I just wanted to write to really just ask you to give a warning to others regarding dogs on benches at champ shows.

My Labrador Halshimoor Hi Five to  Fullwell  ( Nell ) was  very listless at the  Leeds Championship show even though  she had been her normally dynamic self both when I dropped her off At Mark and Jane Rawlinson's on Friday evening and also on arrival at the show.

Mark noticed she wasn't her usual self not wagging her tail ,showing little interest etc

I went to collect her straight after they arrived home and in the car going home she was a bit unresponsive and  her breathing  I would describe as laboured.

I brought her home and she wasn't interested in her food really which is not Nell.

Having lost a four year old   some years ago with a  Pyometra I immediately rang the Vet to seek advice  thinking as she had recently been in season I wasn't taking any chances.

She was thoroughly checked over and scan taken of her uterus to rule out Pyo etc...

The upshot is the Vet could NOT rule out   and it was highly   likely she may   have been given a   sedative she felt she could have been given ACP and the time line would be right probably just enough to knock her off form not enought to alert the show Vet   :-(

I have since heard that A  top winning bitch was daubed in black sticky stuff possible engine oil at the champshow this weekend this is really worriying stuff

So watch your dog especially if you have a top winning one  Mine is on two Ccs  so may be considered a threat  but rest assured  in future will be watched like  a hawk at shows.





Glenys Fryer Fullwell Labradors

My God Glenys, thank goodness Nell is OK.. this is dreadfull.. I cannot imagine anyone in our breed could do such a thing :-(  it's dispicable..

I spoke to Mark, and I think he had Nell with him at the time.. but to be honest.. I didnt take much notice, and normally I do watch her in the ring (since she is my Ollie's half sister)

Thank you for the warning.. It's such a shame that you had to  :-(

Kay

thank goodness your dog is ok now. A friend of mine had one of her danes daubed in sticky black stuff at a show and also chewing gum smeared on the dog before it went in a ring we think it happened as we were trying to get to the ring through a crowd of people some of who had her dogs competitors.

What on earth goes through peoples minds that they would do such a thing. I know it was just sticky stuff and chewing gum, all of which thankfully we got out eventually,but giving sedatives to a dog without owners permission is serious,a reaction to the sedative could kill the poor thing.
Is winning really all thats important to these stupid people that they resort to this kind of underhand and possibly dangerous tactics?
I despair

Hi Glenys, that is awful indeed. It was nice to see your name pop up but not under this type of circumstance.  Just glad she is safe Glenys.= first and foremost. The more I hear the more I think too many bampots in dogs.    

That is terrible, I can't believe that anyone who truly loves dogs would do such a thing! Surely winning can't be that important to them? If it is then its time they stopped showing IMHO. Disgusting behaviour, I hope Nell is back to normal soon.

I didn't go to Leeds, but got an e-mail about a dog in my breed (Australian Shepherds) having his head daubed with purple paint before he went in the ring. A week later, his owner still can't get it off. :-(
Are some people really that desperate ????

Gabrielle

I hope your poor girl recovers with no lasting side effects, I heard of this happening when I was in NZ with the top Rottie being poisoned and sadly died whilst still at the showground.

Not everyone is in it for the love of dogs :(  and it seems winning with not the best dog is some kind of acheivement for these people.

Sending healing thoughts to your precious girl, she must really be something special to have been targetted like this.

Disgusting, how can people take it that far, just glad the outcome was a good one, poor nell

Really sorry to read this and cant believe that people can stoop so low to do this. You would think that at a show it would be fellow dog lovers so how can they do this? Just means we will all have to be extra aware at shows now for the safety of our loved ones.

Hope Nell makes a full recovery.

>>Hi Glenys, that is awful indeed. It was nice to see your name pop up but not under this type of circumstance.  Just glad she is safe Glenys.= first and foremost.>>

That's just what I was thinking Blue. Poor Nell!!

Thank you for your kind words Nell is back to her normal  cheeky self now.
Its worrying because dog showing should be fun if people will go to these lenghs we will all be  totally paranoid. Nell is a very trusting dog and a family pet.
Speaking with a few others has thrown up more odd things happening   such a shame there are some sad people around.
They wont get a chance to be near her again we must all watch out now and watch out for other peoples dogs too.
I dont know about anyone else but I find Crufts pretty scary where strangers are always round the benches I will be worse now  :-(

What a horrible thing to happen!  Poor Nell.  I'm so glad she's back to normal Glenys.

It beggars belief that anyone could do this, the first thing that springs to mind though - is it another exhibitor trying to nobble the competition or is it someone who watched 'that' programme and is anti show/pedigree dogs??  Either way, it is just despicable!!

Thats Horrible! Im glad she is ok.

It seems as if a few people have had problems, Iv'e hurd of people doing things to prevent other dogs winning but i didnt think it happened that often. Some people are too obsessed with winning they will do anything, its so sad.

I am so glad your girl is back to her old self now, What is wrong with some people :( very bad losers!!!

Just to add to this, not sure why i haven't noticed until this morning.

I can see that someone has cut a large chunk of fur off the end of my dogs tail. Its is clear this is a scissor cut, this could of only happened at Paington on monday. What i'm trying to figure is how, the dog was either with me or my friend during the day. It could of happened when i guess when he was with one of us and we were holding him but not watching him???

Not happy now i've noticed this, what is up with people???
Not as bad as the original poster that is for sure and i'm glad that the dog is doing well.

Someone in my breed recently received a letter advising her not to exhibit her dogs "for their own safety" It is now in the hands of the Police, but you wonder what a sad bunch of people they must be to go to these lengths to ensure they have no competition for their own inferior specimens

dont know about bad losers i think their BAD PEOPLE

A dog in our breed a few yrs back was given something which saw him in the vets for 2 wks very seriously ill, as we're a very small breed word got out quickly and thankfully it hasn't happend to another since but it was a very worrying period.

I just don't understand folk who do such things to any innocent creature, be a sport and lose graciously not a malicous scumbag who shouldn't be allowed near a living animal again!

Sorry too hear about nell im glad she is back to her self...i dont understand people who would want to hurt any dog

In reply to Sue.

I am horrified to think that anyone in Bernese could do such a thing Sue. I have just had a close look at Merlot and Pup and they are fine... Did you have Kia with you all the time? I know we had quite a crowd with Mum and Dad, Rosie, Sam Adam and Liz Ron, and me of course so it would have been hard to get to my girls. This is one of the reasons I will NEVER EVER leave my girls on benches. They stay with me and if I cannot get someone I trust to hold one then the other does not go in the ring. Simple as that, my girls are far far too important to risk, I am not a trophy hunter but obviously someone is to do this to poor Kia. Thank goodness it is only fur and it wil grow back.
On another note as you saw I let young Adam handle Merlot in the open..his first time and he did a...lets say...les than good job, as it happend she won on her merits not on  her handlers talents!! but you would not believe the strange comments I got from people, they were rushing to tell me not to let him near her again!! Yes I know he needs lots of practice but surely a bit of encouragement for the lad..he is only 20! 1st time handling a Bern and as far as I was concerned I agreed to let him try and would have been happy if he got thrown out, it's all about enjoying the day, not win win win! Obviously when she won open I was coming to take her in the challenge but he had his moment and it made his day.
I think I must be one of a strange breed who shows for fun, friends and a day out, these sick people who are capable of inflicting  harm on dogs are the scum of the earth in my opinion.
Aileen

omg sue that is horrid, really shocks me that these sort of things are and can happen at the shows :( it really makes you think twice about taking part in these shows, i dont go that often, but it really shocks me.  The shows for me, are to have fun, socialise with other people with the same interests as me. I am planning to start showing my box soon, was given some information a while ago that put me off showing him, but later found out that is was a lie, but thats another story! So i will certainly be more aware of the going ons and will just try and enjoy my day with my boy x :)

Aileen,

I didn't think Adam did a bad job to be honest, she did move well for him, not as good as she did for you but that is to be expected for a novice handler and especially with a Bern. I hope that he continues to enjoy handling as i think he could possibly do very well if he keeps up with it and practices.
I was i have to admit a little disappointed we didn't get anywhere, but i know that Kai moved very well and we did the best we could on the day, he wasn't here type plain and simple. I had a lovely day all the same.
I know his fur will come back and its not the end of the world, so all i can think of maybe if it wasn't an exhibitor as i personally can't think of anyone in the breed who would do that then it would of been a MOP.

Anyway onwards and upwards and lets hope that the fur has grown back for Richmond. Will have both fur monsters with me then, should be interesting

Zoe,

When you are feeling better i think you should get yourself back into the show ring!!! Not seen your boy out for a while now.
You have the GB champ show in Sept and an open show in Oct that are still open for entries.

This sadly is nothing new, way back in 1978 after our Beardie bitch won her 1st CC(with BOB)1st Res CC someone deliberately put chewing gum into her coat. It was deliberate as it was well & truly rubbed in. The next year at Crufts, whilst we were waiting to go into Open Bitch someone cut her nuzzle coat, fortunately they did it on the handler side for the ring(she was on the wrong side outside the ring)She wasn't alone & someone was also doping dogs on the benches-I had a very good idea who it was, because when they dropped out of the show scene it all stopped & only started again when they came back to showing. Never had any proof, other than when I was at a show on my own & had to leave her unattended along with my BC bitch who was entered NFC & left with her on the bench with her, there was an ACP tablet in some cheese on the floor in front of the bench & the only person around was the one I suspected, who had a bite on their hand ! As my BC bitch would refuse anything offered to her & if any attempt was made to touch Hiedi would have protected her I put 1 &1 together !

thanks sue, will try and get myself organised! I think my husband will have to handle him, as i seem to have lost the nerve! :) can not wait to get him out and to show him off! He has certainly got his daddys looks! :)

I was also told of  someone who had one of their bitches tampered with and she couldnt understand why they had targeted that  particular dog as it wasnt her top one till she realised that her top winner was on the wrong bench :-( :-(   and the chewing gum thing has been done to a lot of dogs too.
Maybe we should dispose of benching numbers  just put so many benches in alphabetical order for surnames or whatever.
Nell was actually in a soft cage thing so they had undone that as well.

At a recent Champ show (Windsor I believe) a bichon frise bitch crated on her bench was covered with what they believe was fake tan as the poor dog looked stained and then became darker and darker as the day progressed :-( :-(

What is wrong with people.

This is terrible.

You're all scaring me. :-(

Don't think I will take my eyes off my boy tomorrow - just didn't realise the dangers

It's a good idea to be careful, but don't panic too much. Not meaning in the slightest to belittle the horrible things that people have mentioned here, and there are certainly some evil people around, but it's really not very common when you consider the thousands of dogs at a Champ show. I've been to a LOT of champ shows and never had anything happen to either of my dogs - but I don't leave them on the bench for longer than it takes to pop to the loo. Hope you have fun anyway!

This all adds ammunition to the anti-pedigree brigade.  Not only do people who show and breed create 'deformed, not fit for purpose' dogs they also try to harm each others dogs.  It is understandable why people go out looking for a 'pet' dog rather than health tested stock etc as when stories like this get out, dogs appear to be little more than a commodity or a resource in the showing game. :(

Yeah definitely don't leave your dogs.  I never leave mine on the bench unattended.  But come on why should this put more ammunition to the anti-pedigree brigade, things like this happen in all walks of life, even I bet a car shows etc.  Unfortunately some people are sore losers and will do anything to win.  Thankfully these types are in the minority.  I've never, ever experienced it on mine or anyone elses dogs in over 20 years of showing.

It is a form of cheating and you will always get cheats where there is any form of competition. At shows my dog is always with me or being watched by a friend and if there are no friends there I enlist other exhibitors to keep an eye on my dog.

i dont think its the anti dog show people I think its jealous people who  cannot accept dogs may be better than theirs.