haha funny you should say that, daphni hates freddy krueger....

Definately agree, county shows, fine...get to Olympia and the competition is so high, showing gone mad, attitudes, make-up and bad tempers!

Fair enough, just both mine (with very different temperaments) hate being in crowded places, they'd much prefer to be in open countryside.

Many dogs honestly do enjoy it. Its not all about the owners.

I would love to go to crufts one day and am hoping it will be next year.

We go training most weekends. This involves camping, often Friday and Saturday night which means the dogs sleep in their crates in the van and also do spend quite a long time crated whilst not playing or training. They are far from stressed.

The sight of them all on a Friday evening when they can't wait to get in the van is only beaten by their faces and happiness when we get there and they see where we are absolutely proves how much they love it.

We missed quite a long time over christmas and with the bad weather. A play in the fields or a park is really not the same.

I love competing with my dogs and so do they. If they didn't like it I certainly wouldn't make them do it.

Of course show dogs are pet dogs well should be anyways. we have many dogs here, most of which are rescues and not for showing. Alot of people will pass dogs on. But to me showing is a hobby where dogs come first. Many others are just like me - and dont believe that dogs are passed on only when not good enough for the ring happens in the pet world, the working world, performing world, agility, flyball, pet breeders...ect ect.

1) poodles- yes they may get "poofed" up but this on the one day of the show, the dog is a normal dog every single other day of the year.

2)removing aussies- so she removed a dog from her breeding lines, if she didnt think it was good enough to breed from then why shold she breed from it? doesnt mean it still wasnt an extremely good pet dog for her.

3)shelties- people like that are few and far between, the majority of show people have "normal dogs" i certainly know i do.

4)show dogs being pet dogs- yes and this is exactly my point. show dogs are pet dogs, what i meant by "pet" dogs was your average joe bloggs who has a "pet dog" gives it a quick 15 minute walk in the morning, swans off to work, may walk it when they get in, may not... and as for passing on dogs, i would never ever do that, but i know of a couple of people that have, and can understand why, the woman i work for just rehomed a dog, and she certainly loved the dog very very much, and she did what was right by the dog.

not a fan at all but it is slowly changing for the better.

The lady that is teaching me sheepdog work hates agility with a passion and can't understand what the dog would get out of it.

That's no different to those that don't understand how a dog can enjoy showing. Call it a job if you like - the dog knows what is expected of them and want to perform.

For those that think the dog gets nothing out of it - what about the OB - do you object to that?

There is good and bad in all walks of life. There is bad in showing, there is bad in breeding, there is bad in agility, there is bad in gun dog work, in sheep dog work, in pet homes. But there is also good in each of these.

If an 'under-cover' film was made of any of these other jobs/hobbies involving dogs, I'm sure you'd all be as shocked and start staying 'oh dogs shouldn't be kept as pets' or 'oh collies shouldn't be kept to work sheep' etc. etc.

Get it in proportion. The vast majority of dogs that attend Crufts are fit, healthy and happy. They enjoy their day, so do their owners.

And yes, 10 years ago I was an 'anti' - because I just made assumptions based on snippits of the bad side.

Thoughts - not a huge fan.
Been there working dogs a couple of times, been there as a spectator a few more times. Used to get in free with the KCJO.

Was much more fun when there were lots more freebies!

Not a huge fan of the showing - too boring for my liking, too much standing about.

Jazz Hated it, he did not like the echoy tannoys or the noise level generally. Tass took it all in her stride, chilled and went to sleep on her bench, but she has worked in TV studios which were a hell of a lot worse!
Siren I think would take it in her stride, but I am not sure we will ever find out.

I do think showing for the main part is done for the owners, as are many of the other things we do with dogs, this does not mean the dogs cannot enjoy it as well.

Sadly the KC have lost a lot of respect in the eyes of the GP over the past few years. I understand many people know about good breeders etc etc, but IMO, they should be going over and above to try and restore a good image of pedigree dogs as I think this is the only way people will turn away from the 'hybrid vigour' stuff. Its all in their hands, god knows how they will do it or if they will really try that hard. Time will tell I guess.

Pidge.

Are these photos of over heated or stressed dogs?
http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/p...y/P3160007.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/DSCN2862.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/DSCN2872.jpg

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/p...y/DSCN2584.jpg

Get my point?

Every "hobby" is human based.