This makes very interesting reading !!!!! Love to know how anyone can police it

Especially as at the moment there seems to be plenty of "press" about people at shows who cant keep their children under proper control :(

It's madness, isn't it. :( I wrote about it  for my breed notes for next week and said as much. Imagine all the possible scenarios -we all know what "Joe Public"'s dogs CAN be like! And us, the exhibitors, still have to pay for dogs brought as NFC! Yes I can see the need to pay if we want a BENCH, but that wouldn't always be necessary.

Marianne

Hang on, how come we have to pay for NFC dogs but the spectators don't! If that was me, I would leave my unentered dogs in the car for 2 minutes while wheeling the entered dog in, then pretend I was a spectator to take the other ones in free!!

My thoughts exactly & nothing to stop people giving false information

At the Obedience show I am Chief Steward at(same as show manager at breed shows really)there is no way we could enforce this as it is on common law & legally the people of the town have to have free & unrestricted access to it

you pay for the bench though, two of mine wouldnt fit on one bench so I would have to pay NFC anyway.  I think it will be stupid allowing spectators dogs, if someone wants to take their dog that badly then they should enter it NFC.

Can you imagine trying to get your dog past a crowd of them to get to a ring? And, God forbid if they extend it to Crufts!

Hi Fillis,

It's very possible that it's entirely because of the amount of general public that turned up at the NEC for Crufts with their pet dogs that the KC has come up with this ludicrous and thoroughly inappropriate idea.

As usual it's the exhibits and exhibitors who are being short changed by the powers that be :(   Hopefully the champ shows who need to apply for permission before offering this facility will simply rubber ear the suggestion.  I'm sure their Committees already have more than enough on their plate without worrying about Joe Publics dogs too.

Can you just see every member of the public knowing whether their dog is suffering from a contagious condition of some description or other? Basic viral infections, fleas, kennel cough?  And how could they possibly assess how well behaved the average pet dog would be when put under the stresses and strains of a crowded dog show environment?  If this is taken up by societies I'd imagine there will be a helluva lot of incident reports to be written up during and after each show

Teri

How will anyone be able to know how many dogs were brought in and with who? 

What's to stop someone walking out with more than they should?  As exhibitors we get passes stating at least how many dogs and their bench/ring numbers, but what about the spectators?  Who will police it?  

Who will be liable if an exhibited dog is attacked by one of the spectator dogs? (or several)  If it's between 2 exhibited dogs then addresses and names are in the catalogue, but if people are just walking in and giving names and addresses....... :rolleyes:

And it can be very difficult getting into a ring as it is, with the addition of spectator dogs it could be a nightmare :(

Perhaps its time for exhibitors to make a stand?  Ask beforehand if spectator dogs will be present and boycott the show, shouldn't take too long before it stops - if enough people refuse to enter ;)

Can you imagine what it would be like on the last day at Crufts when walking without a dog is hard enough Add a few 100 other dogs & owners doesn't bear thinking about !

Its utter madness. Dogs already have a bad enough press, so imagine if there was any kind of incident at a champ show - the press would have a field day :( As previously said, the security would be a nightmare, and no-one would feel their dogs were safe. Previously dogs have been stolen from shows, so how much easier to come in with 2 dogs and leave with 4 or 5.

So does that mean I can now enter my cross-breed NFC?  That would be wonderful.  Doubt it though - so what you've suggested would be perfect - go back and get her as a spectator, then pop her in the crate with my other two.

Wendy

Its in this weeks dog press.