Page 23 - Chow LIfe - 2019 Summer

amazing, with many imported from England and “China Knight.” On the first leg of his title, he began
the European Continent as well as many home-bred with a score of 190 ½ (out of 200) and finished the
dogs – smooth Chows and rough Chows alike. In title in October 1956. During the 1950’s Joanne
1928 and 1929, the Southern Chow Chow Club O’Brien completed veterinary school in Minnesota,
Specialty was called and aired on local radio. married, and movws to the Washington area. She
began a long and successful career as a practicing
By 1933, the Great Depression started to have an veterinarian in Washington DC, and, with Dr. Earle,
began an illustrious era in the breed. The Pandee and
impact. Oh, SCCC still had its annual Specialty but Linnchow lines were arguably the dominant breeding
without many of the excesses. Even as the Chow program on the East Coast, and so many champions
Chow reached its highest points of American breed even today can be traced back to one of Dr. O’Brien’s
popularity, the entries at the shows dropped slightly. Chows.
The trophy table was still beautiful but without some
of the high-value trophies that were displayed just
two years earlier. The luncheon was still catered, but Turning another page, in 1958 Miss C. E. Collett
without all-day canapes and sweets. joined SCCC. She joined a long line of breed
authorities within our Club by publishing two books
World War II had an effect on dog shows in general. during the 1960’s and her most famous book, The
Chow Chow, in 1972. SCCC might not have been at
While some significant breeders got a start in 50 members like it had been 30 and 40 years prior,
the early 1940’s, travel to shows was curtailed by but our Club’s members were among the nation’s
rationing for the war effort. Many clubs, including most respected authorities on the Chow Chow.
SCCC, had to cancel shows some years between 1943 Starting around 1970, Dr. O’Brien developed several
and 1948. The Southern Chow Chow Club remained programs on Chow movement, measurement of
strong through the pre-war, wartime, and post-war the Chow Chow, and Chow structure. As others in
years. The Club created and sold a Christmas card in the Club learned, SCCC members gave programs at
1940. Another major fundraiser was the publication larger kennels and demonstrated
of a pamphlet how to measure a Chow.
“Chow Chows:
The Aristocrats” in What Makes SCCC
1945. As a means of Interesting, Part 2 By 1973, however, the Club
maintaining contacts itself was in danger of becoming
within the Club at a For the longest time the Southern inactive. Many of the “old guard”
time when fuel and Chow Chow Club used stationery that had passed away, had moved or had
tires were rationed, featured a vaguely Chow-shaped blob retired from the sport of dogs and
Agrippina Anderson at the top. That “blob” was actually from the rigors of breeding and
and Jack Davis created Ch. Far Land Patriot and was owned raising puppies. At that point, Dr.
“The Messenger” as by John and Agrippina Anderson. The Earle and Paul Davis (one of the
a newsletter for Club image was originally cut out of a show newer members of SCCC) went
members and friends. picture in the 1940’s, and after years of through the Club’s show records
The first issue came poor copying the features of the dog and reviewed recent catalogs. With
in 1944, and it was were almost lost. determination and a lot of stamps
published quarterly (just 8 cents for a stamp at that
for around 20 years time), they identified a large group
and sporadically for of Chow Chow fanciers. Along
another 10 years. The Club’s Constitution and By- with other current members that included Dorothy
Laws were published as a 3-inch-by-5-inch softcover Rittenhouse, Mildred Fugman, Jack Davis and Jim
pamphlet in 1946 (and amended in 1957 in a less- Facciolli, a meet-and-greet meeting was set up. Forty
convenient 8 1/2-inch-by-4-inch size). new folks attended, and the Southern Chow Chow
Club was reborn!
By 1955, the American economy was again booming.
Dog breeding and exhibiting was becoming popular Some of the folks who joined at that time, such as
again. Members of SCCC remained on the forefront Judy Loratto, Dottie Erickson and Jane Packett would
in advancing the Chow Chow. Dr. Imogene Earle become the new “old guard” for the next 30 years
wrote an article in “The Messenger” defending or longer. And this energy brought others to SCCC.
the blue Chow as a true color of the breed. By the Over the next five years our Club added Faith and
1950’s, SCCC branched into Obedience and had an John Riegle, Judy and Chester Webb, Barbara Durst,
Obedience Chairperson. Mrs. Mildred Ancell was Louise Smith, Loretta Lyons, Marlin and Penny
the Club’s Chair and pioneered the Chow Chow in Spencer, Arleen Lorenz, Lew and Michelle Klein,
Obedience by showing a black male Chow named Larry and Alice Thompson, and even Fred Peddie