Dog Shows & Rumor Mills

Lucy's first American point.

Hope everyone enjoyed the YouTube link yesterday.  I thought it was absolutely hysterical, and it hits pretty close to home as I know of one vet who changed his career path because the clinic he worked at expected him to do precisely what the "vet" on the video was doing - to sell the clients products and services that they did not need and often could not afford.  That's one of the reasons we tell our puppy buyers NOT to consult with their vets about nutrition - they will sell you the product that is carried and promoted by the clinic, and there are far superior brands available for less money elsewhere.

It was a fun show weekend, with Lucy picking up her first points, handler by her Junior handler owner.  We were delighted with Lucy and are looking forward to bringing her down to show in a couple of months.  Pauli also went Best Of Breed on Sunday, against some top competition, handled by Jess. 

I did OK standing at ringside, but just sent in some entries for Argus for upcoming shows.  Both he and I need to get out before Westminster, and Argus adores staying in motels and laying on the bed watching TV.  Argus is also the target of a rumor being spread by people who should know better, and is supposedly the victim of some obscure crippling disease.  Although he hurt himself doing something stupid (either leaping off the deck in pursuit of squirrels, or trying to climb trees after them) last summer, he's totally mended and in fact won the Group his first time back in the ring in the fall, and followed that up with his 100th Best Of Breed and a Group placing.  Bad weather and lousy judges kept up home for much of the rest of the year, not any kind of health problems.  Why waste time and energy, or risk having an accident on ice covered roads to show to bad judges?

That is one of the downsides of dog shows, probably of all kinds of competitions.  People love to tell tales about other dogs and people, especially successful ones.  As we always say, "consider the source".  I find that rumors are often started to cover up or distract from other issues the rumor monger would rather you not wonder about.