I was abolustely disgusted today to see the hound group judge at Chelmsford show in trainers, tracksuit bottoms and a wooly jumper! Mind you, I am not surprised, as it showed in her judging - she put up the dirtiest dogs. I paid my entry fee and presented my dog (and self) accordingly. This woman couldn't be bothered!

But where the dirtiest dogs the best quality ones?  Presentation isn't everything ;)

But it is a beauty show after all. If a judge goes over your dog and comes away with filfty hands what does that say about the way an exhibitor keeps their dogs? And with public opinion after Pedigree Dogs Exposed, it's even more important!

>comes away with filfty hands what does that say about the way an exhibitor keeps their dogs?

They had a run in the field that morning, and every morning before! :-D

It's NOT a beauty show, it's to be judged on conformation and movement and health.  Not how every hair is perfectly in place. 

During the winter and shooting season, we have dogs out in the field for 6/7hours in the pouring rain and mud on Saturday, and in the showring on Sunday.. we cant bath them and ruin the coat.. a quick dip in a local river and a hose down when they come home is about as clean as we can get them... While I like to go over a clean dog, I would rather place a dirty one which conforms to the standard.. and is healthy enough to be able to go out, have fun and get dirty ;-)   Its why baby wipes were invented :-D

> I would rather place a dirty one which conforms to the standard.. and is healthy enough to be able to go out, have fun and get dirty ;-)   Its why baby wipes were invented :-D

Agree totally.

When there are muddy days at shows and people carry a large dog into a ring so it doesn't get dirty, I think what the hell my dogs walk, I am not risking my neck for the sake of avoiding a bit of mud.

As for attire, nothing wrong with trainers (it is what most people wear for comfort and practicality, even in the USA with the glam outfits they wear sneakers), and if the tracksuit was clean, the judges dress is not what I pay for.

I don't beleive shwos to be 'Beauty shows' but an arena for evaluating the qualities of a dog, presentation is totally secondary, and sems often to dazzle so that the real dog is not seen.

There will be complaints about ugly judges next :-)

As much as I don't like to see scruffy judges....it's way down on my list of no-nos for judges.

> I would rather place a dirty one which conforms to the standard.. and is healthy enough to be able to go out, have fun and get dirty ;-)   Its why baby wipes were invented

Agree here too :)

At WELKS I was fascinated, the ground being wet and a little muddy, many of the more 'glamorous' Hounds and Terriers were in leggings and footwear if not full body suits many others were in crates on wheels - even the 'biggies' like Afghans

The Bedlingtons however, get WALKED into the show ground regardless.  People often comment that they look so glamorous/perfect/must take a lot of work etc. but I've never seen one being protected from the mud and weather, it just gets brushed out when dry or if really bad, a little self-rinse shampoo is used then dried off with a towel :-D 

Far more importance is placed on how fit a dog is and that requires exercise and running around to achieve, getting mucky is just par for the course :-D

>people carry a large dog into a ring so it doesn't get dirty

If I have spent 4 or so hours getting a white dog ready for the ring, last thing I want to be doing is trawling through a sea of mud!
There was a judge at an open show I went to this weekend who looked such a scruff, she had on a dirty looking velour tracksuit, she had made no effort whatsoever! Surely you do yourself no favours. When a perfectly respectable pair of trousers and shirt bought from Sainsburys even, costs less than a champ show entry!

Some people look like they re trying to make life difficult for themselves.

I once got a lift to a show with a couple in a large estate car.

My two girls sat on the floor behind the front seats with me on the backseat with my bag and some other show stuff.

What was in the large boot?

A large trolley with wheels that had to be taken off to get in car.  A plastic dog crate (airline type) and this took up nearly the whole boot.  What was in the crate?  A miniature pincher.

What would I have taken for such a small dog.  A chamois, show lead and wash-bag.  I would have tucked the dog under my arm if it was wet and I was wanting to keep him dry, a holdall over the other arm with my lunch and water and the dogs was/grooming bag.

I'm sorry but I wouldn't be impressed if a judge was like that and also yes you don't mind a dog being dirty just from getting from the car to showground, but I'm sorry doubt that any of you would attend with your dogs who hadn't been bathed and looked nearly to perfection.  I'm lucky though my dogs don't get brushed or combed, but have heard about some being shown that were filthy sadly and there's no excuse for this.

You all say you would rather judges put up dirty dogs that conform to the standard rather than dogs who don't and are groomed to perfection. But do these dogs go on to win the top awards? Take last year's to dog, the Standard Poodle Donny - you'd never see him covered in mud and he does enjoy a life as a 'proper dog'! By all means let dogs get dirty but then present them well before they go into the ring. IF you are paying up to £24 to enter a champ show surely you should be doing everything you can to up your chances of winning. A bit of effort with some soap, water and a comb isn't too much to ask!

But why should a dog be punished in it's placings because it didn't have a bath, or the owner didn't spend HOURS bathing.

Sometimes, for open shows, some people don't spend AGES making their dogs look perfect, some people don't have the ability to do so.  Unlike Donny not everyone is as good as Mike Gadsby for presentation and handling!

I can't see why someone would get upset over being beaten by a dog that was a little "scuffy".  Now lack of quality, type, health or temprement is a different matter, but presentation? 

And just for something on the lighter side...."A dog's Coat must develop naturally" http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/s_tillotson/fairy.htm

When I first started showing I decided that if I was going to show then I would learn about regs, standards and all that goes with it.
There was an evening course being run at an animal college nearby that was entitled ' Showing for the novice exhibitor'. It was a 10 week course and gave you the basics about showing and handling your dogs including KC rules and regs.
One of the things that the teacher impressed on us was that out of respect for the judge you should not take a dirty dog into the ring and also you should attire yourself tidily. She also impressed that should you ever judge equally out of respect for the exhibitors you should attire yourself tidily.
I fully agree that it is most important to assess the dogs construction first and foremost however, out of respect you should be clean and tidy. I prepare my dogs the evening before then I take my dogs for a run before a show and  do a quick clean up if they manage to get themselves dirty. I have had dogs under me at ringcraft that have stunk of poo and I don't think that that is acceptable under any circumstances.

whilst I agree with the majority in that a clean dog isnt neccesarily the best dog there.......I have to agree a little with the OP about the way judges dress!!! theres nothing worse than a scruffy judge. Im not talking fashion sense here...just basic commom courtesy to exhibitors and show society. iwas working at a show once where the judge was sent off to buy a tie before he was allowed to judge!! I thought it was brilliant :). my absolute PET HATE  is gum an trainers!! If anyone came under me chewing gum id struggle not to say anything.:) I cant believe it when you see a judge chewing gum in the ring, its disgusting. Dont even get me started on trainers!!!!

I have heard on occasion people comment on my breed being wheeled into the show ring or in boots during bad weather BUT if you cared to look at the length of the hair in a beardie just around the feet you would maybe understand it can take hours to groom my breed most time spent on thier feet and legs this is not particuarily for the 'beauty element' it is to make the dog comfortable , everything sticks to a beardie coat mud in particular which cannot be wiped down with a wet wipe!

I'd take that judge's attire any day! What REALLY upsets me is when you get judges that have flapping ties, and even worse long flapping coats (i.e. not done up -the good judges even fasten their ties down), that hit the dogs in the head or even cover them when they bend over. For a puppy's first show, or one of the first, this can be really scary and can create future problems. We've had to resort to walking around with flapping clothes at home and deliberately hit the dogs with it. :D