For me personally, i would never show, not my cuppa of tea at all! My dogs are dogs, if they want to run around and get mucky, then so bit it, i dont want to be like " oh no dog cant do that i have to take you to a show 2morrow"
Thats just my personal views for why I/ME do not want to show any dogs! ever!

Well said Hayley exactly the way I feel. Reading through a few of these posts has just made me feel that way even more.

Its got nothing to do with different is wrong....To be honest I have had enough of trying to defend a hobby against people on this board who try to run it down with no knowledge or experience to support there accusations....apart from saying its like horse showing....which I can assure you its not having done both.
It seems people who can't compete just want to run down something which they know nothing about.....the same as people calling all staffys nasty aggressive beasts we are all being labelled as snobs who just buy a dog for its looks then parade it round a ring or get rid of it if its not good enough.

So why cant we compete then? None of us mentioned that we couldn't by the sounds of it none of us ever would want too I certainly wouldn't and have never had any intention of doing so. Why take part in a debate if you don't wish to see things from another perspective?

I have heard so many stories you all say crufts is such fun? Only a few years ago someone at crufts gave another dog a tranquilizer because they were scared that dog was going to win. It's the win at all costs mentality of a minority of people who compete that us ignorant people hear about. I was hoping that by reading through this debate my perception of peope who compete would be changed. Instead of being educated I find a few of the remarks made rather derogatory and have just proven in my mind the hypothesis I had about a lot who compete in the dogworld.

do you not think that by saying show people are stand offish etc that is not derogatory!!!!! Seems its ok in one direction but not the other.
You like many others make your judgements from one or 2 storys or experiences....what about all the stuff you don't hear about because its not good gossip for papers? Like I said we don't like to hear about the good bits but its easier t think we're right by shutting our ears and concentrating on the few nagative points we know about.By you piccy I think you own a dane? How would you feel if I were to say I met a dane the other day and the dog was aggressive and the owner was an a##e...and because of that all dane owners must be the same? Is that fair? but it is what I experienced so it must be right and if you got defensive and uptight about that then that proves my point does it? or does it mean that maybe I'm wrong and you are defensive about something you lobe and maybe slightly annoyed at my being a bit narrow minded?

I never read anything in Sarah's post that said you were standoffish?


Sarah2: I suggest us ignorants leave them now to get on with it!

I agree with Hayley, i like to see dogs running in fields, chasing everything that moves, going swimming and getting their coats absoloutley filthy.
My opinions on showing are quite contreversial, i keep them to myself as i do not wish to offend anyone. My parents lived for showing dogs when i was younger, because of this i personally cant stand it, that world isnt exactly for me, i can see the attraction for many but not for me.
i think in this thread we should remember that certain similar threads have gotten somewhat viscious and personal recently, and we do not want this to happen again.

i will use myself for an example, some people do no agree with using any dogs in 'the field' whther they be terriers for vermin dispatch or gundogs for just that, being gun dogs. I am perfectly aware of this, but i would never personally be offended, or personally offend anyone.
We are all entitled to our opinions, cause thats what they are opinions.
Best wishes

p.s Luke is off to rest his head now, he has written things quite confusing for his tired head

I was the one who asked the question - what happens to dogs that are found not to be good enough to show; it was a genuine question and applauded those of you that don't discard a dog like an old car that's past its best and I don't believe I labelled anyone as a snob.

Nikke ,
i'm not labelling anyone a snob, and i doubt anyone else is, Dog Web is a wide community, a one of a kind forum.
DW is a one of a kind forum because we are all meant to respect and value people's opinions, thoughts and feelings. It is apprent in so many of these debates which inevitabbly end up in getting locked that we aren't all respecting one and other, this isn't really how it should be, we are all entitled to our opinions and beliefs but we should not single out individual people if theirs differ from ours now, should we?
best wishes

very good question Lucky