Forty-five Scotties – hoping to follow in Sadie’s paw steps – showed up for the organization’s 33rd annual show at the Dayton International Airport’s Exposition Center on Saturday, April 3.
Events included a morning sweepstakes for puppies judged by Martina Werner of Mundersbach, Germany, and an afternoon sweepstakes for adult dogs judged by Madison M. Weeks of Jacksonville, Fla. Participants came from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. The Best of Breed winner was Anstamm Wild Card, owned by Edwin, Marilyn and Kimberly Lindsay of Springfield.
In the Rescue Parade, honor was paid to 12 abandoned dogs and the individuals who have taken them in as foster parents or permanently adopted them. Cliff Norman, rescue coordinator for the group, said there are a variety of reasons that the dogs are given up.
“It could be a change in economics for the family or a change of health,” he said. “Sometimes people will buy a Scottie and later realize the breed isn’t for them.”
Elaine Wallace of Quincy, Ill., wasn’t showing this year, but always attends the Dayton show. Her Scottie, Orion, who came with her, is a retired champion who now works as a therapy dog at hospitals, cancer centers and schools.
Wallace said dogs saved her from an unhappy childhood.
“Dogs would never hurt me and were my constant companion,” she recalled. Wallace rescued her first dog at the age of three when she realized the town sheriff — with rifle in hand — was searching for a stray who had been roaming the streets. She hid the dog under her porch.
“We heard the shot just as my mother got me in the back door,” said Wallace.
Cooke, who was stationed in Dayton while serving in the Air Force, said she likes Scotties because they are independent thinkers.
“It’s more like having a friend than a dog,” she explained. “They occasionally disagree with you and you can’t force them to do anything. You have to make them want to do it.”
For more information: www.stcgd.com.
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