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Sponsor a Junior Handler

In Junior Handling the children compete, and the dog IS NOT judged, but the Junior is judged on being able to properly present themselves and their dog to the judge. They must know triangles, T's, L's, down and back, stacking, showing the dog’s bite and the anatomy of the dog, including what the dog was bred for.

Junior Handling is about how to present the dog, how to present yourself, how to address a judge with respect, eye contact and posture. 

Lyle and I are fortunate enough to be sponsoring a Junior, Dillon.  We are so excited about having him join our team.  He is a very bright and polite young man.  He will be traveling with us in Canada and USA this year.  He comes from a wonderful family and they live on a farm.  We have high expectations for Dillon, but most of all, we want him to have fun learning the sport.

As sponsors, we feel a lot of responsibility to Dillon and his family.  First and foremost, we are charged with keeping him safe when he is in our care.  We will be his family away from home.  Having  raised boys, I know we will manage just fine.  We are also responsible for teaching him how to care for the dogs.  We will teach him how to groom his dog and to learn the dog's structure and movement.  That is so important when it comes to properly handling his dog in the ring.  We are responsible in making sure he can answer the judge's questions when he is in the ring.  

I hope Dillon is feeling all the excitement we are feeling.  We are looking forward to watching him grow in size and maturity and skills.  Our reward will be for him to feel that he has accomplished goals and enjoys the sport.  Nothing will be better to us than seeing him having a great time while he is involved with our dogs.

If you have never considered sponsoring a Junior, perhaps you will give it some serious thought.  What could be better?  This is a great way to pay the sport back that has given you so much enjoyment and reward.  Helping to start the next generation of dog sportsman will keep the sport young, innovative and healthy.

When you see us at the Scarborough show this weekend.  Stop by our setup and meet Dillon and offer your support to the Junior Handler program.

Pam Is In

Publishing, Pandering, and  Politics
                        by Pam McClintock

And so it is that the Canadian Kennel Club has partnered with the Globe and Mail in order to resurrect 'Dogs in Canada' and 'Dogs Annual'. While these publications may be deemed the only official ones of the CKC, they have been nonexistent for quite some time. . I t is difficult indeed to have a magazine touted as the only one recognized by our mother club when it has been out of circulation  for a year. While 'Dogs' lapsed into a state of demise, Redstone Media group published 'Canadian Dogs Annual ' giving credence to the old adage, 'You snooze, you lose'.  In 2011, the board decided  on an enhanced and more effective marketing strategy......I so often get mired in the rhetoric that  is issued by the CKC .  I think this means that the Globe and Mail is going to repair the damages to the official  magazine. We do know that newspapers have an obligation to report on happenings,  both worldwide  and local. While we as dog breeders have tried vigorously to have BSL repealed in Ontario, make no mistake about it, our new partner will report in great detail the first savage dog attack. And if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck  then it will likely be a pit bull regardless of the real facts. Reporters must manufacture stories as accurately as possible but journalism can sometimes equate to sensationalism which attracts a reader  and is retained in memory. Do we want our colleagues to malign the very creatures for which it is partnered?

Did anyone see or hear of this new enterprise prior to its being sprung on us through a well worded and grandiose email. Were we afforded the opportunity for input and ideas, suggestions or samples from members in the publishing field who are DOG people who might have appreciated an opportunity to publish or at the very least work in conjunction with a printing firm, collaborating on proper material for serious dog fanciers and breeders. I can only assume that the die is cast with a legal contract that has put this new partnership into immediate effect. Are we pandering to the Globe and Mail because of their high profile publishing credentials and will their vision be truly one that will  suit the dog fancy or is this a political move designed to advance the  board  of directors as an innovative and influential  entity.

So my question is: what is this venture costing the CKC and ultimately the members. Will there be a group of dog minded individuals who will oversee every piece of material submitted? Will this publishing strategy be governed solely by experts in the canine field or does the Globe and Mail,  in its contractual agreement,  retain rights to publish as it sees fit to suit its share holders and investors?  'Dogs in Canada' fell from grace several years ago, becoming just a medium for large scale corporate advertising. and as it continued to fail in meeting the needs and desires of the membership, it finally floundered, crumbled and died. How will this new project be established in order to suit the membership since there was no member input,  and in an effort to avoid the previous disaster. And the bottom line is, at what cost to the members?

Truthfully,  I confess that I have not missed 'Dogs in Canada' nor the Annual. For timely show results and information, several marvelous websites are available, with affordable advertising rates. 'Dogs  in Canada' magazine   may well be a dinosaur best left to extinction. Certainly at one time it had a place in our canine book collection, but no more.  Prominent kennels in all breeds are easily accessible on the internet as is canine health and wellness. A website with current detailed information would be more advantageous, more cost efficient and easily managed by a savvy  hired webmaster who would link it to  the CKC website. Am I being pessimistic? Perhaps. But considering that our charity foundation appears to be in grave disarray, a parvo pandemic could loom within the dog population, and clubs have experienced a serious decline in entries resulting in termination for many, is it possible that now might  not be an appropriate time to enter into another contractual agreement that has only minimal value and little need.   

The views and opinions of this contributor are not necessarily the views and opinions of the blog owner.  If you would like to respond to Pam, please email her at pamm@niagara.com

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.

This week`s Spotlight is on Brad and Christine Heard of Summerford Newfoundlands

Brad and Christine happily volunteer to report show results to Canuck Dogs.  This means staying to the end of the show and using the Show Secretary`s records to report results.  Normally you will see Christine and Brad sitting ringside when they are not in the ring with their beautiful Newfoundland.  You can pick them out  of the crowd, because they are clapping and cheering for all exhibitors the loudest and with great enthusiasm.  They truly  bring fun to ringside.  

They report the results free of any charge and it really is a thankless job.  Join me in thanking them for their dedication to the sport.

Remember to watch for "Nice Deeds".  They are happening all around us.  Let's talk about the people helping others.

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