it's 'heelwork to music' I'd quite like to see a dog heal someone to music!

I have said before I really cannot see the issue here at all.

It's mentally and physically stimulating for the dog, it is NOT just to amuse us. Those of us who watch or take part in this, we don't do it to have a good laugh at our dogs, we do it because we...
1: Enjoy watching the dogs have fun
2: Enjoy giving our dogs something fun and interesting to do
3: Can't necessarily choose other options to do with our dogs

And many many more reasons.

My eldest won't play with toys (despite my best efforts to show him they're not scary) he can't do agility like my youngest and I'm not in a position to work him (whether he could do it or not, I don't know).
I've found that he loves learning new tricks.

Personally I would far rather spend time with him teaching him heelwork to music than have him sit in a corner and grow old with nothing else to do.

I truly think the people that believe this is humiliating for the dog, are far more concerned about humiliating themselves. Since when did dogs get humiliated by working for treats and praise?!

I will ask once again, if the dog enjoys something why or how can it be wrong?!

I absolutely cant stand it! Nothing more than performing dogs doing circus tricks for the purposes of public entertainment. I dont like circus tricks and I cannot stand HTM. I can see NOTHING the dogs gets out of this, except perhaps possible health problems arising from unnatural movements like excessive walking on the hind legs etc.. They talk about huntsmen wearing a traditional pink jacket, but some of these, well lets say there isnt anything traditional about a lot of it!
Dawn.

I have a husky cross - what many might refer to as a utonagan or a northern inuit, although he is unregistered. As far as I am concerned, he is a mongrel whom I love to bits.

They sound like characters Amie! I like the thought of "easy to train". Just the opposite of a husky really! I have a husky cross - what many might refer to as a utonagan or a northern inuit, although he is unregistered. As far as I am concerned, he is a mongrel whom I love to bits. He is more intelligent than me, far better looking, much slimmer (for which I hate and envy him!) and at the age of 9 and a half is at last becoming really rather obedient! He is an intermittent stud dog and has bred 2 litters, with 2 more bitches ready, eager and waiting for his services.

breeding Mongrels seems a shame when rescue centres are full of them .

I absolutely cant stand it! Nothing more than performing dogs doing circus tricks for the purposes of public entertainment. I dont like circus tricks and I cannot stand HTM. I can see NOTHING the dogs gets out of this, except perhaps possible health problems arising from unnatural movements like excessive walking on the hind legs etc.. They talk about huntsmen wearing a traditional pink jacket, but some of these, well lets say there isnt anything traditional about a lot of it!
Dawn.

hmm... the amount of time my bitch stands on her back legs I can't really see any problem with doing HTM...

Surely all the pressure on their joints from doing agility jumps isn't healthy in that case?!

They're not circus tricks to the dogs are they? maybe that's what you see the tricks as, but the dogs enjoy them, enjoy learning and working.

So Borderdawn tell me, do you think I'm cruel by teaching Eddy to do 'circus tricks' instead of leaving him to sit, bored in the corner of the room because he doesn't like playing???? He sees his trick training as his playtime. Sorry if you think that's cruel - I'm afraid I can't agree.