I went to my first dog show several years ago. I had seen Westminster on TV so I had an idea of what a show was like, but I really didn't know what to expect in real life until I attended my first one. I kept thinking I was seeing the movie "Best in Show." The experience was surreal. Some of the people there took dog shows SO seriously! Many of the dogs there had better hair than me. Some of the owners were dressed better than I would be on a normal day. Some were completely consumed with getting hair off their clothes before going into the ring. Some were obsessed that the dog not get messed up at all. I mean where was the joy of spending time with your dog? The tension at that show was so incredibly intense, I can't imagine the dog felt relaxed in the ring.
I felt like I really needed to learn all I could about the structure of a dog, how it should look, how it should move, and what I should be looking for in a nice representation of the breed. In order to do that, I had to go to dog shows. And after seeing them do the same things over and over again, I felt like I could do it too. So I took a handling class and started showing my dogs. I now have six champions. And it's been a ride. But it hasn't been without a few laughs along the way.
For example, my beautiful girl Bella is usually the sweetest most well behaved girl. She is truly a stunning girl and a wonderful representation of the breed. USUALLY she's great in the show ring. But I had her in the show ring a few weeks ago and she was not her normal wonderfully behaved self. Now, if you know anything about a golden and particularly an English Golden, they are known for super laid back temperaments. Bella is no different. She has been in shows before and she's always a good girl in them. But things changed at our last show. She got out there and strutted her stuff for about a minute and then she decided she just didn't want to be there. So, as the judge stood there studying every detail about her, Bella decided it was nap time. She laid down on her back with her paws up and a huge smile on her face. And she wouldn't get up. Who says Goldens don't have a sense of humor?? The judge laughed and said something about her being the quintessential Golden with that laid back temperament. But there was no way she was going to place because she laid down in the show and refused to get up. Now, had we been living in the Best in Show movie world, I would have been mortified and probably would have gotten counseling on why the dog did that. And both myself and the dog would be getting the counseling. But living in the real world, my reaction was quite different. I did nothing but laugh at my girl. She's stunning and sweet and a great representation, but she's also got a mind of her own and a great sense of humor. I love that about her! I'm sure some of the other owners there looked and me and either felt totally sorry for me or were disgusted at Bella and my lack of social graces in the show ring. But we had fun and that's all that mattered!
Why do people show at dog shows? For me, it's about getting confirmation that I have goldens who meet the breed standard. They have to have the right temperaments and structure to be show champions, and if they are to be bred or to be used as therapy dogs, they need to have these things as well. So for me, it's all confirmation that my dogs are great representations of the breed. It's also something fun I can do with my dogs. They seem to like to show off and they love the attention. And my son likes to show the dogs too. He gets a kick out of placing higher than I do. Dog shows are really a family affair in my house.
Some people have asked me if there really are people like those in the movie "Best in Show." The truth is that yes, there are people like that at shows. And people like that can be a lot of fun to watch. So the next time you hear there's a dog show in your area, you should go. You'll see some lovely dogs and if you have a sense of humor, you'll see a lot of humor at the shows too. And perhaps if you have a dog, and you see how easy it is, you'll get the bug and spend the day at a show with your dog. Worst case scenario, you will have enjoyed the day with your dog. Best case....you'll have won some ribbons and gotten to see some funny things you can talk about for years to come!
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