This brought tears to my eyes. Yes, this is what it is all about, this hobby of ours. I am going to Westminster next year, for my 60th birthday, come heck or high water!! It has been a lifelong dream of mine. My father, born in 1897 in NYC, told me so many stories of the Garden. He saw the famous My Brucie win one of his BIS there and went out and bought a My Brucie son, the first of many cockers, some later ones with whom I had the pleasure of sharing my youth. I am forever grateful to my Dad for giving me my love of, and appreciation of, purebred dogs and Thoroughbred horses...he also saw Man O'War run at Belmont. Westminster Rules!!! Paula, 244 days and counting ----Original Message Follows---- Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 17:33:57 -0500 From: Peggy <pmick12@xxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: guess who doesn't like THIS?!?!?!?! from the Westminster blog: BUY DOGS FROM A BREEDER The Westminster Kennel Club continues to firmly believe and advocate that the best source for a puppy or adult dog for your family will always be those responsible breeders who produce puppies with the goal of improving the health and physical traits of that breed. To accomplish that, responsible breeders continuously study their pedigrees and breeding stock, do health checks on all of their dogs involved, properly raise and socialize their puppies, and stand behind their puppies. Responsible breeders are proud of their dogs and participate in activities and organizations that further their knowledge of their breed and their dogs. As we have for many years during our televised broadcast, The Westminster Kennel Club will continue to make the following announcement: "If you are planning to add a dog to your life and have come to look over the best of the best, please note, no dog you have seen here (yesterday or today) came from a pet shop, or was the 'product', if you will, of a puppy mill. If you want a dog, go to the people who care - the dedicated specialty breeders who have made dogs like those you see here - a lifetime effort. Talk dogs with dog people who care and understand." ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2007. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - www.showgsd.org ============================================================================