The Gossip Column: January 9, 2026

With this new year, comes three new breeds joining the 202 recognized breeds by the American Kennel Club bringing the total to 205. Joining and now competing in the Hound Group  is the BASSET FAUVE DE BRETAGNE and now in the Toy Group is the RUSSIAN TSVETNAYA BOLOGNA and now in the Terrier Group is the TEDDY ROOSEVELT TERRIER, named after our 26th President of the United States of America THEODORE ROOSEVELT, who is buried right down the road from my home near Sagamore Hill, the first Summer Whitehouse that is a National Landmark. While the Breeder of the Year was the very deserving AMY RUTHERFORD with her Smooth Fox Terrier that is co-owned by BARBARA MILLER and PETER HOLSON there are other Breeders of the Year by Sport. The recipients are in Pointing Breed Field Events RICK HOPKINS and BRENDA ROE’S German Shorthaired Pointers, Retriever Field Events MARK MENZIES’ Labrador Retrievers. Field Spaniel Events RICHARD PAQUIN’S English Springer Spaniels, Hound Field Events JILL CHIDLOW KEIM and BETHANY CHIDLOW KEIM’S Dachshunds, Herding Shepherds DAWNA and MEGAN SIMS’ Australian Shepherds, Lure Coursing EDWARD and SELMA KOMINEK’S Afghan Hounds, Earth Dog MARYELLEN MOEHLER’S Border Terrier, Coonhounds MIKE GUTHRIE and LOGAN RAY’S Treeing Walker Coonhounds, Agility MICHAEL and PAMELA KORCEK’S Shetland Sheepdogs, Obedience KATHRYN WILLIS’ Golden Retrievers. Rally NANCY WARD’S German Shorthaired Pointers and Tracking DEE DEE and BILLY ANDERSON’S Golden Retrievers. As WESTMINSTER is nearly upon us and you are making plans for thongs to do outside of the dog show, consider visiting the DOG MUSUEM, celebrating the WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB with a special exhibition of THE LIFE OF A SHOW DOG: CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF WESTMINSTER. The museum is located at 101 Park Avenue, just a short walk from the Grand Central Railroad Station. All of us at DOG NEWS were pleased and excited to hear that our office manager DARLENE BELLO’S daughter LAUREN is expecting her first child later this year. But none more excited than DARLENE. As of Friday, January second the final official numbers from the American Kennel Club have yet to be tabulated for the two remaining top winners in the Working and Toy groups. A nail-biter for sure. All of us at DOG NEWS were very sad to hear of the passing of Heidi Martin. Heidi comes from a family steeped in purebred dogs from her late parents Barbara and judge Don Martin and her brothers, retired professional handler and now judge Bryan and judge Peter Martin. Heidi was a successful and accomplished artist whose works hang in the homes of many of us, but like many artists, Heidi rarely seemed to find contentment in her life. She passed away at the home of her stepmother judge Edna Martin. We send our deepest condolences to the entire Martin family at this very sad time.