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Sunflower Kennel Club |
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The Sunflower Kennel Club of Olathe, Kansas, Inc., is a nonprofit corporation with members dedicated to dog fancy. SKC is an all-breed club with exhibitor and fancier members owning a variety of dog breeds, from the Keeshond, Bouvier des Flandres and Chihuahua, to the Papillon, Portuguese Water Dog, Chinese Shar Pei and Basenji, and many other breeds in between. Among the members, more than 70 breeds are represented in the club. History - The club was formed in the 1980s and began its early days known as The Sunflower Kennel Club of Shawnee, Kan. It officially became a not-for-profit organization on May 1, 1986 and on March 13, 1988, the club amended its name to The Sunflower Kennel Club of Olathe, Kan., Inc. reflecting its base of operations. In 1990, the American Kennel Club (AKC) sanctioned the Sunflower Kennel Club and licensed it in 1994. The SKC’s first official dog show was held on Oct. 1, 1994. Meetings - The club holds monthly meetings, generally on the second Monday every month. Our membership page has the time and location. Visitors are always welcome, as are well-behaved dogs. Shows, Matches and Trials - The club launches the year with an Agility Trial in January, usually held in Lawrence, Kan. In May, at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, Gardner, Kan., the club sponsors an AKC-licensed all-breed dog show weekend along with Obedience Trials and Rally. Specialty shows are also held on the Friday of the show weekend. A sanctioned Match is held in September for novice handlers and for experienced exhibitors preparing puppies for the show ring. Education - The club is active providing continuing-education programs for dog owners of all levels with seminars, training classes, guest speakers and community-education events. Occasionally, members along with their dogs gather to represent the club by participating in local parades. Training & Classes - The club offers numerous training classes for both members and nonmembers. The classes include Junior Showmanship, novice conformation handling, conformation for both floor and table dogs, puppy socialization and training, beginning obedience, novice obedience and a Beginner's Guide to Dog Shows. All classes are held on Monday nights and most classes last for eight weeks. All classes are taught by experienced dog handlers and trainers. Most classes have limited enrollment and preregistration is advised. The Canine Good Citizen certification evaluation is held free of charge on the last night of the Beginning Obedience class. For more CGC information, please read below. Canine Good Citizen - The club believes that all dogs, regardless of breed or size, should be polite, well-mannered family members. A well-trained dog makes a fantastic family pet. The American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification is a 10-point evaluation of a dog, testing the dog's training and ability to follow basic obedience commands. It is often a first step for dog owners to take before launching into other dog-related activities. The test is a pass-or-fail evaluation. It challenges the dog to follow its handler's commands, such as sit, stay, down and heel, as well as the dog's ability to remain under the handler's control around strangers, unfamiliar dogs and situations. It's an excellent certification for all dog owners to achieve with their dogs. The CGC test is administered free of charge by an AKC-certified evaluator on the last night of Beginning Obedience class. Legislation - The SKC takes an active position against puppy-mill practices through its support of legislation regarding those operations, as well as taking an interest in zoning, vicious dog laws and hobby-breeder regulations. The club has contacts in the Kansas Kennel Club Association and the American Dog Owners Association. Fun - Every year members take time to enjoy fellowship with each other at the club's holiday parties and its traditional "Westminster Watch," held in lieu of the February meeting. Members meet at a local restaurant to watch the live broadcast of the Westminster Kennel Club dog show and to cheer on their breed favorites. A club favorite since 1993. Newsletter - The organization's official newsletter, The Sunflower, is published monthly and is mailed or e-mailed (by request only) to its members. Joining - Membership to the SKC is open to anyone with an interest in the sport of purebred dogs and who is in good standing with the AKC. Click here for membership information. Activities - In addition to conformation, SKC members are active in many other dog-related sports, such as agility, obedience, tracking and field work to name a few. To learn more about some of these sports, visit our Activities page. Questions about the club - let us know. |
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