The Official Westminster Dog Show Thread

[El Supremo]

You bet it is sport!

They aren't shot up with steroids and they don't get paid millions.

Go terriers! And Coco should win Best in Show!

[jilln]

1. I don't get it.

To me it just seems like racism for dogs. Yeah, some of them are beautiful but so are my shepherd mixes.

[dflprincess]

6. I prefer mutts myself

but I enjoy Westminster and I always laugh when they refer to "random" breds.

One of my sister-in-law's mutts always plops himself in front of the TV when it's on (the other dogs ignore it).

[SW FL Dem]

2. I love Coco but am annoyed that that cairns never make the cut

Oliver is a perfect cairn when it comes to breed standards.

[El Supremo]

5. Irish Terriers have never finished better that Group Two.

That is my breed. Jack London wrote two novels about them.

[xultar]

9. Didn't a Carin win last year? Mick? n/t

[China_cat]

3. Wrong.

Steroids, thyroid meds to develop coat, hair coloring for badly colored varieties. Unfortunately, there's a lot of the same stuff that goes into human athletics/beauty contests.

As for the millions...no, the dogs don't get it. But the stud fees for even a breed winner at Westminster can run into 5 figures, for a best in show it could run 6. Puppies from a winner bitch (or studded by a winner dog) can run just as much.

Sorry to burst your bubble. It's dog eat dog in the ring...and that is without any pun intended.

[El Supremo]

7. Hair coloring and fake testicles have been tried, but...

I question both the drugs and amount of money that you seem to know so much about.

BTW, I have more problems with the judging in local dog shows that I do with the Westminster. It is not so much about money as it is about favoritism. You just can't judge a dog against another breed. When it comes to group or BIS, the BS about their being judged against their standard is just that - BS.

[China_cat]

11. I have Bouviers

I know many breeders. I've been around the dog shows. Yes, everything I've said is gospel. (Thyroid meds are especially popular for coated breeds who tend to blow coat when stressed, steroids to keep weight up as some dogs don't like to eat when campaigning but also to keep coat.) Some of them I've witnessed. Including the hair coloring and other coat tricks to cover flaws. (When the coloring is done within 8 hours of ring time, I dare you to tell the difference...it's never the whole dog, just spots such as a too large patch of white on what is supposed to be a black dog.) And I know of one dog whose bite was corrected with braces before it was ever taken into the ring.

Not to mention the dirty tricks played. Such as entering a bitch in heat.

In my breed, a pet quality pup of moderate breeding is going for about $1500. Sure I could probably find one from a puppy mill for $500 or even less but I'd also probably get hip displaysia, SAS, a family history of bloat and a host of other problems.

It's a simple formula, add about $500 for every championship and even more for clusters and Westminster to the price of a pup. Your better breeders will use that to improve the breed, do all the genetic testing necessary, keep the proper stud books, etc, but there are still ones who will shave corners to keep the money in their own pocket.

They are becoming rarer, but they do still exist.

[DianeG5385]

4. I have a purebred Jack Russell

He is the most loving and loyal dog to my autistic son! Scout is the best, but I don't know if he would be disciplined enough for the dog show circuit. By the way, what channel is it on?

[El Supremo]

8. USA. Live tonight and tomorrow. n/t

[OKNancy]

15. Jack Russell's aren't AKC

You probably already knew that as an owner. I love mine too. I think the Jack Russell people are pretty smart to keep them out as they don't want to mess up the breed like so many have experienced.

I have heard lately that there is pressure to join AKC, but then I look at all the different looks of a JRT and I hate to see a "standard" set.

[El Supremo]

17. They became AKC certified a few years ago.

They are now called Parson Russell Terriers. And I think it was the AKC who kept them out for so long because of a lack of a breed standard.

And the breed did get "messed up" some because 'Frasier' and 'My Dog Skip' greatly increased the demand for them.

[gumby]

10. Even with that "hairdo"

toy poodle 'Coleman' is hot stuff.

[housewolf]

12. I love the working dogs the most

Always have loved the big, muscular workig dogs. There are some beauties there - the Great Pyr, the Doberman, the St. Bernard, the Bernease Mtn Dog, amoong others.

Gorgous dogs!

[El Supremo]

13. My pick

I really like the German Short Hair. And a close second is Coco, the Norfolk Terrier.

[El Supremo]

14. I was right!

I have never been right. Wow! That is one magnificent dog.
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[MsUSA]

18. *nodding in agreement* my husband and I also thought the

brown Doberman pincher who came in 2nd in his group could have won also, he didn't even win best of breed, but we thought he could have. That German shorthair, wow, just outstanding. We always root for the dachshunds as we've been owned by a couple, and I've had 5 in my life, but they never win either. I love the wire hair doxie's the best, have always had smooth though.

[Hobarticus]

16. All your bases are belong to Border Collies...

:hi:

[soleft]

19. Didn't the Pekinese remind you of Eric Cartman?

Something in the way he moves....