Breaksea Beardies at Crufts 2010

Welcome to the Tribe and Some PSAs

I had the pleasure of running into my friend Jill at the Finish Forward Open house this past weekend. We've been friends-of-friends and Facebook buddies for ages now, but this is the first time we've ever had a chance to meet face-to-face and chat. We've trained at the same facility in the past, but never in the same class. It's nice to be able to associate faces with names, especially when your Facebook photos show your dogs' faces. (I recognized Finn the Golden immediately.)

Come to find out that Jill is a Dog Show Newbie! Welcome to the pack, Jill! She's brave -- she purchased a lovely Golden boy-pup named Copley from some top Golden breeders, and is now on the march toward the Big CH. It only takes 752 dogs to make a major in her breed, so you have to be very determined, and have a very good dog, just to want to start the process.

Good luck, Jill and Copley! See you around the rings this season!

Now for a couple of breed handling PSAs:

• It's a Dog's World in York has resumed weekly group handling classes starting on March 1.



• Finish Forward is offering handling classes with Penny Cary. If you sign up for this class, you could be classmates with Jill and Copley!

Newbie Gets a Promotion

Woohoo! Imagine my surprise! This past weekend, I checked my phone messages and found one from a friend in the Midcoast, asking me if I would judge the Working and Herding Groups at her kennel club's spring match. She assured me that I didn't need to be an expert on all of the breeds, and that my eye for dogs would be my best guide. I was pleased as anything to be able to accept.

The only Working breed I've ever had is Newfies, though I've spent time with my brother's Boxers and Mastiffs, and I never met a Rottweiler I didn't like. Come to think of it, the only Herding breed I've ever owned is Beardies. I'm hoping I can persuade a bunch of them to come to the match so I'll have some entries of a breed I actually know.

Anyway, I'm tickled. Even if the position is more ceremonial than anything else, it's still quite a step up for a mere Dog Show Newbie. (This doesn't mean that I'm changing the blog's name to Tired, Jaded Old Dog Show Regular.)

My chances of ever qualifying as a regular AKC judge hover between slim and negative infinity. I've never bred a litter before, which makes it unlikely that I'll ever produce the requisite number of champions. I have been doing my time as a steward, but I mostly like the work.

Anyway, if you're within driving distance of midcoast Maine, come to the match on May 16! The host club is still working out venues and other arrangements, but I'll find out as soon as they're sure what's going on. Come see me hit the big time!