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!