Virtual Dog Shows – The Bigger Picture

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44 – June, 2020

By Wayne Cavanaugh

While we are all patiently and not-so-patiently waiting for dog shows to return, it’s no surprise that ideas for virtual dog shows are the talk of the town. To some, virtual shows are an anathema. To others, they offer short-term relief from the stoppage of in-person dog shows. There is, however, another way to look at virtual shows: with a long-term approach that could energize the sport and make in-person dog shows better than ever.

There have been a few ideas kicking around since the cessation of shows in mid-March. All of them have a common denominator focused on the format of creating virtual shows. For example, from the beginning, there was consensus that emailing photo-shopped static pictures would not do. Doing it right would require videos… perhaps even videos without handlers and owners in the frame. While photo-editing software and apps are ubiquitous, editing dogs in motion is a task beyond the scope of most mortals.

The details of how the shows would work are important but could always be adjusted. While those aspects are important to get right, there is a larger concern; the ability to see the big picture. It is that vision that will determine the success of virtual shows.

There are at least three big-picture ways to approach virtual dog shows. To give it a temporary name, let’s call the first approach “Level One Independent.” These virtual shows would be organized by, for example, individuals, magazines, or licensed or non-licensed superintendents. Level Two Independent would be a more ambitious model of going beyond virtual-only shows by combining them with in-person shows. Level Three would involve cooperation, or development, with AKC. This approach would either merge Level Two Independents into the current AKC dog show system or co-exist with it.

Level One Independent

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44 – June, 2020

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