Our local Kennel Club hosted an AKC sanctioned dog show and it was open to the public. It was a three day event and we were able to drop in on the last day. It was held outdoors and of course we brought Niko along...you know...to show him what obedience really means.
We were hit with an air of silence and seriousness when we approached a prep area where the handlers and dogs line up to "show." We soon learned it was no joke and that people traveled far distances to compete in this show. There were dogs of different sizes, colors, and shapes.
We were dog show newbies and did not know what the judges look for. The competitions we watched were by breed size. The dogs pranced around in a circle with their handler one pair at a time, the judge gets a close look at the dog, lifts a leg or two, and they go back in a line. After all the pairs have taken their turns, the entire group jogs in the circle together one more time and lines up for the judge to look at the dogs side by side. Ribbons are awarded and the winners pose for pictures on a stoop. Like this beautiful Akita named Trader:
 |
| "where are the treats?" |
Do you see any resemblances between Niko and Trader? Akitas and Shiba Inus are related breeds. When people see Niko, aside from the common "he looks like a fox" comment, people also guess if he's an Akita. Look at who was backstage checking things out:
All in all, it was an interesting first dog show. We do wish we caught some agility competitions. Maybe next year. We were reminded of how much work goes into training a dog in general, but to train for dog shows is a whole other level.
One last note, we caught Niko checking this broad out:
Sorry Niko, she is way out of your league and may be too high maintenance. You need to look for someone that likes to roll around in mud like yourself.
