer greatly from the Founder Effect, Population Bottleneck, and Inbreeding Depression and the increase and expression of deadly health issues. From "Stud Books":

Let us face facts. Human beings by nature are reluctant to change, preferring to stay with the familiar. This truth never ceases to amaze me and in my opinion, there are few areas of society where it is more prominent than in our dog world, particularly canine husbandry. Even while faced with terminal health issues affecting 15%, 20%, possibly 30% of the breed population, fanciers object to the mere notion of opening a Stud Book to incorporate genetic material from nearest relatives. It is both fascinating and sad, all at the same time.

We should examine and weigh the reality and span of most breed's closed gene pools today. Irish Wolfhounds, for example, having been resuscitated in the late 1800s have already experienced, to date, several genetic bottlenecks. Read my article "COI: Dog Genes Decoded." Moreover, the wolfhound population has grown exponentially since about 1965, which hides this breed’s actual inbreeding. The hound's actual Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI) calculation is not complete unless it is reviewed all the way back to Captain Graham, considered the Patriarch of our breed. Above all, according to the rigorous research of Dr. Silvan Urfer, he has yet to find an Irish Wolfhound with a complete pedigree whose inbreeding coefficient is below 30%, nor does he believe this is possible. A baseline of 30 percent and higher in just a blip of time -- you do not have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that this COI percentage is increasing, especially if you knew that this hound breed is undergoing a modern population bottleneck placing the breed at even higher risk.

The evolution of our mindset is both necessary and practical to assure the future for our breeds. It may very well be that those who refuse to consider or accept alternatives are guilty of enriching themselves while risking the preservation of our breed(s).

View fullsize

View fullsize

Six-Pack Abs

In my opinion, as a Judge, there is nearly nothing more satisfying than examining a dog whose muscling is 'hard as a rock.' Truly, nowadays this is a rarity because many dog entries are poorly conditioned having soft and squishy muscling. In fact, this is not localized to a few breeds but runs the gamut of our breeds.

Over the past decade or so, I have had various opportunities for discussions with judges who adjudicated over a respectable number and quality of entries. Surely not in a challenging manner, afterward, we reflected on their awards, and on just one or two of these occasions had a judge ever reflected back on their conclusions and stated that fitness was of primary importance. Just one instance comes to mind. I observed the judging of a large entry of Rhodesian Ridgebacks at a Hound Show and approximately a month or so later I had the opportunity to chat with the judge while we both happened to be attending another event. I asked them why they awarded their Winners and without hesitation, the judge stated that the dog’s muscling fitness was essential and became the deciding factor. I had already suspected this was the case because I am a keen observer of judges’ hands. As I’ve written in other articles, communication is a lost art form in our sport because our late ‘great’ sportsmen and women communicated everything they were thinking simply with their hands as they examined dogs. This particular judge did, in fact, go back and feel all his class winners hindquarters before awarding Winners. The judge stated it was one of the few hounds that day who had toned, firm muscling!

Although I have been judging for less than a decade, I still can count only a few times where I had the great pleasure of finding a well-muscled, robust dog to examine. When I do, I congratulated the exhibitor, with glee. When I am not judging and either spectating or exhibiting, I will ask if I can ‘go over a dog’ that interests me and nine times out of ten, the dog will have weak muscle tone. I should define muscle tone as this is instrumental to the conversation. Muscle tone (residual muscle tension) is best described by any of the online dictionaries as the normal level of firmness or slight contraction in a resting muscle. This continuous and passive partial contraction of the muscles or its resistance is felt when the dog is standing for examination. Of course, not all muscles are tangible. Therefore, I speak only to these that are palpable during the examination. Excellent toned muscle and abundance thereof are inextricable with fitness. Yes, heart and lungs are other important factors in exercise performance, but I am only speaking to muscle right now.

It is extremely disappointing, as well as sad, that otherwise ‘typey’ specimens are not in good, physical condition. Conceivably many fanciers and exhibitors are not aware that if a dog is unfit, the condition will affect a dog’s movement. In some breeds, such as the hunting sighthounds, e.g., Irish Wolfhound, if a pup has not developed muscling by a certain age in puppyhood, most likely the hound will have a poor quality of muscling throughout its adult life. This quality of state is predicated first on genetic properties -- the expression of genes directing the cellular development of the muscling -- and constructive metabolism overall influencing quality skeletal muscling. If the potential for muscling exists, then we need to look at the quality and length of play, romping, turning and twisting in big, secure areas which will affect and tone these bands of tissue.

A genetically favored dog with superior skeletal muscling that has not received the supervised, safe exercise his breed demands, will suffer. His capacity and ability to excel in work, skills or performance will flag. Muscling is responsible for contracting and producing movement in the body as well as maintaining the position of the body parts. If the dog has inferior quality and toning of muscle, it will affect the dog's energy level, his efforts, and his motion, all of which are obvious.

Muscling in today’s show dogs seem to be overlooked and undervalued as aesthetics is usually always front and center. Often there are commonly neglected muscle groups in breeds who require specified areas to have exceptional muscling. To illustrate, my sighthound breed’s neck muscling is critical in the kill and take down. I am quite proud to say that nearly every wolfhound that I have bred has possessed ‘hard as a rock’ neck muscles. Once you feel such power, you will not forget it. Despite this easily explored and excellent trait, to the best of my recollection over my nearly 32 years, I can count on one hand the number of judges who recognized and commented on this significant feature on my hounds.

Today, there remain a few conscientious, knowledgeable breeders who will grade their dogs on skeletal muscling. Indeed, I knew a former breeder who had a lovely hound epitomizing breed type, but the breeder would not use this bitch in their breeding program because the hound possessed genetically inferior quality muscling. Rather than perpetuate this considerable weakness and its limitations, the breeder abstained from using the dog in their otherwise noteworthy breeding program. To be sure, these were actions of a role model.

This edited article was first published on the Canine Chronicle website. Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=15225

What Are They Looking For?

Have you recently heard this question ringside at a dog show? Perhaps even you have asked this a hundred times over. More often than not, it is posed rhetorically as a reflection or criticism of your observation. I am referencing the deliberations and decisions made by the AKC dog show judge. We all at one time or another have stood ringside and observed judges that have left us shaking our heads and muttering, “I must have missed something!” Even more frustrating is attending our breed specialties, and we are left altogether bewildered. Here, in particular, we ask, “What are they looking for?” The judges explanation is not forthcoming unless you attend a dinner where the judge says a few words about their selections, or you may read it later in the club’s publication.

At the all-breed level, we can surely solve this issue while improving upon the adjudication process. In recent times, there have been debates about adopting a few practices of the FEDERATION CYNOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONALE (FCI). For instance, we now offer a Reserve Best in Show, and although I do not see a restructuring of the classes I believe we can and should adopt one other highly useful and logical method. We need to embrace the custom of judge’s grading and critiquing each dog entry. This is not just an enlightening tool for exhibitors, but a valuable tool for judges and AKC Field Representatives, as well. The latter I touch on further down. For those who are unfamiliar with FCI Regulations for Show Judges,

 “The candidate has to produce a consequent critique with the good and less good points of the outline and movement of the dogs and he must pay attention to the health and welfare of the dog.”

From there, the FCI qualifications given by the judges must correspond to the following definitions:

EXCELLENT may only be awarded to a dog which comes very close to the ideal standard of the breed, which is presented in excellent condition, displays a harmonious, well-balanced temperament, is of high class and has excellent posture. Its superior characteristics in respect of its breed permit that minor imperfections can be ignored; it must however have the typical features of its sex.
VERY GOOD may only be awarded to a dog that possesses the typical features of its breed, which has well-balanced proportions and is in correct condition. A few minor faults may be tolerated. This award can only be granted to a dog that shows class.
GOOD is to be awarded to a dog that possesses the main features of its breed. The good points should outweigh the faults so that the dog can be considered a good representative of its breed.
SUFFICIENT should be awarded to a dog which corresponds adequately to its breed, without possessing the generally accepted characteristics or whose physical condition leaves a lot to be desired.
DISQUALIFIED must be awarded to a dog which does not correspond to the type required by the breed standard; which shows a behaviour clearly not in line with its standard or which behaves aggressively; which has testicular abnormalities; which has a jaw anomaly; which shows a colour or coat structure that is not according to the breed standard or clearly shows signs of albinism. This qualification shall also be awarded to dogs that correspond so little to a single feature of the breed that their health is threatened. It should furthermore be awarded to dogs that show disqualifying faults in regard to the breed standard. The reason the dog was rated DISQUALIFIED has to be stated in the judge’s report.

Mandatory judging critiques have numerous advantages with the most obvious being that exhibitors receive an immediate explanation and grade. Moreover, the process can strengthen the overall quality of the judges pool. When a judge has to grade and explain ‘why they did what they did,’ it may accentuate incompetence. Frankly, most judges prefer not to look like a fool. Similarly, this process benefits both Judges and AKC Executive Field Representatives, as well. The critique is a written opinion and rating that serves as a tool to enforce an AKC Field Rep’s evaluation on a permit or regular status judge. Likewise, it can act as validation for a judge’s quality of selection when confronted and challenged by an AKC Field Representative, hopefully preventing an unfair, unfavorable evaluation.

Moreover, this elaborating and grading process may give some judges pause in accepting breed assignments that they may be both unqualified and uncertain in. If they are compelled to expand on the virtues or merits of a breed, they may hesitate to accept the assignment in the first place. This sure sounds better than the current system at all-breed shows where we have judges hastily, all in a cloak of secrecy, flick a finger or wave their hand at placements and awards, then rush to fill out their judging book. The satin ribbons and rosettes are handed out and finito!, the judge is on to the next breed...

This article was first published in a previous version on the Canine Chronicle website. Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=12388

Parent Club Shared Services

During a conversation with a ‘plumb tuckered out’ national specialty show chairperson, they announced they were planning to resign their position after their upcoming national specialty. I was, of course, sympathetic having served in such capacity twice before, and I began discussing an idea I had that is best described as ‘enhanced parent club shared services.’ More specifically, what I have in mind are related breed’s hosting their national specialties together while sharing services.

Sure, today several breeds are holding their regional specialties together with advertised “combined specialties.” However, after review, these events appear many times to be a discombobulation of various, unrelated breeds. Likewise, many of our low-entry and ‘rare’ breeds often hold their national specialty in conjunction with a well-known, all-breed circuit. This often results in building major championship points, but at the end of the day, there is nothing ‘special” about the shows themselves. These often are merely another all-breed dog show experience. Like-kind group breeds such as English and American Foxhounds, Harriers, Black & Tan’s, Treeing Walkers, Redbones, etcetera, along with the many other low-entry breeds, all deserve an annual national specialty festival. The same can be said for many of our field hunting breeds, some of whose numbers are very low. The proposed, combined national specialties place these rare breeds in the limelight, and not just as supported entries on yet another all-breed circuit.

Yes, today we have something similar, such as Montgomery County, a Terrier presentation, or the Hound Classic in Southern California composed of independent regional specialties. However, these shows are in the same location, year-after-year and do not wander around the country, allowing for diversified competition. They present more of a micro-habitat for those breeds in attendance. These events are not parent club annual celebrations with dinners and breed related contests like earth dog tests or lure coursing trials or offer educational seminars over the course of the week. Another significant difference is that these well-known classics and others like them culminate in a Best in Show finale which is not the intent of the consolidation of parent club national specialties and their shared services. There is no best in group competition.

Currently, Parent Club’s organize independent national specialties across the country all the while incurring excessive costs for just up to two hundred entries. We should consider consolidating some of these national specialties, holding them simultaneously resulting in shared costs. Therefore, expenses decrease for each parent club. All-breed circuits have been doing a similar version for years now banding together to increase entries while reducing equipment and site costs. First, clearly savings is in labor. The previously mentioned show chairwoman and others like them work tirelessly to organize such events, sometimes with limited assistance from other fanciers. Let us consider several related breeds, e.g., the Scottish Deerhound, Irish Wolfhound, Greyhound, and Borzoi. These breeds' recent show statistics reveal a combined total of 682 entries in competition at their past national specialties. The 2015 Irish Wolfhound national specialty had 169 entries; the 2015 Scottish Deerhound national specialty had 126 entries; the 2015 Borzoi national specialty had 331 entries, and the Greyhound national specialty (as far as I can ascertain) had 56 entries. Please note when I first published this article, in 2012, the combined numbers were 513 entries for all these breeds. We expect fluctuation as shown by the figures, but that makes my case even stronger. Fluctuation is the curse of an accounting ledger and proper planning. 

Nonetheless, each parent club had to spend good money and expend labor independently of one another with four show chairpersons performing the same work for limited and unprofitable entries. Each show chairperson negotiated, scheduled, and supervised the same responsibilities for their independent parent club national specialty. A combination of shared services would be advantageous for these national organizations to consolidate and divvy up the work between themselves. One breed show chair may oversee hotel(s) accommodations, another focuses on RV parking and vendors, yet another agrees to manage equipment and tent rentals, and so on. It is a huge, labor saver.

The second readily perceived benefit of such alliances is economics. Shared services do what the expression infers -- it shares services but also costs. Let’s face reality, everything is getting more expensive. Mainly, equipment rentals, hotels, banquet, and club meeting room rentals, as well as associated professional fees. None of these are decreasing. The cost savings can be compelling. Individual tents, indoor hall and equipment rentals can consume a large portion of the pie compared to group rentals and shared costs of such. Today, hotel discounts may depend on the number of club member room bookings or the organization does not receive discounts in other negotiable areas. Similarly, club dinners hosted at headquarter hotels typically require a set number of people to pre-register or the club has to ‘eat the difference.’ Today, attendance at club dinner or banquet events has markedly decreased. The disinterest and subsequent poor attendance at such dinners may be due to boredom, stale company, or often mediocre to the poor quality of food such as cheap buffets or convention quality meals. On the other hand, think about if we were to join ranks using the example of the previously mentioned sighthound breeds. We could enjoy a combined dinner event for everyone, instead of four separate club meals in different locations of the country with various hotel requirements. Think about the interest this dinner event would create with the exciting prospect of meeting new people from other breeds. I envisage the opportunity for good debates, discussions on the various breeds’ health and anatomy issues, or the ability to obtain valuable advice from a different breed fancier with another perspective.

Another benefit, picture the increase of miscellaneous items available for auction or raffles and the number of other people who may be interested. Think about the added number of show vendors if there was related, multi-breed, multi-day national specialty events for them to sell their wares. Case in point, I purchased nearly $300 of handmade, high-quality leather goods from a vendor while attending the multi-day Scottish Deerhound National Specialty even though we do not have Deerhounds but a related breed, Irish Wolfhounds. Today, we do see occasional fanciers spectating at other breed specialty’s, but this number pales in comparison to how many people would be in attendance if we united our like-kind breed national specialties. Also, consider the number of foreign visitors and aspiring judges who may attend for the collaboration of related breed national specialties promoted as the event of the year! Granted that there are breeds that are too populous to combine their national specialty events with another breed. They are very fortunate not to have such a dilemma of roughly 200 entries, sometimes less, at their national specialty. For the rest of us, there should be an extraordinary appeal for combined breed related, multi-day national specialties, in particular for the accounting ledgers.

This edited article first appeared on The Canine Chronicle website in a previous version. Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=10222

Foreign Judges

If you read my previous blog posts you will already know that I attended the Westminster Kennel Club 2016 dog show. My take-away on both the breed judging's massive crowds at The Piers in NYC, and the lack of women's restroom facilities has been discussed earlier. I will mention that if I entertain another visit to WKC, I will not attend the breed judging programs, instead just the Group Judging events on both evenings. I'd much rather while away my day enjoying NYC's numerous attractions instead of re-experiencing the awful crowds during breed judging. Being on your feet, as one cannot find a seat, from 8:30AM until 4:00PM and walking the long distances in and between the Piers is exhausting, especially when you cannot view the competitions.  

However, when I posted from the show I did not go into detail about a glaring issue that was maddening to watch. During breed judging it was plain to see that a foreign judge had limited knowledge to proficiently judge dogs in accordance with AKC procedure. Not only did he demonstrate inadequate procedural knowledge but was painfully slow -- as evidenced by the show breed video and my iPhone video. I can confirm that this particular judge took, on average, nearly 3.5 to 4 minutes per dog -- and it was agonizing. All told, he took almost 26 minutes to adjudicate over 7 entries. From my observation point, he most likely would not have been able to complete his assignment if not for the capable hands of his Ring Steward who had to repeatedly explain how to proceed with the awards. This did NOT just occur in one but several of his breed assignments.

The foreign judge required constant consultation with the Steward regarding the awards process -- he would proceed to award Best of Breed and then wring his hands until the Ring Steward counseled him again as to what to do next. Minutes would fly by as the exhibitors were standing, waiting, while he discussed "who knows what" before he would walk over and declare another decision.

He appeared to be quite a jovial chap but that does not excuse his lack of proficiency in adjudicating under the AKC Dog Judging system. Surely, all foreign judges MUST understand and be fully versed in how to judge under our procedures, at the very least, they need to make an effort to do so. It was evident during this foreign judge's breed assignments that this was not the case and it was and remains maddening. If you are going to accept such a privileged assignment then you better know how to do it, properly.

And what is it with Judges, including this international judge, asking exhibitors the age of the dogs?! Are they not aware that under AKC rules, a judge is not permitted to ask the exhibitor such a question? If age is a factor in their decision making process then they must have the steward provide them with this information -- NOT the exhibitor. As any AKC Field Representative will inform you- an exhibitor might lie so you do not base any decisions on what the exhibitor tells you. The question I ask is WHY are foreign judges not versed in this and other procedures? If you are going to accept an assignment in a foreign country you MUST learn that country's federation judging system. You don't just wing it. I find it disrespectful and I know for certain, that if and when I do receive an assignment overseas, I will do everything in my power to make certain I am studied in their adjudication processes.

Westminster Kennel Club Commentary

Without a doubt, the Westminster Kennel Club dog show is a premier event. From the purple floor covering throughout the two buildings, a.k.a the piers, where all of the breed judging occurs to the instant pop-up cafés with high top tables and scattered lounging chairs in Pier 92 --let us not forget to mention the complementary shuttles from the gold star hotels -- it is a big event. 

But, my goodness, it is unbearably crowded. It comes as a big disappointment when the crowds surrounding several of the breed judging rings are at least 20 people deep in front of you and you cannot see anything, whatsoever. To aid spectating, thankfully they did have a few bleachers in scattered areas of Pier 92, not in Pier 94 as there was no available room to install such. In front of these bleachers they had set up complementary TV monitors to watch the live action, the downside was that they did not cordon off the area in front of the monitors so that a heavy stream of traffic walked in between the bleachers and the TV monitor, effectively blocking your vision. 

In many areas, as I described to several friends via telephone, you had to wait on line to be able to walk through to get to the other side. I am not exaggerating, you had to wait online to be able to walk through funneled areas because one side of the ring is blocked off, and reasonably so because the breed ring entrances need to be kept open for the exhibitors and their dogs. However, one exhibitor commented, or rather complained last evening at group judging that they saw countless people in these restricted areas who certainly did not have the appropriate wristband on standing there observing the judging. Indeed, there were sentries positioned at the entrances to prevent people from entering these restricted areas as I myself saw many people turned away, but unfortunately in some areas I assume the security was more lax.  

Should I even discuss the infuriating lines for the women's restrooms? Yes, I need to because it is exasperating not only for me that still to this day, even with the female gender dominating the percentage of exhibitors at AKC dog sporting events that there is no attention being paid to this major issue. In Pier 94, on two different locations throughout the day I had waited online with approximately 22 women in front of me. Only to discover when we finally entered the bathroom that there was an additional line feeding into the same women's bathroom stalls from the opposite side! To make matters worse,  adjacent to ring three there were two restrooms that were out of order and obviously could not be used. I have to wonder if these bathrooms were closed purposefully due to their proximity to ring three as they were just steps away from the seating area. Or, maybe I am wrong and they were both unluckily indisposed for use, however that would lead me to a very reasonable question. Was there every effort made to get these bathrooms back into working condition, especially in light of the fact that a major event was going to be held there in this pier? Have they ever been in working order, and if not, then why haven't they? Again I return to the gender issue pointing out, again, that the majority of exhibitors are female. I firmly believe that we are consistently disregarded and it simply is unacceptable.

Do I sound like I am getting worked up about this? Well, yes, especially when you have to go to the ladies room and you will have to wait approximately 20 minutes online. Why are we forced to have to plan our bathroom forays throughout the day? Why are we forced to have to strategically plan our fluid intake? It doesn't make sense and it is just wrong.