700 – in dog years

Hawaii Kennel Club marks its centennial this weekend

In 1906, winning best of breed might have brought you a prize of cigars, whiskey, toilet water or sacks of flour. Nowadays you'd take home a trophy made of crystal and tropical woods.

Hawaii Kennel Club 100th-anniversary dog shows When: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. tomorrow and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday Place: Blaisdell Exhibition Hall Admission: $5 per day; children under 12 are free Judging: Begins 9:30 a.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Group judging begins 2:15 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, followed by Best in Show. Note: Dogs not registered in the show are not allowed. Call: 262-5236

Things might have gotten more refined at the Hawaii Kennel Club over 100 years, but the premise of the shows remains consistent: to promote the welfare and enjoyment of purebred dogs.

The club celebrates its centennial with dog shows tomorrow and Sunday at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. (No cigars, but winners in special categories will receive wooden medallions and trophies.) A continuous slide presentation will feature winners from the past 100 years.

The Hawaii Kennel Club is one of the oldest dog clubs in the United States, according to Gerri Cadiz, show chairwoman and president. The group remains true to its original aims, she said. "We are still devoted to responsible pet ownership ... and humane treatment of all animals."

The first dog show was held over three days at a skating rink on Queen Street. World War II interrupted the club's dog shows for a five-year span, from 1942 to 1946.

Cadiz started exhibiting cocker spaniels in 1970 and has been involved with dog clubs ever since. In 1977, along with Sandy Williams, she started publishing Ilio, which is now distributed worldwide and has received national awards from the Dog Writers Association of America.

Advertisements of old included Lister's soap and dog chains and collars sold by Theo H. Davies. Von Hamm-Young Co. offered accident and life insurance for dogs.

"It was first a newspaper and now a magazine," said Cadiz. "We report the results of all the dog activities in Hawaii and carry articles that we hope will be helpful to local fanciers."

Old show catalogs show well-known community leaders associated with the club -- from T. Clives Davies and Samuel Wilder to J.D. McInerney and E.W. Campbell.

Family ties have been maintained through the years. Arthur Zane served as second vice president in 1952. Today, his nephew Reuben Zane is on the membership roll. In 1906, C. Hustace Jr. was a board member. His great-grandnephew, local attorney Frank Hustace, serves on today's board.

One advance the club has seen is local dogs competing in national shows. "The changes in the approach to rabies control, which has eliminated quarantine for many animals, has enabled our exhibitors to travel to the mainland and compete in shows such as Eukanuba and Westminster," said Cadiz.

Scientific advances in breeding techniques, such as artificial insemination, allow dogs from around the world to be used in local breeding programs, improving the quality of dogs being bred and shown in Hawaii, said Cadiz.

"The dog fancy here is very close," she said.

Locally, the popular breeds have changed over the years. Smooth-coat fox terriers were the most popular in 1906. In 1935 the German shepherd entry category was the largest, with wire fox terriers a close second. Today, the American Kennel Club Web site lists these Top 10 breeds for Honolulu: Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, dachshunds, Maltese, Chihuahuas, poodles, beagles, German shepherds, Pomeranians and boxers.

The number of dogs entering has also greatly increased. In 1906, 105 dogs were entered. This year, more than 450 dogs will compete each day, representing 76 breeds.

The club was a male-dominated organization originally, but more women have become involved, with Cadiz becoming the first female president in 2001. Prior to that, E.R. Champion was club president for nearly 48 years.

"There are more and more women competitors and handlers," Cadiz said. "In 1906 it was primarily a man's sport. It is now an all-round family activity."