The Collies visit the Big Apple!

Each year the American Kennel Club holds “Meet the Breeds” events in different areas of the country.  These events are held to promote and educate the public about purebred dogs.  The AKC began holding these events back in 2009 to help people choose the right dog breed for their lifestyle.  The events are family friendly and also provide education about various dog sports and responsible pet ownership. At each event there are hundreds of different dog breeds that you can meet in person, while also learning about their history and temperaments.  

Rosie, on the train to NYC

The Meet the Breeds events are a lot of fun and we were fortunate to be able to attend the one held in New York City with our collies this year.  I think the events are so important, as they help in the preservation of our beloved dog breeds, so we volunteer our collies as canine ambassadors whenever possible.  As no one wanted to drive in the city traffic, we took the train into the city.  I brought Addison, my daughter brought our Rosie, and my friend brought her collie, Kelsea.  The collies garnered a lot of attention both at the train stations and on the trains.  We even ran into a few people who were traveling to NYC to attend the event.  One woman was very excited, as she was going to specifically see the smooth collies, and was happy to get a little additional time before the event.

Addison and my daughter 

The collies had never been on a train before, so they were a bit puzzled by what we were doing.  But they quickly made themselves comfortable and enjoyed the two hour train ride.  

Each dog breed was assigned their own booth, which were set up alphabetically.  This made it easier for the public to locate the specific breeds they wanted to visit.  Our booth was sponsored by the Collie Club of America, so we spent the day with fellow club members and their collies.  We wanted  multiple collies at the event each day, so they could be rotated, with lots of breaks.  The event sold roughly 40,000 tickets, so there were around 20,000 people visiting the booths each day.

Clockwise, Rosie, Addison, Kelsea, Clifford and Marlowe

Our booth had a lot of pictures of collies competing in a wide variety of dogs sports, to show their versatility.  And we had collie coloring pages for children and information about the breed for anyone wanting to learn more.

I walked around, looking at the other booths, and each one was decorated a bit differently.  But each booth did a wonderful job showcasing their breed.  The dogs were the main attractions, and each booth was surrounded by visitors all day long.  Everyone wanted to pet the dogs, take pictures and learn about the breed's temperaments.  I think the collies were favorites, and everyone seemed to want to photograph Rosie in particular.  

Rosie posing for pictures

But every collie received attention and love, with people remarking on their beauty and calm, gentle temperaments.  So many of the visitors had never heard of a smooth collie, it was the perfect opportunity to talk about the two coat varieties, rough and smooth.

 Time for more pictures…

And while we were highlighting all the amazing characteristics of the collie, there were lots of collie snuggles…

With so many people stopping by to visit the collies, they definitely needed breaks, and they were happy to have a few quiet minutes to themselves.

Rosie and Addi

Marlowe

Clifford

It was a wonderful day, thanks to both the AKC and Collie Club of America members who organized the booth and volunteered their time.

Addi made a new friend

We have already volunteered to return next year.  But next year we will bring a couple more collies, so they can have longer breaks.  The collies were happy from all the attention, and very tired on the train home.  

Kelsea

Rosie

What a great day!

A Day at the Dog show - part 2

The ring steward began calling the individual classes into the ring.  The first was the 6 - 9 puppy bitches, then the 9 - 12 month puppy bitches, and soon after he was calling in the “Bred by Exhibitor” class.  While you can enter whichever class you choose, there are certain requirements for some of the classes.  The age is a requirement for the 6 - 9 month puppy classes.  In the “Bred By” classes, the handler has to also be the breeder of the dog or bitch they are showing.  Our Addi was entered in the “Bred by” class, and she came in 1st.

The next class was the American bred class, which means all the bitches entered were bred here in the United States, and not in Canada or elsewhere.  After that, the steward called in the Open class, which is open to all ages.  I held onto Addi, while my daughter took Peyton’s lead.  Our Peyton was entered in the Open class, and my daughter was also her handler.  And Peyton wasn’t going to let Addi get all the attention, she also won first place in her class  This meant that both Addi and Peyton, along with the other 1st place winners, would be competing for Winners Bitch!

Since Addison won the Bred by class, my daughter had to stay on as her handler, so she asked her friend to bring Peyton into the ring.  The judge examined each collie, carefully considered all their virtues, and walked over to his table.  He wrote down a number, picked up the ribbon…and awarded it to Peyton!  This was so exciting, we were so beyond happy.  Peyton won Winners Bitch earning more points towards her championship, and because there were so many class bitches entered at this show, it was a major! A class dog or bitch has to win a total of 15 points to become a champion, but of the 15 points, they need two majors.  A major is a win of 3, 4 or 5 points.  The more dogs entered, the more points awarded for the win.

But it wasn’t over yet…after judging all the class dogs and bitches, and choosing his Winners Dog and Winners Bitch, the judge had one more task.  It was time to judge the smooth collie Best of Breed/Variety class.  The smooth champions are called into the ring, along with Winners Dog and Winners Bitch. This is extremely competitive, as everyone wants their collie to be chosen as the best!  Typically the judge chooses a finished champion as his or her Best of Breed, as they have all earned the champion title, and usually have a lot of experience.  But that day Peyton was perfect, you couldn’t take your eyes off her, and the judge chose her as his Best of Breed! 

What happens next?  Well, the Best of Breed winner gets to go on to compete in the herding group, against the other herding dogs that also won Best of Breed.  Then whichever herding dog is awarded a Herding Group 1st,  goes on to compete for “Best in Show” against the group winners of the Working group, Toy Group, Hound group, etc.  Sadly, the collies aren’t usually awarded a herding group 1, and they rarely win the coveted Best in Show.  But when they do, it’s a celebration for us all.  We didn’t win anything in the herding group that day, but nothing could diminish our pride in what Peyton had accomplished.…it was an exciting day at the dog show, one that we will always remember!  

***I wrote this post, to explain the judging at a dog show.  There is so much more happening than what you see on television.  We are usually up and on the road by 5:00 AM, if not earlier.  The outdoor shows are usually either hot or raining.  The indoor shows are usually crowded and very noisy with 600 - 800 dogs in one building.  And we wouldn’t change a thing.  The fun of competing with your dogs, catching up with friends, and the excitement when you do win, is something that’s hard to capture in words.   I hope this will not only explain the judging process, but maybe inspire you to attend a show.

A day at the dog show - part 1

 It was already a hot, humid day, and we searched for a parking spot with some shade.   Pulling onto a section of grass that offered a sliver of shade, I parked and scanned the field.  Even though it was very early, all the exhibitors were busy walking and grooming their dogs.  Many had set up their grooming tables next to their vehicles, while others set up under the crowded grooming tent, hoping for some protection from the blazing Summer sun.

Hopping out of the car, my daughter and I quickly began setting up our grooming area.  As we had been traveling to shows for 20 years, we set up our area without comment, it was just routine for us now.  The first thing we set up was our canopy tent, to try to keep the collies as cool as possible, their comfort always came first.  Next the x-pen, water buckets and grooming table were set up.  Checking the time, we immediately started grooming one of the collies, even though it wasn’t yet 7:00 AM, on a dog show day there is little time to waste.

When one collie was ready, my daughter put the next one up on the grooming table while I headed over to ring 5, to pick up our exhibitor numbers.  It was an all breed dog show so there were 10 rings set up, where all the different dog breeds would be examined by the assigned judges throughout the day.  Finding our correct ring, I approached the ring steward, and politely requested our numbers.  He scanned his catalog, and found the numbers assigned to our collies and handed them to me with a murmured “good luck today.”   Grabbing two rubber bands, I thanked him and headed back to the car.

I took over grooming our second collie, while my daughter grabbed her suit and ran to the bathrooms to change.  Even though it was an outdoor show, and already 80 degrees, the handlers still tried to dress as professionally as possible.  As I was finishing up grooming, my daughter returned.  “Peyton is #10 and in the Open class, and Addison is #12 and in the bred by exhibitor class,” I told my daughter as she secured the numbers to her arm with the elastic bands.  She placed Addi’s number 12 on top, as the bred by exhibitor class is always judged before the open class.  “How many breeds before collies?” She asked.  Looking at the judging schedule, I told her there were 5 Aussies, 2 Canaan Dogs, and 7 German Shepherds being judged in ring 5 before the smooth collies.  “We should head over in about 30 minutes.”

In nervous anticipation, we brushed the collies once again, making sure they looked their very best.  The time passed quickly, and grabbing the treats, we headed over to ring 5 with our girls.  Passing  ring 2, I watched the Dalmatians run in a circle, one after the other.  Arriving at ring 5, we could see the judge was just making his final decisions, and awarding Best of Breed to one of the German Shepherds and her ecstatic handler.  The smooth collies were to be judged next.  

At dog shows, each dog breed has multiple classes the owner can choose to enter.  The males are judged first, followed by the females.  The first class of smooth collies was called into the ring, “ puppy dogs 6 - 9 months into the ring in catalog order, “ the steward announced.  A bouncy, sable and white smooth boy was brought into the ring, followed by a more hesitant tri color.  Both handlers quickly set up their puppies, getting them standing correctly, waving treats at them to keep them attentive and focused.  “Take them around,” the judge directed the handlers.  Moving together, single file, both handlers moved the puppies at a quick pace in a circle around the ring, this was done to show their movement.  Stopping before the judge they quickly stacked their collies, to show off their outlines.  The judge approached the first collie, and gazing into the collies eyes, he gave a soft whistle to see the puppies expression.  He then asked the handler to show the bite, so he could determine if the collie had the correct scissor bite which is required for the breed.  The judge then ran his hands softly over the collie, checking for proper body structure.  Stepping back he visually examined the collie once again, before asking the handler to take him down and back.  The handler, adjusting the lead, began running with the collie to the corner of the ring, and then back to the judge.  I had to smile, as the young dog thought this was a fun game, and jumped up on the handler to express his joy.  The handler was patient with the puppy and the judge sent them around the ring, and examined the tri color puppy next.  He repeated all the previous steps, and then looking back and forth between the two, decided to award 1st place to the tri color.

The next classes were called, and the handlers led their collies into the ring, each hoping for that 1st place ribbon.  After all the class dogs were judged, each 1st place winner was called back into the ring, it was time for the judge to pick Winners Dog.  There were four smooth collies standing in the ring, and all four males were very fine examples of the breed.  The judge went through all the steps again, examining each collie, one at a time, and then having them move around the ring.  He returned to the table, wrote down a number, and picked up two ribbons.  Then smiling, he walked up to a pretty blue merle, “ you are my Winners dog today,” he said as he handed the purple ribbon to the collie’s handler.  He then turned to the tri color puppy, “you are my reserve winner today,” and handed the puppy’s handler a ribbon too.  Everyone clapped, and congratulated the blue merle’s owner.  

It was now time for the smooth bitches to be judged…

CH Black Hawk of Kasan

 When you research the history of the collie, you will find countless stories about the rough collie.  There are many well documented stories and books written about the famous rough collies that were imported and used as the foundation of the American collie.  I’ve found many articles written about the top winning rough collies of the past, and the top collie breeders of the past, but very little has been written about the smooth variety.   Even the beloved fictional books, like Lassie Come Home and Lad of Sunnybank, feature only rough collies.  So it’s easy to see why the smooth collie is overshadowed by the rough collie.

Hawk’s Pictures are from Facebook and Google

The smooth collie has never received the attention and adoration of the rough coated variety.  Both varieties share the same gentle and loving temperaments.  Both the rough and smooth collie make excellent family dogs, and are versatile companions who excel in herding, obedience and a wide variety of other dog sports.  They are both beautiful and graceful, and both possess the carefully developed intelligence that makes them ideal working dogs.  Both varieties are double coated, the only difference is the smooths have the shorter coat length.  

So in the hopes of helping people get to know the smooth collie better, I decided to share some famous smooth collies of the past.  The first smooth that has to be recognized is Hawk, or CH Black Hawk of Kasan.  He was whelped (born) on May 13, 1966.  He was owned by Sandra Tuttle of Kasan Collies, and his handler was Les Canavan.

Hawk was the first smooth collie to win Best in Show at the Collie Club of America National Specialty in 1970.  Hawk was a beautiful, tri color smooth collie, and also won the smooth Best of Variety at the National on 6 other occasions.  Hawk was the first smooth collie to win Best In Show at an all breed dog show as well.  He was so influential, that he produced 78 champion offspring!  With his winning record, and impressive list of progeny, Hawk definitely helped promote the smooth collie.  He inspired many people to take a closer look at the smooth collie, and he was one of the reasons my family started showing smooths.  I wish I  could have seen this handsome collie in person, but I am grateful for the legacy he left behind.

Dreams do come True

 When you begin to compete at dog shows, you either become obsessed, or you decide that it’s just not for you.  There are very few who fall into the middle, those who enjoy it, but are not committed to the sport.  When my family members first started showing collies, I didn’t understand their ardent dedication to these competitions.  This was partly due to a lack of understanding on how dog shows worked.  All the different classes can be a bit a confusing.  I have always been a dog lover, and loved to watch the Westminster dog show each Winter when it was on TV.  But on TV they only show the judging of the groups and the Best in show judging, not everything that happens beforehand.  (I think I may write a post, to explain all the classes, and how the dogs earn points and titles, for those who are interested in learning more.)

So not having much understanding or interest in dog shows, I didn’t undeestand why my family was excited about the competitions.  Then one day my 9 year old daughter went to a handling class with my sister, to learn about junior handling, and decided she wanted to try competing at dog shows as a junior handler.  We started going to shows, and had so much fun, that we ended up developing a serious interest.  Eventually, as we became more involved in the competitions, my sister gave us our first collie puppy….and we were hooked.

When you start showing dogs, you can’t help but imagine what accomplishments and titles you might achieve with your dog. As you watch the big winners at the shows, you may catch yourself dreaming of your own dog earning that kind of recognition one day.  I’ve had a few of those daydreams myself, and this past weekend one of those dreams came true!

On Saturday, my daughter showed our Addison in the bred by exhibitor class at a dog show.  Our Addi won her class, and then competed against the other class winners for Winners Bitch, and won Winners as well!  As there were so many smooth class bitches entered, this win counted as a major.  A dog or a bitch needs a total of 15 points to become a champion, but of those 15 points, they need to win two majors.  (That’s a win of 3, 4 or 5 points.) Addi had already won 7 points from previous dog shows, and this was her first major, so we were so excited!  This gave her 3 more points, so she now had a total of 10 points. 

Once the smooth judging was over, my daughter showed our rough collie, Rosie.  This was her first real show, so we weren’t sure how she would do.  And we were so happy when she won her class!  Then when all the class winners went back in, our Rosie won!  It wasn’t a major, but it was her first 2 points.  I had dreamed of going to a show and our collies winning both smooth winners bitch and rough winners bitch, but I never expected it would actually happen!  It was a very proud moment for my daughter and I.

Addison

Then Sunday came, I got up at 5:00 AM, to get ready and drive to the dog show.  (Dog shows always start very early!) We arrived at the show and started grooming Addi, as smooth collies are always one of the first dog breeds judged for some reason.  My daughter took her into the bred by class, and Addi was perfect.  She was completely focused on my daughter and she looked beautiful.  They won the class!  Then when it was time, they went back in to compete against the other first place winners, and Addi won winners again!  This was her 2nd major, so we were beyond happy.  After winners were judged the finished champions, along with the winners dog and the winners bitch, get called into the ring.  The judge examines all the entries individually, and decides which dog or bitch is the best example of the breed, or “Best of Breed.” Usually Best of Breed is awarded to one of the finished champions, but that’s not what happened.  The judge kept looking at our Addi, and she ended up giving Addison Best of Winners, Best owner handled and Best of Breed!  This gave Addi 4 points, so she now has 14 points and both majors.  She only needs one more point to finish her championship!

Rosie

My daughter showed Rosie again in the afternoon, and Rose won reserve winners bitch.  (Which is kind of like winning first runner up). The judge kept looking between Rosie and another bitch, we could see she was having a hard time deciding, so it was very close.  While it would have been amazing to win rough winners bitch too, we were still appreciative of the attention and consideration our little girl received.  A dog show weekend is always fun, but this was a weekend we won’t ever forget.