[XmadgalX]

...about dog showing? I have heard in the news about people thinking its cruel for health reasons and so on. I have lived with dogs and been attending shows like Crufts all my life, and this is complete nonsense. The dogs love showing, and the KC is working against health problems, such as over breeding a dog and damaging its health. What do you think?And what dogs do you have, fav breed etc??I have a Bedlington Terrier, lovely dogs, great temprement and bred to hunt so very lively, like their walks, but also love their sleep!!

[pakiman]

in my country we eat dogs, so i cant really see the point of showing them. my favourite would have to be labradors as they are very common and often very succulent.

[p_wabbit]

I love watching dog shows - and seems to me that the dogs love being in the shows...HOWEVERgiven the disgusting conditions that a lot of "puppy mills" churn dogs out of to satisfy the public's infatuation with the latest greatestANDgiven how many people get dogs on a whim - but really aren't prepared to give them the proper care they deserve for the next 10 - 15 yearsANDgiven that my last two dogs have been rescued mutts - and good looking, agile and extremely intelligent dogs.....I would love to see the introduction of dogs shows that are less purebred obsessed, one that includes mutts and mongrels and judges them on their other qualites - not their pedigrees or breed standards. Not to dismiss purebred dogs at all .. but rescued mutts are fantastic dogs also - and I'd love to see them get their due. maybe the TV watching society at large would start getting excited about some diamond in the rough at the local shelter - rather than the $2,000 purebred purse-puppy accessory that Paris Hilton was sporting last week.

[T. M]

I think it's great and very bad at the same time good - alot of the dogs seem to througgly enjoy it !!! - handlers and dog owners love it too and pamper and look after their pets in the long run very well !badconfermation - aka beauty pagents- people are very judgemental regarding looks of the dog - okif jhe /she has to much white in their coat - does that make them any less appealing than the other dogs ??- why do they pick up the poor smallerdogs by the tail to placethem on the table ? thats cruel - supporttheirback end while picking them up people!!!- irresponable breeders over breeding, interbreeding , to make better looking dogs - eg -poor German shephards with their low backs - it'snot the dogs fault its the breeders & society's fault for breeding them to look 'appealing ' which is hogwash.I think kennel clubs should have stricter rules regarding quality of animals bred aswell as quanties - somebreeders borderline puppy mills yet manage to stay in the kennell club ???- alotof breeders are out for profit - when in real life if your breeding correctly you are lucky to break even. I tend to enjoy freestyle & obedience much more as its less judgemental and dogs seem more involved

[celtic_kennel]

I think showing is a lost sport!!!!I'm getting my first standard wire dachshund show girl later this year and I can't wait to take her into the ring. To say that shows are unhealthy or unsafe for the dogs is completely wrong. If healthy dogs are brought to the show they leave healthy dogs. My dachshunds, whether they are breeding or not, are treated better then most people *lol*. I do lenghthy hours of pedigree research before a breeding happens to ensure the resulting litter is as healthy as possible. Dachshund being a breed that recently had it's standard changed to stop the less then responsible breeders from breeding Double Merles, which have huge accounts of physical defects (I know personally as I purshased one from such). The problem comes when it's looked as "well the puppies they sire are fine"... but then what happens down the road when another DM breeding is done, those puppies still inherited the fault even though they don't express it. I truely wish that showing was more popular out here. We do have lots of EarthDog for all the dachshunds though, and Herding for the GSD puppy.

[Blue Giants]

I'm all for showing dogs. It really exhibits all the different breeds and their special "talents". (Hunting/sporting, Companion, Herding, Retrieving, etc.) If pure breeding were not allowed and encouraged, one of two things could happen. Either all dogs would become rare and maybe property of only the rich, or dogs would eventually blend into one basic breed. So no more little lap dogs for people that prefer them, no more big dogs, no more short hair dogs, no more long hair dogs... What a waste of God's genetic diversity!Just because there are some unscrupulous people that breed dogs doesn't mean the rest of us need to be deprived of our dogs! There are lots of very reputable, honest, loving breeders that would do anything for their dogs. We have 2 Gordon Setters, (One Grand Champion, one "puppy mill" rescue) sweet, fabulous, big family dogs with great temperament.

[BABY BELL]

I agree it is completely stupid, its not in the least bit cruel and i love watching it, i have a labrador, i love them they make such great pets!