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It's All in the HANDLER - Most people know (especially Golden Retrievers), if you want to win, pay someone big money because you can have the dog that looks like a half between a shepherd and a terrier and no one notices and you win if the person handling the dog is a friend of the judge, a judge or someone that is suppose to win.

     Most good breeders that I know do not play this game. It's difficult getting AKC quality dogs because the blood lines are too close and the breeding is done with AI's and there are smaller litters as a result. No rocket science to figure this. Add the fact that top AKC breeders are taking it upon themselves to make it impossible for anyone else to get into the sport because they "know All" attitude is ruining anyone getting good stud and fun to search out the good dog because there are very few that can be used other than backyard breeding to. I will not be purchasing any more goldens because of the way they are breed.

     Also how does anyone that shows a dog justify the abuse of leaving a dog kenneled for hours and hours and clanging noises and people walking by without affection of all any kind. Grooming a dog is grooming, not loving and these animals are smart and have brains as humans do. So, when all is said and done, showing the way it is done today should be outlawed and is horrible abuse. Backyard breeders need to be commended for not falling into the big money trap and caging these wonderful beautiful pets. They can have the beauty without being stuffed in a cage or shackled to kennels. PERIOD.  Marianne Bells

Handlers - It is not a sport when a dog owner hires a professional dog handler to take their dog to a show. The handler is paid to show the dog, the owner just stands by and watches. The owner has nothing to do with the dogs achievements. You don't see professional dog handlers in European countries because showing dogs is still a sport. Phillip Calamia - vom Adlercrest Dobermanns

Thanks - I really enjoy TheDogPress! Thank you for sending it to me, Mary Hallowell

Letter To Editor re: Cropping - So, "Susan Meyer" says she's not an "animal activist" but then calls herself a "guardian" of a Toy Poodle. The very term "guardian" is animal-right's speak." If done properly, dogs do not have "life long problems" with tail docking. In fifty years of breeding dogs - GSPs and cockers, I have never had a dog (or pup) that was in discomfort from a docked tail. Susan Meyer needs to stop filling her mind with junk-science. Kerrin Winter-Churchill

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Pervert On Show Ground - I also noticed AKC about a Specialty club who had a convicted sex offender who was on probation and a registered sex offender who is a Vice President of a AKC club and attends AKC shows. They were not interested in taking any action, and did not care about the fact that the club had juniors entered at the clubs Specialties and at the shows there were many parents there with young children. I wrote to several AKC people who are responsible to see that clubs follow the rules, and to people who are responsible at AKC for approving shows to be put on and the only response I got was to have the individual club deal with it. Well, the individual club are made up of members who evidently felt it was ok to put this registered sex offender in the club, and made him a Vice President, and seems to have no problem with him attending shows with kids there. But, A K C should care, and the dog showing community and spectators should all be made aware of this clubs acceptance of a convicted sex offender and his attendance at there dog shows. Jerry Bazar

USA border closed to hobby breeders - It's amazing the USA border is "open" to people coming in from countries that have emboli which has killed thousands… but closed to 8 week old pups accompanied by an International Health Certificate signed by a Vet from Canada (which no rabies have killed from Canada).

     As of August 11, 2014 CDC has implemented a change to the entry requirements for young dogs entering the US. Included in this change is the requirement that all dogs, including puppies, be vaccinated for rabies a minimum of one month before entry to the US. This means Breeders wishing to place their pups in USA homes must vaccinate for rabies at 3 months of age (if any dare that young) and send pups home no sooner than 4 months (16 weeks) of age and not the usual 2 months (8 weeks) of age for medium-large dog breeds.

     This is the CDC's new idea to crack down on the many rescue dogs that are being brought into USA from foreign countries and especially Mexico, that are riddled with diseases and parasites and supposedly Rabies and infecting otherwise healthy dogs and cats currently living in North America. To be clear, CDC has always had the "option" of imposing a confinement agreement on pups imported without rabies vaccine. This agreement meant that puppy owners had to keep their pups confined to their home and property but anyone and their dogs could come in and visit, until 30 days after puppy received a rabies vaccine puppy was only allowed off of property to go to the Vet clinic for medical care. But this was not enforced at all borders until recently. This was when CDC discovered they didn't have the manpower to monitor the volume of imports "routinely" and the new Rabies protocol was implemented.

    We understand that the CDC is working to ensure that Rabies is not brought across US borders. What is very unclear to USA and Canadian citizens is how this new protocol will prevent Rabies from entering USA from Canada when there has never been a case of purebred 8 week old pups imported from Canada into the USA with Rabies, and when wildlife freely crosses the border and is the greatest carrier of Rabies.

    The previous system required up to date rabies vaccinations for all dogs over the age allowable for rabies vaccination. That would include all dogs over the age of five months. This system worked well between our two countries and there has never been a case of rabies transmitted by a purebred companion dog crossing the border.

    By mandating pups must be minimally four months of age for Canadian puppies, to be imported into the USA, there will be unintended consequences with no advantage in the protection of public health. Canada is unique in the world in its relationship with the United States. Our common border is long, largely unattended and allows the free movement of wild animals. The two countries partner in almost all industries, including pet travel, and our countries both benefit from that trade.

    The Canadian purebred puppies, bred by responsible small scale breeders are well socialized, individually identified by tattoo or microchip and carefully, responsibly raised. The purebred dog industry is highly regulated in Canada and falls under the governance of the federal government’s Animal Pedigree Act. This Act requires careful management of the purebred dog population, including animal husbandry. The genetic diversity of our dog population in Canada and the US is based on the free movement of purebred dogs between the two countries. Breeders partner to improve dog health, to maintain diversity and to improve breeding stock. Limiting the access of 8 week old puppies entering USA will detrimentally impact this activity, to the level that many reputable breeders (they kind we all hope the public obtain their puppy from) will no longer be able to continue.

    There will be a negative impact on pet families since people often do not want to begin their puppy socialization so late in development at four months of age and with some breeds, their larger size would also be very intimidating to begin such an introduction. As a result these people will look to alternatives that might be available, including commercially bred (puppy mill) young puppies, just because that is all that is available to them, in their area, at the desirable age, which we all know is not a wise choice, but one made out of desperation. Poorly socialized large breed dogs (those purchased from breeders at 4 months of age or older) are more likely to bite, and are more often surrendered to shelters for behavioral problems.

    There will be a negative impact on breeders, since puppies raised for breeding, show or field, must be in their ultimate home as early as is possible to begin the process of training and proper socialization. Breeder’s will be limited with genetics, and quality as to what they can obtain, instead purchasing lesser quality, closely related and perhaps not appropriately suited temperament, just because it is local, and age appropriate for their purpose, thus reducing genetic diversity within the US as well as in Canada.

     Purebred hobby dog breeders will be negatively impacted since few are able to house and properly care for puppies beyond the age of eight to nine weeks. As a matter of fact many small hobby breeders will be in violation of their city bi-laws by housing pups beyond the 8-10 week mark. North American puppy mills will be much less impacted, as they do not operate under the same guidelines, or expend the same level of care and have the facilities to house older pups or have no quandaries in dumping them into a shelter.

     I would recommend that if CDC is honestly just implementing this new ruling because of concern about any rabies, that an alternative to the rabies vaccination protocol now implemented by CDC of only allowing 4 month old rabies vaccinated pups to be imported into the USA from Canada, that the following requirement could be effected - In the case of Canadian puppies, the Canadian international health certificate, completed by a Veterinarian, should be perfect adequate assurance that a pup is healthy within 10 days of importation. In addition, it would be possible to stipulate that a Vet also sign that the puppy’s dam has been kept current in her Rabies vaccines, thus assuring that the pups under 4 months of age being imported without receiving Rabies Vaccine, would be protected passively through maternal antibodies, for up to three months and risk of puppy’s exposure and being a carrier of rabies would be “0” with such a documented respected vaccination protocol being followed.

    We are requesting that the CDC waive the rabies restriction for "Canadian" bred puppies under the age of five months being imported into the US. There has never been a case of rabies reported in the US emanating from a Canadian puppy 8 weeks of age and under 4 months of age. There is no increase in rabies in Canada. There is no increase in rabies in the US that has been attributable to Canadian dogs or Canadian wildlife. A valid veterinary health certificate would better protect the American public than the new protocol effected by CDC. Please contact CDC and tell them their new law is not working: CDCAnimalImports@cdc.gov  Laura Turner

Editor's response: Thank you for a great assessment of the CDC’s lack of concern. It would appear it is more concerned with unvaccinated DOGS crossing the border than with unvaccinated CHILDREN (and adults) many of whom are carrying lice and diseases including TB.