Dog Being Shown vs. Show Dog

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254 – May, 2023

By Sandy Weaver

Having a show dog looks so easy–slap on a lead, stand still, look pretty, run around, down and back, and collect your ribbons. In reality, those who consistently have top-winning dogs understand that having a show dog isn’t easy at all–it’s planning, breeding, socializing, training, conditioning, and timing.

There are a lot of dogs being shown–there are relatively few show dogs.

Most people who show dogs do it as a hobby. They may occasionally have a dog that does some nice winning, but that’s the exception, not the rule. The “dogs being shown” dogs may or may not know what’s expected of them in the ring, they may or may not be at optimal weight and appropriately muscled, they may or may not be well-groomed, and they may or may not have a handler who’s confident and competent. They are dogs being shown, but not really show dogs. The top conformation handlers, whether they’re amateur or professional, understand that there’s more to having a show dog than meets the eye.

What sets the true show dogs apart? Ask a bunch of people and you’ll get a bunch of opinions, many of them along the same lines:

Planning, Breeding and Socializing

Click here to read the complete article
254 – May, 2023

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