Time to Watch Westminster Dog Show on TV!

Westminster Dog Show, a photo by nagarik on Flickr.

Tonight (Monday), tune in USA Channel at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Central to watch the Group Judging live from The Westminister Kennel Club Dog Show live. After one hour, you will have to switch to CNBC for the balance (two hours). Tonight, there will be Group judging of Hounds, Toys, Non-Sporting and Herding breeds.
Tomorrow, tune in to USA Network at the same time for the balance of the Groups ( Sporting, Working and Terrier) and Best In Show.

What Is The Dog Judge Looking For?

WhippetSpecialty09 072, a photo by ibizaphotoz on Flickr.

There is a standard set out for each breed of purebred dog and the Dog Show Judge is looking for the dog in his ring at THIS show that comes closest to conforming to the standard for that breed.

There is a Book of Standards and a judge may refer to it at any time to refresh his memory of a certain breed. Often it may been seen on the table in the ring. This is particularly handy for a judge at an International Show where there may be a few breeds he may have not seen very often.

In addition to the actual standard for that breed, a judge is looking to see how the dog is gaiting (that he is not limping, for instance), and he will notice how comfortable each dog is while he is being presented. (A fine dog can have an off day, just like people.)

It is good for the handler of the dog to pay attention to what the judge asks him to do. In other words, if the judge requests a straight down and back and the handler takes him in a triangle formation, that is not so good.

No matter what breeds the judge himself has owned, he should be looking for the dog in his ring that conforms closest to the standard for his own breed. He is also noticing how happy that dog is to be in the ring and taking a look at his personality.

A lot of times a person who has not been to a lot of dog shows will think that a dog that looked a lot like his own dog at home should have won. Well, there might have been something the judge noticed when he went over the dog that you would not know about. Perhaps there was not enough body under all that coat. Perhaps the dog was a little large (or small) when compared to the standard.

Judging dogs has nothing - (or should not have) to do with whether that judge would himself care to own that breed.

In fact, people pick certain breeds to fit their personalities and their surroundings. Our past experiences with certain breeds tends to bring us back to them.

The picture above is from a Whippet Specialty, which means all the dogs were Whippets. A Whippet is a dog that makes a great family pet but he is a lot like a Greyhound. He likes to run and probably should have a large yard, but I have been told many times that the Whippet is a super family pet who enjoys sitting beside his master on the sofa.

We thought seriously about this breed - and I would have been thinner a long time ago had I chosen them instead of the Shih Tzu I owned, bred and showed for 25 years. Yes, it would have been more hectic keeping up with them!

When considering a breed yourself, do go to the websites for the American Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club. By the way, if a dog being purebred with papers is not an important consideration for you, take a look at your local animal shelter or humane society. Many dogs there are purebred but everyone of them needs a home.

www.akc.org

www.ckc.org.

Taking Care When Purchasing A Dog

Shih Tzu Puppies, a photo by sponytales2000 on Flickr.

The two Shih Tzu puppies shown in this picture are AKC (American Kennel Club) registered.

I owned, bred and showed Shih Tzu myself for 25 years and all of them were registered with the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC). One of their mandates is responsible dog ownership.

Where we live in East Texas, there are often people selling litters of puppies by the roadside or near shopping centers. That is very discouraging to me and apparently was abhorrent also to one of our new City Council members. She has presented a bill to have this practice stopped.

You can tell a lot about a person by the way he treats animals. Some of us may be over-protective, you can never overdo being good at what you are doing. I love our dog and I have certain rules and procedures to help keep him safe and healthy. That is why you will notice two or three places in our house with leads hanging. . . and that is just what you see. They are easy to grab and affix to his collar when the doorbell rings.

From the viewpoint of the breeder of purebred dogs, let me tell you a story. (I know, we older folks always have a story. BUT you can learn from real events better than just being told not to do something.)

The Shih Tzu breed is a dog I like to see in an adult home. It is small and its eyes are quite vulnerable. I personally prefer some other breeds - particularly Retrievers (Labradors, for example) for families with children. The youngest child in a home where I placed a Shih Tzu was twelve, and he was a mature twelve.

One day, we drove into our driveway in Thornhill, Ontario to a family waiting to purchase a dog. Well, most breeders are not like storefront shops and it is a good idea to phone ahead.

I will give you the shortest version I can give you about this family.

Before showing them either of the puppies I had available, I asked if they had had a dog and here is what they told me:

They had a dog which they tethered to the family car parked in the driveway after coming back from a morning walk. Then they told me they had run over the dog with the car (and killed it) when they backed out to go to work.

I was disturbed, to put it mildly but I came up with a pretty good solution - probably for everyone.

I told them I did not have a dog to go right now, but if they would go to the local animal shelter, they had lots of dogs.

The part I did not tell them was that Animal Shelters, The Humane Society or whatever it is called in your city, have nice forms for prospective owners to complete. It includes lots of questions which would reveal that these people were NOT responsible pet owners.

A dog purchased from someone who sets up a couple of exercise pens by the roadside boils down to an impulse purchase. A dog is a member of your family. A dog deserves to have a suitable family who will love him and take good care of him. (Some people selling dogs in this fashion would be running what is referred to as a Puppy Mill. When purchasing a dog being offered as purebred, ask for regisistration papers.)

The people at your local shelter can help you match a dog to your family. Many dogs are being dropped off these days and shelters have more dogs than there are people to "adopt" them. The number of dogs who had to be put down in our area last year is staggering, so you could be saving a dog's life in addition to enhancing your own.

If you feel you would like a purebred dog, check the American Kennel Club website to see the traits of various breeds and find one that matches your lifestyle. (You may surprised to see how many purebred dogs are in the shelters as well as purchasing from a breeder if you do not want to show or breed.)

www.akc.org

If You Lose Your Dog

Cocker Spaniel waiting, a photo by sdm_hall on Flickr.

Yesterday, a Facebook friend shared a post from a teen who had lost her dog. I gave a few ideas; then thought it would be a fine topic to blog.

First of all, please ensure your dog wears a collar with his (or her) rabies tag and a disc with your phone number. (The rabies tag can be tracked in most areas.) These days, many dogs have microchips so they can be identified more easily.

When you first realize your dog is missing, and you have called him and checked any usual spots, here are some things you can do.

Get in your car and if possible, take someone else with you as well as your other dog if you have one. (Make sure the other dog is wearing a collar and lead and fasten him by his lead to the seatbelt in the back seat. (We lock all windows as Buddy seems to be able to place his paw on the switch and open one.)

If you have a bicycle and another person, have them go beside or behind you. Also, it would be good to take a snapshot with you so you could ask walkers if they have seen your dog.

Drive very slowly through your neighborhood and be ready with an additional lead and possibly some treats.

We live in a sub-division where there is a small space between the curb and the asphalt of the road. After "Buddy" had bolted out the front door a few times, we discovered that in fact he always took the path between the road and the curb. It is only about 18 inches wide, but he would follow it around. Sometimes he would head up a driveway or path to someone's front door.

By the way, Buddy is always wearing a collar and we keep a lead by the front door and by the back door.

Of course, no matter how frustrated you are, talk sweetly to your dog and offer him treats.

If these first tries fail, and you have done your ride around the neighborhood, make posters to put up around the neighbourhood; place an ad in your newspaper which can go up immediately online; announce it via e-mail and Facebook and also call your local animal shelter. Telephone your neighbors.

I hope you don't need these tips but if you do, hope they help you get Fido, Fifi or Rover back.

So, we have been lucky because now that he is nearly 8, we have figured out Buddy's pattern.

In our area, it is very hot these days, so some residents might take a dog inside where it is air-conditioned. So, after looking from your car, and calling his name, it would probably be good to do a door-to-door search, actually knocking on doors.

I hope if you are reading this and have additional ideas, you will post them in the comments section.

Ready For Westminister Kennel Club Dog Show?

USA/
Originally uploaded by peximo

Be in front of your TV on Monday, Feburary 14 and Tuesday, February 15th to watch, starting at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Central.

Monday: USA Channel for first hour, then switch to CNBC for next two hours.

Tuesday, February 15: USA Channel for total three hours.

Monday: Groups judged will be Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding.

Tuesday: Groups judged will be Sporting, Working and Terrier. Then Best In Show will be judged.

(Dog pictured in a Shih Tzu who is in the Toy Group.)

Get Ready to Enjoy The Westminister Kennel Club Dog Show!

The Westminister Kennel Club Dog Show (by Invitation) will be broadcast on Monday, February 14 and Tuesday, February 15 on the USA Television Network. Hope I have made it a little easier for you. You can go to the websites listed below to get all the breeds, and even find out about different breeds if you are looking for a new dog yourself. Also, you can follow Westminister K.C. on Facebook and results will be posted on Facebook and Twitter as they become available.

Happy Valentine's Day and enjoy!

IMG_8950
Originally uploaded by Michael J. Belgie Sr.

Who Is The Judge and What Is He Looking For?

IMG_8318-Dick
Originally uploaded by Dogs in Canada Magazine

Dog Show Judges have owned, bred, shown and handled purebred dogs for many years. There is an approved Standard for each and every breed and most judges have these standards in their heads. There is always a Book of Standards on the judging table in case there might be a point he or she would want to check. (You will see smaller dogs lifted onto tables for the judge to go over.)

In addition to each breed's standard, there are general traits judges look for.

When we watch Westminister Kennel Club Show on USA Network this Monday and Tuesday, we will be seeing the Group judging and then Best in Show.

That means every dog we see has already won Best in Breed. So, another judge has already picked a dog as the best over all the others in his Breed.

The judge goes over the dog; he looks at its mouth, its teeth. Especially with long-coated breeds, he is going to be making sure there is a good body under there.

A dog worthy of Best in Group has a little something extra. Watch for the dog who knows where he is and is watching the judge almost as intently as the judge is watching him!

We all tend to look for the dog who looks like our dog at home, but the Judge is looking for the dog who comes closest to the Standard in that book. He (or she) is also looking for a dog with a little something extra.

You might be able to see it on your TV screen at home. Some dogs just love being at dog shows. They have just the right personality and temperament to be there. They know why they are there.

The dogs we will watch at Westminister on Monday and Tuesday have all won Best in Shows . . . some of them more than one. So this is "old hat" to them.

There is another factor and that is how is the dog feeling on that day?

My personal thought is that a dog who was shown in the Group on Tuesday may have a better chance at performing well in the Best In Show Ring.

Or . . . perhaps the dog who has rested overnight has a better chance!

Hope you enjoy the show and be happy with the Grand Winner because he or she was the best dog on his best behavior and in his best form THAT NIGHT!