Anybody Watch the Westminster Dog Show

[chambero]

Anybody watch the dog show on tv last night and wonder just what kind of tricks the "dog jocks" use on those?

They aren't a food animal so I guess anything goes?

I wonder if they test those dogs?

 

[cowz]

Ace in the doggie treats?  :

 

[shorthorns r us]

it is unbelievable what goes in the dog show world.  we don't show our dachshunds but know some that do.  some of them make horse people look like saints.

 

[chambero]

it is unbelievable what goes in the dog show world.  we don't show our dachshunds but know some that do.  some of them make horse people look like saints.

That is saying something.  I know nothing about showing dogs.

 

[cowz]

I am amazed at the level of fitting at those shows.  Whoever fit up the poodles could probably put most steer jocks to shame!  Charolais fitters probably need to talk to the handlers of that white poodle on last night.  I am kinda a border collie type myself, but even with the sporting dogs the hair care is just phenominal.

 

[showsteerdlux]

I will second that. there was a dog that I cant remember its name but it was in the hunters group that had probably the best clip job I have ever seen. I didnt see the poodle but I can just imagine. Big money in those things to.

 

[farmboy]

GO BEAGLES  ;D

 

[showsteerdlux]

That 15 in. beagle is one of the nicest beagles I have ever seen. Seems to be playful and have a good attitude to.

 

[justintime]

My wife has shown dogs at several major shows throughout Canada and the US but have never been to the Westminster show herself. One of our " House dogs" is a former US and Canadian National Champion Silky Terrier. Two years ago, we leased her to a breeder in Boulder, Co for a litter. I will say that I would like to be able to sell flushes in some of my cows for what  she received for this.
Like anything else that can be shown competitively, lots of games are played. In many cases, it is not so much the dog, or the owner, but who gets the highly paid dog handler who sees success in the show ring. I have met a few of these people.... and let's just say, some of them have changed my definition of weird!

We have a large international Arabian show near here each year and it is worth a trip just to see the pomp and pagentry that is presented there. One of my vets has been a resident vet at this show for several years now. Each year he come home and says that next year he is going to be the official cocaine dealer for the show rather than the vet. Guess it works quite well to get a high strung horse even more high strung when they enter the ring with nostrils flairing and eyes looking wild. I imagine a little makes it way into the nostrils of the owners as well!

 

[JSchroeder]

Watch Best in Show, it's more documentary than comedy.

(It's also what inspired me to make a dog version of my silly little cattle game and thus turned a hobby into a career.)

 

[shorthorns r us]

do lots of folks play the dog game?

 

[JSchroeder]

I have sites for show cattle, show cats, horse racing, show horses, and show dogs.  The dog site accounts for about 50% of our users.

 

[farmboy]

showcattle.com is the best 

 

[JbarL]

go uno......the begal looked great.....was so glead to see his nose and chin marked with a nice ( probally usally scapbby )  set of "working scars." and still take home the " big one".............another one of the large working breeds was showing with a reattached ear after an "on  the job"  bobcat  incident....thats what i'm talkin' about!!!.....i've had an austrian shepard, and now have jack russells.....all of em have/had working scars....and they absolutly "love" gettin' em....another thing i thought of was the  normal sudden surge in breed purchases after the " big one"  and most of the the disasterous "fashional" purchases that folks make after a breed becomes po[ular.....i can truly say that a begal will fit into more home scenieros than most of the other winners of class....and begal purchases  has alot less undesirable side effects of humans "stupidity" in selecting a dog....jbarl

 

[showsteerdlux]

I used to have an account on showcattle.com but got busy and havent been on it for 2 or 3 years.

 

[SKF]

I grew up in the dog show world and theres a lot politics involved.

 

[shortyjock89]

I think I would like to show dogs..but I don't know how to get into it, and the cattle already take up a bunch of time.  But, if I did show, it would definately be Beagles...they just have the "look"...

 

[Doc]

  Dog show people can be a little different to put it mildly. We've trialed our Aussies in the past & so I've been around the conformation people some & it's a different world. ;D

 

[kanshow]

We show dogs.  Just like anything competitive, there are politics involved.  Sometimes they work my way, sometimes they don't.  Sometimes we show them ourselves but mostly the dogs are with a handler.  We've had some success and top ranked dogs who have shown at the Garden and Eukanuba. No breed wins at either but did get an award of merit.. considering both are the level they are.. just getting invited to show there is a biggie. 

I can't cite the rules exactly but a dog's conformation & appearance cannot be surgically altered and foriegn substances are not allowed in the coat or otherwise on the dog.  That said, it happens all the time and very few get caught and punished.  As far as drugging dogs. I know it happens on a regular basis - uppers, downers, pain relievers, etc..  I've heard of and seen things you would not imagine...  As for me, I prefer to win on the merit of my dog.   

 

[red]

I watched a documentry on PBS about cat shows. Now those people are whacked & I'm a cat lover!

I was rooting for the beagle too. It was great to see a real dog win that had a personality. The poodles just turned me off. The clipping on them was just bizzare!

Red