Canine Fantasy Team
Now that football is over, I am in the middle of drafting my teams for my annual fantasy baseball leagues.
I guess as we get older, our fantasies change. Some people spend days and days studying to decide which players to draft, while others fly by the seat of their pants. I am somewhat in the middle. For me, drafting and trading are the two most enjoyable parts of fantasy sports.
Since dogs — and our dog-show community — are very important aspects of my life, I thought I would conduct a draft of fantasy dogs (although most were real).
In a fantasy competition, it is important to understand what the rules are. For this fantasy team, factors to be considered are (1) how this dog affected the reputation of dogs in general, (2) what the dog has meant to the recognition and appreciation of its breed, and (3, if applicable) what the dog has meant to our dog-show community.
The first picks in most drafts are obvious choices from among three or four players. In the canine world, the first pick is much more difficult. I decided to choose from Lassie, Rin Tin Tin and Toto.
Starting in 1954, Lassie was on TV for 20 years. Most of you are too young to remember, but there are still a few of us left who smile when the memories in the back of our minds play, showing Lassie barking at her humans, urging them to follow, as June Lockhardt (the third Mrs. Martin) says, “What’s the matter, girl? Where’s Timmy? Has Timmy fallen in the well (again)?”
As we change channels, we see a muscular, beautiful German Shepherd in full gallop across our screen on his way to save another heroine in distress. Rin Tin Tin was the epitome of the gallant hero — a proverbial four-legged knight in shining armor. The love of Rin Tin Tin resulted in many households in America having a German Shepherd — often of some questionable breed quality.
The final dog in our top three must be Toto, the female, brindle Cairn Terrier from The Wizard of Oz. Who has not seen and heard Judy Garland (as Dorothy Gale) hold tightly to Toto as she said the famous words, “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto.” Bring on the witches.
Following closely behind our top three — and perhaps he belongs IN the top three — must be Snoopy. Perhaps the most famous Beagle ever, Snoopy was introduced to the world in 1950. For me, Snoopy has always symbolized facing danger (in the form of his nemesis, the Red Baron) while staying grounded (on his dog house), as well as curiosity and wanting to be part of a family. Along with Snoopy, cartoonist Charles M. Schulz brought us his remarkable family, which included Lucy, her brother Linus (and his blanket), the bird Woodstock (Snoopy’s best friend) and Charlie Brown, forever trying to kick the football that Lucy pulls away at the last minute.
The next dog on my canine fantasy team has to be Scooby Doo, the animated caricature of a Great Dane created by Hanna-Barbera in 1969. Who among us has not uttered the phrase “ruh-roh” at least once in our lives?
I have often written about the iconic figures in our community, so I would be remiss if I left out the iconic canines in the 1955 movie Lady and the Tramp. The star of the movie, the beautiful Lady, is easily recognized as a lovely Cocker Spaniel, and her co-star, Tramp, is a mixture of mostly Miniature Schnauzer and something else. Is there a more famous — or beloved — scene than that of Lady and Tramp sharing a spaghetti dinner, ending with them sharing one last strand of spaghetti? Other dogs immortalized in this movie were Jock, a Scottish Terrier; Jock’s best friend, Trusty, a Bloodhound; Scamp, a mixed breed; Bull, a — what else? — Bulldog, and Dachsie the Dachshund. Unfortunately, they don’t make movies like that anymore.
In 1962, Disney produced a film based on the 1945 novel by American author Jim Kjelgaard, titled “Big Red.” This story of a beautiful champion Irish Setter named Big Red and his love of his young boy was the impetus for me to get my first Irish Setter, the breed I have loved for more than 60 years.
1934 saw the first of The Thin Man series of movies come to the big screen. I have watched every one of them many times, loving the banter and love shown between Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) and their dog, Asta. Although he was certainly not groomed for the show ring, I loved the Wire Fox Terrier. Perhaps this was the start of my love of Terriers that led me to rush to the Terrier ring every time I attended Westminster Kennel Club.
In 1903, Jack London published his famous novel “The Call of the Wild.” To be honest, I am including the canine hero in this book, Buck, on my fantasy team even though I was not a big fan. I simply cannot stand reading about or seeing any dog getting mistreated or hurt — and Buck’s life was not the easiest.
If I am trying to draft a super team, I cannot exclude Krypto, Superman’s pet dog. Although of indeterminate breed background, Krypto came to Superman’s rescue in many DC Comics books. Krypto became so popular that a spinoff comic featuring Krypto alone (and sometime with Supergirl — but that was overkill) was published. As superhero fans know, Krypto did not arrive on Earth until Superman was already a teenager. His rocket had been blown off course, and he drifted in space until his spaceship picked up the signal from Kal-El’s (Superman’s) rocket. Thank you, Jor-El (Superman’s father), for having a rocket for Krypto. (And I am glad I did not have to clean the rocket after it had survived in space for more than 10 years.)
As we move to our dog-show community for our canine fantasy team, the first dog acknowledged must be Ch. Warren Remedy, a Smooth Fox Terrier who was the first Best in Show winner at Westminster — and would go on to win BIS at Westminster three times. Following closely behind Remedy is Sensation, the lemon and white Pointer who is the symbol of the Westminster Kennel Club. Sensation was imported by WKC in 1876 to improve the breeding stock of the club members. He won many conformation and hunting titles, and was a foundation stud dog for the breed.
For me, next in line has to be Stump, Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee, the wonderful Sussex Spaniel who was the first of his breed to win Best in Show at Westminster — and did it at 10 years old. I will always remember the first time I was blessed to put my hands on this dog.
Those of us who have been a part of this community for many years realize that not every dog can adjust and accept what is necessary at the special shows like Westminster. How often have we seen dogs freak out a little because of the “floating cameras,” bright lights and noise? So how can we ever forget the dog that showed how much he loved the attention and was saying, “Look at me” — Uno, also the first of his breed to win BIS at Westminster? Uno was the epitome of Beagle temperament, and seemed to relish the TV cameras, reporters and interviews.
Although I never saw him in person, I cannot list some of the most famous dogs without including the great Cocker Spaniel Ch. My Own Brucie. In the many pictures I have seen, he is a gorgeous dog. He was a two-time Westminster Best in Show winner, and he has often been recognized as the most photographed dog in the world. (Experts of that period considered his sire, Red Brucie, one of the greatest sires of all time.) My Own Brucie was a driving force in the split of the Cocker Spaniel into the American and the English Cocker.
Two international dogs join my team: Grand Ch. Gwyndara Total Eclipse and Ch. Gwyndara Montpelier. I came across pictures of these two magnificent Irish Setters on the internet, and I fell in love. Trying to learn more about them resulted in a great loving friendship with their breeders, Leeanne and Trevor Jones in Australia.
The penultimate dog on my team will be our Flat-Coated Retriever Ch. Bolingbroke Waterwyn Sequel AX, OAJ, WC, HOF. Not only did Dawson bring me to my other most-loved breed, not only was he a national-specialty winner, not only did he literally have a fan club that cheered for him at practically every show, but he also was my best man at my wedding to the woman he allowed me to marry.
The final dog on my team is my own Ch. Bayberry Sonnet. Although it didn’t work out for her to become my foundation dam, we had many wonderful years together. She was a true show dog. She would come out of her crate and stood there like Lee Marvin’s horse in Cat Ballou, and one tug on her lead brought her head and tail up, and she was ready to go. She and I won many Bests of Breed and specialties, and Ann Savory (Bolus) showed her to Best of Opposite at the second Irish Setter national specialty. Sonnet — like so many of my other Irish Setters — was love on four legs with red hair.
And so, my Canine Fantasy Team is filled.
Who would be on your team?