i seem to remember a story a few yrs back on one of those dog newspapers that said dog showing participation was on the decrease,incl crufts entrants.

then the next yr crufts was opened up to foreigners.

i surmised the 2 were connected.

dog showing does have an image of being an older persons hobby.
like church and the tory party before cameron took over.
i cant imagine many young modern pet dog owners with their ipods x boxs etc would be interested in walking around rings....it kind of has that miss world feel about it, and thats gone all minority interest as well now.

(PS - im not talking about telly or dog forum members)

Yes, I agree, sadly there are some breeders out there who do look upon it as a business and will diversify into anything that will bring in the money. The only thing is that the designer cross breeds won't be shown at Crufts, so the argument about that bit wouldn't apply

Do you think one day they might allow designer cross breeds in? If it carries on, one day I wonder if they might have to.

Why can't there be a dog show about the temperament of a dog, not how shiny it's coat is, how groomed it's feathers are and how sloped it's back is, for example?

I wonder if my opinion would be different if I were into show Springers and not the workers?

Well I think those designer breeds can be shown at the companion shows but they would only be able to go into the novelty classes...so they could well be for the happiest dog etc.

I think that possibly your very nature is that you want to help people/dogs, from hearing of your work abroad and now the job you have, you unfortunately get to see and hear many horror stories..this must have an effect on your opinions, I can see that.

Maybe your opinion would change if Woody had been from show lines and people you met kept commenting on his looks, (I don't doubt for one moment that you do get compliments about him), but buying from show lines tends to give you a bit of an insight into what goes on, if you buy from a breeder that shows, they may be keen that you try showing pup..sometimes that's how these things start and most people get bitten by the bug..thats certainly what happened to me anyway

And thats why I said it was out of character for you, to start something and fly straight in with derogatory words, and innuendos...no you did not direct your comments to anyone in particular, but when you post right at the start of the thread ,

,
Insinuating people are "tormenting" their dogs , is only going to go one way, they way you intended.



Good post,

Argh , but its all how one expresses "why they dont like Crufts" that will get peoples backs up.

I dont have a problem with anyone not enjoying it, personally I love it, love everything about it, and without Crufts I would have missed out on meetign one of thee most wonderful people God ever put on this earth,a very special dogsey member who is no longer with us.

Your thread backfired on you, what did you really think this thread would achieve, when you started it with such a negative attitude, you know Crufts is coming up, you have seem the "meet up" thread on Crufts, you know members are looking forward to it, you know people have worked tirelessly to get there, you know that people here love their dogs and enjoy showing them.

Yet, you start a thread saying with a generalisation that those who show are being cruel to their dogs, putting them on benches for 12hrs, no exersice area, no where to pee ,poo, you really think people wont come back at you for that

I love Crufts, because I love being around all the breeds I love meeting up with friends, and talking to others , the shopping and the whole atmosphere.

My advice to you Pidge it to grow up, and think next time you decide to criticize others for what they do, (allbeit through the back door) , remember when you bait , some will bite.

Whew! At last I've caught up with the end of this thread!

I will be honest in my opinions, but as I've never been to Crufts, have only occasionally watched it on TV, & know next to nothing about breeding & showing, I'm speaking from my gut instinct, not from personal experience or knowledge.

I have absolutely nothing against people that compete or show their dogs ~ provided that their dog's welfare is their primary concern. If they are 100% sure that their dog enjoys the whole Crufts experience (& is not just pleased to be with their owner, rather than away from their owner, & is as happy being at Crufts, as it would be running through the woods, on the beach, playing with friends etc), then fair enough. Experienced dog owners who know their dogs very well should be able to judge when their dog is happy, & should know their dog well enough to know what it likes doing best. And if being at a dog show like Crufts is what rocks their dog's boat, then great, go for it.

My concerns are that many dogs are at Crufts because the owner wants to be at Crufts & wants to show off their dog. Now if that is the primary motive for taking a dog to a dog show, & you know your dog would be happier doing something else instead, then I start to wonder of it is truly the dog's well-being & happiness that is at the heart of it, or if it is the owner's/breeder's/shower's interests that are the reason for the dog being at Crufts. I'm not saying that such a dog would necessarily be unhappy at Crufts, just that it may prefer to be somewhere else. And if that were my dog, I'd be at that somewhere else with it

This is not directed at anyone personally ~ I am assuming that everyone on Dogsey who takes their dog to Crufts, is genuinely acting in the best interests of their dog & that they know their dog well enough to be able to say "my dog loves being at Crufts" as opposed to "my dog loves going to the woods but will tolerate a day at a big dog show". Maybe other people not on this forum are not as responsible or concerned for their dog's welfare ~ & those owners I do worry about , or rather I worry for their dogs.

On a more personal note, I know my dogs well enough to be able to say that they'd hate the experience so I'd never take them. I also have no interest is seeing dogs paraded around a ring & judged, nor do I particularly enjoy watching flyball. From the TV coverage I've watched in the past, I find myself worrying about the welfare of assistance dogs & I find myself watching dog body language for signs of stress, hyperactivity, hypervigilance, weariness, over-heating, boredom etc etc. Perhaps this is because I know my dogs would not be happy about day at Crufts? But I'm open to others who say their dogs are different.

My interests are animal welfare, animal behaviour & the human-animal bond. Dogs shows in general don't satisfy these interests at all, (unless I find out that there are adverse welfare aspects for the dogs!).

It`s not Crufts that you are uncomfortable with is it? It`s the whole show scene? I can`t stand shows but that`s because it`s just not my thing. I know I`ve got the best dog(s) and can`t understand why everyone doesn`t see that.
There is dog abuse in every competitive sport or event because people get silly about winning. I`ve even see people get OTT in fun dog shows.
It`s human nature that causes the problem, not the vehicle.

Don't they already do that in "GOOD CITIAZEN AWARDS"!

Maybe if you feel its something missing in the market, its something you could start up yourself, you have connections through your line of work.

LOL------and that makes the biters grown up????

rune