the worse handling in all disciplines happen 'behind the scenes'.

i do think its much a fuss about nothing.(the handling in the ring)

Yes I do get the feeling this thread was started purely to make a fuss, bit of trolling going on IMO. As usual it's people seeing what they want to see, anti show'ers will say the dogs were panting, hot, stressed, choking etc. Pro show'ers will say all the dogs were having a wonderful time etc. Me, from an unbiased view (I show, but feel show dogs should still be fit for/to function) felt that the majority of dogs were doing what they were trained to do - show off. Didn't see anything shocking that's for sure, in fact I thought the gundog group was the best group so far. But then I probably am a bit biased there!

Oh yes, that was the ESS handler. Silly woman! I do believe I screamed "WHAT ARE YOU DOING WOMAN???!!!!" School boy error that one.
Yes that's typical Bracco movement. Braccos and Spins move differently from most other breeds.

There is another explanation you have not considered>

Some dogs hang their heads , not due to tiredness, but because other dogs have also walked the same path, and they like to sniff at the ground. for smells and dropped food, nothing to do with being tired,

A tired dog will show its tired in his movement, not simply by dropping his head.

Did you watch the Portuguese Water dog, poor thing , simply lost his luster on his run, that was a tired dog!

Regards horses walking a different way, when the head is lifted (artificially or naturally) the horse will walk with a lighter gait, a more natural movement, with the head falling , gravity impinges the natural movement.

the only time you will see a horse walking with his head to the ground is when he is eating or ill,

A bit like a dog really, they hold the head erect to balance out their movement.

I am struggling to work out how why a 'natural' gait has to be artificially helped?

rune

Yup, but I am talking about the dogs having their heads HELD up there, that must change their movment and so is that not 'cheating'
why do the dogs have to be onlead at all?

because if they arent on lead, you arent seen to have full control of them.

You mean like the obedience and HTM and other demo dogs?

rune

i can remember reading it somewhere that you have to hold your dogs lead at all times so you have full control of the dogs at all times. showing isnt obedience and HTM, its showing. yes in the other sports the owners have control of the dog while they are doing it, but watching agility online when the dogs have finished the course, they have got their toy and gone away from the owner etc. also would you expect the flyball dogs to be loose when they werent running? they have harnesses on most of them and the owners hold them until its their turn to run, is it ok for them to have the harnesses on, but a show dog could/should be shown with out a lead? really

daphni would do it without a lead, ive tried it at ring craft

Show dogs are not robots - their like any other dogs..without a lead on for control mine would be off playing with others in the ring.... I hate to see a dog acting like a robot and there are a few around - where the training over takes the fun.

In Germany in the adult classes the GSD is shown on & off lead. I love watching it. They did it this year at the British Seiger held just outside Birmingham. Its very different from obedience though where except where the dog is stationary in a stay only one dog at a time is in the ring.