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It's a dog-beat-dog world: Working mutts don't get a fair shake at big show
nydailynews ^ | February 18th 2010

Posted on 02/18/2010 6:17:41 AM PST by JoeProBono

Meaning no disrespect to Sadie the Scottie, who won Best in Show at this year's Westminster competition, and, really, really, really, really, we mean no disrespect to Sadie, who is as terminally adorable as any lapworthy mutt could be.

But, still - another Scottie?

Clearly, the judges are not New Yorkers. This is a sin for which they can be forgiven, but their anti-New York-dog prejudices are unpardonable.

The city is a working town, but the judges have it in for big, brawny, lunchpail-type canines.

There are 26 working breeds, including boxers, Dobermans, Rottweilers and great Danes. In the Best in Show competition's 103-human-year, 721-dog-year history, members of these 26 breeds have taken top prize a grand total of nine times. Meanwhile, darling, darling Scotties have copped eight blue ribbons.

Worse injustices are playing out in plain sight.

According to the American Kennel Club, the most popular breeds among New York City dog owners are, in descending order, Yorkshire terriers, Labradors, dachshunds, Shih Tzus and German shepherds.

But for more than a century, the judges have skunked Labs, dachshunds and Shih Tzus, while deigning to give the nod to a single Yorkie in 1978 and a single German shepherd in 1987.

The insult is palpable. These are among the finest dogs the world has to offer, yet they are treated like curs. Why? Because where these judges are concerned, there's a very big problem at the other end of the leash.


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: dog; dogshow; jpb; westminster
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To: JoeProBono

does a Komondor replace a string mop?


61 posted on 02/18/2010 7:29:28 AM PST by ronniesgal ( I miss George Bush. Hell, I miss Bill Clinton!!)
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To: xsmommy
We'll get a three-pack ready for you... :-)


62 posted on 02/18/2010 7:34:49 AM PST by Star Traveler (Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)
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To: Star Traveler

what a wonderful Easter basket that would be!


63 posted on 02/18/2010 7:37:43 AM PST by xsmommy
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To: JoeProBono
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
64 posted on 02/18/2010 7:39:44 AM PST by Darnright (There can never be a complete confidence in a power which is excessive. - Tacitus)
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To: Darnright

Neither do the Herding breeds.


65 posted on 02/18/2010 7:41:05 AM PST by rintense (Only dead fish go with the flow, which explains why Congress stinks.)
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To: Darnright

66 posted on 02/18/2010 7:42:49 AM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

Working breeds don’t belong in dog shows. Labs need to retrieve. Pointers need to point. I’m not sure what Rottweilers do - maybe they need to growl. Border Collies need to herd.

No one should care how pretty a Border Collie looks - can he herd sheep? I once met a Lab who was kind of a scrawny, odd looking little girl, but she sure could bring back the birds.

Dog shows are for foo-foo breeds.


67 posted on 02/18/2010 7:45:32 AM PST by Mr Rogers (I loathe the ground he slithers on!)
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To: Spike Knotts
you must believe that the working dog breeds have more trouble meeting their respective breed standards.

Gee Spiky, that's not what I believe at all since I HAVE a working dog who has been invited to both Eukanuba (top 25 in the country) AND Westminster (top 5 in the country). I mean that the Scottie was a closer to her breed standard than any of the dogs in the ring with her in the breed ring, the group ring, and the Best in Show ring.

68 posted on 02/18/2010 7:46:32 AM PST by McGavin999
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To: Haiku Guy

LOL that is a great shot!


69 posted on 02/18/2010 7:47:37 AM PST by brytlea (Jesus loves me, this I know.)
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To: Joe 6-pack

You have a rare jewel in that dog. Most showline Tervs are not that clear in the head.

As for Papillons not being good with children, it’s not that the breed isn’t remarkably friendly and outgoing for a Toy breed, it’s simple physics. There are more than one instance of toddlers breaking their bones. A toddler who falls on a 4 pound Papillon will kill the dog. The dog gets hurt, badly hurt and it bites. You cannot blame the animal. Most good breeders will refuse to sell a pup to a household with very young kids.

A child can do the same act with a Pap and hurt it seriously that he could perform on a Golden, without the dog being bothered in the slightest. There again, simple physics.


70 posted on 02/18/2010 7:47:43 AM PST by Darnright (There can never be a complete confidence in a power which is excessive. - Tacitus)
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To: ODDITHER

My nephew shows whippets and we used to have an Italian Greyhound (very small version of a greyhound). Not for everyone, but actually, nice quite dogs and of course minimal hair.


71 posted on 02/18/2010 7:49:29 AM PST by brytlea (Jesus loves me, this I know.)
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To: NewCenturions

I’ve always wanted to go see lure coursing. Those dogs are amazingly fast. My little IG could run circles (literally) around my big dogs.


72 posted on 02/18/2010 7:51:04 AM PST by brytlea (Jesus loves me, this I know.)
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To: Mr Rogers
"Rottweiler memorial in Rottweil, GermanyAlthough a versatile breed used in recent times for many other purposes, the Rottweiler is primarily known as one of the oldest of herding breeds. A multi-faceted herding and stock protection dog, it is capable of working all kinds of livestock under a variety of conditions.[3] The breed is an ancient one, whose history stretches back to the Roman Empire. In those times, the legions traveled with their meat on the hoof and required the assistance of working dogs to herd the cattle. One route the army traveled was through Württemberg and on to the small market town of Rottweil. The principal ancestors of the first Rottweilers during this time was supposed to be the Roman droving dog, local dogs the army met on its travels, and dogs with molosser appearance coming from England and The Netherlands. This region was eventually to become an important cattle area, and the descendants of the Roman cattle dogs proved their worth in both driving and protecting the cattle from robbers and wild animals....."


73 posted on 02/18/2010 7:51:11 AM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono
Nothing beats the Bernese Mountain Dogs. They are loving and loyal family dogs that are every bit as smart as border collies and Australian shepherds without the streak of mischief and hyperactivity.
74 posted on 02/18/2010 7:53:03 AM PST by Natural Law
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To: Darnright
"You have a rare jewel in that dog."

I'm very aware of that :-)

...What's even more remarkable is that he was a Katrina rescue, and app. 18 months old when I took brought him home in September '05. He was not only heartworm +, but very obviously neglected and abused. He was very much a work in progress for about another year or two after that. Thankfully I had my German Shep, Timber at the time, who was an incredibly positive influence on him.

75 posted on 02/18/2010 7:54:11 AM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: Joe 6-pack

Most people don’t really get what dog shows (conformation) are about. And most of what the media prints is written from a position of ignorance. But you are exactly right.

I’ll add to what you said by saying that once you get out of the breed and into the group and more so best in show rings, you really can’t compare the dogs to each other. I think the down side to this is that you are likely to get a judge who is more well versed on some breeds than others (who can REALLY know each breed AKC registers equally well??) and so they may default to the best *show dog*. Some breeds are not bred to have a showy personality, and they will likely always do less well once they get into the group and best in show rings.


76 posted on 02/18/2010 7:59:06 AM PST by brytlea (Jesus loves me, this I know.)
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To: Haiku Guy

THAT IS AN AWESOME SHOT!!! LOL....

My cardigan climbs up on the counter stool, grabs cups of milk my kids leave up there, jumps down and drinks the milk out of the cup. I find upright cups on the floor with a 1/4 inch of milk at the bottom....

Corgis are so much fun....


77 posted on 02/18/2010 8:04:20 AM PST by birddog (http://www.nohr669.com/)
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To: brytlea
"Some breeds are not bred to have a showy personality..."

I'm glad you mentioned that as it's something I had originally intended to say. The GSD standard for temperment (as you're no doubt aware) specifically reads, "...a certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships..."

By its very nature, the more closely a dog conforms to this standard, the less likely it will be to "wow" a crowd or unfamiliar judge.

78 posted on 02/18/2010 8:06:40 AM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: brytlea

>I think the down side to this is that you are likely to get a judge who is more well versed on some breeds than others (who can REALLY know each breed AKC registers equally well??) and so they may default to the best *show dog*. Some breeds are not bred to have a showy personality, and they will likely always do less well once they get into the group and best in show rings.<

And, as you are well aware, so many “judges” now come straight up from PHA’s ranks (retirement courtesy of AKC?). The other way they get their accreditation is by marrying someone who actually has an eye for a good dog. They know who backs the dog, they see the page after page of advertising in the Chronicle or other publications. They want to be invited to the rich and famous’ parties, so they put up Susie Society’s garbage.


79 posted on 02/18/2010 8:07:32 AM PST by Darnright (There can never be a complete confidence in a power which is excessive. - Tacitus)
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To: Natural Law

80 posted on 02/18/2010 8:08:14 AM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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