As far as I know (by how the rules were a few years ago) you are correct Clay. All you need to finish a dog is an ERN number. You don't even need that to show the dog…but you want to apply for it after she wins a point, or else you will lose any points accrued. Usually I wait to get an ERN until the dog wins a point....that way no money lost if I choose to not show the dog in Canada again. Canadian shows are sooo fun...and the people in the BCOC are really nice and welcoming, and the prizes are awesomely generous. I always enjoy it so much when we can make it to their National.

@saba: We have this award here in Australia. Obviously it works in a different manner, but it was intraduced for exactly the same reason the AKC is introducing it… I.E. To encourage the better dogs of the breed to remain in the ring. Actually, the GC in AKC shows has nothing to do with quality. It is solely for the revenue it can possibly generate. Quite frankly, I think it is rubbish. A dog can get a GC having NEVER won a Best of Breed! Seriously… if the dog is that good, it should at least win some BOBs. No, it may not be a dog being campaigned, but why should they get a higher title without attaining something golden ??? As it is, if a class dog wins breed, they can't count those points towards the GC, as they aren't yet finished. I agree with Lisa... why spend y money as point fodder for someone campaigning and wanting the numbers of rankings? Might as well use that money on me or my dogs elsewhere!

Thanks for the info guys, really appreciate it, especially about the way AOM works, as it is totaally foreign to our show rings. It may happen at some breeds specialties, but that would be all :)

Congratulations!

Great results Irena and Petra

Congratulations!

@lvoss: The other thing is that if you do other events where you will have other dogs, especially basenjis around, and there is down time, you can do some practice there. Like at a lure trial when you are waiting for your next run, you can find a quiet spot and practice gaiting with different dogs in front and behind. Thanks! Thats a really good one! We signed up to the coursings from the Basenji club (holland) so we can practise that soon :) @Quercus: Something that really worked for me with Querk, was teaching a "watch me"…it helped both of us focus, and calm down. I don't want him to do it in the ring, because it will mess up his topline, and neck...but we worked it a lot outside the ring, and sometimes in a large class when the judge wasn't looking at us. Focusing on the human, lets the dog know that they don't have to worry about anything else going on around him. I haven't needed to work it quite as much with Hippo, as he is pretty much focused on me when are at a show...and I have never had a bitch that needed to focus ;) Watch me, they learned that at puppy class. It's one of the best commands I use. We don't use it too often because they know that when we use it it's serious. I use it sometimes just before entering the ring, when they aren't too excited to get their full attention. that always helps at least a little bit!

@tanza: You know that Millie's breeders, Sue Kite and Jeff Gillespie will be at Crufts again this year….. Yes :D It will be lovely to meet Sue as she has been very supportive of me and Maya and actually put me in touch with Maya's breeders in the first place, so im very grateful to her for that :)

Congrats Rocco….yes pictures would be lovely..

Well looks like there are 30 entered so I guess it'll be a surprise - so if you go and see someone in shorts (much warmer there than here) It'll be me.

I think they were for the newsletter but im not 100% sure, Trish emailed the pictures he took of Maya directly to me so its probably worth giving them a call/email :)

@Borbasuk: I have judged a couple of overseas specialties and have found my efficient and helpful stewards to be worth their weight in gold; they always are of course, but with an unfamiliar system and language this is even more true.:) That is so true, a good ring steward is for sure worth their weight in gold regardless of the situation. I have nothing but the greatest respect for a good ring steward…... and I can image being in a situation that you are in a strange country with different judging procedures how much the judge would rely on the ring steward

Yup, have show to her, she is from the Pacific Northwest. And yes, she comes from Borzois If you want to email me privately … (go to my web site for my email addy)

Maybe prickly would get to how thick (and therefore more stiff) the follicle is versus how short it is? I don't know necessarily what is more correct, but Zoni's fur is very smooth and non-prickly feeling both ways, but it is slightly longer than Nemo's fur. It repels dirt very well, almost never have to clean her when she comes in from the mud. In comparison, his fur follicles are much thicker in diameter and probably slightly shorter. It seems to depend on the time of year, but his fur can be slightly prickly when brushed the wrong way. Right now it is quite soft both ways. As a side note in reference to the "silky" description, I was finally getting around to reading my copy of Veronica Tudor William's blue book on the plane today and she described the basenji coat in Africa as "short and velvety".

@Borbasuk: Glad the move went OK, hopefully you won't have to do any more of that for a while! So do I!! We should be here for a good few years, well until I get itchy feet wanting to move again lol.

Very successful trip, many congrats :D. I hope Nakura will be good soon.

In that case, congratulations are definitely in order. Thank you for clarifying that. I don't go on the AKC website. Three hurrahs for Rocki! Now we can hope the Hound Group judge is familiar with and has an appreciation for B's. Please keep us posted….

Will post a picture of Brian soon I'm keeping a male puppy from her litter =) I'm soooo excited to show him!!

congrats :)

Well done Jess and Maya, another great win!!! Steve.