Does anyone here show their dogs at dog shows?

I am not not only not into it, but have varieties of frowns on to it all, in the practice. My business partner's dobie is from a serious line. I liked him because - at least in part - of his failures.

What do you mean ossobuco? You hate dog shows? I have a semi-love/hate relationship with them, but I do want to enhance the breed with my little guy who is just a great gentleman. We plan to buy a female puppy and breed in the future. It can be great fun...but it is also nerve wracking. Besides conformation, I do obedience and agility. With my Irish Wolfhound I do coursing. I have made the best friends at dog events. My husband loves it too, which really helps!

By the way, I show the Irish Wolfhound....a professional handler shows the terrier. The terrier group is WAAAAY too political and when he has a few Best of Breed wins, we are done. Irish Wolfhounds don't like handlers and do best with their owners so it is very low key and fun.

I may end up agreeing with you on these matters, vnnurse, but not just right away. There seem to be disparate points of view on purebredness and the benefits of it.

I have an apparent purebred corgi, whom I got from the humane society. A friend who knows corgis well describes him as a ranch corgi, can near pinpoint the breeder, and I can believe that. He is longer and stronger and has a forward personality, even at 11 - 14 years.

I have, in the past few years, met a good painter, Kathyrn Burleson, who does dog paintings and is a religious person so some of the paintings have haloes over the corgis.
The paintings are a delight and I'll come back and give a link.

She and I don't agree on all this, though we never talked on it, but I understand her zoning in on her interests.

My dog is rough city compared to hers. May they both thrive.

I guess I am not into enhancing the breed, so I fail at qualifying.

Though, wait before you be irate, I don't want the breed to go away. Read me as ambivalent and listening.

Kathryn and I are wildly different... but then,

she pulled up her truck as I was loading Pacco into my car, and we talked, and I met Annie too.
I wish them well.

v'nurse, I don't show but RP and I watch Westminster faithfully every year. Is your dog related to Coco, the big deal Border Terrier (at least I think she's a Bordie, maybe she's a Cairn)?

There is a lot of obsessive behavior associated with dog (or cat) showing. My dad raised Irish Setters for field trials. I was exposed to this "society" early in life and havent been interested since. I think Gene Levy"s movie"Best in SHow" about this entire industry was very funny , and a little close to the truth.

osso
Should we know who Annie is?

I can understand ossobuco...but some people really do have the best interests of a breed in mind. The Border Terrier is one that has not gained the popularilty in this country to ruin it. Mainly because it looks like a "mutt"! And I mean that in a sweet way. They have less health problems because of it and their are many ethical breeders here and in the UK that promote for health and temperament, not just looks. They hold health clinics at the shows and do genetic and DNA testing.

Jespah, Coco is a Norfolk Terrier....smaller than a Border with shorter legs. The same handler that showed Coco is showing my Cairdie (Cairdean in Gaelic means male best friend!)

We just won Best of Breed today at a Terrier specialty. There is a couple that are really not good sportspeople. When you lose, you lose graciously and congratulate the winner. They loudly made nasty remarks about having been cheated and how rotten the judging was....then went up to us and our handler outside of the ring and were rude. So, yes, Farmerman, there are nuts in the dog show world, but you just don't pay attention.

The movie "Best In Show" is one of my favorites. I know almost everyone of the characters because they are OUT THERE! My girl friend is the woman that lost the squeaker toy and went nuts over it. I don't think she is that bad, but she thinks she is.

Oops re the breed.

I'm glad you got a good handler. They always seem to have dogs that are having fun.

Congratulations on winning Best of Breed.

I watch Westminister too, despite my qualms. And I loved Best in Show...

Sorry for what looked like an assumption that you would all know who Annie is - I didn't assume that, I was just blathering - she is a corgi owned by the artist I mentioned on the last page.