The Gossip Column: August 1, 2025

They are coming back … After a year of reflection over whether to continue, the LADIES KENNEL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA and the LONG ISLAND KENNEL CLUB will be hosting their dog shows next May 15-17, 2026. Friday and Saturday will be LADIES, and Sunday, LONG ISLAND. These two venerable dog shows teetered on extinction like many other clubs in the past few years that saw their entries dwindle. It’s encouraging that they will be back and continue in the tradition that made them the institutions they once were. ...

While writing about the LONG ISLAND KENNEL CLUB, we’re sending our best wishes and a speedy recovery to their longtime president, show chair, chief cook and bottle washer: BARBARA MILLER (she of Norfolk Terriers) is having her shoulder replaced this coming week. Some thought her voice box would have been the first to go. ...

The AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB has announced the 2025-2026 Junior Showmanship Scholarship recipients in three different disciplines. In Junior Showmanship Scholarships totaling $22,500: KELLY WILLIAMS, O’MALLEY MCGEE, ASHLEY YOHO, KAITLYNN MYERS, ISABELLA RUFFONI, BRIELLE VILLARREAL, MYA WELLING, CATHERINE EYCHANER and CARLY SATTERFIELD. In Companion Scholarships totaling $10,000: ASHLYN NAVIS, ISABELLE MCKEE, CATHERINE EYCHANER, CALUM MORGAN, KAITLYNN MEYERS, KATHRYN DOANE, CARLY KREISER and DANIELLE WAGNER. In Performance Scholarships totaling $10,000: O’MALLEY MCGEE, MICHELLE HARMAN, CADENCE MANNO, KAITLYNN MYERS, ALLYSON PALMER, RYAN MARKEY and XOCHITL BERNS. ...

The BIEWER TERRIER CLUB has become a member club of the AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB. ...

Starting in October, those of you exhibiting in the NATIONAL OWNER-HANDLED SERIES (NOHS) can get the same recognition as your grand champions, with Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum status … The AKC has yet to offer rare-earth minerals as a status level. ...

The beginning of August has a lot of us celebrating Birthdays … LISA MILLER, CINDY VOGELS, ROZ KRAMER, WOOD WORNALL, DAVID FITZPATRICK, DEVON KIPP LEVY, DENNIS O’CONNOR, MERRY JEANNE MILNER, LORENE HOGAN, NORMAN KENNEY, MARY ELLEN CAMPAGNON, LISA BETTIS, GLEN LAJESKI, TONY DINARDO, JUDY VANDERLIP, WENDY PINTO, VICKY COOK, BILL SAHLOFF, LYNN MEYER, NIKKI RIGGSBEE, JEFFREY HANLIN, CONNERY COLE, KAREN SPEY, GUSTAVO MOLINARI, DOROTHEA HAND, SCOTT KELLOGG, KENNY SAENZ and HIROYO SHIMIZU.