Conversation with Lance Novak

 CKC, Executive Director

I contacted Lance last week and asked him if he could find time on his schedule for an interview for my blog.  I asked him the questions I hear talked about across every sector of membership and event interest.

He generously allowed me to ask him anything.  He is soft spoken, articulate and warm.  I found him to give thoughtful answers without a need to be political.  I have confidence in Lance’s ability to listen intently to all issues and to prioritize them in order of importance.  I believe that he will systematically work

through many of the issues that concern our membership to the satisfaction of most.  Lance brings 20 years of non-profit management experience to the CKC . He is strong enough to admit what he doesn’t know and willing to learn.  He has the experience and understanding of the latest technology and how to implement it, so the CKC is better positioned to make the improvements in so many areas such as registrations, points maintenance, better communication and improved processes.  Lance is a professional that thinks like a member, but performs with the business acumen needed in today’s tricky financial atmosphere.

Now, the membership needs to throw their support behind him.  Allow him to do what needs to be done.  Be an active, involved member that forgets personal agendas and works for the common goal for the group.  In a very short about of time, Lance is making huge strides toward improvement. Let’s put a moratorium on griping and complaining.  Let’s give our new Executive Director the confidence to make our CKC the world class organization it can be.

Donna:  I understand that you are an Irish Wolfhound owner.  Have you ever done conformation or any other dog sporting events with them?

Lance:  I have not done conformation or any other competition with my dogs, but  I have owned ten Irish Wolfhounds spanning over the past 30 plus years.  I find them to be great companions.

Donna:  You have had a successful career, coming from Ontario College of Trades and Canadian Standards Association.  What attracted you to this position at the CKC?

Lance:   I thought it would be a good marriage of dogs and helping rebuild the CKC.  The CKC has gone through some difficult times, and I think it is exciting to help stabilize a company and take it in new and positive directions.

Donna:  Your bio picture makes me believe that you are a pretty laid back and informal person.  How do you describe your management style?

Lance:   That is a good way to describe me.  I believe in empowering my staff to make decisions.  We all should share the problems and as a team find solutions.

Donna:  You have only been the Executive Director for five months.  What is your assessment of the condition of the CKC?  What do you think is currently working well and what do you thinks needs improving?

Lance:   I realize that I’m no expert in the sport and I have a lot of opportunities to learn.  It seems to me the sport isn’t thriving and we need to look at other similar organizations to see what they are doing that works.  This is a multi-layered organization that we must make work successfully individually and as a whole.  We want to find ways to make some immediate changes, like our last Board meeting where we made 50 rule changes to Agility.  Those changes  will keep our rules consistent with other organizations’ rules, which makes it easier for participates to understand and work within one basic set of rules.

We need to attract people back to the sport.  We, also, need to improve our services, processes and website.  We are in the early stage of redesigning our CKC website to make it user friendly.  The Board approved the budget to hire consultants to design a new system and to update our website. As an example of another improvement, we will be offering on-line balloting for our members in the near future. 

We will be reviewing our current processing to see which are working and which must be improved to allow quicker and better service to our membership and general public.

Donna:  I would like to discuss CKC finances.  What is the plan to bring the CKC out of this financial slump and get it back in the black?

Lance:   A major step toward financial recovery was achieved by closing Apex Publishing.  That left their office space available and we recently signed a multi-year contract with Intel Canada to lease that space.   We are always looking for ways to cut cost without jeopardizing service improvements.  CKC’s finances are not the concern they were a short time ago.

Donna:   Peta, USPCA, Puppy Mills and local SPCAs get a lot of news coverage and many times it points a negative finger back at Pure bred dogs and their breeders.  What will the CKC be doing to bring stronger, more honest public attention to CKC breeders and the dog fancy?

Lance:   I understand the need to promote the CKC and its members.   We are looking into ways to keep our Organization and members in a positive light with the general public.  We recently attended a tradeshow in Manitoba.  The CKC hasn’t attended a trade show in years and we got a lot of great feedback from the visitors to our display.  There were more than 100,000 visitors to the show.  We want to look for other venues and opportunities to be more visible to the public.  Redesigning our website to be more user friendly and updating our brochures have also been a start to improving communications with the public and membership.

Donna:  Talking about the CKC website, I have heard it described as boring, difficult to navigate and overall failing to attract readers.  What improvements do you have for it?

Lance:   We have heard the same comments.  We actually agree.  Our system is old and can’t support much of the newer programs.  In order to make the necessary improvements to the website and to improve our processes, the Board has approved the money to hire professionals to build us a better overall computer system.  That will allow us to make the website more user friendly, provide more online services for registrations and better navigation.

The CKC wants to offer more online services for our membership.  We are making plans to make the website easy for visitors to navigate and for it to contain more information.  We have heard a lot of our members say they like the AKC website and format.  We are looking at many organizations’ websites to see how we can improve.

Donna:   I hear a lot about poor customer service at the CKC office.  Are you looking into improvements there, too?

Lance:    We don’t want anyone dealing with the CKC to get less than excellent service.  That is one of the reasons we feel strongly about improving our website and computer system.  We have realized that we get a lot of phone calls because people can’t find the information they want on our website.  The phone calls bog down our phone system and causes undue delays for people to get the help they need due to being placed in queue. 

We have made improvements to our website a priority.  These improvements will allow the public and our members to find forms, fees and information at their convenience and without much of the old stress.

Donna:   Where exactly does the CKC stand on Cropping and Docking?

 

Lance:    After careful consideration and reviewing information from all viewpoints, we believe that the decision to crop and/or dock is a personal choice. We have called on all the breed clubs to update their breed standards to include the natural dog.  We need to include that information for judges to use in the conformation ring.  We want and need the club’s assistance with this information.  The CKC has no intention to ever ask its members to discontinue cropping and docking.  It’s important to remember that not cropping and docking should also be an allowed personal choice.  I hope stating this here, helps to alleviate all the worry and fear that some members have over this issue. 

Donna:   How can the CKC be sure that CKC breeders are reputable, not puppy mills and not selling sick and dying puppies?  How can we police ourselves?

Lance:     That is a good question.  There are any numbers of issues that need to be addressed.  Right now, we are looking at the issues and prioritizing them. I don’t have a definitive answer to this issue, but it is one that should be put on the list.

Donna:   Do you have plans to be more visible to the membership?

 

Lance:     I have been out to a few shows.  When people realize who I am, I get swamped.  I hope to get out more.  I am still learning and I like to come back to the office to explain what I’ve seen and learned.  Meeting the members, seeing the various events is a learning experience for me.  It’s rewarding to see a membership that wants to be involved and can give me suggestions and makes me aware of important issues.  If you don’t see me at an event and there is something important you think requires the CKC’s attention, remember the Zone Directors are there as conduit to me.  They are there to answer questions and to listen to concerns and ideas.

Donna:   I pay the $100 membership.  Why should I have to do that when my only benefit is receiving my paperwork in a timely fashion?

Lance:     It is a reasonable expectation as a member to submit your paperwork and have it completed and returned in a timely manner.  No one should have to pay more for what should be good service.  What does that say about the $50 members?  That sends the message they are lesser members or less deserving of great service.  I agree that this is a mistake and we will be abolishing the two tier membership, soon.

Donna:   A common complaint among all exhibitors is poor judging or unfair judging.  We are a group of very political individuals that carry our own personal agendas to the events.  There have been many suggestions on how to level the playing field for all exhibitors when it comes to judging. In the USA there is a different judge for breed and group, instead Canada’s method where the breed judge immediately goes straight into the group ring to judge the same dogs he has just awarded the breed win.  Is there a way to stop judges from campaigning for more assignments and handlers, both pro and owner, to stop shopping shows for judges?

Lance:    Being new to my job, I have not had the opportunity, yet, to know all the ins and outs of all the events and what the issues are in each sport.  I will say that our sport should be held to the highest standards and each exhibitor should be judged fairly.  This is another issue that deserves attention and should be reviewed for improvement.  This type of issue is how I would like to see our membership get involved in finding solutions.  The CKC is the membership.  My office will never have the time or the manpower to fix every problem or to hear every issue, as much as I may want to.  To make the CKC the great organization we all want requires the membership’s willingness to sit committees, be a part of focus groups and to remember that we all work 

together for the common good and benefit, not to promote individual agendas.

Donna:   There is a Professional Handler’s Association in Canada.  Would the CKC sanction the development of an Owner/Hander’s Association?

Lance:     I don’t believe that we will ever frown on any new dog related association that works off the same principles as the CKC.  If the organization is working toward promoting the sport and acts as an advocate to breeder/owner/handlers to encourage growth, sportsmanship and a high code of ethics, I am certain we would review it very seriously. 

Donna:   Our sport is comprised of an aging membership.  My husband and I believe in sponsoring and supporting the Junior Handling program to help keep young people interested in the Dog Fancy.  We cover the entire cost of our Junior, but  we realize that not everyone interested in a Junior Handler can do this and could be missing a great opportunity to sponsor a Junior.  How can the CKC make Junior Handling available to more young people?  Also, how and where can the club promote Junior Handling to the general population?

Lance:  The sport is expensive and we need to find a way to promote it to all age groups, but you are right, we have an aging membership.  Junior Handling is a great place to gain new and young interest back into our sport.  Capturing the young people audience is included in our plans for promoting the CKC, Purebreds and CKC Breeders.  I also think that this issue needs to be looked at to see if we can provide assistance to the members that want to sponsor/mentor a Junior Handler.  Just throwing out some quick ideas, such as reduced entry fees and improving training for sponsors and Juniors, offering more opportunities for sponsors and Juniors to get acquainted.  Do a good job promoting the Junior Program within our own membership.  I can see where the Junior Handlers can gain a lot of great mentors from our older, more experienced members.  I am thinking that we may be able to find a business partner willing to offer financial sponsorship for our Junior’s Program.

We will be focused on this age group in our new marketing campaigns.  Like so much, it takes time to develop a viable, successful approach.

Donna:   I have covered all the questions I hear around the Dog Fancy and ringside.  Is there anything that you would like to say that we haven’t covered?

Lance:    I want the members to know that we hear you and we are taking action on many of the major problems, now.  We are addressing the computer system and the website.  They are number one priority.  I have added a great Marketing Manager to our staff that is very current in the area of promotions.  We will be looking for cost effective and beneficial ways to get the CKC out to the public.  This is also a high priority.  I want to ask the membership to have patience.  The CKC has gone through some turbulent times in recent years including Executive turnover.  An organization like the CKC is so complex with rules and events and has high visibility.  We must make these changes in a smart manner.  There will be times the membership will think we are doing a fantastic job and other times they will think we are doing enough.  Believe me, we are working hard and with their support we will be successful.

This isn’t an organization of Office staff and Directors and Committees and Judges.  We aren’t just a clearing house for problems and we are not just about keeping statistics.  I know we are first and foremost a membership and we all must pull together.  I hope I can build the confidence in the general membership that they will support most of my ideas for change.  Please go to your Zone Reps and let them know if you think we are doing a good job or if you have ideas on how to make the CKC better. 

I will be coming to the membership asking for help, through online opinion polls, focus groups, specific areas of expertise to call on.  Be a volunteer.  We can’t be an organization where the majority feel left out and powerless.  I want to lead that change. 

We have an awful lot of work ahead.  We will be moving slow and steady and mindful of budget and return on investment.  Make sure to read the Board minutes.  That will help to keep you updated on our progress and plans.  I hope you noticed that at the last Annual Meeting, we had people taking notes from the meeting and updating the minutes in real time so the members that were home could immediately see what was being done and decided. 

I look forward to meeting more members as time goes on and I get more opportunities to travel to different events.  Thank you for your support.

Remember to watch for "Nice Deeds".  They are happening all around us.  Let's talk about the people helping others.   Send your "Nice Deeds" to me at djenkins@shaw.ca 

Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats.  You should  bookmark it.  That's where you will find my blog. 

                                                                     XXXOOO

Welcome To My View

Loss of a Beloved Dog

Recently I have had several friends that have lost a dear beloved dog.  As they are talking about their dog to me, remembering their little tricks and habits, it was all I could do to not sob.

I want to be the kind of friend that allows my friends to talk about their sweet dog if it helps their grieving process.  I  know way too soon, I will be needing them to listen to me about the loss of my sweet girl who is 14 years old, now.

I remember how I got my very first Standard Wirehaired Dachshund.  My family had always had smooth dachshunds.  Fritz was so special to me.  I was more of a dog person than my sisters when we were growing up.  My sister, Debbie, loved cats and my other sister had a bird and a white mouse.  There was this couple that walked around my tiny Georgia town.  Everyone knew that they weren't quite right in the head!  One day they just decided to take Fritz out of our yard and walk off with him. Even though my Dad knew where he was, he wouldn't allow me to go after him and until this day, I don't know why he didn't go after him.  As it turned out before any of us could go retrieve him, this couple's shack of a house burned down.  Our town volunteer firemen found Fritz tied the the bed and there was nothing they could do for him.

I must have cried for weeks for him.  I felt like my teen-aged heart was going to explode with grief.  I didn't really think I could talk to anyone about it.  My boyfriend at the time was nice enough to listen to me, but he was a kid and his patience was going to run out about the topic.  So, I just kept most of my feelings to myself.  Little did I know that there was someone in my town that understood exactly how I felt.

Dr. Lavender, our small town vet asked my boyfriend to bring me to his office after school.  When we arrived, the doctor took me to one of the small exam rooms with a Dutch door on it.  The top half of the  door was open and he was holding my hand when he had me peek over on the far right back corner.  There was the most magnificent wirehaired dachshund with her litter of puppies.  The puppies were about 12 weeks old, fat, shiny and wiggly.  They were rolling and playing with each other.  Dr. Lavender changed my life that day.  He told me he was sorry about Fritz and he understood how sad I was.  He went on to explain that Fritz was a one and only and could never be replaced, but that he was fairly certain that he knew Fritz well enough to know that he would not want me to stay sad and he would want me to have another puppy to love.  Dr. Lavender said the sweetest words I ever heard.  "This is  my girl and her puppies.  I want you to have the pick of the litter to love."  

I rushed into the exam room, flopped down on the floor amongst all the playing puppies.  I picked up each one.  I allowed them to crawl on me.  This was going to be a big decision and I wanted it to be the right one.  After about an hour, I had made my decision.  I picked a chubby little girl, that didn't mind being cradled on her back in my arms. She licked my nose.  She would hop around me and run back to my lap.  She was the one. 

She was a gorgeous wheaten colour (light red).  Smart would be an understatement.  More like brilliant.  She was my constant companion.  She was perfect.  She could sit up on her haunches forever and you couldn't even push her over.  She would play for hours retrieving a ball.  She was the damnest dog to take fishing.   If you tried to go without her in the boat, she would swim after you until you gave up and hauled her into the boat.  If you tried to fish with a bobber, she would swim after it and bring it back.  She loved to dive under the water and bring up terrapin turtles from the bottom.  

I had to leave her behind when I went off to school and when I left for a job in another state.  My family would not even consider allowing her to leave home. I loved to go home so I could see her.  She lived to the rip old age of 15.  Talk about an entire family grieving.  It has been 31 years since she crossed the Rainbow Bridge and I am still grieving for her.  Her name was Cognac.  She was a wonderful girl and I still love her.  


Now, I wait, for my sweet Chloe who is 14,

Chloe

to say goodbye.  Some days she is spry as a puppy and others she barely gets up except to eat and potty.  So for now, I will stroke her head, let her lick my face, throw the ball that she may or may not go after and just be together.

Go ahead, grieve for your sweet dog.  Take time off work if you need it.  Find a way to memorialise your dog.  I kept Cognac's collar and tags.  Talk to a friend or don't talk, whichever is right for you.  Grieving is your right and you should feel free to do it and do it your way.

       Storyteller

Ron Pearson

In today's computer-age, there are so many opportunities to meet wonderful storytellers.  I    was reading a post of a member of Canadian Show Dogs and was enthralled.  When I 

Spirit

finished reading his accounts of his two dogs, I was craving to know more.  Ron Pearson lives in Dugald, Manitoba with his wife, Kirby, a 9 year old Black and White Siberian Husky rescue named Spirit, Balla, an 8 year old lovingly called a Norway Houseky and he is also a rescue and to round out the clan are 4 cats.  Ron's wife has a grooming business they call Husky Howllow.  Here is one of Ron's stories.  He promises to 

Balla

entertain my readers with more stories in the future.  He also wants to tell all of us about allowing our dogs to be blood donors.  Spirit and Balla are donors.  

     The Farmers Market

 

Saturday at the Farmer's Market Spirit and I were wandering around the vendors saying Hi to familiar faces and introducing ourselves to new
ones. Some old friends were missing and we hope they will be at future
markets (this years market opened two weeks early)

At any rate there was one familiar face that Spirit dragged me over to
see. A fellow and his wife come to a few markets during the season to
sell their smoked trout, hand raised chicken and other goodies. They
offer samples of their goodies and this is what Spirit had retained in
the recesses of her convoluted minds. She had met them twice last year.

She parked herself in front of Tom, the vendor and gave him a few Wuffs,
pats with her paw and lots of wiggle butt to let him know she was there.
Naturally Tom had a tray with samples in his hands and this is what
Spirit was keying on. His wife was laughing her head off and petting
Spirit. A few samples later Spirit persuaded me that we really needed
to take home some trout (that was my plan anyway) so I bought some for
supper. Even got a discount because Spirit's antics attracted a few
other people who also made a purchase.

Looks like it will be another summer of fun at the Market.
Spirit, by-the-way, is a Siberian Husky.

PS: Spirit (and Balla) really enjoy the skin from the fish as a special
treat which they got after their house time last night. There were drool
puddles on the floor and ignored cookies when they realized just what
they were getting. Spirit sure is no fool dog.

Remember to watch for "Nice Deeds".  They are happening all around us.  Let's talk about the people helping others.   Send your "Nice Deeds" to me at djenkins@shaw.ca 

Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats.  You should  bookmark it.  That's where you will find my blog. 

                                                                     XXXOOO

Welcome To My View

Maude Bicknell 

 She puts the BEST in Show

Maude is a very familiar face in Ontario.  You hardly go to a show that you won't see her.  Maude got started in conformation in 1974 when she bought her first Siberian Husky bitch.  She bought a male Siberian that finished in two weekends and also went Top Siberian.

That was Imasibe's Storm Warning, Call name Stormy.  Maude did a bit of handling, but Jo Griffith mainly showed Maude's dogs to their championships and beyond.

Maude also had Norwegian Elk Hounds and most will recall Kobanko's Chase Manhattan and Care Bear from Barb Inniss.  Chase was an  Canadian/Bermuda/ American Champion.

As impressive as Maude's Elk Hounds and Siberians were, she is just as well known for her work around the show rings.  About 15 years ago, Hilda Depew contacted Maude about setting up and cleaning up for shows.  Maude makes sure that everything is ready to go for the show to start and she keeps a vigilant eye on the condition of the show site all weekend.   Maude provides much of the show equipment and on occasions rents some of the equipment out to kennel clubs.  

When I asked Maude what keeps her interested in dogs, she said that she likes the people.  She enjoys working with the Kennel Clubs to put on the best show possible.  She stated that she always does her best, or she won't do the job.

Maude would agree that she is a woman of very few words.  She can be a bit crusty and she runs a tight ship. But, Maude is the woman that does everything possible to get lost items back to their owners.  She has been known to change flat tires while the car owner is inside showing dogs.  Maude gives advice to Newbie RV owners that show up without enough hose, electrical cord or the proper electrical plug.  She has been known to have extra and to loan it out, plus give instructions on what to have, where to buy it and how to use it.

How many in Ontario know that years ago, exhibitors were not allowed to leave their dogs in the arenas overnight?  Well, you can thank Maude for changing that rule.  She started allowing dogs to spend the night in the arena, but to be certain every dog was safe and cared for, she would spend the night in the arena with them.  She would bring a cot and find an out-of-the-way spot to sleep for the weekend.  

Maude makes sure that the show site stays clean.  She  sanitizes the rings at the end of the day and keeps the areas ringside swept and clean.  When you hear "Clean up Ring 1", Maude has made sure that it gets cleaned up and that the Mop and Bucket with disinfectant are nearby. One of Maude's pet peeves about Exhibitors are the people that do not clean up their Set Up area.  She says bring a broom with you and sweep up the hair and trash and properly dispose of it.  If you don't have a broom, ask her to borrow one.  Scoop your Poop!  She said, its just plain rude to expect someone else to pick up your dog's poop. Better not let her catch you not Pooper Scooping.  She says that Exhibitors should encourage each other and show good sportsmanship.  

Maude will allow exhibitors that would like to practice in the ring after the show to use the rings, but she says that the exhibitor should be respectful enough to clean up if their dog has an accident.  She's not there to clean up the ring twice.  

Maude's view on dog shows now versus years ago is that there is too much back biting and too much gossip.  She said it used to be more fun and people were nice whether they won or lost.  She worries about the cost of showing dogs now.  Everything is so expensive, she knows a lot of people can't afford to show any more.  

Maude is a heart of gold under that crusty exterior.  She would help anyone that has a need.  I shutter to think what will happen when Maude decides its time to retire.  There will never be anyone as great as Maude.  Perhaps if we all keep our Set Ups clean, we follow proper show etiquette and we let Maude know how much we all love and respect her, she will keep our shows running for many, many years to come.  Maude is one of those people that hasn't got enough recognition over the years for her contributions to the Dog Fancy.  Stop and think what it would be like without her.  

The list of people that love Maude is vast.  Thank you so very much from our entire Dog Show Community for your many years of hard work and dedication.  

Jo Anne Griffith

Thanks so much to Jo Anne Griffith for providing the show photos to me to use in this article.  Much appreciated.

Kate Barnett

Setting Realistic Goals For Showing Dogs

         by Kate Barnett

Many of us step foot in the ring without a clear goal in mind. Sure, we are there ‘to win’, we believe that our dog is the most deserving, and we cross our fingers and hold our breath when the judge makes their final decision. When we win, we’re happy, and when we don’t… well very few of us can leave a show empty handed, day after day, and still feel excited about coming back next weekend. I say we change that.

No, I’m not talking about changing the way shows are judged, making everyone ‘winners’ so we can feel proud of ourselves. That devalues the win and doesn’t help anyone in the long run. What I am talking about is setting realistic, attainable goals; goals that we have complete control over.

An Outcome Goal is something like “I want to win the Major on Saturday”. It doesn’t take into account all the factors involved, such as the skill of the handler, training of the dog, experience of the judge, the quality of the competition, and whether there is enough competition to make a Major (to name a few). Many of us set Goals like this, and it’s really hard to learn from them. If your goal is to ‘win the Major’, what steps can you take to help you achieve that goal? Well, you can study the likes and dislikes of the Judge, and hope he likes your dog. You can scout out your competition, and hope your dog measures up against them. You can keep your fingers crossed that there wasn’t a mistake in the entry count, and nobody is absent to break the Major. Finally, you can work on your own performance, the only thing in this scenario that you have any control over. It seems that the odds are stacked against you achieving your goal, as your goal is only to win, and doesn’t focus on how you are going to win.

A Performance Goal is different. Instead of focusing on winning that Major, for which you have little control over, you are instead putting focus on one area of your performance. Let’s say your Goal is for your dog to land the perfect stack at the end of the down and back. This is something tangible, you can practice it, and achieving the goal has nothing to do with the other dogs in the ring or who the judge points at. If you do achieve your goal, you’ve mastered an important skill, and have a better shot at winning that Major, and if not, you have something to work on before the next time you enter the ring.

Goals should be able to be evaluated. After your performance, look back and determine if you were able to achieve your goal. If not, why not? What can you do to ensure you achieve your goal next time? In our example of the perfect stack, we can say “The stack wasn’t achieved because there was a barking dog in the next ring and it spooked my dog. To achieve my goal in the future, I will practice with my dog in a variety of areas to ensure he won’t spook in the future.” We can’t say this about the Outcome Goal of winning the major, maybe you lost because the other dog was better, or the judge didn’t like the colour of your shoes, or it was too windy, or, or, or… There is no clear way to evaluate an Outcome Goal, and the only advice to move forward is “better luck next time.”

Future Goals should build upon goals already achieved. Now that you have mastered that perfect stack and can repeat the performance consistently, we can build on that goal, by saying we want the dog to do stack perfectly at the end of the down and back, and while the judge is making his final decisions. Next, add in a rock solid stand for the examination, as that ties in with the stack you’ve already attained. Before you know it, you and your dog will have mastered the entire ring procedure, and you can bet you’ll be proud of what you and your dog have accomplished!

As you achieve your goals, your confidence improves, which improves your ring presence. You are more relaxed, because you have had success in the past, and know that you can achieve the goals you have set for yourself. In turn, your dog is more relaxed, as we know every emotion we feel in the ring travels right down the lead to our dog. You paint a beautiful picture when you are in the ring together, working as a team, and delivering a wonderful performance. And it’s very hard for a judge to deny a dog who “asks for the win.” And before you know it, you are being rewarded with those Majors! When you win them, enjoy it, but enjoy it because you and your dog earned it together, and you had a great time together along the way.

Kate Barnett (Curlious Reg'd) is a first generation "dog person", living vicariously through neighbours dogs growing up until her parents finally allowed her to have a dog of her own. When the internet came along, so did information about dog shows, and it wasn't long before Kate knew she had to be a part of it. She chose the Chinese Crested, and has successfully piloted numerous dogs, both hairless and powderpuff, to their championships in both Canada and the USA. Kate is a CGN evaluator, involved with the National and Regional Chinese Crested breed clubs, and will embark on a new chapter this year as she steps foot in the ring with her first Afghan Hound.

Have Something To Say?

This is your opportunity.  If you have something you would like to write about pretaining to the Dog Fancy, please send me your article.   There are only a couple of things to keep in mind.  My blog is meant to be used for encouragement, instruction and humour.  Please incorporate that into your article.  Keep your article to around 1000 words and include pictures with captions if possible.  Personal stories of your experience in the Dog Fancy or a funny story about something that happened to you would be great.  Don't worry too much about grammar, I edit everything.  

I like to share, so go ahead and send me your article to djenkins@shaw.ca   Be sure to put Blog Article in the Subject, so I won't overlook it.  My blog is Canada-wide, so I'd love to hear from you folks outside of Ontario, too!

I like to see people do nice things for others.  If someone does something nice for you at a show or you see or hear about something nice being done, please send me an email at djenkins@shaw.ca.   Be sure to put in the subject: Nice

We will mention that person by name in the blog.

   

Jan Carpenter

 

This week I want to thank all the people that take pictures of my guys and dogs in the ring and send me the pictures.  Everyone loves to get those unexpected shots from the show.  Sometimes they are just too funny, too!  These nice people emailed me pictures they took at the Erie Shores Kennel Club Show this weekend.   Thanks so much!  I really appreciate getting them.

Jospehine Lambert

Has someone taken pictures of your dog?  Wouldn't you like to say thank you here?  Just drop me an email.

Stephanie Chuchman

Remember to watch for "Nice Deeds".  They are happening all around us.  Let's talk about the people helping others.   Send your "Nice Deeds" to me at djenkins@shaw.ca 

Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats.  You should  bookmark it.  That's where you will find my blog. 

                                                                     XXXOOO