Editorial: September 26, 2025

When we were notified about the passing of papillon fancier Maxine Guerin it rekindled an idea we that we and others have had for some time. 
Those of us in the sport become family, they say you can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends. But those dog show friends do become family. Over the years we eat together travel together and speak regularty on the phone and, in today’s world, communicate on the internet. But in some ways are we are also a selfish and unforgiving community?As we become more and more active and our weekends are consumed by dog shows, our “other friends” outside the sport begin to eliminate you from their social plans as they tire of you declining weekend invitations in favor of going off to a dog show. So slowly but surely your dog show friends become your dog show family. Now we fast forward and the years become decades and through time and circumstance your life and interests change. Then one day reality hits, you realize there must be some life altering changes in your life. The choices in this sport are limited, become a judge or slowly fade away as your participation in breeding and exhibiting and active club membership ends. Many, when truthful, will tell you they judge just to stay in the sport. Others have no interest judging and might steward for a while. A chosen few become American Kennel Club field representatives. But for the vast majority as an active member of the sport it’s over. Your life goes on and not by intention but just by living day to day, you put off that long delayed phone call to a once dear dog show friend. You think of them often but fail to find the time sit down and call just to say hello and catch up on each other’s news. Getting older and isolated isn’t fun. Just this week I heard from Ken McDermott, a longtime friend who I have not seen or heard from in a long while. He reminded me of the old Wallkill Kennel Club days and Marjorie Siebern, stating who else but us and Desi Murphy would remember her? That same day I heard from another person I hold dear to me, Edd Bivin. But the person I have the most guilt from not speaking to is Eddie Boyes. Speaking with Eddie and reminiscing about Matt and Lesley in the same conversation is really still too painful. Having said that, I know there is someone like that in your life, a onetime very close friend who you haven’t spoken with, so pick up the phone and give them a call. Getting old and out of touch is a lonely place to be, so cheer someone up. One day this could be you.