About Jane Harvey
Jane Harvey has dedicated her life to the advancement of pure bred dogs. She is internationally recognised as a Terrier specialist, author, speaker, breeder, exhibitor and producer of educational videos on dogs.
Career Overview
Over her 50 year career, Jane Harvey's major achievements include :
- Widely published author with articles in over 50 publications across 7 countries
- Award winning producer of dog DVDs with over 300 titles and exports to 64 countries
- Lecturer, speaker and radio commentator on dogs
- Championship Dog Show Judge having officiated in 9 countries
- Breeder of 80 Champion Airedale Terriers in 14 generations straight
- Teacher and trainer in grooming, handling and obedience
- Experienced Kennel Club administrator
- Advisor to Governments and policy makers
- Inaugural Chair of the Committee which built largest public dog Library in the Southern Hemisphere
- Played a significant role in the recognition of the Tenterfield Terrier as an ANKC recognized pure breed
As an Author
Jane Harvey is a widely published author and guest columnist. She has written for journals, magazines and newspapers, both locally and internationally and she continues to be a highly sought after writer.
Over her 40 years of writing, Jane's achievements as an author include :
- Authoritative research into the history of pure bred dogs
- Information guides in areas such as judging and groom
- Respected opinion on critical issues facing pure breed dogs
- Reviews of major dog events
For more details, please see Jane Harvey's list of published works.
As a Video/DVD Producer
In 1986, Jane Harvey and husband Bob founded Rangeaire Vision which has become internationally recognised for its quality education videos and specialist dog shows. Jane scripts, directs and voice over all productions and editing is done with Bob using computer "non-linear" editing suites.
Today, Rangeaire Vision is recognised for the following achievements:
- More than 250 titles
- At least 300 dog breeds illustrated on DVD
- Over 20,000 DVDs/videos sold
- Exports to 64 countries
- Corporate Accreditation with the Australian Video Producers Association Inc.
- Filming on location including Bern Switzerland, Brussels, Vienna, Budapest, Helsinki, Milan Italy and Portugal
- Best Documentary 2008 at AVPA black tie Annual Awards night
As a Lecturer and Speaker on Dogs
Jane Harvey has been lecturing for over 30 years, mainly on Terriers. Topics include grooming, judging, confirmation, terrier type and handling.
As a Lecturer, Jane's achievements include
- Regular lecturer to terrier trainee judges for more than 30 years
- Leader of the Terrier Group Aspiring Judge's Training Scheme
- Conducting overseas Seminars in Canada, Johannesburg South Africa and New Zealand
- Weekly half-hour programme on Radio 96.5 Inner FM Melbourne called "The Wonderful World of Dogs"
- In New Zealand, took part in the first Groomalong
As a Dog Show Judge
Jane Harvey has been judging dogs for over 40 years and holds Australian National Kennel Council Championship Show licenses for the Terrier, Toy, Gundog (Sporting), Utility and Non-Sporting groups.
Her judging achievements include:
- Extensive judging appointments in every state in Australia and New Zealand
- Overseas judging appointments including UK, USA, Canada, Finland, South Africa, Germany, Zimbabwe
- Certified Obedience Instructor
Jane not only judges dogs, she is also an Accredited Assessor which qualifies her to test other people to determine whether or not they have sufficient knowledge to award Challenge Certificates or their equivalent. Please click on this link what is a dog judge.
The importance of the breed standard is also emphasised in many of her videos/DVDs including "Terriers Then and Now"
As a Dog Breeder
One of the keys to Jane Harvey's exhibiting success was her ability to breed quality dogs. With a maximum of 4 dogs living as members of the family without a conventional kennel set-up, Jane Harvey and her husband Bob.
Jane is particularly recognised world wide for her breeding of Airedales. In particular, she:
- Conducted a successful line-breeding programme arising from Jane's studies of Veterinary Science at Melbourne and Sydney Universities
- Bred Airedale Terriers for 30 years under the ‘Rangeaire’ prefix
- Produced 80 Champion Airedales in 14 generations straight
This link to breeding will lead you to extensive information on Understanding Dog Breeding and Whelping the Litter.
Additionally, Jane's deep understanding of genetics, pedigrees and line-breeding led her to produce the video/DVD How to Make a Show Dog. The companion video/DVD How to Raise a Litter of Puppies explains the preparation, whelping, weaning and early training.
As a Dog Groomer
Another key to Jane Harvey's success as an exhibitor was her skillful ability to groom. Taught by the 'old school', please follow this link to how I learned to groom.
Jane's experience in this field spans more than 50 years. It includes:
- In Australia always grooming her own dogs from the age of ten right through 50 years of show grooming more than 80 Airedale Terrier Champions as well as show do0gs for other people
- In London at 'Town and Country Dogs' , the grooming salon situated behind Harrods
- In Paris studying blow wave and clippering techniques at 'La Belle et sa Bete' (near the Arc de Triomphe) from the famous Monsieur Marcel who created the familiar modern day caniche en terrier or "lamb clip" for Poodles. Please follow this link to view the fascinating Poodle Historic Grooming Diagrams which Monsieur Marcel personally hand drew for her. Jane also received personal tuition which resulted in the personal Monsieur Marcel recommendation in Canine Aesthetics
- In New Zealand taking part in New Zealand's first Groomalong as one of the expert demonstrators and judge of the hand stripping section of terriers
Because Jane felt so strongly about the importance of correct grooming, each new Airedale puppy owner was personally taught the art of stripping. When the owners lived remotely, Jane used to teach grooming via outlines drawn over photos, phone calls, letters and diagrams. This led to the production of the Video/DVD "How to Groom an Airedale" which today has become the premier reference on trimming broken coated Terriers and has been exported to 64 countries.
As a Dog Trainer
Jane Harvey has been involved in many initiatives in Dog Training, Obedience Trials and Earthdog Tests.
Jane's achievements in dog training includes:
- Gained the first Obedience title of Companion Dog awarded to any Terrier in Victoria
- Was the first female KCC Certified Obedience Instructor in Victoria
- Instructed at Classes conducted by the Victorian Obedience Dog Club for 8 years
- Conducted special show handling classes for many breed Specialist Clubs
- Deputy Chair of the Victorian Canine Association's Obedience and Agility Committee for 3 years
- Was one of 3 persons on the inaugural Working Party which established Earthdog Instinct Tests for Small Terriers and Dachshunds in Australia
- President of the Victorian Earthdog Club Inc. for 6 years
- Trained and handled the first Tenterfield Terrier to gain an Earthdog title in Victoria
As a Dog Show Exhibitor
Jane Harvey has continuously exhibited dogs for more than 60 years, her passion beginning in 1948.
Her many achievements as a dog show exhibitor includes:
- Won multiple 'Tuckerbox Turnout' (Junior Showmanship) classes at the Royal Melbourne Show
- Show handled many different breeds
- Won Best Exhibit in Show all-breeds handling an English Setter, a Sealyham Terrier and several different Airedale Terriers
- Usually groomed the dogs she handles
- For two years, sponsored the "VCA-Rangeaire Vision Encouragement Award" a year-long handling competition with the final of the heat winners throughout the year judged at the Classic Dog Show
Jane's love of showing inspired her video/DVD "How to How to Handle at a Dog Show" as well as the six World Dog Shows and more than 300 specialty breed Dog Shows.
As an Advocate in Dog Politics
Jane Harvey has always had an interest in Legislation affecting dog ownership. This began when the Social Development Committee was first formed in the 1980’s with a view to the initial drafting of the Domestic (Feral and Nuisance) Animals Act which became Legislation some years later in 1994.
Jane's achievements in official capacities include:
- Crusaded to bring about democratic elections within the pure-breed dog controlling body in Victoria
- Was an inaugural member of the Democratic Canine Foundation Inc
- Assisted in forming and writing the Constitution of the Victorian Canine Association Inc
- Was elected to the Board of Management of this Association Inc
- Held this position for over 7 years
- Was a member of the Rules and Regulations Committee for 2 years
- Was a member of the Victorian Canine Association's Government Liaison Committee
- Took an active role in Local Government matters, especially in her municipality
- Used the dog press and the mainstream press to highlight issues relating to the keeping of dogs
- Researched appropriate material for a regular column in VicDog called ‘Dogs in the Wider Community’
- Appeared as an Expert Witness in both Supreme Court and Local Government actions resulting from problems in cases revolving around the identification of American Pit Bull Terriers
As a Founding Librarian
Jane Harvey had the foresight to realize that the books housed in the dismal back room in the old Royal Agricultural Society's office could become the basis of a members' library. She lobbied for the collection to be moved to be more accessible to members. In 1982, the collection then numbering 858 was taken into a small upstairs room at the Showgrounds Dog Centre.
In 1993 Jane organized band of interested members into a working bee to work a three week period to catalogue, computerize, repair, cover and label the existing collection. This took 29 volunteers some 635 hours[1].
Over the next 6 years, under Jane's Chairmanship with a volunteer Committee
- The collection grew to over 7,000 individual items with an audited insurance value in excess of $500,000 dollars, making it the largest specialized collection of dog publications in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Expanded the types of publications to include videos some of which were converted from old films
- Expanded the collection to include bound volumes of periodically produced publications, newspapers and magazines
- Oversaw the design of a unique cataloging system written by volunteer members who were also experienced and/or qualified librarians
- This unique cataloging system was specifically designed to accommodate a large specialized collection on dogs
- This cataloging system became used for specialized dog collections across Australia and overseas
- Meticulously organised all works suitable to be contained within a public library. This involved cataloging and bar coding all items, covering all books, binding magazines into volumes, and placing all videos into library jackets with matching inserts
- Filled any gaps in the collection relating to individual breeds or activities through advertising, personal approaches to particular members, or bought with monies raised within the Library
- Wrote a Library policy and operating manual for the guidance of its volunteer operators
- Opened the Library as a Members Library with most items available for loan. The exceptions included items which were rare or otherwise classed as valuable
- Opened the Library as a facility capable of being used by the general public interested in researching any ANKC recognized dog breed or any particular aspect relating to dogs
As an Advocate for the Tenterfield Terrier becoming an ANKC Pure Breed
Jane had significant input into the development of the Tenterfield Terrier as a pure breed and its subsequent recognition as such by the ANKC which included:
- The only licensed judge to have attended Tenterfield functions held across Australia from far North Queensland to Perth, to give opinions on the direction of developing this breed in its fledgling years.
- Had significant input into writing the breed standard
- Wrote the Constitution and assisted with setting up the Tenterfield Terrier Club of Victoria Inc and its affiliation with the Victorian Canine Association Inc
- Judged the initial ‘Fun Day’, the first function to be held by any Tenterfield Terrier Club in Australia as an affiliated club
- Lobbied to ensure that Tenterfield Terriers were placed in the Terrier Group rather than the Toy Group
- Produced ‘the Tenterfield Terrier’ DVD, the only publically available published work on this newly developed breed
- Co-ordinated the agreement of all Tenterfield Terrier Clubs in Australia to agree to certain conditions so preventing the ANKC from closing of the Tenterfield Terrier Development Register at that time
- As a result of the above, lobbied the forming of the National Tenterfield Terrier Breed Council of Australia (NTTCA)
- Wrote the initial NTTCA's Constitution
- Wrote the ANKC Breed Standard elaboration produced in collaboration with another breeder and the NTTCA
- Judged the First National Tenterfield Terrier Show
- Trained the first Tenterfield to gain the first Earthdog title in Victoria
- Was awarded Life Membership of the Tenterfield Terrier Club of Victoria Inc
References
[1] Jane Harvey, "Library Modernized" Story and photos in DOGS (Magazine of Victorian Canine Association Inc., Melbourne) Vol 60 February No 2 Page 17