Sarah Bulwinkle | Bulwinkle’s Clumber Spaniels

Interview with Sarah Bulwinkle, Breeder of Bulwinkle’s Clumber Spaniels

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?

1. My kennel is in Pepperell, Massachusetts, on the New Hampshire border. I have had Sporting dogs my entire life, originally field Springer Spaniels which I hunted with, and in later years did some breeding. My kennel name is Bulwinkle’s. I have had Clumber Spaniels for 15 years; breeding these dogs for the past 10 years. I believe you need to socialize puppies thoroughly and am always proud to hear that my puppies are fearless.

2. I always ask for several opinions from fellow professionals when picking show puppies. Although I do keep in mind my favorites. I like a dog with substance and a strong head. I start my puppies at six weeks, working them on clip wing birds just to get them used to retrieving and to make it fun.

3. The breed is doing very well with health testing and overall health improvement. I always consider that this is a Sporting breed and form needs to follow function. I consider my dogs, first and foremost, hunting dogs. I want them to be successful in the field to carry on their purpose.

4. It is nice to see more people becoming interested in dog sports. With a rare breed, I believe judges education is crucial because it is common that they may see very few entries for our breed at each show. I do believe there are many shows available to us in the current climate.

5. Social media allows us to reach people we may not have interacted with. Professionally, caution does need to be used to make sure interactions are prudent and supportive. It does allow quick posting of pictures and videos for those who were unable to attend events or may not be able to see stud dog options in person.

6. I see that many of the dog show judges and participants are aging. We need to pay particular attention to the Juniors. They are the future of the sport and if we don’t encourage them and help them, there will be no dog sports.

7. There are a number of new performance events that have been added that allow individuals who may not want a Conformation dog to enjoy the sport of dogs and their community. This also allows the media to attend these events and show others that there are ways to participate and enjoy these events with their own dogs.

It is nice to see more people becoming interested in dog sports. With a rare breed, I believe judges education is crucial because it is common that they may see very few entries for our breed at each show.