Susan Belden

Who or what influenced your interest in Dogs and Dog Events

I came late to the dog sport game. LSDOC member and life-time friend, Laura Fuller, was wholly responsible for my life with dogs by giving me my first dog, Doobie, a Poodle/Cattle Dog mix. Soon after we adopted a purebred Standard Poodle, Cricket, and we started in Obedience competition.

*How long have you been participating with your Dogs

In 1983 I started showing Standard Poodles in Obedience and soon after in Conformation. Since then there have been many and varied experiences training and competition. These pictures are worth more than 1K words:

*What Breeds have you owned

Only Standard Poodles until 2015 when I acquired a male Bull Terrier from Alesia and Russell Cooke of Sugar Land. Growing and grooming coat for so many years led me to a smooth coated breed and a real training challenge. I had made a habit of watching my conformation judge in other Non Sporting breed rings. I would see the cute swagger from behind on the Bull Dog but was put off by their many health issues. The Bull Terrier’s confident jaunty stride won me over from the Poodle’s high maintenance elegance!

*What are your Goals

Many short term goals have been accomplished. First I wanted Championship and CD titles on all my breeding dogs. Next I supported my clubs by exhibiting in local and National Specialties. A goal of service led to election on the BOD for the Bluebonnet Poodle Club, Bellaire Obedience Club and Texas Gulf Coast Bull Terrier Club. Most recent as Trophy Chair for the Bull Terrier Club of Dallas and Hospitality Chair for the NorTex Scent Work . Co-founding and running a full service Pet Resort in Houston for over 20 years was a large and long commitment. The training classes there were marketed to our client’s need for a well mannered home pet. As a GCG evaluator, I continue to support pet dog training.

The current goal is concentrating on additional Rally, Tracking, Scent Work, and Trick Dog titles to earn a Versatility title from the Bull Terrier Club of America.

*What is your favorite Memory involving a Dog

There are so many but one to share is about “Hank”, (great in the show ring but also known for sliding up to all other destinations like Seinfield’s Kramer) who took us to Crufts to compete. He was reserve in the Utility class to the “other” white Standard that won Crufts in 2002. Even so, that was a memorable time!

*What Events they’ve Attended

Too many to list! Competitions in Conformation, Companion and Performance events have taken my dogs to both coasts and from top to bottom of the USA.

We will be attending the Oklahoma City Canine Olympic series of dog shows, AKC‘s Meet the Breed in Dallas this June and Houston’s World Series of Dog Shows in July, 2022.

*Contributions to LSDOC

This young club has provided opportunities working at the initial fund raiser garage sale in Murphy, Texas, the AKC required B match at All Fur Fun training facility, working the check station at the Fast-Cat Trials in Midlothian and in Bonham at the premiere 3-day LSDOC Obedience/Rally Trial working on set up, hospitality with Barbara Eberhardt and all three Novice matches with Kay Scott. As the club’s membership grows I would very much like to be a part of a mentorship program that would help newbies find their niches as workers for the club.

*Favorite Location where you have shown your Dog?

Home for me has been the Astrodome/Reliant /NRG location for the World Series of Dog Shows in Houston. The largest was The Kennel Club show, aka Crufts, in Manchester, England. The most fun was at the Convention Center in Galveston for Silverwood, the showcase specialty for all Bull Terriers bred on the North American continent (which included a Rally Novice first place under Judge Lynn Eggers!).