® Today’s BreederA Nestlé Purina Publication Dedicated to the Needs of Canine Enthusiasts Issue 81

B R E E D E R P R O F I L EBo-Bett Whippets & Italian Greyhounds

Diving Into a Dog SportNutrition That MattersSpotlight on Cover Dogs

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Today’s Breeder Advisory Board

Jorje Quinn, Vice President, Professional Engagement Team

Candy Caciolo, Portfolio Director of Marketing

Gianna DeiSanti, Brand Director,Conformation and Sporting

Lisa Walsh, Communications Manager

Scott Smith, Managing Directorof Field Operations

Ann Viklund, Director of Conformation,and Breeder, Labrador Retrievers and Norwich Terriers

Bob West, Director of Sporting

Brock Fitzgerald, Director of Purina Farmsand the Purina Event Center

Kaite Flamm, Manager, Purina Event Center

Deborah Greco, D.V.M., DACVIM,Senior Research Scientist, and Breeder,Standard Poodles

Connie Wagner, Senior Area Manager(Southeast), Conformation, and Breeder,Dalmatians

Carol Grossman, Western Area Manager,Conformation, and Breeder, Great Danes,Rottweilers and Dachshunds

Ann Balotti, Purina Event Center Area Manager

Marci Sale, Northeast Area Manager, Conformation, and Breeder, Labrador Retrievers

Christa Townsend, Plains Area Manager,Conformation, and Breeder, Bouvier desFlandres

Diana Allen, Field Representative, Conformation, and Breeder, American Eskimo Dogs

Peggy Schilling, Field Representative,Conformation, and Breeder, Great Danes

Rod L. Carter, Area Manager, Sporting,and Breeder, Beagles, Boston Terriers andYorkshire Terriers

Pat Lamantia, Area Manager, Sporting,and Breeder, German Wirehaired Pointers

Dean Reinke, Area Manager, Sporting,and Breeder, English Springer Spaniels

Karl Gunzer, Area Manager, Sporting

Today’s Breeder is produced and publishedby Nestlé Purina Public Relations.

Keith Schopp, Vice President, Public Relations

Barbara Fawver, Manager, Pet InfluentialCommunications, Editor, Today’s BreederMagazine, and Breeder, Brace Beagles

Melissa Miller, Senior CommunicationsSpecialist, Pet Influential Communications

Kayla Miller, Communications Specialist,Pet Influential Communications

Today’s Breeder articles may be reprintedprovided the following guidelines are used:That the article be used in its entirety. Ifthe entire article is not desired, submit inwriting what you plan to use; that it beused in a positive manner; that credit begiven to Today’s Breeder as the article’ssource. The credit should be as follows:Used with permission from Today’sBreeder, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company.

This spring at the Dachshund Clubof America (DCA) National Field Trialin Shawsville, Md., I had the pleasureof judging the event along with JulieCouch, Connie Fisher and Alan James.We got to see many great workingdogs, connect with friends and enjoywonderful meals provided by theMaryland Beagle Club.

The winner of the Absolute Award,the highest honor bestowed on aDachshund field trial dog, was FRLEdelweiss Von Lowenherz, owned and

handled by Gail Binder of New York.With her keen nose and trackingabilities, “Edelweiss” won out of 120dogs entered in the National.

Many thanks to our sponsor, Purina,and to members of the MetropolitanWashington Dachshund Club and theDachshund Fanciers Association ofBerks County, who worked so hard toput on this event.

Janet M. SchwalbePendergrass, GA

Fall 2013 National Specialties at the Purina Event Center

Event Date

Border Collie Society of America Sept. 2-8

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Club of America Sept. 9-13

Ibizan Hound Club of the United States Sept. 10-13

Pharaoh Hound Club of America Sept. 10-13

United States Neapolitan Mastiff Club Sept. 20-22

American Manchester Terrier Club Sept. 21

Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America Sept. 24-28

Bearded Collie Club of America Sept. 28-Oct. 4

Basset Hound Club of America Oct. 6-11

Old English Sheepdog Club of America Oct. 15-19

English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association Oct. 29-Nov. 2

The Purina Event Center is a multimillion, state-of-the-art facility designedto host all-breed and specialty dog and cat shows. It is located at PurinaFarms in Gray Summit, Mo., about 45 minutes from St. Louis. To schedulean event, contact Kaite Flamm, Purina Event Center Manager, at 314-982-5211 or by email at kaite.flamm@purina.nestle.com.

The winner of the DCA National Field Trial this spring was a female standard WirehairedDachshund, FRL Edelweiss Von Lowenherz. Posing with “Edelweiss” are, from left, the AbsoluteTrophy sponsor Alice Moyer, judges Julie Couch and Connie Fisher, owner-handler Gail Binder,and judges Janet Schwalbe and Alan James.

We enjoy hearing from our Pro Club members about their dogs. Please send yourletters and photos to: Today’s Breeder, c/o Editor, Nestlé Purina PetCare Com pany,2T Checker board Square, St. Louis, MO 63164 or via e-mail at today’sbreeder@purina.com. Today’s Breeder retains the right to edit and publish letters, including namesand addresses, and photos, to a worldwide audience.

®PURI NA

A Nestlé Purina Publication Dedicated to the Needs of Canine Enthusiasts Issue 81

Today’s Breeder

If you have moved or changed your name, please let us know by calling1-877-776-2582 or write us at: Purina Pro Club, 1400 South HighwayDrive, Fenton, MO 63099.

ANY QUESTIONS?When you have questions about Purina Pro Club, please call 1-877-776-2582 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST Monday through Friday (hol-idays excluded).

Today’s Breeder is not responsible for unsolicited submissions, manu-scripts, photographs, and other submitted material. Submissions willnot be returned. Sub mis sion constitutes permission for Today’s Breeder,at its sole discretion, to use the submitted materials, in whole or in part,without compensation. For reasons of space and editorial content,Today’s Breeder reserves the right to delete or alter any solicited or un-solicited information, or part of, that is submitted or received for con-sideration for inclusion in this publication.

Today’s Breeder is sent as a courtesy to members of the Purina Pro Club.Extra copies are available for $2.95 each. Make your check or money orderpayable to Today’s Breeder and send to: Today’s Breeder, c/o Editor,Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, 2T Checkerboard Square, St. Louis,MO 63164.

Trademarks owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.,Vevey, Switzerland.

© 2013 Nestlé Purina PetCare Company

4 DIV ING INThe joy of training dogs for field trials and con-formation shows begins to sink in when dogsexcel at their sports. Success is often a steppingstone to a professional career. Four enthusiastsshare their stories, telling how they learned fromothers and gained an appreciation for workinghard to achieve great things.

10 NUTRIT ION THAT MATTERSThe dog fancy asks a Purina veterinary nutritionistwhether it is safe to feed dogs a raw diet and aboutPurina Pro Plan Select Grain-Free Formula. Areview of the three Purina Pro Plan Sport Formulasfor hardworking and active dogs explains why itis important to feed a food with the appropriateprotein-to-fat ratio.

12 A WONDERFUL L IFEBo-Bett breeder Carol Harris says the harder she works, the luckier she gets. Growing upwith a love for dogs and horses, this breeder of more than 500 champion Whippets and ItalianGreyhounds was honored in 2009 as the Outstanding Breeder of the Year. Her innate abilityto recognize the attributes that produce superior dogs is noteworthy.

18 NORTHWOODS’ MAGIC TOUCH A second career breeding and training bird dogs gives Jerry Kolter and his wife, Betsy Danielson,great satisfaction. The English Setters and Pointers they develop at their Northwoods Bird DogsKennel are sold to hunters and field trial competitors, who often send them letters about howthey enjoy the dogs as much for their companionship as their hunting skills.

20 A SURE-F IRE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Finishing a dog’s conformation championship title has always been a mark of success. Theintroduction of the American Kennel Club’s Grand Champion title has brought more finishedchampions back into shows and made the Best of Breed judging even more competitive. Takingtime to assess a dog’s potential is more important than ever before beginning a Specials campaign.

Regular Departments2 The Readers’ Page 22 Circle of Champions 24 Breed Snapshot

On Our Cover

CH Bo-Bett’s Treasure Chest (“Cheslie”) is an almost 2-year-old female Whippet bred andowned by Carol Harris of Bo-Bett Farm in Reddick, Fla., and handled by Justin Smith ofSugar Valley, Ga. Cover photo by Melissa Miller. See story on page 12.

From the EditorStarting with this issue, TB Magazine has fewerpages, but will be published more often to giveyou more stories and enhanced coverage. Besure to keep sending your letters and photos tous at today’sbreeder@purina.com.

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In the beginning, it was something new. As they learnedhow to handle and train their dogs, it became more. TB

Magazine is pleased to feature these ambitious enthusiastswho are making a mark in their sports.

No Time to Sit Still As a teenager, Tera Lanczak didn’t like to sit still. She preferred to run,

with her brown ponytail bobbing, through the marshes of Saginaw Bay,Mich., hunting ducks and geese with her uncles and their bird dogs.

After high school, she got a job guiding pheasant hunts at a local preserve. “It was an amazing way to work with Point-

ers and Labrador Retrievers,” Lanczak says. The adrenaline rush she got from seeing a

Pointer’s stylish point on game or a Labrador’sperfect retrieve come together in just a few sec-onds is what drew her in. When she wasn’t hunt-ing, she worked the night shift as a paramedic.

Today, Lanczak trains young Labrador Retriev-ers for field trials full time at her Bay Blue Kennelsin Au Gres, Mich., from May to November. In winter,Bay Blue relocates to Giddings, Texas. Thoughshe specializes in Labradors, her training careerstarted with two German pointing breeds: Short-hairs and Wirehairs.

In 2003, Lanczak volunteered to help profes-sional bird dog trainer George Hickox at histraining seminars in exchange for the opportunityto learn from him. She began attending clinicsHickox held across the country, where he taughtowners how to train their dogs for upland hunt-ing and field trial competition.

Lanczak prepares Purina Pro PlanSport Performance 30/20 Formulafor her hardworking retrievers.

Diving InB Y M E L I S S A M I L L E R

A professional retriever trainer since 2008, Tera Lanczak releases Knaack’s Knee Deep Nayanquingon a land retrieve during a training drill.

“No matter what I aspired to do,I always sought out people whowere the best in the business,”Lanczak says. After a few years,Lanczak wanted to do more withher bird dogs, and so she taughtthem to retrieve. She began com-peting with them in North American VersatileHunting Dog Association events, where dogs are

required to track, point and retrieve onland and in water.

In 2006, she reached out to profes-sional retriever trainer Karl Gunzer of

High Spirit Retrievers in Polson,Mont., to learn more about re-

triever training. Gunzer hasfinished numerous field

champions and competed annuallywith multiple dogs in the NationalOpen Championship. He invitedLanczak to join his staff at hiswinter training grounds in Lex-ington, Texas.

Gunzer taught Lanczak the im-portance of keeping dogs on a consistent schedule tohelp pre vent stress. “When you change their sched-ule, whether it is by a minute or five minutes, you’vechanged the rules on them,” she says. “These dogsthrive on a routine.”

Bill Eckett of Blackwater Retrievers in Center-view, Mo., then offered Lanczak a job startingderby dogs. Eckett, who specializes in trainingfield trial retrievers, has finished 65 Field Cham-pions and won four National Championships.

Training the young retrievers, ranging from 8weeks to 3 years old, taught Lanczak patience.“You have to be patient to observe and learn toread a dog’s true intentions before you can appro-priately react and train the dog,” she says.

As for her career stats, Lanczak has handleddogs to 18 placements since 2008, but competing isnot her priority. Rather, she concentrates on layingthe groundwork to teach young retrievers the basics,so their owners may experience success in the fieldor at competitive events. A couple of times a year,though, she competes in or attends trials to measurethe performances of dogs she’s trained.

“At Bay Blue, we measure our success by ourgraduates’ success,” she says.

A Homework AssignmentBlake Hansen’s first dog show was a homework

assignment. His mother, Eva Marie Hansen, waslearning to groom dogs and was assigned to go toa local dog show in Orlando, Fla. She brought 10-year-old Hansen with her.

“I saw some of my friends gaiting their dogs in thering, and that sparked my interest,” says Hansen, ofMerritt Island, Fla.

He and his mother began showing dogs andentering grooming competitions together. “It

was a family thing for us,” he says.

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Hansen trims “Cuervo” before going in theshow ring.

Blake Hansen, a profes-sional all-breed handlerwho specializes in terrierbreeds, is shown withSkansens Jose Cuervo, a Giant Schnauzer.

Hansen started competing in Amer-ican Kennel Club (AKC) Junior Show-manship. In 2007, he was the No. 1junior handler of terrier breeds in thecountry and the top junior handler inFlorida. In 2008, at age 14, he handledthe Kerry Blue Terrier, CH War LordsRebellion at Kingael (“Beau”), to Bestof Breed at the AKC National Cham-pionship in Long Beach, Calif.

Earlier that year, he traveled to Stock-holm, Sweden, to compete in the WorldDog Show Junior Handler Competi-tion with the Kerry Blue Terrier, CHKerifields Hurricane Charm. It was hisaccomplishments with another KerryBlue Terrier, GCH Edbrios Stradivari(“Ziggy”), that got Hansen thinkingabout pro fessional handling as a career.He and Ziggy won Best of Breed at theprestigious Montgomery County Ken-nel Club all-terrier dog show in BlueBell, Pa., in 2010. That same year, Ziggywon Best of Breed at the AKC NationalChampionship in Long Beach, Calif.

Hansen learned the ropes as an assis-tant to several professional handlers:Tracy Deloria, Jamie Clute, Larry Cor-nelius and Marcelo Veras, VanessaFleming, Kirsten McGregor, and Frankand Maureen Jewett. Working withthem taught him about the businessaspect of handling, including time man-agement and proper care of dogs.

“Working for a handler is probablythe biggest part of becoming a handleryourself,” Hansen says. A full-timeprofessional all-breed handler for two years, Hansenfocuses on finishing show champions and buildinga client base. He continues to specialize in terrierbreeds, partly because he loves their fiery spirit. Heenjoys handstripping their coats, the tedious processof pulling out the dead outer coat by hand to allowa new wire coat to grow in.

Persistence is important when getting started,Hansen says. “You’re going out against the very best

every weekend,” he says. “These are people whohave been doing it for years. You lose a lot morethan you win.”

In the past year, Hansen has won several Bestsof Breed and Group Firsts with a 3-year-old BrusselsGriffon, GCH Marsdon Frankly Speaking (“Frank”).In 2012, Frank won the American Brussels GriffonAssociation Regional Specialty in Louisville, Ky.,outperforming more than 150 dogs.

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Steve Taddy prepares to train hishounds for two-couple pack fieldtrials. The Beagles are, from left,Maple Grove Red Gal, Long HollowSinger, Long Hollow Chunk (partlyhidden), and Long Hollow BlackVelvet, MH.

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Hansen recently began giving back to the AKCJunior Showmanship program by judging juniorcompetitions. In the future, he would like to becomea conformation judge and possibly breed WireFox Terriers.

All About TeamworkFor Steve Taddy of Reedsville, Wis., winning

two-couple pack field trials is all about teamwork.“I like the idea of putting together a pack of fourhounds that is judged on how well they work asa team,” Taddy says.

In 2011, Taddy placed fourth in the United BeagleGundog Federation Two-Couple Pack Nationals

in Morgantown, Ky., and won the first Two-CouplePack Federation Nationals in Sullivan, Ind.

Taddy’s father had Beagles, and he grew up lovingtheir friendly, good-natured personalities. “They’reeasy to work with, and there’s nothing cuter thana Beagle puppy,” he says.

In 2005, Taddy bought his first registered maleBeagles to go rabbit hunting. A few years later, hejoined the Lakeshore and the Fox River Beagle clubs.In 2009, he started running Small Pack Option (SPO)field trials, where dogs are judged individually ontheir enthusiasm and ability to track a rabbit as partof a pack. When he participated in his first two-couple pack competition later that year, the chal-lenge of working with a hound team drew him in.

“People think it’s easy to put four dogs together

and make them run the right way with the rightstyle in the right progression to drive that rabbit,”Taddy says. “It’s not. You have to have dogs that willdo different things in your pack.”

He competed in both events for a while. “I wasnew into it and wanted to see what I liked. My dogsat that time were better-suited to SPO,” he says.

Taddy didn’t have any idea what a good two-couple pack dog should be when he started, buthe ran his dogs with others who helped him learn.Beaglers he trained with include Brenda Coker ofLong Hollow Kennel in Gainesville, Tenn., andRon Sickinger of Cal-Ron Beagles in Valders, Wis.

He has learned to look for hounds that are notaggressive and have the ability to track the rabbitin tough conditions. “They have to be able to run arabbit, but they can’t be overly competitive,” Taddysays. “They have to be willing to accept the opportu-nity when it’s there, but not push for their opportunity.”

Mr. Man’s Rock N Roll DJ was just such a dog.“DJ” was part of the pack, consisting of Long HollowBlack Velvet, Long Hollow Dozer and Long HollowCricket, that won the National Champion ship in2011. The pack won 11 of 14 trials entered in Wis-consin that year.

In a reversal of roles, Taddy now trains houndsfor Coker, who initially trained him. He puts inlong days at his construction job and then trainsBeagles 10 to 12 hours a week when he gets home.For Taddy, it’s a labor of love.

“I just love being outside in nature, and it’s neatto watch a young dog develop new skills,” he says.

A Balancing ActWhile other teenagers spent summers lounging

at the beach, Kellie Dahlberg of Sarasota, Fla.,lived with professional handlers learning to bathe,groom, feed and exercise show dogs.

Today, Dahlberg balances attending college fulltime and professional handling. She is workingtoward a bachelor’s degree in accounting at StateCollege of Florida and spends her weekends on theshow circuit.

The breeder of Dahlberg’s first dog, a ParsonRussell Terrier called “Puzzle,” suggested she getinvolved in dog shows through the 4-H Club show-

Long Hollow Black Velvet, MH, waspart of a pack that in 2011 won theUBGF Two-Couple Pack Nationalsand the first Two-Couple PackFederation Nationals.

manship program. Dahlberg, who was 9 years old,entered 4-H Club shows with Puzzle, and thengot involved in AKC earthdog and agility compe-titions, before sticking with Junior Showmanship.

With help from experienced handlers, she learnedhow to improve her techniques. Dahlberg learnedthe basics working for professional handler RindiGaudet of Summerville, S.C., and later for profes-sional handlers Larry Cornelius and Marcelo Verasof Ocala, Fla.

Dahlberg has shown the No. 1 Australian Terrier,GCH Kambara’s Zebulon (“Zeb”), for the past threeyears. The first Australian Terrier to earn an AKCGrand Champion title, Zeb set a breed record for themost Bests in Show, having earned six.

Dahlberg now shows GCH Temora Ri Diercc(“Mac”), who took Best of Breed in February at theWestminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York.He also won Best of Breed last January at the Aus-tralian Terrier Club of America National Specialtyin Palm Springs, Calif., and in December 2012 atthe AKC National Championship in Orlando, Fla.

Though she plans to work full time as an account-ant after college graduation, Dahlberg also wants tocontinue handling dogs professionally on the side.“The bond I have with the dogs is the most reward-ing part, plus I love seeing them show well,” shesays. “I can’t imagine not being involved in show-ing dogs.” ■

A tack box containing grooming supplies is fundamental to workingas a professional handler.

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Kellie Dahlberg, a college studentand professional handler, is shownwith GCH Temora Ri Diercc, anAustralian Terrier.

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N U T R I T I O N M A T T E R S

TB Magazine invites you to send your nutritionquestions to today’sbreeder@purina.com. PurinaResearch Scientist Dottie P. Laflamme, D.V.M., Ph.D.,DACVN, who answers these questions, is boardedby the American College of Veterinary Nutrition.Dottie has more than 20 years’ experience in thepet food industry and lectures worldwide on caninenutrition. She is the organizer and chair of the NestléPurina Companion Animal Nutrition (CAN) Summit,an annual international veterinary nutrition conference.

Q: Are there advantages in feeding dogs a raw diet? — Michelle Paullin-Brown,

Ahram Kennels, Colton, Calif.

A: Proponents of raw food dietssuggest that this type of diet iscloser to what dogs evolved

eating, and what wolves eat.There is evidence that raw food may

be slightly more digestible than some cooked foods,but there also is evidence of the opposite, dependingon how the food is cooked. Otherwise, there is nopublished evidence of any nutritional advantages.

On the other hand, there is scientific evidencethat there are possible risks associated with feed-ing raw bones and meat to dogs. Among theserisks are injury or intestinal obstruction form thebones themselves, infection from parasites or bac-teria present in raw meat or poultry, and eventransmission of bacteria, such as Salmonella, tohousehold members. Homemade raw diets alsohave been associated with nutritional imbalances,leading to skeletal problems in growing puppies.

Q: Why is synthetic vitamin K, which is also calledmenadione, included in dog food? — Susan Bell,Timberline American Eskimos, Athens, Mich.

A: Vitamin K is an essential nutrient for dogs, rec-ognized especially for its important role in bloodclotting. Menadione, the parent compound of vita-

Raw Diets MoreA Look At

11T O D A Y ’ S B R E E D E R

min K, is converted to active vitamin K by bacterialiving within the intestines of healthy dogs.

Q: The new Purina Pro Plan Select Grain-FreeFormula contains cassava-root flour. I am not famil-iar with this ingredient. What is cassava-root flourand what nutritional benefits come from includingit in dog food? — Kathy Shaffer-Guerreo, SunValley Newfoundlands, Lilburn, Ga.

A: The Pro Plan Select Grain-Free Formula containscassava-root flour and pea starch, which are alterna-

tive carbohydrate sources for dogs. These ingredientsprovide glucose, an energy source that is essentialto many of the cells of the body, as well as otheressential nutrients. Cassava root is much like a potato.It comes from the starchy tuberous root of the cassavaplant, which grows in tropical climates and is thesource of tapioca. When properly processedand included as part of a complete diet,as it is in this super-premium dogfood, cassava-root flour provides adigestible and nutritious source ofdietary carbohydrate. ■

N U T R I T I O N M A T T E R S

Canine athletes require proper nutrition in order to have the energythey need to support the extra demands of exercise. It is important to

feed the right high-fat, high-protein performance formula to maximizetraining and conditioning and to boost metabolism and endurance.

Purina Pro Plan brand dog food realizes the importance of providingdogs with varying protein-to-fat ratios to give active dogs an optimalenergy balance. Thus, Pro Plan offers three Sport diets for active andathletic dogs. Each formula provides complete and balanced nutritionfor all life stages and is suited for a particular activity level.

“There’s no doubt about it, diet alone can help change a dog’s athleti-cism,” says Purina Nutrition Scientist Brain Zanghi, Ph.D. “By feeding theright food based on an individual dog’s activity level, an owner can improvea dog’s athleticism.

“Active dogs benefit from an increasing proportion of protein andfat in their daily diet to fulfill their increasing need for calories and theincreased protein metabolism that occurs naturally with exercise. Impor-tantly, dogs that regularly consume higher protein and fat food will meta-bolically prime their muscles and metabolism, which will allow themto better adapt to exercise and have improved exercise endurance.”

Active dogs need more calories from an energy-dense food to providethe greater energy required to maintain a stable body weight and support

their active lifestyle. Dogs fed a high-fat food have more capacity toburn fatty acids and a greater capacity to perform at an optimal level.

Canine athletes have a higher oxygen metabolism, or Vo2 max, thannonathletic dogs. This means that these dogs can use oxygen at a greaterrate, thus providing more energy when exercising at maximum capacity,giving them increased aerobic energy and endurance. Endurance for dogsis based on how well their body can use fat energy. An optimized caninemetabolism has an improved use of fat, which ultimately reduces theneed for and depletion of limited sugar-energy stores in muscles andliver, known as glycogen. Fat oxidation provides most of the dog’s energyat low rates of energy expenditure.

The Purina Pro Plan Sport Formula portfolio includes: • Pro Plan Sport Performance 30/20 Formula with 30 percent protein

and 20 percent fat. This high-performance dog food helps to fuelmetabolic needs and maintain lean muscle. It provides concentratednutrition that helps to optimize Vo2 max for increased endurance.It also has eicosapentaenoic acid, anomega-3 fatty acid, and glucosamine tohelp support joint health and mobility.

• Pro Plan Sport Advanced 28/18 Formulawith 28 percent protein and 18 percentfat. This moderate-performance dog foodhelps fuel metabolic needs and maintainlean muscle. It contains amino acids thathelp nourish muscles, particularly in thecrucial time immediately after exercise.

• Pro Plan Active 26/16 Formula with26 percent protein and 16 percent fat.This low-performance dog food helpsmaintain lean muscle and ideal bodycondition by providing the energy needed by active dogs that partici-pate in low-intensity activities. This performance dog food is easilydigestible and helps promote optimal nutrient delivery.

Scan this QR codeto learn more aboutthe Purina Pro PlanSport Formulas forcanine athletes

Pro Plan Customizes Protein-to-Fat Ratios for Performance Dogs

Cassava root

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B R E E D E R P R O F I L E

T O D A Y ’ S B R E E D E R 13

s the breeze ruffles through the grass andthe Spanish moss hanging from giant oak

trees, a pack of lean, well-muscled Whippets gathersaround Carol Harris, forming a semicircle as theypatiently wait their turn to be fed from her hands.

“Down!” she exclaims, as a rambunctiousbrindle-and-white female pushes to the front.

“Teaching them to wait patiently makes thembetter show dogs,” she says. “It is part of the train-ing process.”

The splendor of the moment is captivating. Carol,the matriarch of the famed Bo-Bett Farm in Reddick,Fla., has dallied in dogs for almost 80 years. Shegrew up with a love for purebred dogs, particu-larly Scottish, Airedale and Smooth Fox terriers,and horses.

As a young woman, she developed an eye andlove for breeding magnificent animals while livingon her family’s Flatbrook Farm in Sussex County,New Jersey. Her knowledge about breeding wasa fusion of horse and dog genetics based on relatingan animal’s structure to its function. Hard workpaid off.

“The harder I work,the luckier I get,” saysCarol, who was votedby her peers as theOut standing Breederof the Year in 2009 andwas nominated a sec-ond time in 2012.

Two Greyhound-looking breeds havedominated Carol’s in-terest for the past threedecades. Her successis notable. More than500 champion Whip-pets and Italian Greyhounds, distinguished bytheir consistent breed type and superior quality,have been bred and raised at Bo-Bett.

After discovering Whippets in 1979, Carol said,“We who truly know Whippets call them the best-kept secret in the dog world.”

When she got hooked on Italian Greyhounds in1985, she said, “IGs are the second best-kept secret.”

Bo-Bett is stamped on the history of both breeds.Multi-BIS/Multi-BISS CH Bo-Bett’s Snow Bunny

B R E E D E R P R O F I L E

AB Y K AY L A M I L L E R

P H O T O S B Y M E L I S S A M I L L E R

Carol and her daughter, Wendy Winans, are shown withItalian Greyhounds, from left, CH Bo-Bett’s BriannaButton, CH Bo-Bett’s Abigail’s Pride, Appraxin Bo-BettP For Perfect, and Bo-Bett’s Jump Shot.

At left, a radiant, beaming Carol Harris hand-feeds some of her Bo-Bett Whippets.

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B R E E D E R P R O F I L E

won 16 Bests in Show to become the winningestWhippet bitch from 1991 until 2012. Among the high-achieving Italian Greyhounds, the top-producingsire, Multi-BIS/Multi-BISS CH Tekoneva’s Dario,and the top-producing dam, CH WindriverRuby Tuesday, were owned by Carol.

An Ideal Place The Whippet and Italian Greyhound bloodlines

came many years after Carol moved to Bo-Bett in1964, after which she took a 15-year hiatus fromshowing dogs to focus on horses. Her father’sfriend, Charles Keiser, a Thoroughbred breederand owner of Forty Oaks Farm in Ocala, inspiredher to move.

“Charlie noticed my ability to breed and produceoutstanding animals and persuaded me to visit,”Carol says. “He said, ‘Florida is an ideal place toraise horses and dogs.’”

Less than a year later, Carol and her three children,Allison, Wendy and Jeff, along with 12 Dalmatiansand 32 American Quarter Horses, moved to Bo-Bett.Though she had bred Scottish Terriers for 10 years,Carol reluctantly decided to sell her stock. She enjoyedtheir tenacity and the challenges of hand-strippingtheir wiry coats but could no longer tolerate theconstant rivalry between the terriers and Dals. Fondof the outgoing, loving temperament of Dalmatians,she had successfully bred and campaigned severaltop Dals under her Fulluvit prefix.

In New Jersey, Carol was well-known as a judgeof Dalmatians and Scottish Terriers. Her friend andmentor, professional handler John Murphy, taughther “how to do everything well and nothing half-heartedly,” she says. “John felt I had a good eye andworking knowledge of a dog’s conformation. Hebelieved in my integrity. His confidence in me madea huge difference in my life.”

Now living in Marion County, Florida, the horsecapital of the world, Carol became the first womanto judge all the largest Quarter Horse shows in thecountry. Her homebred Quarter Horse stallion,Rugged Lark, won the Super Horse award at theAmerican Quarter Horse Association World Showin 1985 and 1987. Lark became the only SuperHorse in history to sire two Super Horses, TheLark Ascending and Look Who’s Larkin.

After breeding several winning horses under theBo-Bett name, Carol decided Bo-Bett was lucky andshe would use it for her kennel prefix. A streak ofbreeding and showing German Shepherd Dogs andDoberman Pinschers in the 1970s was eclipsed byher introduction to Whippets. Watching the judgingof Whippets while showing her Doberman onering away, she says, “I was attracted to their beau-

Carol is shown with her currentWhippet Specials, CH Bo-Bett’sQuick Pick, left, and CH Bo-Bett’sTreasure Chest.

15T O D A Y ’ S B R E E D E R

tiful, athletic lines and their devotion to their own-ers and handlers.”

Carol bought her first Whippet, Triple TimesTara, from Randy Tincher, a Whippet enthusiastwho trained horses. Though she intended for“Tara” to be a pet, the late professional all-breedhandler Davin McAteer and his brother, Randy,helped her finish the hound’s championship title.

Breeding her Whippet bitches to an outcross maleshe bought from breeders Robert and Virginia Kim-berley of Ocala, Fla., CH Bo-Bett’s Luke Skywalker,CD, LCM, ROMX, produced 12 champions. “Bunny,”the top-winning bitch, was a Luke granddaughter.

“’Luke’ produced puppies better than he was,”Carol says. “When he was bred to the few bitchesI had, he established a type of Whippet I still admire.These hounds had a versatile, elegant, yet athletic,appearance, a balanced conformation, and an ami-able temperament. He created a wonderful startfor Bo-Bett.”

Bunny’s granddam, CH Misty Moor’s DivinePleasure (“Deviny”), produced 24 champions, in-cluding Bunny’s dam, CH Bo-Bett’s Divine Dessert(“Creme Puff”). Three recent exceptional litterswere whelped by another bitch, CH Lakes CarryBeyond Music (“Enya”), who Carol bought in 2001from Mary Beth Lake of Sanford, Fla.

“Enya’s puppies all have her outstanding type andtemperament,” says Carol. “I am usually tempted tokeep the entire litter.”

In developing her bloodlines, Carol used tightlinebreeding and outcross breeding. When she out-crossed, she looked for dogs with sound tempera-ments, good movement and correct conformation

type. The high-quality characteristics of her dogshave led many breeders to use Bo-Bett dogs as theirfoundation stock.

“Breeding is all about instinct, and mom has incred-ible instinct,” says her daughter, Allison Gaisford.

“Early on, I made breeding decisions withoutmuch intelligence,” concedes Carol. “I attributemy early success to pure luck. Success depends onrelating the dog to its function, keeping in mindthat temperament, health and breed type are themain ingredients.”

Reflecting on her contributions, Carol says,

A Fancy for Greyhound-Like Breeds

The Whippet and Italian Greyhound share manysimilarities. Not only do they both look like small

Greyhounds, they also are sighthounds, capable ofrunning at fast speeds. Adored for their affectionatepersonalities, these breeds are intelligent, lovingcompanions. Their athleticism makes them well-suited for a variety of sports.

The Whippet’s muscular power and strengthbalanced with elegance and grace depict a truesporting hound. The breed, which can run 35 mph,evolved with the English working class as a utilitydog to provide rabbits for the table, racing sport and companionship. Weighing 28

to 38 pounds, Whippets excel in conformation,agility, obedience, flyball, lure coursing and flyingdisc. They also are well-suited for therapy work.

Depicted in artwork from 2,000 years ago, theItalian Greyhound was a favorite of 16th centuryItalians, who prized them for their beauty, smallsize and sweet disposition. At one time, IGs wereused to hunt small game. Weighing approxi-mately 5 to 15 pounds, this healthy, hardy breedperforms well in conformation, lure coursing andobedience. Alert and playful, IGs have a charac-teristic elegant, high-stepping gait.

GCH Bo-Bett’s Open Button, an ItalianGreyhound

CH Bo-Bett’s Lord of the Rings, a Whippet

CH Tekoneva’s Dario, an Italian Greyhound, center, is pictured withCH Bo-Bett’s Tommy Topaz, left, and CH Bo-Bett’s Peter Platinum,from his first all-champion litter out of CH Windriver Ruby Tuesday.

CH Windriver Ruby Tuesday, the top-producing Italian Greyhounddam, produced 23 champions in six litters of 27 dogs sired by CHTekoneva’s Dario.

16 I S S U E 8 1

B R E E D E R P R O F I L E

“After 34 years in Whippets, mine have a smoothreach-and-drive gait, as they should, and after 28years in IGs, their correct free, high-stepping gaitis most noticeable,” she says.

A Mission to Improve the BreedEssentially a toy dog counterpart to the Whippet,

the Italian Greyhound caught Carol’s attention inthe mid-1980s. She noticed people carrying the toydogs everywhere at shows and wondered whetherall IGs were extremely shy and would not walkconfidently by themselves on a lead.

When she bought two Italian Greyhounds in1985 from breeder Carl Sanders of Houston, Carolrealized that not all IGs were timid. She finished

CH Zebec Zia (“Zipper”) and CH Zebec Zulu(“Lucy”). After buying and finishing CH Oxdals’Fascinatin’ Fella (“Lucky”), she set out on a mis-sion to improve the breed’s sensitive tempera-ment through breeding.

“IGs are not for everyone,” Carol says. “Theyare tough physically but mentally are not able tocope with lots of different types of people. For me,they are athletic, amusing cuddlers that won meover once I discovered they are so special.”

In 1990, Carol bought Tekoneva’s Dario, whowould become the breed’s top-producing sire, frombreeder Sondra Katz of Englishtown, N.J., over thetelephone even before seeing the dog. She cam-paigned “Dario” to nine Bests in Show, three Bestsin Specialty Show and 59 Group Firsts.

When searching for a foundation bitch, Caroladmired the bloodline of “Ruby,” who would becomethe top-producing dam, and bred her to Bo-Bett’sBill Cody in 1994. The litter produced three pup-pies, but only one survived.

The next year, Carol bred Ruby to Dario. All fivepuppies in the litter became champions. She repeatedthe breeding five times, and the litters improvedeach time. Twenty-three of their 27 offspring becamechampions, creating Dario and Ruby’s legacy.

A male, CH Bo-Bett Perry Peridot (“Perry”), sired32 champions, and his son, CH Bo-Bett’s BachelorButton (“Batch”), who was the Italian GreyhoundClub of America’s top producer in 2009, has sired16 champions. Batch sired GCH Bo-Bett’s OpenButton (“Opie”), the No. 1 Italian Greyhound in2010 and 2011 and the first IG to become a GrandChampion. He also sired CH Bo-Bett’s Red Button(“Red”), the No. 2 dog in South Africa in 2007.

“Dario is the most dominant stud dog in breedhistory,” Carol says. “I don’t know what I did todeserve Dario and Ruby. I just went along and en-joyed the ride.”

How did you get started in dogs?As a child, no one in my family understood

my obsession for animals, except my next-doorneighbor, Isabel Robson, who was exactly myage. As I grew older, I read every dog book I couldget my hands on. The Albert Payson TerhuneCollie books became my bible.On my 10th birth-day, my parents gave me a sable-and-whiteCollie pup, who I named Baronald Rex, andstarted showing. Although I have owned manybreeds since then, including Dalmatians, GemanShepherd Dogs, Doberman Pinschers, EnglishSpringer Spaniels, and Scottish, Airedale, andSmooth and Wire Fox terriers, I feel certain Rexestablished my love and understanding of dogs.

What is it like to raise Whippets and ItalianGreyhounds together?

Raising these two breeds at the same time is fascinating. While they are similar inconformation, they are different in size and purpose. The Whippet is a sighthoundoriginally bred to hunt, while the Italian Greyhound is a toy dog that was bred to be abeautiful, athletic, fun-loving dog.

How does the day begin at Bo-Bett?A typical day starts at 7 a.m. Within half an hour, we feed 50 dogs and clean all the

runs before we eat our own breakfast. We believe our dogs’ health and welfare alwayscomes first.

How do you find families for your puppies?I scout puppy buyers by getting to know them first. I inform clients of my expectations

and stay in contact with them. They repay me by promoting my dogs better than I evercould do myself. I also like to give special dogs to junior handlers to provide them ahead start in the ring.

Bo-Bett Breeder Carol Harris Talks About Dogs

Carol uses a dremel to trim the nails of Multi-BIS/Multi-BISS GCHBo-Bett’s Speed Demon, the No. 3 Whippet in 2011.

Fond of Scottish Terriers early in her career,Carol stacks CH Fulluvit Wee Mousie, thewinner of nine Bests of Breed, in 1950 atthe Morris and Essex Kennel Club Dog Show.

17T O D A Y ’ S B R E E D E R

Letting Dogs Have Fun The hard work that Carol has put into producing

top-quality Whippets and Italian Greyhounds con-tinues today. She breeds about four litters a year, andpuppies are whelped in a room close to Carol’sbedroom so she can easily monitor their care.

The Bo-Bett philosophy on raising healthy, well-socialized dogs begins with puppies. Carol and herdaughter, Wendy Winans, her kennel manager,devote lots of time to socialization. They often takethem into town and walk them around people tohelp avoid shyness.

“It is so important not to pressure dogs but to letthem have fun and enjoy what they are doing,” Carolsays. “When you get too serious about winning, adog feels the pressure. Anytime I produce a healthydog with good conformation and a sound tempera-ment, I feel fortunate.”

The 100-acre farm is ideal for Carol’s 30 Whippetsand 20 Italian Greyhounds, plus there are 35 QuarterHorses and Thoroughbreds. Though she seldomexercises the breeds together, due to the difference intheir sizes, the dogs spend the majority of the day out-side running freely in large, fenced paddocks. Spaciousindoor-outdoor kennels provide protection at night.

All the Bo-Bett dogs are fed Purina Pro Plan SportPerformance 30/20 Formula. “Pro Plan PerformanceFormula helps keep these athletic dogs in top condi-tion,” Carol says. “It is why my dogs have slender,muscular bodies, high energy and smooth, glossycoats. I trust Pro Plan.”

The Bo-Bett team includes professional handlerJustin Smithey of Sugar Valley Kennel in Georgiaand his assistant and girlfriend Cheslie Pickett ofChuluota, Fla., who handle most of Carol’s dogsat shows. Carol was Smithey’s friend and mentorwhen he was a junior handler.

Besides her busy life with dogs and horses,Carol has enjoyed many interests. She is involved inthe community and stays active with lots of friends.

Carol reflects that her greatest enjoyment in lifehas been her horses and dogs, and the people she hasmet through them. “My induction into the AmericanQuarter Horse Hall of Fame and two nominationsfor Outstanding Breeder of the Year are at the top ofmy most wonderful experiences,” she says. “I amnot predicting anything for the future, except to enjoythese animals that I have been blessed to have. It’sbeen a wonderful life.” ■

Carol is shown with her children,from left, Jeff Winans, AllisonGaisford and Wendy Winans, whohelp manage Bo-Bett Farm. TheWhippets are, from left, CH Bo-Bett’s Treasure Chest, SportingField’s Little Bo-Bett, CH Bo-Bett’sQuick Pick, and CH Bo-Bett’sSally Sonata.

18 I S S U E 8 1

S P O T L I G H T

Eight years ago, Jerry Kolterand his wife, Betsy Danielson,

were city dwellers. Today, they ownNorthwoods Bird Dogs in ruralMinnesota, a prominent breedingand training kennel and home tosome of the top English Setters andPointers in the country.

Though Jerry and Betsy compete with their dogsin walking stakes, one male English Setter, whothey co-bred with Paul Hauge of Centuria, Wis.,had enough power to compete on the horsebackshooting dog circuit. Owned by Larry Brutger of St.Cloud, Minn., and handled by professional handlerShawn Kinkelaar, 2X-CH/RU-CH Ridge Creek

Cody won the prestigious Elwin G. Smith Shoot-ing Dog Award in 2012 as the top English Setterin the country. The 4-year-old had begun to standout in 2011, when he placed third in the U.S. QuailShooting Dog Futurity as one of the few EnglishSetters in a Pointer-dominated field.

Jerry trains his dogs for walking stakes andhorseback trials almost identically, though it takes adog with greater endurance to do well in horsebackstakes. “The pace and ground covered in horsebackstakes is twice that of walking stakes,” Jerry explains.“As a result, a dog that competes in horseback trialsneeds to be more athletic, stronger, faster and men-tally and physically tougher.”

Living in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area for more

A top English Setter competitoron the horseback shooting dogcircuit is Ridge Creek Cody, the2012 National Amateur PheasantShooting Dog Champion.

Jerry Kolter and his wife, Betsy Danielson, are pictured with Northwoods Led Zeppelin.

19T O D A Y ’ S B R E E D E R

than 30 years, the couple was craving a more tranquillifestyle. Jerry worked as a software developer, whileBetsy was an information technology specialist.When they began the kennel in 2002 as a hobby,Betsy resumed her previous career as a landscapedesigner. In 2005, they sold their house and movedto Sandstone, Minn., a small town 90 miles northof the Twin Cities, and established Northwoodsas a full-time business.

“Our longtime dream was to start our own ken-nel,” Betsy recalls. “We wanted a simpler lifestyle,more privacy and the ability to see the stars at night.”

The couple met in 1993, when a friend introducedthem. They had mutual interests. Betsy worked forPheasants Forever, the largest nonprofit organizationin the country dedicated to upland habitat conser-vation, and Jerry was an avid field trial competitor.

While dating, Jerry and Betsy began competingin field trials with a female Pointer, the future 2X-CH Dance Smartly. In 1995, with Jerry handling“Dancer” and Betsy scouting, they won the MinnesotaGrouse Dog Championship. Betsy, too, caught thebug for field trials. Two years later, they were married.

A three-time Minnesota/Wisconsin Pro PlanCover Shooting Dog of the Year and invitee to theGrand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational,Dancer became their foundation female Pointer.Jerry and Betsy use their Pointers to evaluate thetraining of their English Setters.

“Pointers dominate at the highest level of pointingdog competition, so we compare our Pointers to ourEnglish Setters in day-to-day training. That keeps us

realistic about the quality of our setters,” Jerry says. They began breeding bird dogs in 1995. An out-

standing female, 4X-CH/4X-RU-CH Blue Streak,received her Champion and Runner-Up Championtitles all on wild birds, winning prestigious competi-tions such as the Pennsylvania Grouse and Wiscon-sin Cover Dog championships in 2001. “Streak” wasthe top English Setter cover dog and the recipient ofthe Michael Seminatore Setter Cover Dog Award in2002. That same year, she won the William HarndenFoster Award, which recognizes the top cover dogof any breed. Placing at the Minnesota Grouse DogChampionship in 2001 and 2002, Streak finishedher career in 2005 as the Runner-Up Champion ofthe Grand National Grouse Championship at 10years of age.

Another prominent setter they’ve trained andhandled for owner Hauge is Cody’s dam, 2X-CH/4X-RU-CH Houston’s Belle, one of the top point-earning grouse dogs from 2005 to 2008. “Belle”placed a record-setting three times in the Minne -sota Grouse Dog Cham pionship.

Jerry takes pleasure in breeding and developingbird dogs that he sells as hunting companions andfield trial competitors. “Breeding dogs that fulfillpeople’s dreams is incredibly satisfying,” he says.

Northwoods produces four litters a year. Thekennel, which has 20 indoor-outdoor runs, is adjacentto 2,000 acres abundant in native ruffed grouseand woodcock. It is the ideal setting for trainingbird dogs to hunt. All the dogs are fed Purina ProPlan Sport Performance 30/20 Formula.

“We strive to produce all-around good dogs,”Jerry says. “We want a calm dog with an even tem-perament and the physical ability to perform inthe field.”

This past March, they welcomed a litter of Eng-lish Setter puppies out of Northwoods Chardon-nay, the winner of the 2011 Minnesota/WisconsinPro Plan Derby of the Year Award, who placed inevery grouse trial she competed. The litter wastheir first sired by Cody.

As to their success, Betsy says, “Jerry has an innateability to evaluate the whole dog and determinehow to fit the individual pieces together. Breedingis part science and part magic.” ■

Jerry positions Blue Riptide whileteaching the dog to whoa.

Jerry practices steady to wing with Northwoods Porter.

20 I S S U E 8 1

R I N G R E F L E C T I O N S

ew things in life are more mysterious than the se-cret to success. People are fascinated with storiesof outstanding achievement in the hope they willlearn some sure-fire recipe for success. The dogfancy, too, is driven to learn the secret to success.

The fancy, in large part, is comprised of a broadspectrum of hobbyists and professionals who havea variety of aspirations, motivations and goals.Conformation exhibitors and breeders will tellyou that their greatest thrill is when that 15th

point is awarded and their show dog attains achampionship title. Their second greatest thrill iscompeting at the Best of Breed and Group level.

What exactly does the champion title indicate?Ideally, it validates quality. Statistically, after a dogearns a championship title, fewer than 20 percentcontinue to compete in the Champion class. SinceMay 2010, those statistics have become somewhatskewed with the introduction of the American KennelClub’s Grand Championship (GCH) program.

RECIPESUCCESS

A SURE-FIRE

B Y S U E V R O O M

for

F

Breeder-owner-handler ColtonJohnson gaits around the ringwith Bugaboo’s Picture Perfectat this year’s Westminster KennelClub Dog Show. The Old EnglishSheepdog, called “Swagger,”won Reserve Best in Show at 20 months old.

21T O D A Y ’ S B R E E D E R

R I N G R E F L E C T I O N S

Many finished champions have come back tothe show ring to compete for the GCH title. Someowners are less motivated to win the Breed thanto win the Select point award. The Grand Championcompetition has given judges the opportunity tosee and evaluate some really good dogs returningto competition and has thrilled many professionalhandlers. It has undoubtedly increased the diffi-culty for the every-weekend show champion to“get out of the Breed.”

The Best of Breed or Champion class commonlyis known as the “Specials” class. Webster’s Dic-tionary defines special as “exceptional or highlyvalued.” Does this realistically apply to all thedogs exhibited in that class? It is fair to say thatjudges should expect quality, and they are obli-gated to hold those competing in this class to ahigher order than in the non-Champion classes.

Quality breed type, condition and expert pres-entation are expected for a competitive Best ofBreed dog. Mistakes in presentation, poor training,lack of condition, and minor coat and groomingerrors might be forgiven in a Puppy or Open classbut should never be forgiven in the Best of Breedclass. This is a Masters class comprised of dogsprecertified to possess more than adequate meritand quality.

What is the sure-fire recipe for success? Thefirst consideration before stepping into the com-petitive atmosphere of the Best of Breed arena shouldbe an objective, unbiased assessment of the dog’spotential by a qualified judge. The criteria for set-ting realistic goals should be commensurate with theconditions required for success. Expert resources,such as an experienced, credible mentor or a pro-fessional handler familiar with campaigning Specials,are essential.

The fundamental element is having a dog withabove-average breed type coupled with stamina,mental and emotional stability, an attention-cravingattitude, and the extraordinary aura of an all-star.A dog also must have a tolerance for constantgrooming, travel and crating. The abilities to surviveand thrive within the constraints of life on the roadand a willingness to partner with a human handlerare important. Such attributes are often untested ina class dog’s exposure to shows, where most young,above-average dogs obtain their championship titlesin short order.

Designing a show campaign requires expertiseand experience to make decisions based on the dog’swelfare. The beginning of a show campaign witha young Special requires getting multiple opinions.It is a time-proven fact that success is predicatedon fundamental basics and the strength and depthof the winning components combined with pureperseverance and dogged tenacity. ■

A professional all-breed handler for 32 years, Sue Vroomand her late husband, Corky Vroom, won hundreds of Bestsin Show during their career. Vroom, of Denton, Texas,works as an Executive Field Representative for theAmerican Kennel Club. For information, contact Vroomat 940-497-4500 or by email at suevroom@centurytel.com.

Professional handler Chris Berg is shown with AM/INT CH DePaco’sHollywood Goldbolt, an American Staffordshire Terrier.

22 I S S U E 8 1

Please visit the Circle of Champions on the Purina Pro Club website at www.purinaproclub.com toread about top-performing show and sporting dogs powered by Purina.

Unstoppable ‘Flirt’ Wins NiteHunt Award

Though small for her breed, a 3-year-old femaleTreeing Walker, called “Flirt,” dominated the

32nd annual Purina Nite Hunt Award competition.GR NITE CH ‘PR’ Flatrock Stylish Flirt gave co-owner and handler Kevin Phillips of Columbus,Ga., his third Purina Award, taking the lead fivemonths into the yearlong program. “Flirt wasunstoppable,” Phillips says. The winner of 17 ofthe 18 events she entered, including seven statechampionships, Flirt outperformed 4,409 houndsto win the award. She is co-owned by ChuckBaker of Seale, Ala. Flirt is fueled by Purina ProPlan Sport Performance 30/20 Formula.

‘Rock’ Shines in Winning BenchShow Award

Flashy good looks helped a 2-year-old maleTreeing Walker, called “Rock,” win the ninth

annual Purina Bench Show Award. HandlerMichael Seets of Stonefort, Ill., who co-ownsRock with his wife, Myra, knew he had “a diamond in the rough”

when he first saw the hound at 14 months old.A three-time Purina Award winner, Seets beganpracticing with Rock at fairgrounds before shows,turning him into a winner who outperformed2,033 hounds. WCH NITE CH GR CH ‘PR’ PreachersJohn the Rock took five state championships andthe American Coon Hunters Association WorldShow. Rock is powered by Purina Pro Plan SportPerformance 30/20 Formula.

‘Duke” Delivers His Best to WinPurina SPO Award

“Duke,” the 2012 Purina SPO Beagle Awardwinner, is “a genuine rabbit dog who always

gives 110 percent,” says co-owner and handlerJay Long of Sunbury, Pa. The 5-year-old 13-inchtricolored male hound proved his keen ability totrack a rabbit by winning eight field trials andplacing in 21 of the 23 events he competed in.FC GD Shady Boy Gooch’s & Brinsky’s Lil Dukewon the 14th annual award by outperforming4,800 Beagles. He is co-owned by Gino Casseri

of Warsaw, N.Y., and Eddie Gooch of Franklinton, N.C. Duke is fed Purina Pro Plan Sport Performance 30/20 Formula.

Co-owners Kevin Phillips and Chuck Baker receivedthis portrait of “Flirt” by artist Nathan Lattimer.

Purina Honors 2012 Coonhound and SPO Beagle Award Winners

Michael and Myra Seets were presented this portrait of “Rock” by artist Ross Young.Co-owners Jay Long, Gino Casseri and Eddie Gooch received this portrait of “Duke”by artist Valerie Dolan.

23T O D A Y ’ S B R E E D E R

Seven quail finds and three backs is what it took for Shadow Oak Bo towin this year’s American Field National Championship for Field Trial-

ing Bird Dogs. A Pointer-dominated event, the champion ship was thefirst won by an English Setter since 1970. Handler Robin Gates ofLeesburg, Ga., captured his third National Championship with help fromson Hunter Gates who scouted. “Bo” is owned by N.G. Butch Houston ofNashville, Ga., and Dr. John Dorminy of Fitzgerald, Ga. The three-hourstake was held at Ames Plantation in Grand Junction, Tenn. Bo is fu-eled by Purina Pro Plan Sport Performance 30/20 Formula.

Shadow Oak Bo Is First Setter to WinNational in 43 Years

Shadow Oak Bo wins the National Championship for Field Trialing Bird Dogs.

A4-year-old white-and-black male Pointer called “Buster” gavehandler George Tracy of Summerhill Kennels in Glenville, Pa., his third

American Field National Open Shooting Dog Championship when he wonthe prestigious event this year at Sedgefields Plantation in UnionSprings, Ala. High Drive Rocky had six quail covey finds and one backduring the 90-minute stake. Owned by Allen Linder of Livingston, Tenn.,Buster is fueled by Purina Pro Plan Sport Performance 30/20 Formula.

High Drive Rocky is the National Open Shooting Dog Champion.

High Drive Rocky Is National OpenShooting Dog Champion

Not every daydoes a Curly-

Coated Retriever takeBest in Show, butthat’s exactly what“Thrills,” an 8-year-old male, and his co-owner and handlerSuzanne Macre ac-complished last yearat the Astabula Ken-nel Club Dog Show inHamburg, N.Y. Out-performing 864 dogs,Thrills joined an elitegroup of 10 Curly-Coated Retrievers towin a Best in Show.Multi-BISS CANCH/AM GCH DownDaTrail Hunting Thrills, CD, CGC, AOM, is an enthusiastic, happy dog.He is co-owned by breeder Dennis Akins of Jacksonville, Ark., andGrace Kofron of Brighton, Wis., a junior handler. The retriever is fedPurina Pro Plan Sport Performance 30/20 Formula.

‘Thrills’ Wins Rare Best in Show forCurly-Coated Retrievers

Co-owner Suzanne Macre handles “Thrills” in the show ring.

ASwedish-bred RussellTerrier, named “Colum-

bus,” who came to the U.S.to be campaigned last Junewhen the breed was recog-nized by the American KenelClub, has set a tail-waggingexample as the winner of 15Bests in Show. The No. 2terrier in the country, GCHGoldsand’s Columbus hascharismatic charm. Owned byMark Ulrich of Sawyer, Mich.,and Christina Areskoughof Morbylanga, Sweden,Columbus is handled byAllison Sunderman ofHanover, Mich. The 4 ½-year-old male, who also goes by “Bosse,” isfed a combination of Purina Pro Plan Focus Small Bites Lamb & Riceand Purina Pro Plan Select Sensitive Skin & Stomach formulas.

‘Columbus’ Breaks Ground for RussellTerriers

A confident, charismatic terrier, “Columbus” has aspringy gait.

Today’s BreederCheckerboard Square St. Louis, MO 63164

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Afairly new breed in the United States, the Finnish Lap-phund, nicknamed the Lappy, was recognized by the

American Kennel Club in 2011. Loyal enthusiasts began work-ing to establish the breed in 1987. Though rare in this country,in his native Finland this sturdy, well-muscled herding breedis one of the most popular dogs.

Keenly intelligent and eager to please, the Finnish Lapphundis a quick learner and easily trained. Known for his sweet, softface, which is likened to a teddy bear, he has a calm, friendly

temperament. Besides confor-mation, the Finnish Lapphund

takes part in agility, obedi-ence, rally, herding, track-ing, and therapy work.

Often described asbeing both an old andnew breed, the FinnishLapphund was devel-oped north of the ArcticCircle before 7000 B.C.For centuries, he helpedthe Saame, or “Sami,”

farmers of Lapland, an area comprised of northern Finland,Sweden and parts of Russia, herd reindeer that were used forfood and clothing. While his thick, water-repellant double coatprotected him from extreme cold, it also made him intolerantof heat.

One of three Scandinavian spitz breeds, the Finnish Lapphundoriginally was called the Lapponian Shepherd, consisting ofshort- and long-coated dogs that were born in the same litters. Notuntil 1967 did the long-coated dog, the Finnish Lapphund, havea standard separate from the short-coated one, the LapponianHerder. The Swedish Lapphund is the third spitz breed.

Beloved for his gentle, devoted nature, the Lappy is amedium-sized dog. Males are 18 to 21 inches tall at the shoulders,and females are 16 to 19 inches tall.

Sources: The websites of the American Kennel Club (www.akc.org) and theFinnish Lapphund Club of America (www.finnishlapphundclubofamerica.org).

B R E E D S N A P S H O T

THELAPPYA Scandinavian Spitz Breed