Shetland Sheepdog Club of Northern New Jersey

08/10/2026

📅 Mark your calendars! The SSCNNJ is excited to welcome exhibitors to our 2026 Designated and Concurrent Specialties, held in conjunction with the Newton Kennel Club's five-day cluster, offering eight opportunities for Sheltie handlers to exhibit.
🏆 We're pleased to welcome Ms. Kathryn Madden as the judge for our Designated Specialty and Ms. Marjorie A. Tuff as the judge for our Concurrent Specialty.
🐾 Ready to join us? Download the Premium List and submit your entries through InfoDog. We can't wait to see everyone in Augusta!
Our Designated and Concurrent Specialties will take place on Saturday, August 29, at the Sussex County Farm & Horse Show Grounds in Augusta, NJ. The Designated will be judged by Ms. Kathryn Madden, and the judge for our Concurrent will be Ms. Marjorie A. Tuff. The Specialties are part of a 5-day cluster of shows with 8 opportunities for Sheltie handlers to exhibit. For more information and to enter the shows, visit infodog.com.
Here are the direct links to the Premium Lists if that is helpful to have, too:
Link to our PL for concurrent specialty:https://pdf.infodog.com/prm/5763/prm5763.pdf
Link to Designated PL (and rest of the End of Summer Fling Cluster):https://pdf.infodog.com/prm/828/prm828.pdf

08/05/2026

Good to know.

08/03/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BsQe51qAs/?mibextid=wwXIfr

07/31/2026

Don’t forget to sign up! Oct 3, 2026

07/29/2026

📅 Mark your calendars! The SSCNNJ is excited to welcome exhibitors to our 2026 Designated and Concurrent Specialties, held in conjunction with the Newton Kennel Club's five-day cluster, offering eight opportunities for Sheltie handlers to exhibit.

🏆 We're pleased to welcome Ms. Kathryn Madden as the judge for our Designated Specialty and Ms. Marjorie A. Tuff as the judge for our Concurrent Specialty.

🐾 Ready to join us? Download the Premium List and submit your entries through InfoDog. We can't wait to see everyone in Augusta!

Our Designated and Concurrent Specialties will take place on Saturday, August 29, at the Sussex County Farm & Horse Show Grounds in Augusta, NJ. The Designated will be judged by Ms. Kathryn Madden, and the judge for our Concurrent will be Ms. Marjorie A. Tuff. The Specialties are part of a 5-day cluster of shows with 8 opportunities for Sheltie handlers to exhibit. For more information and to enter the shows, visit infodog.com.

Here are the direct links to the Premium Lists if that is helpful to have, too:
Link to our PL for concurrent specialty:https://pdf.infodog.com/prm/5763/prm5763.pdf
Link to Designated PL (and rest of the End of Summer Fling Cluster):https://pdf.infodog.com/prm/828/prm828.pdf

07/24/2026

07/23/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1957jCUXBd/

I was asked to make this public. I’ve tried to share this message with anyone I sell a puppy to. I think most of them have been great students.

1. This is a sport in which the purpose is to evaluate breeding stock.
2. Every standard, from every breed, no matter how precise you think it is, leaves room for interpretation.
3. Judges evaluate dogs based on their interpretation of the breed standard, not some ultimate truth. If there were an ultimate truth, then every breeder would be producing dogs of the exact same style and type. They don’t; every kennel interprets the standard a little differently. Why would judges be any different?
4. You vote with your dollar. If you believe that a judge’s interpretation of the standard is daft, don’t show to them. Or, when you have a dog that’s the same variety of ugly they seem to like, take it to them.
5. The purpose of dog shows is to evaluate breeding stock. Your wins and losses are not a reflection of your identity, character, likability, or worth. Your skills may have something to do with it, but they are, and should be, a small fraction of the equation. Even a great handler can’t turn a parsnip into a cow. If you believe your wins are a reflection of your self-worth, you need therapy, not a dog show.
6. Dog shows are like any other setting in life. They attract all sorts of people, from the kindest to the most horrible. That goes for exhibitors, club members, judges, and staff. Pick your tribe. Enjoy them. Find joy, because joy is the only thing that really matters—to you and your dog.
7. If you want real success at this game, learn as much as you can. Learn from the people you admire. Learn from the people you can’t stand. Learn about other breeds and their history, function, and how that translates into form and movement. Learn from the nice; learn from the mean; learn from exhibitors, breeders, judges, and the grounds crew (you’d be amazed at what they’ve seen over the years and what they have to share). Be a sponge and use every opportunity to learn a little more about the sport you love, until you don’t love it anymore.

I pray that never happens…for the love of dogs.

Deirdre Doherty-Rahn

Featuring Antics, leaving up to her name! 💞

07/15/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BXsJHipUp/