Dogsey

Jackie ... if you know the dog I am talking about, then you will know what a happy dog he is, and has the most amazing life.

I am glad too to hear that Matisse does lead a normal life outside of the show world. That poor little Llasa Apso who won Crufts a couple of years ago certainly didn't. I am not against show dogs - how could I be? I love all dogs. I am against the owners who parade their pooches as extensions of themselves and their own egos. I just personally think that it would be a lot better to judge dogs on their health and whether they can perform the function for which they were bred. Get away from the tightknit rules of conformity and looks, which would stop all this nightmarish close and inbreeding and clean up the pedigree dog world once and for all. Stop the atrocities like eye problems in Shar Peis, fallen haunches in GSDs, that awful syrinigi thingey in Cavvies which I can never remember how to spell. All these problems are caused by inbreeding and constant close breeding with a closed genepool. If the dogs were judged more on performance and health rather than looks, there would be much less of a need for close breeding. Dogs are already closely enough related ... all modern dogs are directly descended from 3 wolf bitches, traced back through the mitochondrial rNA (NOT dna).

Sorry to bang on, but it is one of my pet hates.

So Nikki if you see Figo, all brushed and clean in the show ring, and you have never seen any of the pics on here, are you going to assume, that he always looks like that, and does not lead a normal life.

Because that is exactly what you are doing about Matisse!

http://[URL=http://s5.photobucket.com/user/jackiemellor/media/DSC_0825_zpsfbd4089c.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

Here you go, this is my show dog doing what he loves when not in the ring.... proof that show dogs are just liek any other.

Drawing the ecollar comparison is valid, its more the manner in which it was deployed that "swung low" so to speak, no biggie.

Talking of which -

Come on now, lets be sensible here, I'm sure he'd take the funny hairdo given the choice.. Also you can't really humiliate an animal, abstract thought is an exclusively human quality

Would just like to add, congratulations to Miss P. who overtook from behind. Beagles rule at Westminster OK!

lol..and what a lovely dog it was too x

All dogs are lovely!!

Figo is a handsome boy indeed ... i just hope that matisse has such a good home as figo's.

I probably have made too sweeping a statement but i keep harking back to that poor little crufts winner.

That beach looks familiar? Is it where i think it is?

True mr bulldog ... i am anthropomorphising there! But to me it is akin to that stupid cow paris hilton dressing her chis up in hats and handbags!

I will stick to my guns and say that i would much prefer a more natural look.

And As a ps, i still think depriving any dog of being allowed to behave like a dog is far crueller than a few nicks from an e collar!

Still haven't answered Nikki, what is natural !!