ANNOUNCING THE DOG SHOW POOP RANKINGS

All of our readers know that we are fans of dog show rankings. We wouldn’t have dog shows if we weren’t interested in competition. It appeals to our sense of order and fairness. It is that latter characteristic that prompts us to announce the Dog Show Poop Rankings.



Starting in 2009 we will post our own rankings based on performance at AKC dog shows. We do this for a number of reasons. We want to recognize some of those dogs owned by the average dog show exhibitor, the exhibitor who doesn’t have a trust fund, the exhibitor who has a regular job and can’t make it to 150 shows a year, the exhibitor who doesn’t have access to a corporate jet to show in four cities in four days. Bottom line, we think if you give the average exhibitor (our version of Plumber Joe) some recognition, we might encourage more people to enter an AKC dog show.

We have developed a ranking system that tries to correct some of the inequities inherent in the current system.

1. We will count only all breed shows. 
2. We will score each group win equal to the win in the other groups. Said another way, a Group One in the Working Group will count the same as the Group One In the Herding Group at the same show. The current rankings count all the dogs that competed in the breeds that day. Therefore, a dog, unopposed in a breed, can go forward to the group and get credit for defeating dogs he/she never faced. To illustrate the inequity, consider this; the average Working Group winner gets 21 percent of the points at a show, while the average Terrier Group Winner gets eight percent, even though the former has faced 25 opponents in the group and the latter has faced 26. Group winners will be awarded four points. Group Two gets three points, Group Three two, and Group Four one. BIS will get the sum of the group wins, 28 points (Seven Groups at four points each) because a Best In Show is really, really special.
3. We will give extra points for big shows. Shows up to 1,000 dogs will score as out lined above. One additional point will be added to each win for every additional 250 dogs showing, i.e., BIS at a show with 1,000 dogs is worth 28, 1,250 is worth 35, 1,500 42, etc.

Now, we will still track and report the traditional rankings. We are not populist extremists wishing to overthrow the dog world elite nor do we harbor any delusions about who we are. The traditional rankings are important and we respect that. However, remember, these lists, like dog shows, are recreation. So don’t take them too seriously. Have fun with them. Our intent is to encourage you out there to get enthusiastic about dog shows.

REAL TIME RANKINGS

Technically, it’s not the end of the month until midnight, but since there are no AKC dog shows being held today, I thought I would get a jump on the better known dog show magazine rankings and publish the first almost real time rankings. That’s right, you can come here after an AKC show and check to see if there has been a change in our top ten dog rankings. After all, in the age of 24 hour news coverage, why should we wait six weeks for show dog rankings? So take a look at the sidebar on the left of this post and take note.

CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry

The top two positions remain unchanged. We had previously predicted that the number one dog, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit, would end the year as Top Dog. At the end of July Spirit led the number two dog, the Pointer, CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry, by over 12,000 points. However, Holly cut that lead to 10,000 points by the end of July and, by my calculations, Holly has pulled within 4,500 points of the leader as of today.

CH Tamarin Tug

We have a new number three dog. The supercharged Affenpinscher, CH Tamarin Tug, has catapulted all the way from number six to the number three slot, While the Sealyham Terrier, CH Efbe's Hidalgo At Goodspice, fell all the way to number six. The Standard Poodle, CH Randenn Tristar Affirmation, and the Brussels Griffon, CH Cilleine Masquerade, remain at numbers four and five respectively.

The Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes Of Maryscot, remains at number seven, if just barely. The Scottish Deerhound, CH Jaraluv Ouija, is breathing down Sadie’s wee highlands’ neck, a scant 500 points behind in the number eight spot. The Harrier, CH Downhome Family Tradition, remains at number nine thanks to a big win at the Douglasville (GA) show. Slipping two spots to number ten is the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, CH Coventry Vanity Fair. Carly skipped this past weekend’s show and it cost her.


So what do we have to look forward to the rest of the year? Less than 4,500 points separate the numbers one and two. We have a 2,000 points spread from numbers three to six. Finally, there’s a bare 1,800 points between number seven and number ten. Will we have a new addition to the top ten? I’m not sure….but if we do, you will read it here first.

A RARE WEEK

My regular readers know that I am a cheerleader for our rare breeds. It is my opinion that it is just as important that we preserve our rare domesticated animal breeds as it is that we save wild species from extinction (see my August 29 post). The rarest of AKC 157 recognized breeds is the English Foxhound, with only eleven registered in 2006. Yesterday one of our top ten dogs was unlucky enough (or lucky enough, depending on one’s perspective) to witness an English Foxhound go Best In Show. The number four dog, the Standard Poodle, CH Randenn Tristar Affirmation, showed up in the unlikely town of Hot Springs, a lovely spa village in central Arkansas. It was a small entry, but Yes managed a Best in Show on Saturday and a Group one on Sunday. Sunday’s big winner was the English Foxhound, Whipperinn's The Wizard, bred by Virginia Crowell-Brook & Malcolm & Lynn Fellows and owned by Mike Penny & Virginia Crowell-Brook of Dripping Springs, TX. Note that this dog is not a AKC Champion, doubtless because it’s hard to find other English Foxhounds to compete against. You can, of course, win championship points by winning a Group one or BIS. Now that’s the hard way to win a major! Congratulations to the breeders and owners of this dog and all other English Foxhound enthusiasts.

English Foxhound

For the rest of our top ten dogs, it was a hit and miss week. Let’s start with the dog missing in action, the number eight dog, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, CH Coventry Vanity Fair. Carly was conspicuously absent from the shows this weekend. She will certainly fall to the number ten spot, or lower, when all of the September numbers have been tallied. Our number seven dog, the Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes Of Maryscot, also had a rough weelend. On Saturday Sadie was surprised in the breed by another very good Scottie, CH Blueberry’s Attitude Dancing, at the Burbank KC show in Burbank, CA. Sadie rebounded on Sunday to win the breed and a Group one.

CH Blueberry’s Attitude Dancing

Also at the Burbank double header was our number six dog, the Affenpinscher, CH Tamarin Tug. Taser had started the week in upstate New York with four other top ten dogs, but after going Group two on Thursday decided to try his luck closer to home, It proved to be a smart choice as he went Group one on Saturday and BIS on Sunday. Saturday’s BIS winner was the Bloodhound, CH Quiet Creek’s Mi Amor, bred and owned by Susan LaCroix Hamil & Evelyn Jones and handled by Bruce Schultz. Our applause for their first Best.

CH Quiet Creek’s Mi Amor

The four top dogs the stayed behind in Romulus, NY had a mixed bag. The most successful was number two dog, the Pointer, CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry. Holly went Group one on Thursday & Friday and BIS on Saturday and Sunday. The number one dog, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit, and the number ten dog, the Scottish Deerhound, CH Jaraluv Ouija, each took home a BIS prize, Spirit on Thursday and Ouija on Friday, but were left out of the Group placements on Saturday. They did take Group ones at the remaining shows. The number five dog, the Brussels Griffon, CH Cilleine Masquerade, was consistent, taking first in all four Toy Groups.

CH Charisma Utopia Von Rocky

The remaining top ten dog, the Sealyham Terrier, CH Efbe's Hidalgo At Goodspice, spent a three day weekend in Millwood, VA. On Friday, Charmin wiped out the competition, going BIS at the Warrenton KC show. Saturday, he stood by and watched the Standard Schnauzer, CH Charisma Utopia Von Rocky, take the top prize. Rocky was bred by Constance C Adel, is owned by Robert & Lois Ann Bedford of Livermore, CA , and is handled by Jody Paquette. We tip our hat to them all. Sunday, Charmin was at the Old Dominion KC show. This time it was the Old English Sheepdog, CH Reflection’s Delovely, bred and owned by Marti & Jack Harrison & Tim Cujdik., Salisbury, MD, taking the BIS.

CH Reflection’s Delovely

This was also the first Best In Show for Ellie. She is a very young bitch, less than two years old, and obvioulsy has a tremendous career ahead of her. Kudos to all.

TOP TEN UPDATE

For the most part, I am a fan of show dog rankings. I am one of those people that likes to do things by the numbers…it just sort of appeals to my sense of order. As I have written here before, I believe that the rankings are open to interpretation. However, they are a good place to start when looking for this country’s outstanding dogs. Based on show results through the August 31, I have updated the top ten dogs pictured on the left.

CH Efbe's Hidalgo At Goodspice

The only dog to move up in the standings is the Sealyham Terrier, CH Efbe's Hidalgo At Goodspice. Charmin moved up two spots to the number three position. The top two are likely to hold their respective spots through the rest of the year. The number one dog, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit ended the month with 80,809 points, while the number two dog, the Pointer, CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry, has 70,888. By contrast, the next four dogs trail by more than 20,000 points and are bunched together with a little over 3,000 points separating the number three dog from the number six dog, the Affenpinscher, CH Tamarin’s Tug. Taser is likely to move up, having picked up four BIS in the last two weeks.

CH Tupelo Shoboat Tu China Tu

The remaining dogs have a shaky hold on the their top ten ranking. Only the number ten dog, the Scottish Deerhound, CH Jaraluv Ouija, has been a consistent BIS threat. Two dogs that are likely to move into the top ten are the Pug, CH Tupelo Shoboat Tu China Tu, currently ranked number eleven and the German Shepherd Dog, CH Woodsides Pacino, who debuts in the top twenty at the number 15 spot. (see our September 6 post, Rin Tin Redux) A lot can happen in four months.

WEEKEND ROUNDUP

Our top ten dogs continue to roll over their opponents…with a few exceptions. The number one dog, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit, abandoned the west coast for the heartland, powering to three BIS in Salina, KS at the Salina, Wichita, and Hutchinson KC shows. On Friday, Spirit, exacted her revenge on the upstart number six dog, the Affenpinsher, CH Tamarin Tug. Taser and handler Jorge Olivera decided to spend the rest of the weekend in Washington State at the Wenatchee KC double header, taking on the number three dog, the Standard Poodle, CH Randenn Tristar Affirmation. On Saturday Yes prevailed, but on Sunday Taser stung his bigger rival and took home a Best.

Sunset in Salina, KS

The number two and five dogs, the Pointer, CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry, and the Sealyham Terrier, CH Efbe's Hidalgo At Goodspice spent a four day weekend in Pennsylvania. As we reported here, Holly and Charmin were bested by the Rottweiler, Ch Blackrocks Kazanova, on Thursday at the Pocono KC show, but Holly returned to form on Friday at the club’s second show, winning BIS. On Saturday the action moved to Allentown for the Lehigh KC show. Again Holly led the way, garnering one more Best. However, all good things come to an end, and on Sunday in Kutztown at the Berks County KC show, Holly and Charmin watched the German Shepherd Dog, Ch Imp-Cen Rowland’s Tough Love, take his first Best In Show. Congratulations to breeder/owner/handler Christina M. Halliday and her partners, Connie Halliday and Betsy Scott.

Ch Imp-Cen Rowland’s Tough Love

Three of the top ten dogs competed at the Sir Francis Drake KC shows in San Rafael, CA. San Rafael is in Marin County, one of the wealthiest and most beautiful places on earth. Saturday the number ten dog, the Scottish Deerhound, CH Jaraluv Ouija, took the top prize while the number eight dog, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, CH Coventry Vanity Fair, stood by. On Sunday, the number seven dog, the Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes Of Maryscot, took a Group 2 (She was absent on Saturday), while the Corgi and the Deerhound made it to the final seven, only to be upset by the Samoyed, CH Rossia’s Texas Rocket O Cedar Ridge. It was the first Best In Show for the Sammie who was bred by Gail Spieker & J & S Clark, is owned by Gail Spieker & Jackie & Keith Mason of Glenbrook, NV, and handled by Jean Gauchat-Hargis. We tip out hat to all of them.

CH Rossia’s Texas Rocket O Cedar Ridge

Our number four dog, the Brussels Griffon, CH Cilleine Masquerade, decided to take it easy, entering only the two Moore County KC shows in Pinehurst, NC. The result was two BIS. The remaining top ten dog, the Harrier, CH Downhome Family Tradition, spent four days in Falmouth, MA, gathering all four ribbons in the Hound Group, taking Group 1, 3, 4, & 2, in that order at the “Cranberry Cluster“ shows hosted by the Cape Cod and South Shore KCs. If we see a trend developing here, it is get the RV to a four day cluster away from your competition and pray some local spoiler doesn’t upset you. Ah, this is what keeps it interesting!

DON'T TASE ME, BRO'

Or so said the other six BIS finalists at Thursday’s Eugene KC show in Eugene, OR. OK, this one has it all…A rare breed going Best In Show, a tribute video, and owners with a connection to a product synonymous with police brutality. The first of this week’s Best In Show winners is the number six dog, the Affenpinscher, CH Tamarin Tug. “Taser” was bred by Jacqueline & W Terry Stacy, is owned by Phil & Patti Smith of Paradise Valley, AZ, and handled by Jorge Olivera. The Smiths are the parents of Rick and Tom Smith, the inventors of the famous stun gun used by police forces everywhere. These justifiably proud parents decided to name their top winner in honor of their sons’ contribution to technology.

CH Tamarin Tug

This stunning (I’m not even going to apologize for making the most of this one) little dog epitomizes the “monkey face dog” description of this rarest of toy dogs (only 215 registered in 2006). Taser is currently the number two toy dog, but is in hot pursuit of the number one spot, having won seven of the last ten shows entered. We can all look forward to an electrifying (you ARE allowed to groan) match between the Brussels Griffon and the Affenpinscher at the Eukanuba World Championship.

I promised you a tribute video and here it is.

THE POODLE, DOG SHOW CLICHE?

To those people who have never been to a dog show (deprived souls that they are) the ubiquitous Poodle is the epitome of the effete dog show world. The poodle show clip is universally ridiculed as representative of the shallow mentality of dog owners. Even I, after 40 years of show dog indoctrination, still snicker every time I hear a Poodle owner tell some one that the unique grooming is designed to protect the dog in cold water when performing as a duck hunter’s retriever. Right…that is definitely the raison d’etre of the French, the same people who convinced us to eat snails.

Nonetheless, the Poodle is one of America's most beloved pets. I, myself, own two (Well, my wife owns two). I can remember a time when the Poodle was number one in the AKC registry. It has been declining recently, slipping from number five to number eight in the last decade. However, there are still nearly 30,000 Poodles registered by the AKC each year. I can’t fault the Poodle as a pet. They come in a rainbow of colors; large, medium, and small sizes, and are hypoallergenic. They are smart, athletic, and versatile. Our toy Poodle, Fannie, is the smartest dog I have ever met. She is amazingly agile and a better ratter than my Scottie.


Poodles are not as popular in the show ring as they once were. However, there are always a couple every year that impress. The current number three dog in the nation is the black standard Poodle bitch, CH Randenn Tristar Affirmation. “Yes” was bred by Randy Garren and Dennis McCoy, is owned by Toni and Martin Sosnoff of New York, NY, and handled by Timothy Brazier. Yes' most recent BIS was Saturday at the Longview-Kelso KC show in St Helens, OR. (Ever notice the number of people who shell out the big bucks for a top dog and then immediately ship it to the opposite coast to compete?) The general public tends to gravitate to the dog that they see in the company of their favorite celebrity in People Magazine or the latest cute dog food commercial. However, you have to see a dog in person, moving across a show ring, to fully appreciate a breed. Here’s a video of Yes going BISS at the recent Columbia Poodle Club show in Portland, OR. If a picture is worth a thousand words, this video is worth of a million of my poor prose.




Among the show results trickling in is the report of a BIS for CH Smash JP Moon Walk. This little beauty got the nod Saturday at the Newton KC in Augusta, NJ. He was bred by toy Poodle maven, Yukiko Omura, and is owned by Ron Scott & Debbie Burke of Dillsberg, PA. Looks like Ron and handler Kaz Hosaka have another winner to challenge the big dogs this year.

CH Smash JP Moon Walk

Ron and Kaz campaigned the top winning toy Poodle in history, CH Smash JP Win A Victory, affectionately known as Vikki. I found this unintentionally funny tribute video to Vikki on You Tube. And Poodle people wonder why the rest of the world smirks about the funny haircut. Let me tell you, capturing this girl on video is difficult. If you were lucky enough to have seen this gorgeous toy in the flesh, you know that she was all flash and fire, a spectacularly moving dog with a metlting expression.

WHO'S TOP DOG

Show dog rankings are fun things. We have links on our front page to the three most popular rankings, Dog News, Show Sights Magazine and the Canine Chronicle. Like the Associated Press' college football rankings, these monthly rankings are sources of great pride and great consternation. This year we have two really superb animals at the top of the rankings.

CH Gallilee's Pure of Spirit

Currently in the lead is the Giant Schnauzer bitch, CH Gallilee's Pure of Spirit, with 68, 405 dogs defeated and 38 shows and 75 groups won as of July 31, 2008. Spirit is almost four years old and owned by Mary Hayes of New Canaan, CT.

Bill McFadden

Spirit is handled by Taffe McFadden, wife and handling partner of the superstar handler, Bill McFadden. Because Bill and Taffe are based in Northern California, Spirit's specials campaign has been concentrated on the west coast. Bill has jet set clients and he himself is quite the traveler. He never misses a Westminster (We all remember the dazzling Kerry Blue he piloted to BIS in 2003). Taffe was just in Atlanta this past weekend, where she and Spirit went BIS Friday and Saturday. They went Group One on Sunday, but lost to the German Shepherd Dog, CH Woodside's Pacino in the BIS ring.

Second in the rankings is the three year old Pointer bitch, CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry with 56,178 dogs defeated and 52 shows and 90 groups won as of the end of July. Holly is owned by Sean McCarthy & Tammy McCarthy of New York, NY & Helyne Medeiros of Cape Cod, MA. Holly was bred by Cheryl S. LaDuc, A. Cantor, and A. Walker (You can tell by the number of owners and breeders that this dog is a major business venture. I know law firms with fewer partners). Holly is also partnered by a powerhouse handler, Michael E. Scott, who is married to the former Michelle Ostermiller. You might remember Michelle as the handler of the 2005 Wesminster winner, Ch Kan-Point's VJK Autumn Roses, German Shorthair Pointer (more on that win later).

CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry
with Handler Michael Scott

While dog show rankings are more objective than the aforementioned AP college football rankings, they are still can be debated over post show cocktails. At first glance, they seem straight forward. By the end of July, Spirit had defeated 12,227 more dogs than Holly, a whopping 22 percent more. However, Holly has amassed 14 more best in shows, 33 percent more, than Spirit. During the current month Holly has picked up six more BIS to Spirit's five. The most telling statistic is the Cantfield, OH hat trick pulled off by Holly on the first three days of August. She went BIS at the Columbiana County, Beaver County, and Mahoning-Shenango shows in head to head match ups with Spirit.

So which is the real top dog? We will reserve our opinion until we see the results of the Eukanuba National Championship and Westminster 2009, dogdom's version of the playoffs and the Superbowl. Did I mention that the number five dog, the striking Sealyham Terrier, CH Efbe's Hidalgo at Goodspice, went BIS over both Holly and Spirit at the Saratoga New York KC show on August 6? Damn, I love this stuff!

CH Efbe's Hidalgo at Goodspice

Now, back to the lovely Michelle Ostermiller Scott...I am a person that catalogues life as a series of memorable events. I have a mental scrapbook of snapshots that remind me how good my life has been. Everyone remembers the day they got married or the day their first child was born. Of course, those are cherished memories, but I have also those memories where I stumbled across extraordinary talent. Among my favorite experiences have been seeing Evita in San Francisco with Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin before they and the show won Tonys on Broadway; seeing Bette Midler perform at the Concord (CA) Pavillion the month before her Oscar nominated movie, The Rose, premiered, and seeing tenor Rolando Villazon in a super tiny concert hall in Atlanta six months before his Metropolitan Opera debut.

Equal to these was watching Michelle's Sporting Group and BIS Westminster wins in 2005. The two things that we all dream of in a show dog are spectacular movement across the ring and a free stack stare down of the judge. I have seen a lot of great show dogs and thrilling finals, but in 40 years of following dogs I have never seen the equal of Michelle's presentation of the GSP bitch, Carlee. She literally dared the judge to take her eyes off her. She was not one of the favorites going in. I remembered the pundits never even mentioned her. However, when she came back to the group judge and Michelle dramaticly dropped the lead, Carlee took over. She hit her mark and stared the judge down like she was a pheasant in the cross hairs. The entire garden was transfixed and, for a moment, all of us, pet owners and die hard enthusiasts, knew we were witnessing greatness. I live for moments like that.

Ch Kan-Point's VJK Autumn Roses
with Handler Michelle Ostermiller Scott