The Remedy for Ringside Rumination Dog Show Dialogue Doesn’t Have to Be Negative ARTICLE BY DAN SAYERS D og shows are in t r o u b l e . E n t r i e s
approved—with a built-in bias. The preference is clear, she argued, with standards that read, “Teeth are level or scissors.” In the opinion of my ringside mentor, “level or scissors” is not the same as “scissors or level.” The first term, she empha- sized, is preferred whereas the second is merely acceptable. I’ve been thinking about the order of words in a sentence ever since. While watching a recent Sighthound specialty, I made a quiet comment to a friend about a particular dog in a class. “Look at that dog’s beautiful neck-to-shoulder transition,” I remarked spontaneously. As it so happened, the dog’s breeder was standing on the other side of my friend and she over- heard my candid critique. “My dogs are well-known for their front assembly,” she declared with no false-modesty. A sense of relief came over me, as did a desire to learn more about her ability to produce a front with such fine, sloping shoulders and return of upper arm. As each class entered the ring, the exhibits from her kennel proved unmistakable. Their front assemblies were distinctive when compared with that of their competitors. When the Open Bitch class entered the ring, I was again struck by one particular exhibit. When I comment- ed on this bitch’s well-made front and stunning head, her breeder didn’t hesitate to specify an obvious short coming. “She’s too small,” was the reason the lady gave for placing this exquisite creature. The message was clear: Breeders who can reproduce quality consistently also have the ability to make decisions that lesser breeders may find difficult. Not every dog-related discussion begins with a bang. The simplest of greetings can sometimes lead to the most memo- rable conversations. At one Sunday show this past summer, I stopped by a handler’s set-up and found myself part of a dialogue I won’t soon forget. Under the canopy of an RV, surrounded by dozens of ribbons and rosettes awarded just that weekend, I spoke with a second-generation dog man who didn’t seem to care much about those silken sashes. In fact, he considered “winning at all costs” to be an albatross around the necks of many of today’s professional and owner- handlers. Though he felt many of the dogs being shown today are worthy of their win records, he bemoaned the fact that some of the folks who handle these dogs are not the least bit interested in breeding dogs of the same quality. It seems that many of today’s “handlers” are motivated (perhaps bur- dened) by a system that rewards the win—often despite the dog. According to the professional handler I spoke with, the sport isn’t dependent so much on the ring as it is the whelp- ing box. “Handlers can’t expect to stay in business if there
are plummeting. Majors are few and far between. Costs for everything are soar- ing. Everything is “pol- itics!” The constant refrain from some fan- ciers who lament the current state of affairs at AKC conformation shows can be enough to turn anyone away from the sport. To lis-
ten to the chronic complainers, you’d think there’s no better way to spend a weekend than to drive great distances to com- pete in a sport that offers no competition or chance to win. “The system is rigged,” say the spoilsports to anyone who will listen. Their ringside rumination—imposed on friend and foe alike—is distracting and their chorus of contempt can be deafening. However, for exhibitors in search of stimulating conversation, dog show dialogue need not be disparaging, dismissive or destructive. For exhibitors in search of stimulat- ing conversation, dog shows can still offer ample opportunity for spontaneous discussions about the breeding, showing and evaluation of purebred dogs. At one recent local show, I stood alongside a breeder of many top-winners in the Herding Group. As we watched the judging of this particular Group, I began to consider the overall proportion of some of the breed representatives in the ring. The dogs in question were beautiful, certainly, but something about them seemed “off.” Although they certainly looked the part, their height-to-length ratio seemed atypi- cal to me. As one particular dog circled the ring, I asked my neighbor for an experienced opinion. Without hesitation, this longtime breeder explained how dogs of that particular breed are intended to work, and why symmetry of outline is so important. Length in the breed, she emphasized, is due to a long ribcage and dependent on proper angles, front and rear. During the examination of another dog, I asked for the lady’s opinion about dentition. Again, without skipping a beat, she quoted that breed’s AKC standard and offered a per- suasive argument to suggest that standards are written—and
“NOT EVERY DOG-RELATED DISCUSSION BEGINS WITH A BANG. THE SIMPLEST OF GREETINGS CAN SOMETIMES LEAD TO THE MOST MEMORABLE CONVERSATIONS.” 38 • S how S ight M agazine , O ctober 2018
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