[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Expensive FUTURITIES
- From: Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx
- To: Lealynn@xxxxxxx, showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2006 09:50:52 EST
In a message dated 1/9/2006 8:44:04 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
Lealynn@xxxxxxx writes:
While I understand it
is a dog "show", IMO a futurity is more. It's supposed to be a show of the
best quality dogs we can produce. Not the best training job and /or handler
we
can afford. Until judges start judging the dog, nothing will change other
than
it will just get more expensive.
Liz
Liz, you've hit the nail on the head. I'm sitting w/ a nice litter here,
and yes, I'll nominate in case the co-owner wants to go to a Futurity, but,
for
me, if it was a fun "puppy match" like event, all well and good, but
Futurities have taken on the life of mini-nationals. Phone lines and
internet
connections hum re who is showing whom, who is on the dog (then sometimes off
the
dog, then back on the dog...). The hype takes on the life of a political
campaign, and yes, very often the judges know who they're looking at. It
filters to them and in some cases, it's openly discussed. (Been there, don't
tell
me I'm imagining it.)
You have all sorts of gray areas re who can show under whom, who comes off a
dog as a handler, who comes on/off as a co-owner, who's breeding it is that
the judge may be judging (theirs?), and even if things are on the up and up,
the appearance of gray areas leaves a bitter taste and too many questions.
Then there's the dogs. Remember the dogs? As babies they're shuffled off to
camp, learning how to be "show dogs", learning how to stand like a rock even
if the judge does cartwheels up to them and falls on them. Silly?
Probably, they're babies after all, and for what, so the owner can crow about
"getting wood" when the class doesn't even fill? Later some will complain
about how
expensive it all is. A little training doesn't hurt, and I have two who need
some (!!!), but I hope I'm smart enough to do it on their time and maturity
schedule and not rush things.
I don't blame the handlers for a minute. It's a free market and they charge
what folks will pay.
We rehash this every year. I got off the merry-go-round a while back. I'll
let babies be babies thank you and I'll avoid the pre game nonsense and post
game gossip and outrage. (And yes, I have those cute Purina pins for dogs
nominated who have finished, so it's not like I would have brought pigs.)
Kathy
three generations of Dual Titled Champions live here!
visit _Pine Hill German Shepherd Dogs_
(http://www.geocities.com/pinehillgsds/)
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