How detrimental is agression when showing?

Question as above really....

How detrimental is dog-on-dog aggression when showing?

I can't see that someone (respectable/ethical) would breed from a dog-aggressive dog, no matter how good he was.

There is a dog in my training class, who is absolutely superb looking, a good example of the breed. He has been to, and won at Crufts this year and last year.

However, his dog-to-dog aggression is so bad that he wears a soft muzzle at class, doesn't do anything off lead, can't be particularly close to other dogs. Apparantly he is "ok with most bitches", but hates all dogs.

I can't understand how he can be a good example of the breed when he can't be near another canine!

We have the same issue with a dog in our breed, whom ALWAYS has a pop at at least one other dog in every class it attends, even at Crufts ! His breeder deems it ok, and they even have the audacity to look at the owners of the other dog like they have no idea why 'their' dog had a pop ! This dog is reknowned for doing it, it even got loose and came for my dogs in the ring on more than one ocassion, resulting in everyone else in the ring walking out in protest at the risk factor.

IMO It's one thing to have a dog which stumbles accross a dog that it doesn't like (they're no different to humans in that resopect) but I truly think that any dog that behaves this way, should be marked by each Judge and recorded, and if a pattern emerges (so many strikes) then that dog should be banned from showing, if it's proven that it does it regularly.

I don't think dogs like this should be bred from, because with the dog mentioned above, it has also been very obvious that many of his offspring have the same issues in the show ring.

I have seen this particular dog have a go at the judge too.


Depends on the breed in some cases wheras in a Lab - to be dog aggressive is very unusual .... and noy in line with breed standard but some terrier types - it is an issue in the breed and a known trait ...

I've also seen it bite it's owner in the ring, and the Judge turned a blind eye

Think it depends on the breed, some breeds, mostly terriers, it would be deemed ok in others is would be frowned upon. See what the standard says, some will state that the dogs must be friendly, if this is the case it would be deemed a fault.

Sadly I could give you the name of a couple of very well known kennels in our breed ,who's have bred from aggressive dogs, and although they produce fabulous looking dogs, that do well in the ring...I would`nt touch any of their off springs with a barge pole.

This goes on not just in our bred, but all breeds...for some people it is the winning that counts, and temperament seems to be the last consideration.

All they are interested in, is producing the next champion.

Very true and how I came to have Maddy. Top kennels doesn't necessarily mean top dogs, which is hard for someone new to showing as you tend to put your trust in your breeder.

Terriers - a bit of a special case, within reason - but if anything else came under me showing agression I would dismiss it from the ring instantly. This actually happened in Goldies last weekend at an International show. Within FCI gradings there is the provision for "cannot be judged" which covers this.
Mind you, it didn't stop a disgruntled exhibitor from having a go verbally at the judge because he didn't like her dog! He was quite upset!

That, along with infection or ill health is the only reason a dog can be dismissed from the ring under KC rules too. However dog on dog aggression does go on and whether a judge takes note or not is only in their mind.

There are one or two males in my own breed that chunter under their breath when being gone over, breed judges ignore it but a few all rounders are a bit concerned.

If a dog is dismissed from the ring a report goes to the KC and the dog may well be banned along with his or her progeny, for this reason judges are loathed to do it.

I think I could accept a dog in my breed "being on its toes" but not out and out aggression as I have seen in the ring, when the dogs behave like this it puts everyone sharing the ring with that dog on tenderhooks, any dog that bites a judge/other people/or attacks another dog should be dismissed from the ring (seen a couple of thes incidents and the judge ignoring it and in fact still placed a dog) IMO out and out aggressive dogs should not be allowed to be shown or bred from,

Mo