Showing Dogs

This is a hobby that we fell upon about 15 years ago - although that sounds like a long time ago - in the world of showing we are definitely still considered “newbies” as we have so much more to learn.  As hobbies go, showing can be incredibly rewarding, frustrating, challenging and enjoyable in equal measure.  Without showing, I would not have made some lifelong friends, realised that there are people crazier than me or learned so much about so many different breeds!

I will not try to explain the rules of showing as it would take far too long and there are still somethings that I don’t understand (LOL).  Basically, it is a knock out competition where the initial classes are split by age or previous wins.  The winners then compete against each other to become Best of Breed.  Best of Breeds then compete to become Best in Group.  Best in Group then go on to compete for Best in Show.  This is a very simplistic outline, but it gives an idea of how a show works.

We are often asked “how much do you win at a show?” - the simple answer is: nothing!!  Showing is not a way to make money, nor is it a ruse to increase the price of puppies - it is simply a hobby that costs money to participate.  Even if we were to win one of the most prestigious shows (Crufts or Westminster), the winnings do not come close to the investment needed to reach such accolades. It has often been said that the only way to become a millionaire from showing is to start as a billionaire!!

We have been fortunate enough to win many awards with our dogs: Champion status, Best In Shows, etc, but we have also been to many shows where we have won absolutely nothing.  Whether we win or whether we lose - we ALWAYS take the best dogs home!!