One of my favorite movies is Best in Show. It’s obvious the writers, director, acting troupe, etc have a special fondness for the whole dog show culture/community. BUT there’s one line in the movie, near the end, where one of the announcers is trying to find out what’s so special about these dogs. Do they do tricks? No. Are they athletic? No. Etc. And after getting No to all his questions about what makes them special, he finally says, So it boils down to grooming. Point being, there’s actually nothing special about the dogs other than they’ve been groomed alot.
My question - any dog shows people here? It certainly seems like that’s what it is. Much ado about nothing. No problem at all with it of course, good people with a common interest. But boy it seems ultimately pretty silly. Thoughts?
I am no dog show person. IMO it is just another perverse extension of human vanity.
OTOH , field trials and demonstrating the incredible range of intelligent actions dogs can be “taught”, speaks of the value this noble descendant of the wolf has to the benefit of the human condition. They are the ears and eyes of human families and individuals. They bestow unquestioned loyalty to what they consider their human pack and will unhesitatingly risk their own life to protect or save their family. They herd sheep and cattle, track scents of single molecules shed by days ago by another living being. They will wait patiently for days for the return of their loved ones.
Aside from the honeybee and other natural pollinator insects that have developed an existential symbiotic relationship with flowers, dogs have developed an unquestionable existential symbiotic relationship with humans, if given half a chance.
Unfortunately the same can not be said of all humans. Human cruelty and disrespect for nature is evident where they settle and instead of adapting to nature, trying to shape their natural environment, regardless of the natural Law.
I’m more of a cat fan and the cat show, but I do find the dog shows interesting to watch. I have no clue why they don’t televise the Cat Show. They do have one.
mrmhead - Thanks for the PDF. It kinda confirms what I thought. It’s all about breeding and conforming to a standard.
Dog shows (conformation events) are intended
to evaluate breeding stock. The size of these events
ranges from large all-breed shows, with over 3,000
dogs entered, to small local specialty club shows,
featuring a specific breed. The dog’s conformation
(overall appearance and structure), is an indication of
the dog’s ability to produce quality puppies.
Which I’ll bet, at least in the beginning, and maybe now too, translated into how much money can be made in breeding. Ugg. To me that’s not love of dogs, even when there’s no money involved. Now training dogs to help others, just for their own enjoyment running and playing, etc. Now THAT’s love of dogs.
mriana - I love cats too, the cat in our house is attached to me, our doggie to my wife. I’ve never seen cat shows but I suspect it’d be pretty boring. Although, during Superbowls the Animal Channel I think it is, has the Puppy Bowl, and a kitty half time show. Very fun to watch.
About nothing?
But facade is everything in today’s culture.
Indeed. It’s questionable that people could have conquered the entire world, if K9s hadn’t been out there scouting and doing all the odds and ends you mention and then some.
And as much as I love being with my grandkids, I kinda miss not being with my K9 trainer and the numerous walks she makes me take every day. Even if she’s eternally a two year old.
Latest weather forecast sounds like it’s gonna be a three-dog night coming up.
I’ve only got two
(which I had to shovel a path in the back yard through the 8" snow for their … relief)
It’s really not much different with the cats. Persians, in shows, for example, are judge on their flat face, but some Persians have beautiful “doll” faces and are more healthy than the Persians who have smashed in faces. The smashed in faces often have breathing issues and health issues related to the breathing issues. My late Persian had the doll face and still had some respiratory issues. When she was a kitten, I was constantly (it seemed) treating her for bronchitis. She was 10 years old when she died and I had since she was 4 weeks. The stupid human who had her mother insisted on getting rid of the kittens at 4 weeks. Even so, I got her to survive long past kittenhood. That first year was the roughest though. She died because I naively cut corners during the recession, thinking since my cats were all indoor cats, I didn’t need flea medication. I was so wrong and lost her to fleas. I didn’t even know that fleas can take down a baby calf even. The vet couldn’t save her because she lost too much iron. Live and learn, but it was, to this day, a very painful lesson to learn.
Even so, breeding cats or dogs for specific features, is a health hazard for the little guys.