Dog Shows from Owner/Handler View

Blogging Dog Fancy

When I first thought about writing a blog, I got a paper and started listing the pros and cons.  Pro – I love to write.  Con – Will people really be interested in what I have to say.  Pro – I don’t mind sharing my own mistakes. Con – Yeah, so what, maybe people won’t learn from my mistakes but instead will use it against me?  This debate went on in my head for weeks.  Finally, I decided what would be the worst thing that could happen?  No one would ever read it? 

For the first month, I would check the reader counter daily.  It was addictive.  I can see how many readers my blog is receiving, are the readers signing in using IPhones, Google Chrome, through Canuck Dogs or using Facebook.  There were spikes in readership at first and now the numbers are pretty steady with a spike on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when the blog publishes each week.

I don’t know about other Bloggers, but I understand that I am laying myself out to the public and that will always leave me vulnerable to opposing viewpoints and criticism.  I can take it.  I’m a grown woman with confidence and a pretty tough hide.  I will get it right the majority of the time.  On those occasions when I might miss the mark, I will be confident enough to admit it and correct my mistakes. 

 

Thanks everyone for sticking with me.  I appreciate you telling your friends and family to read my blog.  I love hearing from you when you like something I’ve written and even when you don’t like something I’ve said.  Either way, it proves you are out there.  I am thrilled when you come up to me at the dog shows to tell me you are a reader.  It’s great to put faces to people reading my blog.  I hope you will let me know if you know of a person you think should be recognized in my blog.  Please make topic suggestions; offer to write an article for the blog.  Send me pictures you would like to see in the blog.  Just remember to include captions for each picture.

Hey, I’m not doing too bad for a nobody from Crabapple, Georgia that moved to Canada and got into showing dogs.  Canada is the place that gave me a fabulous husband, wonderful new friends and the opportunity to blog about something I love, The Dog Fancy!

Happy Belated Canada Day!

        

            Ad Nauseum       

We are a sport made of up Breeders that give a good portion of their lives and money in the interest of promoting a particular breed of dog.  Years are spent in the pursuit of breeding the closest to the written standard possible.  Pedigrees are studied and researched.  Breed stock examined and tested.  Kennels established. Alliances made.  Dogs are entered in Conformation shows to publicly display the product of hard work and study.  Our sport is also made up of the breed fancier that may not own a kennel or is a breeder, but rather buys what they hope are great examples of the breed.  Their intention is to promote that breed in the Conformation ring and to the public.  They may or may not have an agreement that allows their breeder to continue to use their bitch or dog in the breeder's program.  These exhibitors don't have the expertise needed to start a breeding program, but still enjoys the sport and spends a lot of money buying good stock, paying entry fees, possibly also paying professional handlers to exhibit their dogs while they sit ringside.  There are also exhibitors that are owner/handlers that prefer to show their own dogs in the ring and not use a professional handler.  There are Junior Handlers that start learning the sport at the knee of breeders, exhibitors and professional handlers in hopes of establishing successful kennels or maintaining already established kennels when they are grown or to become professional handlers.  The Professional Handler is the person that may or may not also have a breeding interest, but makes a living exhibiting other peoples' dogs.

Shouldn't we all have the same ultimate goals we are working toward.  Away from the rings, we are immersed in our own personal goals, but when we meet at our respective breed clubs, kennel clubs and shows, shouldn't we have the common goal to promote purebred dogs and to maintain the integrity of our sport?  So why is it when I am at a show, I hear so many negative stories about people?  If one third of what I am hearing is true then there is a huge problem within our sport.

There is a code of ethics that we should all be living up to.  If we aren't helping to promote this sport, then we must be hurting it.  I'm a huge believer that we can only expect the Canadian Kennel Club to do so much if we aren't willing to take responsibility for our behavior at the personal level.  Like a boss of mine used to love to ask the employees, "What have you done for me, today?"   

We criticize the people that take our entries. We gripe about the show secretaries.  We always can find fault with the show organizers.  Judges are never good enough, smart enough or fair enough.  We complain about other exhibitors and their unethical tactics in and out of the ring.  We are never satisfied with our Directors or committees.  It goes on and on and on!

It's time to stop all the fault finding and put your actions where your mouth is.  If you know for a fact that an exhibitor or pro handler took a judge out for dinner and then showed to that same judge the same weekend, report it!  Stop talking about it and do something about it.  That unethical behavior on both parties should be reported and investigated.  What is stopping you?  If you know for a fact that a judge is receiving a puppy from an exhibitor following the show, take proof the show committee and report it.  Don't just whisper it under the tent or around the set ups.  Take action.

If you take a problem to your Director and you feel like you were ignored or not taken seriously, be sure to vote that Director out the next election.  The Canadian Kennel Club is made up of its membership.  It is not only an office full of employees or an Executive Director or Directors and committees.  It is you and me.  If you don't use your voice, then you have no voice.

Everyone knows the problems within our sport.  The problems are talked about ad nauseum.  We have an Executive Director that can be the driving force to positive change.  Take the time to read the Club meeting minutes online.  Take suggestions and new ideas to your Directors.  Give new ideas an open minded appraisal.  Be a person that promotes a new positive approach to problem solving.  Let's hold ourselves and our membership to a higher standard.  Obviously, talking has got us no where.  

Unethical behavior anywhere in our sport should not go unreported and should never be acceptable.  If each of us, does what is right, then we will be 90% there.  This is a sport of many, many people with lots of personalities and backgrounds.  We need to remember that as sad and tired as the saying goes, "We are only as strong as our weakest link."  

I believe in healthy discussion, because I believe it helps to enlighten and find solutions.  It is not healthy to bash, criticize without regard to how it may harm or to promote rumors about people.  Isn't it time, we use our energy for better results and to improve what we have.

If we want a World Class Kennel Club, then we need to start acting World Class.  Volunteer at our clubs, help someone in your breed that is struggling, sponsor a Junior Handler, stay informed about your Canadian Kennel Club and get your information first hand, not from hearsay.  Help organize an event or show.  It starts with each individual.  The way I've been seeing and hearing people act, well, we couldn't organize a two car parade little lone a World Class Organization.

Please join me in taking a pledge to be a force of positive change. Say no to negative, unproductive behavior.  Be a leader at the local level for ethical behavior.  Let your leadership know that you expect to see improvements.  Don't allow people to break rules without any consequences.  Demand that elected leaders understand that they represent the entire membership, not personal interest.  Support our new Executive Director so he can make the changes we have so desperately needed for years.

Remember to watch for "Nice Deeds".  They are happening all around us.  Let's talk about the people helping others.   Send your "Nice Deeds" to me at djenkins@shaw.ca 

Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats.  You should  bookmark it.  That's where you will find my blog. 

                                                                     XXXOOO