The mother contacted the American Kennel Club, the organization that oversees most dog shows in the country.
The AKC helps local kennel clubs enforce rules about conduct and animal treatment.
The bulk of the organization's income comes from the dog-show community, in the form of event and registration fees paid by local kennel clubs and breeders.
The debate is taking place as kennel clubs try to entice younger children to show dogs.
Many dog shows include competitions for junior handlers, including a "Pee Wee" division for kids under the age of 10.
Persons:
Adam Wilkerson, She'd, Wilkerson, —, It's, Brandi Hunter Munden, Munden, eyeing, Andrew Mansfield, Mansfield, Walter Palmerino, Palmerino, I'm, John Cathcart McCartney, McCartney, Eugene Zaphiris, Zaphiris, he's, Adam Stafford King, King, Jacob Boudreau, Boudreau, Dennis, Margaret Poindexter, Deb Cooper, Ashley Miller, Miller, Shimpeno's, Shimpeno, Mary Dukes, Dukes, they've, it's, Susan Shephard, West Volusia Kennel Club Shephard, hadn't, Shephard, Tonda Curry, Curry, who's, Paige McCarver, groomer, McCarver, She's, we're, Wilkerson's, she's
Organizations:
Westminster Kennel, Business, BI, American Kennel Club, AKC, Getty, Dog, Wisconsin, Police, American Kennel, Grand Central, Purina, ABC, ESPN, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Museum, Preservation Bank, Mars, Royal, Dog News, Kids, Florida's West Volusia Kennel Club, West Volusia Kennel Club, Boy Scouts, New York Times, US Equestrian Federation
Locations:
Dallas, Michigan, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, American, Wee, Munden, Texas, Arizona