REDDAWN’S ROGUE WAVE...

Doing It Au Naturel :-)

Our Rogue is just a special dog to us. From the beginning of his show career to now, people always come up to say "I love your dog," "We're so glad you didn't crop," "Here is a show dog you can pet, his ears are down," "We didn't want to crop but the breeder did," are just some of the comments people make. This is the way they are born! Rogue has many fans that come up for "kisses" before he goes in the ring and also some who travel a distance to see him at shows.

Bill and I started entering Rogue in shows as a "fun" thing to do. He was already socialized and just loves everyone. Then after a few shows, I said to Bill, this really seems political! But Rogue’s very first Reserve Winners Dog was just sweet and I was in the ring with him for that. Then he would take his class and we would just be very excited. Until last year when a Judge came up to Bill and me after the Boxers were finished being judged and said "There is no reason your dog can't finish." Looking at me he said "Either you take a handling class or put him in one, he has the best head and top line I've seen." I certainly didn't want to tell that judge we had finished a class under a very prominent instructor, who, by the way, always addressed me as "ma'am with the Boxer."

So we thought we would get a handler. Rogue always sought out Tina Camp at every dog show we went to. So after speaking with the judge, we went to ask Tina if she would take on a new client with "Natural Ears." We never saw anyone get so obviously happy about taking on another dog. Bill and I were very excited, too. At the next two shows, Tina and Rogue were a magical team. At the Hatboro Dog Show, Rogue was Winners Dog and the very next day (Tina's Birthday) at the Devon Dog Show, Winners Dog and Best of Winners. Cheers and congratulations were non-stop. He even received congratulations cards in the mail. When we sent Rogue’s first win picture to the Judge from Sweden, we immediately received a post card with a "Thank you for the photo - good luck with the remaining points."

Unfortunately, at the next show, the South Jersey Kennel Club, sweet turned to sour: The judge, Mrs. Loraine Boutwell of Kansas City, MO (and by the way her husband was in the ring with her standing in a far corner from me), stood center ring, motioned for Tina and Rogue to come forward, said "I don't judge natural ears," and excused them from the ring! There were shouts from ringside, but no AKC rep was there and Bill and I were absolutely mortified. Tina and I immediately went to the show superintendent to file a complaint. That certainly allowed us to vent, but nothing was ever done. We were pretty discouraged.

Rogue and Diego Garcia

But then we went to a show in Wildwood and took a Reserve win, and were encouraged all over again. At the beginning of 2001, Rogue took back-to-back RWD's in Wilmington. Then we went to a show in Ludwig's Corner, and another Judge - Mr. W. Everett Dean, Jr. (Provisional for Boxers) of Richmond, VA, told Tina he didn't judge natural ears, and Rogue was excused a second time. Only this time I was furious, absolutely so furious I made them stop judging until the AKC rep came to the ring. I just wanted to ask him When was the last time you didn't do your job and got paid?! We pay a fee to enter our dogs, the least the judges can do is JUDGE!! He apologized but could not come up with the current standard. The judge just laughed at the ring steward and said I just excused another dog like that two weeks ago. However, the judge in the next ring didn't appreciate the excusal and told Mr. Dean that what he did was unnecessary.

When Tina took a vacation, we asked Diego Garcia if he would like show Rogue for us. We are so thankful he did. We are absolutely grateful to both of our handlers, they are very special people to us. Diego took Rogue into the ring for a first time around, Reserve Winners Dog, we were very pleased. Then he asked us to take him to a show in Western Pennsylvania and again he took a Reserve Win. I was absolutely elated. Then we received the phone call no one wants to get: Tina had broken her leg!! Thank goodness we had asked Diego to show for us, too. He took our boy in two weeks ago for Winners Dog and Best of Winners. Thank you Diego and Thank you Tina. Rogue has 6 points and 6 RWD's to date. We are looking forward to upcoming shows in which Diego will be handling him for us.

We appreciate all the support we receive from everyone and especially from Dawn Ward for breeding such a wonderful boy and always telling us head up and chest out! And of course to Tina and Diego for the extraordinary way they handle Rogue. He is really such a special dog, he will always be a champion in our hearts!

ROGUE’S SHOW RECORD

• 8/14/99 RWD Sand & Sea KC Lt. Col. Wm. Garvey, CT

• 10/6/00 WD Hatboro Dog Club, Paul Stanton, Sweden

• 10/7/00 WD/BOW Devon Dog Show Assoc., Richard M. Chashoudian, LA

• 12/2/00 RWD Boardwalk KC John FS Fabian, CN

• 4/27/01 RWD Wilmington KC Dr. David H. Abraham, CT

• 4/28/01 RWD Wilmington KC Clifford W. Steele, NY

• 5/28/01 RWD Union County KC Cecilia Ringstrom, CN

• 6/23/01 RWD South Hills KC Inc. Robert S. Forsyth, NC

• 8/10/01 WD/BOW Burlington County KC, Lt. Col. Charles W. Ruppert, FL

• FLASH!  One more win for Rogue!! He took Winners Dog at the Westchester Kennel Club - New York Boxer Club's Specialty September 9 in Tarrytown, NY for 2 points!!