As a judge, I see it all the time. It’s the final day of a cluster. Exhibitors walk into the ring, self-defeated before they start. I can see negative thinking, “loss” thinking in people’s eyes. They are on a losing streak.
“Our sport is dying.” These words have been said and printed so many times. August 19, 2018 is the date I went to my first dog show. I had seen plenty on TV; we have adopted the relatively new tradition of watching the Philadelphia Kennel Club show on Thanksgiving Day and we, of course, have watched Westminster.
Anyone delving into the rather murky history of the Bullmastiff will frequently encounter lines like this: ‘The original Mastiff of Britain is one of the country’s oldest breeds, but its descendant, the Bullmastiff, is a comparatively recent development.’
We asked experienced AKC judges two questions about current issues affecting our sport. Here’s what they had to say…
The quintessential “Type vs. Soundness” debate endures. In our sport centered on subjective evaluation, continuing the debate is healthy and necessary for properly assessing the dogs we see. There is, however, another debate that increasingly deserves an active, unbiased, and respectful discussion. That debate is: “Type vs Style.”
The sounds of euphoria echo in my brain in much the same way that I actually heard them for two days recently. From the early hours of judging on the Piers, through the evening hours of groups, and finally Best In Show, the rousing cries of joy and elation filled the air.
It seems that everything is political these days. Every little thing, no matter how innocuous, somehow becomes controversial. Whenever anything happens, good or bad, there’s a frantic rush on both sides of the political divide to score points. About the only things that are not political are dogs although I did read a comment the other day about a couple who had pulled their puppy out of its play group because there were people in the group who had voted for Donald Trump.
We are very fortunate to live in Devon on the south coast of England. Just at the end of our road is a large beach – a considerable plus point for any dog owner. There are few greater pleasures in life than simply letting your dogs off their leash and watching them running completely free, crazily chasing the gulls or cowardly racing away from the incoming tide.
Where did the time go? Here we are, February 2019. It is that time of the year when Dogdom turns its attention toward New York City whether in person or on our computers, smartphones, or TVs. Ready or not, the Westminster Kennel Club Show, and all the other shows and activities which surround it, are upon us.
The AKC/Royal Canin event was stupendous! Fun, great dogs, so many friends, good and interesting judges, and many food vendors in convenient spots. There was dock diving for the dogs, agility, seminars, conformation judging and the ever so interesting and worthwhile… Meet the Breeds! This is a valuable endeavor, from my point of view. The ‘MTB’ area was always crowded each time I ventured in to check it out! It is so important for spectators to see and visit with so many varied examples of our wonderful AKC purebred dogs.
