Page 63 - ShowSight, November 2020

AKC BREEDER OF THE YEAR HONOREES
John Woodring & Wade Burns
HOUND GROUP
1. How does it feel to be honored by the AKC to represent your Group?
It is a huge honor, a lifetime achievement to be honored by one’s peers as the AKC representative for the Hound Group. In my case, accolades are not my goal. My goal is basically an artistic endeavor to produce dogs that fit my interpretation of the standard that are healthy, move well and show well.
2. Who are the people "in dogs" who've influenced your breeding program?
There have been countless breeders, handlers and judges who have influenced the direction of our breeding pro- gram. Wade would have likely said Marie Shuart of Teloca Beagles and Mikie Billings. I would say (Jon) Wade Burns was the biggest influence on me in our breeding program, but also breeders Sharon Clark, Eeva Resko, Alyce Gilmour, and Eddie Dziuk helped influence my input into our selection of breeding and show stock. Handlers or judges who have influenced my point of view on which dogs to breed (from watching the dogs they showed) would be Barbara Alderman, Bobby Barlow, and Houston and Toddie Clark. Judges whose placements continuously influenced me were James Clark, Anne Rogers Clark, Mrs. Stevenson, Mr. and Mrs. Forsyth, and Mike Billings. There are many great judges whom I highly respect, but I have only rarely shown to them.
3. Do you have specific philosophies that you maintain as a breeder?
My philosophies as a breeder include not using a dog for breeding if it has a temperament problem, and breeding for healthy dogs. I strive for selection of show dogs and future breeding dogs for the improvement of our line as a whole, not necessarily to get one stellar dog from each litter. For example, when our dogs lacked rear angle we bred for better angles and, for several years, each show and breeding dog would be selected for that trait in addition to other traits in the standard. If the best puppy was a bit straight in the rear, it would not be the one I would keep. Once a few traits are improved on in each couple of generations, I’d move on to another couple of traits to work on, so that that the entire kennel is strong for particular traits. When I’d select for the next traits, those that make the cut are good in the traits I’d last bred from and then also have the traits I am then working on. I am for keeping a good puppy with the traits I want over, perhaps, a better puppy that lacks those traits.
4. Can you speak to the importance of breeding to the standard?
Breeding to the standard is the goal, but our standard offers a lot of room for personal interpretation. Two breeders can look at the same standard and have different viewpoints on what the standard is saying; things that are not in the standard though they are of upmost importance, like health, showmanship, profiling, and standing with the tail up. These things aren’t mentioned in the standard though, but if one has a dog that excels in these traits the result in the show ring is a lot more certain.
5. What breeding advice would you give to today's novice fancier.
One can advance their success easily by ten years with the right mentor. After one has learned how to be success- ful in the show ring and breeding program, then one can still be a success on their own. Make sure to choose the right mentor. If there isn’t the right mentor in your area in your breed, choose one in another breed whom you have an affinity for and who wants you to learn and to succeed. If one’s “mentor” is always saying that judging is political, and whenever they lose they always say the judging was bad, that is not the right mentor. Always try to learn why you won or lost each time you go into the ring. With breeders I mentor, I am 100% upfront with them. Before going into the ring, I tell them if I think their dog deserves the win or not, compared to the competition. If their dog is the lesser dog, in my opinion, I tell them which traits their dog is superior in and how to try to sell those to the judge. A breeder’s success is in the dogs they produce, but also in the way they are socialized, trained, and presented. Sometimes the better dog by the standard is not the winner if it is not trained and shown correctly; not just on their comparison to the standard. It must behave and project its strong points—or at least not detract from them. A novice has the advantage in that they have more time to spend on one dog with training and social- ization, but also the disadvantage in the arts of handling, grooming, and presentation. The best judges can find a true diamond in the rough. If one breeds or buys a good dog, gets a suitable mentor, and does their homework and ground work, success is eventually inevitable. Breeding show dogs can be a very rewarding endeavor if one can pay attention to their mentor and make an effort to get along with their competition.
“If there isn’t the right mentor in your area in your breed, choose one in another breed whom you have an affinity for and who wants you to learn and to succeed.”
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2020 | 61