Best in Show ; a Canuck Beagle !!!

[chesapeake]

HUH??? Of course there was a Chessie! They ARE part of the Sporting group

Yes, there was a chesapeake bay retriever. I mentioned she didn't make the cut(referring to top 4 in the group)

Like others on here have asked about the beagle, has most of the working traits been bred out of these "show dogs"?

I know when the hosts were comintating I heard lots about therapy and some agility. I personally didn't here of any working titles.

[Sharon]

Stupid beauty contests have ruined too many breeds.

Some breeds but not all. The hounds and terriers have changed little over the years.

[thunderbelly]

Bull terriers are deformed abominations of what they once were.
I would bet any of the dogs in that show would fail in comparison to even the culls from a working breeder.
It's a shame what shows like this do to dogs.

[C.A. in TO]

Bull terriers are deformed abominations of what they once were.
I would bet any of the dogs in that show would fail in comparison to even the culls from a working breeder.
It's a shame what shows like this do to dogs.

Not all the breeds. Working Rhodesian Ridgebacks primarily come from the same breeders that were showing in the ring. Before anyone asks what a working RR does -- that would be hunting, tracking and home security

[thunderbelly]

Breeders of working Ridgebacks came all the way from Africa? That's dedicated. Wonder how many Cane Corso breeders came from Italy?
I will never believe awards given to exaggerated characteristics will better a breed. If, someone wants a fluffy cuddly lapdog, or a wirehaired couch potato, I hope they find exactly what they want, but it shouldn't be presented as a working dog, or sporting dog. Unless couch surfing is a job. Look at the fate of the great dane, too tall and leggy to be a good boar hound now. Malinois are now the most popular breed ( Dutch sheppards are pretty high too) in schutzhund/ french ring. Too hard to get a roach back alsatian to hit a sleeve. I used to work my Fila beside a pera de presa canaro, poor presa hit like a sledge hammer once or twice, then needed a nap. The Fila could go all day, but then, filas are still bred for work.
Lol. Can you tell I'm a fan of function over form?

[C.A. in TO]

Let me correct myself -- had surgery yesterday and I maybe shouldn't be trying to string too many words together.
What I meant to say was "from the same lines"
There aren't enough Ridgebacks for the lines to have yet become working vs show. I do know quite a few that regularly hunt in the US. Everything from birds to mountain cats to hog. Almost all also have show champions as littermates. Also many that work on ranches in US west and southwest. And most of the kennels in South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe have American, Canadian or European blood. Young breed. Potential not yet bred out.

[Fenelon]

Thunderbelly - ?? The Brazilian Mastiff is a really good example of precisely what you despise. Like most of the giant dog breeds, it's so badly inbred now that the breed is plagued with hip and elbow dysplasia. Not much different than the Alsatian you're mocking !

[thunderbelly]

Sorry, wasnt mocking the Alsatian, was mocking the people who deformed them in the 80's, I also despise the breeders who create 100+ lb Rottweilers and a huge list of others.
I think the "Brazilian mastiff" you refer to, is the Fila Brasilero, a fine dog, from a good breeder ( hard to find outside of Brazil) but the Fila I owned was a Cao de Fila de Sau Miguell ( doubt I spelled that right my Portuguese is rusty). An entirely different breed, for an entirely different job. They are more like a rough border collie, used for catching feral cattle and guarding ranches. Guess thats more like an old American Bulldog.

[last5oh_302]

Sorry, wasnt mocking the Alsatian, was mocking the people who deformed them in the 80's, I also despise the breeders who create 100+ lb Rottweilers and a huge list of others.
I think the "Brazilian mastiff" you refer to, is the Fila Brasilero, a fine dog, from a good breeder ( hard to find outside of Brazil) but the Fila I owned was a Cao de Fila de Sau Miguell ( doubt I spelled that right my Portuguese is rusty). An entirely different breed, for an entirely different job. They are more like a rough border collie, used for catching feral cattle and guarding ranches. Guess thats more like an old American Bulldog.

The standard for Rotties is anywhere between 80-135 lbs. Why would you despise a good ethical breeder that proves their dogs can work, does all the health checks, and stick to the breed standard?

[BDH]

Stupid beauty contests have ruined too many breeds.

I would bet that Miss P has never seen a rabbit or even watched bugs bunny. Before working dogs and hounds come to this type of show they should have field dog accomplishments. Too many breeds being selfishly designed for bench forgetting what the dog was originally developed for.

Miss P is cute, but like somebody suggested, you would not be hunting with Paris Hilton!

Dick