I went to Blackpool Champ show today to watch the judging.  Travelled with a friend who was showing and she forgot her passes, it added an extra hour on to our travelling time to go back and get them.  Shouldn't have bothered absoluely no one asked to see them nor check dogs on exit from the showground.  Only interest was shown in the carpark pass. 

Why go to the expense of printing and posting?

I was entered yesterday and could not believe that no passes were checked in or out, I could have taken any amount of dog and no one would have known.  As you say all they were interested in was the car pass.

This is surely a total lack of security and should be looked into.

There were also a lot of untered dogs, wandering with owners in the showground, puppies of 14 weeks upward

Same story at Kelso!

Yep there were all sorts of pet dogs there yesterday which stuck out like a sore thumb.  I don't think they were entered NFC because I didn't see any of the owners with any other kind of breed.

I believe any dogs were allowed including spectators dogs!

Then everyone who paid NFC should get there money back!!

Were NFC dogs provided with a bench though?

> Then everyone who paid NFC should get there money back!!

I believe they were asked to pay a small charge

Maybe so,  but many just use cages any way.  Seems a bit unfair that anyone could just walk in with a dog, though I suppose they'll just say that they had to pay £10 parkng fee.

NFC at Blackpool was £14, so with car park prepaid of £3, making £17, it would have cost a tenner on the day, for as many dogs as you like

It was the same last year.  Never known this before.

Nfc was 12 quid,
i took my bitch on sat, she was entered NFC, we did get provided with a bench,
but never used it, didnt see the point, everyone was sat ringside anyway,

Wish id have known before entering her as NFC -  i wouldnt have bothered,
a friend of mine was showing her bitch, so we traveled down together,
so would have just needed to pay the prepaid parking.

And yet on another site today I heard of some people who went to a car boot sale with their 4mth pup, saw a small agility show going on nearby, tried to get in to spectate but were turned away because their dog wasn't entered NFC (and also weren't told why!).

Seems a shame when some shows and agility shows are held as part of a bigger multi-event like a game fair or agri, where anyone visiting can bring whatever they want to, and some exhibitors keep litters of pups beside their vans.

Yep we walked in and out of Blackpool with 2 (entered) dogs no passes checked either way, not good :-(

I am a bit miffed about this too. I  went on  Saturday and would have liked to take my other dogs with me so we could go for a walk on the beach afterwards, but as it was so hot decided to leave them at home as I couldn't leave them in the car. If I had known I could have taken them  in to the show  we could all have had a lovely walk afterwards instead of  rushing back to them.

It doesn't sound like security was up to scratch. I always think that if you want things to be improved this should be reported to the Committe as maybe they were not aware of this. I should add that if I am impressed about something I also let them know.

Ive sent in a complaint to them, over it all,
one about security and the other complaining about the NFC thing,
still yet to hear a reply from them.

It would have been quite easy for anyone to walk out of there with a dog,
on saturday a ridgeback got loose, no one could catch it,
it would have been quite easy for the dog to get out through the gate,
beyond that it could have ended up anywere,
and people who was on there own showing - rules state that you should bench you dog
when not in the ring, or your class isnt on - how can they trust leaving their dog, just for a second
even to nip the loo.

Seems its hear to stay - have just had a phone call from the sec of blackpool dog show,
hes trying to expand the show to make it more friendler to visitors,
anyone can take a dog in, at a cost of 2 quid.

> anyone can take a dog in, at a cost of 2 quid

Well if that is the case, they should still have security & each person coming in with a non-entered dog should be issued with an exit pass which must be shown on exit.

Have been thinking about this since the start of the thread, unsure if to post or not.  Basically, my view is that security at Dog shows is farcical, and to put faith in security because of passes is unwise.  There are so many ways to get around the pass out system, which I won't go into here as it is an open forum, but I think it is best for all exhibitors to simply take the view that there dog is not safe simply becasue you have a pass in you possession.  The only show where it is more rigorously enforced ot give a degree of security is Crufts, and it is not 100% safe even there.

Looking at it another way, I am all in favour of the GP being able to attend shows and perhaps learn a little about well bred dogs from expert and caring breeders, it is more likley they will want to come along for a dog friendly day out with thier own dogs, and I would think the dog show traders will be pleased if this becomes a trend, too.

What he said was its down to the owner to make sure there dog is safe - which i guess is true,
at little open shows, anyone can walk in and out, we all make sure our dogs are safe then,
whats the differance.

> What he said was its down to the owner to make sure there dog is safe

I do agree with that, however at shows like SKC where the benching is the at one end of the ground & the ring is at the other & you have multiple dogs & are on your own how can you possibly ensure your dogs are safe whilst you are in the ring? There isn't enough room round the rings for everyone to set up cages so if you're unlucky there's nothing you can do. To name a few The National, 3 Counties & Border Union have it spot on with the in/out rings with benching directly behind (for my breed at least)

Surely then the society should allow exhibitors to bring their unentered dogs for £2, and state no bench provided !!

I dont think they would notice if you took them or not, solong as you have the prepaid carpark ticket,
as far as they know (solong as you have that), all the dog you have with you have been entered,
they would know no different, only problem i could see with it is, you would only have say 1 bench if you
only entered one dog, mind you dont think many people actualy do use their bench's> Surely then the society should allow exhibitors to bring their unentered dogs for £2, and state no bench provided !!