American · 1917–2005
Anna Katherine Nicholas (1917-2005) was an American dog show judge and one of the most prolific writers on purebred dogs of the twentieth century, authoring nearly 90 breed guides and reference works over a career spanning more than six decades. Born in Troy, New York, she attended her first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at age five and knew immediately she wanted to work with dogs. She began judging in the 1940s and went on to officiate at Westminster for three decades. Her writing career began when a magazine commissioned her to write about the Pekingese, and she went on to produce dozens of single-breed books for publishers including Howell Book House and TFH Publications, covering terriers, spaniels, sporting breeds, and working dogs. Her best-known work, The Nicholas Guide to Dog Judging, won the Dog Writers Association of America's award for Best Technical Book and remained a standard reference for judges. In 2000, the American Kennel Club honored her with its Lifetime Achievement Award. She never married and died in Danbury, Connecticut, at age 87.