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Originally Posted by yorkiegal719 I say put up or shut up. JMHO.
Barney Fife |
This has totally gone off on the wrong track. I think that this statement is why a lot of people stay out of the showring. There are a lot of good dogs that deserve to win and I have seen some that I don't know how they did it. Can you say that just because a dog wins a title, that even in your eyes they're worthy? I bet you have seen some that you just shake your head at, be honest. Yes, they are "enhanced" to look better. What is with the ironing? They either have smooth silky hair or not, I don't think that that should be allowed if that is what a true, by the book, Yorkie should have. I love it when I see, not only Yorkies, but larger breeds, when they go into the show ring and stack all on their own, there isn't anything that is more beautiful. They do it naturally. I hope we get back on the main topic or start a new one. Do we have a "show ring" forum here?...[/QUOTE]
I thank you for your post, but I am sceptical about your statement that this is why people stay out of the show ring.
You'll never get an argument out of me that there are a lot of good dogs that deserve to win and some that finish who are not deserving. I know that to be true, and I've stated it again and again in my posts.
My comment was in to reply to a woman who accused me of thinking my dogs "poop golden turds". There are some pet breeders who misrepresent their stock as show quality but can't be bothered to actually GO to a show, let alone enter their "could be a champions". They put down breeders who are actually breeding to improve and go through the rigors of putting their best out in front of everyone for them to pick over and criticize. It's sour grapes, and any excuse is good enough. They whine about politics and dirty tricks. There IS a political game, to be sure, but like any area of life and particularly sports, the cream will rise to the top. I certainly don't agree with every judge's opinion. But it doesn't take long to find out which judge's opinion you value and those you don't.
I'm greatful to pet breeders. I would've never caught Yorkie fever without a very special one. But the hair stands up on the back of my neck when I hear the sales pitches of some who claim they are breeding to the standard and you look at the pictures on their websites and you see long, low bodies (I even read one who bragged about her Yorkies' "short legs"), poor tail sets, bad color, missing teeth (yes, I've seen one with an open mouth and only four lower incisors), ears like Welsh Corgis, curly coats, straight rears, long hocks. They never take pictures with them stacked so you can try to evaluate their angulation and balance. They learn just enough to develop a sales pitch about the quality of their dogs and then they go kennel blind.
I'm sure every one of their puppies is healthy and they make wonderful companions. But, they are NOT breeding to the standard and they are NOT breeding show quality.
So, again, and this is just for those who fall into this niche, I say Put Up or Shut Up. If you can't cut the mustard in the show ring, please don't criticize those who do.
The most fun in the world is to be a "nobody" in the show ring and to come out with the points. As I say "let them set 'em up, and we'll go in and knock them down".
You're not allowed to artifically enhance your dog for the show ring. That means no color, no surgeries, etc. We showed under a judge here in Oregon who had seen our girl in Canada. The handler who took her to Canada had used a coloring shampoo on her (she didn't tell us til she came home) and of course, we didn't color her when we showed her. The judge not only knew she had seen our girl before, but knew she had been colored at the time. Anyone who's doing this stuff is just kidding themselves that it makes a difference to the judge. A good judge is looking at many things before they get to coat color. Anything else in the grooming area is fair game. We use an iron because it adds a sheen to the finished show coat.
We don't have a show ring forum here, because that is one area of the fancy that is very underrepresented here. I get attacked every time I bring up issues around the sporting end of it.
Again, thanks for the post.
Barn