History of National Dog Week Captain Will Judy, editor and publisher of Dog World magazine started National Dog Week in 1928. It had growing pains over the years and its success was measured by the energy of those people volunteering to put it over. The greatest publicity thrust was started in the late forties. World War II was over and America's economy was booming----and we started bringing the dogs from out in the yard into the house. At that time National Dog Week had impressive offices in mid-town Manhattan. The executive director of NDW was Raymond J. Hanfield. At that time there was an outstanding and well-known demonstration put on in Rockefeller Center. Overlooking the what was ice skating rink people would watch dogs doing their feats. The people putting that together were Harry Miller and Evelyn Monté both of the Gaines Dog Research Center. The name of the main person putting on these demonstrations was Blanche Saunders. The publicity and news coverage it generated was unbelievable. The venue was outstanding. Better than a free Broadway Show in the Big Apple. In 1960 Capt. Judy turned the reins of NDW to the Pet Food Institute, an organization in Chicago financed by the pet food industry. The Pet Food Institute continued running until the mid-seventies. Then interested parties celebrated on their own until the American Dog Owners Association took over. This year, 2004 is the 77th Anniversary of National Dog Week, celebrated in the last full-week in September. A step back in history Over fifty years ago National Dog Week received an amazing amount of publicity from demonstrations put on at what was know as Rockefeller Center's ice skating rink. The rink was not frozen during the NDW September celebration. It was open from January to April for the skaters. At lunchtime the denizens of mid-town Manhattan could watch the demos by looking down on the area. Newsreels of the day showed the celebration. Blanche Sauders, the first lady of obedience and the Poodle Obedience Training Club of Greater New York were very important in this demonstration. We are indebted to that club, Catherine "Kae" C. Reily and Ursula Roper for these historic photos. click on photo(s) to enlarge Blanche Saunders working two Standard Poodles jumping over the broad jump. 1935 Blanche Saunders circa 1960 Photo in the area in Rockerfeller Center popularly known as the ice skating rink. The 122' X 59' rink is open from January to April catering to over a quarter of a million people a year. NDW is, of course in September. In the upper left-hand corner Prometheus, Paul Manship's 1934 statue, is watching the dogs work. Member of the Poodle Obedience Training Club of Greater New York are getting ready to toss their dumbells for their dogs to retrieve. Standard Poodle jumping through a covered hoop. Dogs on the sit-stay with their handlers behind them.