PSAs for Today: Handling Classes in Fryeburg and a Seminar in York

Telling Tails Training Center in Fryeburg, ME is offering conformation classes for all experience levels, led by Beth Collins. These classes will help everyone get ready for the Southern Maine Coastal Classic cluster in mid-May.

Classes will be held on the following dates:

• Tuesday, April 19 at 6:30-7:30 PM
• Tuesday, April 26 at 6:30-7:30 PM
• Monday, May 9 at 6:30 - 7:30 PM

Each class costs $25. You may take one, two, or all three. Sign up at Telling Tails' website or call 642-3693.

Handling Seminar in York in October

It's a Dog's World in York is planning to hold another conformation handling seminar with Sue and Bill Burrell on October 1 and 2. FMI: call 363-0099.

Public Service Announcement: Handling Classes in Bangor, ME

The Penobscot Valley Kennel Club will start its next session of show handling classes on Monday, May 5 at 6 PM on the Bangor Waterfront.


Cost to PVKC members is $5 per class; non-members pay $7. Of course, classes are held weather permitting, so stay home if it is raining or snowing.


PVKC is also considering a 'Puppy Prep' class for conformation showing. All puppies must be 16 weeks or older and have proof of vaccinations. They plan to cover technique, filling out forms, proper dress, and other show topics.


For more information, contact PVKC from their website at http://penobscotvalleykennelclub.itgo.com/index.html.

The New AKC Points Schedule is Out

...and here it is: http://www.akc.org/events/conformation/point_schedule.cfm .

What do you think? Have the points needed for majors increased, decreased, or stayed the same for your breed and geographic region?

It's been just long enough since I've had a class dog in the ring that I don't remember what the points schedules for Beardies have been like in the past few years. The points are quite a bit lower than they were when Dinah was in the classes (7 bitches for 3 points, then 6) -- but it has also been correspondingly more difficult to field the requisite number of entries.  For a while there, it was easier for owners of the bitches to get their majors from the crossover points, since the number of dogs needed is so much lower than the number of bitches. (When there are not enough points in bitches to constitute a major, but there are in dogs, then if Winner's Bitch also goes Best of Breed, Best of Winners, or Best of Opposite, she receives the same number of points for her win as the Winner's Dog receives. This means that the Winner's Bitch receives "crossover points," enough so that she, too, gets a major from that win.)