Dog show people are a determined bunch. We arrive before sunrise, unload crates, groom for hours, and sometimes spend the entire day ringside waiting for our next spin around the  ring.

In the excitement of competition, it's surprisingly easy to overlook one very important competitor—our dog's abil...

Every weekend at a dog show gives us opportunities to forgive.

• The competitor who made an unnecessary comment.
• The parking attendant who couldn't possibly understand why you needed to be closer to the ring.
• The judge who didn't appreciate the virtues of your dog that you value so highly.
• The e
...

As we bask in the afterglow of America's 250th Independence Day, I'm reminded that our dogs teach us something beautiful about freedom.

• Dogs don't worry about yesterday's loss.
• They don't obsess over next weekend's competition.
• They don't compare themselves to the dog that won Winners Dog.

T...

This may not be the happiest topic—but it might be one of the most important.

As dog people, we spend tremendous time planning grooming schedules, conditioning routines, entries, and travel.

But here’s a harder question:

If there were a natural disaster, sudden illness, or emergency… who would ca...

Today is a wonderfully freeing little holiday called Let It Go Day.

And honestly? Dog people may need it more than most.

So let me ask:

What would happen if you let go of the thing that steals your joy in the ring?

• The anxiety that whispers, “Everyone is judging me.”
• The nerves that make your
...

Veterinary professionals have a phrase that sounds funny—but can be incredibly serious:

ADR.

It stands for:

Ain’t Doin’ Right.

And honestly? Every experienced dog person knows exactly what that means.

The dog who usually launches into breakfast but suddenly walks away.

The one who feels just a...

Today is World Pet Memorial Day, and for many of us in the dog world, that touches something deep.

If you’ve loved dogs long enough, you’ve loved and lost a lot of them. And even though we say we love them equally, that’s a lie. Some losses hurt harder and longer than others.

Maybe it was the once...

June marks the beginning of hurricane season—and whether you live where storms happen or not, it’s a good reminder of something dog show people understand well:

Preparation matters.

Anyone who has ever headed into a major cluster knows the feeling. You check your grooming supplies three times. You...

Sometimes people look at the price of a responsibly bred purebred puppy and ask,
“Why does this dog cost so much?”

But the truth is…you’re not just buying a puppy.

You’re buying generations of thoughtful decisions.

Responsible preservation breeders don’t simply put two dogs together and hope for t...

Microchips are small.
The peace of mind they provide is enormous.

Most dog owners know microchips help lost dogs get home—but many people don’t realize the chip itself is only part of the system. A microchip is not a GPS tracker. It doesn’t magically tell anyone where your dog is.

It works only if...

Dog shows are competitive by nature…but the people who stay in this sport the longest usually discover something important:

The ribbons fade.
The friendships don’t.

Research continues to show that dogs help humans create social connection and community. Dog owners are more likely to form meaningfu...

Dog shows can be exciting, exhausting, noisy, overstimulating…and sometimes completely overwhelming for dogs. The tricky part? Dogs are emotional sponges. If you feel tense, rushed, frustrated, or anxious, there’s a very good chance your dog feels it too.

The good news is that there are simple ways...

We talk a lot about owning dogs.

“My dog.”
“My puppy.”
“My show dog.”

And of course—that’s true. But what if there’s a more powerful way to think about it? What if, instead of simply owning a dog…you saw yourself as their steward?

Ownership Is About Possession

Ownership says:

• This dog belongs
...

Tomorrow is Tax Day. Deep breath…you’ve got this. But today? Let’s ask a very important question:

Can your dog help you save money on your taxes? Short answer: Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. And sometimes…nice try! Let’s break it down.

1. The “Working Dog” Situation

If your dog has a real job, th...

Tomorrow is Tax Day. Deep breath…you’ve got this. But today? Let’s ask a very important question:

Can your dog help you save money on your taxes? Short answer: Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. And sometimes…nice try! Let’s break it down.

1. The “Working Dog” Situation

If your dog has a real job, th...

If you’ve never been to a large dog show cluster before, let me paint the picture for you…

Multiple buildings.
Dozens of rings.
Thousands of dogs and their people.
People moving with purpose like they’re on a mission from the AKC gods. 😄

And this week if you’re going to the Peach Blossom Cluster i...

In the dog show world, we talk a lot about structure, conditioning, movement, and mindset.

But there’s another foundation that matters just as much: Health.

Vaccines can spark passionate debate, yet one truth remains steady: When you step onto a show site, you are part of a shared ecosystem.

Your...

Spring is here. The flowers are blooming, the circuits are getting busier, and somewhere in your garage is a grooming tote that hasn’t been fully emptied since last fall.

Be honest. Do you even know what’s in that plastic bag?

Spring cleaning isn’t just about tidying up. For owner-handlers, it’s a...

On St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is looking for four-leaf clovers. In the dog world, we’ve already got treasures. They come with coats, whiskers, and serious personality.

Ireland has gifted the world some of the most distinctive, charismatic, and show-stopping breeds in the AKC ring. Let’s take a lit...

There are two kinds of owner-handlers:

1. The “I think we need two more majors?” people
2. The “We need 3 singles, 1 major under a different judge, and 7 more GCH points with a stretch goal of a Group placement” people

Guess which group walks into the ring calmer? Exactly.

Organization = Confidenc...

Today is I Want You to Be Happy Day.

Not:

• I Want You to Win Day
• I Want You to Beat That Professional Handler Day
• I Want You to Finally Get That Major Day

Just…I Want You to Be Happy.

And if you’re an owner-handler reading this while mentally replaying your last down-and-back, kicking yours...

Today is officially World Bartender Day. The bartender is perhaps the best-known, most widely-loved architype in popular culture. According to what Hollywood has fed us over the last 100 years or so, bartenders have caring hearts, a willingness to listen, and they dole out sage advice.

Who else has...

If dogs threw parties the way humans do, we’d probably think they were doing it wrong.

• No invitations.
• No schedules.
• No “we should really stay longer.”

And yet, if dogs threw parties, they’d have the healthiest party habits of all. Here are five ways dogs “party” differently than people and ...

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The dog show world is rooted in tradition, but don’t let that fool you. Innovations have quietly transformed how we train, groom, condition, and compete with our dogs. Over the last 150 years, these changes have made showing dogs easier, more precise, and far more accessible to...

Few events in the dog world carry the weight, prestige, and history of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. For 150 years, Westminster has carried the standard as a symbol of excellence — not just in purebred dogs, but in sportsmanship, dedication, and tradition.

Named after a long-gone hotel in N...

Mentorship is one of the most generous gifts in the dog world. It’s how knowledge is preserved and passed along, confidence is built, and newcomers feel welcomed instead of overwhelmed. But let’s be honest…when you’re the one in the mentor role, mentoring can be exhausting if it’s not done with inte...

Have you ever noticed that each of your friends has a different strength or superpower? We are all born with different interests, we all have lived different lives and had different experiences, and we all have things that fascinate us and we just can’t seem to learn enough about.

You have that, to...

America was built by people who were ruggedly, and sometimes stubbornly, independent. If you live in the US, you’re probably at least a little bit reticent to ask for help or admit you don’t know something. And if you live outside of the US, you might be a little bit shy about asking for help, too.

Are you a mentor?

First of all, how would you know if you’re a mentor? A very long-time friend of mine was shocked when I told her I considered her one of my foundational mentors in Siberian Huskies. She just thought we had good conversations about the breed and her philosophy of training and breed...

The wrapping paper is in the trash. The decorations are getting a bit dusty and ready to pack back up for another year. You’re kind of over Christmas music right now.

And maybe you’re thinking about 2026 and your show-ring goals.

May I recommend adding some continuing education to your goals? Beca...

Today, let’s examine what people believe about dogs. Beliefs are funny things – they may or may not be true, yet they take on a life of their own when enough people espouse them. Here are three lists – good things people believe about dogs, bad things people believe about dogs, and irrational things...

They happened in Orlando last week, though most people who attended the AKC Championship week of shows had no idea what was going on.

They happen at most of the major conformation clusters – Houston, Louisville, Phoenix, the Peach Blossom Cluster in Perry, GA, etc. Again, most of the exhibitors don...

Some of the best gifts don’t come from a store…

They come from the kitchen — especially when they’re made from recipes that feel like home.

There’s something extra special about giving food crafted with love, memories, and a dash of tradition. I’m not really the world’s most gung-ho cook, but I do...

Happy Giving Tuesday, my friend! (No, I’m not about to hit you up for a donation...promise!)

Today is one of my favorite days of the year. It’s a worldwide celebration of generosity, kindness, and making life just a little more wagalicious. And of course you know I get inspiration from those of us ...

Happy Freedom of Speech week, and please be careful how you celebrate! At the risk of sounding like a grey-haired old woman (wait…what???) sometimes I think many things that are said aloud and/or typed into a social media post would have been better off locked up, not set free.

• I’ve been ringside
...

Do you read books? And which kind do you usually read – physical, digital, or audio? Yes, audio books count as reading in my book!

I’ve always loved books. Mom was an avid reader who usually had at least two books going at a time. Most were fiction, with some gardening and history and geography and...

This week’s newsletter is a peek into how I work. It’s also a sincere thank-you to people who deserve more recognition than they often get.

Now and then I’ll open up the newsletter Word doc I started in 2022. With about 85,000 words, this one document has more words than the average non-fiction boo...

Sometimes you’ve gotta just wonder what people are thinking. While I’m a firm believer that there are no stupid questions, in honor of Ask a Stupid Question Day, I asked my friends to share the dumb questions they’ve been asked about their dogs. Enjoy!

Deborah Mary – Doberman Pinschers – “Your dog ...

Today is Checkers Day. No, not the game, the Cocker Spaniel who saved a political career.

In 1952, when Richard Nixon was running for Vice President, he was accused of using donations intended as campaign funds for his own personal gain. Two weeks before election day, he delivered a half-hour telev...

You know I’m a dog person, right? This isn’t coming as a shock to anyone who knows me, or most of the people who just know OF me. I have two dogs now, (just in case you’re counting, they are dogs number 16 and 17) and since I got my first Siberian Husky, I’ve been enthralled by all things dog – dog ...

Today seems like a good day to recognize the weirdos among us. When you were growing up, did the other kids ever call you “weird” too, like they did me? Then let’s celebrate us, too!

We humans put a lot of stock in conformity, when in fact it’s our uniqueness that sets us apart and makes us special...

Welcome to September, the portal to the fastest four months of the year. It begins with or includes a three-day weekend celebrating workers and everything we contribute to the world. It’s the unofficial end of summer. September is the line of demarcation for wearing white and seersucker – as of yest...

Today, let’s imagine a world without dogs. What would be different, and how would humans be different?

1. Humans would be less physically fit. Dog owners enjoy more time outdoors, interacting with the environment, other people, and getting more exercise.
2. Those with disabilities would find their liv
...

Have you ever thought about innovation and how it’s shaped the world we live in? Today is Aviation Day, which is what got me started thinking about innovation. What is it and where does it come from and why does innovation and imagination seem to disappear in most people as we get older?

Let’s take...

You’ve seen them – those hard-working dogs in service to humans. Have you thought about the many different ways dogs are trained to help people? Since it’s Assistance Dog Week this newsletter is a celebration of service dogs, the people who they serve, and the people who breed and raise and train th...

Have you ever made a decision based on what you thought, not what you knew? Sure – most, if not all of us have at one time or another. I vividly remember watching tv with my parents when I was a kid, and Dolly Parton was singing. I came to the triple conclusions that she was glamorous, was a good si...

Have you ever thought about friendship and why it feels so good? Have you ever wondered if our pets can be considered friends, and whether they have friends, too?

OK, yes – I do let my brain-train glide down some odd tracks now and then, and today’s article is going down one of those.

First, what ...

Is there someone in your life who’s difficult to manage or difficult to be around? All isn’t lost, and while this article may seem off the topic of people, I promise you it isn’t.

Think about the Siberian Huskies you’ve seen on social media or known in real life. What are the words that come to m...

Today is National Pet Fire Safety Day, and I’ve made a dorky decision – that’s not today’s topic. Instead, I’ve decided to be a dork today in honor of Be a Dork Day.

C’mon, you know you want to be a dork too, right?

No? Where’s your sense of fun? Many people think that being a dork is a bad thing....