Ummm.... I can add.... I had a much nicer day out as a visitor at that Open show last week, than I did at all 4 of the charity companion shows I went to as an exhibitor wih my own, pet, unprepared dog.

I would be delighted to show at Open level and have a good day out if I had a dog that shared my pleasure.

I saw more unhappy dogs at the charity companion show than I did at the Open, mainly because none of them had ever been accustomed to that situation.

I suppose people think it is good to go to a fun show and take their dog, to support a charity, but a lot of the dogs really don't agree! The ones that coped the best were pedigrees who had obviously been to ringcraft, no surprise they got the top honours.

Great post and very true!

I think for those with the dogs best interests in mind they'll always make a loss, it those that churn out several litters a year (albeit health tested) that make the money.......

Isla: 10% show dog....


90% every day dog....

Nuff said!

People who take there dogs to shows when on heat should be shot quite frankly. It's unfair on their dog and unfair on all the other males dogs there too.

Isla's Sire is an FCI International Champion, more importantly a Champion of France which means he has to have gained 70% at a field trial. So no, he's no good at "real things" like agility, but he's a damn good gundog.

Not all breeds do brilliantly when bred only for working ability either though. Look at the English Springer (no offence to owners of the working type), the majority of the working/field trial breeders appear to be under the impression that just because a dog is fit for function it is healthy. Most working Springers look nothing like the original dog and most of the working breeders don't even bother to health test and they continue to inbreed closely just as some show breeders do.......

Personally I'd prefer an English Springer that looks the part, but can do a days work too. Not a fantastic gundog that looks like a Springer Collie cross and not a fantastic looking English Springer that wouldn't know a Pheasant if it bit it on the ****. But that's just me, putting the breed before my own ego! If only others did the same......

Now back on topic!

I think many people are anti showing because they don't have enough knowledge about it. My dogs are left on the benches from time to time at shows. Some people say they look bored and feel sorry for them. My dogs look bored when I'm doing the house work, does that mean I shouldn't do it (if only! )? Does that mean that those that don't show spend every waking minute making absolutely sure their dogs are entertained and never bored? No didn't think so! In reality shows are great experiences for dogs if brought up in the environment from a young age and gievn the opportunity to explore the environment (eg not left on the bench for long periods of time).

There are some shocking pet owners (and a I bet they're at a larger pertcentage than shocking show owners if only purely because there's more pet owners out there), there are some seriously shocking working owners/breeders (dogs left in kennels for 23 hours a day to keep them keen to please their owners springs to mind) and there are some shocking show owners/breeders (dogs kept in kennels 24/7 and only given the opportunity to socialise at shows), but that doesn't mean just because the bad exists the good is non existant.

People just need to get a bit of perspective tbh.

Ripsnorterthe2nd - your dog is gorgeous, and looks a happy little soul!
Sums up ours to and they can soon look like that seconds after leaving a show/getting home! wouldnt change it for the world..

and good post to

Fank yoo.

I'm gutted she won't be bred from but hey, some things were never meant to be!

Showing isn’t something I am ‘against’. It isn’t something I am a fan of either though, but I do watch crufts… I just enjoy seeing all the dogs

I know that there are many genuine dog lovers, whose dogs are first and foremost a pet and it is their pets needs that come first. but not all show people are, and it is those people who I dislike.

I dislike those show people who discard a dog as soon as they fail to win, or do well.
I dislike those show people who get a puppy purely to show, and if that poor pup fails to do so, its rehomed without a second glance.
I dislike those show people who breed their dog purely because they can charge a lot of money for the pups due to the parents showing success.
I dislike those show people who keep their dogs in kennels.
I dislike those show people who rehome their females as soon as they are too old to produce countless puppies for them, and get a new female to take over that role.
I dislike those show people who don’t let their dogs be dogs.
The list can go on and on…

I don’t dislike showing or all show people, and I know most who show do it for fun and love their dog dearly, and do put them first. not all do though, sadly.

Pet owners are just as bad though, are they not?

I dislike all pet owners who buy a dog just cos it looks cute as a pup not thinking about the dogs original purpose and what the dog will need as a result as an adult

I dislike all pet owners who think having a large garden is an excuse to sit on their backsides and not walk their dogs

I dislike all pet owners who never bother to groom their dogs and send them to the groomers full of mats expecting the groomer to deal with it

I dislike all pet owners who seem to think it's my dogs fault their male dog has crap recall purely because my dog is female

I dislike all pet owners who are only fair weather walkers

I dislike all pet owners who dress up their dogs and carry them round like hand bags

I dislike all pet owners who don't take the dog to the vets for a serious injury because they can't afford the bill

I dislike all pet owners who still think a bitch needs to have a litter before being spayed

And so the list could go on. I honestly think far more dogs suffer worldwide as a result of crap pet owners than any dog owned by a crap show owner/breeder.........

Just have to say I spelt Crufts wrong and it is driving me batty, but my excuse is I am on the other side of the world
Those images of the GSD were upsetting to be honest and to call that dog a winner was sad as that encourages the breeding of GSD's to swing to that side instead of healthier looking ones that are proportionate to the breeds purpose and general well being.
Thanks for the GSD run down (I am sure that is just a snippet of their duties), OT question but they are not used much for herding or protecting stock here, is it still a common task for the GSD in the UK?
I have showed horses too and saw the bad side of it, it is not nice to see horses not allowed to be horses at the end of the day, one of the best things after showing is to let the horse out in the paddock and they go silly for a bit, loving the freedom again, but knew some who never did that and they were still rugged from head to tail once home.
The skills required in dressage are the basis for every other equine use, so I find it funny when jumpers or stock workers laugh at dressage saying it has no use, as they use it in their work, my horses were both dressage and shower's and used for paddock work.

I think seeing some super shiny preened dogs are nice, but to be like that everyday of their lives would be sad, I guess it is about balance, some don't do anything for showing and give it a bad name (whatever animal chosen to show) and but a negative slant towards it, but others show and see a bond with the animal and can make it a good experience for all involved.

Maybe it is not about showing it is about the morals and ethics individuals have behind and no matter what a judge says at the end of the day they are not always right, nor does it matter if you still love the dog you have.

WOW! Ripnorterthe2nd - what a beauty

She admitted to doing it because her bitch was on heat and 'leaking' I'm still puzzled as to why this brightened up your day? A little sick.

Maybe it's a more recent thing between yards nowaday in the horse world, I'm probably a bit younger than you? and sold my last horse just 3 years ago and it was ripe then.

Hi,

I used to be completely against showing, particularly as I grew up because I didn't know at the time that many dogs that go into the showring are, first and foremost, family pets.

I show my dogs now. They love it. It's an excuse for a day out that isn't in the local park etc. They get all the extra attention, new smells and if we're lucky, they may come away with a few rosettes and (on a couple of occasions) have had a trophy or two before now.

But now I've got involved a little bit (and I'm still a beginner as far as exhibiting is concerned), I love doing it. I don't show Ellie (would love to take her to Scrufts) but she doesn't enjoy that sort of thing. But the others like it so I'll continue with them until they've had enough.

But on a day to day basis, my dogs are either at home with me or out and about with me. They don't go from a kennel to the show ring and then back to a kennel again - which is the perception I grew up with. They are our pets, our friends and our family members and that's more important to me than showing.

As far as I'm concerned, every time someone stops me to admire Zane (because of his size) or Yiannis (because he's behaving better now), I'm as proud of them then as if they win in the ring.

I must admit at Crufts we did meet a couple of people who were a bit snotty about their dogs. The sort of people who think they're dogs are better than everyone else's (none of them won though! ) but on the whole, everyone was very friendly, the dogs in general were having a good time and were very relaxed about it all.

So I think it's swings and roundabouts. Now I'm involved in showing and I now realise it's not very often as I thought it was when I was growing up, I'm all for it (so long as the dogs enjoy it). It's just down to what people think at the end of the day. I agree there are some people who don't consider their dogs to be a part of their family and if they don't win at top level they rehome them, but in my very limited experience, those people tend to be few and far between now.

Laura xx

i dislike those kinds of pet owners too, but this thread isnt about pet owners, it is about showing.