Page 14 - Online Spring 2022 Newsletter

The Root Cause of Exhibitors Dissatisfaction

By Andrew Brace - 15 July 2017

An extract from a letter published in Dog World submitted by
Allan Wadmore (with permission from the author)
for inclusion in The Keeshond Club Newsletter.

As Editor I recognise that this article does not make for easy reading for
the overall sport of dog showing but feel that it should not be a reason to
shield ourselves from what is perceived to be going on.
Perhaps it is also not a bad thing to examine our own practices to ensure
that we, as ambassadors of the Keeshond breed of today, always sit on
the right side of the fence in this as shining examples of 'how it should be
done' and so reap the potential benefit of our breed numbers at shows
increasing while others may be falling away. Ed.

The article:
Three years ago I wrote an article in and if my informants are correct I am
Dog World with the above title which told this group has three years to
seemed to touch such a nerve with come to some conclusions. Three
so many people that it received years? Why so long?
hundreds of comments as soon as it In the first instance we need to look
was published and it went viral. I had dispassionately at the role of the dog
endless requests for the article to be show in modern society. Originally
reproduced in breed club magazines it was a vehicle which deliberately
worldwide and wherever it appeared set out to give breeders the
it prompted a reaction. Three years opportunity to exhibit and compare
on, I feel it might be pertinent to breeding stock. Seeing other
quote the original article and ask if breeders' dogs at a show enabled
anything has changed. breeders to determine what was
This is what caused so much available in the way of stud dogs, who
comment...
was producing what, and the old
breeders were very much of the
"There has recently been much
publicity given to the fact that dog stockman variety, as were the judges
of the day who in many cases often
show entries are dwindling, that new
people are not entering the sport and judged other forms of livestock."
staying with it and we have "Today dog shows are not just about
comparatively few young people large scale breeders monitoring
seriously involved in many breeds. breeding stock. In the main they are
The Kennel Club has now set up a social events where dog owners meet
working party to canvas opinion as to up with their friends, some of whom
what can be done to stem the tide are more committed to allied

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