Initial response - Wow this is great! Have managed to see some breeds I have only read about previously! Don't you just love dogs???????

After about 5 hours - Can we find somewhere to sit for a while? Why do some people totally ignore the announcements about NOT smoking?

Finally home - Had to leave earlyish as have big week coming up (three weeks actually). But Wow it was worth the trip. Pity about the smokers though!

robkay

robkay, dont be too hard on the smokers, this is the first year that smoking has been banned and I for one did not know anything about it until I got there. As I don't smoke it was no problem to me but at my age the only pleasure left in life is passive smoking!

I didn't even realise smoking had been banned

I had a couple during the course of the day stood at the side of the hall by the ashtrays provided (along with other smokers) - I was seen by security I'm sure and no-one said anything.

I don't agree with people walking around smoking but didn't realise it was meant to be banned everywhere and I'm sure many others didn't either - I never heard an announcement

Smoking was definitely banned last year as well - it says so on the green paper poster-thing I kept from my bench.

john--i think this is AT LEAST the second year smoking has been banned :p sorry,

You're right Dizzy - it was certainly banned in 2001 and 2002 - don't know before that though...There was certainly a lot less smoking than usual, but I saw one woman lighting up during one of the loudspeaker reminders of the smoking ban...some people just don't listen!! :)

As a smoker who paid over £100 out in expenses and entries to provide some of the dogs who make up Crufts. I object to your comments.:-(

If we didn't have to stay by our benches all the time to protect our dogs from the so called dog loving public then we would be quite happy to go into the bars to smoke. To be honest I am much happier at a normal champ show where we don't have to worry about the general public and can indulge in our bad habit. Yes I admit it is a bad habit but I'm an addict :-) To be honest I found the worst offenders walking round with cigs in their hands were the public not the exhibitors.

Having had children merrily pushing fingers into their cages and offering sweets biscuits etc. to the dogs as I sat by their sides I hate to think what would happen if we left them to go outside or in the bar.

We were lucky in our hall we had a reasonable door steward who let us congregate in a corner near the doors instead of sending us outside in the rain to smoke, and from where we were able to see our dogs.

A friend who goes to our agility group suffered a very bad asthma attack recently due to a few people 'lighting up' during the tea-break. Whilst I have no objection to people smoking in their own homes etc, I wish that people think who may be standing next to them.

Daisy (who also finds cigarette smoke even more unpleasant during the summer when I have hay fever)

Its great that smokers get the chance to defend there right to smoke when they want, and so they should, but how can I defend my right to breathe clean air and come home from having a drink in the local with out my cloths smelling of smoke., or running the risk of cigerette burns in my clothes

I didn't go to crufts, but I watched it on TV, and I think we ordinary dog owners owe all the people who put such hard work in and strive to breed such wonderful dogs a great big thank you. The look of emotion on the faces of the people taking part conveys all the hardwork and sacrifice they've made to get there, and wasn't the obediance brilliant, not to single out any one discipline for praise, you all deserve a huge thank you, and for helping us ordinary owners with our problems, once again a great big thank you.

Robert & Heidi (who is a better behaved, happier dog, because of champdogs)

Although lucky enough to come away with a first Crufts is a trade fair where exhibitors are put last. Role on WELKS.
My Irish Setter was burnt with a fag at an open show, so it is dangerous around dogs and personally I don't want to share in other people's cancer!

I have already moaned on here this morning about the smoking....but should mention that I was stood at a trade stand & watched a woman drop a lit cig butt on the carpet, still smoking, and walk away. I grabbed her shoulder, pointed at the butt & said are you going to leave that there. She then stamped on it, shrugged her shoulders & walked away. i made a few choice comments about my hound burning his feet/fire hazzards but it was lost on her. :(

I also saw quite a few piles of poo left on carpets for others to tread in.....shocking! These are supposed to be the cream of responsible owners! i cleaned up 3 lots with my own bags...and i didnt even have a dog with me that day!

Bad dog-owners and bad smokers. I wonder if they were the same people?

Did not appreciate the 'bag of worms' I would be opening with my comments about smoking (or not). As it has raised a number of comments in reply maybe I should explain my comments.

The NO SMOKING announcements were being made regularly today when we were attending. Each time the announcement was made it was stated it was for the safety of the dogs and the visitors.

I do understand how difficult it must be to leave your dog when you want to have a smoke. However, you could ask another breeder to keep an eye on your dogs while you have a ciggie.

Surely the safety of the dogs and exhibitors/visitors is paramount!

robkay

Hi robkay

I honestly never heard the No Smoking announcement on Thursday :)

Again it's like anything though - there are always some who spoil it for others. I would say I am a considerate smoker (like many others). I wouldn't have dreamed of walking around with a cig in hand nor of dropping one on the carpets like Sam saw. There are ashtrays all around the edges of the NEC halls so that is where I went and what I used.

Even though I am a smoker I get annoyed by inconsiderate smokers who put dogs and humans in danger. Britain is becoming a place where smokers are in the minority and I appreciate that which is why I don't ram my right to smoke down peoples throats and usually take myself off out the way if I want one. We're not all bad you know ;)

SaraW :)

There were definitely smoking announcements all day on saturday. I am a great believer in live & let live and have no objection to people smoking.I choose not to smoke but don't mind if others wish to enjoy their habit. If i don't like it then i will simply walk away. HOWEVER my objection at crufts is people sticking their fags in my hounds face, breathing smoke all over him and generally creating a dangerous situation by dropping burning buts on the floor. One has to wonder if they would leave burning buts on their carpets at home??? mind you, looking at the state of some of the public walking around, they probably would!!! I felt like a real hick up from the sticks. My friend & sat agog at the way some folk were dressed for a day out....bare tummys, stilettos,.....we were glad to get back to the country!

Sara like you I stood near the *doors* where ashtrays were provided- so I'm assuming that must have been allowed since that's where *most* (not all;)) people seemed to stand:) I do see both sides though since I was nearly burnt myself and also saw others walking round smoking when so many had dogs with them:o

Stacey x x x

I also stood by the doors or outside for a ciggie ....the vast majority of smokers did ...there are some , however , who smoke whenever and wherever they want to and there always will be ....can we not castigate every smoker because of a few maladjusted people please?

Melody - Who notes that the *Clean air* people have FAR more places to go than do smokers now ;) :D

Where I live they ban smoking in public places , so the smokers stand right outside the doors and smoke. So when you step outside for a breath of fresh air, you are immediatley hit with a cloud of smoke!

Carissa

So you want cake AND eat it then Carissa ;)

I am more than happy to not smoke where I am not allowed to ...but I did go outside a building once for a ciggie ..only to have someone step outside , stand next to me and then complain that I was smoking! I have to say I wasn't impressed ....she did stand downwind of my smoke ....it wasn't raining ...and I was there first :) Have to say I didn't move ...more bl**dymindeness than anything else ..but I smiled sweetly at her and said she could always stand upwind if she wanted to :)

Melody :)

One good thing about smoking (only good thing :) ) - I can always tell when my 17 year old daughter has been to the pub, because she stinks when she comes home :D (Hate to think what it is doing to her lungs tho', even passive smoking)

Daisy