Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 2:45 pm Post subject: Idea for making dog-showing more audience-friendly!
Well, I've just got back from watching the wonderful dog show at Malvern today and its got me pondering...
As a non-showing and very ignorant spectator I find the whole judging process very mistifying. To me all the dogs there looked so similar and all equally attractive that I couldn't fathom out why the judge picked one out over the other. Dave, Zorro, Ida and I tried guessing who would win but in the end I had to settle for choosing the 'handler with the nicest bum-bag', or the 'dog with attitude' !
Now I know that the judge learns a lot by running her hands over the dog and looking at its teeth and stuff, but that isn't of any help to the non-showing and ignorant spectator so what I propose is this......
You know in rugby matches and other sporting events now where the referee wears a little microphone thing and you can buy electronic things so you can hear what he's saying? Well...how about that in dog shows?!!
Then the judge could mutter a running commentry as they touch up the dogs or watches them running their owners up and down and in triangles and stuff and the audience would know how and why they reach their decisions. Maybe even the Judge could give us a bit of gossip about each competitor if he/she hasn't got much to say about the dog!!! I know you can read critiques about the dogs months afterwards if you buy the dog newspapers but who's going to remember who the dog was with the handler in the floral blouse was by then?
I think that this idea would go down a storm and really make dogshowing a far more interactive sport for all the family to enjoy!!! I think it would be good if the judge could tell a few jokes and jolly things along a bit too as they do tend to look a bit ernest and it wuld be nice to see their lighter side.
Another quick thought....I noticed there were quite a few 'characters' handling labadors today...is this specific to the breed or do all breeds have their fair share of quirky people and do different breeds have certain 'types' of owners?
Another quick thought....I noticed there were quite a few 'characters' handling labadors today...is this specific to the breed or do all breeds have their fair share of quirky people and do different breeds have certain 'types' of owners?
I am friends with a boxer handler/judge and she's as crazy as me, so I don't think it's just us lab owners. I know some of her mates too, and they're defo off another planet.
Glad you enjoyed your day. Some nice suggestions there, but doubtful if they would catch on to be honest!! I think if we had verbal critiques at least for the placed dogs that would be helpful. Trouble is, with a large number of dogs, this does take more time, but then again, they do stop and write notes on the first two dogs which they could just as easily speak, I suppose!!
GSD shows are quite fond of verbal critiques and they do tend to go down well with exhibitors who all crowd round to hear what the judge is saying - whether they agree or not is a different matter, but at least the judge has stated his whys and wherefores!!
If a running commentary were given as the judge did his thing ( sort of thinking out loud) I think this would be a real eye opener for us complete novices.
I can just hear it now..."Nice face.....lovely eyes......wonderful movement behind.....AND the dog isn't bad also".
but then again, they do stop and write notes on the first two dogs which they could just as easily speak, I suppose!!
I have seen some judges recording their critiques onto portable dictaphone - so could be done - in France every dog gets a rating whether placed or not - think most of our classes would be far too big for that though
I don't mean that the Judge would do a verbal critique at the end...that would be a bit slow and tedious unless he/she could keep up a good bantering to entertain the audience during the actual showing time. I meant more, like Jules said, a thinking-out-loud sort of commentary as he/she goes along.
On the other hand, I suppose the people who had entred had paid good money to have their dogs judged, whereas I, in the audience paid nothing to watch. Which is pretty good for a day out I thought - all it cost me was £1 for 2 new clickers, £4 for a furry pheasent for Ida, and £1.40 for an icecream. Oh, and I watched a very good gundog display and would have entered Ida into doing her good citizen test had I realised it was happening and got to the testing ring in time. You don't get many days out like that for nothing nowadays!
Its also amazing just how many people were there! I mean where do they come from? And not just older people either - there were loads of kids looking all scrubbed up and suited. Is it something people are born into or does it evolve? Where are all these dogs during the day because out of all my dog-walking croneys, I don't know anyone who shows their dog? Its like a parallel universe! Is there a hierarchy of show people? The more I think about it, the stranger it all seems! I shall have to probe this further in time..its got me gripped!!!
Which Tottie took a great liking to
It was great to meet you and Dave today and your wonderful doggies.
Tottie came home and was like " come on you two - play like puppies, it's much more fun"
Re the topic - don't know if I would want to know what the judge was thinking after our awful display in the ring, and then being placed 4th out of 4!!!!!!
Having spent another day studying the wierd and wonderful world of dog showing I have fine-tuned my ideas for bringing dog-showing into the 21st Century:-
I dislike 'The Cut'..its far to harsh and there's nothing that the 'Cut' handlers and dogs can do except slink out of the ring looking forlorn. I think that there should be a chance to appeal and 'win the judge round'. So here's how it will go.....
If you don't make 'The Cut' you are given 60 seconds to appeal to the judge and audience why You Dog should be allowed to remain in the competition. This could take the form of the dog doing a few cute party-pieces, or the handler reciting a little poem about what makes their dog so special, or maybe a few Heelwork-to-music moves (thats growing in popularity) or even, at a push, the dog/handlers relatives could enter the ring and say what they like about them. The audience would be encouraged to cheer for their most favourite dog/handler (which would add to the party atmosphere no end and really jolly the atmosphere up a bit) And you know those big foam hands that people wear at football matches and things? Well, dogshows could give out paw-shaped ones like that for the audience to wave around when they really like the look of a dog..point it up for a paws-up and down for a paws-down sign. Simple yet effective I think!
Also I was a bit taken-aback that there were no real prizes Not even everyone got a rossette..very poor value I thought for the £20 oddpound entrance fee. There ought to be more prizes....I would definantly want prizes if ever I was considering showing a dog. They don't have to be big...a nice day-at-spa-voucher is always acceptable, or some wineglasses.
And what about a few fun-races at the end of the day? after all, those dogs have been sitting and standing around all day and would enjoy doing some handler and dog obstical races, or a game of rounders to round the day off before travelling home. This would also give the less attractive dogs the chance to win a small prize to - level out the playing field a bit.
Why oh why have I not been snapped up onto some show committee already, I ask myself?
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
Is there a hierarchy of show people? The more I think about it, the stranger it all seems! I shall have to probe this further in time..its got me gripped!!!
I think that there should be a chance to appeal and 'win the judge round'. So here's how it will go.....
