The Gossip Column: February 11, 2022

CRUFTS is moving ahead with their four-day event next week. Thanks to an earlier than usual delegate’s meeting, American Kennel Club president DENNIS SPRUNG along with executive vice president MARK DUNN and his wife SYLVIA are making the trip to Birmingham. Also attending, pet insurance executives LANE KENT and DAVID KETTIG. Also the real Welsh prince, PETER GREEN with BETH SWEIGART, who will make a swing through Wales to visit his family. Also on board: RC CARUSI. The lower entry is still a staggering number by any means, even with the recent uninvited exhibitors from Russia. ...

Here at home, I’m told that there are no judges from Russia with any upcoming assignments. But as we isolate Russia, are we still accepting their dog registrations? ...

As PURINA’S ANN VIKLUND enjoys the last few weeks on the job before her retirement, friends at the dog shows in California had a little get together at the show to wish her luck in the future. ...

JOHNNY SHOEMAKER gave me the catalog from last weekend’s POODLE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Included in the catalog was the extensive research JOHNNY did at the American Kennel Club library to find all the Best in Show winners since the club’s inception in 1943. Reading the names of those dogs brought back such great memories of the dogs, their owners and handlers. It’s something other clubs might consider, as it is a big part of our history. ...

First we had one of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel fancier JANET YORK’S doggy books that she authored titled FREDRIK GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, as well as the BEST IN SHOW children’s book by KAREN LEFRAK. Now we have another doggy book to be published this week: DANIEL THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER written by TAMMY TOMLINSON and illustrated by KIERSTEN EAGEN. ...

Sending our best wishes and congratulations to multiple group judge BUTCH SCHULMAN and his wife ROBIN, who have become grandparents for the first time, thanks to daughter HALLE and son-in-law BEN CLARK: a little girl named MAYA RAE CLARK born March 3. So from now on it’s POPPY BUTCH and LULA ROBIN. ...

All of us at DOG NEWS were very saddened to learn that multiple group judge DR. ROBERT INDEGLIA passed away. A well-known surgeon by profession and Norwegian Elkhound fancier by choice, and one of the nicest gentlemen to grace our sport. He passed his love of the sport to his son VINCENT, who has been involved since his days in Junior Showmanship to this very day as a judge and columnist for DOG NEWS. We send our deepest sympathies to VINNY, his siblings and family. ...

We were saddened to hear that Dachshund fancier LORENE HOGAN lost her son BRIAN this week. We send our deepest sympathies to LORENE and BRIAN’s wife and the entire family.