The First-Time Exhibitor Experience: Are We Welcoming or Intimidating?
The First-Time Exhibitor Experience: Are We Welcoming or Intimidating? By Kathy Musto Every experienced exhibitor remembers that first dog show. The excitement. The nerves. The uncertainty of where to park, where to groom, when to go to the ring, and whether they were about to embarrass themselves in front of
Where Did All the People Go?
Where Did All the People Go? By Kathy Musto Walk into a dog show today and one thing is immediately noticeable—there are fewer spectators than there once were. Years ago, families wandered the aisles, children stopped to pet dogs, and curious visitors asked breeders endless questions. Today, many shows are
Preserving Our Legacy: Why Breeders Must Invest in the Next Generation
Preserving Our Legacy: Why Breeders Must Invest in the Next Generation By Kathy Musto Every successful breeding program represents years—often decades—of thoughtful planning, careful selection, and unwavering dedication. The quality, consistency, and reputation of a kennel are not built overnight. Yet without the next generation of breeders, even the finest
Is Your Dog Really Anxious for Grooming— Or Have We Stopped Teaching DogsHow to Handle Things?
By Karen Osper The Posh Paw/The Perfect Paw One of the most common things professional groomers hear today is:“My dog has anxiety.”“He hates grooming.”“She just can’t handle being groomed.”And while true anxiety absolutely exists in some dogs, there’s also a growing misconceptionhappening within pet ownership and the grooming industry:Many dogs
Focus on What You Can Control
by Andy Vance for American Dog Fancier My coworker Jon carries a coffee mug that says, “Nobody cares. Work harder.” That call tostop making excuses reminds me of some advice I offer to my fellow conformationcompetitors… especially my fellow owner-handlers.Dog shows are about evaluating breeding stock, period, end of story.
People Don’t Join Clubs – They Join People
by Andy Vance for American Dog Fancier A few years after our family got heavily involved in conformation shows, we realized that weneeded to join our local specialty and all-breed clubs… and more importantly, we needed tovolunteer and contribute to what my mentor calls, “The Good of the Order.”No members,
The be nice challenge!
By Kathy Musto I was thinking to myself, how hard is it to be nice? What are some nice things we can do for each other? Well, I think it can be simple! So here is my challenge to all of us at dog shows… Find someone you don’t know
Dog shows…but is it a family sport?
By Kathy Musto YES! With my whole heart, yes! We’ve been hearing all too much lately that it’s not… let me remind you why it is. I love that I had the opportunity as a young girl growing up with my family showing our family pets. I could not imagine
Remembering the K9s of 9/11
Remembering the K9s of 9/11By Jessica Freni More than two decades have passed since the tragedy of 9/11 shook NYC and the World. Theterrorist attacks in New York at the World Trade Center, Pentagon and PA killed nearly 3,000people and brought more than 90,000 volunteers to the disasters working to
New Health Initiatives For Brachy Breeds
by Jessica Freni Brachycephalic breeds can be a hot button topic, even within the purebred dog community. Stigma and ARA talking points are a constant source of frustration for those who breed/ own Brachycephalic dogs, from the veterinarian community to the general public. Brachycephalic dogs are not inherently unhealthy nor