by Cindy L. Williams
He was a real nice show dog, but his glory days are through,
And he gazes out the kennel gate, with nothing much to do.
They're loading up the van now, 'cause they're going to a show,
But his showing days are over, and he doesn't get to go.
He watches, tail a waggin', his eyes as bright as they can get,
As his crate goes in he wonders why they haven't bathed him yet.
Then your eyes meet through the kennel fence, and you have to look away,
How are you going to tell him that he's staying home today?
Retirement, they call it, now he's in his 'golden years.'
He doesn't look as old, though, when your eyes are full of tears.
And you think of all the rosettes, and the Best in Show he won,
The more he showed, the better he got, and then he had a son...
And so now for the first time, you are leaving him behind,
And trying to convince yourself he doesn't really mind.
He sees the younger dog get in, and he's looking pretty low,
But there isn't time to cheer him up, you really have to go.
'Be a good boy, old dog, this time you have to stay!'
He doesn't bark or climb the fence, he simply looks away
Just like a nice old show dog, whose glory days are through,
He gazes out the kennel gate, with nothing much to do.
Yes, he used to be a show dog, but the glory doesn't last
And he's gazing out the kennel gate, remembering the past

Awww that's really sad. But you don't need to leave the old dog behind, you can enter him NFC and let him come and watch. :)

yeah...a wee bitty depressing...

i think it might be works like that that give the gp the idea that show dogs are less loved than pets.

open shows maybe but champshows at £14 a shot is a bit pricey !!

My friend has two old  dogs who she doesnt show anymore, they go and spend the day with her friends - so they get a treat too :)

oh dear feel a bit choked now..

Awww thats well sad, that really made me cry then :(

I actually did shed a tear, the poor doggi, but he doesnt need to stay home really does he!

Awwwww i want to cry, I can actually see him and his little face at the gate.

When my boy gets old I will still bring him with me, he loves it far to much to be left at home.

That is really sad poem. :(

Not always the case, on Sunday at my breed club champ show and the DCC was won by a veteran ch, his second CC from veteran this year. My young lad stood 2nd to him taking the RDCC I felt so proud to be in such good company. In my breed certainly at the club shows our veteran classes are very well filled.

yes, we have a 10 and over veteran class to encourage the oldies :)

Aaawwww, getting a mental image of the oldies saying "THIS is how you do it" to the younger ones :-)

Fortunately in the UK in most breeds a dogs show life is much longer, and in some breeds like mine a dog is competitively shown to around 10 years of age and taken out for special shows if they are fit and well right into their senior years.

My oldies love going to shows.  Last club show I had mother and daughter in the respective younger and older veteran classes.

Took my 15 year old to National Gundog this year and she got a good write up and enjoyed running around everyone when the cake was brought out for one of the girls birthday's :)

I take my old boy out to show's he still loves it, he has just won bvis at a breed club show.
the ones he dose not go to he always gets a new teddy brought back.
he so loves his toys & his day out.

My oldest show dog is now a veteran and I am so pleased as she will be able to come with us again. She really is the ultimate show dog never lets you down and always gives 100% :)

Aw, that's what Henry looks like when I leave him behind and take Ellie - but watch out, next year he will be a Veteran and we'll be back! :-D

My oldies get some 'one on one' Daddy attention when I go to shows...they love it......Piggie Ears and all naughty treats.....yeahhh. :-)

i love showing my old boy he recently got ist in an open class and best of breed against dogs half his age in my breed some dogs look better when older and will still be shown at 12 plus

I really love showing my oldies.  I'm so proud of them and their condition.  In fact, three of my RRs have won CCs from veteran - including a BOB at Crufts at nearly 9 and a BOS at Crufts at nearly 11 :)

I'm looking forward to taking my older Aussie (now 10 1/2) to the club show in a couple of weeks :)

Oh that is a sad poem.  Makes my eyes water, because I can just see it.

Cher gets to go to shows more often, than Casie, and Casie is getting quite upset at that.  Casie is 5, Cher is two.  Casie soured a bit, when we tried to special her, so we took her out, thinking thats what she wanted, and started in with obedience training. 

But I can see the way Casie looks at me, when Cher and Scarlet get to go "visit" other dogs, and my aunt.  I have been going down their quite frequently lately, and poor Casie, she gets left behind with my mom. 

I hope she enjoys the couple days she has had (two days so far - I asked if mom could get away for a while to the farm).  So here, its Cher and Scarlet, and Casie is out on vacation so to speak. 

when I put the show entries in, I am going to have to think long and hard, about who gets to go.