Random question on companion shows...

[emilyjw]

We went to the Yeovil dog show recently and had a lovely day. During the waggiest tail competition we were asked our number so I got my hopes up... then halfway through announcing the results one of the stewards came and asked me how old Bracken was. I said nearly 4. We then didn't get anything, so I thought oh well...

Then in the prettiest bitch class we got a third and when I went up one of the judge (valerie singleton) said, oh she never stops wagging she really should have won that class. The only thing I can think of is they decided not to place her because of her docked tail.

Has anyone else come across this?

[supergirl]

We had this at a local RSPCA Fun Day last week.  Our agility club were doing a demo and one of the dogs is a german pointer who was told couldn't enter the fun dog show at all because she was docked, despite being docked prior to the ban.  Quite a few dogs were turned away because they were docked, even rescue dogs, which seemed a bit unfair, especially those that had been adopted from the RSPCA  they even had a sign up at the entrance to the fun dog show that docked dogs were not allowed to be shown, and another at the entrance to the agility course to say "docked dogs were allowed to use the agility course" - PC gone mad I think.

[SuperCat]

That's crazy, especially from the RSPCA. At the Royal Norfolk yesterday I did hear quite a few 'that's so cruel' and 'those people ought to be banned, I can't understand dog showing, they obviously ignore the rules' comments from the 'general public'. I even stood next to someone who was approached and asked why they had docked their dog because it's so cruel, when said person replied and said their dog was 3 and nearly 4 so was born and docked before the ban came into place, they were met with blank looks by the people who asked the question who just stroked the dog again and walked off saying how awful it was that dog's were still being 'ruined by docking' these days.

Societies especially like the RSPCA ought to get their acts together and educate people about docking, the ban and when a dog is and when a dog isn't docked.

[Jane S]

The RSPCA have gone a bit mad lately with all their PC ideas at companion shows - apparently they have banned classes like "Prettiest Bitch" and "Most Handsome Dog" at their shows because they don't believe dogs should ever be judged on their appearance

[supergirl]

The RSPCA have gone a bit mad lately with all their PC ideas at companion shows - apparently they have banned classes like "Prettiest Bitch" and "Most Handsome Dog" at their shows because they don't believe dogs should ever be judged on their appearance

Yes we had that - it was "Happiest Dog" even had in brackets (prettiest bitch/dog etc), which was a bit confusing as there was also a "Waggiest Tail" class

(umm Misha did come 2nd in the Happiest Dog and 3rd in Judges Choice) 

[JaspersMum]

The RSPCA have gone a bit mad lately with all their PC ideas at companion shows - apparently they have banned classes like "Prettiest Bitch" and "Most Handsome Dog" at their shows because they don't believe dogs should ever be judged on their appearance

Yes I read that in the dog press last week - as if the fun shows are causing people to only breed pretty dogs, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and there are often breeds and crossbreeds given the prizes which I think unattractive just because I don't like that breed as much as another - ridiculous!

[emilyjw]

we have lots of info to display at our shows, but on docking it says:

To Be Displayed on Entry Form notices

For shows held in Wales where the public are admitted on payment of
a fee, the following statements to be included on the front outside cover
or title page. “A dog docked on or after the 28th March 2007 may not be
entered for exhibition at this show.”

I think the other judge must have muddled her dates as we were placed in a different class, but I guess it's all just got confusing....