Our latest interview is with Worldchow members Marie and Bob McElroy of  Levittown, Pennsylvania, USA. Thank you so very much for submitting your interview and all these awesome chow pix you guys!!  Your chowdren look so incredibly spoiled and happy!!

Feel free to comment below the interview and ask questions of Marie and Bob if you have them! As requested in previous interviews and letters from WC members, I have been working on  some articles and would love if any of you have an article of your own to submit….please do so!! We would love to hear your opinions or share your expertise on any chow related topic.

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How many years have you been owned by Chows? How many chows do you have today and their names?
My husband and I have been owned by Chows for 24 years. Currrently we have 3 Chows; Zoie (9) , Ziggy (6) and Zachary (3). Zoie is the strong-willed, stoic Alpha female and keeps the rest of the pack in order. Ziggy is our mild-mannered, lovable, peace-keeping, I-like-to-do-my-own-thing kind of loner. Zachary is our out-of-control flying Walenda, overly-energetic, me-first, it’s all about me, double-handful of trouble.

When did you acquire your FIRST chow…tell me a little bit about him/her?

Twenty-four years ago, my husband and I ‘rescued’ our first Chow from a pet store at the mall….I know- the worst place in the world to buy a puppy! But, he was in the ‘Clearance’ crate and destined for doom-quickly outgrowing his place there and just a few weeks before Christmas, it was certain that no one would be interested in a 5-month old puppy who barely fit in a crate.

I couldn’t bear to leave him there to meet his fate, so after much deliberating, we brought him home! Our Dreyfus turned out to be a beautiful pet-quality Chow with wonderful temperament and unbelievably good health. In his happy and healthy 14 years with us, he succeeded in getting my husband and I hooked for life on the Chow breed!

What are your favorite qualities that only a Chow Chow can possess?

Their aloofness, inquisitiveness and playfulness are among my favorite Chow qualities!

Favorite activities that you and your family share with your chow(s)

I enjoy gardening and ponding, which our Chows always love to lay by my side to watch me and to supervise! Once a project is just-finished and pristine, their favorite thing is to burrow into the freshly-spread mulch or gravel, but only after digging a belly-hole down to the dirt first! Needless to say, the projects never seem to end; but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

What would you like to see WORLDCHOW MAGAZINE offer to the Chow fancy?

I’d like to see grooming tips and techniques, more informational articles on topics unique to the Chow breed. Also, links to resources for Chow specialty items,etc.

Our dogs have wonderful way of bringing humanimals together. List up to 3 close friends you have met via your chows and dog interests. Tell me a little bit about the connections

Through my first Chow, Dreyfus, I met a wonderful veterinarian who has since become a wonderful friend. Bitten badly by a Chow early in her veterinary career, she was initially very timid around my Chow. Once she got to know Dreyfus, she was quite taken with his sweet personality and gentle nature. She is an artist and did a wonderful watercolor portrait of Dreyfus when he was about 12.

She has gotten to know all my other Chows over the years and has gained a lot of knowledge specific to the Chow breed that she may not have otherwise gotten to acquire had it not been for their wonderful temperament and ongoing interaction with her.

I have also met several wonderful breeders from whom I’ve shared and learned so much about the Chow breed!

Tell us about a grooming secret/hint that has really helped you with keeping your chow coat in good shape or any special feeding regime that you find has been helpful for your dogs conditioning.

I feed my Chows an all-natural diet which is a combination of home-cooked meats, vegetables and grains, mostly organic. Their daily ‘dessert’ is plain organic yogurt which keeps their digestive systems in tip-top shape-sometimes topped with granola, sometimes plain.

I supplement with all-natural kibble to keep their teeth clean and they get only all-natural treats with no additives or preservatives. Yes, it does take extra time and fuss than buying commercial food, but I feel it’s a small price to pay for their excellent health!

Their veterinarian is always amazed at their good health, their coat condition and how clear and healthy their skin and eyes are. AND, they are happy and content and rarely sick.

What do you feel the true essence of our breed is …in 2009?

I feel that above all else, temperament is singlehandedly the most critical aspect of Chow breeding and should be the #1 priority in all breeding programs. Sadly, there are many Chows whose temperament ends up being their demise because owners are either ill-equipped or not fully committed to deal with temperament problems when they, unfortunately occur.

What are your 3 biggest concerns regarding the state of the Chow breed right now

* Temperament Issues

* Lack of mentorship for newbies

* Lack of public education regarding “dangerous breeds”

Wow Karen…no more groveling around on your hands and knees to bathe your dogs and soak Cyrus’ feet multiple times daily!!!  You are now the proud owner of this incredible BOOSTER BATH donated to you by the company that manufactures them.!!!!!

The phone calls went like this………Jacquie Green after talking to you (Karen) about how badly you need a tub, called her friend Carol Sue Yaeger, who in turn called me and mentioned getting together donations for a tub.

After some brainstorming on the phone I decided to call

and see if they would be willing to give us a better price on a tub setup for Karen.  Without a moments hesitation, Erica Kersey from Paws for Thought said I could purchase a tub  for basically the cost of shipping.

So off went a check from Worldchow , and your tub will be on it’s way on Monday, Karen!!!!!  I’m so excited for you to get this tub and please have your mom Jean take some photos of you enjoying your new toy for the Booster Bath folks and Worldchow members to see!!!  Enjoy my dear friend!!  I had no idea you had to tend to all these wounds at ground level……….and all without complaining a PEEP!!   You have so many friends that are watching your back………literally darlin…NO MORE ACHING BACK!!!

Thank you to all who were involved in this whirlwind , 2 day TUBATHON….including the CCCI for their support in this endeavor!!!

There are more surprises on the way Karen , as there are others involved in this wonderful scheme.  Updates will be later!!!

Karen sent me some photos of the dogs she is nursing back to health who desperatly need this tub to soak their feet in to help them heal. It looks like they have made great progress since the last photos I saw Karen!!!

I’m so thrilled, Karens’ vet who did all the specialty burn treatments for these dogs will be writing an upcoming article for Worldchow.  We can all learn a lot about the immense investment in responsibility, emotions and time it takes to deal with these  animal burn victims.  I am looking forward to posting the article and so pleased she agreed to do it

Below is Iris…here is a story you may not have heard , but one that really touched me so deeply.  This mixed breed girl…If I remember correctly she is 15 years old, was one of the critically injured fire victims.  Iris was sent to a different clinic than Karens dogs (too many dogs for one clinic to handle) and was treated with conventional methods.

Iris burns were not nearly as bad as Cyrus’ injuries, but when Karen saw her weeks into the healing process, she noticed that Cyrus had healed twice as fast with the laser /specialty treatments he had been receiving at Karen’s normal clinic.  Karen make the decision to take Iris home and bring her in for regular laser treatments and she is healing at a very fast pace now

The part that blows me away is this is a boarder’s dog….an elderly woman who has been in a nursing home for 10 years(? am I right on the time Karen) and our Mz. Karen had been boarding Iris for all that time for basically what it costs to feed her.  This dog is as much a part of Karens life as any of her chows and she went the extra mile to make sure Iris would heal well and live out her golden years in dignity!

The bonus to the laser treatments is that Iris is arthritic and while she goes in for burn laser therapy, she is also getting stimulating laser on her rear and is making incredible progress in that department too.  Kudos to you Karen for giving Iris a quality life .  I know she means a lot to you!!!!

Woooooo Hooooooooooooooo Booster bath time for Iris, Cyrus and Dawson…and I bet Journey too!!!!!!!!!!!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE BAMBOO TEAHOUSE AND ENTER THE CONTEST

SOME EXAMPLES BELOW OF PHOTOS THAT SHOW A SENSE OF “PLACE”

NOTE YOU MAY INCORPORATE PEOPLE IN YOUR PHOTOS TOO

PORTLAND OREGON IS KNOWN FOR IT’S RHODODENDRONS…LILLIAN LOVES FLOWERS!

THIS IS MZ. LIZA AS A PUPPY JUST BEFORE WE SENT HER TO SOUTH AFRICA.  THE ZEBRA PRINT GIVES A HINT OF HER SPECIAL “PLACE” IN THE CHOW WORLD

MY SON BRYAN LOVES LILLIAN AND TOOK HER TO THE BEACH IN OREGON.  SHE WATCHED HIM IN AWE AS HE WAS FLYING KITES AND SKIPPING ROCKS.  BRYAN IS LILLIANS IDOL !

HERES A BLAST FROM THE PAST.  ME , VINCENT AND HANNA IN VISALIA CALIFORNIA. I’M GUESSING ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.  WE WERE IN THE BEAUTIFUL CALIFORNIA HILLS TAKING A “POTTY BREAK”

OMG….Does Meg look more and more like Hanna the older she gets! Meg below as a comparison but not a good example of a sense of “place”..lol! I’m getting off track!!!

If you have any questions about the contest please feel free to leave a comment below or email me directly

[email protected]

Wow…I received these photos this weekend from Karen Tracy of her beautiful Miracle litter, born to the mama chow who survived the recent kennel fire.  Karen gave me permission to post these.  I get letters daily from people asking me how Karen is doing.  I had hoped to talk to her today for more puppy details but truly………the photos speak volumes!!!!

All of our best wishes go out to you Karen  and we hope you are able to enjoy those beautiful babies a bit more now.  I also hope you finally got some sleep with mom chow playing primadonna at night and keeping you awake to feed the puppies!

LOOK FOR THE WORLDCHOW PHOTO CONTEST COMING SOON!!

Our Featured Worldchow member for this week is my good friend Catherine Crooks . Cathy and her hubby Ryan and their adorable daughter Ave live in  Iowa in the  USA

How many years have you been owned by Chows? How many chows do you have today and their names?
1o years Roses- 7 Kozmo- 5 Rowdy- 2

How many years have you been owned by Chows? How many chows do you have today and their names?
1o years Roses- 7 Kozmo- 5 Rowdy- 2

Cathy, when did you acquire your FIRST chow…tell me a little bit about him/her?
In 1999 my husband and I starting looking for a Chow puppy. We were newlyweds, had just purchased a house and wanted to add a dog to our life. I had always loved the look of the Chow and did lots of research on the breed before deciding I had to have one. We knew nothing about “breeders” and had no idea where to start.

My Mother just happened to meet a former Chow breeder/handler at a natural foods co-op. She just happened to have a litter of puppies on the way- the last litter she was ever going to breed. It was all by chance that Teddy came into our lives, and what an impact she would have. She wasn’t a show dog, that’s not what we were looking for at the time. She was beautiful, loving, and funny and we fell in love with her immediately.

At 6 months of age Teddy had a siezure, we hoped it was an isolated occurance. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. She turned out to be a severe epileptic. We researched and tried many different types of things to treat her. At one time I was driving an hour, one way, 3 times a week for accupuncture. Her seizures were never able to be completely controlled. She spent 4 short years with us, before her body could take no more. I am so greatful to have had her in our life, she taught us so much. She gave us the best gift of all- our deep love of the Chow.

What are your favorite qualities that only a Chow Chow can possess?
I love their intelligence, graceful movement, and outstanding beauty. I love that if you have a room full of Chows each one is unique. They may have similar features, but I don’t think 2 Chows are ever identical in appearance. I feel that way about their personalities also. All my Chows have different personalities, each one unique.

Favorite activities that you and your family share with your chow(s)
Our Chows are family members first, show dogs second. They do almost eveything we do. I’m lucky to work from home so I’m with my dogs all day. Rowdy and my 3 year old daughter have a strong bond. He participates in “tea parties” and playing “Doctor” on a regular basis.

What would you like to see WORLDCHOW MAGAZINE offer to the Chow fancy?
I think World Chow is a great place for people to come together and share this love we all have in common.

Our dogs have wonderful way of bringing humanimals together. List up to 3 close friends you have met via your chows and dog interests. Tell me a little bit about the connections
Chows brought me to Diana Hillygus and Sandra Miller, two of my best friends. I met Diana at a dog show I attended and she invited me to come to her home and meet all her other dogs. I was so impressed by the beauty and temperament her dogs. I started traveling to dog shows with her learning so much along the way.

Diana introduced me to Sandra and the three of us all have so much in common. They have been great mentors to me, and we’ve developed a life-long freindship. I also met my wonderful Vet because of my epileptic Chow. My former Vet turned me away because he really didn’t know how to treat her when the medication wasn’t working. It turned out to be a blessing in disquise because I found my current Vet, Dr. Phyllis Frost, who is amazing. I can’t say enough good things about her. It is such a good feeling to have a Vet that you can trust and rely on 100%

What do you feel the true essence of our breed is …in 2009?
I think people are more aware of genetic issues and utilizing the tools such as OFA and CERF for healthier future generations. We are lucky to have these tools available and I hope people continue to use them. I have a concern about so many long bodied and short legged dogs in the show ring. Balance is sometimes lost. We need to respect the standard with square dogs and stilted gaits.

What are your 3 biggest concerns regarding the state of the Chow breed right now

* Health Issues

* Loss of overall breed type and balance

* Lack of public education regarding “dangerous breeds”

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Cathy …THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking the time to do this interview!!! I realized just as I was getting ready to publish it , that I don’t have a photo of YOUR beautiful face in here!!!!  We would love to see a photo of you , with our without the chows.  Also there is one you sent that said is a MUST HAVE ……but the file didn’t come thru.  Just send that one along too and I’ll add them to the interview!!

One of the biggest disappointments for me this year, not being able to attend the National was our dear Chow guru Mr. Joel Marston was the guest of honor this year.  Love Banghart put together the most beautiful tribut to Joel , digging deep in to her boxes of pix  to find all sorts of great shots .  I got a peek at the Powerpoint Presentation a few months ago and was so tickled to read about Joels dogs again…Just like it were yesterday

On the drive home from the National, Love called and we were chatting.  I asked her if she would like to share all that work on Worldchow as a permanent place for the tribute to reside.  Love agreed wholeheartedly and I converted it to video format today.  I aplogize for the weird glitch at the end where 2 slides got mixed up.  I’ll redo it again this week but wanted to share this with you all asap!!!!

CLICK THE ARROW ON THE VIDEO BELOW TO START THE SHOW.  THERE IS AUDIO AS WELL.

TRIBUTE TO JOEL MARSTON AT THE 2009 CCCI NATIONAL SPECIALTY from Sandra Miller on Vimeo.

ABOVE IS “MILLIE” OWNED BY WC MEMBER LAYLA LOVELESS

A report from the 2009 Chow Chow Club, Incorporated National Specialty Education Seminar
By Paula Titon of Tienshan Chows
Margaret DiCorleto of Mad River Chows was the National Specialty education chairperson and Zola Coogan  of Redcloud Chows was the presenter. Framing the Evolution of the Chow Chow in the Global Arena was the title of this exceptionally well attended seminar.

The idea for this seminar derived from the convergence of two current matters of interest in the American and international Chow communities: the newly proposed AKC Northern Group and the evolution of a global arena for Chows in the twenty-first century.  As a member of the audience I took notes and I have tried to be true to the spirit of the conversation. I have not quoted people word for word.
Serving on the panel for the discussion were Ginnie Atkinson of Willogin Chows the AKC Delegate, Carmen  Blankenship of Chinabear Chows, director of the Chow club’s judges’ education and mentors a, Bob and Love Banghart of Rebelrun, breeders, exhibitors, mentors and national/.internationsl judges and Paul and Minnie Odenkirchen of Mi Pao Chows of Canada, breeders, exhibitors, mentors and international judges, and  Zola Coogan breeder, exhibitor, mentor and self-proclaimed Chow rights activist.

I. THE AKC NORTHERN GROUP, proposed for 2012 will initially consist of the following breeds:

NON SPORTING

American Eskimo , Sharpei , Chow Chow , Finnish Spitz, Keeshund, Schipperkee,Shiba Inu

HOUND

Norwegian Elkhound

HERDING

Swedish Valhund

WORKING

Akita

Alaskan Malamute

Siberian Husky

Samoyed

MISCELLANEOUS

Icelandic Sheepdog (7/01/08)

Norwegian Lundehund (7/01/08)

Norwegian Burhund  (1/01/09 )
In 2012 the Chow Chow will leave the AKC Non Sporting group to become a part of the Northern group.   The move to the Northern group provides an opportunity for us as breeders and exhibitors to consider the future of our Chows.

II. GLOBAL ARENA: We live a time of change for our breed and indeed for the world of purebred dogs in general, with the realities of rapid international email communication and global mass media, genome studies, health certifications, DNA testing, the increased importing and exporting of dogs and frozen semen, and powerful, well financed national and international lobbyists who are determined to effect and control the fate of our animals.
The 1995 Convention of the World Council of Europe stated that “breeders are responsible for anatomical, physiological and behavioral characteristics which are likely to put at risk the health and welfare of either the offspring or the female parent.” The National Council of Animal Ethics stated that “to breed or import these animals is in violation of and may be illegal under animal protection acts.”

While no responsible breeder would deny this responsibility, currently there is the increased force of media coverage and legislative interventions brought on by the activities of powerful lobby groups who want to regulate, control and in some instances eliminate the practices of purebred dog breeding.
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I.    Synopsis:  Part I the Impact of the Northern Group

1.    Why is the AKC making this change and eliminating the Non-Sporting group?

Ginnie:  The AKC Dog Show Rules Committee began discussing a change in the group divisions initially because certain groups were becoming large and unwieldy. New breeds are being admitted fairly regularly and there is a waiting list of 63 breeds that wish to be considered for approval by the AKC.

As this issue was opened the issue of the Non-Sporting Group was also introduced. For many years many breed fanciers have considered the Non-Sporting group as a group that made no sense except as a catch all.   It was decided by the committee that the group might best be divided into the Companion and Northern Groups and that all the breed clubs in the Non-Sporting Group would be polled at to their preference of which group they wished to move to.

Polling results for the Chow Chow community resulted in a large response with only 3 or 4 individuals objecting to the idea of moving to the Northern Group.  This means that the Chow will be judged at the group level with more like breeds, each however with individual characteristics and qualities.

2.    We need new fanciers, breeders and exhibitors for the breed.  Will this new group alignment help the popularity of the Chow?

Paul: Only sounder, healthier Chows will improve the popularity of the breed.

Carmen: There has been some progress in getting Chows out of the limelight in terms of breed specific legislation.  However, there is still evident bias against the breed.  In Britain for example, there is still a policy prohibiting Chows from being kept in military housing.

Additionally, current economic conditions mitigate against more people becoming breeders.  (more new committed and passionate Chow breeders is  what we need badly)

Love: Working families cannot afford unhealthy dogs.  When they select a dog they are looking for a  family member who can keep up with their lifestyle.  They do not want a dog which will incur huge vet bills or will lack the stamina.

Bob: There are other factors, too, working against us.  For example, there are new breeds competing for their “place in the sun.”

General Panel Consensus: The new group should help improve the health of the Chows because
they will be competing with breeds from the Working and Hound and Herding groups who will be in
good physical condition, and have good muscle tone and stamina.  Chows will have to show similar
attributes to win at the Group level.  This may encourage breeders to make different choices as to
which Chows would be suitable to special,

3.    Do you think that group competition is an important consideration in the choices that breeders make about what they breed and what they show?

General Panel Consensus: It would be desirable for a renewed more positive Chow identity to emerge in the eyes of the general public.

Love:  If man had not interfered with the Chow breed would such a dog as our modern Chow exist? Are we doing enough to produce healthy family members? Should a person buying a pet have to contend with skin, eyes or leg problems? As long as there is a high incidence of such problems in our breed will anyone wonder why the breed may not be popular with “John Q Public”?

4.    What are the various affects this could have on our breeding decisions, when the chow is competing in this new group? Do you think the Chow as a member of the Northern group will do better in the Group and the Best in Show ring?

Bob: The Chow style a judge picks to go into the group will be influenced by what breeders bring to
the ring.  Many breeders want to win in the show ring. If breeders want to win in the new group, they
may have to produce healthier Chows.

5.    Do you think that when the Chow competes in the Northern group against dogs from a hound, working, or herding background, the Chows will be expected to show the qualities derived from their history as hunting, herding, pulling and guarding dogs?

Zola: Chows have a mystique of surviving for thousands of years.  The Chow is an amazing dog with an active, intelligent, alert and dignified essence. This is what attracted me to the breed.  We can hope these qualities will be renewed; for they are in the breed genetically.  My hope is that  membership in the northern group will help to reinvigorate the breed.

Minnie: The Chow historically is a working breed. They must have legs.  In Canada when I go cross country skiing after a snowfall there is nothing more beautiful than to have one of my Chows out in front breaking a trail for me!

Carmen: Currently there is not enough quality in our breed.  In part this is a reflection of a decreasing
number of large kennels and the high cost of specialing a dog

Ginnie: we must always keep the general welfare of the breed in mind, and not be distracted by fads
that can do harm.

Minnie:  Paul’s mantra has always been “If it ain’t moving right, it ain’t built right.”

General panel and audience consensus: Those of us who have been breeding for many years have
seen this happen in the past:  Legs too short, shoulders too straight, the  loss of proper rear
movement, overly heavy heads, too much loose skin on heads, entropion.  This is a really good time
(when entering the Northern Group) to review the Chow standard and to try to breed closer to the
Standard as it exists. Accordingly,  judges and breeders need  a vital on-going education program.
They need to know that properly built Chows can move out!  They need to understand the stilted gait
and what a correct front looks like.

Love: before the judges in the Northern group can reward for the stilted gait breeders will have to
breed for it. It will need to be restored. Breeders will need to identify dogs who can produce offspring
with a stilted gait.

Minnie:  To do this, breeders will have to go back into the pedigrees of their dogs and see where the
stilted gait came from.  Among newer breeder there are many “open pedigrees,” that is, many
different  lines being brought together, so it is important to sort though the pedigrees to know where a
trait came from.

Paul: Structure determines the correct speed and gait of a dog. Different sized Chows have to be
moved  Individually.  A balanced moderately boned taller dog with a lovely stilted gait, may not win
over a heavier dog without the correct stilted gait.

Bob: Breeders will have to decide what they are willing to sacrifice for a few generations to work a
desirable trait, such as the stilted gait back into the breed. Furthermore, what may seem a desirable
trait now may not go over well in the new group line up.  A ponderous head with breathing issues will
not compare favorably in the Northern Group ring.

6.    Will being part of the Northern group helpor hurt Chow balance, gait, pasterns, shoulders, toplines, pigmentation. Ears, eyes or temperament?

General Panel Consensus: It will help if winning in the group demands sound dogs.

Bob: If you read the standard with care you will notice that balance is a theme.  But how much respect                   is it afforded?   Judges sometimes say they seem to give back to the breed what breeders bring to them.

Zola: We all need to continually reread the standard and envision the Chows we are looking for as
well as tracking down the genetic markers for desirable traits, using frozen semen when it exists from
the old stock that had the traits we would like to restore.  Everyone, Breeders and judges, must
continually reread the standard and pick up the subtleties.

How many of you in the audience today had reread the standard before coming to the national?  (answer) 10 out of 48 attendees had.

Carmen: In the “Dog Show World” consistent judging doesn’t happen.  That is why we  keep coming back to the show ring.

A specific example of the problems we can create for our dogs:  Two words have been over
emphasized in our Chow Breeding program: “heavy boned.”  With “heavy boned” being elevated as a
priority, many other things were thrown out  the window.  So now, many of our Chows have no necks
and straight shoulders which results in a functionally crippled. dog  Loose skin on the head has
contributed to eye problems and is recapitulated internally causing breathing difficulties. Even when a
trait is listed in the standard as undesirable, little is done to correct the problem.
.
Furthermore, the conversation at ringside needs to change from one of finding excuses why a judge is
not putting up a particular dog on a particular day, such as dividing judges into those who like
moderate v. heavy, or saying the judge is too political and so forth.  Instead the conversation should
be about the dogs’ qualities..

Love:  Balance is more than squareness; it is the harmony of all parts.

Paul:  The increased importing and exporting of dogs has affected the consistency of types from different countries and in some places breeders are going to excesses.  One general observation might be that the newer, younger countries’ breeders look for the extreme for example believing heavy is best. This is not good for the health of the dogs; I believe the four year old mature dog should be what we look at to set the standard.

Minnie: In Beijing we saw a 100 dog kennel; all were heavy dogs; all were from the States.  The same seems true in Russia.

Bob: in Japan and Thailand entropion, elongated pasterns, bad palattes are evident; of course at our National we will see the same problems, too.

Audience participant: So we might say that what we see overseas reflects the excesses of the USA where the American mantra seems to be ”bigger and heavier is better.”

General Panel Consensus:  In the US today large kennels (of 30 and more dogs) are no longer feasible.  No one can afford them. This affects the gene pool available to each breeder.  Breeders have to find ways to work with more people.  The sad thing is that it is close to impossible to trust many people to be honest about what genetic problems their line may harbor.

Zola: The forming of cooperatives of breeders could be an answer to some of the issues.  It would allow us to keep a genetic pool going in a context where honesty about the strengths and weaknesses could prevail and different individuals could also bring their own strengths and weaknesses in working with the dogs to the table.

Audience Comment:  The CCCI should be the cooperative, perhaps requiring members to attend seminars and to encouraging further health testing.

Zola: Health testing is a high priority for some breeders. What we are doing is producing a dog that is a pleasure to live with, free of  health and temperament issues.

Love: we are no longer just a national Chow club; we are part of an international community.  The United States has more health testing available than any other country, we should set the standard for healthy Chows for the world.

Audience comment: Chow fanciers and “beginner breeders” need to go to mentors, not to the chat rooms on the internet for correct information.  And the breeders need to somehow project to themselves and to judges a consistent interpretation of the standard.

Audience Comment:  Where will the future generations to carry all this out come from?

Paul: This is a confusing time for novice breeders.  There are no perfect Chows; in each bloodline there are different strains; a breeder needs to learn how to read a pedigree, and avoid playing “Russian Roulette” when they make breeding decisions.

Love: Knowledge of gene pools and objective experience are essential.

Paul: When someone says: “I want to improve the breed.”  The response should be the question, “How?”

Zola: So we must make the education of a new generation our most important long term goal.

Ginnie: Sincere learners who approach a reputable breeder will be mentored.  New breeders must be willing to do their homework.

II. The Global Arena

Carmen:  Background information: The BBC began an upheaval which has impacted the Chow when it broadcast the documentary “Pedigreed Dogs Exposed” and referred to the dog show as “a parade of mutants.” The United Kingdom Kennel Club, which had until that point had a long supportive relationship with the BBC, was told by the BBC that there were some 13-18 breeds of dogs that could not be shown at Crufts, if the UKKC wanted it to be covered by the BBC.  When the UKKC refused to do what they’d been asked the BBC and other previously supportive agencies withdrew their support of Crufts.

So amongst other things the UKKC commenced a rewrite of the Chow standard.

This is important because although historically the “country of origin” for the Chow is China, and in theory the standard for the breed should originate there, there has been no Chinese standard for the Chow, and since in the modern age of Dog shows in the Western world began for Chows in Britain, Britain becomes the default country for establishing the standard.So for nations that do not have theirown standard, they follow the UKKC standard.

Most recently the CCCI has tried to work with the UKKC.  A meeting was held in March, 2009. Rodney Oldman of the UKKC reported that a Swedish company that writes pet insurance policies is now operating in Britain and reports an alarming number of ruptured cruciate ligament repair surgeries for Chows, and that therefore the breed must have rear assembly issues. However,  it turns out that most of these, according to veterinarians are the result of trauma todogs under the age of 2 years, and are not a degenerative condition.

Love:  The CCCi has established a new committee with its own mission statement: to promote the sharing of data for health certification, etc.

Paul: In 1956 the first World chow Council was convened with representatives from England, Holland, France, Germany and Belgium. The goal was to establish a Chow Standard for the FCI.  This council recovened in 1980 with representation added from the USA and Canada.  North American representatives included Paul Odenkirchen and Joanne O’Brien,  the CCCI was rewriting its own standard at the same time. Currently the World Chow Council is not progressing too well. The issues coming out of Britain and the FCI are fairly problematic and because the Europeans have taken all the disqualifications out of the Chow standard it is arguably not helpful for the breed.   The FCI affects about 90 countries standards however.

Closing Comments:
Ginnie: These issues are a problem for all of us. However, the AKC is fighting the animals rights lobbyists and the CCCI has control of its own standards, so it is less likely that something like what has befallen the standard in England would happen here.

Carmen: “National Inquiry” TV is a reality, and the general public buys what it sees all too readily. No one has a problem free kennel; there are always heartaches. Problems are not unique to particular kennel. They are endemic to the bred and it is unacceptable to damn a particular kennel. Again, change the conversation at ringside; and in the chat rooms.

Bob: We need to sell good, healthy dogs overseas, to be sure we are not just dumping our garbage in someone else’s back yard .  We are a part of the world.

Love:  We are the cooperative.  We must promote, protect, and share our Chows.

Minnie: Come and show in Canada; a first step to greater international awareness.

Zola: It is important to monitor the growing influence of national animal rights organizations who use a preponderance of their money to pass legislation often detrimental to our breed. It’s vital to use our money to support local shelters, local humane groups and the Canine Health Association where we know  our money is being spent on animals rather than lobbyists.

A huge thank you to Paula for taking the time to write this up so fast and submit to Worldchow Magazine!!! And THANK YOU Margaret and  Zola and all who attended the Seminar for your deep interest in our breed and it’s future .!!!!!  This was absolutely fascinating!!!

Thank you SO MUCH Sherrie Determan for sending me the results of the Best of Breed competiton today!!!!
BOB: CH Paramount Maria Maria  (Vet Bitch)
Jeff & Susie Sedillos
BOW:  Pendleton Ginger (WB)
Dave and Pat Foose
BOS:  Rosewine’s Rockbilly Red
Joanna Olson & Bill Boyes
AWARDS OF MERIT:
Ch Rebelrun Chowlamar Dapper Dan
Bob & Love Banghart
Ch Sitze-Gou’s Glazz Paragon
Bill Buell
Ch Sunburst’s Patent Pending
Harvey & Penny Kent
Ch Fortune’s Rocky Mountain High
Jeff & Susie Sedillos

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS AND BEST OF LUCK AT THE REGIONAL SPECIALTY SHOWS THIS WEEK!!

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BELOW IS A VIDEO I DID SHOWCASING THE TROPHIES I CREATED. CLICK ON THE ARROW TO START

THERE IS AUDIO WITH THIS VIDEO AS WELL SO ADJUST YOUR VOLUME ACCORDINGLY!!

2009 NATIONAL SPECIALTY TROPHY SHOWCASE from Sandra Miller on Vimeo.

I put together this video to showcase the fused glass awards as well as some other paintings I did in 2008-2009 for the Chow Chow Club Inc 2009 National Specialty in Orlando Florida.

Congratulations to all the winners!!

WINNERS DOG AND WINNERS BITCH WERE A HUGE STRETCHED CANVAS WITH THE ABOVE DESIGN

Bonnie called me this morning with WD results but I haven’t heard from her about WB yet..will update here as soon as I hear who Winners Bitch and Reserve were ….the Veteran winners as well (UPDATE…thanks Sherrie Determan for the bitch classes report..I’ll get more details soon on breeders etc)

WINNERS DOG (from the Open Red Class)-  PARAMOUNT JUST BECOZ

Breeder-Lonnie and Regina Burr and Jill Stillwell

Owner-Jeff and Susie Sedillos and Lonnie and Regina Burr

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RESERVE WINNERS DOG-  MO TYS ROCK N HOSS AT REGALAIR

Breeders- Michelle and Larry and Morgan and Tyler Mote

Owners-Shannon Smith and Jeff Wright

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WINNERS BITCH:  Pendleton Ginger (BBY)
Dave and Pat Foose

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RESERVE WINNERS BITCH:  Lionbear’s Oriental Red Dragon (12-18 Bitch)
Terry Sprong

THE FUSED GLASS PORTION OF THE RESERVE WINNERS BITCH WINDCHIME

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THE FUSED GLASS PORTION OF THE RESERVE WINNERS DOG WINDCHIME

A FULL PHOTO OF ONE OF THE CHIMES.  THEY ARE ABOUT 4 FEET LONG TOTAL

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES….MAGENTA WAS MY MODEL FOR THIS TROPHY DESIGN

ANOTHER DESIGN WE USED ON A CAPTAINS CHAIR FOR THE OBEDIENCE TROPHY

THE DESIGN ABOVE IS FEATURED ON BEAUTIFUL LEATHER COVERED FLASKS

ABOVE IS ANOTHER FUN DESIGN I DID FOR SOME OF THE CLASS PLACEMENTS

The above design is on the FIRST PLACE JOURNALS

Hello everyone!! I thought you all might like to get the”BARE BONES ” reports as I get them from Bonnie Young , the trophy chair for the CCCI National!!.  I can’t even guarantee I got the details right so dont’ “kill the messenger” if I messed up names etc. LOL! The photos you see here are examples from the Sweeps trophies I have been itching to show you all.  I took these photos at home before I shipped them.

Both BEST IN PUPPY SWEEPS AND BEST IN VETERAN SWEEPS TROPHIES PICTURED BELOW ARE WORKING INDOOR WATERFALLS WITH MY OWN FUSED GLASS CHOWS AND GLASS LEAVES ON SLATE AND COPPER.

BEST IN PUPPY SWEEPSTAKES…

Lo Re’s Sassafras….bred by Mona Cotie and Lonnie and Regina Burr

Owner Mary Russell Sevigny and Lonnie and Regina Burr

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BEST OF OPPOSITE SEX IN PUPPY SWEEPS

Gee Bee’s Maka Koa Miracle…breeder/owner  Gwen Benz

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BEST IN VETERANS SWEEPS

Ch. Sunburst’s Leila

Breeder Harvey and Penny Kent and Cathy Clapp

Owners , George and Carol James

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BEST OF OPPPOSITE SEX IN VETERAN SWEEPSTAKES

Ch. Chinarose I Like Ike

Breeder Sandra and Steven Miller (this is Megs litter brother)

Owner Bonnie and Harold Young

Bonnie tells me that both Veteran winners came out of the 9-12 year class!! AWESoME!!

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OBEDIENCE HIGH IN TRIAL AND HIGHEST SCORING CHAMPION OF RECORD

The obedience winner  came from the Novice A class and was

CH Fair Hill’s Sparkler, RN….owned by Michael and Lisa Leonzio,

this was Sparkle’s first time and  she got her first leg

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A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS.

THE FROSTED MUGS WERE ONE OF THE CLASS TROPHIES WITH MY ARTWORK ON ONE SIDE AND THE NAME OF THE SHOW ON THE OTHER

THESE FUN BAGS WERE ALSO ANOTHER SWEEPS TROPHY FOR THE CLASSES FILLED WITH GOODIES

AND ANOTHER DESIGN I CREATED FOR MORE SWEEPS TROPHIES…THERE WAS A SAFARI/NEUTRAL COLORS THEME

If anyone can email me a copy of the marked catalog I would be happy to post the results here in their entirety.  Also any photos whether cell phone shots or videos would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!

TURN YOUR VOLUME ON FOR THE VIDEO BELOW!!

And as an aside……….I’m loving my new video camera I got yesterday so far!!! This is my first attempt at anything remotely interesting. I certainly need to steady my hand but am having an absolute blast practicing.  For those of you who dont’ ready my GRAFFITI GOSSIP blog, this is my present to myself using the money from my trophy gig!

Thank you CCCI and Bonnie Young for giving me the opportunity to create the awards for this year’s national!  I’ll show them as each day progresses and the awards are given out!!