Noden - Showing Kunga: from pet owner to dog show junkie

Showing Kunga

From Pet Owner to Dog Show Junkie

Alxe Noden

Dogwise Publishing

A Division of Direct Book Service, Inc.

403 South Mission Street, Wenatchee, Washington 98801

509-663-9115, 1-800-776-2665

www.dogwisepublishing.com / info@dogwisepublishing.com

2012 Alxe Noden

Cover photo: Karen Evasuik

Interior photographs: Cindy Davis, Martin Mosko, Alxe Noden,

Karen Evasuik

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, digital or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

Limits of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty:

The authors and publisher shall not be liable in the event of incidental or consequential damages in connection with, or arising out of, the furnishing, performance, or use of the instructions and suggestions contained in this book.

ISBN 978-1-61781-078-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Noden, Alxe.

Showing Kunga : from pet owner to dog show junkie / Alxe Noden.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-61781-078-7

1. Dog showsUnited States. 2. Great DaneUnited States. 3. Noden, Alxe. 4. Dog ownersUnited StatesBiography. I. Title.

SF425.N73 2012

791.8dc23

2012002209

Printed in the U.S.A.

More praise for Showing Kunga

At last! A completely honest and exposed view into the exhilarating, crazy, and often baffling world of conformation dog showing. As a newcomer to the sport, Alxe learns (often the hard way) about the competitiveness, the etiquette, and the unwritten rules of the ring, and shares her experiences and faux pas so that her readers may have a leg up on their competition. With seemingly no subject off-limits, the reader follows Alxe on her journey from a novice pet owner to championed show handler. Conformation showing motivates us to train and gives us an activity to do with our dog. However in the end, a ribbon is worth 39-cents, but the shared experiences with our dogs are priceless.

Kyra Sundance, World-renowned trainer, bestselling author of 6 books including 101 Dog Tricks and host of an award winning DVD series.

For Martin, my wise man

I have met so many helpful and interesting people during this journey that in trying to name them all Ill undoubtedly miss someone and regret it. So let me first thank everyone who has taught me something about dogs or helped me with Kunga, from giving me tips on handling, grooming, and care, to holding him ringside.

Cindy Davis of Della Danes was the first person to get me thinking about showing a dog, so I should put the blame for being bitten by the show bug squarely on her shoulders! Thanks to Cindy for letting me have Kunga and providing hours of breeder support and lots of good advice.

The Great Dane Club of Greater Denver is a splendid example of what a breed club can be. Its members have encouraged me and scolded me for my mistakes and made me a better handler in a shorter time than anyone could have thought possible considering the raw material. Kathryn Kudron was the first person other than Kungas breeder to think he might be show quality, and I appreciate her continued advice and inspiration. Carol and Don Volleberg taught me most of what I know about showing, always making sure that I didnt get too upset at my mistakes or too full of myself when Kunga won. Don ably handled Kunga to about half his points, including his first major, which was a big factor in our success. Loren Bengston, Craig and Sally Lynn, Kelley Martin, Liam and Kristin OLeary, Celeste Perkins, John Collums, Josh Saunders, Terri and Cindy Million, and all the other members of the club, have added to my enjoyment of this sport and knowledge about Danes. Without meeting these people firstand discovering their kindness and basic sanity despite their loony love for their dogsI would never have considered trying to show Kunga.

Thanks to the people who agreed to be interviewed for this book and taught me something about dogs and showing them: Michael Brantley, Lisa Befus, Linda Cain, Mari Lynn Davisson, Virginia Perry Gardiner, Lisa Goodman, Barbara Gresser, Janie Healy, Lori Kamrath, Lindsey Kamrath, Brenda Lott, Elmer Robinson, Mary Rogers, Rita Suddharth, and Debbie Towndrow. There were many others I met at shows whose names I never knew who told me stories and taught me to look at dogs: thanks to all of you.

Thank you to David Frei and his able staff at the Westminster Kennel Club for helping me to make my way at the annual show in 2011 and for introducing me to some wonderful people.

Thank you to the Woodwards and to the fine people at Dogwise, who each in their own way made this a better book.

I cant thank my husband Martin Mosko enough for his comments on this book, his huge heart, and his wisdom. He never fails to surprise and delight with his humor, his insight, and his patience. This book would not have been possible without him.

CHAPTER 1
Got Dog?

Kunga at about six weeks old. Photo by Cindy Davis.

The room service waiter arrived quickly after my call, with a parfait glass of vanilla ice cream and a long-handled spoon on a tray. As I signed the chit, he wished me good evening and said he hoped Id enjoy the dessert.

Oh, its not for me, I said. Its for my dog.

Not until I saw his look of astonishment did I realize quite how ridiculous this sounded.

Well, he wont eat his dinner, and he has a show tomorrow, and sometimes if you just mix in a little ice cream, hell gobble the rest down with it, I tried to explain.

The waiter just took back the check and went off down the hall, taking his disbelief with him. I realized Id just had another of those dog show moments, things that are perfectly ordinary in this strange world that seem ludicrous to outsiders. There have been a lot of these since I decided to show Kunga.

Kunga is my young Great Dane. When I brought him home he was 22 pounds and destined to be my pet dog. Eight months later he weighed more than 120 pounds and I was walking him into a show ring. This book is the story of how my pet became a show dog, and how I got hooked on this strange and sometimes wonderful world of showing. It will give you a sense of how to get into showing dogs, and what you can expect once you start.

There are some magical moments in showing, great wins that set your heart racing. There is also a lot of work and expense, and youll make some dispiriting discoveries about the unfortunate lengths some people will go in order to beat the competition. Ive met wonderful people and Ive met some terrible people. Like almost anyone who shows a dog, I found mentors who helped and encouraged me, and sadly Ive met people who have dismayed me with their backbiting and small-mindedness. Ive spent a surprising amount of money on things Id never imagined, and Ive had the rewarding experience of spending a lot of time with my dog. The ups and downs of showing are not for everyone, but I enjoy it enough that Im still trotting my big blue boy into the show ring.

I didnt grow up around dog shows. Though my family had many dogs while I was growing up, they were mostly mutts until my mother began her infatuation with Great Danes. We had a succession of rescued Danes in our house after that, and I fell in love with these gorgeous goofball dogs. My familys Danes were fawns and brindles. The fawns are a tawny gold color, generally with black markings on the nose (called a mask) and around the ears; the brindles are a darker gold with an overlay of black striations through their coats. These are probably the most popular two colors for Danes, but there are others as well. My husband and I once had a harlequin, which is a white dog with ragged black and grey patches all over. The American Kennel Club also recognizes black, blue, and mantle colors for the show ring, mantle being a black dog with a white collar and additional white, usually on its head, chest and feet. Sometimes you see a color called merle, which is a grayish variation on harlequin, but this color (together with other colors like fawnikin) is not acceptable in the show ring.