Wow -- that's depressing! I had no idea that dogs were even weighed before or during a dog show. Does that happen for Cavaliers? I often wondered how the judge was supposed to assess whether they were 12-18 pounds, but I assumed they just eyeballed it.
I would suggest that right by the scale they place a large bowl of clean, cool water, and the dogs are allowed to drink their fill right before stepping on the scales, but you just know some sicko would do classical conditioning to make their poor dog afraid of drinking from a bowl, no matter how thirsty they are. Or, they would starve them twice as long to make up for the water they are "allowed" to drink.
Honestly, what people will do to win these things is just appalling. In a similar vein, I watched (cringed at) "Painted Babies" or some such show last night about kids' pageants where they spray tan, curl, tease, hairspray, plaster makeup on 4 year olds, dress them up like Vegas showgirls and teach them how to shimmy. Seriously, part of their little routines include ripping off an accessory (like their skirt!) and swinging it around while dancing to music. One girl was asked an interview question "What would you do if you had a $1 million?" She said "Purses, lots of purses, because you know us ladies like those things." And she was like 6 years old. Great values there, MOM and DAD. Of course, we've seen this all before with the media stories about the murder of Jonbenet Ramsey several years back (and Little Miss Sunshine), but every time you see what these people do, it still shocks.
Sorry, a little off topic there. But it all seems part and parcel of the practice of polishing your own vanity through your child's or your dog's appearance, doesn't it?
