Page 89 - Chow Life - Fall 2025

dog publication. They have no problem finding
of the Past assistants to go with them on the road.
hard working help to manage the kennel and

With everything working well with their
breed program, they decide to become judges.
Applications are completed, accepted, and
approved. Invitations to judge quickly fill each of
their calendars. Exhibitors enjoy being in their
ring. High praise for their judging is heard “
often. Soon, they are frequently traveling This echo of
internationally, too. As it must, time moves
on. The large kennel demands of constant
travel home and abroad, and health issues the past is a
bring stress to these aging icons of their
breed. Difficult decisions need to be starting point
made. They are.

This echo of the past is a starting point for for where we
where we are now. Gone, long gone, are
the famous kennels of the past with their are now.
dedicated owners and the numerous staff
which they required. Think how many who
worked in those kennels went on to be pillars “
of “Dogdom.” If you look around, you still can
see some of them in the ring or around it. They
are there. Look. Engage them. They have more
knowledge to share with you than you can possibly
imagine. A better mentor cannot be found, nor a
greater storyteller!

We all recognize the differences we face now
from the past. Economic changes dominate
that landscape. Very few of us have the means
or the time which previous generations had in
abundance. What we do have is an array of skills
to confront the future in ways which did not
exist until now. Perhaps, the best of them is the
ability to communicate with each other almost
instantaneously on multiple platforms, allowing
us to share information and be productive, too,
while saving time and money. Obviously, that is
not enough. Looking to the future, what is most
important? The necessity to preserve what we
have, discover what we need, and develop a plan
to take us into the future is the ultimate goal. Let’s
start now.
this page sponsored by
KIM BOWDEN
CANTERBURY TAILS
This article first appeared in the December 2024 issue
of Canine Chronicle on page 298 and is reprinted with
permission. www.CanineChronicle.com
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