Green Mountain Dog Club History

The first 50 years

This history of the club, written some years ago by an early member, will be of interest to fanciers in the Central Vermont area.

In 1947, a group of people met several times in Montpelier,Vermont to consider the establishment of a dog club. At first it was promoted as a state club, and there were members from the Burlington area. A little later the Burlington people decided to establish a separate club in their own area.

In 1948 a “B” type match was held, which created a great deal of interest among people enthusiastic about purebred dogs, drawing many spectators because it was something new and different. The following year the Green Mountain Dog Club was well established, and on March 6th put on an ambitious “B” match with Charles Dudley as show chairman and Roy Hine as president. The show, which was a benched show, was held in the Montpelier City Hall, the benches having been made by members of the club, and there were 168 entries in breed classes.

The club was incorporated in 1950, and with Roy Hine as president and Mauro Comi as show chairman, the club put on two “A” matches at the Montpelier City Hall. In about 1951, obedience classes were started in Montpelier, conducted by Elton Sherman and Hugh Jones,and later by George Meech and Dorothy Niebling.

There was discussion of holding a point show in 1951, but it was postponed until the following year because it looked like an extremely big project. In 1952, the first point show and obedience trial was held at the Montpeleir Country Club with 365 entries, and for three more years the show was held at the Country Club, each time with a big dinner following the events. Each of these early shows was open with a little speech by the Governor or Commissioner of Agriculture.

In 1954 the entry increased to 586, largely due to the Champlain Valley Kennel Club holding their first point show with the Green Mountain Dog Club. At the club’s show in 1955, the Newfoundland ” Little Bear’s James Thurber” went Best in Show, which is the only time it was ever won by a dog bred and developed by club members.

When the Country Club ground became unavailable, the show was held for 3 years at the Montpelier Recreation Field, but the space was inadequate and wet, so in 1959 the show moved to Stowe and Mrs John H (“Darby”) Chambers served as show chairman for nine years. This move was good for the club because many enthusiastic dog people in Stowe became active members. In 1960, the Woodstock Dog Club held its first point show and completed Vermont’s part of the Scenic New England Circuit.

In 1969 the club became a member club of the AKC and appointed its first Delegate, Mr. Vadim Chem. In the 31 years through 2000 there were only four Delegates – Vadim Chem, Anne Simoneau, Gene Ann Condon and Deborah Mulvey.

The Club grew slowly during the sixties and seventies. The show site was eventually moved to the Topnotch Field in Stowe as show entries continued to increase, to a high of 1,939 in 1990. During these growth years, Anne Simoneau and Arlene Dartt, among others, served as president and ably guided the club.

Recent History

Since its founding, the Green Mountain Dog Club has demonstrated a strong commitment to canine welfare and community involvement. In 1991, the club collaborated with the Central Vermont Humane Society to rescue over 150 dogs from a puppy mill, a significant effort requiring extensive volunteer work from club members. With the support of fellow dog enthusiasts, the club established a rescue fund, which has since provided donations nationwide in response to emerging needs.

The club has also sponsored a service dog and actively participates in community events, including Working Dogs Day, organized by the University of Vermont animal science students, and the Canines & Company obedience and agility demonstration, hosted by the Central Vermont Humane Society on the State House Lawn in Montpelier. Additionally, the club has contributed to public safety by donating a Kevlar vest to the Vermont Police K9 Unit, and canine resuscitation masks to the local fire department.

The club’s logo, first featured on catalogs in 1964, was designed by local artist and club member Anna Prince. Inspired by the earliest depictions of dogs in Ancient Egypt, the logo subtly incorporates the artist’s whimsy, depicting two bitches being pursued by a dog.

For over 50 years, the Green Mountain Dog Club has remained dedicated to the advancement of the sport and the well-being of dogs, a mission it continues to uphold.