AKC Gazette
September 2011
AMELIA AVERIL
MOVING FORWARD
By
the time you read this column, plans will be in full swing for the 2011 Bulldog
Club of America’s national-specialty weekend to be held Thanksgiving week,
November 21 through 26. It will be held at the Sheraton Premium Hotel, in
Vienna, Virginia. The location is right outside Washington, DC. This is a great
opportunity to go to the shows and visit the nation’s capitol.
These
national weekends are a good place to see dogs from all over the country and to
visit with old friends and meet people who share a common interest in the
Bulldogs. There are educational opportunities as well as having fun. Plan to
attend; I promise you will be happy that you did.
The
Bulldog community moves along, and soon the year will be over and new officers
will be elected for the Bulldog Club of America, both on a national and
divisional level.
Being
elected into office is a serious responsibility. It is not a popularity
contest. Tough decisions sometimes have to be made.
We
have an obligation to impress upon new owners the privilege and responsibility
of owning a Bulldog. To grow up to his potential, a young pup must have love –
the kind of love that can forgive and forget occasional mistakes, the kind of
love that gives and not takes. So enjoy your puppy, and above all love him.
If
you have a good dog and decide to show, do so. Do not be discouraged if you
lose from time to time. If the dog is a good specimen, he will win and finish.
Remember that it is individual opinion that makes dog shows. If every judge
picked the same dogs, there would be no need for dog shows, hence there would
be no hobby of showing dogs.
No
not listen to ringside gossip. Negative remarks about other people’s dogs are
not productive. This type of criticism is based on negative thinking. Anyone,
including a novice, can fault a dog, but it takes an expert to see the virtues.
When I say virtues, I mean characteristics that are good according to the
standard of the breed.
In
conclusion, let us look for a dog who is a good representative of the breed. We
can only hope for pure perfection and strive for it, but until that day comes
along, give me a dog who makes the others look commonplace.
Let
me conclude with words my grandson, Tim, said to me upon leaving church. He
said, “Heaven is the place we go to meet our old pets.” I think this statement
made by a child says it all. Pets are a big part of our lives and members of
the family. Enjoy them.
Amelia Averil, 8 Willow Brook Rd.,