Showsight November 2018

The Seven Secrets of Show Success Be a Kennel BY MICHAEL AND CATHY DUGAN

YOU CAN’T COMPETE WITH JUST ONE DOG More than once at a dog show, a dog own- er would approach us and say “When are you going to let me win?” Typically, it’s a dog owner who has

thank God!) the facility gives us a lot of flexibility in housing, whelping and training our dogs. A successful kennel is not just a facility. It’s better defined by the goals and attitudes of the breeder who has decided to work long-term to produce outstanding dogs whether they are destined for conformation, water trials, obedience, thera- py, tracking or just being a great pet. A good definition of a successful kennel would include: • A planned breeding program. • Generations of successful dogs with each generation building and improving upon the previous ones. • Multiple champions over the years that provide good choices for future breeding decisions; not just one dog, no matter how great. • A winning tradition; what does your kennel stand for? • A facility that supports and enhances the goals and aspirations of the breeders and the kennel. • A marketing program that uses multiple platforms to advance and advertise the kennel to the public and to the fancy. • Being an AKC Breeder of Merit and adhering to all ethical and professional standards of your breed club and the AKC. • The personal ability to not think too much about the time and money your program is costing you (We believe this is called “denial”). WHAT IS A FORMAL BREEDING PROGRAM AND WHY DOES IT MAKE A WINNING DIFFERENCE? The answer to this question has been very eloquently defined and refined by Patricia Trotter in her book, and by Dr. Carmen Battaglia in many articles. They are among the best experts in terms of practical experience and knowledge. They really drill down to the genetic issues and questions that arise in successful breeding programs. When Cathy first became serious about breeding PWDs, she had a long time PWD breeder ask he why she never bred to dogs other than her own. Cathy’s response was simple; she needed to define what an “Aviator” PWD looks like before she could outcross to other lines. Our foundation stock consisted of dogs that were from other breeders. We admired the health and temperament of their dogs and, of course, their excellent conformation. These foundation dogs, all loosely related, allowed us to cre- ate a line bred dog that showed quality and consistency. Once a type was set and health was assured, then we could begin adding different pieces of pedigree. Today, we continue to move forward with new pedigree components to strengthen our program. Typically, we’re planning three years into the future about what we hope to achieve from breeding and what we want to avoid. Because we have several bitches in the queue all the time, we can mix and match breedings to constantly improve our line. The goal should always be to try to produce a better dog every time a breeding is done. WHAT DOES BUILDING BREED CHAMPIONS EVERY YEAR DO TO FIND THE GREAT DOGS WHO WILL TAKE YOU TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF COMPETITION?

one dog that they have purchased and are trying to show it themselves in the ring. One woman was persistent and Cathy tried to explain that we had been doing this for over 30 years and we had several dogs competing in the ring, including dogs that belonged to other breeders that had been bred to our dogs. At a recent dog show, nearly 40% of the PWD entry were Aviator dogs or bred to Aviator dogs. This didn’t happen overnight. There have been examples of owners having one great dog that did very well in the show ring and then disappeared from view. They were owners, not breeders or a kennel. One great dog will not produce generations of great dogs unless you have a breeding plan, some sense of what you want to produce, mentors to guide your way and a kennel that sup- ports and promotes your breed and your brand. When you watch Westminster or any big show, you’ll notice that the winners are almost always descendants of many other cham- pions developed from breeders and kennels working together for years. Patricia Craig Trotter’s fabulous book “Born To Win, Breed To Succeed” is the bible of dog breeders who are serious about their craft. We highly recommend it. Pat’s comprehen- sive approach to breeding and competing is informative and funny, too. She has the sense of realism and humor about our sport that comes from decades of success. In her book, Pat talks about the days of dog kennels even here in the United States that were reminiscent of thoroughbred horse farms in their grandness and expense. Those days are largely gone as the sport has expanded and brought in new owners and breeders. Few of us can afford that level of cost and new mod- els of successful kennels have been developed instead. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A KENNEL? Today, most breeders operate small kennels that may have one litter every year or two and raise their litters in their homes. Many of these breeders are exceptional and have pro- duced many champions over the years. This is a popular mod- el that will produce the occasional champion. It’s also a fairly low-cost way to be involved in the show dog business. Most homes can be adapted to provide safe, sanitary conditions for dogs to be whelped and raised. There are also breeders who have developed more elabo- rate facilities to allow them to broaden their breeding hori- zons. In our case, we got lucky. A friend of Cathy’s was a canine research veterinarian at U.C. Davis in California. She built a two-acre property that includes a house and board- ing facility that included multiple dog runs, dog proof fenc- ing (mounted in concrete), bathing and exam areas and ken- nels that could accommodate up at eighty dogs at its peak. Although Cathy had been involved in breeding before, having the right facility helped her become a real kennel. While we only have a few dogs on the property (not even close to 80,

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