My passion is show dogs and dog shows. I’m grateful you checked the show out. There can be a few bad apples, but most are not infected by them and deeply care for the dogs of the breeds that they love with all their heart.

Fantastically written!  I show dogs up here and occasionally in other parts of the country and this article could have been written at any one of those shows.  It’s nice to see that someone outside the fancy really gets what we’re about and can see that we are *not* the same as the ‘millers’.  As someone who supports breed rescue it makes me really very proud to hear that “Everyone I asked about this had the same kind of answer. If they found out that any of their puppies wound up in a shelter, they’d sure do something about it.”  We really are not in the business of ‘selling’ dogs, we are in the business of preserving the breeds we love, for us and for fanciers in the future.

And that’s just the bench show.  There’s rally, obedience, agility, hunt tests, field trials, tracking, herding, etc.  There are so many ways to participate with your dog it’s easy to find a niche that fits you.

Thank you for a beautiful article. As someone in “the Fancy” because I love dogs, my breeds in particular, but all dogs in general, and enjoy spending time with fellow dog-lovers (despite our quirks) I am glad to see “us” appreciated…and not made out to be a bunch of narcissistic kooks like in that Best In Show movie a few years back. And no. I have never even recovered expenses anytime I’ve bred a litter, and definitely have not calculated what I’ve spent on producing quality, healthy, happy dogs.

FABULOUSLY written article!!!
I have to fwd to my national breed club.

You have hit it right on the money!!!

Ooops - - that’s really where it is.  The Animal Rights people appear to be mentally ill from years of their idea of abuse at their parents’ hands.  Therefore, they transfer that feeling of helplessness to the animals and feel their pain!  YEAH - - right!  They’re a bunch of demented brats who pushed their parents around and now want to subjugate the world to their sick ideas!  Let them eat soy - it’s proven that the brain suffers.  Let them live without animal contact - they’re the losers.

BUT - they can keep their demented ideas off me and my dogs.  They should be as loved as my dogs. I live 3000 miles from my siblings - lost both my parents within 6 months, and the dog community was right there to help me grieve and continue with life.  It was devastating - and I can’t thank my dog family enough!

Thank you for seeing them how they really are - an extended family who cares deeply for ALL dogs.

By the way - ask Whiney Wayne why there are so many dogs being imported from overseas if we have such an overabundance!

Well written article.  My breed registry also holds conformation shows, as well as obedience, agility, tracking and herding trials to showcase our breed.  And, if you visited an ASCA show you would essentially get the same responses you received in Florence.  So, now you know why so many of us are up-in-arms about the H$U$ and their agenda which is spreading throughout the country - not just in NC and SC.  Our elected officials are being ‘sucked in’ (or paid off) by these radicals and passing some of the most horrendous ordinances/laws.

I strongly believe that HSUS is nothing more than an arm (read “strong arm”) for PETA, and that their goal is the simple and total abolition of all “uses” of animals, including ownership of pets of any form, including dogs and cats.  It is frightening that legislators across the country are being sucked in by HSUS’ blanket horror stories, and reacting by enacting draconian laws that equate serious, animal-loving breeders with those “bad apple” breeders.

I have heard stories of home invasions by these extremists, “staging” of bad conditions that don’t really exist—such as holding dogs captive indoors until they defecate, and then declaring the owner’s home “filthy”.  The public needs to know!

Well written piece on people I know - dog people.
I agree that there are some dog people who seem not to know or care about the hub-bub being caused by H$U$. But more and more dog people are aware.  We have organizations to combat the threat to our hobby; we have volunteers who give of their time to the extent of having very little time left in their lives except for the care of their dogs.
Dog people, cat people, horse people, animal people - we are all in the same boat.

What a refreshing approach to read from an “outsider” who got to enjoy our wonderful world of show dogs, albeit briefly. Thank you for your comments, we really are a good bunch of people who care for our dogs and when the going gets tough we stand by one another.  It’s all about the dogs, always was, always will be.

As an additional point, the only harm to dogs I’ve personally seen and heard about at a dog show was done by the so called “animal rights” fanatics.  They have poisoned dogs, let them out of their crates to be lost and hit by cars, stolen them, put anti-freeze in their drinking water, spread broken glass where the dogs needed to walk, and on and on.  Now who “really” cares about the dogs?

Great article!  It really is nice to hear from an outsider that actually “gets” what the dog show enthusiasts and participants are all about.  I showed and loved deeply the English Bulldog both in confirmation and obedience!  I only showed the ones that loved it and were excited to go to the shows, having lots of fun.  I had a few that didn’t like it and I did not show those at all.  They were just “couch potatoes”!  Animals are no different than us in having unique personalities.  Some like to be social and lots of attention and others prefer the solitude of home and hearth!  I was active in Bulldog Rescue for many years.  I realize there are “millers” out there and there are bad apples in many baskets, but I didn’t know any personally and advised people interested in ownership of an animal to check out the breed to learn as much as possible to be certain they were ready for the commitment of companionship with this animal for it’s life.  Like other breed owners, we loved the Bully and bred them to improve the breed, not haphazardly just for reproduction.  Some were never bred because they had health issues that should not be carried on.  They were neutered.  We had fun showing our dogs and our dogs had a blasst!

These wonderful dog show families are why we choose to make this our family activity.  Our 10 year old is now a Junior Handler and has learned wonderful things from those “dog show people”, not only has she learned how to treat a dog to how to treat people.  She is approached by total strangers who have seen her in the ring and want to give her advice, they actually want to help her become better at what she does and do not look at her as competition in any way.  Most show dogs are treated better than people and even though a owner may have many many dogs I bet you they all know each dog by name.  I don’t know about any one elses area but we do not have pure breed dogs in our shelters.

Several of us in California have been fighting bad dog legislation backed by HSUS for the past several years.  HSUS gets the public to believe all dog breeding is bad and there is an overpopulation of pets.  Then the legislation starts breed specific, reducing the numbers of dogs one can own, changing dog ownership to dog guardianship, mandatory spay and neutering.  Thank you for your support with your great article on our hobby.  We are friendly people that just want to be free to enjoy our hobby with our friends, family and dogs.  Thank you for exposing HSUS for what they really are.  I wish more in our hobby recognized the threat.  I support your efforts!

While you were in SC I was at the Greater Kingsport Kennel Club, Inc. show in Gray, Tennessee. Smaller show, same wonderful dog lovers and exhibitors. I have been a member of GKKC for 18 years and while I no longer show or breed my dogs, I will love them until they are no longer here. I care for them just the same as if they were worth a million dollars. They aren’t, but to me they are worth more. I don’t get HSUS or PETA, I don’t understand their hatred of anything they can’t control. You know what is really so sad is that all of the energy we continually spend fighting against breed specific laws, mandatory spay neuter laws and other insane ideas fosted on us by these crazy animal haters could be spent on our animals. The last and sadest part is that if we ever let them win, we will lose the wonderful companion animals. If they are all spayed and neutered then there will no longer be wonderful breeds with characteristics we love and seek to perpetuate.

As a long-time breeder and also an AKC judge, I can testify that this article is 100% correct.  HSUS and PETA get rich by distorting facts about the dog fancy and soliciting money from unknowing individuals.  In short, a bona fide scam.
It is hoped that the public could be made aware of what HSUS is doing.  Most sane people realize that PETA is comprised of a bunch of whackos.
It is gratifying that the dog fancy does stand up to these organizations when they try to slide some anti-dog legislation.
Again, a super great article!

What an EXCELLENT article!!!!  Thank you so much for writing and posting! You will always find a few bad apples in the bunch wherever you go, but 99% of dog fanciers have hearts of gold when it comes to the animals.

Bravo!

Great article, I am not a dog breeder or shower but I really like the part where you linked the problems these breeders/showers are facing to other industries such as animal agriculture and research.  I am a rancher, a farmer, and a dog owner.  I will agree 100% that in every industry there is a bad apple to stink up the whole bushel and H$U$/PETA only pick from the rotten tree.  If we wish to maintain our hobbies or jobs with the animals we love then we all need to stick together they have lots of $$ but we together have lots of numbers.  The more people we can unite together the more our stories (the true story) will be heard!  I am prepared to fight for dog breeders, poultry farmer, research scientist, hunter/fishers, etc. and I hope that there will be someone who has my back as well.

Keep up the good work!

My family has been showing and breeding dogs for well over 10 years. This article is EXTREMELY well written account of the dog “fancy” and why groups like the Humane Society, and others who lobby against it, are way off base. In my opinion, their radical behavior is akin to prohibition. Prohibition was at first a “good idea” put in place to reduce the “evils” of alcohol-induced crime. Instead, it resulted in an industry of organized crime. Much like that affect, what these people lobby for will only increase the dubious behavior of folks who mill puppies, not improve the lives of dogs. Hobby breeders, on a whole, are responsible and caring individuals who dedicate their lives to the well being of the dogs they produce. Get with it people. Fight animal cruelty where it lives and that isn’t at a dog show (or field trial, or earthdog test, or agility trial, or tracking test, or obedience show, or…). Sheesh.

HSUS and PETA are against any ownership of animals because they don’t believe humans are superior to animals and shouldn’t be in a position of authority over them.  Their appeal to legislators and voters on the basis of “puppy farms” and other instances of animal abuse is just a means towards an end, to elicit votes or donations.  They aren’t really concerned about animal welfare or humane treatment or else they’d put more than a token amount of their money into helping pets instead of euthenizing them.  In this philosophy, shutting down dog shows and organized breeding makes perfect sense.

(I’m not a dog owner, but I have cats and have shown them.  The descriptions in the article also fit very well to the cat world, except the part about the dangerous parking lot.)

Got your back Bobbi!  I’m a show breeder and your right, we ALL have to stick together!!!

Spot on. Extremists of every stripe seldom allow facts to get in the way of their agenda, and H$U$ abhors reality. If they were indeed activists for the humane treatment of animals, then they’d partner with dog show fanciers as examples of the standards that all dog owners should aspire to. Instead, they demagogue and demonize in their never ending quest for more money. I think they’d be surprised to see that many dog clubs are very active in rescue, public education, and responsible dog ownership activities in their local communities.

Wow great article -we need more like this ! Thank you for seeing us for what we are -a bunch of dog lovers plain and simple.

I agree Well written, Not all breeders are bad. We have all ours spayed and neutered, but if everyone did where would I have gotten my PureBreds and I have a shelter dog that is Wonderful, but we also have recently purchased 2 Mastiffs both now fixed and I DID NOT want a mix. I have friends that breed RESPONSIBLY and commend them for bettering the breed. Most humane societies want a fortune to adopt a mix breed. I grew up in 4h and I know that the judge expected my dog to be a certain way because of the breed he was.

I would just add that dogs shows are great for dogs because being in a crowd of a thousand people and a thousand dogs in relatively tight quarters and strangers touching every part of their bodies, their hair brushed, standing quietly on grooming tables, meeting strangers, nails trimmed, teeth cleaned and managed easily on a leash makes for a sound dog that functions well in our societies and it alone helps breeders to sort out those with proper temperament to move the breed forward.  Many breeds have much better temperaments now then they did just ten years ago- a tribute to good breeders! Good breeders prove their dogs in the ring and are really doing a great work at their expense; offering wonderful pets at reasonable prices. God bless them for their personal sacrifice sleeping on kitchen floors for days and days next to a whelping box as new babies come and the many other things they do to produce the dogs they love for the benefit of so many others.

Great article. However, “puppy mills” is a hot button term coined by the AR’s. The correct term is commercial breeder, and the vast majority of them raise perfectly healthy family pets. There is nothing wrong with raising dogs, or any other animal, for profit so long as it’s done correctly. David, perhaps you should consider visiting a well run, USDA inspected commercial kennel and see both sides of the story.

I finished a Champion bitch this past weekend that I bred myself YEA.. We only needed one point.. got it at 9 in the morning so I could have gone home.. but why.. the day was gorgeous.. i was happy.. I was surrounded by people who love dogs.. all kinds.. so we stayed until group.. showed.. did not place but waited until after BIS ..so I could see seven fabulous dogs compete.. each one was not only beautiful but happy and fun loving.
During the day I wandered over the the obedience ring and watched an older Airedale do such a fabulous job with his owner it brought tears to my eyes.. the human animal bond was something to see in that ring.. the trainer and the trained who worked in perfect harmony ( I guess you could say that each one was a bit of both trainer and trained!)
NO ONE will ever take that away from me.. and especially not Pacelle and his troupe of people haters..
Oh and I gave out a few bumper stickers too!!!!
Many people were already aware.. and some are even HW facebook members!.. spread the word!
Glad you had a good time .. and hope you will attend a few more shows to let people know the true agenda..
Oh.. by the way.. I did not see a single dog being baited on “vegan” treats.. most had LIVER as bait..

I have to add that these people who love to show their dogs are the people that are the most responsible breeders, not only are they not making lots of money, they usually only breed once a year.  They do health testing on the dogs before breeding, and now there are DNA tests that can cancel certain diseases out.  They pay attention to the dogs’ temperament as well.  They aim to produce happy healthy puppies.  Many of these breeders already have good homes picked out for the pups before they are ready to go to their new homes!  How does the HSUS and PETA have so many problems with the Dog Show- Dog Fancy population, I’ll never know.  Maybe it is because these dog breeders are easier to find because they are out in public competing with their dogs.  And PETA, service dogs are far from being abused as well.  My purebred border collie is the most pampered pooch, she gets the best of everything.  She is my Godsend.  She came from a good breeder (who shows dogs), and she gets to go with me everywhere!  What more could a dog ask for?  Neglected? Deprived?  Not even close.

Oh, what a terrific article! I suggest that you visit a dog performance venue sometime soon. My dog training club held it’s spring agility trial this past weekend. Talk about “pampered pooches”! Many of these dogs, superior athletes, have their own chiropractor and massage therapist, a diet that probably costs more than their owner’s, and special vehicles draped with shiny metallic shade fabric . . . quite a sight.

Our state had a serious battle with HSUS last year, trying to create a sensible dog breeder licensing bill that would help tighten the controls on the so-called “puppy mills” without putting the high quality breeders, like those you met in SC, out of business. I saw the shameless pandering to our soft hearts with dreadful and shocking images of sick, injured and toothless ‘breeder’ dogs rescued from puppy hell-holes, and listened to the rescuers try to blame the plight of these sad animals on ALL dog breeders. The good news is that HSUS was not pleased with our efforts, and we passed a reasonable bill. The bad news is that the wrong-headed standards that HSUS was forced to drop are coming back in still more anti-dog bills for future legislative sessions.

At our state fair the ‘anti-puppymill’ team were out in force at our World of Dogs one-day show, where the local dog clubs give child safety lessons, grooming and care demos, as well as showcase flyball, agility, obedience, SAR, herding and retrieving. These Animal Rights folks are deluded and filled with negative emotions. Their behavior - the sneering, the sarcasm, the obvious disgust they had for any of us who dared to promote pure-bred dogs, including my Search and Recovery dogs - seemed to suggest we were worse than people selling others into slavery.

Thank you for an outsider’s honest view. I love the movie “Best in Show”, but it is a spoof, a comedy, a put-on. The genius of that movie is the devilish caricature - pure satire. Delicious. Maybe you observed a few “characters” in SC?  Makes life fun, doesn’t it? Get away from the mental cases attacking us for something so fulfilling, worthwhile, not hurting anyone while contributing to the economy. And, of course, providing beautiful, healthy, sound and reliable family pets for so many who bother to look past the horror stories exploited by the AR crowd.

Kathy - point me to a “commercial breeder” that does all the extensive health testing and certifications and intense evaluations on their dogs that we (“we” being responsible, ethical, private breeders) do on ours, and I’ll admit my opinion is wrong.  It’s one thing to keep dogs (however many you have) clean and free of sickness - but there is a BIG difference between a commercial breeder who is simply cranking out puppies for profit and a private (or “hobby” as some people say) breeder.  ANYONE that breeds a dog or cat is a part of this country’s gross overpopulation of dogs and cats, and any good breeder WILL admit that they are part of the problem.  No matter that I have dozens of people on my waiting list and on average, only 3-5 puppies per year - I am bringing more dogs into this world, therefore I am part of the problem.  How many commercial breeders (who produce hundreds of puppies every year), will admit the same??

I too am an AKC judge. and over the years i have so enjoyed my task in the ring. Sportsmanship is always shown.. rarely does an exhibitor ever show any disappointment even though there can only be one winner on the day.. well it is bit more complicated than that..BUT…still. dog shows are full of
1.fun
2.beautiful dogs
3.junk food for people
4 special food for dogs
5.every type of dog outfit, leash, collar, supplies etc
6.lots of dog hair
7.motor homes
8.people who are nutty about their dogs
9. more dog hair
10.even more dog hair
and I am proud to be a part of all of it.

WONDERFUL! I’m glad you had such a positive experience and that you wrote about it. Dog shows are a great way to observe different breeds as well, and talk to people (when they’re not busy running around between rings or grooming) about a certain breed if you’re interested in that breed.

Kathy… I think almost ALL people who are doing it “correctly” are NOT making much profit! Commercial breeders, whether you call them puppy mills or not, are the people who are selling puppies to stores, or even “backyard breeders” who have a dog or two and are selling their puppies in the newspaper classified ads. Those dogs likely did not come from a responsible breeder who health tests - so you DON’T know the background of that dog, or if any of its relatives have any genetic issues or have produced any genetic issues, such as hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, heart murmurs, genetic conditions that cause blindness, etc. The only “correct” way to be breeding dogs is to TEST for those things, and when you’re doing that, you’re probably not making much money. I wouldn’t have any problem with someone who owns one or two dogs who is testing those dogs, even if they’re not showing them, selling them. Maybe they’re making profit, but with only a couple of dogs, it’s not huge and it’s not enough to live off of. Most of those commercial breeders don’t know where their puppies go to, don’t know if they end up with any major issues, and aren’t trying to prevent those issues… so the issues are common. How is that a healthy family pet? Sure they can still be a family pet, but they are not necessarily healthy. A puppy from a responsible breeder would be more likely to be healthier, and is a wonderful family pet. Which commercial, well run, USDA inspected kennel would you recommend visiting? If they have enough dogs to make any significant profit, chances are they’re not testing. And to me, that’s one of the most important things.

I do hope our people were able to stay “alive” after BIS and attend your SPEECH…....thank you so much for ATTENDING.  NOW you need to come to TEXAS <G> and do it all over again!!

Very nicely written (for a total tyro!)

“Why” HSUS and PETA object so strongly to dog shows is actually fairly simple: the AR movement is opposed, in principle, to selectively breeding for specific appearance, drives, and temperament. They object to the very idea of a “breed standard”; they view breeding to a standard in the way we view the Nazi breeding programs.

Personally I think there is tremendous value to breeding for specific appearance and behavior. That’s the point of all the “which dog is right for you?” selectors (some of which are ludicrous: I say I want a large guard breed that requires moderate to little grooming, and it recommends a BICHON? I don’t think so): if you know you don’t like heavy coat care, an Afghan is probably a poor choice. If you want a dog that is quiet around the house, you probably won’t do well with a Sheltie. But the AR crowd wants NO planned breeding at all. Something I find totally appalling.

As for commercial breeding:
I am opposed in principle to commercial breeding, because I believe that it is impossible to properly raise puppies in mass numbers.  Puppies require more than just the physical necessities; they require a LOT of handling and socialization to develop properly.  I personally do not believe it is possible for someone breeding hundreds of dogs annually to accomplish this.

It does not matter if the dogs are kept in pristine conditions.  I don’t care if each bitch has a nice, big, clean run; if the whelping boxes are the fanciest construction; if the puppies are not shipped until they’re ten weeks old, and never shipped more than 50 miles away.

To me, this is irrelevant.  My objection is not to the horrible conditions (that’s a separate issue), but to the PRINCIPLE of large-scale breeding.  Even if the animals are well cared for in terms of sanitation, medical attention, and food, I personally do not believe that this is an acceptable way to raise animals that are intended to live so closely with people.

I believe it is a mistake to focus on the “horrible conditions” of puppy mills, because simply bettering the “horrible conditions” will not, IMO, make commercial breeding acceptable.  For me, profit should not be a consideration at ALL in dog breeding. The sole reason to breed should not be to produce puppies that will be “nice pets”; it should be to produce sound, healthy, typey dogs which will be good to outstanding representatives of their breed.

Breeding “correctly” is highly subjective. To me, breeding “correctly” means making sure that all breeding stock has passed the appropriate health clearances for the breed (how many commercial breeders OFA their stock?); it means NOT breeding AWAY from the standard (“teacups” and impermissable colors); it most certainly means NOT CROSSBREEDING (!!) It means showing or working a dog to demonstrate that dog’s value to a breeding program. And it means being there for the life of the puppies bred: being their to take a dog back if the family can’t keep it for whatever reason.

How many commercial breeders do this?

Dogs aren’t cattle or chickens. They deserve better than to be bred as a commodity.

Wrong, Kathy.  Commercial breeding is not ethical unless breeders perform health tests to prevent crippling disease and health problems prevalent in purebred dogs, which they do not.  And breeding animals every heat to produce commercial puppies is not healthy either.  So do not try to say that they are producing healthy family pets or that commercial breeders are benign.  No matter how you shake it, they are mass-producing dogs without regard for health tests necessary to produce healthy animals, and they are large contributors to pet overpopulation, by saturating the market with mass-produced animal.  Many commercially-bred purebred dogs, and dog retired from commercial breeding end up in purebred rescues and shelters.

Responsible breeders do not contribute to pet overpopulation.  They do not over-breed animals.  They find homes for every animal they breed and they keep track of the animals they’ve bred.  They are willing to take back any animal that they’ve bred if necessary to prevent them from going to a rescue or shelter.  They test animals for potential health problems to reduce and prevent disease in pets, and they take the utmost care of the breeding animals.  There is a huge difference between them and commercial breeders.  Commercial breeders are not benign and are in it strictly for profit, no matter what cost to the animals; responsible breeders are in it because they love dogs and want to produce healthy and well-adjusted pets.  This article shows that, so thank you.

Yes, responsible cat and dog breeders provide over and beyond care of our animals. Great article!
On the purebred rescue side, our purebred rescue was called to pick up a purebred and some kittens (by a sub-standard breeder) at the local shelter.  We do not want any purebreds in the shelter!  BUT, the SPCA would not release them to the purebred rescue! Because of their power and media ‘coverage,‘which is A/R friendly,  the shelter would not comply. Now, I wonder at what premium price those purebreds are going to be ‘adopted’ uh, ‘sold’ to the public? What commercial are they going to be use to fool the public into ‘thousands of purebreds’ are left in shelters? Follow the money, always!

Whether or not I’m a HSUS supporter, I still cannot condone the AKC. Euthanasia of pets who have no homes strikes a particular chord with me, so I cannot support a society that glamorizes an “ultimate” breed, and subjects shelter dogs as “half-breeds”.

Bravo!  Great article and you pretty much summed it up.  We love dogs.  I am a purebreed fancier and show dogs.  I do not want to see my breed ( Italian Greyhounds) disappear.  They are a cousin to one of the oldest breeds in existence, well over 3000 years.  What gives HSUS the right to determine that purebreed dogs should no longer exist?  Arrogance and utter nonsense!  I have 11 dogs and 4 of them are rescues but even my rescues are purebreed.  Tell me how many mutts are bred responsibly?!  Way to educate, HSUS!  But then again HSUS doesn’t make any money promoting responsible breeders, now do they!?

Thanks so much for taking a little time to visit a show and see what we all so proudly do for the love of dogs and our pride in them.

>>I cannot support a society that glamorizes an “ultimate” breed, and subjects shelter dogs as “half-breeds”<<

I think this misses the whole point. It’s not about an “ultimate” breed; for anyone who loves his/her breed, that breed IS the “ultimate” breed. Nor it is about calling shelter dogs “half-breeds”: that’s a slur that’s been directed against people over the centuries, and isn’t meaningful in dog terms.

There are advantages and disadvantages to purebreds, crossbred dogs, and mixes. But the biggest advantage to a purebred is PREDICTABILITY:  you can match the temperament, drives, size, coat to what will best suit your lifestyle.  If you have your heart set on a certain look and/or temperament, who am I to say, “No, you can’t have a Nepalese Nong-Nong”?  I would no more condemn someone for loving a certain breed than I would condemn someone for liking mutts.  It’s entirely a personal matter.

Having said that, it’s not just having a purebred, it’s having a WELL-BRED purebred.  A dog bred with the goal of producing a sound, healthy, typey dog that will look and act as a good representative of its breed ought to.

Now, the reasons for getting a purebred are all too often foolish ones.  People want a dog like those spotted dogs in the Disney film, or a dog like the one in the Taco Bell ad, or like Wishbone…  They know nothing about the breed beyond its looks, and that’s why there are SO many Dalmatians and JRTs in rescue. (I read recently that California shelters and rescues are swamped with Chihuahuas since the film about them.)

But if someone has their heart set on a puppy of a particular breed, they should go to a RESPONSIBLE BREEDER (not a pet store which gets puppies from a commercial breeder).  One that will take the time to educate them about the breed, and will tell them NOT to get that breed if it’s not suited to them.

If someone is willing to take an older dog, there are BREED RESCUES (and yes, it IS possible to find purebreds in shelters, although it’s unlikely to find ones that are really good representatives of their breed).

And if someone just wants four feet and a lot of love, and is flexible on size and shape, PLEASE, GO TO THE SHELTER AND SAVE A LIFE.

But, please:  don’t condemn those who love a certain breed and want a dog of a certain type.

Thank you for taking the time to visit the show and write about it, David.  More Americans need to understand what we in the fancy really do.

Well done, sir.

It was nice to meet you and look you in the eye.

From all the personal attacks that Uncle Wayne and his minions are leveling at you I cannot see any evidence that what the H$U$ is claiming to be anywhere near truthful. Yet, has that ever stopped them? All we hear from the ARistas here in NC at the state and local level of governments are twisted half baked truths and outright lies based on cooked #s.

You are a caring and thoughtful man. Your passion is well intentioned and ethically correct.

Your article is very well written.

I too am an AKC judge, past President of a couple of local kennel clubs, past President of a national breed club and an official mentor for judges whom study to apply for judging status for chows. I am in my 30th year as a dog show exhibitor and breeder and am proud of what I do, the puppies that I produce and the people with which I associate. I am doing nothing ethically incorrect nor illegal. Although the NCVAW and the H$U$ would have the public think otherwise.

I am tired of the NC branches of AR-activists making things personal. Very glad that you can take it to them for a change.

If you ever care to try out the night scope you are welcome in my house any evening.

Bill Buell

Travis,

What you are missing is that Pure breds do play a role.  They provide an out let for people to know what they are getting.  With a Pure bred you know size, temperment, coat, activity level etc, health concerns etc that you would not know with a mixed breed.  This actually helpls is keeping some animals out of a shelter from people not getting what they wanted or needed to fit their lifestyles.

Many of use have/or have had Rescues and mixed breeds as well.

Travis, you may (probably) or may not (doubtful) be an H$U$ supporter.  Nevertheless, you don’t have a clue what the dog world is about.  AKC doesn’t ‘condone’ the euthanasia of ‘pets who have no home’, you must be thinking of your lovely H$U$/PETA in that case.  I’m not sure what you mean by the AKC subjecting ‘shelter dogs as ‘half-breeds’‘, as there are more mixed and designer dogs in shelters than purebred dogs, so if you mean that ‘AKC’ (or dog people?) state that shelter dogs are usually ‘mixed breed’, then they are only stating fact.
Every breed club has some connection to their purebred rescue.  Who do you suppose STARTED the idea of purebred rescue, the H$U$?  BREEDERS of PUREBRED DOGS started purebred rescue to help their own. 
What have YOU done lately, beside throw money away at the H$U$?

Hey Travis,

How many animals that HSUS /PETA rescue do you think they rehome? Not many. Most are euthanized. And where do you think most of that money they collected for animal rescue after Katrina went? Not to the animals. In fact, HSUS had to return money they collected after the Haiti earthquake.

The AKC isn’t perfect - not by a long shot. But they’re a whole lot better than HSUS/PETA.

Good breeders breed good dogs and take them back if necessary….I just got a corgi rescued from an owner and sent back to the breeder…...........unfortunately I asked a breeder friend to place a cocker spanial with my sister (with the 2 PHD’s) several years ago..when my sister couldn’t handle the dog she just gave it away…............................my sister shouldn’t have dogs or children!
Mary In NYS

Great article!  For the guy, Travis, that doesn’t condone AKC, because of the Euthanasia of Shelter Dogs, please understand that many of the breeders who own full breed dogs, have also been very responsible and saved or rescued Shelter dogs.  Most breeders have a heart big enough for all dogs, and don’t want to see any dog die.  But, if all we ever had were the Shelter dogs, who are neutered and spayed, there would be no dogs in a very short time. 

At least the AKC breeders are trying to make sure they present the best and most healthy breed they can.  If USDA and PETA ever tried to work WITH responsible breeders, instead of AGAINST them with no education behind what they say, a whole lot more could get accomplished.  They don’t do a thing for all the shelter dogs in all the towns anyway.  Ask those shelters.  I wish more people that have doubts would be open minded enough to go to a dog show like the author of this article did, and talk to people and see for themselves, then there would be a lot less discord and more working together.

Outstanding, unbiased observations of the sport of showing dogs!  Thank you for writing it!

Dian

“Responsible breeders do not contribute to pet overpopulation.”

Actually, we DO.  We are bringing more dogs into this already overpopulated country.  As such, we are raising the number of dogs, thus we ARE contributing to pet overpopulation.

The difference is, we do so *responsibly*.  If the producing of animals was left only to reputable breeders, we would never have gotten into this overpopulation mess in the first place.  But alas, we’re here now, and it gets worse every year.

Just remember - a GOOD breeder will also participate in rescue and advocating spaying and neutering.  If you’re part of the problem, you darn well better be part of the solution!!

Thank you for publishing an article which shows that responsible dog breeders are NOT abusers or the cause of unwanted animals! I was at the show in Florence and saw the same things you did. I didn’t have a dog entered, but went with a friend to watch the show and cheer her on. Most people participate in dog shows, obedience trials, agility trials and other dog competitions because they love and are proud of their dogs, and care deeply about their chosen breeds.

I am planning my first litter in five years for later this summer. I usually breed only when I’m ready to keep a puppy for myself to carry on the line I’ve bred for fourteen generations. I will definitely not make money on this litter, even hough I have a waiting list for the puppies. Thousands of dollars have already been spent showing the potential mother to a championship, training her in obedience, agility and hunting and doing every health test available for her breed and will spend several thousand more on a stud fee to a champion male who also has a Junior Hunter title and raising and socializing the litter. Like most responsible breeders, I do this to demonstrate that the potential parents are of the correct type, structure and temperament for their breed, not to make a profit. Like the person quoted in your article, I don’t even know how much I have spent breeding and showing my dogs for the last fifty years. It doesn’t matter because I have loved every minute of it and have a feeling of accomplishment when I see a dog I bred proving its worth in the show, obedience or agility rings, and even more when the owner of one of my pet puppies tells me how much joy their dog has given them.

I seriously doubt that Wayne Pacelle, CEO of H$U$...who has publically admitted that he has never owned or loved an animal…has the slightest glimmer of understanding about how “dog people” feel about their dogs and what richness they bring to our lives.

I was one of the competitors in the ring with the BIS Peke..and yes I’m a 40-something-owner-handler Mom of a couple of great kids and a few more terriers. Dog-showing for me, is about the love of the breed, dogs in general, and having fun..regardless of the day’s outcome…As long as my dogs are showing with a happy expression…we will keep on giving it our best effort!

Although I would categorize myself as an Animal Rights Activist, i am not an extremest and i dont like PETA or HSUS. They both have outward motives for their goals. They arent in it for the animals as much as they are for the fame, in my eyes.

I happily support Private breeders, and i know from experience with dealing closely with my cats breeder there SHOULD be no money in the business, because most of the money should go back to the animals or obvious other costs.

Commercial Breeders or Puppy mills do not and will never give the amount of love and dedication, and money to the animals that private breeders do, and thats why in my eyes they are cruel, i would never buy from a pet store who is supplied by a commercial breeder as i would be supporting the lower end treatment of animals.

I also am completely against unwarranted euthanasia, due to space or lack of homes, this wouldnt be a problem if the commercial dog/cat shovelers went out of business, the amount of rescues that find homes would go up substantially!!!

I definitely Agree with Esther about her comment about dogs as a commodity, is a big no no.

They and all animals deserve to be treated with a lot more respect and love!!!

Travis, did you know that AKC now welcomes *NON* purebreds to performance events?  AKC promotes responsible dog ownership, combats anti-dog legislation, and donates millions of dollars to the canine health foundation.  AKC is not just about glamor. 

Thanks for this article!  It’s nice to feel as though somebody understands what we’re actually about.

Wonderfully done!  Thank you..

Great article!

Kathy, did you get paid for saying that?  Surely, someone from Petland paid you to say that cause you can’t be SERIOUS!

Travis, every dog show person on this forum rescues dogs!  Do you know that the HSUS is not even a shelter and that PETA kills more dogs and cats every year than ANY shelter!

You both need to do your homework and come back when you have something factual to post!

Great article! HSUS and PETA are spoilsports. Mostly they seem to be against other people—and animals—having fun. If you don’t like dogshows—don’t go!

Travis- not sure what the AKC and euthanasia have to do with each other. AKC doesn’t condone nor promote euthanasia. I grew up in a show home, then went to college and owned mutts. Now I have two mutt rescues, one purebred rescue and one show dog. And- now I can enter my mutts in AKC companion events!

Everyone who makes such a fuss about us (the “evil” breeders) should go to a dog show and spend the day like Dave did.  It would change a lot of minds about what our hobby is all about.  Travis, AKC has breed standards and we try to breed to meet that standard.  But AKC also has titles and competitions for mixed breeds, so don’t be so quick to condemn them.  Come out to a show, especially where mixed breeds are competing in obedience & Rally and I think you, too, will get an education in what the dog world is really about.

Thank you for writing that. So refreshing to read.

I have been showing dogs for 42 years, I started when I was 7 years old! My ‘family’ of dog show people have seen me throught thick and thin, very bad health and poor times, to better times.  They love their dogs, and know that I love my dogs. My dogs are not put away when company comes, like some children are, they live here, this is their home. They LOVE to go to dog shows…. and my 14 1/2 year old Australian Shepherd is as eager to go as my young Bichons (the breed I have been involved in since 1981..many of my fellow Bichon breeders, I have known since then).  Dog show people have learned one thing from dogs, to love without end… to give all that they can when help is needed, and to remember a hug goes a long way when times are tough.
Dog shows are a fun way to spend time with dogs and dog people. A good time, in a wholesome sport.
May the ‘people?’ of HSUS and PETA.. fail in their sick and selfish drive to prevent the loving relationship between pets and pet owners, dogs and dog showing friends.  We are a ‘fancy’ not fanatics…

I’ve been a hobby breeder/exhibitor of German Shepherd Dogs in two states for 43 yrs., having champions and obedience titled dogs, with whom I’ve done Nursing Home Visits.  I belong to numerous dog clubs and breed a couple of litters per year available to approved homes as housedogs and family companions, some reaching the show ring. It took me a number of years supporting HSUS, PETA and Doris Day Animal League, etc. before discovering the difference between Animal WELFARE Organizations (us) and Animal RIGHTS Organizations (them).  I immediately resigned any allegiance and made it my mission to educate my clients and anyone else within earshot of the difference. ARO’s have a hidden agenda of believing animals are equal to humans and should not be used by humans in any capacity: food, shelter, clothing, service, therapy, military, research, pets toward their goal of zero population growth!  In fooling the ignorant general public, these domestic terrorists amass fortunes to do their dirty work of buying politicians, including our current administration, and lobbying all their anti-animal, especially anti-dog, legislation into laws. Until all users of animals, including us dog fanciers, pull together and present a strong front to fight them, they’ll continue to win, as they did initially in England, and now throughout the world.

Do you know why there are puppy mills and hundreds of mixed breed and defective pure-bred dogs languishing in shelters?  Because we live in a throw away society. Because the general public is cheap, uneducated, and ill-equipped to care for their pets properly. The general public feels that because they spent X amount of dollars for a purebred dog or bitch that they should be allowed to recoup that money by being allowed to breed their purebred dog. They have no knowledge of the actual costs involved. They provide no prenatal care for their bitches, feed a poor quality diet, sell the puppies too early, and without their first shots, worming or any medical exams. They don’t study the genealogy of their dog’s blood line or test and retest for genetic defects. They don’t investigate the persons they are selling the dogs to. They perpetuate this flawed thinking by selling their pups to an unwitting/witless public too lazy to do their own research, which perpetuates the vicious cycle of ill-bred animals. Their greed is their motivator.  Not so the professional breeder/hobbyist. Everything the hobbyist does is to IMPROVE their dogs for the LOVE of their dogs.  I feel badly for the dogs in the shelters, but why should I have to take on some backyard breeder’s mistake? I would rather do my research of the breed and the hobbyist, pay for the quality animal I expect, and spay or neuter that animal.  I am NOT a breeder. I have neither the knowledge nor the desire to bring a life or many lives into this world. I leave that to the professionals!!! Why isn’t the HSUS and PETA going after the real problem? Why attack and vilify the very people trying to educate the public? It is the general public that needs to be monitored; not the professionals.

Excellent article and on topic.
Like another comment said the HSUS people are quite willing to threaten those who stand up to them but its worth doing!
In this last legislative session the HSUS folks (we have our own paid lobbyist from them!) tried to pass a law dictating that all dogs would have to have a solid hour a day out in a yard or being walked.
Not only is weather variable here but not all dogs are youngsters. I stood up and told the legislators that if anyone thought they were going to make me put my tiny, blind, crippled, 16 1/2 year old dog out in freezing snow, boiling heat, or our biting bug season for a solid hour they had another think coming! The HSUS ‘animal lovers’ had never even considered all the senior dogs out there with that particular law. Fortunately the legislators had owned pets so I made sense to them!
As for animal rights - if animals have rights why doesn’t HSUS think they have a right to reproduce?
There is more caring and knowledge of care among the show people (performance or breed) than you can find in any ‘gaggle’ of HSUS hard core members!

Great article….dogs and dog shows are my passion..I breed very rarely and am definitely Not in it for the money…it is for the LOVE of my chosen breed!

THANK you. This is so well written, and beautifully articulates for the “non-dog fancy” exactly what this is all about.

And, the day I make money breeding my dogs is the day my peers need to make me stop - because it means I’ve cut corners and don’t have the DOGS best interests at heart. Truly a labor of love…

@ Lanie Crawford, there IS NO PET OVERPOPULATION.  Proof is the IMPORTATION of dogs from other countries to shelters!  While there could be more dogs in certain areas, there are NONE in other areas so they are shipped/transported from one area to another.  New stats out still show most animals are already spayed or neutered (both dogs and cats).

I will agree that most show breeders are very picky about where their animals go and most require they be altered, and most of us do or have done rescue, the AR’s are attempting to implement LIMITS (and INSPECTIONS) and that PREVENTS people from helping with rescues.  It’s just one more way they get to kill more.  MOST RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS have contracts to take back what they have placed in case of something unfortunate occurring that requires the new “owner” to need to let the dog go, this TOO can be a problem with the limit laws coming into effect.

Travis.. you might like to know that the AKC funds tons of research to improve the lives of ALL dogs.. they give scholarships to veterinarian students and give money to institutions and give grants to scientists and doctors all to save the lives of ALL dogs.. not just purebreds. Also you might like to know that the AKC now embraces all dogs in many of the events: flyball, obedience, rally and others. So it is not just for purebreds .. it is YOUR AKC too.

Thanks for a great, well-written article. Good for you!

When I ask people if they know the true goals of the animal rights cults, they usually say: they want better care of animals. Nothing could be farther from the truth reg. the AR cults.  Their goal is: NO domestic animals at all.  First it’s the dogs/cats and next it’ll be the cattle, horses, goats, swine, sheep, etc., ALL domesticated animals are to become extinct because… they want it that way.  Need to get into some of the older books put out by the AR cults - it’s right there in black and white.  One even went so far as to state: (paraphrased) ‘should we reach our goal of NO domestic animals and a totally vegan diet for all, IDEALLY we’d have to have inspectors to find the underground hamburger places - and when families want to go camping, we’d have to have someone go with them to insure they didn’t eat wild bird eggs and/or fish…’

We are in fact dealing with a thing called power and control.  The sad pictures sent out by HSUS (the largest AR cult) and Peta, et al, are designed to rake in the big bucks.  PeTA found out in 81 I think that sad pictures are profitable in a big way.  That was when they were on the Silver Springs Institute (primates) and were of course getting public exposure for ‘saving’ the primates.  When HSUS saw the $$ pouring into PeTA’s bank accounts, they quickly jumped on the AR wagon.  As with the Katrina ads that brought in floods of money for the animals that were rescued from the flooding, ask the people in Louisiana how much they received from HSUS.  Zilch.  They use disasters to create more and more money that never reaches the animals or the rescuers in the disaster.  They run around in their FBI copied black shirt outfits with HSUS in big white letter - oh be still my heart!  They are nothing more than a highdollar group with high dollar bank accounts. 

Check out your libraries and your used book stores.  The fun thing about finding the AR books in the thrift stores is this: the books appear brand new - haven’t even been cracked open… so much for that!  When these adoptathons have to truck dogs in from other states because there are not enough shelter dogs to adopt?  What’s the panic about overpopulation of unwanted pets? 

And last?  Beware the ‘NO KILL’ shelters - they simply sort thru the dogs, keep the ones more attractive for adoption and ship the rest to a shelter that DOES kill them.  When they say they are a NO KILL - that part is true. BUT the FACTS are, they are killing the animals by proxy.

Excellent article - we need more of these.

Great Article .Love Dogs and showing dogs hobby.

Excellent article. Very well written.

Kirby

What an excellent article!  From someone willing to try their vegetables ) and found out they are not so bad.

My husband and I have no human children, our dogs are kids to us.  They love the shows, people, treats and all that it encompasses and yes as a breeder I know where EVERY one of the pups that I have brought into this world are (even the ones bred by others but sired by my boys).  If they have an itch spot, a sore paw I hear about it via email.  We choose our homes very carefully and stay in contact for the life of the dog - if there is ever a problem they come back to us.

I too do not understand why a group such as the HSUS would be so short sited as to lump us in with what we call “Backyard Breeders” or Puppy Mills.  Those that breed for money, not for the betterment of the breed itself.  Those that don’t care if they ever hear or see about the dog, those that don’t do home checks or have a contractual agreement created for the protection of the dog being placed.

To me that shows extreme ignorance on their part.  If they would partner with us instead, together we could help stamp out these undesirables mentioned above and solve a long standing problem - people over producing dogs for profit!

I love this article! These breeders are definitely NOT abusive to their animals!  These dogs get better medical care than many humans! LOL You are so right.  If anyone attends a show, you can plainly see that these dogs are clearly apart of a family and the amount of money spend on them is staggering.  Although I don’t show my dogs, I know people who do and they are NEVER let their dogs go to a bad home.  The do this for the love of the breed, not to make money.

Amazing what you learn when you actually take the time to do the research.

Well done article about who are responsible breeders and why this country needs to be aware of the true intentions of the animal rights groups. HSUS, PeTA and now the SPCA are populated by animal rights activists along with the new arm of the THLN in Texas. In Texas two cities have succumbed to the animal rights who overly populate the animal committees that put forth the laws and hire the shelter supervisors. These people are pushing mandatory spay and neuter on all animals regardless of age. This means that puppies and kittens who need their hormones for growth and brain maturity are having these organs forcibly ripped out before 8 weeks of age.  This tells you how much these people care about animals to put such anti animal laws in place.  Their mantra is to blame anyone who breeds or has anything to do with animals. The laws they push constantly impact negatively on rescue groups and make both cities anti pet cities.  San Antonio is so far gone that rabies is on the rise and because of the economic downturn dogs are running in packs because their owners have to abandon them due to the high fees and fines. Faced with shelters that kill they would prefere to let their animals run loose leaving out food than to pay the excessive fees and fines for not being able to afford the mandated spay or neuter.  People are hiding their pets in their homes and not going to vets for the all important shots. Having attended the THLN workshops on animal rights I can tell you their philosophy is one of no more domestic animals.  They tell the attendees that there is no data on the effects of MSN which is a lie because in every city the same bad things occur. More animal die, rabies rises and costs rise trying to implement this draconian laws. It was clear this group and the other animal rights people work on fear and lies as they did not have the basic information about studies that show msn doesn’t work and the future damage to the animals which undergo these operations. The people on these committees have no training in the field and work off of HSUS propaganda. They ignore the public in put so much and rely only upon the HSUS well dressed women who always come in threes to make their input and pass out their papers.  The public is unaware that they intend to ban all sales of pets in both cities and enforce mandatory spay and neuter no matter the age or health of the pet. Write your city council member now and inform them about these people and their real goal. Oppose people who pretend to be about animal welfare and are actually ARs who pretend to be concerned about pets. They are not and they believe lying, making false statements and obscuring data to get what they want is right. This is what they do and what they told the workshop participants to do.

Personally, I am not so enthusiastic about AKC conformation dog shows, after having been in the fancy for about 25 years with my mother. Nonetheless, I think they are a very good thing because of the work the players do to maintain high official dog breed standards. Puppy millers have no standards as they will breed anything that has a uterus even if it resembles its breed standard in only the most vague and general way.

Another very nice thing about AKC shows is its Obedience Trials, which are what I would recommend to the true dog lover. Although my mother focused on the conformation ring, she also trained a Boxer who earned his Utility Dog degree, which is a terrific accomplishment. Furthermore, you can show a rescue dog in the obedience trials. As long as he looks like a particular AKC breed and has been neutered, the AKC will issue a certificate to him for the purpose of obedience trial participation.

The reason I left the AKC show conformation ring is because of the excessive narcissism that permeated so much of it. Yes, I did make many wonderful friends while dog showing, and I agree that most of the people are nice folks. But there were enough narcissists in it to suck all the fun out of it for me.

I showed Boxers, which are an extremely competitive breed, due to the difficulty of earning a championship. It takes such a large number of Boxer entries to make enough points to win the two required “majors” that it is practically a requirement to hire a professional handler to show your dog for you. Then you have to hope that the handler you hired has enough political pull with the judges that they will even look at your dog.

The quality of the dog, at a certain point, has nothing to do with which one a judge gives the points to. It is all about politics. However, in less popular breeds, this is less of a problem. My advice to anyone who may be thinking about getting into showing dogs is that you choose a breed that is well-known for being an “owner-handler’s breed.”

I never found dog shows to be particularly family friendly, which is one of the reasons that I left after I had children. A dog show becomes a long, hard weekend for kids. However, it probably varies a great deal with what region you show in. I’ve found that almost any event in the southeast is going to be friendlier and more fun than the counterparts in the northeast.

My mother used to show our dogs herself, until finally she admitted that she was wasting time and money, and then she hired professional handlers. Among the beautiful dogs we produced was Champion Heldenbrand’s Jet Breaker, who was a multiple best in show winner and as a sire, earned the Boxer Club’s Legion of Merit. He had the opportunity to become famous because at one point he had the sponsorship of a millionaire who put him with one of the biggest names in professional handling. Later, Jet Breaker came into the ownership of the gentleman who loved and cared for him best, who had piloted him to his first points, the kind and gracious Earl Overstreet. Earl cared for the dog until Jet Breaker died of old age.

I recommend the mockumentary movie, “Best In Show.” That movie really makes me laugh, as I point at the screen and say, “I KNOW those people!”

YES Lil, that is true… some breeds definitely don’t have (as a majority) what the author of the article called the “average” person at a dog show. However, I think there are some breeds that are mainly owner-handlers or breeder-handlers. Outside of AKC, it’s also different. I show in UKC conformation (and my dog is entered in our first Rally Obedience trial in July, which is like obedience but designed to be more “fun” and exciting for the dog and handler) where professional handlers are NOT allowed to show at all except dogs they own, and even someone not listed as a professional who is getting any kind of anything for handling a dog can’t show that dog. There, the “average” handler from this article is definitely average.

I think dog shows ARE family friendly… as long as your family can behave! Don’t run up to dogs and get in their faces or start petting those big fluffy dogs that have just had a few hours of grooming to get ready for the ring. Don’t lose track of your kids while you’re taking pictures or prepping or showing your dog. I was at a show in November 2008 on a Friday evening (1 show Friday, 2 Saturday and 2 Sunday), and as the judge was taking a win picture with the Reserve Best In Show winner, a kid, 3 or 4 years old, was walking with his parents and dog past another dog’s crate. The kid had been running around crazy all day and several of my friends and I thought he was lucky that nothing happened during the show. The owner of the dog in the crate was just taking the dog out to leave or go outside, and the dog had been stressed and barking at people walking past all afternoon. The dog in the crate apparently went for the dog walking past, and the kid was in the way. Luckily, the judge was an EMT and an ambulance was called for the poor kid, who had a bite across his neck and face. As far as I know, the kid was fine, but probably has a scar, and definitely needed some stitches. So, my point… WATCH your kids/family/friends who aren’t dog people, and if your dog is really stressed, you should probably give him a break away from all of the action.

Also totally agree on the movie! Best In Show is one of my favorite movies ever. It’s definitely funny, and so true in many ways, especially the variety of people you’ll see at shows!

David, thank you so much for the most accurate, insightful article I’ve read on ‘the fancy’ in ages.

I’m all for animal welfare but solidly opposed to animal rights. I cannot believe that I would be reviled by ARistas who’ve never met me simply because I choose to eat eggs, own horses, and occasionally show (or, God forbid, breed) my anything-but-exploited dogs…the last time I checked, the Constitution still supports my right to do all those things. Oddly enough, the ARistas are so bent on tilting at windmills like me that they seem totally deaf and blind to actual HUMAN suffering.

I suspect you’ll be getting invites for multiple appearances at AKC shows in the future. I hope so. We need you to reiterate to the public and the fatigued why we all—beef ranchers, researchers, and pet-owners alike—need to stay aware and involved…while there are many of us who ‘get it’ and have been actively following and countering the ARista’s agendas for years, many more folks—well-meaning pet owners and young people especially—need to be educated so that they can have the unvarnished data to help decide if they still wish to support such groups in the future—-or not.

Whole-hearted thanks for everything you’re doing, and keep up the great work.

Nicely put.. Don’t know why they hate us breeders so much.  We are not like commercial breeders at all.  If they would stop selling dogs in pet stores or flea markets, it would really help with controlling who has dogs and the quality that they are raised in.  I know I have spent enough money on my 6 dogs to have bought a new car or SUV this year.  They are treated like royalty and are highly revered.

This was such a great article.Thank you. Come back to a dog show anytime.

As pointed out all the different ways you can participate in competitions with your dog, breed clubs usually have a registry of merit, honoring dogs that have one or multiple titles (conformation, obedience, etc), earned a good citizens award, passed various CERF and OFA certifications for good health, and also produced progeny that have earned titles.

What a fantastic article! I’m so glad you enjoyed yourself at a show - Its so wonderful to hear about a spectator being enveloped into the environment all us crazy-dog-show-people love so very much.

I’ve had many people comment on how rottenly spoiled my dogs are at the shows. I have Boston Terriers, a breed that cannot tolerate heat in the least bit - and yes, my dogs are those that have cool chamois, fans, and ice water, while I probably look a sweaty mess!

Shame on the HSUS for not being HUMANE and getting to see the other side of the fence for what it really is. We LOVE our dogs and would do just about anything for them!!!

Thank you.  W

Very nicely written….as for how much we spend..wow if we ever added it all up we would be living in a mansion…but NO big house! we have a wonderful comfy little house on 3 acres that is maintained for the comfort and security of our dogs….We have been breeding and showing for 40 plus years, as handlers now just for ourselves or should I say our own babies.  Now I work at a vet clinic and see everything.  A family brought in a pregnant mom who had a puppies foot hanging out of her for 2 days.  The momma dog died on the table, but the puppies are doing fine, being hand fed by one of our techs.  I know people like this need to be educated, but will they listen? Yet it’s these people who give us the bad name.  Plus, one of our doctors imports dogs and cats from overseas and Mexico to fill the requests at a local shelter.  There is something so wrong with both of these pictures…I tell everyone that will listen to me what a REAL devoted breeder is like.  What we do for our pure-bred dogs and why!  All I can hope is that they tell someone that will tell someone.  We need to educate one person at a time!  Please keep writing those articles to defend us..Thank you!

...“Don’t know why they hate us breeders so much.  We are not like commercial breeders at all.  If they would stop selling dogs in pet stores or flea markets, it would really help with controlling who has dogs and the quality that they are raised in..”

Again and again and again…..I say to…Hobby breeders, elitists (often those showing dogs) and uninformed: The AR movement hates dog breeding,showing,owning,buying,selling of animals, period.  The word “mill” is used ONLY to gain hatred of dog breeding by USING the emotional reaction to their HSUS-PETA videos.

AR groups believe animals are equivalent or higher than people since everything is a “species” of some type. These “beliefs” cause ARs to be of the opinion that NO animal should be sold or owned as property.

By clamoring that “commercial” is not as “good” as your hobby breeding practices, you are COMPLETELY missing the boat. You completely MISS the entire AR intent against animals. Instead you bought right INTO the trap!!

HSUS *purposely* sets up commercial breeders so show dog people will attempt to DISTANCE themselves by breaking ranks of “breeders…”

When that is done, it is known as divide and conquer. Duh??

I am amazed at how uninformed some breeders and mainstream pet owners are——after all the information on the Internet has brought this forward for decades.

I am so glad you went to a dog show and saw for yourself what it’s all about. The passion all of us have for our breeds and most of all the four legged angels we love so much !!!

I agree with this article.

I also show dogs, but have not bred my first litter. I owner handled my bitch to its championship. I have 2 show dogs but I am also involved in mix breed rescue. HSUS and PETA do more to harm the dog world than help it. One of the sires I wanted to use for my first litter was hit by a car after an “animal activist” let him out of his cage at a dog show. I love my dogs and these people cannot ever tell me that I do not.

So glad you had a great time and got a first hand look at things, David.  It’s a real culture and we just all love it!  Thanks for the great article!

One other thing to consider: Some breeds of dogs could be looking at disappearing if breeding becomes a dirty word. In my breed, there are less than 75 litters born yearly, with 10 or 15 breeders in the same state and an HSUS breeding law, that seriously impacts the possible gene pool and will reduce the number of litters further-now take 10 breeders out of the 13 states where HSUS passed their regulations, and you remove 130 breeders from the “fancy”—this is serious, folks!!
We are not criminals. And North Carolina is not first in puppy mills—we are responsible dog folks and we know the true agenda of Wayne and his minions…..

Thank you soooo much for your story!  I am so glad you decided to join in and see what all the hubbub is all about with the dog show fancy!  You nailed it and I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to come to a show, meet people and then to actually report on it! 
Fabulous!  Thank you!  Sending to all my ‘fancy’ friends!

What a great majority of people do not realize is that it was the dog fancy—the people showing their chosen breeds—that started the whole rescue movement, long before it was politically correct.  The exhibitors and various clubs got together and formed rescue organizations, seeding it with their own funds in a hands-on effort to improve the life of dogs and cats everywhere.  The same hold true for research and development of diseases affecting the breeds.

I work for a Humane Society Shelter, not associated with HSUS and I have show dogs. I love the people at Dog Shows. They are all dog lovers and they should be proud of their beautiful, healthy, good tempered dogs. From my Shelter perspective, we see a few pure-breeds and if we can not find them a home, the AKC Breed Clubs will usually rescue them from us and we appreciate it. We want them to find good homes. We see more “so-called” pure-breeds that would not be allowed in a Show, because they do not conform to any standard and are never registered with AKC. No thought was put into their breeding and often they have major health problems. Any good breeder would be appalled to see what someone has done to their breed. We know the people who breed these dogs; they are not large commercial breeders, but families earning some extra money from selling puppies. They are naive, cut corners to save money to the detriment of the puppies and mother, have no ethics and do not care what happens to the puppies after they receive payment. Many believe what they are doing is “Ok”, even though they have never read a Breed Standard. They are not the same people that I know at AKC Shows and whom breed dogs that anyone would be proud of. Reputable breeders do not leave their deformed or sick puppies with us. Everyone lumps these 2 groups of people together. They are not the same. One Group gives the other a bad name, but I do not how you stop one Group, without negatively effecting the Reputable Group. The buyers are naive also. Someone recently told me they got a real good deal on a Lab. It came without papers, worms and a heart murmur. What a deal.

The people you mention in this article are doing absolutely nothing wrong.

However, the ‘status’ of having ‘registered’ dogs has caused hundreds of thousands of these animals to be bred every week like crops, for profit.

They are ‘impulse’ buys in shopping malls… and like that new pair of shoes that doesn’t quite fit, they are often tossed out after a few weeks or months.

Every day in the U.S. 10,000 humans are born.  And Every day in the U.S. 70,000 puppies are born.

I too am very thankful for this excellent article. Thank you for sharing it with us, Humanewatch!  I will echo the caution against divisiveness among breeders however…I no longer buy into the AR-speak re: “mills”, etc…yes, there are bad apples in every bunch, but all breeders need to unite to maintain our rights, and to maintain ultimately the right of ANYone even to own pets. Awareness is increasing; let’s all keep educating others about the real AR agenda. Keep up the good fight, thank you Humanewatch!!

We need more articles like this to create awareness in the general public. I don’t think people realize the subtle ways they unintentionally support the HSUS and PETA and all other AR people. These organizations push and push for people to rescue and not buy from a breeder of any kind. So who is this supporting? It supports the puppy miller and the back yard breeder who are irresponsible and the cause of ALL overpopulation. When people continue to clean up the messes made by the back yard breeder and puppy miller, they are supporting them and encouraging them to continue. Cleaning up the messes makes more room for new/more messes. Education is the key. Not laws that harm everyone.

We need educational posters, flyers, commercials that speak the truth about the agenda of the HSUS and PETA and educate people about responsible dog ownership and how to purchase a pet.

When the TV is bombarded with commercials with sad music, a dog behind bars, celebrities begging for money to help a neglected abused animal, it clouds the minds of people and when they give to these orgs, ALL of the money goes to lobbying against us all. It’s very sad. How about producing a commercial with some show dogs, pampered dogs, healthy dogs and promote them in a way that educates.

Great article!

A wonderfully unbias view of dog showing which would apply to any country you choose to visit. maybe some factions find it unusual that people who spend time and money having fun with their animals from choice.They should come and visit a dog(or whatever) show for themselves before they become judgemental on others!!!!!

Thanks, so much for this well written, thought provoking article.  Regarding PETA they are against the breeding, owning, and exhibition of pure bred dogs and all animals for that matter.  There is no way you can be a Saint Bernard lover/owner/breeder/exhibitor like I am and advocate the activities of PETA.  You nailed this article regarding show breeders & the way they regard their dogs.  Thank you!

Excellent article. No one has really committed to a “number” for what it costs to “finish” a dog.
Many show folk don’t even consider breeding until the parent dogs are champions. I have added up expenses on my CH dogs many times and the AVERAGE cost to get to where one actually BREEDS their show dog is about $15,000.00 (Fifteen thousand). Between entry fees, travel expense, local lodging and food, grooming costs, and so on.
Some are less because they finish fast or they were owner handled without the expense of the pros. Some were MORE because they took longer, a pro was involved, etc. I am including the cost of OFA health certs in this average simply because most show people do them and most “millers” generally do not. Again, another way show people ensure healthy long lived pets. So, it takes about $30,000.00 before we actually allow a litter to be bred, then, especially with smaller breeds, we often only have 2 or 3 pups, that we sell for
whatever the market will bear to painstakingly vetted new homes. We not only do NOT make any $$, we come out at a loss every time. Our money goes to supporting the local economy of the shows and the breed clubs we support. None of this matters to HSUS because according to them, we are “enslaving” our beloved pets and they’d prefer this wonderful community support to die out with the dog breeds that provide it.
I have both AKC and CKC (Canadian) registered show dogs. In the last few weeks BOTH of these huge, ancient, wildly respected kennel clubs sent out pleas for funding donations and ideas to stay financially afloat. While I can think of places they can both trim some excess (CEO salaries are rather ridiculous.) the biggest COMPLAINT from both clubs was REDUCED registrations. Show people have greatly reduced breeding because it’s expensive, AND they are becoming TARGETS for HSUS rhetoric. It’s a sad day when a century plus dog club is facing financial devastation because people that will spend $15k on a single breeding dog are afraid to breed while the main source of registrations for AKC are now the giant breeding operations that do not show, and do not health test. Sadder still is these large operations that broker with Hunte Corp and similar brokerages, frequently get a “pass” on complying with HSUS inspired anti-breeder laws because their bottom line is small, their profits are large and they can pay their way to anti-compliance.
It’s us, the small family dog loving show breeders who are getting the shaft.

Well-written, well-researched article.  I applaud you for the work you do!  I’ve been screaming about ARs groups for the last 24 yrs—finally people are hearing it, sadly long after the ARs groups got so much power.  So the more work we do, the better we will be at stopping their nonsense. 
I do rescue—but I applaud & support all good ethical breeders.  Its the “COMMERCIAL BREEDERS” that fill my rescue, fill the shelters.  They do not take back their dogs when needed, they don’t do health checks, nor socialize the puppies correctly.  They allow them to be sold to ANYONE with a credit card in a pet store or at their facilities.  Ethical breeders screen new homes, always take back any dog they produced and do all the necessary health checks. 
I always want to own an Akita.  I will always support dog shows (great fun!), ethical breeders, and all fun dog events.  I may do rescue, but I’m not stupid—if ARs groups win, I will be without my Akita by my side, my grandchildren will never be able to own our beloved breed.  Thank you for all you do, for being so insightful & informative!! 
The Akita National Speciality is in Gettysburg PA this September—come join us, write an article about BSL and how wrong it is to condemn a breed after you have met our Akitas there and see how fabulous our breed can be!!
Keep up the good fight!!

A great article.  I’d like to share with my all- breed club. But needed to know who wrote the article?  Are they affiliated with anyone? newspaper etc.

Thanks

I love your article!

I have been to many dog shows and have been enamored of the diversity and seduced by the beauty of all the coifed and pampered pooches there. I am also a 7-year and counting volunteer at my local humane society, spending every weekend for that last seven years talking to potential adopters who need to be led to the “right” dog, not just the prettiest.. I owned purebred great danes years ago and now I have two shelter mutts. I do not defend extremism whether it be from HSUS or the GOP. But I do know that millions of unwanted dogs are euthanized every year because people do not adopt them. Purebred dogs with their refined looks are purchased for their appearance and usually nothing else. According to the author of “Animals in Translation” Labrador and Golden retrievers have such a limited gene pool that many medical issues are causing disease and medical conditions that are shortening the animals’ lives, when dogs are living longer than ever due to more observant owners and the incredible advances in vet care. Many breeders will say they breed for temperament, but in many cases that means they will euthanize those pups who do not conform. Of course they do treat their animals like kings, but I can tell you now that 20% of the shelter dogs at any given time are in fact purebreds who came from some breeder, bad or good. Reputable breeders do take their dogs back…when they are contacted. But people do not always remember the breeder, do not want to admit their own dog handling short-comings or worse,  just don’t bother to contact the breeder and take the dog to a shelter instead. Do breeders make follow-up calls in a month and 6 months like my shelter does? Do they do spot-checks like our humane officers do? Do breeders honestly take back their animals as seniors, or seriously ill dogs like the humane society? They are most often unaltered and not microchipped. I just do not see why more dogs need to be bred and purchased for their conformity to an appearance standard only when there are so many excellent, well-mannered, trained, happy, friendly, homeless dogs in the world. I have sworn off puppies and purebreds for good. There are just too many dogs (and cats) that I would take in a heartbeat. But I remind myself, that if I would take that dog, someone else will too and I spend my time working to get those dogs adopted. I have been to dog shows. The question is…how many dog show participants and attendees have been to their local dog shelter?

Well written article.  I am a dog show fancier who has also raised horses, cattle, and poultry in the past.  The agricultural person who posted that they hope the dog world “has his (her?) back covered” is on the right track…  We all have to join together if HSUS and PETA are to be stopped.  Years ago, I was witness to some research conducted by the MA Division of Animal Health, Dept. of Agriculture into the the funding of PETA - when PETA commenced to try to intitiate law regarding poultry farming.  What was found was that immense amounts of money were coming in from China.  Why?  Because, if the US could only raise poultry by “free range” management, then the US could not compete economically in the world market…  Imagine that.  The inablity to feed our own people - starting with poultry and eggs.  Hmmmmm….  Do not be fooled, issues such as this have very little - if anything - to do with animal cruelty, but global economy…

David, what a great article.  I have rescued my two dogs, one from the streets and one from an individual who could not longer care for her.  My dogs cannot be in conformation shows because they don’t have any “papers.”  But, I am involved in agility, obedience and rally.  Both of my dogs are working breeds and if we didn’t have these things to do, they would be so bored with their lives.  Most dogs do really need a pack (the family) and a job to be happy.  The Fancy and all the other venues AKC offers helps with the job part of that.  The family is the easy part.

I was at this SC show.  Although it was a smaller show, it was indicative of all dog shows!  Thanks for taking you time to come to a show and write your thoughts about it.  I love everything about showing my Cavaliers!  I only wish I would have started earlier in life!!!!

Thanks so much for keeping an open mind when writing the article! We are a bit “over the top” sometimes in our passion for our dogs and sport. I just wish that everyone would read your article!
Thanks so much!

Permission to cross post please.

What a well written article!  I’ve been going to dog shows for 51 years, a long time breeder and exhibitor who loves dogs and other people who love dogs.  I’ve participated in dog shows, field trial events, lure coursing and obedience trials over the years.  Have across perhaps 10 really not nice dog folks in all these years, across many states.  Can’t say the same thing about the average neighbor these days!  Thank you for putting us in a better light than that awful movie tried to do.  I really hated that movie!  We really are not mentally unbalance as the movie painted us.

@Faye, who in the world told you that breeders EUTHANIZE puppies for not conforming to the standard? That is simply not true! Even “culling” in the ethics statements of some clubs simply refers to spaying/neutering any dog that does not meet the standard and placing in a pet home. Any GOOD breeder WILL be concerned with temperament. You wouldn’t want to intentionally breed a dog that you can’t live with. Dogs are family first, dogs second, and show dogs third in my house (for the one I show. The other two are just family first, dogs second). I haven’t bred a litter yet or really owned many dogs. I had a Samoyed when I was younger, who someone had bought from what was probably a puppy mill, and a year later didn’t have time for him. We had him for a year before my parents decided a 100 lb oversized strong Samoyed was probably not the best dog for an 8 year old kid to walk, although it wasn’t as unsafe as it sounds because there really aren’t many cars here. Anyway, we found him another home with someone who had a sled team. He didn’t work out with her dogs, so she found him a home where he was for the rest of his life where he was a therapy dog taken to nursing homes. That person had lost her Samoyed (also a therapy dog) several months before and wanted another SAMOYED. There aren’t many “good” purebred dogs/breeders in my state because there aren’t very many people in general. We only had him for a short while, but it just didn’t work out. My next dog was Pepper, a mutt who was brought up to the humane society here from West Virginia from a high-kill shelter. Nobody knows what his history is, but he is a great dog. He’s raised a litter of kittens, is great with kids, likes most dogs. He wasn’t a puppy although he was young when we adopted him. I was going to do agility with him, but he didn’t really seem to enjoy it so we stopped. We’ve had him for almost 7 years. I got my first Rat Terrier about 3 years ago. He was about 15 months old, and had never found a home as a puppy. His breeder cried when he left, but knew she’d see him again and was glad he had a home where he could have more one-on-one attention. I show him, and he’s a UKC Champion now, working on his Grand Champion title (almost halfway there), his URO1 Rally title (first 3 trials which are in July have been entered), and hopefully his CGC (in September or in July if there is a CGC test at the show near us). Next summer we’re working on agility. I also became the #1 Open Senior junior handler in my region for 2009, and was #2 in 2008. I showed another dog ONE time in juniors out of all of those placements. His breeder has taken him back for short periods of time several times. He lives with her during the school year when I’m at college because my parents don’t like him. My breeder has taken back several dogs permanently (or until another suitable home could be found) at various ages. She hasn’t been breeding long enough to have any really senior dogs - her foundation male is about 8 now, but I have NO doubt that she would take back an older dog. Many breeders DO check on puppies. Definitely not all, but many do. In addition to that, most puppy buyers from good breeders have signed a contract that states the dog must be spayed/neutered. I think a lot of breeders would like to do this before puppies go home, but there are some potential issues with early s/n that might not be worth it. Is it really the breeder’s fault if the buyer lies and says the puppy is going to be spayed/neutered, or if the breeder asks a few months later that the puppy already has been spayed/neutered? There ARE lots of great dogs that need homes.. but I’m sure most of those are not from GOOD breeders. Sure, there are some, for whatever reason.  My Pepper certainly did not come from a good breeder. Either he was a total accident, or someone was breeding mutts or had a few dogs and one wasn’t spayed. Many of the dogs I’ve seen in shelters (besides breed rescues) are not purebred. Maybe 20% are like you said, but I would bet that well over half of those are from “back yard breeders” or “puppy mills” and I would guess that there are definitely some mixed breeds who are the popular mixes bred by puppy mills and sold in pet stores, like labradoodles, goldendoodles, cockapoos, puggles… To answer your last question, I volunteered at the humane society for a few years before we got Pepper (and didn’t have a dog at that time), and a year after I stopped volunteering someone told me there was a dog perfect for us there named Pepper. I recently started volunteering there again with a group from my school. So, this dog person at least has volunteered at a shelter, adopted a dog from a shelter, and has another dog that could have ended up in a shelter if his breeder had been a bad breeder. My dog’s breeder has had shelter dogs in the past. I know of several breeders who had shelter dogs, or who still do, as well as breeders who are active in rescue.

To quote your article: “I told them that their problem is the same as the one faced by pork producers, egg farmers, dairymen, etc.” .....no way. How can you say such a thing? Factory farming and dog shows are very different. Factory farming is very much animal abuse, dog shows are not.

I do not know how the person who says we don’t have anything in common at dog shows and factory farming…..we most assuredly DO, its the OWNERSHIP OF ANIMALS the HSUS, PETA, ASPCA, ETC don’t WANT and we all own them cow, horse, chicken, dog, cat, ETC…...

I’m taking my 11 3/4 y/o Rottweiler girl to the local Rottweiler show to be shown in the Veteran’s Bitch class.  She never showed to AKC in her youth because of a bite taken out of her ear by a Jack Russell Terror, but she’s such a wonderful example of an older Rottie I just can’t resist.

Obviously, I’m not doing this so I can breed her and make lots of money. (HA!) If she wins her class the cash award will go to her handler, a young lady who is just starting show handling.
I’ll bet no HSUS member has a dog who’s been spoiled like this girl.  They don’t know what they’re missing!

Mary Lou,

So you own them, and should have every right to torture and abuse them?  I don’t care about ownership, I just don’t believe you have the right to abuse any animal. Great, you must love baby seal clubbing too…...

I don’t torture them, its AR’s that believe we do, and they love showing and being owned by me, its those with the AR mentality who truly have no clue what dogs like, need and what they are really like.  I may not know it all, but I know much more about animals than you do, it would seem and I’m proud of that fact, it makes it so much more wonderful for all of us, me AND the dogs.

Rob, you do realize the dogs eat MEAT, sometimes really good steak, while they are being shown, right?  My LEFTOVERS from the NITE BEFORE! and I know the difference in GOOD STEAK and cheap junk!!

Mary Lou,

  I think you’re wasting your breath on this person, Rob.  He obviously has no clue what he’s talking about.  Also, he’s just another dramatist of the ilk of the HSUS/PETA crowd.  Of COURSE no one wants to see clubbing of seal pups, etc.  For heaven’s sake - get a clue, Rob!

“Do breeders make follow-up calls in a month and 6 months like my shelter does? Do they do spot-checks
like our humane officers do? Do breeders honestly take back their animals as seniors, or seriously ill dogs like the humane society?”

@ Faye:  Most reputable breeders will do all of the above.  I check in with my puppy people weekly for the first month then every couple months til they’re 6-8 months old then every 6 months after that.  Most of them I hear from more than that but I have one family who tends to only respond a couple times a year.  I always ask them how they’re doing, any problems/concerns, and if they can forward photos for updating on the web.  I have taken a dog back before who came back so nasty I had to pass the leash through the bars and tug to get him into the car.  I gave him the benefit of the doubt and assumed it was fear.  He was hard to handle for a day or two but he settled and within a short time he I could do anything with him.  I had to do a lot of rehab on him when it came to men and it was a year before I felt comfortable placing him.  Even then I was very selective and made sure the man who took him in knew every bit of the baggage this dog was carrying.  2 years later that dog is back to being the puppy who left me at 8 weeks.  That’s what good breeders are supposed to do.  On the flip side I had adopted a coonhound mix from a shelter and after we left the property we never heard a word from them.  The place was a mess and being no kill they had taken in far more than they should have. 

I understand what you’re talking about with purebred labs and goldens.  I’m in a specialty veterinary practice and have seen a lot of both, either in the ER or for orthopedic surgery.  A good lot of the dogs coming in for problems though are obviously BYB dogs.  The BYB dogs look almost like a different breed than the well bred ones.  We rarely see well bred dogs of those breeds unless they ate something inappropriate as they are prone to do.  There is a problem in this country with breeding for certain but with the exception of a few breeds it’s not so much the show breeders ruining dogs as much as it is the people who took Fluffy to Muffy down the block because they both look cute.

They are ‘impulse’ buys in shopping malls… and like that new pair of shoes that doesn’t quite fit, they are often tossed out after a few weeks or months.
Every day in the U.S. 10,000 humans are born.  And Every day in the U.S. 70,000 puppies are born.

OK—-prove it. Prove how you got/ascertained as fact that 70k are born daily. then prove how 95% of dogs are *not* in shelters. According to your allegations, shelters are doing a damn good job then!!?? 

It is proven fact—-pets bought from pet stores are the LEAST represented in shelters. Closing a pet store/prohibiting sales is the *least* effective method of saving ANY animal.  In fact it will only spur more sales elsewhere.

OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!

Well said!  There is a difference between those who love animals and those who make a living exploiting them.

I love HSUS and PETA! I’m not a fanatic, but a huge animal lover. I however don’t like to torture my dog through lengthy baths, brushing, grooming sessions and all that standing still, etc. I allow my dog to be a dog that gets to play, go to the park for walks and have dog friends. I love my dog just as much as most of you, but I do things for my dog what she, not I enjoy doing most. This whole Dog Show is just way too silly and way over the top for me. All this grooming time could have been better spent on a walk with a shelter dog or even a neighborhood dog who never gets to go anywhere but a fenced in yard. So, do you know what HSUS, PETA, Dog Show People and I have in common? We all love dogs! Let’s not pick each other apart. We all have our own differences on “parenting” our dogs. Let’s focus on what connects us. At the end we are the same; people with passion for dogs and their well-being. Despite our different approach in raising our K9 kids I have to say I love dog people. Dog people is a breed of its own!

To quote you:

“I told them that their problem is the same as the one faced by pork producers, egg farmers, dairymen, etc.” .....no way. How can you say such a thing? Factory farming and dog shows are very different. Factory farming is very much animal abuse, dog shows are not.
Posted by Rob

In context, “the problem is the same” means they face the same onslaught of assaults and attacks by animal rights nuts that the rest of us do BECAUSE animals are involved and groups like PETA and HSUS want all uses of animals ended Peta has said as much over the years- no rodeos, shows, breeding, raising for food, etc.

@Eva, most of the dogs don’t consider it torture. They consider it hands-on with the person they adore. As for lengthy baths, some dogs only get parts of themselves bathed a lot but they get exercise too because that keeps them in condition. I would expect that our dogs get more individual attention than most other dogs, the other animals that are exhibited may as well.  We probably spend more time with ours that you do—who knows!

@Nathan, you are exactly right on that one.

@Eva, HSUS and PETA would rather not have anyone own animals. A professor told our class that the president of HSUS said once that ideally, nobody would own cats or dogs.

PETA certainly doesn’t like the idea of people owning animals, either… or “using” them for our own purposes. That includes seeing eye dogs, therapy dogs, service dogs of any kind, dogs doing agility or obedience or any other sport, hunting dogs, etc. I can guarantee you that very, very few dogs, if any, that do many of these things would rather not do them. Many dogs get BORED (especially those who are breeds that were originally bred for intense activities such as herding and hunting) and need a “job” to do. Conformation usually isn’t enough for those dogs, but it’s all a part of it. It’s also NOT “all that standing still.” In the ring, my dog relaxes a bit when he’s not gaiting/moving or stacking on the table or when the judge is looking at all of the dogs together. He stands, but he’s moving around a bit, and we work on readjusting so that he is comfortable but still looks good. He’s happy to be there. Movement matters as much, or more, than what the dog looks like standing still.

I don’t see how baths and brushing are torture. I really don’t. Do you feel like you’re torturing yourself when you take a nice, long shower or bubble bath and get a massage, or when you spend an hour getting dressed up, having your hair done, putting makeup on, etc? I don’t like any of those things personally, but there are plenty of people who do. I LOVE taking long showers and I LOVE getting my hair washed when I go get it cut. My dog really couldn’t care less about baths (and he only gets one before a show, and we don’t do many shows… he gets maybe 5-6 baths per year, mostly between spring and fall which is less than many “show dogs” but they’re not tortured either). Nobody shows a dog or at least doesn’t special it (continue to show after a champion title is achieved, to gain breed points or group/BIS wins) if that dog hates being in the ring. Dogs who people show are LOVED at least as much as the average pet is, and are generally much better taken care of than the AVERAGE pet - maybe not your dogs, but the average dog from an average owner, who feeds whatever grocery store dog food brand is cheapest and has a dog house outside that the dog must sleep in, not inside. In all but the biggest dog kennels, at least some dogs, if not all, are living inside 24/7 except when they are outside to exercise or potty. They might sleep in a crate, but… that’s better than having a puppy out to tear stuff up and possibly ingest something that could hurt or kill it. My show dog, along with the dogs of all of the dog people I know well enough to comment on, IS a dog, and HAS dog experiences. He plays with the other dogs and goes to the dog park, gets lots and lots of cookies, goes to training classes when I can afford the extra expense (I’m a college student, and I’ve put a few thousand dollars into my dog that I’m now having to take loans out for school to be able to do it… I could have saved up that money I’ve spent on my dog and not have any loans for this first year, but I chose to do something that he and I both really enjoy instead).

Maybe you and dog show people have a love of dogs in common… but I assure you, PETA and HSUS do not share that same love of dogs, at least not in the same way that we do. I have NO problem if someone has a beautiful dog and they just don’t want to show that dog… they’re taking care of it, the dog is happy, they’re happy. Why should someone who is doing that care if my dog is being shown? I’m taking care of him, he’s happy, and I’m happy.

Oh, well. It’s the same crowd that says we are racist in AZ because we don’t want our children stolen or raped, our farmers shot, or our schools infested with drugs. They’d rather restrict animals and their owners than thieves and crooks! Perhaps they only identify with the lowest criminal level of society?  As for those that plan on banning business here, good ridence!  It works both ways.

It is obvious that these anti-animal people work from the same level of ignorance. Emotive! They don’t bother to state facts, such as the fact that our population contains over 45% of legitimate hispanics in our State; that 75% of the our population voted in support of Gov. Brewer’s Bill recently!  Now, that’s a real fact!

Peta and HSUS are part and parcel of extemist politics. They consider their way is the only way to think and act.  Unfortunately “Their Way” is dragging the United States of America down to their level of conformity.

By the way, HSUS kept sending us unsolicited “Gifts” and wouldn’t take no for an answer that we wanted them to stop hassling us.  They continued for many months begging us for contributing to their “cause.” 

My questions are simple:  “Where do they get their money?”  “Why do politician’s support these people?” Perhaps the answer to both these questions have a common thread—money, power, and the suppression of rights.  After all, history has proven they do go hand-in-hand!

Thank you for a well written, insightful article!  I am relatively new to the world of conformation dog shows, but I can attest to the fact that the people involved LOVE their animals, and treat them as if they are four-legged, furry children (maybe even better!).  It’s incredible that PETA and other “animal rights” organizations are targeting people who care this intensely about their dogs.  After a show win I am often asked (by those not familiar with dog shows) how much money I won - I always laugh and say that a more appropriate question would be “how much did I spend”?  We train our dogs and take them to shows (whether it’s conformation, agility, rally, obedience, etc.) because we love them, and these activities strengthen our relationships with our beloved pets - therein lies the profit.  It is certainly not monetary!  Thank you for recognizing this - I will certainly be posting your article to our breed club and group discussions!

Here’s another thing those involved with showing should ask, because I have seen it myself in several breed clubs.

Ask why the club and people are spending THOUSANDS of dollars on mostly useless TROPHIES and the like for the club’s nationals, instead of donating this sum to the groups who fight for our RIGHTS to even own dogs at all.

Every year comes the newsletters with the pleas to sponsor or donate for the several hund dollar best in show trophy, the several hundred dollar BOS trophy, the $100 this and the $50 that and on the list it goes through what they want to cover all the ribbons, gifts, prizes and trophies for every class.

One national I went to gave out these cheaply made travel alarms to everyone, that was a complete and total WASTE of money that could be better spent!

Of course when you mention these things to the board they get all huffy and bent out of shape because you DARED even suggest there not be trophies at the national!

These same people will be the first to cry when their state passes laws or ordinances against them, and they will only have themselves to blame for not getting involved to fight, but instead focused on baubles and trinkets that more often than not eventually get discarded, sold on Ebay or given away.

Go Eva, finally someone with a brain on this wacky site.  Mary Lou,  that’s really nice you know the difference between good steak and junk…..really.  You know, I never said I had anything against dog shows or people who show them. I have a problem with mistreatment of any animals, and since this organization cozies up to big agribusiness, I have a problem with it.  I am not a vegetarian, or vegan either, but you guys really know how to jump on someone whose opinion differs even slightly.  You all have your own “party Line” believe it or not same as the so called extremists on the other end of this issue.

I couldn’t have put a better article together! Yes,there is cruelty out there.Yes,something should be done to end it.Ending our rights to care for,love,show,and carefully breed our pets is NOT the answer for it though like PETA and the HSUS wants.What would we do if the police didn’t have GSD breeders?What would rescue workers do if we didn’t have Bloodhound breeders?Or our USDA if we didn’t have Beagle breeders?I’m not a breeder myself,but I will never bash a reputable breeder over the head for doing something they love!

“So, do you know what HSUS, PETA, Dog Show People and I have in common? We all love dogs! Let’s not pick each other apart. We all have our own differences on “parenting” our dogs.
Posted by Eva Lowe”

Please do NOT lump us in with the freaks at PeTA and HSUS, my guess is you haven’t read much about either of these groups have you! They are pushing for laws that will eventually make it all but impossible to even own a dog in the future. They support limit ordinance which for the most part limit people to one or two dogs per HOUSEHOLD. They support and push arbitrary screwball laws, bans on certain breeds, onerous and condescending ordinances.

What part of Newkirk’s statement to the press didn’t you understand when she said QUOTE: “... let us neuter neuter neuter till our pathetic version of the cat CEASES TO EXIST”
They have the same sentiment towards purebred dogs and dog ownership.
HSUS was quoted as saying “One generation and OUT, we have no problem with the EXTINCTION of domestic animals”
They remind me of religious fanatics, whose only thing they care about is THEY are right, and everyone else is WRONG, and they want to jam their version of how things should be, down everyone else’s throats.
They don’t want better care, more humane treatment or larger cages or runs for animals, they want ALL uses of animals eliminated and are working hard to get laws passed towards that goal.

It comes out that while they are yammering about overcrowded shelters, they are IMPORTING stray street dogs and puppies from foreign countries!
Ive worked in a shelter, I know all about how they can and do double count dogs taken in. Shelter A takes a dog in for a few weeks it’s counted as one intake, they transfer the dog to another nearby shelter where there’s more chance to be adopted, the dog is counted as one intake THERE too, 1+1= 2 dogs when it’s in fact ONE dog.
That is another way they can inflate their numbers.
Yet another way is they count people who bring their old, or sick dog who has cancer or something in for cheap or free euthanasia and disposal, rather than pay their vet a higher fee to do this.

As a result, the shelter claims one intake, dog euthanized, and adds that dog to the annual statistics of how many dogs they put down, even though it had NOTHING to do with anything more than the owner wanting cheap, and the dog having a terminal illness they cant afford to treat.

Every breeder I know requires references, has a contract system and requires a puppy they sold be returned to them if at any time the animal cant be kept, they want to avoid dumping in shelters but then not everyone honors a contract and dumps the animal anyway, or gives it to someone else who later does it.
That’s not the breeder’s fault, they had a contract and tried,  that’s the OWNER’S fault.

@Rob S The EXTREMISTS put us all in the same category even tho we are all different, from steak to pups!  They do not differentiate, pay attention and you will see it (or I would hope you would) because it is exactly what they believe.

One generation and out! and with animals, its not as many years as it is in humans.

I agree Well written, Not all breeders are bad. We have all ours spayed and neutered,
Posted by Lana”

That’s another thing the extremists have brainwashed the public into believing, that to be “responsible” you must spay-neuter, and that’s total BS. In Europe dogs are NOT spayed,r neutered or docked, cropped, its all considered inhumane cosmetic surgery. Its only here in this country we have these fanatics on a spay-neuter everything that moves binge.
What they fail to tell people is, about all the side effects and studies proving them. How about spay induced urinary incontinence? it’s said to affect 50% of Boxers, 50%!!! imagine having to have your young dog wear diapers because she leaks when sleeping and a lot of other times.
I’ve had this problem in dogs years ago.

The majority of prostate cancers in dogs are in NEUTERED dogs, the majority of breast cancers in females are benign, spaying can also increase aggression in dogs who have aggression issues towards people, because spaying changes the hormones and allows more testosterone to take over, yes, females DO produce a small amount.
Spay-neuter is for LAZY people who want a fuzzy toy with little responsibility or mess. I dont spay-neuter unless its medically required, most males are very healthy and have very few problems to begin with, I can easy deal with twice a YEAR heat cycles, come on people it’s not rocket science or difficult!

Thank you!  What a wonderful article.  Even-handed and not hysterical.  Am forwarding to my local breed club and the Americal Spaniel Club.

I think you’re missing the point. There are definitely good, reputable breeders out there. They’re the ones who are breeding their champion line dogs with others’ champion line dogs in an effort to truly improve the breed. They care about where their puppies go and take their dogs back from the adopters at any time in their life. If a puppy is deemed not to be show quality, they alter the animal prior to placement. They adequately socialize their puppies and have the litters in the home rather than in wire kennels somewhere on the property. They give them the best of veterinary care and nutrition.

These people are different than backyard breeders and puppy mills who are only in this whole thing for the money, not worried about the genetic line of the dogs they’re breeding, could care less about the veterinary care of the dogs never mind socialization or where the dogs end up in life.  THESE are the people that need to e shut down.

It isn’t the breeders that are the problem..It’s people. I have a sister that gets dogs and then lets them run loose - they get hit. Or she decides that she doesn’t like the dog and gives it away without investigating where it’s going! My sister should not be allowed to own a dog - but then she didn’t do too well with her children either!

I liked this article. 

My last dog, Bobby the Beagle, was a rescue.  She lived 17 years with us.  We have cats (Bobby loved cats) as my husband is allergic to dogs.

Attended only one dog show in Ballston Spa, NY many years ago.  The dogs were stunning and well behaved.  The people met my standard of how to treat a pet which is:  better than you treat yourself.  There was a German Shepherd named “Yours Truly”  whom I met.  It was her first showing and she won.  I had the pleasure of seeing her outside of the show ring at the motel where many of the showers & dogs were.  It was a lovely experience which introduced me to breeds of dogs I’d never seen in person before.

My friend Linda sent me this link.  She shows her dog, “Chef”.  He is the most wonderful Boxer dog.  Linda’s cat “Rugrat” (b. July 18th 1995) was the kitten of my sweet Calico Cat “Sasha” whom I rescued from the street.  She had a litter of five.  “Rugrat” has a very good life with Linda as does “Chef” and her husband, Morrie.

My view is we do not need to get dog/cat licenses for the pets; what we need is a law where pet owners must be vetted before they are allowed the honour of having a pet.  Owners should be paying a yearly license fee for the privilege of having a pet.

Conformation shows are great, but they can become disastrous for both dog owner and dog, if one hires the “handler from Hell.”  Be very careful, when choosing a professional handler to display one’s prized imported pet dog.  In some cases, deliberate sabotage does occur by the hired handler in the hopes of gaining business from the opposition by gaining points for these breeders by sabotaging a pet owner’s dog by ruining its coat and skin.  It is very easy to ruin a dog’s coat by removing the undercoat and leaving shampoo and dirt in the dog’s fur—and by burning the coat and hide with a hot blow dryer.  If you own a dog like a Bouvier, Giant Schnauzer, or Black Russian Terrier dog, do not hire a handler (who is not an AKC-registered handler), who usually shows pugs and a few English mastiffs from time to time.  Pugs are not Black Russian Terrier dogs.  A handler should have years of experience handling a particular breed of dog.  Always hire a handler, who has a written contract, so that the grooming prices don’t go from $150 to $350 without warning.  Some of these handlers like to treat themselves to new trailers and trucks, and use a non-suspecting dog owner to pay off the loans for this new truck and trailer.  The worst ones are those working for the competition, deliberately sabotaging one’s own dog.  Beware!  Never mind abusing the dog, these handlers from Hell will abuse the dog owner to the advantage of giving the competition points.  These handlers will win for your dog, and then, turn with a vengeance to gain business from the competition, who possess multiple dogs (since they are large breeders, who breed for profit).  There are many breeders, who breed for profit.  Don’t be fooled.  Some do it for hobby, but others are definitely doing it for profit.  If a person has more than one litter per year, they are doing it for profit.

Although I agree with most of your article I find it REALLY hard to believe that “Dog shows are competitive, but the people involved are remarkably supportive of their human opponents. I heard a steady stream of “congratulations!” offered to blue-ribbon holders from handlers who were trotting away empty-handed. “

I’ve been to Hundreds if not Thousands of shows and have NEVER seen this.

Really?  That’s pretty common in my breed in my area (SE Wisconsin/Northern IL).  When a dog finishes we often times get together for champagne (in plastic cups of course) at our grooming setups—even if it meant our dog lost.  Our day for celebration will come, too.  It’s not uncommon for there to be cheering when a dog finishes, either.  I often get congrats outside the ring when a dog I co-own but didn’t even show takes a class and I reciprocate when it’s their turn.  The majority of us are owner/breeder/handlers still in our breed, perhaps that is the difference.  We also go out to eat together after several of the shows OR we do a little buffet back at someone’s setup.  It’s not all lovey-dovey and maybe we don’t love what our friends are breeding but we remain friends anyway.  Most of us are pretty good sports.

To whoever it was that said that s/he has been to “thousands of shows” and never once seen anyone congratulate another, you are either lying (my guess) or go to these shows with a Seeing Eye Dog (probably not, because Animal Rights activists don’t want to see dogs “exploited” in such a manner…)
There are ALWAYS going to be poor sports in any competitive endeavor, but the dog show fancy is steeped in tradition and a congratulation for the winner is always seen. (Watch the televised shows - hugs and handshakes abound…) Further, it is a community that comes together in a heartbeat for any fellow exhibitor in need - it’s too bad that those who know nothing about the sport feel a need to undermine and degrade it to further a personal agenda.

In “my breed” there is only poor sportsmanship. Veterans making newbies run in the other direction. Breeders breeding “Down” the size of males to the point they are smaller than females, handlers/breeders paying off the judges BEFORE the show so the dog they take in wins. If I had a penny for every time I heard “Oh the judge owes me a favor so we’ll be taking breed tomorrow” I could retire. It’s all politics

and YES I have been to THOUSANDS of shows in Mulitple states showing NOT just my breed but others as well

In “my breed” there is only poor sportsmanship. Veterans making newbies run in the other direction. Breeders breeding “Down” the size of males to the point they are smaller than females, handlers/breeders paying off the judges BEFORE the show so the dog they take in wins. If I had a penny for every time I heard “Oh the judge owes me a favor so we’ll be taking breed tomorrow” I could retire. It’s all politics

Sadly, I must agree with this. I was heavily involved in the AKC dog show scene for 20 years and had a breed that is a so-called handler’s breed. No matter how nearly perfect and well presented your dog is, if the dog isn’t shown by a “name” handler, you’re wasting your time and your money. Frequently, superior animals are deliberately overlooked in favor of flawed ones who are shown by Mr BigShot.

Congrats for blue ribbons? Please! A blue ribbon is NOTHING at a dog show. The only thing that matters is the purple for the elusive Winners Points that advance the dog towards a championship. If you congratulate a professional handler, they will either ignore you or give you a dirty look. If you congratulate an experienced amateur for a blue ribbon, they’ll think you’re trying to be funny, or insulting. Regardless, if you congratulate anyone at a dog show for a blue ribbon, you’re showing that you are a noob who doesn’t understand what is going on.

On the other hand, obedience showing is truly a wonderful experience with lots of camaraderie, except for those exhibitors who aim for High In Trial every time and look down their noses at anyone whose dog scored under 195. Some of the most fun and exciting experiences I’ve had were from training and showing an obedience dog, and I was not a High-in-Trial snob, I was glad to get a qualifying score.

As for the safety of animals—and those breeding these much loved purebred canines—the AKC is not doing its job. For example, a breeder in Delaware was convicted as a felon this past year for felony animal negligence and animal endangerment. She was forced to give one of her dogs to a larger breeder (her mentor), while maintaining part ownership of this male dog to use to breed with the five or six giant-breed dogs she houses in a 2-bedroom house, which is situated on approx. one-eighth to one-quarter of an acre in an affordable housing development right off a main highway.  She is still allowed to breed and register her puppies in the AKC along with continuing to partake in the AKC conformation ring,  We’re talking about a convicted felon—convicted for felony negligence and felony endangerment.  Now, how come the AKC is not holding such convicted felons accountable, and instead, allowing them to continue to breed dogs?  Her mentor is an enabler.

In regards to those who are posting this, and similar, sentiments: “In “my breed” there is only poor sportsmanship. Veterans making newbies run
in the other direction. Breeders breeding “Down” the size of males to the point they are smaller than females, handlers/breeders paying off the judges BEFORE the show so the dog they take in wins. If I had a penny for every time I heard “Oh the judge owes me a favor so we’ll be taking breed
tomorrow” I could retire. It’s all politics” I have to say that this is nothing more than sour grapes and poor sportsmanship from people who don’t work as hard to present dogs beautifully and proudly, and who have been beaten by pros and owner handlers alike. I am in a VERY difficult breed to finish, and while there are a large percentage of pros in the ring, breeder/owner/handlers DO win, more often than not. And the sportsmanship is great from everyone in the ring. I’m sick to death of hearing people who don’t groom well, or don’t know how to condition a dog, dragging them off the couch to be a weekend warrior, complain “WAH! Only pros win. WAH! They’ve paid the judges!” BS. Seriously. This is all fodder for the AR nuts, and is NOT a true snapshot of the sport. Take your fat, ill-groomed dogs and stay home if it’s so awful, and let those of us who do enjoy the competition, the camaraderie, and the time spent with good dogs alone. We are not your problem, your own poor attitude is.

You said: “We’re talking about a convicted
felon—convicted for felony negligence and felony endangerment. Now, how
come the AKC is not holding such convicted felons accountable, and instead,
allowing them to continue to breed dogs?”
First of all, AKC is a registration/show entity only and is not necessarily made aware of anyone’s legal status unless they are specifically named.
Without being privy to the details of the case and convictions, and having seen some of the other “bogus convictions” (most recently one involving show breeders in PA that I know personally) that are brought by HSUS, it leads me to wonder if your story is also
based on faked evidence, etc. Because while again, it is NOT for AKC to get involved, WHY, if this breeder was convicted, hasn’t local AC enforced any restraints on this person’s activities???

Regardless, if you congratulate anyone at a dog show for a blue ribbon, you’re showing that you are a noob who doesn’t understand what is going on.

No, not at all.  The majority of the people in my breed in my area have been in the breed and showing for 10 to 50+ years.  When it’s a large class or even a competitive class it’s still not uncommon to congratulate/be congratulated for winning the class.  Of course it’s not the same as taking the points but that too gets congratulations or cheering…depending upon the size of the win.  Many of us will hang around and cheer for the breed winner in the group if it’s a dog from our area.  It’s fun and it’s courtesy.  We are friends and supportive of each other.  I do think there’s a huge difference between a breed like mine (Malamutes) where the majority are owner/breeder/handlers and the ‘handler’ breeds.

Regardless, if you congratulate anyone at a dog show for a blue ribbon, you’re showing that you are a noob who doesn’t understand what is
going on.

I’m glad that you are not in the areas where I show, or do anything else, for that matter. You simply have no manners, and are a poor sport. All winners are congratulated, whether it be a puppy class win or Best in Show. I don’t for one minute believe that you are anything but a troll attempting to denigrate and undermine a sport still rich in tradition, camaraderie, and etiquette.  I have been showing for 30 years and it is this way. The love of the dogs makes the community strong, even while competitive.

You simply have no manners, and are a poor sport.

How does reporting honestly what I observed other people do make me a “poor sport?” U haz comprehinshun FAIL.

All winners are congratulated, whether it be a puppy class win or Best in Show.

I hardly ever saw anyone congratulated for a mere class win. The only wins that mattered were Winners, for the points. However, my breed of focus was one that is extremely competitive with huge classes, dominated by wealthy people and professional handlers.

I don’t for one minute believe that you are anything but a troll attempting to denigrate and undermine a sport still rich in tradition, camaraderie, and
etiquette.

What about all the other people who have also posted about their reservations regarding AKC dog shows?

The love of the dogs makes the community strong, even while competitive.

I think there is “love of dogs” in the Obedience ring, but the Conformation ring is mostly over-run by narcissists. I had some success in the conformation ring with my dogs, and one dog I bred has had a lasting influence on his breed. But I am a realist. Walking away from the AKC dog show game was one of the smartest things I ever did. (Although I think it would be great fun to train another obedience dog to the Utility Degree.)

I do think that the AKC Breed Standards are very important and that anyone who desires to breed dogs should learn their breed standard thoroughly. However, the best dog does not always win—politics and the right professional handler on the lead, and whether he had cocktails with the judge the night before and so on, plays a big part. That is simply the reality for some breeds, whether or not it is pretty.

As someone else posted though, there are some breeds that are regarded as “owner handled breeds” and those do tend to have people who are more community minded and less cut-throat.

I think the objective of the blog article was to show that AKC dogs shows are not the cause of pet overpopulation and puppy mills—and that is so true! AKC show breeders breed to the Standard, whereas puppy millers breed anything that has a uterus. AKC show breeders usually also have to abide by ethics rules set by their parent breed associations.

Oh yes, politics goes on at shows no doubt, when you have judges who were handlers and everyone knows one another, its ripe for abuse.
I’ve had 2 judges put another puppy up over mine for one point each time, because my puppy was pacing and I was new and didn’t see it. Of course the other puppy breeder who knew me and was friends with my breeder was happy to never say a word to me about it so her puppy could collect 2 cheap “wins” for one point each.
Way to go, 2 points winning over a pacing puppy, it should have been a case where my puppy was disqualified or something, those points NEVER should have been awarded!
When mine was not pacing at the next shows she won over an adult dog in open 3 shows in a row that weekend for 1 point each.

I’ve had a gay judge at a match show I took my puppy to give me BIM award, later I received this letter in the mail from him that left no doubt he wanted to “stop by” my house, very flattering comments about my appearance and that I was just what he was looking for.
I have to wonder, since I’ve been hit on a number of times like that at shows by other men, just how much THAT kind of favoritism goes on. Obvious to me I got the BIM because this judge wanted ACCESS, no one can tell me I was the only one!

Very interesting, balanced article.  I come at this topic as an attorney interested in companion animal law, and as someone who prefers to rescue dogs, but who won’t knock a great breeder who’s really doing it right. 

Although I’ve always had rescues, my current dog is very reactive and skittish.  When my boyfriend’s Golden passed away last year, he kindly decided to get a rock solid puppy from a breeder who breeds labs for a service dog organization—in large part to help out my rescue.  The pup turned out to be everything we could hope for!  I still encourage folks to rescue when possible, and volunteer at our local shelter. 

Regarding the law, I firmly believe that companion animal breeding should be heavily regulated.  I get very suspicious of some breeders who fight viscerally against this.  If I were a responsible breeder, I would want the irresponsible ones regulated out of the market.  I would also love to see more breeders who breed primarily for health and temperament, without concern for conformation—to breed a solid, healthy companion animal for the typical American family.  And I would love to see breeders, rescues and shelters working more on a daily basis and hand in hand to reduce the number of unwanted companion animals.