Life Outside the Lab: Time Off is for the Dogs

When he's not in the lab, Paul Fink is in the dog house, but there's nowhere he'd rather be. Breeding and showing champion Yorkshire Terriers is a passion for Paul, Owner of A Dental Creation in Vincennes, IN, and his wife, Barbara, who also works in the lab.

Longtime Yorkie lovers, the Finks have several show dogs and the demands of caring for and showing them keep the duo busy. To become a champion, show dogs must compete in numerous shows each year in order to accumulate points and, since shows are held across the country, the hobby requires a lot of weekend travel. Luckily, their small, two-person, home-based operation gives them the flexibility to plan their caseload accordingly and even work longer hours in a four-day workweek so they can travel on Fridays.

At the shows, the dogs are judged according to the individual breeds AKC standard—including appearance and gait—and showing dogs requires significant training and grooming. For an AKC Champion, like...