Glitz, Glamour And Controlling The Narrative

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338 – May, 2024

By Amy Fernandez

This sport has always maintained a schizophrenic relationship with glitzy promotion. On one side, we want to focus strictly on the agenda of our dedication to breed improvement. That’s that baseline justification for everything we do–and there’s plenty of thankless commitment to support that position. Still, it’s hard to deny the allure of showbiz. Westminster is the prime example of this magnetic pull. Glamour has always been its hallmark, the thing setting it apart from every other dog show–and we love it. At the same time, the sport has always struggled to accept the inevitable public reaction to that showbiz calling card. Dating back to the 1920s arbiters of the sport complained about the indiscreet conduct and raucous cheering of delighted Westminster spectators. They came to enjoy the show and seemed oblivious to the high pressure stakes of the event.

A century later, that complicated double standard lingers. AKC long ago banned the practice of commercial sponsorship of show dogs. Back in the day, it was common for big winners to be owned and promoted by corporations. Officially, those days are over but the concept continues…because it works. A beautiful, highly competitive dog is guaranteed to appeal to a broad base of dog lovers/consumers. Charles Cruft WAS first and foremost a salesman. And the success of his marketing idea far transcended dog biscuits. His idea created a cross-current of appreciation for purebreds.

So here we are, more than a century down the road, and oh my my…how the popular media had turned on us. It’s hard to remember a time when show dogs, breeders and handlers were presented as celebrities of the canine world. At this point, even when mainstream media mentions purebred dogs, it is inevitably crummy misinformation, doing far more harm than good. Therefore, it was a pleasant surprise to see a glowing portrayal of AKC registered Standard Poodles in a recent edition of the New Yorker. It was exactly the kind of publicity we deserve (and need).

Click here to read the complete article
338 – May, 2024

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Posted by AnthonyA on May 29 2024. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.