I was quite saddened and annoyed at the weekend after visiting an open show.

I witnessed several incidents of harsh handling which was totally out of order. The first incident was a woman walking back to her cages with two well behaved pointers, I had my wriggling puppy on a lead (a short lead) he was trying to get to her dogs to say hello but I wouldnt let him as could see the owner of the other two was wanting to get on, one of her dogs just glanced at him and started to wag his tail (didnt even pull) and she belted him in the face ! Hard. 
I was so shocked!   This poor dog had done nothing wrong whatsoever, he merely looked at my dog. and besides if he had have pulled his owner I hate people who hit their dogs in the face and around the head, there is no need for it at all!! 
I wish now I would have said something to this woman

A bit later on, I was speaking to another person in my breed who had just had words with another woman for laying into her dogs for no reason at all, he had to intervene and tell her her behaviour was not acceptable.

It really isnt on, our dogs are so good to attend shows and stand in the ring being gone over and messed about with, they deserve to be treated with respect and not battered when the owner is getting a bit stressed about going into their class or is in a bad mood after being chucked out.

I know the next case of heavy handidness like this I am going to report to the show Secretarys, it just isnt on !

That is the only way ti will stop if we all of us refuse to let it go on and report it.

Yes definately report it...why oh why people attend dog shows when they cant deal with the stress or rejection is beyond me. If you cant get the thing into perspective without hitting your dog, or flouncing out of the ring because you only got the RCC(yes I have seen it!), then for goodness sake take up knitting and stay at home. These people ruin it for the genuine dog lovers.

Yep if you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen. 

I remember when I had the fantastic year (2001) with my Jozi my first champion, she won 5CC's including the club show out of I think 8 or 10 CC shows attended, and I think won most of her classes.  I worried how I would feel when the bubble burst as of course it must, and was relieved/pleased that I wasn't that bothered. 

Then again I had already been showing for 7 years as one of the numbers, being pleased with placing in a big class etc.

Just out of interest if they are reported what happens or should happen ?

Im not sure what would happen or that the secretary would even go approach the offending owner but they should do.

It is these people that give showing a bad name, I like to visit shows not just to show my dogs and win prizes but to see all the dogs, I love watching the other breeds and meeting other dogs and their owners (only nice ones).
I also dont like to see people leaving dogs on top of a grooming table then walk off leaving them there often with a loop around their neck! so irresponsible

I once saw someone at an open show put a big thick choke chain on a Vizsla (and when I say big, it was huge), then talking to another woman said something like "if he does that, do THIS" and gave the lead a massive jerk which brought the poor dog flying backwards.
We expect the dogs to go through all sorts at shows, they don't deserve to be treated that way.

Just out of interest if they are reported what happens or should happen ?

If you report it to the Secretary on the day it has to go into the incident book.  The Secretary then decides what action to take.  If you reoprt it to the Secretary AND the KC (which costs about £35 I think - to stop people making complaints about trivial things or with malicious intent) then the KC will ask for witness statements and, if they think there's enough evidence, they will have a hearing and the outcome could be anything from doing nothing at all to a ban from entering or attending shows, judging and registering a dog in their name.

I would definitely have reported this incident.  The show game has enough of a bad name anyway without exhibitors letting this sort of thing go unchallenged.

Debs

Of course a society has the right to refuse entries from anyone they care to, so a society can choose to not allow entries from people who do such things, so it needn't go as far as the KC.

I don't understand the mentality of people like that.  I make just as much fuss of my dog if she wins, is placed or unplaced.  Sadly it seems to be on the increase, i've said something a couple of times and have had a mouthful back - its their dog they can do what they like or they deserve it they didn't behave properly in the ring (or words to that effect).  I was watching a breed when one exhibiter won two classes with two different dogs but did not win best of breed - she stormed out of the ring and the two firsts (cards & rosettes went into the bin) with the words f...k..g useless judge, if i can't have best of breed then i don't want this crap - dragging the poor dogs as she went and shouting "come on you worthless peices of sh.t".  I won't repeat what she called the best of breed winner.

That is horrid but I have seen similar, including one incident where a person in my breed didnt get placed at a champ show and we won! Instead of congratulating us she came over and said "i should have won that class , several people around the ring agreed!" she was totally green in the face and almost crying with rage.
She then dragged the dog off and was seen literally throwing him into the back of the car and driving off at speed without staying for further classes with her other dogs.

Its so embarrassing but more importantly unfair on the dogs, I think there should be a bit more policing at both open and Champ shows.
I dont think its right to dump a dog on a bench and waltz off for the rest of the day leaving the dog the unattended and without water or sometimes even without a blanket to lie on, its people like me that end up babysitting for everyone elses dogs and giving them water!

Someone in laid into one of her dogs at LKA a few years back, I wish I'd done something then and the dog really wasn't doing anything.  Just think if that's what they are doing to their dogs in front of many people what are they doing to them at home!

Haven't seen any extreme behaviour (Physical) but have been in the ring with people who obviously didn't appreciate their placing (or non-placing)  I just can't understand why anyone who could feel like that would want to continue showing.   I've always taken the attitude that I take the best dog home anyway no matter how she's done.  She's still my best girl :)

Like Brainless I had a good run, (not as good as that tho :-D ) we started on a high and stayed there for some time and then got chucked :) everyone was so kind commiserating etc, but I felt it was good for me, if the high had carried on I might have started expecting to do well all the time.  Besides without the lows how can you appreciate the highs?   We got a CC and BOB at our second Ch Show but tho it was wonderful (I was in shock LOL) the ones we won later felt far more exciting as we were more able appreciate it :)

I also can't understand how people can take their dog to shows and then leave it alone on the bench/grooming table for hours :(   Not a caring attitude IMHO :( 

I agree i never leave my dog alone on a bench.  At one time i was always benched next to the top winning dog in our breed but the only time you ever saw the owner was to take it into the ring - the poor dog was left alone on the bench before and after.  I always gave it a drink of water and made a fuss of it but i could have been anyone, doing anything including god forbid poisoning it. 

I've never seen anything that bad, but I know my friend once took my boy to a show while I was on holiday, as we thought the judge would like him we'd gone to enormous lengths to get him there, and he only got 5th and she was spitting blood and swearing when she came out of the ring, very out of character I hasten to add!! But I can't understand people who win or come 2nd and act like that, I've seen someone come RBIS at a club open show (my boy was BIS, yippee!) and refused the cup with very poor grace - I would have been almost as thrilled to get RBIS as I was to get BIS! We had a golden summer like MM's once, got BOB at nearly every open show we went to, got placed at nearly every Champ show, and got a CC - wonderful days. :-) I admit I'm disappointed when my boy doesn't win as even at nearly 6 I think he outshines every dog there (of course!), but I would never make a scene, I think the worst I've done is walk out tight lipped and politely return the 4th place prize card quietly later on, or once exchange rollings of eyes with the steward who obviously thought the judge was completely mad. :-)

Mind you, a couple of weeks ago at ringcraft I had to be pretty severe with my idiot boy who had fallen in love with 2 dog puppies, and sometimes purely because he was charging at speed he nearly flew off his feet when I checked him, I felt so guilty and was expecting to be told off any minute! !

why did you return a fourth prize card ?

fraid i wont stand for it. On a number of occassions I have had exhibitors loose their rag with their dogs at show sessions and I have told them quite firmly that im not prepared to continue the session if they are going to get angry with their dogs....afterall its their fault the dog wont stand correctly, not the dogs!!!

I have never seen any abuse of dogs at shows, but I have seen some rotten exibitors.  They wont win, and then badtalk the dog that took it.  And of course the handler.  When my dog comes out of the ring, no matter how great or how poorly the outcome, I remember, look I payed my 25 bucks to get a mans (or womans) opinion.  So what if they really didnt like something about my dog.  Who cares, really, because she is my baby, and I am the one that thinks she is gorgeous. 

I get mad at the very political shows, where you know you wont do anything since you arent a pro.  You can watch certain judges, and they arent even looking at the dog, they are looking at the other end of the leash - meaning who is holding onto it.

I would at least tell the show secretary what happened.  Abuse and bad sportsmanship ruin the name of pure bred dog shows. 

As for dogs being left on the table, it happens all the time here.  I have seen poodles on the grooming table not moving a muscle for hours on end.  Its sad, so glad I got a breed, where very little grooming is necessary, so the time on the table is training, not being strung by a strap and meant to stay their for hours. 

I've never seen that sort of bad handling, I've seen and heard some owners being snotty or bitching about other people/dogs....Like people on here, my dogs get fussed and told how good they are no matter where they come, and if I come last? Well I just smile even more, because someone has to come last, and if my dog isn't as nice in the judges opinion then that's fine by me. One of my girls is an absolute dream to show, behaves herself, but rarely places....but I like to take her to every show because she is such a pleasure to be with...But to me showing is a hobby as I work full time, I suppose if all I did was show and maintain a top kennel I might have a different attitude towards it.....maybe I should take it more seriously

(and I must admit that one of the reasons I havn't been to a champ show yet is the thought of being sat with my dog with no-one to talk to because all the other dogs had been left benched - probably totally incorrect, but just the impression I got when I was told about benching, and one breeder told me that my dog would have to be happy to be on his own because otherwise how would I able to go and get a cup of tea..)

I know shows are as much about politics as the fun etc, but I just want to enjoy them and see happy people with happy dogs....

Ive not seen REALLY bad handling - i did see someone kicking a crate with a dog in it to shut the dog up which didnt impress me in the slightest, that was a shame as well as I had been very impressed with the way he'd handled his dog in the ring too!

Ive seen some rather silly handling though, people just totally unaware of what their dog is doing or about to do because they are too busy chatting or drinking tea and not watching the dog on the end of the lead. That kind of thing can lead to scraps and nastiness unfortunately - or someone getting their leg weed up!

Wouldn't dogs left on grooming tables unattended be at risk of hanging themself :-o  That's shocking
Sorry if someone has mentioned this, not had time to read all posts.

I've seen a few bad sorts abusing their dogs and if it's cruelty I always report it to the Show manager and/or Secretary.
At the SKC I saw a woman nearly knock the head off a little Cav bitch, they seemed like new people or had brought their pet along and had got over anxious. I reported and then preceded to tell every one I knew and they all came up and tutted etc. Humiliation worked as they soon left. Wont help the little bitch in her everyday life though .......shame.

I was handling a utility breed and had to wait to get into the ring after the French Bulldogs. We sat by the ringside to wait and noticed that I was sitting on a torn up Reserve CC won by a FB dog. I certainly reported that, told the judge and steward.... who do they think they are? Much of the entry would have loved to win that.

I've seen it quite often at shows where someone's dog barks or pulls towards another dog and they get hit quite hard across the head....it makes my blood boil!!  I have a young male Rottie (16mth) and at his age he wants to play with everything however if he gets excited or over the top its my job to distract and quieten him down in a kind way.  We ask alot of our dogs at shows, generally its a long day for them and for many pretty boring...they deserve to enjoy it as much as we do.

> Much of the entry would have loved to win that.

I feel that way with all class placings, as after all the judge can wihold.  I ahve all my prize cards from the lowliest up, and if I wasn't last then I think even being miffed at a fourth is insulting/poor manners to the person placed fifth or not placed at all..

I was gutted once, I left a 5th place card on my bench :(

I did that and rang Midland counties secretary (there was a fourth place one to) and they sent me spares.

I was once driving along the road in a town when I saw a 'drunk man' being very rough with his wee dog.  I know it was silly but I stipped the car got out  and said to the man that he had a lovely wee dog and there was no need to treat it the way he was doing. and added that if I saw him doing the same thing again I would come back and take the dog off him.  He wa so nice and apologised to me.  I know I was silly but I couldnt help myself. I was daylight and busy so I felt brave.

I remember once at Bournemouth Ch show a woman handling a beagle. She wasn't placed but seemed to take it on the chin and calmly leave the ring. She then took the dog out of sight of the judges and really walloped the poor little thing across his back with the leather lead. Like it was his fault they didn't win!The only good thing was someone else saw and a huge row took place between them. The wicked cow, that must have been about 6 years ago but it haunted me for ages! :-(

I hasten to add I didn't get angry with him (at least I didn't show it!) but I did have to be much firmer than normal. After about 30 minutes of him flying out to the end of the lead and me stopping him hurtling across the floor to his new friends, he finally remembered how to walk normally!

Claire, I'm forced to say I return the rosettes (I didn't mean the cards actually, I still put them in the folder) purely because Henry's board is so full of BOBs and Group placings that anything under an Open show 1st or a Ch show 2nd just doesn't get board space!! Sounds like bragging but that's how good a career my superdog's had! :-)

Brainless, I'm jealous, once I won 1st at Thames Valley and left the rosette on the secretary's table while we challenged (and won!) BOB, and left the 1st place rosette there. I emailed the secretary several times and they said they would send one, and I even sent them an SAE once, but nothing ever came - I'm still sad!

I see Lucy, that makes all the difference, I know loads of people that return rosettes :)

Returning rosettes if you really don't keep them is helping the society, especially if they are not dated.

They can also be donated to companion shows/charities where they will just change the centres.

> She's still my best girl :-)
>
>

Good for you Dill!

Id love to video some of these cruel acts, and publicly shame these nasty people by posting them on youtube.........