Not the End Of The World

Click here to read the complete article
76 – May, 2022

By Wayne Cavanaugh

It’s a big universe with over a hundred billion galaxies. Our Sun is just one of about 200 billion stars in our little galaxy. Inside our solar system there are 8 planets, 5 dwarf planets, 3,743 comets, and over a million asteroids. On our planet alone, we have war, famine, natural disasters, crime, and disease. But somehow, the biggest soul-crushing disaster in the center of the universe has become going third in the group in East Jawbip Kennel Club on Wednesday afternoon.

If we lose, the universe falls apart, our hair catches on fire, we hate the judge, the other competitors and especially, the dog that beat us and its owner, breeder, and handler. Our dog is always the best one and if it doesn’t win every single time, our anger keeps us awake all week and sometimes beyond. It is the end of the world as we know it.

And all along, I thought dog shows were a sport, something to enjoy–a passion we share with friends. Ideally, we are supposed to be about the evaluation of breeding stock, not setting records, or collecting rosettes. Has there always been the heat of the moment flare ups in defeat? Of course, but it seems to me that every year it gets more and more disrespectful and out of hand. Disrespect for judges, for fellow competitors, and for the dogs themselves seems to reflect the hate and anger of the world. And that’s a shame; especially because dog shows are where we go to get away from the real world, an escape to a place that we love with the sport and the dogs that we love.

A recent interview that my buddy and podcast co-host, Will Alexander, did with Bruce Shultz really made me think of the importance of sportsmanship and maintaining a positive outlook. Bruce, one of the best dogmen and handlers of our time, will always be at the top of the list for good sportsmanship. In the interview, Bruce talks about how perplexed he is about watching people get so furious about losing. How in the world is a loss at a dog show the end of the world? Here are some excerpts from Bruce’s interview to consider:

Click here to read the complete article
76 – May, 2022

Short URL: https://caninechronicle.com/?p=230593

Posted by AnthonyA on May 8 2022. 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.