Happy 4th of July. Grand or not so grand champions…if the powers that be at the American Kennel Club thought that adding bronze, silver, gold and platinum to the grand champion title, why haven't they updated all of the dogs that qualify in their statistical results? After all, this was a come on to get champions back in the ring to compete, so why not acknowledge their success? While some question the need for a grand champion title many agree that the title grand champion has greater meaning than a champion of record by its placement in front of the champion title. Maybe the title could be moved to the end of the dog's registered name. As we all know there are grand champions that have never won a best of breed, so to give such importance to the grand champion title is a bit of an overreach. The end of an era…hard to believe that WALTER GOODMAN, former director of the American Kennel Club, is stepping down as the Delegate from the Skye Terrier Club of America…a position he has held for 35 years. EDDIE BOYES is home recovering from minor surgery. The recent wave of bad weather that had us cancelling dog shows in recent months has hit our English cousins as well. The Blackpool championship dog show was cancelled due to a horrific rainstorm. The same fate befell the show four years ago when wind ripped through the grounds taking the tenting with it. Plus this past weekend the storms that ripped the middle Atlantic states had the motor home exhibitors at the Richmond, Virginia shows evacuated into the show building. The WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB has gifted its 2012 official poster "HICKORY" to be auctioned off as a fundraiser by the AKC Canine Health Foundation. The original pen, ink and watercolor drawing is by artist CHRIS DUKE of the best in show winner and members of each of the seven groups of purebred dogs. The framed artwork measures 36" by 48". The opening bid is $2,000. And bids will be taken the entire month of July. For further information and to place a bid contact ERICA KITCHEN at 888.682.9696 or chfdonate@chf.org. All of us at DOG NEWS send our deepest sympathies to BARBARA OHMANN on the passing of her beloved mother MARY OHMANN earlier this week. BARBARA is the smiling face of the American Kennel Club traveling booth at the dog shows. Always helpful and ever ready to listen to every visitor to the booth, she is one of the kennel club's golden assets. All of us at DOG NEWS send our deepest sympathies to our old friend DEBBIE CAMPBELL and family on the loss of her beloved husband BILL last weekend. The CAMPBELL'S bred a line of successful English Cocker Spaniels under the Sandcastle prefix. Well known Poodle breeder ARLENE SCARDO passed away last week. Her Alrich prefix was behind some of the top winning Toy Poodles. Our deepest sympathies to her daughters LAURIE & MAUREEN and family. Best wishes on their wedding anniversaries to PAT & DON RODGERS and LAURA & CHARLIE COOMES. Happy Birthday greetings to MARIPI WOOLDRIDGE, BRUCE SCHWARTZ, JOSHUA DESROSIERS, BOB SHARP, PHYLLIS WRIGHT, DELORES BURKHOLDER, LINDA ROWELL, MARK THRELFALL, CANDY CARSWELL, MICHELLE STEELE, LAURA KING, JENNIE WORNALL, BILL DOTY, MATTHEW BETTIS and his dad JIMMY BETTIS, MARY ELLEN THOMAS, ROBIN GREENSLADE, KATHY MCINDOE, TERRI GALLE, TRACY SZARAS, HEIDI GERVAIS, FRED BASSETT and DANA GABEL.