We are a television production company putting together a proposal for a one hour documentary for Channel Five about the highs and lows of showing your dog in competition. This is only the initial stage but, if anyone would like to know more about the project, with a view to taking part, please contact me. My e-mail address: ainsliefoster@yahoo.co.uk.

Thank you.

Beware anyone of taking up this offer!

Television documentries are usually edited to make the dog owners look eccentric and ridiculous.

Crufts is supposed to be a programme about the worlds premier dog show, but the television coverage is just a joke. They use 'celebrities' to appeal to the general public (you couldn't possibly use an expert presenter who nobody knows!), who go on shopping trips for ridiculous dog paraphanalia, visit another show in the USA (how irrelevant was that!) and spend valuable minutes on a pointless quiz.

Imagine the protests if Phillipa Forester was employed to present the FA cup final or the World Cup, yet it supposed to be perfectly acceptable to host a programme which is the equivalent event in the canine world!

I would like to think that finally someone is making a programme that will be pro-dog and may encourage further interest in our hobby, but I very much doubt this will be the result.

snomaes

Hi Ainslie, you might have to understand that many dog and dog showing enthusiasts will have some reservations about paticipating in your programme for precisely the reasons that Snomaes has outlined. In the past programme makers have abused the filmed material and portrayed the people as eccentric at best. I have also seen a programme that was very well done indeed. It was made by the Tyne Tees TV Company in 2002 or 2003. Have you seen it?  I recommend you do.

Nobody wants to be made a fool of. I myself feel very suspicious of your motives.
Dawn R.

Yes I saw that 1 Dawn, they filmed it last year around the North East, culminating with Darlington, interesting, factual,and not trying to make a joke to the Dog world!  Of course, lots of us are Nuts, we just like to be able to pint that out ourselves, not have it done for us!
bye
Gwen