SHIP :: Features

by Kathleen M. Mangan

Above, both Katherine and Cara Mia watch the competition from the same perspective.

Katherine enjoys a quiet moment with her two champions. Dario, on the left, took a surprising best of breed as a puppy. Cara Mia, right, took two rankings that same weekend.

Dario, a big, seven-month-old Spinose Italiano with an adorable fuzzy face, is having a great day. It’s his very first dog show, and he is enjoying a lot of attention by winning against established champions. He wins best of breed, and progresses to the Sporting Group competition, the semifinals in the Eukanuba dog show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, among the biggest shows in the country. It’s Dario’s shot at stardom since the final rounds are nationally televised.

“It’s an honor to go into the group ring,” says Dario’s breeder-owner Katherine Cooker, adding that few puppies make it to the final rounds. Cooker, ’81-’00m, is one of many alumni who devote time and energy to breeding, training, competing with and celebrating canine companions.

Dario easily trots around the ring with his handler, but gets distracted watching the TV cameras go up and down, and then is unsettled by the sparkling sequins on the judge’s jacket. He loses to an English Springer Spaniel, but the judge says she likes his spunk. “This is an exciting start to Dario’s career,” says Cooker.

Just a few months later, the fuzz-faced dog earned his championship title, and is now registered as Ch. di Parma Dario di Bionda. “I’ve worked to establish a line of dogs that are excellent examples of the Spinose Italiano breed and win championships,” explains Cooker, who currently has five adult Spinones, plus a litter of eight puppies. She’s also training these rare Italian bird dogs in the field, and plans to pursue hunting titles. “I want my dogs to be well-rounded,” she says. “Plus, it’s fun to work together in the field.”

Suzanne gives a pat of encouragement to one of her younger rough-coat Collies. As a coordinator of the Harrisburg show, she goes over details with her mom, Marion Benchoff ’69 (below), a volunteer at the information booth.

Suzanne Benchoff ’93M, knows the thrill of winning—she had the number one Collie in the country for two years in a row. She fell in love with Collies while watching Lassie, and got her first puppy at age five. She’s had Collies in her life ever since. “I wanted a kennel full of Collies,” Benchoff says, adding that she has nine of the rough-coated variety now. “They’re bright, empathetic and sensitive.”

Benchoff says she loves the scientific and artistic aspects of dog breeding and showing. “My goal is to work with the bloodlines to produce the most beautiful Collies ever seen that are also healthy and have nice temperaments. Then I spend time to groom them so they look gorgeous,” she explains. It takes her about six hours to groom a Collie to compete in the show ring. “The only way to evaluate your efforts is by presenting your dogs to show judges,” she adds. Benchoff has also been deeply involved in the Collie club and in show organization over the years.

Collies are well suited to therapy work, says Benchoff, who takes her gentle dogs to visit schools and nursing homes. She is currently developing a read-to-a-dog program for children based on research showing that it helps reading scores by reducing performance anxiety. “The program combines my expertise in social work, psychology and education with my passion for dogs,” she explains.

Terry Hilton ’80, has had dogs all her life, but entered the show circuit six years ago after she joined her local kennel club and found a show-quality Labrador Retriever puppy. “I wanted something fun to do with my dogs. It changed my life dramatically,” says Hilton. Now she lives with four Labs and a Rottweiler, travels to a dog show once a month, takes her vacations around dog events, plans strategy to campaign her dogs, and works with them on show and obedience skills.

“Showing takes a commitment of time and money,” says Hilton. She explains that the Labrador Retriever class is extremely competitive since it is the most popular breed in the American Kennel Club. Two of her dogs have earned championship titles. “Thankfully, Labs are wash-and-wear dogs that don’t require much grooming,” says Hilton.

Beyond showing, Hilton is also involved in other sports and activities with her dogs, including obedience, rally obedience, hunting, and therapy work at local nursing homes. “Labs are so smart and attentive,” she explains. “They like to have something to do; it keeps them busy and makes them feel gratified.” She works on obedience training with the dogs every day hoping to get them to the level where they follow hand signals off lead. “There’s nothing like partnering with an animal,” she says. She also enjoys meeting people with the same interests.

Jamie Gable Alt ’98, wanted to try a new sport, so she took her Pug to an agility class to see how she would do. “She did great; she’s very fit and speedy,” says Alt. Now both of her Pugs, Daisy and Snickers, compete in agility and often win events. Alt is a member of an agility-training club with an indoor facility, and practices with the dogs once a week to reinforce skills. “It can take years of work to get to the top level of the sport,” adds Alt, who trained her dogs for a year and-a-half before she started to compete with them.

“I like agility because it’s more active, requiring me to run beside the dog guiding it through the obstacle course,” explains Alt. “It’s fun to watch the dogs leap over jumps, and zoom through chutes and tunnels, following commands at high speed. Pugs are bouncy, springy dogs.” She adds that she enjoys giving the dogs her time and attention, and bonding with them through the sport. “My dogs love it; their tails are up and curled the entire time. It gives them something to do so they’re not bored,” she says.

David Hoover ’73-’77M, got his Golden Retriever, Chandra, involved in agility to challenge her. “She’s so intelligent. It’s fascinating to see her learn new commands and perform at higher levels,” says Hoover. “It only takes Chandra one or two tries to learn a new skill like jumping through a hanging tire. I’m the one who has difficulty learning new hand signals and commands to guide her through the course. She really enjoys the sport.”

Chandra, like Hoover’s other Golden Retriever, Rhea, was bred to be a guide dog for the blind. Hoover took on the puppies to raise for The Seeing Eye, teaching them basic commands and exposing them to public areas. At one-year-old, they were sent to the academy for formal training. “It breaks your heart to give them away, but it’s for a good purpose,” says Hoover. However, the dogs didn’t make it through the training program, and were returned to the family. “The dogs keep us fulfilled now that the kids are out of the house,” he says. “They’re members of the family. They never complain, and they’re always pleased to be around you.”

Barbara Emmett ’75, changed her entire career after a special Golden Retriever named Jackson Godfrey, a rescue dog, entered her life. She walked away from a high-powered job in the IT world to open a dog gift shop. “I fell in love with my dog and then the whole dog lifestyle,” says Emmett. “Now I get to talk dogs all day with my customers.” Jackson Godfrey works with her at the shop as official greeter, typically with a dog toy in his mouth. “Dogs give us comfort, peace, and joy.” Emmett, says, “This is so much more than a business for me; it comes from a deeper place.”

It just shows, as Hoover says, “Dogs are wonderful companions.”

Kathleen is a freelance writer living in Maryland.




			by Kathleen M. Mangan Above, both Katherine and Cara Mia watch the competition from the same perspective. Katherine enjoys a quiet moment with her two champions. Dario, on the left, took a surprising best of breed as a puppy. Cara Mia, right, took two rankings that same weekend. Dario, a big, seven-month-old Spinose Italiano with an adorable fuzzy face, is having a great day. It’s his very first dog show, and he is enjoying a lot of attention by winning against established champions. He wins best of breed, and progresses to the Sporting Group competition, the semifinals in the Eukanuba dog show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, among the biggest shows in the country. It’s Dario’s shot at stardom since the final rounds are nationally televised. “It’s an honor to go into the group ring,” says Dario’s breeder-owner Katherine Cooker, adding that few puppies make it to the final rounds. Cooker, ’81-’00m, is one of many alumni who devote time and energy to breeding, training, competing with and celebrating canine companions. Dario easily trots around the ring with his handler, but gets distracted watching the TV cameras go up and down, and then is unsettled by the sparkling sequins on the judge’s jacket. He loses to an English Springer Spaniel, but the judge says she likes his spunk. “This is an exciting start to Dario’s career,” says Cooker. Just a few months later, the fuzz-faced dog earned his championship title, and is now registered as Ch. di Parma Dario di Bionda. “I’ve worked to establish a line of dogs that are excellent examples of the Spinose Italiano breed and win championships,” explains Cooker, who currently has five adult Spinones, plus a litter of eight puppies. She’s also training these rare Italian bird dogs in the field, and plans to pursue hunting titles. “I want my dogs to be well-rounded,” she says. “Plus, it’s fun to work together in the field.” Suzanne gives a pat of encouragement to one of her younger rough-coat Collies. As a coordinator of the Harrisburg show, she goes over details with her mom, Marion Benchoff ’69 (below), a volunteer at the information booth. Suzanne Benchoff ’93M, knows the thrill of winning—she had the number one Collie in the country for two years in a row. She fell in love with Collies while watching Lassie, and got her first puppy at age five. She’s had Collies in her life ever since. “I wanted a kennel full of Collies,” Benchoff says, adding that she has nine of the rough-coated variety now. “They’re bright, empathetic and sensitive.” Benchoff says she loves the scientific and artistic aspects of dog breeding and showing. “My goal is to work with the bloodlines to produce the most beautiful Collies ever seen that are also healthy and have nice temperaments. Then I spend time to groom them so they look gorgeous,” she explains. It takes her about six hours to groom a Collie to compete in the show ring. “The only way to evaluate your efforts is by presenting your dogs to show judges,” she adds. Benchoff has also been deeply involved in the Collie club and in show organization over the years. Collies are well suited to therapy work, says Benchoff, who takes her gentle dogs to visit schools and nursing homes. She is currently developing a read-to-a-dog program for children based on research showing that it helps reading scores by reducing performance anxiety. “The program combines my expertise in social work, psychology and education with my passion for dogs,” she explains. Terry Hilton ’80, has had dogs all her life, but entered the show circuit six years ago after she joined her local kennel club and found a show-quality Labrador Retriever puppy. “I wanted something fun to do with my dogs. It changed my life dramatically,” says Hilton. Now she lives with four Labs and a Rottweiler, travels to a dog show once a month, takes her vacations around dog events, plans strategy to campaign her dogs, and works with them on show and obedience skills. “Showing takes a commitment of time and money,” says Hilton. She explains that the Labrador Retriever class is extremely competitive since it is the most popular breed in the American Kennel Club. Two of her dogs have earned championship titles. “Thankfully, Labs are wash-and-wear dogs that don’t require much grooming,” says Hilton. Beyond showing, Hilton is also involved in other sports and activities with her dogs, including obedience, rally obedience, hunting, and therapy work at local nursing homes. “Labs are so smart and attentive,” she explains. “They like to have something to do; it keeps them busy and makes them feel gratified.” She works on obedience training with the dogs every day hoping to get them to the level where they follow hand signals off lead. “There’s nothing like partnering with an animal,” she says. She also enjoys meeting people with the same interests. Jamie Gable Alt ’98, wanted to try a new sport, so she took her Pug to an agility class to see how she would do. “She did great; she’s very fit and speedy,” says Alt. Now both of her Pugs, Daisy and Snickers, compete in agility and often win events. Alt is a member of an agility-training club with an indoor facility, and practices with the dogs once a week to reinforce skills. “It can take years of work to get to the top level of the sport,” adds Alt, who trained her dogs for a year and-a-half before she started to compete with them. “I like agility because it’s more active, requiring me to run beside the dog guiding it through the obstacle course,” explains Alt. “It’s fun to watch the dogs leap over jumps, and zoom through chutes and tunnels, following commands at high speed. Pugs are bouncy, springy dogs.” She adds that she enjoys giving the dogs her time and attention, and bonding with them through the sport. “My dogs love it; their tails are up and curled the entire time. It gives them something to do so they’re not bored,” she says. David Hoover ’73-’77M, got his Golden Retriever, Chandra, involved in agility to challenge her. “She’s so intelligent. It’s fascinating to see her learn new commands and perform at higher levels,” says Hoover. “It only takes Chandra one or two tries to learn a new skill like jumping through a hanging tire. I’m the one who has difficulty learning new hand signals and commands to guide her through the course. She really enjoys the sport.” Chandra, like Hoover’s other Golden Retriever, Rhea, was bred to be a guide dog for the blind. Hoover took on the puppies to raise for The Seeing Eye, teaching them basic commands and exposing them to public areas. At one-year-old, they were sent to the academy for formal training. “It breaks your heart to give them away, but it’s for a good purpose,” says Hoover. However, the dogs didn’t make it through the training program, and were returned to the family. “The dogs keep us fulfilled now that the kids are out of the house,” he says. “They’re members of the family. They never complain, and they’re always pleased to be around you.” Barbara Emmett ’75, changed her entire career after a special Golden Retriever named Jackson Godfrey, a rescue dog, entered her life. She walked away from a high-powered job in the IT world to open a dog gift shop. “I fell in love with my dog and then the whole dog lifestyle,” says Emmett. “Now I get to talk dogs all day with my customers.” Jackson Godfrey works with her at the shop as official greeter, typically with a dog toy in his mouth. “Dogs give us comfort, peace, and joy.” Emmett, says, “This is so much more than a business for me; it comes from a deeper place.” It just shows, as Hoover says, “Dogs are wonderful companions.” Kathleen is a freelance writer living in Maryland.