22 Saber Tails Spring 2016

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America

Katherine Howell

Katherine Howell is from San Antonio, Texas.  She is currently a Freshman at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas 

where she is studying Marketing.  She has volunteered to be the new Editor of Saber Tails and we are very excited to have her 
representing the ‘next generation’ of our club.

W

hen did you get your first PBGV?    

I co-owned my first PBGV in 2008.  His name was JP and he was my junior handler’s dog.  I have co-owned 5 since 

that time...all of them I showed in junior handling.  My most recent PBGV is named Spark.  Although Spark had to stay in 
the San Antonio area since he couldn’t come to college.

H

ow did you find out about PBGVs?

When I was 10 years old, I decided that dog showing was what I wanted to do after my parents and I randomly de-

cided to attend a local dog show.  I enrolled in a ‘ring manners’ class and there I met PBGVCA club member Lora Megli.  
She was bringing a group of PB

GVs with her to class and thought that might be the breed for me. Lora became 

my mentor and she was right!  PBGVs are definitely for me!!!

W

hat other Pets have you had?

We’ve always had a variety of dogs and cats in the house.

H

ow long have you been involved in the club?

I have been a club member for quite a while now.  I have attended ev-

ery national specialty since 2009 and co-hosted an ice breaker event with 

another junior handler, Cameron Henson, at the 2013 national specialty.  I 

volunteered to be and have been named the new Editor of Saber Tails.  My 

position will focus on some content creation for the magazine and primarily 

layout, design and overall look of the magazine.   This is a tremendous oppor-
tunity for me and I’m excited to get started.

W

hat activities do you enjoy with your PBGVs?

I loved showing in junior handling with my PBGVs until I ‘aged out’ 

last year when I turned 18.  I plan to become a junior handling judge later 

this year.

W

hat do you most enjoy about your PBGV and do you find 

them to be different than other dogs?

PBGVs are not a typical ‘juniors dog’.  I have a lot of fun showing a breed that can definitely be so comical, stubborn, hap-
py and all the other traits they possess.  They never have a bad day and I can’t help but smile when I look down the lead!

W

hat do you most enjoy about your PBGV and do you find them to be different than other dogs?

We have found that of all the breeds we have owned nothing compares with our PBGVs.  They are 

the most intelligent, loving, funny and above all irritating dogs we have ever had the pleasure of own-

ing.  We would not trade them for a million dollars (maybe on a bad day).  Not a day goes by that they don’t 

make us laugh at their antics or cry when they refuse to come while on scent. We love their intelligence, in-

dependence, problem-solving ability and how much they obviously love us.  (The barking... not so much.)

We are very grateful to Julie and Tiffany for introducing and keeping us involved (especially since we no longer show) in 
this most interesting breed.