Hello

There is one question I have always wondered about the showing world.  I understand that show dogs should be left unneutered unless for medical reasons when it must be reported to the KC.  A dog is easy enough to see but how can a judge tell if a bitch has been spayed?  Especially in the long coated breeds once the coat has all grown back. 

You can show spayed & castrated dogs as long as you tell the KC there's even a form for it on the KC site No medical reasons required, There is no reason why a judge needs to know for  a bitch

They obviously need to know if it is dog ;)

They can't so it's really a case of trusting people to be honest, but in many breeds it changes the quality of the coat so that it wuldn't be worthwhile showing the bitch afterwards. In others it gives them more of a coat and makes them look better -wasn't there a crufts reserve BIS a few years ago that was a spayed bitch that was said to have had an extra abundance of coat because she was spayed?

Marianne

A judge can't tell, and as it's perfectly acceptable to show a spayed bitch (you do need to inform the KC first) there's no need for anyone to try to hide the fact.
:)

Thanks for putting me straight on that one.  Explains why my spayed sheltie has such a coat. 

yes,

I know a few neutered shelties (dogs and bitches) who have really profuse coats :(  The ones in the show ring never have coats as profuse as this.  I always think its a shame when a dog has a really profuse coat as its really difficult to look after when they don't drop their coats naturally.