In the world of
pageantry and competition, there is but one show that stands above all others.
One that is unrivaled in showmanship, class, and prestige. It is a show of true
passion, hard work, and fierce competition. Of course I’m talking about the
Westminster Kennel Club Dog show! To those who don’t know a lot about the Westminster,
it is an extremely old and precise dog show with probably way more rules and
regulations than anyone could ever imagine.
At the core of all the tradition and decorum is a rigid set
of standards. These standards are made according to the “basic purpose of dog
shows,” which is to “facilitate the evaluation of breeding stock for use in
producing the next generations.”
There is a certain hierarchy in the
competition. First there are groups. Every breed belongs to a group based on
their bred purpose. “Sporting” for
example is dogs which are used for assisting hunters and “generally have high
energy and stable temperaments,” Retrievers, pointers and, spaniels are some of
the most common. “Hounds” are a group that broke off from sporting in 1930, but
are very similar. “Working” dogs are generally service dogs like the German
Sheppard. “Terriers” are dogs bred to pursue vermin. “Toy” dogs are small and
bred for companionship. “Non-Sporting” was one of the two original groups
(along with sporting obviously) but now just serves as a miscellaneous group;
and finally there is “Herding.” These dogs were bred for, wait… you guessed it herding!
These are the main groups, and then it is condensed into specific breeds.
Currently
there are 192 breeds allowed by Westminster, and just this week they announced
the acceptance of 2 new breeds (Coton de Tulears and Vizslas). To judge each
dog they use a written “standard” of what the ideal dog in that breed should
look like. The standard of each breed is written and “maintained” by the club
of that certain breed. The judgment standards are oddly descriptive in some
portions but also extremely vague at other times. It is safe to say that it’s
one of the weirdest things I’ve ever read.
For example thishttp://www.akc.org/breeds/pembroke_welsh_corgi/breed_standard.cfm is the
written standard for a Welsh corgi. It has a lot of ambiguous terminology, such
as the description of the dog’s expression which should be “Intelligent and
interested, but not sly.” Then there are other portions of the standard which
are extremely exact, like the weight of the dog should be “in proportion to
size, not exceeding 30 pounds for dogs and 28 pounds for bitches.”
As if those
standards weren’t enough to show just how odd this show is, there are also
excessively strict, but telling, rules. For one, there is a specific law
against using braces to straighten your dog’s teeth. There is also a specific
“no tattooing” rule that prevents people from adjusting the natural colors of
their canines. But those are just some of the most extreme rules. Almost as
shocking though are the general processes that these people must do to make
their dogs appear “showing quality.” According to the Associated Press
“Scissors, blow dryers, bobby pins — they’re as much a part of the Westminster
dog show as commands, crates and treats.” Apparently dogs can be prepped for
hours before each show, getting bathed and pampered. That’s the point where I
decided that this whole thing is just too much for me. The Westminster might be
a little too high class for my taste. For god’s sake the dogs spend HOURS
getting ready for the show. I’ve never spent hours getting ready for anything!
The total amount of hierarchical organization in this event
is astounding. The standards are extremely detailed. It’s no surprise that this
organization has been doing this for over 130 years, they have it down to an
EXACT science. In that regard it’s impressive. But what I’m taking out of all
this is that it is only entertaining to see on TV once a year; and that’s just
because I like to watch dogs. The whole culture is full of borderline insane
control freaks with undoubtedly too much time on their hands. I love dogs, but
this is just absurd. For my money, I’d much rather get my pooch involved in
something like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKzkIlOe8mw .
References
- http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/dogshows/aboutdogshows.html
- http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/2-new-dog-breeds-allowed-compete-westminster-kennel-club-dog-show-article-1.1958225
- http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/
- http://www.dailyitem.com/news/entertainment/article_9f208f58-7732-5faa-81c9-6d5f28b1fbda.html
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