The Wilmington Kennel Club holds it annual dog shows this weekend at Lums Pond. Yes, that's "shows" plural. There's a fully contained dog show Friday, culminating with a best in show top dog. Another on Saturday. And, actually, a third show this year run by the Penn Treaty Kennel Club, based in Downingtown, Pa.The shows, which run from 9 a.m. until the best in show is chosen each day - about 4:30 p.m. Friday; 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday - are at the Lums Pond State Park campgrounds, with the entrance on Del. 71. Admission is $5 each day; $3 for seniors and children 5 and older; free for kids younger than 5.
The dog shows are a great opportunity to see the best of your favorite breed, or to get a look at a breed you aren't familiar with, says Martha Doerner, the show chairman and treasurer of the Wilmington Kennel Club.
To find out when specific breeds, which can mean anywhere from one dog to 69 (the popular golden retriever), go the kennel club's Web site and click on Friday's or Saturday's judging schedules. Several breeds go at the same time in mostly eight different rings. There are two bigger rings for the breeds with the most dogs.
"It's seeing what a well-bred dog is," she says, "should look like, act like, behave like." Dogs are judged, not against each other, but against the standard for each breed.
Doerner recommends your first stop be the information booth. The people staffing it can not only explain how the dog show is set up and what you can see where, but they also can offer advice on taking care of your own dogs, and information about pure-bred dogs and what the sport of dog shows is all about.
And Doerner also suggests that you talk to dog owners and handlers - after they're finished showing - to get more insight about specific breeds, grooming or handling a dog.
"Once they're done, they're normally pretty open to talking to people," says Doerner, who knows a thing or two about the nerves associated with showing dogs. She has shown dogs for 40 years, and now breeds and shows wire-haired dachshunds. She won't have any of her dogs in the weekend shows because she's so closely involved with putting on the event.
One reminder: Don't bring your dog to the shows. They can distract the show dogs and just cause a general ruckus if they're not used to being around so many other dogs - between 1,100 to 1,500 dogs are showed each day.
2 comments:
Big Ups for Boo. We need more
dogs in the classroom!
Other comment: I was wondering
how to open a blog?
Fe
As a campaigner for animal protection I was inspired and impressed very much by a book written by a lifelong peaceful activist who fought against the so-called "sport" of hare coursing (Hares are better known as Jack Rabbits in the USA).
It's called Bad Hare Days by John Fitzgerald. He really pays tribute to campaigners worldwide who give so much time and sacrifice to the wellbeing of our four-legged friends.
It's a great read, full of humour, gripping accounts of campaign experiences, and startling anecdotes about the animal protection "campaign trail" and what those who fought for the animals have had to put up with from those committed to preserving and supporting the various forms of "Fun Cruelty".
All of us who care about animals have our "Bad Hare Days", but we have our successes and rewards too!
If only we could co-exist peacefully with animals...
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