Gone To The (Model) Dogs!

If you have a collection of model dogs or sculptures that sit gathering dust on your shelves you may be surprised to know that there is an alternative to simply collecting model dogs. You can take their pictures, and show them as a member of a model dog club.

Several internet groups are involved in the organisation and showing of model dogs and they are listed in the resource area at the end of this article.

Model dog collectors are those people who collect model dogs and related items. On the other hand, a model dog 'hobbyist' is someone who not only collects model dogs, but exhibits their dogs in photo shows.

To participate in these shows you send your photographs to a host to be judged based on the American Kennel Club breed standards as well as other well-known kennel clubs. The models are judged as if they were real dogs.

Model dogs can do anything a real dog can do which includes breeding ... but we call it "pedigree assignment". (For a copy of my model canine sire/dam list, just send me a 6 x 9 sixty cent stamped envelope so I can mail you a copy. My details are at the end of this article). And these model dogs do breed, you can ask any hobbyist!

It started about 15 years ago when I took my daughter, Angel, to a local riding stable. The owners did not mind people coming on the property to feed the horses. The first time I took Angel, it was love at first sight! Even though we could not own a horse she would collect any "horsey" looking object.

ShortStufs Song of Mecca - the model dog is a artist's resin by Gina Hall and painted by her. Doll and horse owned by Anne Olejniczak. This dog is one of my favorite models. ü Photo by Anne Olejniczak.

When Angel got a littler older, she started collecting the models made by Breyer Horses ¨. We found out about Breyerfest ¨ which Reeves International holds every July at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.

After meeting some model hobbyists Angel soon joined the Yahoo Groups Haynet, the group for model horse enthusiasts.

It was on the model horse message board that Leigh McDonald provided some information about model dog clubs and her message board modeldogs. I got excited, because here was a hobby for me and as the saying goes, the rest was history.

After joining modeldogs I found out about the newsletter Model Dog Hotline. My first intentions were to only receive the newsletter and not participate in the photo showing. That was until editor Liz Battista, told me about two china model dog Chihuahuas (the dog I raise, show and breed) she was selling.

I agreed to buy them and Liz offered to photograph the models before she sent them to me. When she sent me the pictures I was hooked.

Liz stopped being editor of the Model Dog Hotline in the early part of 2001. Jean Derench took over and renamed the newsletter The Model Dog Showers Reporter. She did a wonderful job for several years until health reasons forced her to give it up. As of January of this year, I am now the editor of the Model Dog Clubs GRRR-Zete. If you show model dogs in North America, you receive your subscription for free.

Cynthia's Indoor - this "interior" picture was taken by Cynthia Jameson. ü Cynthia Jameson

In 2002, I took over the Model Working and Herding Club. The club is still going strong and as been renamed the National Model Working and Herding Club AKA NMWHC. I never would have guessed almost five years ago that I would not only be a club president, but the editor of the model dog clubs newsletter. I am hoping that I have helped to promote this hobby.

Another person who has helped the hobby is Cynthia Jameson. She is the moderator and owner of the model dog message board now. She took over three of the clubs about the same time that I took over NMWHC: Non Sporting and Toy Club (NSAT), the Puppy Club (PC) and the American Model Terrier Club.

Cynthia has gone on to create three new clubs: International Kennel Club (IKC) for all breeds including those mixed and wild canine breeds; the Model Sporting Dog Club (MSDC) and the Model Hound Dog Club (MHDC). The other club is Dogs at Work and Games Club which was started by Kim Nader.

Starwinds Jolly Rogue owned by Claire Smith. This is a Breyer Pembroke Corgi painted by Marilyn Jensen. Jolly is shown as an adult dog. Photo ü Claire Smith.

One of my favorite models is my vintage Wire-haired Fox Terrier made by Albany Fine China. Two other models are customs by Gina Hall. One is an artist resin Saluki sculpted and painted by the artist, Gina Hall. The other is a portrait of a female Pembroke Welsh Corgi that belonged to Angel. I have had the best time scouting out places that sell model dogs in my area. As with any hobby, it can become expensive. I have had to budget myself over the years. I am excited that there are more canine model dog artists now and I guess you could say I am just excited about this hobby in general.

For those of you who decide to join us, the best way to learn about judging is to volunteer to host a model dog photo show. Not only can you check out your competition, but you get an idea of what is generally expected from the clubs that interest you.

There is more to it than just putting your model dog in front of a camera! We even do performance from Agility to obedience to hunting to costumes and more!

I am hoping with all the publicity that more people will join the free model dog photo clubs and the hobby will really take off again as it did the 1970s.

In December 2004, we had the first Model Dog West-Minster Show. It was a very big success and helped to raise money for the first issue of the GRRR-Zete. To check it out go to the Westminster results and drool over those nice dogs! There were 22 prizes given out for that show! The next Model Dog West-Minster will be in November 2005.

Not only do we show original finish (OF) models, but also customized models (CM), along with original sculptures (OS). Some of the well know canine artists are:
Terry Martin ModelDogs.Com, who sells on eBay as pikk43

To find out more about the model dog mail in clubs that are offered go to: http://www.imeha.org/dogclubs/dogreporter.html This web page will let you see all the dog clubs offered and the class lists.

You can also join the message board at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/modeldogs/

I would love to see the membership continue to grow. © Sallie Crowder George. For article reprints please contact Sallie direct. No reproduction allowed without appropriate copyright and credit given.