Is Showing hard for a Dog?

I've heard before (I believe it was in a television program, many years ago) that the grind of "Showing" (all the traveling, stress etc.) is not healthy for a dog.
Is there any truth to this?

It really depends on the dog. Some dogs love it and thrive on the all that traveling, others don't handle it very well. Most show dog people start their dogs at a very young age so the stress is minimal for an experienced show dog, but it can be very stressful on an unconditioned dog.

What a load of "Twaddle"!!! :rotfl:

Sorry, but if you were in my house you would know that nothing is further from the truth!! Ok I don't show frequently, and I certainly DO NOT show week in and week out round the Open Shows (Which is exhausting for BOTH dog and owner!)
HOWEVER! I feel I must state that in this breeder/exhibitors household for certain, shows are a VERY exciting day out indeed!
Dogs being shown are bathed the night before and the "Show Bag" comes out! Now if you were to see how my 7 yr old Retired show boy/Stud Dog re-acts when he see's the "Show Bag"!!! :lol: He will lie right beside it, guarding it almost, he knows this means a "Day Out" and the look on his face when he realises that he won't be taken is heart wrenching to say the least!

Basically show dogs on the whole, REALLY ENJOY being shown, they get very excited about it, and equally, get depressed when they realise that this time at least, they are'nt doing the trip!

Yes, I will admit that many "Show Dogs" will clock up many miles and eventually become "Ring Stale" and NOT enjoy their days out, but, if showing is kept to as a hobby then the dogs will really enjoy it!!

Cathryn said:

......the night before and the "Show Bag" comes out! Now if you were to see how my 7 yr old Retired show boy/Stud Dog re-acts when he see's the "Show Bag"!!! :lol: He will lie right beside it, guarding it almost, he knows this means a "Day Out" and the look on his face when he realises that he won't be taken is heart wrenching to say the least....!

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Thank you for straightening this out, Cathryn.

Rosewoodsteel said:

Thank you for straightening this out, Cathryn.

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This is so true-- oh my heavens. You take the bag out and they go crazy.

A dog being shown every weekend may get tired of it. But I know many breeders who pick up their dogs on Sunday and give them to the handlers on Thursday-- they are excited to be going. If they hate it they don't do well-- so why would anyone push it on a dog that doesn't love it?

Like Cathryn's dogs, ours LOVE to go to show! They know immediately because Kris follows a certain routine and they know that routine. And you should hear Duece when it isn't his weekend to show; he has this pathetic low whine that he does when he sees the others getting ready and he isn't! As far as being tired, I would say they are tired after spending the day at a show (even though they sleep in their crate at the show and both ways in the car), but no more so than if they had spent a morning at a park playing.

It seems they don't forget showing either. Our boy Ch. Laughing Lazer absolutely LOVED to go to show. I really think he liked the attention from all the people at the shows. After he became a champion and retired from the show ring and (eventually) from breeding, we placed him with some friends not far from here. When he was here for dogsitting last month, you should have seen him when Kris started getting our dogs ready for a show. He went absolutely bananas, wanting to go with. After living with his new family for close to 4 years, that crazy dog still remembered the routine!

Though I only did a little showing a long time ago, I have to agree with the "twaddle" comment. Dogs generally love going out, doing stuff with their humans, working & getting rewarded for it.

We have enjoyed attending the Eukanuba Nationals in Long Beach, California for the past three years. (In fact, it's where we met Dottie's breeder.) I will attest that of the 150 or more breeds there, from chihuahuas to Mastiffs, all seemed to be happy, well adjusted, very socialized and very loved by their breeders/handlers.

Most show breeders will tell you that the physical attributes are only part of the package. In order to place well, the dog must also have the high spirited, happy attitude in the ring, be well socialized with other dogs and exposed to many different types of people, lights and noises. In fact, many of these dogs will go on to work in animal assisted therapy because of their well rounded demeanors.

Ah, the life of a show dog......

I think this puts it very well! All my show dogs love showing! The ones that didn't at first, I pulled back, went back to handeling classics, socialization, and basics with, and once they where comfortable around other people and dogs - They're just like everyone elses dogs that go nuts when they see me preparing for a show! That being said - My main breed, Italian Greyhounds, can be hard to show as many of are timid - My lines I breed carefully for temperment and personality so I don't really have a problem, but I've seem many show IGs that where obviously not happy in the ring!!!

hbmama said:

We have enjoyed attending the Eukanuba Nationals in Long Beach, California for the past three years. (In fact, it's where we met Dottie's breeder.) I will attest that of the 150 or more breeds there, from chihuahuas to Mastiffs, all seemed to be happy, well adjusted, very socialized and very loved by their breeders/handlers.

Most show breeders will tell you that the physical attributes are only part of the package. In order to place well, the dog must also have the high spirited, happy attitude in the ring, be well socialized with other dogs and exposed to many different types of people, lights and noises. In fact, many of these dogs will go on to work in animal assisted therapy because of their well rounded demeanors.

Ah, the life of a show dog......

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