The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: cuckoo on February 25, 2012, 10:11:58 pm
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Hi :dog: :wave:
Anyone going to Crufts this year - we are taking two of our Irish Terriers (Erin and her daughter Willow - pictured below) on Sunday (Terrier Day) to go on the Discover Dogs stand in the afternoon - we will be watching the IT judging in the morning - am currently trying to make one of them look a bit less like a teddy bear!!
My Irish Water Spanial was qualified but I missed the deadline - lots going on in January - never mind - always next year - her coat needs time to develop anyway.
Well - if you are going good luck - have a great day and maybe see you on the DD stand
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Yup, I'll be there with Allez and Belle, my older dog and younger bitch. Long way for us - leaving about midnight, driving down, showing, not allowed to leave till 4pm, probably take us 2 hours to get out of the car park, then another 7 hours home. Just as well all four of us can drive!
Won't see you unfortunately;y as Gundog day is Friday. DD stand is good fun, have you done it before?
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Hi,
Yes we have done DD with the Irish since 2006 except the year my daughter was born - it is always great to meet people interested in Irish - especially as this year I was at the breed open show / fun day and someone came up to me and showed me their puppy - they recognised me from the DD stand!
Good luck
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Good luck all, I'm not going but will watch on T.V. especially the gundogs, hounds and terriers!
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Unfortunately, they only show the very unusual breeds or the very popular ones ::) so you might just catch a glimpse of the Brittany who gets Best of Breed in the Group ring, but you won't see me. :'( :'( :'(
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My vet had a Brittany called Daniel (the spaniel!), I used to walk him and a black lab for miles and loved his unflagging energy - if only I could look so perky at the end of a walk!
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Oh boy! What a day! Brilliant results for my two furbabies! Belle was in the veteran class - a big one with a number of Champions in it. She was only beaten by two of them and one of those was the Reserve Challenge Certificate winner - so she was third in her class.
Allez did even better - won the Open dog class, again a strong one with three Champions in it - then went on to get Reserve Dog Challenge Certificate. I am soooo chuffed I just had to share! Beautiful Prize Cards and lovely big three tier rosettes! well worth the overnight drives to the NEC and back. :love: my clever dogs. And they work too! Dual purpose as they should be!
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Well done Anne, think the Kennel Club were on thier toes re some vet checks after that programme....at least you came away with a worthy prize to show off!!
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Thanks, Sandy. My dogs have done really well, this last year or so as well as starting to become really good working on our wee shoot - Allez has a Challenge Certificate plus four Reserves now and Belle has two CCs.
There is a list of high profile breeds on the KC website here - http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/4042 (http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/4042) The Clumber is the only Gundog listed and it got through with flying colours yesterday. Another BOB was withdrawn today - the Mastiff.
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The programme may have been one sided but one sided is better than hidden.....I would hate to breed a dog with health problems......poor things..I would have loved to have gone to crufts, never mind!!! Glad you came away proud of your lovely dog and I hope without spending too much ;)
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Why not come with me next year then? It's good fun to go without a dog too as you get to see more - you have to keep going back to the benches if you have dogs entered to make sure they are comfortable and safe.
I've become used to all the Crufts hype and didn't spend much - just bought a special gel to get rid of the plaque on their teeth.
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Thanks for the offer but any spare money will b e going towards a trip to Ozz (Not to see the wizard), I either have no time or no money or more often that not both!!!!
Maybe one year I will see one of the weeshires pups/dogs there!!
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Many congratulations, Annie, Allez and Belle :trophy:
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Thanks for the offer but any spare money will b e going towards a trip to Ozz (Not to see the wizard), I either have no time or no money or more often that not both!!!!
Maybe one year I will see one of the weeshires pups/dogs there!!
Perhaps, the Labradors are beginning to look a bit more normal these days - not so many fat blobs on legs that are near to the ground, but not the leggy working stock either. Such a pity there are two different types, that;s why we try to keep our breed dual purpose. Are any of your pups going to show homes? It takes a lot of effort, time and money to campaign a dog at Championship Shows - not the only way to get to Crufts, but the other way is through the Gamekeepers classes
(Hope you manage to get to Australia soon. :) Will be nice for you to see your family again.)
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Not sure about show homes but they will be well loved pets......I am not a bit believer in competition, that's not my sort of thing at all, I like to see a good looking healthy dog, although I like them to be put to work, I think that's utilising their natural abilities, showing dogs to me is no different to showing people!!!! maybe a bit controversial but never liked stuff like that, just like crufts to see all the dogs, to me my dogs are beautiful and I do not feel the need to see them win prizes for any reason. Charlie wanted one of the pups but we had none left!!! The older ones are turning out to be very good looking and talented dogs so who knows? Like I said, each to thier own but in Labradors in particular, competition has caused a great amount of bad breeding to comply to breed standards! Although I can see the enjoyment and fun showing a dog would bring, just not for me, I slipped and pressed report this rather than modify, just did not want it to sound that I was sooo against shows, just I do not like them!!! ;)
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Well done Annie ... and Allez & Belle! :)
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Not sure about show homes but they will be well loved pets......I am not a bit believer in competition, that's not my sort of thing at all, I like to see a good looking healthy dog, although I like them to be put to work, I think that's utilising their natural abilities, showing dogs to me is no different to showing people!!!! maybe a bit controversial but never liked stuff like that, just like crufts to see all the dogs, to me my dogs are beautiful and I do not feel the need to see them win prizes for any reason. Charlie wanted one of the pups but we had none left!!! The older ones are turning out to be very good looking and talented dogs so who knows? Like I said, each to thier own but in Labradors in particular, competition has caused a great amount of bad breeding to comply to breed standards! Although I can see the enjoyment and fun showing a dog would bring, just not for me, I slipped and pressed report this rather than modify, just did not want it to sound that I was sooo against shows, just I do not like them!!! ;)
It's not competition that causes what you call bad breeding - it is people! Healthy competition never did anyone any harm. I was brought up to do my best in whatever I took on, and I breed the best i know how to having done so for 30 plus years!
I am proud of my dogs for their working ability every bit as much as for their good looks. And their good looks are not just in my own opinion - it is the opinion of almost every judge they are shown under! (Allez has over 35 Best of Breeds!) My dogs are well loved pets too, as are most show dogs. They are good-looking and talented too. In fact that is my kennel motto - 'Good-looking and Intelligent'!
I have four pets - how many 'pets' does Charlie have that he needed another one? Dog showing is a hobby, just as is training dogs to shoot over oneself, some people have dog training as a business and sell trained dogs.
There are Breed standards for dogs which is what all show dogs are measured up to - not only to the other dogs there. There are no breed standards for people to my knowledge nor should there be, We are mongrels.
'Only criticise what you know about' is my motto.
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I am saying ALL my life never ever like competition and still do not, it just sets goals that some cannot achieve and make others think they are not so good....I did say I have no problem with others wanting best dogs and showing them...I no more would show a dog than put a flower or a cake into a competition, if I like it is good for me!!! do not take this personal, charlie just wanted a good dog for his friend.... I truely cannot u nderstand why I am not allowed an opinion without being shot down...I think you did well Anne and I honestly mean that, but I am never and would never show my dogs..NOTHING wrong in showing so why have a go at me because I said how I feel....I in no way would change and neither would you.....thats life..I do not like competition and you do end of!
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and may I add, you have every right to be proud!!!
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I am saying ALL my life never ever like competition and still do not, it just sets goals that some cannot achieve and make others think they are not so good....I did say I have no problem with others wanting best dogs and showing them...I no more would show a dog than put a flower or a cake into a competition, if I like it is good for me!!! do not take this personal, charlie just wanted a good dog for his friend.... I truely cannot u nderstand why I am not allowed an opinion without being shot down...I think you did well Anne and I honestly mean that, but I am never and would never show my dogs..NOTHING wrong in showing so why have a go at me because I said how I feel....I in no way would change and neither would you.....thats life..I do not like competition and you do end of!
Ok, maybe I'm just too sensitive - I tend to take things personally. Sorry.
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Not at all competative sorry...thats ok for others but not me...my socalist backgrownd makes me who I am..other compete I do not!
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and may I add, you have every right to be proud!!!
Thanks, Sandy, appreciate that. Apologies for the rant - was really tired and not feeling great. Shouldn't have come on the computer. Bad cold, long journey, earache, cough, irritable, but still worth the trip;D
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Well done! :trophy:
I did see the Brittany in the group judging, very smart. Not sure about the best in show winner - a hairpiece on legs!, but I do like the Newfoundland in reserve.
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The best of Breed Brittany was my friend Gill's girl, Mabeleen. She is presently our Breed leader and was predicted to take the CC and BOB. Lovely bitch.
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Related but slightly off topic, there has been a thread on the Ryeland Flock Book Society fb page about breed standards, registrations, showing and characteristics that can't be measured in the show ring, like ease of lambing, mothering ability, growth rates, health. It has been rather interesting.
I think that's the beauty of combined competition - you get the beautiful and the useful ;D If it's on appearance alone, especially if the breed standard contans things that might be detrimental to the animal's health, that's when you get a problem.
If competition identifies the best animals and leads to improvements in the breed - AS A WHOLE - then I'm all for it. But we've all seen breeds that have been harmed or at least changed for the worst by show ring fads (not just talking dogs here).
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A bit like beauty shows that all the women look like barbe dolls but come apart just as easily.... ;)
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if carlseberg made beauty shows ;) ;) ;) :farmer:
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I suppose many years ago people/farmers saw an animal/woman/dog/bird or fish they liked and saw how it bred, walked, reproduced, cooked, health and longevity etc and would want one like that themselves, some may like longer legs, fatter bottoms or shorter arms but forget me being flippant, that's whats missing but in modern life we move around so do not know generations of the same "thing" or have a history, that's where big organisations come in but they are only part of the story so create their own standard or criteria..never thought I would say this but there is something to be said about the old ways....farm dogs in particular would be traded amongst farmers, they would see a good dog and buy a pup from that dog!! As for me, I was bred to have short legs, poor spelling skills, big bottom and bad movement, and lots of allergies!!!!
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And to make us all laugh, Sandy ;D ;D
That makes a lot of sense actually. I do think dog shows have gone a bit astray in some breeds, and perhaps other abilities should be taken into consideration before making show (beauty) awards. For instance, perhaps Allez's Junior Working HPR Certificate; Kennel Club Good Citizen Obedience Gold award should also be taken as well as his CC and 4 Reserves, and his Show Certificate of Merit.
You'll all know by now that there is complete outrage at one vet making decisions on his eyes only without any specialised equipment which meant 6 dogs were not allowed to compete in their groups after winning Best of Breed. All these dogs had previously passed complete health tests. It is going to be an interesting few weeks.
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To me it sounds like a bit of panic reaction from the KC......silly as well as a waste of time and money!
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To me it sounds like a bit of panic reaction from the KC......silly as well as a waste of time and money!
Yes, I think most of us who were there would agree with you. The Clumber's eye certificate was just about a month old, I was told
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And the boy does it again!!1 This was an online photo competition to raise funds for Doglost.
Three Brittanys were entered among the thousands of other photographs, and all three were placed - in the AV gundog class, I entered both my boys and Allez was 1st with Bobby in 5th place
Almost as sweet as our Crufts wins ;D ;D ;D ;D
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=291869910885886&set=a.291868647552679.65699.238681256204752&type=1&theater¬if_t=like (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=291869910885886&set=a.291868647552679.65699.238681256204752&type=1&theater¬if_t=like)
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I didn't go to Crufts this year, as a show I hate it , neither do my dogs like the N.E.C. I hate the idea that I have to pay for my dog to be an exhibit, not allowed off their bench except for twenty minutes to go for a pee (which most of the bitches won't do in a "public lav") And even if they are really fed up and want to go home they have to stay there until the K.C. say they may go :(
I hate the way the paying public are allowed to pet and handle around the mouth a dog who may have come from abroad carrying God knows what diseases and then do the same to your dog. I once put a notice on my bench saying," No touching please, it spreads disease" and was told to take it down >:(
As for the dogs not allowed to take part in the group, what a smack in the face for the breed judges!!!!! A lifetime of experience in the breed and some vet. who probably hasn't seen, say a Basset or a Clumber more than two or three times in their career proclaims that the judge didn't know what he was talking about >:( >:( >:( >:(
And don't get me started on Clare Balding or I'll be here all day!!!!!!!!!!!!
There, that's my rant over :) :)
Well done, Annie and your lovely dogs :trophy: :thumbsup:
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Rant away, I agree with some things but to be honest it is not as bad as you say.
My dogs were safe on their benches because as a breed we owners get on well so look after each others dogs to let each of us some free time round the stands. Also the KC allows cages and bench guards When were you last there? Things have changed.
There are plenty of exercise areas where they can be taken for a pee and a poo, and also some outside ones this year - just needed to get a stamp on your hand. The stands are numerous and there are some fantastic things to but, not just doggie stuff.
As for the breeds where the BOBs were withdrawn, there is a big hoo ha going on about the way the KC handled this and a group has been set up called the Canine Alliance which will ask KC to change their policy, to explain their actions, and to request that ALL dogs have a vet certificate prior to entry being accepted for a show or trial ,
This should have been in place long before now as it is under the FCI rules.
As for those designated breeds - they are riddled with exaggerations and do have health issues so it is only right that they should be investigated - but NOT in such a high profile show, and NOT after judging, although ALL of them knew this was going to happen as it was printed in the schedule.
I have defended the KC on many occasions but no longer I am afraid, so we agree on that.
That's MY rant over! ;)
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I was last there as an exhibitor four years ago. Difficult to get a greyhound or deerhound size crate on those benches ;D
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I was last there as an exhibitor four years ago. Difficult to get a greyhound or deerhound size crate on those benches ;D
I have a bench guard you can have if you ever decide to go again. Just fits over the front of the bench - any width.
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Thank you, Annie. Four years ago my Greyhound bitch got a first in Greyhound P.Grad, and I was thrilled but the noise and the crowds upset her so much that she did dismally in the challenge, even though the judge gave her a second chance. She wanted to go home, it had been a long day, up at 4 a.m. A 3 hour journey, desparate for a wee and too tensed up to go, inside or out.
When I was a youngster we took the train to Earls Court, all very leisurely, no tension just friendly folk and friendly dogs, no screaming fly-ball crowds or throngs of paying public. Really, just another dog show!
Like Glastonbury, it's all got too big for me :( ::)
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Forgot to say, I'm trying to make a pug up, so may well be persuaded to go next year :) :)
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A pug - then you'll know Amanda Ellis(Eastonite) - she has Brittanys too and is on the Club Committee.
As for distance - try 6 and a half hours each way, I left here at 1 am on Friday morning and got home at 2 am Saturday morning! ::) ::) ::)