MICHAEL CANALIZO - USA

Michael Canalizo has spent many years in the Dog Show World as a Breeder/Owner and Professional Handler turned Judge. His first exposure to the Afghan Hound came in 1961 with his families purchase of "Babu Bamn of Grandeur" who was a few generations off of foundation stock in the breed. She would have her first litter sired by Int. Ch. Shirkhan of Grandeur. The "Kandahara Afghan Hounds would go on to produce five generations of Champions with all roots tracing back to the original Grandeur/Turkumen crosses. In the mid-seventies Michael solidified a longstanding relationship with Sunny Shay and Roger Rechler as their private Handler and Kennel manager. With the passing of Sunny in 1978 he set out to complete the goal of fortifying the Grandeur line which had been started by Sunny's and Roger's partnership in the "Afghans of Grandeur". The combined talents of his handling skill and Rogers business acumen forged a major benchmark for the kennel, the breed and the entire dog sport.

He was the Breeder/Owner/Handler of the Top Winning Hound of All Time with 87 BIS wins until a daughter of his dog that he showed beat that record with 161 BIS. He has won two Top Owner Handler Awards and 6 Quaker Oats Awards with CH's Triumph and Tryst of Grandeur. Tryst would be the Top Dog of All Breeds in 1995. Collectively he piloted over 100 Afghan Hounds to their Championships and had over 300 All-Breed Best in shows and nearly 1,000 Hound Group awards.

He is currently approved to judge BIS, all Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding breeds and several breeds in the Sporting and Working groups. He has judged /exhibited or attended event in 29 different countries in six of the continents. He has judged breed Specialties in nine different countries. Michael is a member of the Afghan Hound Club of America, Westbury Kennel Association, Morris and Essex Kennel Club and American Dog Show Judges.

Michael joined the American Kennel Club as an Executive Field Representative in 2005 and now held the position as Director of AKC Event Management until just recently.

Michael Canalizo's credentials include developing and presenting dog-related educational seminars worldwide, feature writing, and working as a contributing editor for numerous national and international publications. He was one of the architects of the first Afghan Hound World Congress, a past AHCA Breeders Seminar chairman and approved mentor of the breed.