For Thy Cavagnaro, Meet the Breeds isn’t just a great way to introduce people to American Eskimo Dogs, her favorite breed. She always felt her Eskie, “Atka,” who passed away in 2019, was a great ambassador for the breed, and wanted to find an outlet for him to be just that. She found that with the American Eskimo booth at Meet the Breeds New York, but never expected that it could also be a place for grieving Eskie-lovers to feel immersed in the community again.
Cavagnaro heard about Meet the Breeds in 2009 and knew that she and her dogs had to be a part of it. Through her interest in wanting to volunteer, she ended up joining the American Eskimo Dog Club of America, which would allow her to participate in Meet the Breeds from 2010 onward. Nearly 15 years later she hasn’t looked back.
Soraya Rudofsky
At the time, she had Atka and “Nuka.” The pair were already performing AKC Trick Dog routines at local nursing homes before they got their moment in the spotlight in the Meet the Breeds ring. She added “Kayu” to the family in 2014. “We always wanted to be able to showcase how Eskies are versatile and really smart trick dogs, but at the same time could turn that off and be calm, sweet, and approachable, like therapy dogs,” Cavagnaro says of the breed.
When Atka and Nuka passed away in 2019 and 2020, respectively, Cavagnaro wasn’t sure she would ever get another Eskie. But she felt Kayu needed a canine buddy, so soon after, “Meri” joined them. She also recently added “Buddy” to their Eskie family, and all three dogs typically attend Meet the Breeds with her in New York.
David Woo ©AKC
One of the unique experiences of Meet the Breeds is not just connecting with prospective dog owners, but also connecting with current and past owners of the breed. After she lost Atka and Nuka, Cavagnaro felt a new kind of connection with people who came up to the booth. “When people lose a dog of the same breed, and they had a very strong connection with their own dog, it’s almost like a moment that you share,” Cavagnaro says. “Being able to pet a dog who then returns and mirrors that love that they shared with their own pet, it’s bittersweet.”
Beth Mason, who volunteered at the American Eskimo Dog booth for the first time in 2022, got an Eskie from a breeder in 2004 named “Ollie.” As someone who had to quickly learn about the breed after acquiring a dog, she is a strong advocate for Meet the Breeds events. “American Eskimos are not an easy breed, which we came to learn,” says Mason. “I’ve learned a lot more through [Thy] and through Meet the Breeds about the best ways to socialize these dogs. So when I had the opportunity to get involved with Meet the Breeds, it was really wonderful.”
Ollie has since passed away, but he made an incredible difference in Mason’s life. He had a very close bond with her husband, who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2003. While he got a stem cell transplant, along with extensive chemotherapy, they say his health didn’t take a turn for the better until they got Ollie. “He attributed Ollie to have put him into remission and extending his life for another 10 years,” Mason says. “He helped my husband cope with a very difficult illness. It’s one of the many reasons why I love this breed.”
Thy Cavagnaro
When people who are grieving Eskies come to the booth, some are resigned to not getting another dog. “They really miss their dog, and we’ve heard multiple times that they weren’t quite ready [to get another dog],” Cavagnaro says. “It’s really special to hear that your own pets have been able to connect with someone in a way that made them change their mind about opening up their hearts to another dog.”
John Ricard ©AKC
Cavagnaro says meeting people at booths at Meet the Breeds makes it easier to find new volunteers, and people are surprisingly willing to get involved. “They would come and be like, ‘I’m so glad I made the decision to come,’ because it really helps to heal a lot of their wounds,” Cavagnaro says. “It gives them a renewed sense in talking about Eskies in a really positive way.”
It’s also a great way for fans of the breed, new and old, to connect over a shared love of the dogs. “I’m glad that we formed this friendship through our love of American Eskimos,” Mason says of Cavagnaro.
One of the main goals for events like Meet the Breeds is to help make sure that people find the right breed for them. “They’re not always the easiest dogs, especially for first time owners,” says Cavagnaro. “I think that people can often get distracted by seeing this cute, fluffy dog,” Cavagnaro says. She emphasizes that while that is true, they’re also very smart dogs that need a lot of structure.
Kathryn Nguyen
Cavagnaro stresses the importance of puppy seekers being honest with themselves about their lifestyle and personalities when looking for a dog. It’s not about what kind of lifestyle you wish you had, she says, but the lifestyle that you actually have and are comfortable with. On top of this, American Eskimo Dogs shed — a lot. Cavagnaro usually brings a giant bag of their fur to the booth to emphasize the point. “They shed — very much. So if that’s a dealbreaker, it’s also not going to be a good match for you,” Cavagnaro says.
One of the things that Meet the Breeds booth can help with is matching puppy seekers with breeders. “If people have been thinking about them, but realize that what they can offer to an Eskie is not really a good match, we make sure that expectations are realistic,” Cavagnaro says. “My goal is to make sure that Eskies get matched up with the right families.”
The post Thy Cavagnaro’s Passion for American Eskimo Dogs Shines Through Meet the Breeds appeared first on American Kennel Club.
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Over 15 Years of Involvement With Meet the Breeds
Cavagnaro heard about Meet the Breeds in 2009 and knew that she and her dogs had to be a part of it. Through her interest in wanting to volunteer, she ended up joining the American Eskimo Dog Club of America, which would allow her to participate in Meet the Breeds from 2010 onward. Nearly 15 years later she hasn’t looked back.
Soraya Rudofsky
At the time, she had Atka and “Nuka.” The pair were already performing AKC Trick Dog routines at local nursing homes before they got their moment in the spotlight in the Meet the Breeds ring. She added “Kayu” to the family in 2014. “We always wanted to be able to showcase how Eskies are versatile and really smart trick dogs, but at the same time could turn that off and be calm, sweet, and approachable, like therapy dogs,” Cavagnaro says of the breed.
When Atka and Nuka passed away in 2019 and 2020, respectively, Cavagnaro wasn’t sure she would ever get another Eskie. But she felt Kayu needed a canine buddy, so soon after, “Meri” joined them. She also recently added “Buddy” to their Eskie family, and all three dogs typically attend Meet the Breeds with her in New York.
Connecting With Past and Current American Eskimo Dog Lovers
David Woo ©AKC
One of the unique experiences of Meet the Breeds is not just connecting with prospective dog owners, but also connecting with current and past owners of the breed. After she lost Atka and Nuka, Cavagnaro felt a new kind of connection with people who came up to the booth. “When people lose a dog of the same breed, and they had a very strong connection with their own dog, it’s almost like a moment that you share,” Cavagnaro says. “Being able to pet a dog who then returns and mirrors that love that they shared with their own pet, it’s bittersweet.”
Beth Mason, who volunteered at the American Eskimo Dog booth for the first time in 2022, got an Eskie from a breeder in 2004 named “Ollie.” As someone who had to quickly learn about the breed after acquiring a dog, she is a strong advocate for Meet the Breeds events. “American Eskimos are not an easy breed, which we came to learn,” says Mason. “I’ve learned a lot more through [Thy] and through Meet the Breeds about the best ways to socialize these dogs. So when I had the opportunity to get involved with Meet the Breeds, it was really wonderful.”
Ollie has since passed away, but he made an incredible difference in Mason’s life. He had a very close bond with her husband, who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2003. While he got a stem cell transplant, along with extensive chemotherapy, they say his health didn’t take a turn for the better until they got Ollie. “He attributed Ollie to have put him into remission and extending his life for another 10 years,” Mason says. “He helped my husband cope with a very difficult illness. It’s one of the many reasons why I love this breed.”
Thy Cavagnaro
Turning Grief Into a Community
When people who are grieving Eskies come to the booth, some are resigned to not getting another dog. “They really miss their dog, and we’ve heard multiple times that they weren’t quite ready [to get another dog],” Cavagnaro says. “It’s really special to hear that your own pets have been able to connect with someone in a way that made them change their mind about opening up their hearts to another dog.”
John Ricard ©AKC
Cavagnaro says meeting people at booths at Meet the Breeds makes it easier to find new volunteers, and people are surprisingly willing to get involved. “They would come and be like, ‘I’m so glad I made the decision to come,’ because it really helps to heal a lot of their wounds,” Cavagnaro says. “It gives them a renewed sense in talking about Eskies in a really positive way.”
It’s also a great way for fans of the breed, new and old, to connect over a shared love of the dogs. “I’m glad that we formed this friendship through our love of American Eskimos,” Mason says of Cavagnaro.
An Important Resource for Breed Education
One of the main goals for events like Meet the Breeds is to help make sure that people find the right breed for them. “They’re not always the easiest dogs, especially for first time owners,” says Cavagnaro. “I think that people can often get distracted by seeing this cute, fluffy dog,” Cavagnaro says. She emphasizes that while that is true, they’re also very smart dogs that need a lot of structure.
Kathryn Nguyen
Cavagnaro stresses the importance of puppy seekers being honest with themselves about their lifestyle and personalities when looking for a dog. It’s not about what kind of lifestyle you wish you had, she says, but the lifestyle that you actually have and are comfortable with. On top of this, American Eskimo Dogs shed — a lot. Cavagnaro usually brings a giant bag of their fur to the booth to emphasize the point. “They shed — very much. So if that’s a dealbreaker, it’s also not going to be a good match for you,” Cavagnaro says.
One of the things that Meet the Breeds booth can help with is matching puppy seekers with breeders. “If people have been thinking about them, but realize that what they can offer to an Eskie is not really a good match, we make sure that expectations are realistic,” Cavagnaro says. “My goal is to make sure that Eskies get matched up with the right families.”
The post Thy Cavagnaro’s Passion for American Eskimo Dogs Shines Through Meet the Breeds appeared first on American Kennel Club.
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