Question of the Week
Julie L. Mueller
Tulsa, Oklahoma
To help keep everyone at the kennel stay safe and healthy. Go to shows when it is feasible and safe. Reaching goals is important, but not if it jeopardizes my health and those around me. I am always hopeful that everyone will make smart choices and take every precaution to ensure our sport is safe and protect each other. We can't just hope for the best – this is the only time that being the best may mean staying alive.
Patrick C. Byrne
President Emeritus, St. Joseph Kennel Club
Kansas City, Kansas
My club must have had a guardian angel. Well before the pandemic wrought its ruin on so many dog clubs, we had decided to change our show date from February to late summer.
With the welcome news of the vaccines, we hope to be more than ready for our new show date.
Dana Read
Hillsborough, North Carolina
More time with quality friends, more time with quality dogs, more time at quality shows!
Cindy Cooke
Kalamazoo, Michigan
My first goal for 2021 is to get vaccinated against COVID-19. One of the few benefits of being an old lady is that there's a good chance I'll be vaccinated by spring.
My second goal is to finish a particularly nice bitch before February 15 so I can enter her at this summer's Westminster show under one of the world's most respected breeder-judges.
Finally, I'd like to help my parent club develop a program to recruit and train new Scottish Terrier breeders. Demand is still high for Scotties, but unless we can develop new breeders, we won't be able to provide Scotties to the families who want them. I'd like to see all the Terrier breeds work together on this project.
Maria Arechaederra
Silverado, California
Living in California presents special challenges, since there are no dog shows scheduled for months and those could be cancelled as well. As in 2020, this year we will be traveling to shows in less restrictive states. We will also use our time at home to plan and breed more litters, which is a nice luxury.
Ken McDermott
Newburgh, New York
My rule of thumb most often is that "Expectations plant the seeds for Resentments which we harvest in Anger"! Therefore I absolutely avoid them, but in this case 2020 was such a universal disaster that 2021 will surely be uplifting. The delivery of the vaccines will instill hope that the worst days are over, that we can start to live a more normal life with some real cautions, that the numbers of dog shows happening in real time will rather quickly increase, that we will be able to safely gather and be with "our people" and that I will get to see in the flesh the dogs being shown within a reasonable distance of home.
I wish you all a Happy and VERY Healthy New Year.
Tim Robbins
Baytown, Texas
As the show chairman and president of the Baytown Kennel Club, I'm working on our upcoming shows the first weekend in March to make sure they happen, and are safe for everyone attending. I'm going to remain careful and healthy this year, and look forward to my upcoming judging assignment.
Delores Burkholder
Rockton, Illinois
I'm looking forward to receiving the COVID vaccine. Then getting back to spring judging assignments.
Louis Krokover
Sherman Oaks, California
I am not like most people: I set my expectations very high and not just for the year, but rather on a daily basis.
Life throws us curves, and we have to learn on the fly how best to deal with them, no matter what we already have planned for that day.
But to simplify your question as best I can:
• I want to stay healthy, and that includes my dogs.
• I want to enjoy what I do, and that also includes field events with my dogs (Pointers and Whippets currently).
• I want to enjoy my family and friends who I call family, our love for our dogs, and what they are capable of doing and being awarded for what they do.
• I want to be able to go to dog shows. This is probably harder here on the West Coast than most other states, and has been since March 2020. It would be nice to go out of state for a dog show, but our government then wants us to home-quarantine for two weeks. This is not possible as I have a business to run. So, no leaving California for now.
• I would like to send my dogs across the country to compete, but again that is not doable with restrictions and costs.
• I would like to have a litter or two if possible. But then we have to deal with outside people coming to see them – not a good idea with the pandemic still happening.
• I would like to still have my dogs in the Top 20 by the end of the new year. My opinion is unless restrictions are eased, we will not be having dog shows on the West Coast and that will kill my dream.
But – most of all – I want everyone who I know to still be around at the end of this year. Healthy, safe and sound. To remember those who have gone before us and cherish their memories now and forever.
I would like to see all of you and be able to hug you for being my friend (FAMILY) and to see your smiling face with no masks.
To remember where we came from and where we are going, and, I would hope, hand in hand.
My love to all who read this.
Barbara J. Morris
Gilbert, Pennsylvania
To have everything get back to normal. For the dog shows to start again so I can get back to stewarding and enjoying the dogs.
Adrianne Dering
Morgantown, West Virginia
I am looking forward to the new COVID vaccines being distributed throughout the next few months and a greater freedom to get out and show my dogs! We are excited to be presenting the Biewer Terrier in the AKC Toy Group!
Heidi Cole
Houston, Texas
As someone who tried to be part of the solution by staying close to home, and keeping human-to-human exposure to a minimum, I look forward to a bit more freedom in my life.
Almost a year in virtual quarantine (and enough Zoom meetings to make my head explode), I am ready to start some new young terriers in the show ring and start a new special.
So I am hopeful about our vaccine, and whatever health measures are needed so I can see my friends again – so we can ALL see our friends again – especially my dog-show family, which I have missed so much. No dog shows or any of my dogs being shown certainly has left a large hole in my life.
Starting a new life in Houston as well (yes, we moved in the midst of a pandemic) and looking forward to exploring this one-of-kind state. Everything IS bigger in Texas!
Having many dog friends so close is a wonder! Looking forward to starting and expanding my real-estate business here in Houston while maintaining and also expanding it in Palm Beach. And while I’m at it I might just turn into a cowboy.
2021, it’s our year of rebirth and renewed love for each other. God bless you all!
Terry Miller
Novelty, Ohio
Maybe I’ll get around to going to a dog show.
Karl Stearns
Mountainhome, Pennsylvania
Well, a year ago who knew we’d be where we are now? Time will only tell for 2021! My expectations? Hopefully a new job! After decades of self-employment I’m ready to thrill a real EMPLOYER! Get some more projects finished around the house. See a reopening of things as we used to know them (maybe just wishful thinking).
Finally, for the “dog side” of my life: I hope to add eight new permit breeds as I work toward completing the Terrier Group, and maybe get a few judging assignments. I am hoping for a successful Westminster Kennel Club Show (and hopefully it includes me working in the press organization yet again this year!). Would love to see Bucks and Garden State happen! And Montgomery, too! Finally, I hope to see phenomenal socks on Hal Biermann, Red Tatro and Todd Clyde!