Thanks to technological advances and a robust economy in the years following the second world war, the modern media took off like a rocket—and the Westminster Kennel Club dog show took off with it. Of course, the big event at Madison Square Garden had been America’s most prestigious dog show since it began in 1877. […]

To understand just how respected Ellsworth Gamble was, let us eavesdrop at a 1967 dinner where the legendary judge gave a speech to the members of the Kerry Blue Terrier Club of Northern California. Gamble stood to address the assembled fanciers whose dogs he had judged earlier that day. Though he was a slight man, […]

By Joan Harrigan and Susan BeegelMuch is demanded of show dogs – they must be adaptable, calm, and tolerant in addition to meeting the requirements of their breed standards. Two Beaucerons, both champions and exhibited at the 2011 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, have show careers that are secondary to their day-to-day work. For Beaucerons […]

Science has long told us that enriched environments creates animals more highly adapted to cope with higher levels of stimulation. I saw the reverse of this in a population of government bred detection dogs who had daily changes in their play pen. Their stress did not come from an environment that was too challenging, but […]

We discussed this before here- https://www.akc.org/akc-detection-dog-task-force/akc-pilot-detection-puppy-rearing-program/blogs/training-science/behavioral-circuits-motor-patterns/ However, now that everyone is spending a good amount of time with your dogs on environmentally stability, we should revisit what we are trying to do. The goal is that the pup will negotiate an object “because it is there.” A dog that only negotiates the object with cues, […]

Science has long told us that enriched environments creates animals more highly adapted to cope with higher levels of stimulation. I saw the reverse of this in a population of government bred detection dogs who had daily changes in their play pen. Their stress did not come from an environment that was too challenging, but […]

We discussed this before here- https://www.akc.org/akc-detection-dog-task-force/akc-pilot-detection-puppy-rearing-program/blogs/training-science/behavioral-circuits-motor-patterns/ However, now that everyone is spending a good amount of time with your dogs on environmentally stability, we should revisit what we are trying to do. The goal is that the pup will negotiate an object “because it is there.” A dog that only negotiates the object with cues, […]

We discussed this before here- https://www.akc.org/akc-detection-dog-task-force/akc-pilot-detection-puppy-rearing-program/blogs/training-science/behavioral-circuits-motor-patterns/ However, now that everyone is spending a good amount of time with your dogs on environmentally stability, we should revisit what we are trying to do. The goal is that the pup will negotiate an object “because it is there.” A dog that only negotiates the object with cues, […]

by Tammie Rogers I am amazed at a herding dog's courage. We often ask our dogs to control and pilot animals that can weigh hundreds of pounds more than they do. We ask them to manage ewes with baby lambs and cows with newborn calves. We ask them to move livestock that doesn't want to […]

Rio Grassle Rozzi TD CA DCAT SWM CGC TKI owned by Mariana & Cory Rozzi of Westfield, IN The Rozzis rescued Rio in November of 2021 and at the time, they knew nothing about dog performance sports. They began private lessons with their dog trainer, John Krasich, shortly after getting Rio. “Starting those lessons turned […]