Bonnie Wagaman | CinniBon Boxers

Interview with Bonnie Wagaman, Breeder of CinniBon Boxers

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Where do you live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder? What is your kennel name?
2. What is your “process” for selecting show puppies? Performance puppies?
3. In your opinion, is your breed in good condition overall? Any trends that warrant concern?
4. As a Preservation Breeder, can you share your thoughts on the sport today? How’s the judging these days? What do you think about the number of shows?
5. In your opinion, is social media good for the sport? Is it harmful?
6. What are the biggest challenges facing the dog show community as a whole today and how can these be addressed?
7. What are some of the positive changes you’ve seen in the sport over the past decade?

Bonnie Wagaman

1. CinniBon Boxers (Greg and Bonnie Wagaman) have enjoyed being preservation/professional breeders since 2009 after purchasing two lovely foundation bitches. We retired to Alabama to be closer to our children/grandchildren. We love life here.

2. Our selection process? That is a little complicated, but a short description would be: watching the pups develop on a daily basis. As they are socialized and old enough to start looking at structure and temperament, we carefully start determining which have a balance of structure, temperament, and movement. Generally, by 6-8 weeks, there are pups that clearly standout. Those will be our show puppies. Although we don’t do Performance, we have had numerous puppies in Performance homes. Our rearing and evaluations are similar, as Performance puppies require the same basic qualities.

3. Our breed’s overall condition? This is always a sticky question. I do believe we still have breed type and breeders who stay consistent to the breed, but it is getting harder to find those quality dogs/programs. There are trends that have many of us concerned. I will probably get raked over the coals and have people believe health testing is unimportant to me, but that is far from the truth. Health testing that is an accurate picture of the dogs’ health is of upmost importance, but the trend for breeding to markers is on the rise and I see it in stud service inquiries and puppy announcements lacking breed type but boasting of great markers. It is certainly having an effect on breed quality/type. Some of the areas of concern are shoulders too far forward, creating a swag in the topline when they move out, and longer backs/loin.

4. Sadly, I see a decline in showing today. Many shows, including our National, used to have large entries, but in most cases, those numbers have declined. I think that this goes hand in hand with the decline in breeders and litters. Afterall, Conformation is all about breed stock qualities.

How’s the judging? Again, I feel a decline in some areas. I go to shows and see many of the same judges. I know our breeder-judges list is getting shorter. We have lost several over the last few years, with fewer joining the ranks of judges. Guess that’s my que to apply for a judging permit.

I don’t mind the number of shows. For those of us with busy schedules it is nice to be able to find a show that fits our schedule, and probably relatively close to home.

5. Social media is a double-edged sword, for sure. On one hand, it gives us the ability to see dogs we might not otherwise be aware of. It is also a great source for all kinds of information from breeding/whelping to training/showing. It gives breeders an online presence without the time-consuming process of maintaining a website. But at the same time, it gives others a platform that doesn’t necessarily have the breed’s interest at heart. As for it being harmful, I think that question is up to the individual and how they use the information.

6. Positive changes are education and resources. This goes hand in hand with question No. 5. With social media, we have access to more information and training. People taking the time to help others in the sport. Education is part of the foundation of the sport and I love the various webinars, etc., on just about any topic.