Dog Show Comes to Long Beach
By JOYCE TSE
Rafu Staff Writer
Saturday, Dec. 2, 2006

Nobuyuki and Irene Hadeishi of Gardena are among dog owners competing at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship.

Rich Bergman
Dog owner Nobuyuki Hadeishi, second from left, and champion Keeshond, Candide, pose
after winning first place among the Non-Sporting dog breeds at a Santa Ana Valley Kennel
Club Show in 2004.

This weekend, Long Beach is going to the dogs, literally, when nearly 3,000 of them gather to strut their stuff for the national title of “Best in Show.”  Among them will be Candide, a 5-year-old champion Keeshond and his owner Nobuyuki Hadeishi of Gardena.

“We don’t really have a chance to win in this invitational, but we do it for fun and to socialize with other owners,” said Hadeishi, 70, who has participated in dog shows for the past 14 years with his wife, Irene Misako, 70.

This is the sixth year the American Kennel Club and Eukanuba brand dog food have paired up to host the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, which runs Saturday, Dec. 2 through Sunday, Dec. 3 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

A total of 2,449 award-winning dogs from around the nation, and even abroad, will compete before an estimated 25,000 people for prizes of $50,000 for the owner of the “Best in Show” and $15,000 for the breeder. In addition, 451 dogs will compete in the AKC Agility Invitational and 97 dogs will participate in the AKC National Obedience Invitational, which are being held in conjunction with the national championship.

It will be a display of the best of the best, according to Kurt Iverson, media spokesman for Eukanuba.

“The only ones who can compete at this event were invited because they are the top 25 of their breed based on points earned at other events throughout the year,” he said.

But there is more to this weekend-long event than dogs being judged for poise, skill, obedience and overall appearance.  While various judging events and competitions are a large part of the schedule, there will also be activities for all attendees, whether they are part of the dog show circuit or not.

A “Meet the Breeds” session, where families can see examples of the different types of dog breeds and even meet breeders, is just one of the additional draws for the weekend. 

“Some of the breeds out there are very unusual … ones you wouldn’t see at a dog park,” said Iverson. “This is a good way for people to get advice on dogs, see the different sizes and learn about the temperaments and personalities of the various breeds.”

This will be helpful to people interested in competing in future dog shows as well, according to Hadeishi, who “got into it accidentally” when he and his wife were looking for a companion to their first Keeshond, Toko, who is now 16.

Their search for another Keeshond led them to a couple who sold them one and offered to show him for the Hadeishis at competitions. Thus began a partnership of co-owning and showing three more dogs.

Today, Hadeishi is an owner-handler with his wife, meaning the couple cares for, grooms and shows their own dogs without the help of a professional handler. And though dog shows are timely and costly, this is a hobby that the retired couple continues to enjoy with Candide, whose special treats at shows are liver snacks, and the newest member of their family, Okeanos, a 17-month-old Keeshond, who is also an up-and-coming dog show contestant.

“We hope he becomes top 25 too,” said Hadeishi, adding “Everyone loves their dogs, and some get emotional if they don’t win. But we realize that it’s also about judges looking at dogs based on certain standards. Just because you don’t win, doesn’t mean your dog isn’t pretty.”