I have to say after doing a few groups lately it has struck me how little concern some of the "big" names seem to have for their dogs, saturday at paignton a very well known exhibitor was carrying their poodle to the group ring like it was a diseased ornament with one arm underneath it extended from the body, is this what we want to show to the outside world that the dog matters very little only the winning, another gripe is holding the mouth shut so it doesn't mess up its face or hair and the dogs endlessly brushed on the group ring-does it really need to be brushed that much?

I find it very sad to see these poor dogs having to stand like statues whilst they're groomed for a eternity.

Whilst I too hate fussy handling I doubt the dogs mind if they did they would not perform.

Whilst I agee the majority are happy there was awful lot of puplic there tuesday and I really don't think this is the image we want to give to them that the hair do is more important than giving the dog a fuss.

I often think people are quite rough in how they put the dogs on and off the table, sometimes dropping them from several inches above the ground. OK not a huge drop, but surely unnecessary impact, I always put my dogs down on the ground properly. At least there is a lot less terrier type handling with the handler holding the dog up by neck and tail in order to put it on the table without touching the hair at all!

While this is probably just me and I understand why people do it BUT...bringing brushes into the ring and brushing whilst in the ring...

While a terrier should be able to be picked up by the tail, it drives me nuts when exhibitors pick the dog up by the neck and tail. Having shown coated terriers for quite a while now, I can safely say that picking them up properly does not mess up the coat that badly. Particularly in the group ring where you have plenty of time to get the dog on the table and run a comb through the coat before the judge turns around to examine your dog.

The one that bothers me more though is the people who pick the dog up with one hand between the dog's back legs and by the neck. This looks pretty weird to the general public, especially when the handler is presenting a male dog, as you can frequently see the dog looking pretty uncomfortable as it's being picked up.

The one that bothers me more though is the people who pick the dog up with one hand between the dog's back legs and by the neck. This looks pretty weird to the general public, especially when the handler is presenting a male dog, as you can frequently see the dog looking pretty uncomfortable as it's being picked up.

That is how this poodle was picked up but just with one arm being precariously balanced, the same exhibitor is always late to the group too as obviously spending 4hours grooming it is clearly not enough, I hate it.

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">While a terrier should be able to be picked up by the tail,

Really? I don't show my dogs but I think my terrier might let me know if he was picked up by the tail - I would be appalled if  I saw someone doing this :-( Why would anyone want to pick up their dog by it's tail?

Terriers would all have once been worked. The types that were entered to quarry below ground would sometimes have to be hauled back- the tail was the means to do this- grabbing the dog's body could end in a nasty redirected bite. Thus, a good, strong tail not a "pipe cleaner tail" is what is expected in show dogs today. Presumably the urge to pick dogs up by the tail in the showring, to demonstrate the strength of the tail, is a nod to their working conformation.

That's a good point, I hadn't thought of that. But still, pulling them back out of a hole isn't quite the same as picking them 5 feet off the ground to plonk them on a table - and I don't think it looks very good to the general public, if most of us non-terrier dog people aren't keen on seeing it. :-)

I do wonder if picking a small dog up with one hand supporting the chest and the other holding the tail is a problem to the dog would even suggest it is better than supporting the dogs weight with a hand under the abdomen. We would not pick a pup up by the scruff but the dam does, you often see a dog picked up with the arm or hand under the abdomen this is not good a hand under the chest and one supporting the back legs but if the dog is a terrier then it is possible the tail is the best way.

Please don't think I am condoning the practice- I'm just pointing out the probable rationale for the behaviour in the ring- it creates an association in the onlooker/judge's brain that this could be a working terrier and it gives the handler an 'authentic' look- " I can handle a terrier..me".

Please don't think I am condoning the practice-

No, nor was I but I am not sure it is not a better way to pick up a terrier than grasping it by the abdomen.