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Best in show

Nearly 400 dogs participate in FD Kennel Club Dog Show

-Messenger photo by Peter Kaspari Lissa Jacobson, of Salina, Kansas, brushes Milton, a West Highland white terrier, before going into the show ring at the Fort Dodge Kennel Club’s Dog Show Sunday.

There were plenty of furry good boys and girls this weekend at the Webster County Fairgrounds as dogs and their owners from across the country arrived to take part in the Fort Dodge Kennel Club’s Dog Show.

Hundreds of dogs from dozens of breeds participated in the show, which included obedience and rally shows.

Participating dogs included veterans of past shows and ones that were just starting out.

Julie Lux, of Kearney, Missouri, brought her 15-inch beagle, Drew, to compete in the show.

Drew already took part in Saturday’s trials, and he’s already well-known for his breed.

-Messenger photo by Peter Kaspari Dawn Harris, of South Amana, shows Gamble, a miniature American shepherd, during the Fort Dodge Kennel Club Dog Show Sunday.

“He is the No. 1 owner-handled 15-inch beagle in the country,” Lux said.

That particular breed of beagle is the bigger one, she said.

“He’s a fun dog to travel with,” Lux said.

Nick Hodge, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was showing a chihuahua named Prada for his friend, Chelsea Amend, also of Lincoln, Nebraska.

Prada won a trial on Saturday, and Hodge said they were hoping to repeat the performance on Sunday.

-Messenger photo by Peter Kaspari Cocker Spaniel Lexi, from Sumner, is brushed by Deb Podratz, of Hector, Minnesota, after the dog won best of breed Sunday at the Fort Dodge Kennel Club Dog Show.

However, there was something Prada needed to work on.

“Getting her tail up,” Hodge said. “She doesn’t like to put her tail up a lot.”

Dawn Harris, of South Amana, was proud to see her miniature American shepherd, Gamble, take the reserve ribbon in the herding breeds division.

“She’s just starting out,” Harris said of Gamble, but she said she’s impressed with how well the dog has done so far.

“She’s a pretty good mover,” Harris said. “She just needs to work on her time on the table.”

-Messenger photo by Peter Kaspari Judge Shalisa Neely, left, looks over Raindrop, a Papillon, as her trainer, Lou Ann King, of Solon, holds her still, at the Fort Dodge Kennel Club Dog Show Sunday.

Another fairly new participant in dog shows was Sprite, a Shetland sheepdog owned by Angie Curtis, of Weeping Water, Nebraska.

“She’s done a few shows,” Curtis said. “She’s still learning.”

Sprite has done very well in her shows so far, and Curtis said the dog will do anything for dog cookies.

“I’m very pleased with her,” she said. “Will work for cookies.”

Kay Johnson, president of the Fort Dodge Kennel Club, said she was happy with how the dog show turned out this year.

“It’s been very good,” she said. “The judges have done an awesome job by keeping them moving.”

Although some participants didn’t show up because of the hot weather, Johnson said “attendance is very good.”

She didn’t believe that there were any new breeds participating in this year’s show.

“But they sure have a wonderful group going,” she said.

In terms of awards, Johnson said there’s quite a bit the judges are paying attention to.

“A lot depends on how they can stack them and how they walk with them,” she said. “And their attention when they stop in front of the judges.”

What’s really impressed her is the fact that the dogs are very calm when their teeth are examined.

She went on to say that judges also check the physical body of the dog, especially in terms of size.

“They feel them all over to make sure they’ve got the right leg muscles and all of that,” Johnson said.

The Fort Dodge Kennel Club Dog Show is a great place for dog-lovers.

“It is great, though,” she said. “You’ve got to love dogs. You want to take them all home, but you can’t do that.”

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