Back from the AKC National Championships with my bank account (sadly) undented
By Gina Spadafori
December 2, 2007
At the risk of sounding like Christie: I was disappointed in the shopping. The AKC/Eukanuba National Championships ought to have championship-level shopping.
Which was good, really, since I didn’t want to spend money. But my advice to make this better for the public (listening, AKC?): drop the vendor space price and get tons of great dog-related shopping. Go back to Crufts and learn this. I spent almost as much money at this great four-day U.K. dog malldog show as I did on the airfare and hotel.
Other than that, it was a pretty good time. The “meet the breeds” booths were cute and well done, and I liked them a lot. (Another great idea taken from Crufts.) The conformation show was dull to anyone not interested or involved, but the agility was a blast for all to see. Because the AKC invites the top from every breed, the breeds who usually don’t get to the regionals and nationals (because they aren’t quick enough) get to come to this show. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen bulldogs and Afghan hounds do agility!
T-Rod and Jazz did great. Jazzy put a paw off course on her second run, but it doesn’t matter a bit. She’s at the nationals months after any veterinary oncologist would have predicted she’d be dead, and she’s happy, feels good and runs her heart out.
You go, girl!
On the home front, Otter is here. I’m raising a puppy for a friend for six months and now the great adventure begins.
Update: I added a picture of Teresa and Jazz, taken just before their first run. Jazz is very relaxed, until it’s time to goooooo.
That’s the great thing about Agility, even though my own true loves, BCs, are so good, they don’t have the market cornered on fun breeds to watch.
It’s a grand time watching almost any dog run agility, especially when they overcome the most difficult obstacles for their breed. I have fond memories of a Dachshund high-centering herself on the A-Frame only to squirm and wiggle enough until her front feet finally came down.
I’ve seen a very small toy breed actually jump up and down on the far end of the teeter until it finally began to come down.
One of the Boxers in my agility class occasionally decides that the A-frame is actually a jump instead of a contact, and she hits the front contact pad, leaps all the way over the top, and lands on the far side contact zone before bounding off to do the rest of the course.
Good luck with the puppy! Otter is a cute name. I’m about to have my hands full myself. My girl Celeste is giving birth some time this week to her first litter.
Comment by Christopher — December 2, 2007 @ 11:16 am
the news about bad shopping is about the most shocking thing I could imagine! lol…. I’m with you.. you’d expect top of the line shopping to go along with top of the line dogs!
Now if you really want to see a variety of breeds that are truly competitive with each other, check out the head-to-head competitions in the OBEDIENCE invitational:
a Doberman in a run off vs. a Border terrier
a Lab in a run off vs a Dachshund
and even more:
http://frontandfinish.com/imag.....sults1.pdf
(thanks to Bob Harris of Front&Finish magazine)
Comment by EmilyS — December 2, 2007 @ 11:31 am
“the news about bad shopping is about the most shocking thing I could imagine! lol…. I’m with you.. you’d expect top of the line shopping to go along with top of the line dogs!”
Couldn’t agree more with Emily. The big Palm Springs show is coming up, and the Orange Empire show — I’ll be there for the shopping.
Comment by Luisa — December 2, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
Gina, you didn’t happen to see the junior prelims, did you? Someone I know just made the finals.
Susan
Comment by Susan — December 2, 2007 @ 4:31 pm
Nah, I didn’t watch juniors. I know Kate Eldredge (teen dog trainer and book author) was competing, but there just wasn’t enough time to see it all.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — December 2, 2007 @ 6:39 pm
uh, Gina . . .
i’ve been waiting REALLY patiently for pictures to be added to the blog of Jazz and Otter . . . .
;)
Comment by straybaby — December 2, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
Tomorrow … I promise. Sundays are column-writing days.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — December 2, 2007 @ 8:45 pm
I checked the juniors results this morning, and apparently Kate didn’t make the finals.
Comment by Susan — December 3, 2007 @ 7:27 am
We were there and kept thinking that we must have missed a the room with the vendors. Sigh.
Comment by rescuemom — December 3, 2007 @ 6:05 pm
Hi Gina! No, we didn’t make the finals but Queezle and I did go Best of Opposite :)
Comment by Kate — January 19, 2008 @ 2:19 pm
Wonderful, Kate! Glad to read it.
Readers, Kate is a junior handler, trainer and author of “Head of the Class: A Teen Dog Expert Teaches You to Raise and Train the Perfect Pal.”
Her mom is author and veterinarian Dr. Deb Eldredge, who most recently updated the classic “Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook.”
Comment by Gina Spadafori — January 20, 2008 @ 10:17 am