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Andi Meloon of Andali shares her insights on Papillons & Phalenes, show puppy selection, breed trends, and the dog show community.
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Andi Meloon
1. Andrea Meloon is my name; however, please call me Andi. I am a retired RN of 46 years and have been in dogs, showing and breeding, since 1987 with my first Akita litter in 1989. My husband accepted a job that moved us to Arizona in 1997. By 2003, our life had settled, and I missed showing dogs. After coming home from attending the 2003 (PCA) Papillon Club of America National, I decided to get back into showing and chose the Papillon as my breed, later choosing Andali as my kennel name. I finished my first Papillon Bred-by-Exhibitor AKC CH Andali’s Secret Obsession in March 2010. I met and mentored a new friend, Cheryl Maass, in Papillons in 2008, and in 2010, as fate would have it, she joined me as a breeding partner.
Most recently, again mentoring a new friend to Phalenes, Susan Swan; Cheryl and I felt a kinship that we felt compelled to include Susan in our breeding program in October 2021. As a Preservation Breeder in Phalenes since 2009, I have been working to promote Phalene breeding in Europe by sharing our Phalene bloodlines. Cheryl and Sue have been instrumental in helping me accomplish that dream. Since 2010, Andali Papillons and Phalenes have bred 40 AKC Champion Papillons, of which 18 were AKC Champion Phalenes. I have been a member of PCA for 20 years and was the Chairman of the PCA Genetics Research Committee from 2014-2022. I still volunteer my time for the Genetics Committee in fundraising. In 2023, the PCA membership honored me with the AKC Outstanding Sportsmanship Award for service to the club.
2. I start examining our puppies at four weeks of age. I want to see that sweet Papillon expression and eye which, for me, is so important in our breed. By eight weeks, I start the final process of selection, looking at balance, proper structure, head, and ear placement. Watching the puppies play and move on their own, getting that first glimpse of that beautiful Papillon silhouette when the puppy stops to pose, is a puppy to watch. At 12½ weeks of age, I examine everything again and include a final health examination by our veterinarian.
While we don’t breed to produce Agility Papillons, we do breed for structure. An Agility puppy prospect must have correct structure to become an athlete in the Performance ring as well as being a confident puppy that has a high toy drive and prefers human companionship over its siblings.
3. For the most part, our breed is in good condition overall. Low-set ears and flat tails are concerns that I see in our breed today. A correct ear set and a high-set, arched tail over the back are the two important traits that make the Papillon silhouette.
4. As a Preservation Breeder of Phalenes, you need to share lines due to the small gene pool here in North America. Through a wonderful network of Phalene breeders here in North America, we have worked well to breed, promote, and share lines and have improved the Phalene today. To continue breeding to our Breed Standard, breeders are going to have to be more open in sharing lines, both Phalene and Papillon
How’s the judging these days? I would like to see more judges have hands-on experience and mentoring on the Phalene. I also would like to see more breeder/owner-handled dogs place in the Group.
I have seen a decline in the number of dog shows here in the West. Due to the expense of putting on dog shows today, many all-breed clubs can no longer afford indoor facilities to use. Maybe offering two shows a day can help the breeders and the all-breed clubs save money and make money.
5. Yes, social media is good if each dog club has its own website and/or Facebook page where they control the social media, news, and events. The harm comes from individual people putting negative comments on their own social medial posts.
6. The biggest challenge? Please don’t laugh—age! Today, the dog show community is rapidly aging. There are programs today that help to pay for seniors to keep their pets. All-breed dog clubs should consider offering a booth which would give these organizations an opportunity to talk about their programs to the public. Advertise this to the public. Companies may want to be sponsors.
7. I have always said being in the sport of dogs is like having an extended family to me. It pleases me to see more people in the sport reaching out to help in anyway.
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