Tara & Johnny at the Dog Show

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370– The Annual,2015-16

By Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton, Esq. Hamilton Law and Mediation www.hamiltonlawandmediaton.com

Many, if not all of us, will have already watched Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir join the masters, John O’Hurley, David Frei and Mary Carillo, at the National Dog. We have come to appreciate, enjoy and rely on John, David and Mary as being “some of our own’ at the helm of this prestigious dog show broadcast. However, on the day David Frei announced Tara and Johnny would be joining the group as on-scene commentators, a flurry of comments, both positive and negative, appeared on David’s Facebook page. David’s response was as follows,

“Anything that brings us more audience, for whatever reason, gives us more people to hear about what purebred dogs, dog shows, and responsible breeders are all about. Viewers, who may not have done this otherwise, might tune in to see Johnny and Tara. While they are watching, they get to hear our messages, that is a good thing. I love preaching to the choir, but we need to go out and convert those “non-believers” as well. Can’t do it unless they are in our audience.”

This article takes a look at how Tara and Johnny’s arrival is a blessing; similar to the way David sees it above.

There are three important reasons why we should embrace the arrival of Tara and Johnny at the National Dog Show.

First:

Tara and Johnny arrive ushered in by wonderful mentors, John O’Hurley, David Frei and Mary Carillo. These three have deftly guided many a new dog show commentator and spectator into being an advocate for the sport.

Second:

Tara and Johnny’s audience may be wholly new to the sport of dog shows. Now, we get a voice in the conversation.

Third:

Tara and Johnny’s arrival has let us know, as a fancy, we need to work on our welcoming skills. We may be our own worst enemy at spreading a message of inclusiveness.

Mentorship

John, Mary and David are shepherding Tara and Johnny into the inner circle. They will get to see us at our best and worst as we all try to put our best foot forward.

David has made an art of presenting a dog show on TV. He is the voice of Westminster, the man who provides a clear view into the dog show world, and the President and Founder of Angel on a Leash, a therapy dog organization that assists in placing therapy dog teams in major hospitals all over the country. David’s commentary is pertinent and appropriate to our sport because he is a breeder, judge and showdog owner. In order to foster a more welcoming aura at the dog shows, we may need to strive a little harder to be emulate David Frei as ambassadors of the dog show.

We need to be the local mayors of our purebred dog neighborhoods to accomplish this task. If the general public only hears about the shelter crisis and the over-breeding of purebred dogs, they will never know what we do and what we do not do. An example of poor communication disseminated can be seen with respect to our National Breed club purebred rescue. We all support our breed’s rescue, yet few layman dog owners know about it, but what’s worse is no animal rights/welfare proponent knows about it either. When I speak on this topic at animal law and animal welfare conferences, I am always asked, “You mean I can rescue a golden retriever if I just call the National Club?” Yes you can. “You mean I will be connected to a network of people who know this breed inside and out and can help me troubleshoot my issues?” Absolutely!

We need to be better at fostering relationships like the one starting here with Tara and Johnny. These two people are purebred dog lovers; they own a flat-coat and a chin. We need to encourage them to spread the word that we are different, helpful and wise. If we aren’t doing that, we need to clean up our acts.

Positive Exposure

Having Tara and Johnny as part of the dog shows may be the most brilliant move NBC has ever made, and it’s positive for our sport. Tara and Johnny reach different groups of watchers, some that might only be listening to animal rights and animal welfare proponents. Animal activists are powerful. They are out there everywhere spreading their message. And this is all pet loving people hear. It is up to us, as keepers of the flame for the breeds we love, to enlist the support of friendly outsiders to effect a broader outreach whenever and wherever we can.

This collaboration will provide a non-confrontational opportunity to actually see another side of our sport outside of the rhetoric. These young people and their young followers on social media are smart and savvy. They have wonderful BS meters and will get the word out that we are worth a second look.

Insular

Finally, I hate to say it, but we all know it; dog show people, no matter the venue, are snobs. I say this with love and affection because I am right there with you. Common dog-owning folk see us as either crazy dog people or incredible showmen and women. We do something far beyond what a mere mortal dog owner could do. We know the truth, yet we keep up the illusion. What the casual observer sees has them treating us as dog ‘gods’.

We need, as a group, to welcome people who enjoy their dogs in a different way to just come and enjoy our common love of the dog. All newcomers are important, despite their frequent incorrect comments or references. How will they learn? How did you learn? Help the general public embrace the two secrets that come locked inside a purebred; get a well-bred dog from a reputable breeder:

1. They come with directions.

2. They come with lifetime support.

Being more inclusive, not exclusive, requires us to get out there and talk about our sport to people and not be afraid of disagreement. I have found that educating someone else takes much more listening than talking.

We can no longer sit back and think that someone else will take care of the new message we want to bring into the world. If everyone accepts accountability for what they do in the animal world, right or wrong, makes a commitment to do the best they can with no need for recognition (have everyone leave their ego at the door), and finds a path everyone can walk, life will be much easier. Ironically, doing what’s best for the animals is always at the center on all sides; we just define it differently.

This article is meant to spur readers into educating the common man in dog show etiquette and dog speak. I don’t know of any of us who go to local dog parks, meet-up dog groups, or shelter events and actually speak to people about who we are, what we do, and why we do it. These are things we either don’t have the time for, or the desire to participate in. We are missing opportunities to interact with the pet owning general public and expand the sport we love.

Most lay people who hear you show your own dogs are in awe. If you say you’ve won the breed at Westminster, they think you’ve won Best In Show. We are professional at owning dogs, loving purebred dogs and keeping their lineage alive.

The best litmus test for thinking inclusively is the movie Best in Show. It may not have depicted us at our best moment or accurately depicted the sport we know… but it did do two things: it was a blockbuster at the box office and it started the conversation. We all knew a character in the world of dog shows that fit each character in the movie (it may have been you!). The dogs were impeccably cared for and looked happy. To this day if you mention you show dogs, invariably someone will say, “Did you see Best In Show? Is it really like that?” This one movie opened up a world of possibilities for us to lead the discussion about purebred dogs! The addition of Tara and Johnny will do the same.

Welcome Tara and Johnny and thank you from all of us who participate in this crazy sport.

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Posted by ralbee on Jan 14 2016. Filed under Current Articles, Editorial, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.