Hmmm, my show dogs are trained, just not to sit and heel. They are trained to stand, to go around the ring with me at a trot, to allow LOTS of handling, looking at teeth etc, to put up with grooming and leash walking and being ooohhhed and aahhhhed by strangers. Yes, they are trained!
susie
Sorry bryt, as I said, most are just naturally reasonable dogs, and adjusted to do only what they need in the ring.
Many "obedience" dogs are also adjusted only to the ring, and outside it - it's a different story. Much moreso with conformation dogs.
My experience is they are not trained. Period. No more than any of the other pets in the regular world, who similarly believe it's "cruel" to make a dog contain himself with self-discipline never mind commands. And it was indeed a mantra that truly training them would ruin their attitude (horse-hockey as my Shana would tell you; even my less-controllable schizo Tara would tell you that).
It's merely a matter of being lucky they are amicable and not hyper and schizo.