February 2018

We are excited to bring you live coverage from behind the scenes of Westminster 2020.  Bookmark this page and stay tuned. This is the best place to get a truly Canadian Westminster experience! 

An excellent introduction to the world of companion dog sports, rally welcomes all dogs—purebred or mixed, dogs that are show dogs, working dogs or champion couch potatoes, able-bodied or physically challenged. The newer, and some would say more exhilarating cousin of obedience, rally aims to promote a positive, fun relationship between dogs and owners, while showcasing a dog’s ability to follow commands.
 
The most important aspect of competition is attitude. While precision is of great importance in obedience competition, rally dogs and their owners need to make it clear to the judge that they are having a blast! The sport appeals to those who seek a fun, positive atmosphere and enjoy developing a working partnership with their dog; think of it as a motivational game. The challenge is for the owner to not only remain upbeat themselves, but also be able to know and read their dog well enough to encourage an outwardly happy, exuberant attitude throughout the team’s performance.

It has been a while since my last posting, and it’s been a busy time in the world of dogs.
 
Westminster has just wrapped up and the CKC communications team worked hard to expand our coverage of Canadian participants. Our social media specialist had a media pass that provided him with access to the action, which had him madly posting on Facebook during the event, while specialists performed research backup at the office. 
 
The culmination of the 2017 show points allows us to start introducing the Top Dogs in our various disciplines over the next few weeks, then we head straight into our media blitz for the most popular breeds in Canada in 2017.  
 

A well-trained dog holds a universal appeal like no other. Dog obedience competitions and demonstrations are wildly popular at fairs and festivals across the country and many of us have fond memories of the spectacular stunts of Lassie, the Littlest Hobo, Winn-Dixie and Beethoven.

Throughout the history of humankind’s interaction with the dog, across the globe and for a multitude of functions, some degree of training has been part of this relationship. In the early days, it was to complement their ‘job,’ accompanying the hunter to retrieve game or tending to a shepherd’s flock.

 

The results have been verified, the scores have been tallied and the winner of the 2017 CKC Top Show Dog Award is all set to be announced via ckc.ca on February 12, 2018.
 
Established in 1963, the Top Dog Award is highly valued and anxiously anticipated by the Canadian purebred dog community. It’s the pinnacle, the ultimate prize for the country’s premier show dogs that arrives at the culmination of an entire year of competing at shows across the country.
 
How does it work? The Top Show Dogs system awards one point for every dog defeated from Best of Breed competition to Best in Show. The dog with the most points at the end of the year takes the title of CKC Top Dog. Top Dogs are ranked according to the Top 5 in each breed, the Top 10 in each group, and the Top 10 all breeds...