A dog show is a great way to show off a dog’s good breeding and stage
presence. There were 10,000 dogs at the International Kennel Club (this page has info on how to watch and understand a show–it’s a good tutorial) dog show in Chicago recently, and while I was not able to attend, Elizabeth, a friend and colleague, spent part of her Sunday at McCormick Place and took some photos for me to share with you. Thanks, Elizabeth!
She mentioned that the show was streets ahead of the one we had worked some years ago. Lake Shore, along with all the other non-profits, had been placed at tables in a room at the back of the hall, off the beaten track. That is, unless you wanted to pay $1000 for a booth. This year all the non-profits ringed the dog food, dog art, and other booths so there was great public visibility for all:) We love that!
What was really funny, Elizabeth called from the show and said “I know Steve Dale is supposed to be
an MC in one of these rings, and I don’t know where he is.” I had checked the online program listing and told her where he was, and she found him in time to take a snap of him working away!
The IKC (not affiliated with the AKC) dog show was what is referred to as a “benched” show and they encourage the general public to mix with the show dogs and ask the owners questions. If you take a look at the link at the beginning, there’s quite a lot to learn that will make watching these shows, I think, much more interesting. You’ll begin to understand what the judges are looking at, if not always what they are looking for:)
So here’s Steve Dale with his head down, maybe polishing what he was going to say next? Check![ECB20Pics20IKC20Dog20Show2002-28-1020020[1Steve Dale Feb 2010]](http://www.dancingdogblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ECB20Pics20IKC20Dog20Show2002-28-10200201Steve-Dale-Feb-2010.jpg "ECB20Pics20IKC20Dog20Show2002-28-1020020[1Steve Dale Feb 2010]")
out Dale’s blog at ChicagoNow for observations of the show and more photos! There are also some great shots at Chicagoist.
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I'm very ambivalent about dog shows, what with the emphasis on looks rather than on health and "work" roles, but I know that people love them so they provide an opportunity to showcase good causes. I'm very glad that Lake Shore got a more prominent place this year; one of my gripes with most shows is that mixed breeds and rescues get short shrift.
Looks like a lot of fun. Where there any shelter dogs there?
Hi, Michele, good question! A bully breed dog rescue (Midwest Rescue a Bull) and the french bulldog rescue brought dogs were there with dogs, and there may have been others. It's a tough venue as it's a long trip for relief outside and a very long boring day for the dogs. If a group brings dogs it's usually limited to a couple for that reason, and generally it's not a place where you will actually adopt out dogs, but rather get people interested enough in what you do to come and take a look at the shelter, and if not interested in adopting, maybe considering volunteering, fostering, attending events.
Hi Edie! Yes, even though the judges are supposed to be looking at good bone, and proper conformation, shape of head, eye set, muzzle, we have seen all that stuff get distorted in the UK, producing dogs who can't make it across the show floor because their air flow is restricted by the flat profile of their muzzle. The mixed breed issue is a testy one…now that the AKC recognizes puppy mill dogs of any stripe, Labradoodles and whatever other concoction they dream up apparently, how is that going to work out? There was an agility show there, too and it was venue for all things dog, which helps the artists, the crafters, and smaller businesses too.
I keep something Bradley Trevor Greive said to me during our hour's interview at the forefront of my thinking in this. He said "people just want to have FUN with their dogs" and he was talking about his Great Danes and how he showed his dog, but also annoyed that dogs who had been spay/neutered weren't allowed to enter. I think we need to work hard to keep these issues in front of orgs like AKC…their own membership needs to take a stand on a lot of these issues, but I don't know how aware they are of what this organization can look like to the outside observer.
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Cate
Hi, Cate, and thanks so much for the kind words:) and for letting me know that Karen sent you! I hope you get comfortable joining the conversation here, and check out the widget on the front page for story suggestions. I look forward to "talking" soon!
I went there as a vendor a few years ago & it was the first benched show that I ever attended. It was also the biggest dog show that I had ever attended and I think that there were over 3000 dogs there over the 4 days. I remember the 'rescue row" in the other building & it's great that they moved everybody to the show rings. A lot of fun & I met a lot of really fun & nice people. Checked out Chitown, too. Saw the "bean"
Ha! Karen, how funny that you were there! I think Lake Shore gave up after the first disaster. Fees on top of fees to get our stuff taken to the table; that's why it was great to see, through Elizabeth's report, the difference this past year. Rescue row no more! With all the other places I've lived, I was always happy to come home to Chicago, with it's stunning lakefront. Yes, there's something for everyone in our sculptures:) Thanks for stopping in!
I remember that there was a dog agility ring or something back there, so some of the visitord went there.It's better to have the rescue booths dispersed throughout the vendor booth area. People that might not have gone in the back get to see whats going on in the rescue world. It was an expensive show to attend, with the fees being less for the rescues( and you *know* that they have so much money to throw around!), but now the exposure is better.