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BREED COLUMNS

JUNE 2019

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VOLUME 136, NUMBER 6

BREED COLUMNS SCHEDULESporting and Working GroupsJanuary, April, July, and October issues

Hound and Terrier GroupsFebruary, May, August, and November issues

Toy, Non-Sporting, andHerding GroupsMarch, June, September, and December issues

PRESIDENT’S LETTER VIDEOS

SLIDESHOWTWIN CITIES VIZSLA

UPDATESMOURNING OUR OWN

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FEATUREFSS OPEN SHOWS

RINGSIDEJERSEY SHORE

CLUSTER

FSS:A SOLID

FOUNDATION

Toy Group

Non-Sporting Group

Brussels GriffonsCavalier King CharlesSpanielsChihuahuas

English Toy SpanielsItalian GreyhoundsMalteseMiniature Pinschers

PapillonsPekingesePomeraniansPugs

Bichons FrisesBoston TerriersChinese Shar-PeiChow Chows

DalmatiansFinnish SpitzFrench BulldogsLhasa Apsos

LöwchenPoodlesShiba InuTibetan Spaniels

Herding GroupAustralian Cattle DogsBearded ColliesBelgian MalinoisBelgian TervurenBriardsCanaan Dogs

Cardigan Welsh CorgisColliesEntlebucher MountainDogsFinnish LapphundsIcelandic Sheepdogs

Norwegian BuhundsOld English SheepdogsPembroke WelshCorgis

PulikSpanish Water Dogs

Editors’ note: It occurred to us that in recent issues we have paid scant attention to the breeds of the FoundationStock Service (FSS), the AKC recordkeeping program for rare-breed clubs and their members. This month, we hopeto rectify that lapse with back-to-back feature stories about rare breeds and the FSS.

On an idyllic hobby farm nestled in the lush country of Covington, Louisiana, fanciers ofBelgium’s oldest and rarest sheepdog gathered in early April for the 12th AmericanBelgian Laekenois Association National Sweepstakes and Specialty Show.

Belgian Laekenois from six countries competed in AKC FSS/Miscellaneous shows hosted by theMississippi Gulf Coast KC, the Mudi Club of America, and the American Belgian LaekenoisAssociation. The shows provided a marvelous opportunity for rare breed owners to compete withtheir dogs, and allowed spectators the chance to meet a Pyrenean Mastiff, Mudi, Wire-haired DutchShepherd, Swedish Vallhund, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, and, of course, a Laekenois.More than just a “gathering of the Laeken clan,” events included working dog tests that cleverorganizers had scheduled to occur back-to-back in one location, Wonderdog Farms owned by ShellySpotswood, herself an AKC herding judge.The tests attracted owners who came from points beyond for the chance to put a Farm DogCertification (FDC), Canine Good Citizen (CGC), Herding Dog title, and/or AmericanTemperament Test Society Qualification (ATTS) title on their dog. In addition to rare breeds, famil-iar “faces” belonging to Rottweilers, Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, a Belgian Sheepdog, andAustralian Cattle Dog also participated in the tests. Watching the proceedings with a protective eyeas she wandered the perimeters was Stella, an imperturbable working Akbash Dog who allowed the

BayouBelgiansLaekenois fanciers gather in Louisiana for competition, education, and a big pot of crawfish. Ayeee!

By Susi Szeremy | Photos by Perren Photography Studio

FEATURE

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on the

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visitors to herd “her” sheep,ducks, and goats during herd-ing dog tests.Unlike many national spe-cialty weekends, the dress ofthe day was strictly “workingcasual” as more often thannot, Belgian Laekenoisexhibitors ran out of the herd-ing arena where judges, LouisE. Thompson and RobertMcKowen, DVM, evaluatedinstinct and ability, andstraight into the conformationring, often with only seconds tospare. As a testament to thebreed’s versatility, the dogs(some of whom had handlerchanges on the fly) didn’t missa beat, and 38 titles overallwere awarded. The dogs weregame to move on to the nextactivity even as their ownerspaused to catch their breath.

AROUND THE RINGSThe National Specialty con-formation ring on Saturdaywas equally rigorous. JudgeSamantha Niemeck judgedSweepstakes not just in young-

sters, but for working-titledand herding-titled BelgianLaekenois, as well. Her BestPuppy was Phantom’s KinkyBoots, and Best Working TitleDog in Sweeps went toSinanju’s Bejla of Quint, RA,RATM, BCAT, CGC. TheBest Herding Titled Dog,Sinanju’s Naga Jolokia ofSunny, CM, PT, was alsonamed Best in GrandSweepstakes.In the regular classes, Mr.Malcome E. Moore’s pick forBest of Breed came out of theOpen Class, a dog named, JetSpirit of Land, CM, PT. Bestof Opposite Sex also came outof the Open Class in Bitches,Sinanju’s Naga Jolokia ofSunny, CM, PT. Twelve to fif-teen month puppy dog, CalCurly Coats Travelin’ Band S,DM, BCAT, was named SelectDog, while Select Bitch wentto Phantom’s Kinky Boots,who had won Best inMiscellaneous group and Bestin Open show earlier in theday.

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Handling a Swedish-breddog, Vianne Sadie RoseCurrier, from the OpenSenior, 15 and Under 18 Yearsclass, was named Best JuniorShowmanship.Throughout the weekend,the Belgian Laekenois repre-sented. On Friday, SergeantBravo Avoir Du Cachet, FCD,won Best in Miscellaneous andBest in Open at MississippiGulf Coast Kennel Club’sOpen Show. On Saturday, the AmericanBelgian Laekenois AssociationOpen Show judged by LynetteStewart saw Best inMiscellaneous and Best inOpen Show won by BelgianLaekenois, Phantom’s KinkyBoots, and Judge Letty LarsonLafong awarded Best inMiscellaneous Group toBelgian Laekenois, Pilote PriveD’Eroudur NRAT in theMudi Club of America OpenShow.The fine showing continuedon Sunday when judge SandraFikes named Sinanju’s Naga

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Jolokia of Sunny, CM, PT, herchoice for Best inMiscellaneous Group and Bestin Open Show, and during theMudi Club of America’sOpen show judged by RuthStewart, Best in Miscellaneousand Best in Open Show wasagain won by the BelgianLaekenois, Sinanju’s NagaJolokia of Sunny, CM, PT.

PRAISE THE DOGS ANDPASS THE GUMBOThe three-day weekend,

named “Herd Ewe Down theBayou,” wasn’t all competitionand testing. Critical to evaluat-ing a breed is to understand itsfunction and how its confor-mation enables the dog to doits job. Both Pyrenean Mastiffand Belgian Laekenois fanciersoffered well-attended judges’education seminars for theirrespective breeds. Nor was the weekend allwork and no play. AsLouisianans like to say, foodand friendship together is

essential to life, and so it wasthat each midday, judging andtesting stopped, and attendeesgathered to enjoy a mouth-watering spread of Creole andCajun specialties prepared byChef Buddy Dantin. FromPasta Sardou, Louisianagumbo, and Shrimp Creole, toCatfish Courbillion and CornMachoux, authentic cuisinecould only be improved by glo-rious weather, and exhibitorshad both. The culinary highpoint of the four days came in

the form of a good old-fash-ioned crawfish boil. Ample-sized crawfish were servedwith savory sausages, butterycorn on the cob, and tenderpotatoes. ExperiencedLouisianans taught the “rook-ies” among them how to eat acrawfish, and more than onespirited discussion on propertechnique was held over atable groaning under theweight of food. If cuisine was a memorableaspect of the weekend for

FEATURE

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FEATURE

guests, the Parade ofTitleholders was surely anemotional moment one forBelgian Laekenois fanciers.Only 286 Belgian Laekenoisare registered with the AKC,and 14 of them participatingin the parade had 90 titlesamong them! These titles rep-resent nearly all dog sports inthe United States, a vivid dis-play of the Belgian Laekenois’remarkable versatility. In addi-tion to myriad performancetitles, many of the dogs alsohad multiple Bests in Showand High in Trial achieve-ments to their credit.

In New Orleans, “SecondLine Parades” are a commonoccurrence. They honor thosewho have passed on, and fewobservers had a dry eye afterhonoring the memory ofLaekens who were loved andremembered. “Herd Ewe Down theBayou” was a spectacularevent that illustrated all thatthe tousle-haired Laekenois is:inquisitive and intelligent,loyal, and flexible, athletic, andin full possession of a wickedsense of humor. There weredemonstrations of devotion,adaptability, a determination

n Belgian Laekenois is pronounced Lack-in-wah. Thebreed is sometimes referred to as “The Forgotten Belgian.”

n History/Background: The Laekenois is the fourth andoldest of all of the Belgian herders. The breed originatedin the village of Laeken, outside of Brussels, circa 1885.

n Lineage can be found in the background of the Bouvierand the Dutch Shepherd.

n The breed was utilized not only has a proficient herderbut a guardian of the flax fields, protecting the linens dry-ing in the fields.

n Description: “A Belgian is a Belgian is a Belgian.” Thisis a square dog with a very distinctive coat of coarse,

rough appearance and texture. The coat must be wiry,never soft nor silky. This is the main difference from theother three Belgians.

n An extremely intelligent dog, training is imperative butmust positive. This is a thinking breed. Loyal to their own-ers, they can be aloof and protective in nature.

n The Laekenois excels in all areas of herding, conforma-tion, agility, scent work, Barn Hunt, tracking, weight pulll,therapy, search-and-rescue and police work. They can doit all!

n This is not a breed for everyone. Careful decision mak-ing is critical when deciding to bring a Laekenois into yourfamily. They need a job and require time and attention. Doyour homework!

Here are a few bullet points provided by our friends atthe American Belgian Laekenois Association.Belgian Bullets

to preserve, and a drive toserve, even if there were timeswhen it was challenging toidentify who presented theattributes most vividly, theLaekenois, or the people whotreasure them. For now, muchof the public is still unaware

that Belgium has a fourthsheepdog, but the appealingLaekenois is not a breed likelyto stay in the shadows forlong.—S.S.

Susi Szeremy created NationalPurebred Dog Day in 2013 to

help restore balance to the conver-sation about purebred dog owner-ship and heritage breeding. Shehas written for Dogs inReview, ShowSight, theAKC, the AKC GAZETTE, Dogsin Canada, Sight and ScentHound Magazine, and many

other publications. In 2009, sheestablished the social-media pres-ence for the Westminster KC dogshow, which she administereduntil 2014. A Puli fancier since1978, Susi has shown her dogsto multiple group and specialtywins.