Crufts

Well I think that was a bit flat. I know absolutely nothing about showing dogs but the final seemed to me more about novelty than anything else.
 
this year they seemed to rush through the judging and we didnt get a good look at each dog. they seemed to spend more time talking and generally messing about, i could have done without ewen, alan and noel and would have just liked comments from the experts. couldnt really get interested this year so just dipped in and out.....loved the agilty and flyball though...
 
splashgirl45 said:
this year they seemed to rush through the judging and we didnt get a good look at each dog. they seemed to spend more time talking and generally messing about, i could have done without ewen, alan and noel and would have just liked comments from the experts. couldnt really get interested this year so just dipped in and out.....loved the agilty and flyball though...
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I watched it all online, showed each dogs individual in the groups, plus loads of flyball and agility. I don't think I'll bother with the tv coverage next year.
 
I agree, didn't enjoy the tv coverage. Too much chat and aimed at people who knew nothing about dogs.
Not enough chance to really look and compare the show dogs.
Did think the standard of agility and fly ball was amazing though.
 
**ahem**
I have 3 American Cockers. All in show coat (yes they are shown) and yes they spend 90% of their life eating horse crap and getting bloody filthy. They are most definitely NOT lapdogs! I admit that the breed are in the minority as gundogs these days which is a shame :(
They are perfectly capable of retrieving decent sized game despite their small stature and they will keep going all day.
With all of the furore on FB etc about the Yank winning I'm somewhat fed up of people's rather uneducated assumptions about the breed. Don't let the fluff fool you, underneath the frill there is an incredibly intelligent, work minded little dog!!!
 
SatansLittleHelper said:
**ahem**
I have 3 American Cockers. All in show coat (yes they are shown) and yes they spend 90% of their life eating horse crap and getting bloody filthy. They are most definitely NOT lapdogs! I admit that the breed are in the minority as gundogs these days which is a shame :(
They are perfectly capable of retrieving decent sized game despite their small stature and they will keep going all day.
With all of the furore on FB etc about the Yank winning I'm somewhat fed up of people's rather uneducated assumptions about the breed. Don't let the fluff fool you, underneath the frill there is an incredibly intelligent, work minded little dog!!!
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I know a few and while it takes a lot of work keeping their show coats nice, the ones that I know aren't molly coddled indoors and kept pristine.

I feel kind of bad too for Afterglow kennels because there was much chat about how Ricky was never allowed to get dirty, and was kept kennelled (right before and after he won three years ago). They did a great feature in some of the papers which showed him running in the sea, running in muddy fields and then standing for his groom. Most of us who have show dogs have dogs who can do both.

In fact, there are some cracking photos of the afterglow dogs on their website looking like well....muddy retrievers. :)
 
Ref the TV coverage, my non-dog DH (he wouldn't have chosen to watch normally) actually sat through 3 nights of crufts & said he enjoyed watching as mostly snapshots etc.
It was def aimed at 'everyone' but big shame not more on each.

However, a bit like major horse champs - DH can sit through 3 or 4 dressage tests before walking off, so I watch more in depth on line if this happens.

As he commented last night, some people only watch the highlights of motorbike racing (WSB, Moto GP, BSB etc) whilst if he's not racing that weekend, DH will depart to sofa for several hours over 3 days or so to watch the whole shebang - practice, qualifying, warm up, racing and the interviews in between :)
 
I stand corrected SLH, I would just like to see a lot less coat on a dog that was going to be working in cover. I did think he was a nice little dog but just didn't look right in the gundog group. One thing that I didn't like, throughout nearly all the interview with Clare Balding the handler seemed to be holding the dogs mouth shut, not sure why as in the ring he had a lovely smiley face and we weren't able to see it
 
Sandstone1 said:
Looks very much better than the one last year in my opinion anyway. Still has a sloping back but moves much better.
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Yes I agree. This year's winner, Veneze Gucci, is less angulated in structure and her temperament much more solid than last year's winner. Steve Cox, who is a top GSD handler, did a great job of showing her off to her best. So definitely a step in the right direction.

I would have loved to have seen this dog in the final line up - but he wasn't placed at all.

http://www.freelindreamsleonwilson.be/298346550?b=65AD90DC58FA7CD24BC68EE6039C54A157354
 
SatansLittleHelper said:
**ahem**
I have 3 American Cockers. All in show coat (yes they are shown) and yes they spend 90% of their life eating horse crap and getting bloody filthy. They are most definitely NOT lapdogs! I admit that the breed are in the minority as gundogs these days which is a shame :(
They are perfectly capable of retrieving decent sized game despite their small stature and they will keep going all day.
With all of the furore on FB etc about the Yank winning I'm somewhat fed up of people's rather uneducated assumptions about the breed. Don't let the fluff fool you, underneath the frill there is an incredibly intelligent, work minded little dog!!!
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Great to hear :)
 
I am not anti-showing but not into showing anything (horses, poultry etc). I've only been to one dog show (SKC Spring Ch last year to look at some different breeds. Have to say I found it somewhat grim with some tired and untidy looking handlers, bored dogs and the hall stank of dog pee.) and it put me off going to many more although I will give the Scottish Breeds Show a chance.

I was wondering though, do any non-flash breeds ever win BIS at Crufts?
 
MurphysMinder said:
I stand corrected SLH, I would just like to see a lot less coat on a dog that was going to be working in cover. I did think he was a nice little dog but just didn't look right in the gundog group. One thing that I didn't like, throughout nearly all the interview with Clare Balding the handler seemed to be holding the dogs mouth shut, not sure why as in the ring he had a lovely smiley face and we weren't able to see it
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Yes I noticed that and also when the judge was going over him in the BIS too. Bizarre.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
I am not anti-showing but not into showing anything (horses, poultry etc). I've only been to one dog show (SKC Spring Ch last year to look at some different breeds. Have to say I found it somewhat grim with some tired and untidy looking handlers, bored dogs and the hall stank of dog pee.) and it put me off going to many more although I will give the Scottish Breeds Show a chance.

I was wondering though, do any non-flash breeds ever win BIS at Crufts?
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Perhaps best to make your own mind up on that one ...

http://www.crufts.org.uk/content/whats-on/best-in-show-winners/
 
Working GSD- I think the dog in the link is exactly what we should be promoting!

What. Shame he didn't even get a look in. I wonder if the show type is too hard to get away from for the judges.

I noticed a bsd almost got pastoral but beaten by the fluffier flashier old English.
 
Not passing comment on the dog in question, I quite liked him, but I saw a few very shy/windy dogs in the group rings on TV, which for me is a real bugbear. And I don't mean 'aloof'.
A good judge should put an unhappy dog out of the ring, no matter how good the conformation, IMO.
 
Gucci is also a daughter of Elmo, who won the pastoral group a few years back, out of interest.

Again, if anyone is interested, the three GSDS which won BIS at Crufts, were all considered by breed historians to have/produce weak characters and at least two carried epilepsy in their lines.
 
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I've finally twigged where I've seen pictures of American cockers working but sadly can't find the original to scan the full article and pics. This was from the quarterly Crufts magazine, I think around 2014, and was a collection of articles about unusual working dogs. Excuse the striking out, they used my name multiple times in the text. :p

2csietg.jpg
 
CorvusCorax said:
Not passing comment on the dog in question, I quite liked him, but I saw a few very shy/windy dogs in the group rings on TV, which for me is a real bugbear. And I don't mean 'aloof'.
A good judge should put an unhappy dog out of the ring, no matter how good the conformation, IMO.
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Temperament should be paramount along with health, I entirely agree. Did you see the dog I linked too in the flesh? Any photos/video?
 
blackcob said:
I've finally twigged where I've seen pictures of American cockers working but sadly can't find the original to scan the full article and pics. This was from the quarterly Crufts magazine, I think around 2014, and was a collection of articles about unusual working dogs. Excuse the striking out, they used my name multiple times in the text. :p
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you have husky recall?! very impressed :)
 
For 60 seconds in an agility ring, maybe. ;)

I still can't find the full article which is a shame but you get the idea, they mention having no success with a dobe and a lurcher but the ACS seems to retain enough working instinct.
 
I do still respect the breed club and rescue line, they are on-lead dogs at all other times (prey drive!) and I wouldn't advise that anyone get one with the expectation of being to let them off on walks. Most agility venues are secure enough and we train indoors anyway.

I think she was still G1 when that article was published, now G5 with one win under her belt. :)
 
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