I LOVE dog shows! I love to go to them, watch them (even on TV) participate in them, talk to the people surrounding them, encourage new people, introduce new people to the "old dog people" that I know.... I love it all. Even when I have to work my hiney off grooming, feeding, scooping poop, setting up, tearing down, holding dogs, running dogs back and forth to the handler, and I am not even showing a dog of my own, I love it. I was in dogs in the late 80's to mid 90's. I had the judge that judged the day of my first show be rather rude to me. I didn't walk away, I went out and bought a dog that I could be competitive with, and was competitive with him. In 97 I moved to TN and basically left dogs for a short time. Throughout my self imposed exhile, all I wanted to do was get back in dogs. Now I am again and I couldnt be happier. My husband is just being introduced to dog shows. He went to his first National (just the BOB day) at the last Perry National, and again to St Louis. He is planning to go to this comming national, and would have gone to the last one had he been able to get the time off. He went with me to Houston last weekend and had a blast. He can't wait to go to the next one. I believe that the key to his excitement is the fact that he has been welcomed by the fancy. People have been friendly, and he has finally seen why I love it so. However, had I taken my first show experience and judged the fancy entirely by that experience alone, both my husband and I would have missed out on what we so love today. Some people are willing to give a second, third, 10th chance, some aren't. We need to make sure that the first view of the dog show fancy that a new person sees is pleasant and encourages them to return again, and again. Cindy Gialluca Cyneca German Shepherds ----- Original Message ----- From: "D.D. and Bonnie Ardoin" <cudjoegsd@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <irrenhaus4@xxxxxxxxxxx>; <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, December 09, 2005 12:56 PM Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Fun at shows > Doris-I couldn`t agree with you more! I cannot wait for this damn winter > to be over > and the spring shows to begin. D.D. ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2005. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://www.showgsd.org ============================================================================