Page 266 - ShowSight - August 2019

Foundation Stock Service Q & A
“I FEEL A SLOW STEADY APPROACH IS BETTER THAN RUSHING TO SEE HOW FAST WE CAN GET THERE.”
I do not expect a surge in popularity will happen. Our breed is a very demanding one and we as a breed club, encourage only very experienced dog owners to take on an Appenzeller. They are not a breed for everyone. As much as we can, we take advantage of judges education opportunities and “meet the breeds” to educate people about the Appenzeller. This is not a “short-haired Bernese Moun- tain Dog” by any means as many people seem to think. There are similarities in markings, but their demeanor is completely different. This is one of the reasons I work very hard socializing, training and competing in a variety of events so that people fully understand what they are about.
We as a breed club, are slowly getting there. When I first started showing in Conformation with my Havana Brown male, he was the only Appenzeller being shown. Now, you will sometimes see two or even three Appenzellers in the ring on the west coast. It is a mat- ter of encouraging fellow Appenzeller owners to participate, and that Conformation and Performance events can be enjoyable and rewarding. Breed recognition would be nice, but for me, it’s not the be all and end all. What I enjoy most is educating judges and other dog owners about our amazing breed.
Would I breed more litters if we were fully recognized by AKC? I am the owner of a stud dog presently. He is a UKC CH, and Rally Obedience title holder. I will continue to campaign him as a viable male but very selectively.
The funniest thing that I’ve experienced at a dog show? As a puppy, my male was very exuberant in the ring. His tendency was (and sometimes still is) to bite at my clothing in the show ring. At a show in Washington several years ago, he attempted to disrobe me on the down and back! It was quite entertaining for everyone watching.
TERRI WEMIGWANS
We live in the mid-Michigan area. Our life mostly revolves around the dogs and they seem to be involved in everything we do. We have a film production company and a cable/fiber installation company. Our CSV also work in the film industry. I teach animal reading and energy healing and I am an avid gardener and enjoy hiking in the wilderness,
How is my breed faring in its quest for full recognition? I feel our breed is doing well. I feel a slow steady approach is better than rushing to see how fast we can get there.
Do I expect a surge in popularity once we’re in the regular show ring? Yes, their popularity will surely increase. People will be drawn to their very exotic look. I feel with the increase in popularity in the ‘regular shows’ it will help to show people what these amazing dogs can do but it will also attract people who will want to exploit them for personal gain. So both good and bad.
I feel there are not enough people in the breed at this time who care to help push the breed forward, We do have people working towards this goal but we have a long ways to go. We are okay with a slow steady pace.
I would not breed more litters if the breed where AKC recognized. Our breeding practice does not revolve around AKC recognition.
The funniest thing that I’ve experienced at a dog show? Hmmm they are always doing something comical. So it is hard to say what is the funniest?
When our male Czechoslovakain Vlcaks, Meigunn, was around 2 1⁄2 we entered a UKC show. Meigunn, knows the build- ing well we went to puppy classes here, upon entering the hall he
immediately looked at a newly installed billboard and stopped and stared at it. He very much did not trust this person and did not want to continue into the hall. We forced him into the hall for the next two hours, he never took his eye’s off from the man in the Cowboy hat advertising his car dealership. There were also other new billboards with people, some with hats. Miegunn seemed not to care about them at all but this man with the cowboy hat was not to be trusted. When it came time to go into the ring, right under the billboard, Miegunn kept his eyes on the man in the hat as he went around the ring turning his head in an almost complete circle. Everyone watching this were laughing. He also did not want to go past the man so we made our go around a bit outside the lines because I knew he would not go close to this man.
After years of showing in the venue, he still does not like this man and gives him an extra intense look every time he comes into the hall to make sure he does not make a move. We see billboards on venue walls at almost every show. Only this man triggers him. It is very funny to watch even years later.
Everyone now jokes they know how to throw Meigunn off in the ring just throw up a photo of that man and you can expect Meigunn to focus all his attention on this untrustworthy man.
KARINA WHITTINGTON
I live just north of the DFW area in Texas. Outside of dogs I am a web developer by trade and work for a software company.
We really started getting moving on the quest for recognition about two years ago. I think we have made a lot of headway in two years and should hopefully be ready to move to Miscellaneous in two to three years if all goes well. We have already begun some of our requirements for the next steps to gain full recognition!
We have already had a large surge and I think it will continue to grow while we are in FSS and Miscellaneous before we even get to full recognition. I think if we continue on the path of our club goals overall we should be able to manage the continued interest in the breed so that it does not hurt our cause.
For the foundation of our club I think we have a great amount of helpers, our current downfall is getting more people involved in competing and showing with their dogs but interest is slowly grow- ing for those categories.
Would I breed more litters if we were fully recognized by AKC? No, only because I also have a day job and cannot dedicate myself year round to puppies. Breeding is hard work and producing more litters means even more work. I want to be able to keep close tabs on my puppies and having to many could become overwhelming with keeping track of them.
The funniest thing that I’ve experienced at a dog show? I was competing in rally with my male and he decided he was done and it was not worth his time, livestock guardian breeds what are you going to do. I was trying to get him to sit for like the third time and he wasn’t having it and just gave me a blank stare with some side eye and the judge broke out laughing. He won’t be getting his rally title anytime soon but at least one of my females managed to get hers. They definitely have a mind of their own and will tell you when they think something is stupid! Another time one of my girls thought showing wasn’t fun so she decided to make a game of try- ing to eat her show number off my friends arm while going around the ring. A 135 pound girl just bouncing around trying to pull off the number while going around the ring was quite entertaining. The whole time she was being examined she just kept reaching for that number.
264 • ShowSight Magazine, auguSt 2019