Posts tagged "dog shows"

What do you get when you take one New York City photographer and 170 precocious and well-coiffed show dogs? A photo book packed with some of the most expressive furry mugs we've ever seen. Sharpshooter Kate Lacey shares with us what it was like to corral and capture hundreds of canines on film to make "Show Dogs: A Photographic Breed Guide."

What inspired you to create this book?
In 2005, "Life" magazine asked me to photograph the dogs at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. As a photographer, I'm frequently asked, "What has been your favorite shoot?" For years, without hesitation, I'd say that assignment. I knew I had to turn the project into a book.

How challenging was it to round up so many breeds?
I was a little naive when I started this project. I had 16 portraits from the first Westminster show. The book's editor and I thought we'd need to attend maybe one or two more dog shows to reach our ultimate goal of profiling 170 breeds across seven categories, from toy breeds to herding dogs. Over a year later, after traveling to countless shows in multiple states, we eventually did it, but the process wasn't easy. The closer we got to our goal, the more difficult it became to find the less common breeds.

Meet jet-setting show dog Curry, Paw Nation advice columnist. In between competing at the top dog shows, Curry finds time to answer the questions all dogs long to ask. From grooming advice (Curry just won Best in Breed at Westminster, so she knows a thing or two about looking gorgeous) to tips on getting along with the craziest of canines (she lives in Manhattan so she has to make friends with the many other dogs on the block), this 3-year-old Glen of Imaal terrier has all the answers to your crucial canine queries.

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I am an 18-month-old Glen of Imaal terrier, and your most ardent fan! I follow all of your show ring performances and read your column as often as I can get my paws on my owner's laptop. My other interests include hunting the mice and squirrels in my yard and digging after the delicious scent of moles in their burrows. I do however have dreams of breaking into the exciting world of competition. Any advice for a pup that craves a bit of the limelight?
--Monroe, Your Number-One Fan

Monroe pudding, what a doll you are sending such a nice note. I simply adore my pet followers. Remember, you don't need to be a glamorous showgirl lto enjoy a lot of attention. Even when I'm not dolled up for the show ring, I am still the apple of my humans' eye as I'm sure you are too, Monroe.

You sound like you have a lovely life. Oh how I wish I could enjoy the delicious scents of moles rather than Jo Malone perfume. In the city it's really hard to find anything natural including some of the human's faces.

If you really do want to experience the world of showing, look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself how close you are to the official AKC breed standard. Every breed has a breed standard, a written document detailing what the perfect dog of each breed should look like. The Glen standard is what every Glen of Imaal Terrier, including me, is judged against. If you feel like you make the cut, find a small local show where you can find out not only a judge's opinion of you, but also your own feeling about how much you enjoy participating in a show. Some dogs don't like this kind of competition. -- and its not your only option.

For two days in December, nearly 4,000 dogs from across the nation and around the world gathered in Long Beach, Calif. to compete in the American Kennel Club (AKC)/Eukanuba National Championship. The event has the distinction of being the only dog show in the United States that is organized and held solely by the AKC, the country's oldest and only not-for-profit purebred dog registry.

With $225,000 in prize money available, the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is the largest prize-money dog show in the world, according to Animal Planet, which will air highlights from the event on Feb. 6.

Elite dogs competed in several separate events, including Best in Show and AKC invitationals in agility and obedience. In addition, the Eukanuba World Challenge -- presided over this year by Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson -- featured dogs from 41 countries. The event brings together "some of the world's most beautiful and diverse dogs," promises Animal Planet. (Be sure to watch for Sadie, a black Scottish terrier, pictured left, who was ranked the number-one dog going into the competition.)

The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship premieres on Animal Planet and also on the Discovery Channel on Saturday, February 6, 2010, from 8-11 PM (ET/PT).

Planning on watching the National Dog Show for the first time this Thanksgiving Day on NBC? You might wind up with more questions than answers. Dog shows have their own quirky sets of rules, manners and habits. We spoke to Wayne Ferguson, longtime announcer at the National Dog Show, to help answer some questions about how the whole thing works.

What is a "benched" dog show?
A benched dog show is one in which spectators are allowed backstage, where the dogs must be kept throughout the show to be available for public viewing. The exhibitors cannot pack up and leave early even if their dogs bow out of the competition.

Why is the National Dog Show one of only five benched shows left in the U.S.?
"Basically, they're very expensive for us to put on," Ferguson explains. "They take a lot of manpower and man hours, and they're not popular with the exhibitors, because they don't like sitting there all day with their dog. They'd rather be able to take their dog outside, go out for lunch, hang out in their motor homes, or just go home." Benched shows are, however, very popular with spectators, because no matter what time of day you arrive at the show, you're guaranteed to get to see your favorite breeds even if you miss them in the ring. It's a good opportunity for those who are thinking about getting a new pup to meet with breeders, too, since many of them show dogs.