Dog Shows

[Wazzat Xolo]

Another fabulous public relations thread endearing the public to purebred dogs.

Not so....if something proactive comes out of it. Like a suggestion for signage on crates at dogshows, asking spectators to get an exhibitor's agreement before touching the dogs (as would be the case if they were mutts). With maybe reminders over the loudspeaker system....politely reminding spectators.

Well said Mita and speaking from my own point of view I dont care if I am at a Dog Show or the local tip manners are manners, the kids of today need to learn some or it will be hell in a few years if the majority of kids do not learn respect!

It has nothing to do with pure bred dogs or cross bred dogs.IMHO

[ellz]

I have a sign which I used to display at "benched" shows in Tasmania which said "Don't touch the dogs, the owners bite!". It used to generate lots of attention!

Quite a few years ago, I did actually smack the fingers of a child who kept reaching into my dogs' coat with his sticky dagwood dog fingers when I had the dog laying on his trolley trying to brush his coat. Buff American Cocker in floor-length hair and tomato sauce really aren't terribly compatible under NORMAL circumstances, let alone 10 minutes from ring time at a Royal show!!! I had asked this child about 5 times to keep his fingers to himself. I had asked his father to ask his child to keep his fingers to himself and from sheer frustration, the next time the fingers appeared in the line of my brush.....they wore it.

No, I'm not proud of my actions. Yes, I realise I could have opened up a whole world of trouble for myself. No, I didn't think at the time, it happened very quickly. MAYBE I would do it again if the circumstances were the same.....I'm not sure.

[Erny]

I had asked this child about 5 times to keep his fingers to himself. I had asked his father to ask his child to keep his fingers to himself and from sheer frustration, the next time the fingers appeared in the line of my brush.....they wore it.

No, I'm not proud of my actions. Yes, I realise I could have opened up a whole world of trouble for myself. No, I didn't think at the time, it happened very quickly. MAYBE I would do it again if the circumstances were the same.....I'm not sure.

because this is not about being at dog shows, but it is about aberrant behaviour from children and parents doing nothing about it. When I was a kid (way back before all of these nanny type laws and people suing for the sheer money making value suing gets them) there was a neighbour who lived across the road. This was also back in the days when everyone in the street was your "neighbour" and you knew them and their kids.

The child of this neighbour was a real brat of a kid and the parents never did a thing to stop her. Us kids used to hate it when she came over to 'play' because she was a snivelling, whiney, attention seeker and simply, no fun. My Dad is outside chatting with this child's parent and the child kept hitting him in the stomach. Dad told her several times not to do it. Child's father did nothing. Next time, Dad says "you do that to me one more time and I'm going to pull your hair". Child hits him one more time so Dad gave her hair a good yank. Child goes off crying. Father of child does nothing (keeps chatting). Child never did that again and actually was more respectful generally speaking towards my father. And who knows, maybe it was a lesson in life that she was able to take with her and helped to change the way that she treated others .

These days if you retaliated that way, parents would be suing you and authorities would be charging you with child abuse.

Please also note that not ever once in our lifetime did my father raise a hand (or voice) to us kids. He is a true gentleman, but he is calm and he is assertive, along with kind, generous and compassionate.

Ellz - If I were you I wouldn't be embarrassed by your action. Who knows ..... maybe the experience was lesson enough to have avoided the child being bitten by a dog not quite so tolerant/patient, either later that day or at some other time. But yes, unfortunately today's laws have made it so that responsibility is someone else's job, in the eyes of those who should be responsible but aren't.

Edited May 8, 2010 by Erny

[Kirty]

I honestly think people just don't know though. I think a lot of people think that dog shows are where breeders show off their dogs, and where people can meet dogs. My sister got bitten by a Chi when she was about 2 because she tried to pat it. I know my family had no idea you shouldn't touch dogs at shows! Its the same at cat shows. Most people think you can walk from cage to cage, giving each cute kitty a pat. I personally don't have a problem with it, but I know many breeders do.

Perhaps the show organisers should hand out info pamphlets at the gate explaining show etiquette, or perhaps exhibitors should have signs for their cages/tents/etc.

[Ozstar]

The majority of the GP are good but you do come across the odd ones every now and again.

A couple weeks ago at a show an elderly couple where walking 3 aging Border Collies on loose leads , they stopped right in front of the assembly area and their dogs where blocking the entrance to the ring. The couple then had the nerve to say how aggresive the Rott's (and handlers) where as handlers where trying to get their dogs in and out of the ring

I have no problems with the GP bringing their dogs to shows, but please have some consideration for the exhibitors, don't walk your dogs on loose leads where they can jump on others dogs, dont block walk ways to rings and don't let your dog put its nose into crates, trolleys etc

Leanne

[Erny]

I honestly think people just don't know though. I think a lot of people think that dog shows are where breeders show off their dogs, and where people can meet dogs. My sister got bitten by a Chi when she was about 2 because she tried to pat it. I know my family had no idea you shouldn't touch dogs at shows! Its the same at cat shows. Most people think you can walk from cage to cage, giving each cute kitty a pat. I personally don't have a problem with it, but I know many breeders do.

Perhaps the show organisers should hand out info pamphlets at the gate explaining show etiquette, or perhaps exhibitors should have signs for their cages/tents/etc.

How come it has changed though? We were ALWAYS taught - ask before you touch (and that applied to many things, not just people's pets). Exactly WHEN did common sense fly completely out the window? Exactly WHEN did people stop respecting other people's 'property'?

I don't know the answer to "WHEN" but I do believe, whether people have a problem with allowing their children to uninvitedly (wrd?) pat their pets or not, that we need to start educating them to ask. And by educating them, perhaps their parents will begin to learn as well.

[ellz]

Things have changed considerably when it comes to parenting and common sense unfortunately. I always feel like I'm wasting my breath by trying to reinforce rules about not touching strange animals without permission with my children, when their peers are allowed to run riot.

Yet the PARENTS of their peers are the first ones to start screaming and shouting if their child comes to grief as a result of their actions. Whatever happened to taking responsibility for yourself and your children and for setting good examples in the first place?

Joe P at the dog show has always been, and will always be incompatible to a degree. Although a small amount of common sense goes a long way. For example, when I first went to a horse show I felt like a duck out of water. It was obvious that things were happening and happening quickly and that whilst I had absolutely NO idea what was going on, the people that "belonged" there did so I did everything within my power to keep myself, and my family to areas that looked like they were out of the way and not going to impede people's progress to and from rings, stables and assembly areas.

It's not rocket science but many of the general public seem to want to make it appear like it is.

[Kirty]

I don't know if it has changed or not, but my family were not animal people (we are going back 20 years here). I mean, we always had one or two pets, but that's it. We were taught about approaching dogs, etc but my sister was only 2, hence why she stuck her fingers through the bars. We thought if you went to a show, the animals were on display for the general public. I had no idea about why shows were run or rules, etc. I'd suggest that many people still believe that.

[The Ark]

Thanks for looking after my baby, Aziah!

I had a lady come up to my young Maremma girl yesterday and ask me nicely if it was okay if her little girl patted Aurea - AFTER the little girl had already started running her hands all over the dog. I smiled and was nice, but it was a little late to be asking....

[Jed]

And don't think it is confined to dog shows. I have heaps of horror stories of waiting for classes at the Royal with led horses, and what kids did, and what kids did generally

Ellz, this will make you feel better - waiting to go back into the ring at the royal for champion, there's a boy about 7 or 8 who had obviously rolled in tomato sauce, and then crumbed himself with pink fairy floss. His hands were wearing pink and red gloves.

The stallion, white - was doing a little happy jig, and this kid insisted on patting him on the rump - not likely to be kicked, but being trampled was more than possible. However, the thing which worried me was not him getting a hoof print right in the middle of his forehead, it was that he was going to bloody leave pink and red fairy floss and tomato sauce bits in that glorious tail which I had cultivated for 12 months for this very moment, or I would be showing a champion contender with a red handprint on his carefully washed, producted, shined, glistened and gleaming rump. Ala Apache Horse!! Not wanted at that time.

After the third time of saying "please don't do that darling, you might frighten the horse, and he might hurt you"

With no reaction at all....

I leaned in very close, and said quietly, "if you bloody do that again, I'll rip both your bloody ears off and feed them to the bloody horse"

He ran screaming for his mummy. Whilst I adjusted my gloves, and smiled my most winning smile, so what ever he told his mummy, she couldn't possibly believe it

I think that was the same day, when, whilst walking my fractious colt, I wondered why he persisted on jumping all over me, despite some stern words. Looked back, and there was this dear little girl, about 4, poking him in the personal bits (which were quite large and pendulous) with one of those whirly things on a stick.

With the mother walking along, smiling at the human/horse interaction.

I shall draw a veil over what I said. I shall say only that I was polite but firm.

[rubiton]

Try walking around the cattle and horse areas of a Royal Show. in 2007 during EI I went had wandered around the other animals at the Royal since there were no horses. The cattle were often tied to a fence surrounding their prejudging area and the families would just wander up go inside and pat these huge cows. Parents would shove their kids in the cows face to pat it and they would also just reach out and touch the flanks, rear, etc. These animals are big and one kick could cause a lot of damage to a little kid. BUt no to the parents they were just big fluffy living toys for their kids to touch (note they didn't ask the handlers who were goin gback and forth prepping the animals).

Then of course there are the nightmares around horses at the Royal - they wander through with strollers, walk up to horses without warning to have a photo taken, let their kids run up to horses tied up outside the boxes being made ready to go to the ring - its amazing in a world of OHS there are no restrictions onthe general public wandering around. AT least the dog pavilion gets a break at lunch and at least a small separation area from teh public (though I guess people let their kids go under the bar to 'pat the dogs' before going to pat the cows and horses).

[juice]

i have the same problem when i take my dogs to soccer, kids just run up and start patting them without asking, which is a real pain as i'm trying to watch my daughter play, and i have to stop watching at look at what they are doing

last week i only had mase my bully, at half time i took him for a slow amble round the field, i stopped for a minute to watch the play in another match, turned around and this little boy, all of 2 had his arms round mason and face in his. mase loves kids and just stood there, parents no where to be seen

its a real pain, as they love comming with me, but its a hassle , especially if i take my dally, he is a kid magnet

[TessnSean]

I guess we have been lucky. We have only ever had polite interaction with the public and our dogs. At one show, a couple came along and asked if their child could pat our BC boy. The look on her face when we showed her how to move her hand and get him to sit, drop and high five was priceless. She then sat on the ground cuddling him and the parents told us we had been the first people to let her pat their dog. I said that as long as you ask first, most people will say yes or no and explain why.

The wife rolled her eyes, pointed out someone I recognised as a long time exhibitor and said she had yelled at the child to go away when she asked. The exhibitor was walking her dog, not waiting for a class. They had been judged earlier. They are not the first people who have said that people have been exceedingly rude when they have asked and going by the way they have approached us, I would think they have been polite. Of course there have been people who have said how nice the dog people are but it is those with the rude replies who are remembered.

[voloclydes]

as a parent how would you feel if a horse jump you and your stroller?

thankfull i would think. friend of mine had a stroller thrust under her horse nose at speed complete with screaming child. horse cleared cleanly thank god.

i think you guys should be thank full most of the doggie damaged is small... try a child grabbing a clydesdale in harnes on the flanks.... most of them have blinkers on and have no idea what has grabbed them. when he stood on my foot i had 3 broken bones... so a child would be crushed if stood on or kicked. i'm also not sure they they all expect you to give joy rides while waiting for classes... only to be told oh well he's just a common clummper...in a scabby cart!

[Bisart Dobes]

To be honest - I have more good experiences with the general public at shows than bad - perhaps its a breed thing .

HMMMM - I remember standing at the Geelong 'Royal' show one year with my young dog who thankfully adores kids, talking to a friend while waiting to go into the ring. All of a sudden her eyes went really big and round staring down behind me so I looked around to see a beautiful young girl who's head was exactly at the same height as my young boys with her hands placed on either side of his face and they were starting adoringly at each other - his nose just touching hers, he was besotted . Her parents and grandparents came rushing back to her with very worried looks on their faces - as soon as they saw her and Ryder together they relaxed. Yes, I know she didn't ask me but god it was georgeous. She just fell in love with him and him with her. Apparently she just has a way with animals. And he loves little girls even more after that.

Me - when I was 3 years old I made the front page of the paper because I went missing at a Royal Show - after my poor mother and officials searching for me for god knows how long I was found curled up sound asleep in a show bench with a St Bernard - my parents bred Labs and Weis - so not even our group . My poor mum.

I think it is our job to be patient with the idiots and appreciative of the smart ones - PR for our sport is highly needed and a kind lesson goes alot further than cracking it.

Picking up puppies out of a pen is another matter again - but then I would never leave my dogs unattended and exposed like that.

[newfsie]

I seem to have been lucky, most people ask if they can pet the dogs/bears......Only one little two year old was running at Katy arms wide open at "Mutts in May". But we go to a lot of public event, "PAWS in the Park", Million PAWS, markets and most people ask. And if they don't I explain to people, my dogs are friendly, but some might not be.........

[chelle~aussie~dragon]

I remember when I was a child about 8/9 when I first started loving Dalmatians, we called a breeder who had advertised a retired show girl which I was able to adopt.We kept in contact and they invited me to come and watch them at my local show as I had never been to a dog show before.

Now I don't know why I did it from already having shown ponies for a few years and knowing about keeping a coat clean for the ring but I ran my hands over their dog's coats without asking first and put a film of oil on them.Then with horror realising what I had done.I was very lucky the owners were understanding and managed to clean it up before they went in.

From that day on I never touch another's person's animal without asking.I have started noticing my daughter aged 7, will speak gently to an animal first and doesn't crowd them.Our back neighbour's Dashie who doesn't like people coming up to her has accepted Emily because Emily would wait by the fence and just talk for ages at a time.Their best buddies now.

I think it really is a lot of ignorance, if I at that age could do it with really knowing not to I can kind of understand how it happens.I think the EKKA's dog pavillion is one huge temptation to kids walking through that don't understand about keeping coats clean.Parents should know better though.

[Black Bronson]

We have been dog people since my grandparents bred and trained. My mother always taught me as a child, NEVER to pat strange dogs and that we had our own dogs to pat and cuddle. It was a simple rule and to this day 40 odd years later, I abide by the same rule and teach kids the same as I learned.

[Clyde]

Me - when I was 3 years old I made the front page of the paper because I went missing at a Royal Show - after my poor mother and officials searching for me for god knows how long I was found curled up sound asleep in a show bench with a St Bernard - my parents bred Labs and Weis - so not even our group :D. My poor mum.

That is gorgeous But Yes! Your poor Mum

[yarracully]

Perhaps the show organisers should hand out info pamphlets at the gate explaining show etiquette, or perhaps exhibitors should have signs for their cages/tents/etc.

I'm not real sure that your first suggestion would work in all situations. Many of the country shows we do are located on ovals where there is no gate as such for the public to access. However I can see some merit in your alternative suggestion and reading this topic is starting me to think of doing just that as I have a few that just don't like strangers and dislike kids even more.