In the breed I started showing with practically all the breeders showed both dogs and bitches and they also showed in-season bitches. People just accepted it. The thing I find harder to understand is people showing in whelp bitches. Once a judge going over one of them was sure she could feel the puppies!!!
At the end of the day common sense also comes into it doesn't it? If your bitch is feeling off then you'd probably keep her at home whether it was because of a season or something else. However if she was otherwise 'normal' then I cannot see any reason not to. I don't know anyone in my breed who has lost respect or friendship because of showing an in-season bitch, for other reasons maybe.

I found it interesting that the very people who said it was not the done thing were quite happy to show their own bitch in season.

I was handling a dog I bred to a CC and had to be quite careful in the BOB challenge that he didn't catch up to the bitch CC who was very obviously in season and receptive at that.

Okay, 2 things to admit to here, or is it 3:  I do not show so I do not know show regulations, I have not read all of the posts on this thread.
However, that aside, I was absolutely appalled to read that someone knowing their bitch was going to be in season would take it to a dog show, as having paid their money they were entitled to enter the show!!  Sorry, coming from obedience and agility where KC regulations clearly state that a bitch in season SHOULD NOT be taken to a competition, I find this deplorable. Yes, there are those selfish people who still take a bitch in season, or only just out of season, to competitions 'cause they want to win, beggar anyone else. I know so 'cause my boys tell me so. But surely to goodness the Show ring world has similar regulations, doesn't it?!! If it does, or even if it doesn't, then the person who has blatantly stated they'd take their bitch to a show, in season 'cause it cost a lot to enter, then they should be completely ashamed.

> But surely to goodness the Show ring world has similar regulations,

No as I stated above obviously the Kennel club have looked at this issue, because as you say they do not allow in season bitches at Agility and Obedience competitions, but they do at conformation shows.

I would assume it is because at conformation shows dogs re required to be on lead at all times and at Agility and Obedience events dogs will be under less close control at times.

Also what you have to remember is that at conformation a particular individual judges opinion may matter to the exhibitor very much, and they may not have the opportunity to show under that person ever again. 

It took me 7 years to have the opportunity to show one of my girls again under a judge whose opinion I wanted.

So it isn't just wasted entry fees but wasted opportunities, especially at Championship level.

>even if it doesn't, then the person who has blatantly stated they'd take their bitch to a show, in season 'cause it cost a lot to enter, then they should be completely ashamed.

At any championship show with 10, 000 average entry over 3 or 4 days there will be numerous bitches in season at the show, because it is not against the rules.  In some breeds (like Dobermans) it is done very openly (and they are big strong dogs, with males that can be male aggressive), in other breeds people keep it quiet, or worse still pretend she must have come in on the way to the show.

Most bitch exhibitors would prefer to and do leave an in season bitch at home, but there will be the odd occasion when they want to take her, and as the rules stand are perfectly at liberty to do so.

Experienced stud dogs can be worked with if they just happen to get a wiff of an in season bitch on someones clothes, or if the bitch has only just come into season. Yes, this is part and parcel of dog showing in this country it seems. But mainly I am talking about trying to work with a dog who is normally well mannered and well trained, who is expected to not only give of his best in the show ring, but also cope with being benched right next door to a bitch who is at the height of her season. The usual excuse from the owner being either "oh, she must have come into season on the way here" or "yes she has been in season but she has finished now" This said as my male is trying to hang himself in the atttempt to get onto her bitches bench. Not a silly inexperienced puppy, but an experienced stud dog, who knows the difference between a bitch just in season or ready to be mated.
But hey ho, it seems this is just tough luck and considered by some to be perfectly acceptable knowing they are responsible for putting off not only my dog, but also that of any other male dog who is benched nearby and wasting both mine and othe male dog owners money. Just as long as the bitch owner can have her moment of glory and not lose her entry fee.
Win at any cost and damn the rest seems to be the motto.

I would hope it is rare for anyone to take a bitch to a show at the height of the season, and you cant expect an owner to know their bitch is still exciting once the 21 days or so are past.  I took a dog home for a friend in the breed to keep overnight after Crufts (he had to get off to work), and this boy was absolutely mad for my bitch who was a week past her season (at which she had been mated and gone over) he has been used at stud.

In many ways the males are always at an advantage compared to the bitches at shows.

They don't miss shows due to seasons, they shed coat less often, they don't miss 9 months of a show season in order to reproduce, and are more likely to keep their figures into old age as they don't have litters.  The Best Dog will be fresh and rested when it challenges the bitch for BOB.

A quick perusal of show results will show that males more often get Group placings even if more BOB have been bitches (and in some breeds with a  big sex difference males go BOB twice as often as bitches), out of the 16 bitch BOB's and 7 male BOB in the hound group at a recent show, 3 out of 4 of the group winners were males, in Gundogs there were 12 bitch BOB's and 11 male, but again 3 out of 4 group placers were dogs, so the odd bitch at a show cannot be doing too much.

I would like to add I am very much playing devils advocate, and have very rarely taken an in season bitch to a show, then usually only first few days, but have taken bitches recently finished, with varying reactions by males, but I have had no male to test reactions with at home.

>The Best Dog will be fresh and rested when it challenges the bitch for BOB.

Or the dog will be tired from such a long day and bored with hanging around, while the bitch is well into her stride, having had a later start to the day and be nicely warmed up. :-)

In many ways the males are always at an advantage compared to the bitches at shows.

They don't miss shows due to seasons, they shed coat less often, they don't miss 9 months of a show season in order to reproduce, and are more likely to keep their figures into old age as they don't have litters.  The Best Dog will be fresh and rested when it challenges the bitch for BOB.

On the other hand, like one of my male dogs, as I had 2 bitches in season just before Crufts he lost masses of weight and lost his class due to that fact alone according to the write up. With more than one bitch, this is an almost year round problem as opposed to twice a year for a bitch.

MarianneB wrote : With more than one bitch, this is an almost year round problem as opposed to twice a year for a bitch.

But bitches are only in season for appx 3 weeks. and then a dog should start eating again. Surely if a dog is underweight all year round due to the number of bitches someone has and their seasons then he should either be neutered or rehomed. I feel it is cruel to have a dog live in a continual state of frustration like that

I think you'll find it's very common in my breed for the entire dogs to be too skinny, it's a problem we all have. Doesn't mean they are FRUSTRATED, more a case of preoccupied. Other things more important than food. If you neutered all the ones like that you'd soon have no breed left -as it is there are only roughly 3 litters born per year from show lines.

I was at a champ show yesterday. I was stood in the ring in one of the classes I was entered in with an in-season bitch, bred, owned and shown by a well respected breeder of many years long standing and also a judge. Nuff said. If you show a bitch then you expect there will be times when you will have to make the decision whether to attend a show or not when she's in season and if you show an entire male then you also have to accept there will be times when you will have to cope with your dog's behaviour around in-season bitches. I doubt very much whether things will change unless there is a rule in place to stop owners from showing bitches in-season.

Sadly there will always be unsporting pot-hunters in any form of competition. It seems to bring out the worst in some people.

The worst shows i've attended for issues with my eldest in the ring has been open shows.
There was one show where for love nor money could i get my boys head up and it was pointless being in the ring. I wasn't the only one having issues with their dogs either.
What had happened earlier was that a Dane bitch had been shown in the ring, I was told later that she had blood on her, so clearly in season :-(

But aside from it causing issues showing a dog, its also heightens tempers with bitches and i've seen some fly at other bitches.

> I have been deliberating this point as I think my puppy at 9 months old is building up to her first season. With the cost of entry fee's at champ shows being in the £24+ per dog region, until or if the K.C. make some proviso that there will be a refund of entry fee's if a bitch is in season on show day then I will most definitely take mine. If I've paid my entry fee I have the right to attend the show. I have not taken my other bitch to Open shows in the past when she's been in season but then you are probably talking about a quarter of the entry fee lost.
>
> As someone else said, if you stayed away someone else will be bound to turn up with an in season bitch.

I know there is no rule but in my opinion that is like saying so & so does it then I will!!!
If you had owned a male then you will see why it is not the done thing in my book.
I had litter sisters & they always came in season together, I NEVER took either of them to shows whilst they were in season at any show. This being the case I had twice the amount to loose, which was alot if it was Champ shows!! This is one of the joys of owning a show bitch!
I think the KC should bring in a ruling that bitches in season should not be shown & I own mainly bitches

>Sadly there will always be unsporting pot-hunters in any form of competition. It seems to bring out the worst in some people.>

I think the old saying 'if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen' is appropriate here. Everyone should know that in showing you are going to have to cope with this type of thing. If you don't like it, can't cope with it then don't show. You will always get exhibitors who will blame their dogs behaviour on anything other than their handling ie there was bait in the ring, he doesn't like other dogs coming up behind him, he doesn't like male/female judges, he doesn't like a certain colour of dog etc etc. So you think that all exhibitors who take in-season bitches to shows are pot hunters then? I would say that was a pretty derogatory comment for the majority of exhibitors. Showing is a competition, you pay your money and take your chance along with the rest. You abide by the 'written' rules and you go home with the best dog at the end of the day.

>Sadly there will always be unsporting pot-hunters in any form of competition. It seems to bring out the worst in some people.<

Sorry I really object to this statement. I don't see why a bitch owner is unsporting if they don't want to throw away their (often exorbitant)entry fees. It seems just as unsporting to blame a dogs poor showing on the fact that there may have been  in season bitch in the vicinity.
Surely the dog owners who are saying the bitches are spoiling their chances of wining are just as much pot hunting as the bitch owners.

sorry but i have to agree with lexy , i have shown bitches  and lost entry money  , shown dogs and had the hassle that bitches in season cause , its very easy to say if you dont like the heat get out of the kitchen but why should i , i was brought up to belive in fair play and sportmanship , if you know your bitch you know her cycle and can plan your show diary accordingling , yes its disappointing if your bitch is in season when a judge you favor is judging but that can happen for any number of reasons .
all i can say is if your bitch is leapt upon by an amourous dog and is difficult to control ( dogs the size of mine are difficult to handle in that situation even with the strongest handler) i bet you wouldnt be best pleased but if you take a bitch in season you "pays your money and takes your choice"  just dont blame the dog or handler if it happens.

>all i can say is if your bitch is leapt upon by an amourous dog and is difficult to control ( dogs the size of mine are difficult to handle in that situation even with the strongest handler) i bet you wouldnt be best pleased>

That has happened to me on several occasions with  my older bitch when she has been nowhere near in season, in the ring and outside of it......I cannot say I was best pleased but I believe in live and let live. Some people just cannot control their dogs even when there are no outside influences.

>Showing is a competition, you pay your money and take your chance along with the rest.

Which doesn't give anyone the right to handicap another entrant. That's unfair and unsporting. If people can't play fair then they shouldn't play at all.

> I know there is no rule but in my opinion that is like saying so & so does it then I will!!!
>

Not really, as it has obviously been considered, as it is against the rules at Obedience and Agility, but the powers that be obviously consider it not necessary to ban in season bitches from confiormation events.

> I know there is no rule but in my opinion that is like saying so & so does it then I will!!!
>>
> Not really, as it has obviously been considered, as it is against the rules at Obedience and Agility, but the powers that be obviously consider it not necessary to ban in season bitches from confiormation events.

I did mean that there is no KC rule in the world of dog shows.

> if you know your bitch you know her cycle and can plan your show diary accordingling

I wish, I have never been able to accurately predict seasons, when I have tried I have not entered a show and she didn't come in. 

In fact I have a bitch here a month late and her older sister was two months late when she came in in February.

My bitch comes into season every 5 mths.
sh is in season for 7-9 weeks ( she is 17 mths old and had 2 seasons first one 7 weeks bleeding, second one 7 weeks) she then shot her coat, went anorexic and had phantoms (the first worse than the 2nd so it might improve) Takes until 9 wks post season before she eats enough to put enough weight back on to get into show condition, as I cannot exercise her too much when in phantom as she is weak from not eating and loses condition as well...
Try planning a show schedule round that.
But I do not show my bitches in season, if I were chasing the 3rd CC perhaps I would...

I can understand why people do it. But my first show dog was male and the combination of a young (and naughty!) dog, a young and inexperienced handler, and somebody with a bitch in season, resulted in a very frustrating show for both dog and handler. But I also have a young bitch who I took to an Open show when she was defiantly not in season (and actually didn't start her season till three weeks after the show). My male dogs at home had absolutely no interest in her, neither did any of the dogs at the show - apart from one. I actually had his owner come and start shouting at me saying the reason why her dog didn't get BOB was because my bitch was in front of him in the challenge, and I was an irresponsible owner and a terrible competitor for bring my bitch to the show in her condition!