The World Dog Show “In Numbers”
The Swedish Kennel Club, both on its Web site and in press releases, is playing the numbers game. Listing the proceedings numerically, it announces that there are a total number of 342 breeds and varieties entered with the oldest dog being a nearly 15-year-old Papillon! Furthermore, the Swedes seem to be striking back at the Crufts “folk” by calling this “the largest dog event ever in the world.” How do they work this out? Well, in addition to the 20,674 entries at the World Show (Crufts had 22,930 entires), there are 14,802 entered dogs at the various breed circuit shows held during the same week. That’s pushing it a bit as no doubt a high percentage of that number will also be entered at the main event in Stockholm. Give them an “A” for trying though even if all the dogs participating at Crufts in all the events such as obedience, agility, flyball, good citizens, etc. do total 28,000 dogs. What numbers prove has been argued by the Cognoscenti. In our own country, a 4,000 all-breed dog show is hard to reach. Of course we have three or four all-breeds on the same weekend in a geographical section of our country. Multiply this by five or six regions and our weekly shows can easily equal or surpass these so-called extravaganzas. Truth be told, the emphasis must be on quality – this is true for a World Show, Crufts, or our weekly blasts.

The Invisible Fence Controversy
The use of shock collars is roundly condemned in many circles and supported in others. Indeed the use of a prong collar of sorts (some claim it is not a prong at all) in the ring has been banned by AKC. Some, therefore, question whether or not AKC should accept the participation of the invisible fence company in regard to the Responsible Dog Ownership Day to be held nationally in 400 communities in September. While there is little doubt that legitimate arguments for either position can be made, the concept of electronic pet containment can be strongly distinguished from the use of an electric pet collar itself. Candidly, we ideally do not approve of the use of either device. However, there are times ideals are sacrificed in order to assure that a dog can be included as a beloved member of the family. The invisible fence may just have to be one of those exceptional instances.

Rent-A-Dog And Dogs At Auction
There is little distinction in our minds between the mentality of those who have started a business renting dogs as Flex-Petz has done and those who hold charity galas offering dogs as prizes. Passing a dog from pillar to post is a totally unacceptable practice no matter the cause. Just how widespread these practices are, particularly in the case of Flex-Petz, must be caught and nipped in the bud. Too many people seem to be exaggerating the extent of this practice. However, the so-called charity affairs where dogs are given to high bidders have been and continue to go strong. Join with us in condemning and stopping these practices.

Personal Disputes At Shows
The growing number of personal disputes being brought to AKC is truly disturbing. Exasperated perhaps by Internet breed communications, most so-called disputes are both petty or bear no relevance to the welfare of a dog club nor to the breeding of dogs themselves. In any walk of life, dog shows and in the breeding of dogs, people become overly passionate and enthusiastic over our so-called hobby. Why, one must ask, did any of us become involved in dogs in the first place? Basically, most of us became committed to enjoy ourselves and to have some fun. That seems to have been forgotten as one becomes too fervently involved in legal, constitutional and financial concerns. In fact, we forget all about the welfare and safety of the dog and think only of our link in and to the power structure. Perhaps the next time any of us becomes too excited or rabid about an issue we should step back and ask ourselves: 1. Does it help the dog? 2. Is it in the interest of my breed? 3. Does it help me to enjoy my hobby better? If you say no to any one of these questions perhaps the time has come, as Ronnie Irving of The Kennel Club has written, “...to take up growing dahlias instead of being involved with dogs.”

Thought For The Week
At what point do outdoor shows become too hot to be continued on that day? We all react to hurricanes, storms, and floods accordingly. But what about the temperature factor? Was the Long Beach, Beverly Hills, Great Western weekend an example of a weekend that endangered the lives of dogs and people alike? These pages opine not, but it was darn close, that was for sure. Some standards in these areas must be established lest an unfortunate calamity cause serious regrets and unforgivable consequences.