so whats the need for show dogs?

Question

i dont like the idea of havin to show off dogs as a matter of "my dogs beautiful, he has to win or i wont be happy"... whats wrong with these people that do feel the need to show their dog? I think that its like having a little child going to the beauty pageant and its really, a massive insicurity on the owner/dad/mother side....

what do you think?

Answer 1

Here are my thoughts on this: Let's say that you want to get yourself a purebred dog. And let's say that you really haven't seen but one or two pure breeds of dogs, but, they're not the kind you want. Where can you go to see what the best of other breeds should look like? Answer: a dog show. Unless it's a single breed show, like, say, a Great Dane show, there will be all breeds of dogs available for you to look at.

Now, let's say that you thought you wanted a dog that looked like Hooch (from the movie Turner & Hooch) and you thought that it was a red-brown Saint Bernard. But, at the dog show, you find out it is really a Dogue de Bordeaux. You were never going to find one looking at St. Bernard breeders offerings or Bull or English Mastiff's, either although they are all quite similar.

Or another scenario: you've been offered a dog that you were told is a Dalmatian, but it is white with black spots and 34" tall, weighs 155 pounds. It's a very friendly, laid back dog with a beautiful box-y head. If you'd never seen a harlequin Great Dane at the dog show, you wouldn't know what you were looking at.

Then, there might be someone looking for a dog that would be great in field work, or livestock work, hunting, or other sporting and agility work. There are special shows where dogs are taken to compete to show their breeds worthiness for such work.

As for the breeders, they compete in the hopes of having bred and raised the dog that most closely meets the standards that have been set by AKC (or their Breed Association) for their breed. They may have even crossed two similar breeds and created a new breed that is more popular than either of the original breeds (such as Peek-a-poos)

A show dog with titles or points is worth more money, for sale or for breeding, than an un-shown dog. Their offspring would command a higher price, too, if properly bred with equally qualified mates. It's the difference between "pet" quality and "show" quality dogs. Most people only require pet quality, but breeders so need to start with show quality to breed show quality. Hence, the need for shows.

Answer 2

Ideally breeding is about creating the best dog and making the breed in general better.

Ideally showing is about comparing the dog to the ideal standard that is much more then just looks. It is about strength, fitness, temperament and ensuring a way to know that the best genes are being passed on to the next generation. It is not about which dog looks prettiest because if that pretty dog has a bad temper or bad hips they are disqualified and hopefully people can avoid breeding that dog.

Dogs are not compared to each other so much as compared to how closely they much the ideal standard. Perfection by the way is readily admitted as not possible but that the dog who most closely matches what they are meant to be. Every standard lists that the major faults are not for how pretty the dog is but something that prevents them from doing what they were bred for. Which is why the standards say things like grey hair from age and honorable scars from working are acceptable.

Unfortunately like in everything in life people pervert what is a good thing because of their own issues but that doesn't mean that showing is a bad thing.

Answer 3

A dog show is where people who breed or intend to breed go to both evaluate their dogs and to see what other dogs in their breed look like and how breeding to them will enhance or improve the next generation. Breeders also study lines and pedigrees, but at shows they see dogs from those lines and get a much better idea of what breeding to certain lines will most likely produce. Some females will need to be higher on leg, while others will need a slightly different shaped head in order to create a better example of their breed in their offspring. In other words, without dogs shows the breeds would not look as they do. They would not be as pretty or as defined. Each breed is shown against other members of the same breed. It is not until they win their breed competition that they are shown against other breeds for group or Best in Show wins. In reality those wins are far less important than the breed competition. The breed competitions are not televised because they all go on simultaneously and take all day. Each show can have anywhere from 10 to 30 rings set up all actively showing individual breeds at the same time all day. Once the winners of each breed have been chosen by the different judges in the breed rings, they go into group. But it is the breed rings that are important because it is the breed rings that help breeders select dogs to breed to that create future dogs.

If it were not for dog shows, eventually the only dogs people would find would be muts.

Answer 4

Personally, I think it's because there are people out there that want pretty dogs and want to know what they're getting. With mutts, you get a wild card, which I think is pretty entertaining at times. When you get a 9week old ball of fluff that weighs 5lbs and it turns into this huge, leggy, sleek dog you gotta think "hey, that's pretty cool."

But the dog shows are there to prove that a dog has good genes and is a good candidate for breeding to make more dogs that look just like it.

It seems odd to me, but at the same time I love papillons. I'm pretty neutral I guess.

~nobody blames the butterfly.... ARF!~

Answer 5

Honeychild is right - showing dogs is for breeders. We show to get points to make the dogs that we have bred champions. I am proud of my dogs - but sometimes they don't win - just like in any sport! Ya can't win 'em all.
Of course - I love to win at the shows - but if I don't win - maybe I will win next time around.
I am NOT insecure at all - that's actually really funny! Believe me, if you show dogs, you are in the ring in front of everyone - trying to do everything to make your dog look great for the judge. And this is all in front of an audience. So - this is not the place for an insecure person. You have to be very confident.
We show dogs because it's FUN. It's fun for us & it's fun for the dogs. Why do people play golf? Why do people go bowling? Why do people water ski? Boat? Go horseback riding?
Same thing. And yeah - you don't also win in whatever hobby you choose - but the challenge makes it more fun.
PS - People like Teashy simply don't know what they are talking about. No offense Teashy. Not everyone who shows dogs is rich. I show dogs & I am not rich. Perhaps you are jealous?
PSS - AshleyNicole - NOT every purebred dog is a show dog. Just cuz your dog is purebred doesn't mean she is a show dog. However - she is probably a fine pet. And for the record - show dogs do EXACTLY the same thing that every other dog does except they also get the added bonus of going to dog shows - which they LOVE.

Answer 6

I have show dogs, but if they don't win it is not a big deal. First and foremost they are my companions, showing is just something that we can both enjoy on weekends. My dogs love to travel and show, and they get so excited when they win, but they still have a lot of fun when they don't. I love it when they win, but I love seeing how excited that they get when they see some of their "show buddies" and how they love to show off for the judge.

I think that it is horrible that people only love their dog when it wins, but they are in the minority. Most of the people that show dogs treat their dogs like children whether they win or not. I wish the people that think the only time their dog is good is when it wins should not be allowed to show (or have dogs shown).

Answer 7

Dog shows exhibit the breed standard. What the breeder strives for when selling litters. I think beauty pageants are sick.

Answer 8

Yo I'm not a huge dog fan but this is how I see it:

Suppose I like dogs, but I need a hobby, too!

So I breed dogs, trying to make the best performing dog. The fastest, the nicest to look at, the most intelligent and communicative, etc.

Then there's no need for a nice car, nice TV, or nice computer since I already have one thing I'm really proud of: my dog. Because it's a living companion for human beings. And especially one you have trained or chosen, or paid another owner for.

If I ever get into wanting a dog, I'll just get a top performer. Or a guard dog. Which I can train, like that bad guy in one of those James Bond movies, where he throws a piece of steak in front of them, waits several minutes, then snaps his fingers and the dogs go on and eat it. I want one of those. That'd be totally awesome.

Answer 9

Showing is really for breeders. They strive to improve the breed and in order to do this, they have to show and their dogs have to win. They want their dogs to be the best in the breed. Other than that, its a sport just like any other, and yes, very competitive.

Answer 10

I think dog shows aren't just "for showing off" their dogs I think it is a way for people to appreciate all the different breeds and their characteristics and personalities. And I also don't think that there is anything wrong with taking pride in your pet and wanting to show him off to the people that want to watch!