QUESTION FOR ALL SHOWSIGHT READERS What New Year’s Resolution would you like to see the Dog Show Community make?
Thank you to everyone who offered opinions on this month’s topic. The following is a selection of the responses. Want to voice your opinion to the fancy? Follow ShowSight’s Facebook page for the monthly question prompt!
hook newbies in, let them win small awards which garners motivation. Matches—a thing of the past but helpful to the future! —Joan Krumm
To be kinder and friendlier to spectators at shows and be more aware of the impression we exhibitors make upon them. We complain about the shortage of new people in our sport but I continue to see exhibitors ignore or even be rude to spectators and families visiting the shows and strolling through the grooming areas. Pay attention to these people, smile at them, make them feel welcome, show them that dog shows are fun and why they should want to be part of it! Too often exhibitors are sour-faced, tense, complaining, and snappish. Who wants to participate in an activity where the people are nasty? Let’s resolve to a lot nicer, both to the spectators and to each other. —Vicki DeGruy
Be kinder to each other and newcomers to showing. — Susan McGee
Everyone needs to make a resolution to stand up for our sport and dogs and fight the AR folks who are trying to take it from us. —Anonymous
Be nice to each other., be very nice to new and Junior exhibitors—they are our future. —Georgette Schaefer
Stop raising entry fee’s! —Anonymous
I have been showing dogs 51 years. The New Years Resolu- tion I would like the show community to make is believe in your dogs. Winning at all costs with an unsound dog doesn’t do your breeding programs any good. Not to mention the future of your breed. Be honest with yourself, do what is needed to breed to the standard. Should a newbie come for a show dog, don’t sell them a pet, work with them show them how to handle and groom, teach them how to be a team with their dog. These newbies are the future of our breeding programs and dog shows. —Julia Swanson
To find ways to educate owners, breeders and the general public about responsible dog ownership. —Anonymous
Stop being so nasty and uninviting of new comers to the sport. —Anonymous
There is judges, ring steward’s and the AKC Reps enforce the rules for owner handled. there was a show this past week- end where a professional handler accepted a owner handled ribbon the judge the ring steward and this person should have known that they were not eligible for it. This took the chance of another person who is doing owner handled away from them. I have heard of a few judges that don’t care because there is owner handled and they don’t want to deal with it but they’re forgetting one thing if it wasn’t for the owner the han- dler and the breeders there would be no shows for anyone professional or non-professional could you please look into this and get this changed and enforced. I did not participate in this show but I know of a few people that did and it was taken away they didn’t even get a chance because the judge didn’t pay attention nor the ring steward or the AKC rep that was there. —Anonymous
Find a way to make people treat one another, new and old, much better than they now do. —Anonymous
That they would judge the dogs by the standard and not the person at the end of the lead. —Anonymous
Make new participants feel included and give them all the support they need to continue. —Anonymous
To really learn about the breeds you’ve been given and seek out people who do both conformation and breed based performance as mentors. To put dogs first above friendships and favors. —Anonymous
Kindness to all, but especially new exhibitors! —Anonymous
If we intend for the conformation shows to increase instead of decrease, we need matches—lots of them. They
226 • S how S ight M agazine , J anuary 2019
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